The Vegan Butcher

Hello and happy new year! I know I’ve been horrendously slack as of late. I neither apologise nor ask for forgiveness. We shall accept the fact that I’ve been galavanting around London with reckless abandon and move on.

Here’s a post that you were supposed to get at the beginning of the holiday season. You didn’t, so I’ll give it to you now. I found this recipe in a Vegan Society leaflet and did my own thing with it. This is the easiest little hors d’oeurve to make, like, ever. But only if you’ve got pre-made vegan puff pastry at your disposal. (more…)

My fack, I love bread. So, so, so much. And Dr. Atkins can kiss my carb-filled ass, because I ain’t givin’ it up anytime soon.

Today was a bit out of hand, though. I had toast for breakfast (as I ran to my Tube station), a peanut butter sandwich for lunch (at my new job!) and when I got home I made a big ol’ pan of bruschetta. The Bruschetta Experience involved using a gas oven for the first time. Did I blow up the house?!? Only one way to find out… (more…)

It’s not always easy being vegan in a non-vegan world. In this post I will not cry you a river about never being able to eat in social situations, blah blah. This post is about the amazing and heartwarming times you find omnivorous restaurants that are willing to go out of their way to ensure you get a delicious vegan meal in their non-vegan setting. Here are some stories about places like that. (more…)

…that’s amore! Oh, this is amore, my friends! Read on. (more…)

Let’s start this post with some music and a confession. Let’s make it a couple confessions, actually (it is Lent, after all): a) I love pasta, probably more than a person should. I love it in soup, I love it in casseroles, I love it straight up with just ketchup on it. b) I love anything and everything tomato based. Growing up I was attracted to red foods because of my red hair (there’s a deep connection there, all right?!) and to tomatoes in particular because my name starts with T. (Ever play the game “Going on a Picnic”? Where you state that you’re going on a picnic and you say what you’re going to bring along with you? The key [SPOILER ALERT!] is to name something that starts with the same letter as your name. So guess what that always left me with? “I’m going on a picnic…my name is Tracy…and I’m bringing a tomato…” Every. Time.) Keeping confessions A & B in mind, you should immediately recognise how wild and crazy I am bound to be for this dish. And I am. Oh boy oh boy oh boy, am I ever. (more…)

The last night of VeganMoFo was quick and easy (unlike VeganMoFo as a whole, good gracious). Tonight I made Hurry Up Alfredo from the beautiful book Vegan Yum Yum by Lauren Ulm. This cookbook is absolutely gorgeous and it delightful to cook from if you are a visual person like me. And even if you’re not, I recommend checking it out anyway. I love it! (more…)

What a great day! I slept in for the first time in months, I went to the Top of the Rock (I was probably the highest vegan in the city at that moment–unless there was one at the top of the Empire State Building…or smoking something good in Brooklyn), I got h-core hit on by aspiring hip hop artists in Times Square, went to the Lego Store, and explored St. Patrick’s Cathedral (and got told off by security, but what else is new?). I went to the movies and a huge comic book store, and sprinkled throughout was a helluva lot of great vegan food! Let’s recap. (more…)

Last night both Alex and I experienced the world of Staten Island for the first time. We took the free ferry over, having incredible night views of Manhattan, the bridges, and Lady Liberty. We got a firework show from somewhere on Manhattan. We’re not quite sure why, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

We landed in Staten Island and booked it up to the St. George Theatre and watched Liza Minnelli put on quite a show! She is truly an icon and I loved every minute of it.

Once we got back to the city we wandered up to Viva Herbal Pizzeria, a Kosher, veg pizza joint on 2nd Avenue. (more…)

LASAGNA! DAIYA! HOMEMADE MARINARA!!! Man, was I ever looking forward to this meal.

Tonight I cooked Spinach Lasagna from Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food by Alicia C. Simpson. There’s a back story to this author, dear friends. When I got on Twitter I made friends with @VeganGuineaPig and thought she was just another vegan doing her thang. We commented back and forth, agreed on a lot of topics, and got to know a bit about each other. Then one day I was in the veg cooking section of a bookstore, perusing a book that I thought looked good. I flipped to the back cover and saw my dear Guinea Pig’s face staring back at me! I nearly dropped the book in excitement and bought it immediately. And now I proudly tell anyone who will listen how what we’re eating is out of  “my friend’s” cookbook. Ahahahaha. Name-dropper. (more…)

The Hampton Inn pulls through! Today there was a pizza and salad lunch at our conference for the omnis and I walked up to the buffet to request my vegan meal. The buffet attendant disappeared into the kitchen and I expected her to come back with more of yesterday’s iceberg lettuce. What did I get? VEGAN PIZZA!!!

Low expectations are always easy to exceed. Well done, hotel kitchen staff!