The Dirty Vegan is a blog that dishes on sinful vegan junk foods, health foods, recipes, make-up, health, fitness, being a mama, and all things fabulous and vegan at the same time. It is about living a glamorous and fun lifestyle while still being cruelty free. She is not just a vegan, she is a Dirty Vegan.
My birthday is this week. I plan on eating plenty of vegan cake (and pretty much anything else I want - doesn't seem out of the ordinary at all actually). In honor of this joyous occasion, I have decided to start the annual Dirty Awards. These are the products that keep a gal being Naughty, because you know I wouldn't be able to do it without a little help. Only few earn this prestigious award, so you should feel honored happy. Let the Dirties begin!
You may be thinking the Dirties seem a little like these awards...
...well at least we are humorous like the Dundies and not pretentious too formal about our awards here at the Dirty Vegan. It is about having fun and not taking yourself life too seriously.
Congratulations to this year's award recipients! You have received recognition on this esteemed blog and the title as one of the Dirty Vegan's Enablers Favorite Foods/ Products!
Winner of Best Desserty Cereal goes to.... Nature's Path, Peanut Butter Granola
Winner of Best Vegan Junk/ Snack Food goes to... Dirty Vegan Foods, all of it
Winner of Best Vegan ButteryNess goes to... Earth Balance, Original Buttery Spread
Winner of Best Vegan Friendly Hemp Products goes to... Hippie Butter, Soaps and Lotions
Winner of Best Cruelty Free Hair Products goes to... Nature's Gate, Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner
Winner of Best Vegan Cream Cheese as Dirty as I remember it to be... Galaxy, Original & Chive Garlic
Winner of Best Health Food In Disguise goes to... Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Winner of Making My Coffee Naughtier than it already is goes to... Silk Creamer, Original
I would like to once again congratulate the winner's of this distinguished award. When choosing my Naughty products there are a lot to choose from out there, but I chose you. Consider yourself lucky awesome. It takes a team of excellence to make this Dirty Vegan (fake cheesy stuff and anything that's NOT fat free).
This concludes this evening's Dirty Awards. Drive home safely. Stay Dirty. Salutations. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Happy Birthday to Me!
The last month of summer always reminds me of the next approaching season. I start to get so anxious for autumn, that I tend to make summer dishes and sides that are fall-ish. This recipe encompasses some ingredients that you would use early fall into the winter holidays, while still hanging onto summer. Its the best of both enjoyable seasons!
Savor my 'Can't Wait Until Fall' Acorn Squash Side
1 acorn squash, peeled & cubed 2 carrots, sliced 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance) sea salt & black pepper to taste
Add all ingredients in a microwave safe baking dish and mix together. Cook in microwave oven for 10 minutes. Stir. Cook for an additional 2 minutes if necessary. Cooking times may vary depending on your microwave oven (or if you choose to use a regular or toaster oven instead), so you may want to play around with it when making this recipe the first time. Enjoy!
I had this with brown rice and garlic roasted tofu. Yum!
"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." -W.C. Fields
Let's face it, if you are vegan like me (I've encountered plenty of this for almost a decade), or even vegetarian, you have experienced the "going out to eat crisis". Oh no, your friends, family, co-workers, etc. want to go out to eat with you but they are stressing out because you are vegetarian. Over ten years ago I was stressing out a little too, and that was just as a vegetarian, however being vegan sometimes makes it a little more difficult because restaurants seem to sneak dairy, eggs, and honey into the unlikeliest places. However, now the options are much different for vegan dining. I know a lot of us tend to dine with our veggie partners or friends and seek out veg-friendly restaurants, but today I have yet another discovery of veg-friendliness in an unexpected place; you will be pleasantly surprised.
Joe's American Bar & Grill has many locations around the United States. I had the pleasure of dining at the Providence Place location in the heart of Providence, RI. WaterFire was happening and the city was filled with personality. Joe's is located right across from WaterFire, making it a great place to eat if you plan to see the show or partake in a romantic gondola ride.
This gorgeous picture is of their Angel Hair Pasta Primavera. Just ask for it vegan with no cheese, because they normally do the vegetarian dish with Parmesan. This angel hair dish was extraordinary including fresh ingredients such as zucchini, squash, tomatoes, red peppers, basil, garlic, oil, and lemon. The flavor combinations were especially pleasing to the palate, making this primavera much better than the usual options for vegetarians at restaurants. We also had nachos to start, which were made vegan with guacamole, salsa, and veggies. I ended my meal with a nice black espresso, which was rich and had a great quality taste.
Joe's American Bar & Grill is a cosmopolitan of cuisine that works out great for everyone you may be dining with. We all know that it is highly unlikely that your entire family, friends, and social network are vegan, so it is great to find a place where you don't have to have menu anxiety and can go out and dine with others. Places like Joe's also deter you from the inevitable and awkward vegetarian conversations, with the menu versatility and atmosphere. You can order pizza with no cheese and just oil, tomato sauce, and veggies of your choosing, and many other options that are available upon request. Actually, quite a few of their menu items can be made vegetarian easily, especially since they do a lot of fresh dishes which aren't pre-made like some other eateries might do. This makes Joe's a five star with their accommodating factors. The surroundings were pretty cool also.
We had delightful sidewalk seating, directly on Providence Place. Our view was of beautiful buildings on a wonderful summer evening. The energy from WaterFire was nice also and you could even hear music from the show. The staff at Joe's American Bar & Grill were friendly and personable, even for an uber busy weekend night when the establishment and city were jam packed with crowds.
The wall out front of Joe's opens and you can see inside from the sidewalk seating. The atmosphere was cool and fun!
The next time you are in Providence, do not overlook fine American cuisine like that of Joe's American Bar & Grill. They are definitely down with the vegetarians and vegans!
I had a meeting in a beach town. It was a gorgeous day outside; sunny and bright with a nice summer breeze. I put on a pair of preppy plaid short-shorts, tucked in a crisp white fitted button down, put on a cute pair of sandals to showcase my tropical pedi, and accessorized with a cute belt and pair of sunglasses. The day was starting out great.
I was driving along and realized my vehicle was running out of gas. I stopped at a station close to where my meeting was located. Something compelled me to pull up to a pump that was kind of out of the way. I get out of the car and go around towards the station and something on the ground quickly caught my attention. There was a pile of dead starfish on the ground. I almost had to pinch myself; nothing these days should shock me, although they always do. There was a rock near them and it appeared that the starfish had been smashed to death. They were all dried out, bloody, and hard. I had to double check to be sure. One of the starfish appeared to be alive. I now have a rescue situation on my hands.
I got myself into rescue mode and thought quickly. I don't know how long Starfish has been out here, but judging by the others, I knew I didn't have much time. I ran into the gas station's convenience store. I tell the attendant and ask for a container with water so that I can get this starfish in some water and figure out my next step. I was told that they didn't have anything to give me. At that point, I started becoming cynical and disappointed in my fellow humankind, as I so often do. For one, someone did this to these starfish, and two, no one was helping me. I quickly grabbed supplies and pay for them. I bought a foam cooler and room temperature bottled waters; complaining to the attendant the entire time while I was checking out, on how terrible I think it is that they allow people to abuse animals outside of their business and do nothing about it. I asked them to look at the surveillance tape and do something about this. I was cashed out and dashed back outside to Starfish.
Two gentlemen who had overheard me inside the store, helped me outside. Whether they were helping the girl in short-shorts or helping the starfish, I was glad to receive assistance and was grateful. I was feeling a little better about my fellow mankind, but not much. We gently got Starfish into the cooler and I was almost certain Starfish was still alive. I thanked my helpers and quickly sped off.
I controlled the temperature in my car with some A/C and some fresh air from the windows. It was comfortable and I was hoping it was okay for Starfish too. I arrived at my meeting, explained I had a rescue starfish in my car, met, and was out of there in a matter of minutes. I then head off to the beach, which was not far at all - literally three minutes, perhaps.
I arrive at the beach and explain my discovery to the attendant at the booth. He let me park and didn't even charge me for it. Regaining my faith in fellow humankind...slowly. I clutch the foam cooler containing Starfish, and powerwalk to the beach. I come across a lifeguard and told him what I was doing. He pointed me in the right direction to the best place to release the starfish, which was a far edge of the beach, full of rocks and seaweed and no humans to disturb this starfish. I thanked him for his assistance and zoomed over to the quiet spot of the beach.
I happen to know that if you place a starfish upside-down in water and it is alive, it will quickly right itself. I kneel down and notice that the current is kind of strong as waves come splashing into the rocks. For a second I feel like I should bring Starfish home to rehabilitate and then release in a few weeks. However, I don't know what starfish eat and have no idea how to properly care for one. The lifeguard did mention earlier that starfish heal themselves very quickly and can even regenerate lost limbs. Starfish only had some scrapes, so I decide to carry on with the release.
I place Starfish upside-down in the ocean and wait. Starfish was still. I began to worry that Starfish didn't make it or that maybe Starfish was too weak to right itself. Then, just like a miracle, Starfish did a sort of wiggle flip-over thing. Starfish was right-side up. I worried about the current, but then watched as Starfish swam against the current into the ocean! It was a funny type of swimming I've never seen before. I didn't even know that starfish swim like that. It was very slow and gentle, almost like a glide. I now knew Starfish was strong enough to swim into the ocean against the waves splashing in, and make it look like a simple task to boot! I knew for sure Starfish would be okay. I felt better. I felt happy for Starfish. Although, I also felt sad for the others that had died at that gas station.
I walked back towards my car and stopped to tell the lifeguard the good news. He was glad to hear and thanked me for what I did. It was cool, it was like the lifeguard was a guardian of the sea and appreciated that I brought one of it's inhabitants home. I then passed by the attendant in the booth. I told him about Starfish being alive and gliding away into the ocean. I expressed my sadness for the others who did not make it and how cruel it was that someone brought them there to die. He also thanked me and was very pleased that I was able to save the one that was alive. He told me The Starfish Story. I had never heard this story before. The gist of it was that saving one (or as many as you can) makes a difference and is significant. Here is the full story that I found online when I searched for it:
I drove away from the beach feeling much different than when I had first arrived. When I found the pile of starfish, I was deeply saddened and sickened by what people can do to other living beings. I see it all the time being a vegan and animal rights activist, but I never get used to it. It never gets any easier to handle, but I do work harder and with a sense of urgency everyday. No creature is too small to be respected, loved, or saved. Of coarse, even starfish deserve a chance to live out their lives unharmed. Isn't that a given?
After meeting people who cared about my mission to save Starfish, and especially after hearing the beautiful story of caring and determination afterwards, I felt renewed. I drove off admiring the sky, the beach air, and the ocean - feeling good about the fate of Starfish, feeling good about my life's mission, and feeling good about those fellow compassionate mankind who have it within themselves to care. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off.
In my almost 9 years of being vegan (and even longer than that being a vegetarian), I have witnessed a lot of wacky happenings. One thing in particular, is when you don't share a major vegan find like Dirty Vegan Foods. As tempting as it is to keep nostalgic and retro-inspired vegan goodies to yourself, I recommend being kind and just sharing them from the start. Or something like this may happen...
If you are vegan, chances are you have leftovers such as rice, pieces of tofu and fruits like apples in your kitchen. And chances are, no matter who you are, you have probably been in your kitchen in the morning and felt a little bored making your usual breakfasts. Well here is something totally new and different for you to try. It just so happens to have protein, fiber, healthy carbs, and tastes like breakfast. Bon appetit!
Be a Champion With My 'Buff Apple Tofu Brown Rice Breakfast' Recipe
*Makes 1- 2 Servings
3 oz tofu, drained and cubed or crumbled
1 apple, chopped
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 tsp pure maple syrup
In a small pot, cook first four ingredients on medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When ingredients are warmed and apples are soft, remove from heat. Drizzle maple syrup on top before serving. Discard cinnamon stick before eating. Enjoy!
Upcoming...
Stay tuned for a Reader Request blog post coming your way soon!
Make A Vegan Impression With My 'Beefless Stroganoff' Recipe
1 lb wheat pasta or noodles
1 14oz container Tofurky "Giblet" Gravy
3 tbsp vegan butter
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup vegan white wine
1 cup veggie "beef" (I used Trader Joe's Beef-less Strips)
Sprinkle of vegan Parmesan to taste, optional
Boil water to cook pasta/ noodles. In a small saucepan, defrost/ heat Tofurky gravy over stove. In a large saute pan, melt vegan butter and saute onions and garlic. When aromas are released, add wine. Stir then cook for about 3 minutes. Add in "beef" and simmer on low until your gravy and pasta are ready. Add gravy to saute pan and heat thoroughly. Drain pasta and serve Stroganoff over pasta. Sprinkle vegan parm on top. You may also like to serve this dish with a side of country vegetables such as potato, mushroom, green beans, etc. Enjoy!
Filling, fabulous, and fun! Perfect dinner party or holiday dish!
