How Vegans eat like Americans

I’ve been back in America since July 4th. I’ve hit up all my favorite vegan friendly restaurants, and now I’m sick of going out to eat. So last night we grilled out. I veganized a family bbq and we had a wonderful dinner.

Quinoa Week in Paris

Curried Vegetable Quinoa

Mexican Style Quinoa

This week i decided to splurge and buy a bag of quinoa. Splurge on quinoa? one would think this a silly statement, but in Paris, quinoa is damn expensive..

But i bit the bullet and bought it. I’ve just been eating too much rice and I had to break away from my old stand-by.

So I’ve made two dishes this week….

The first one, as vegetable curry over quinoa and the second “Mexican” style quinoa.

Both, very simple with very little ingredients…that’s how i justify the big spend on grain!

Recipe for vegetable curry quinoa:

(fun fact: This is adapted from a recipe i found in “Real Simple” magazine. I had planned on making the original and then realized I only had about 3 of the ingredients it called for…so what’s a girl to do? Improvise, that’s what!)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Frozen veggies (I used a mix of spinach, tomatos and peppers)

1/2 C. Dry Quinoa

1 C. Water

1/2 t. Salt

1 1/2 t. curry powder

1/4 t. pepper

2 C. water

1 can Garbanzo Beans

Time to cook:

Make Quinoa.

Pour about 2 T olive oil in a skillet. medium heat

When skillet is hot throw in the frozen veggies, let cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they are no longer frozen.

Add curry, salt and pepper. Stir. After a couple minutes add water. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for baout 10-12 minutes.

Add Garbanzo beans and stir.  When beans are cooked through (softened) and the vegetable mix is thick it is done!

Put vegetables on top of the quinoa and serve!

And so my “adulthood ” begins

I’m twenty two and currently living in Paris. My main goal for my stay here was to find a job that would shoot me straight into photographer stardem. That has yet to happen. I have 31 days left here and how things are going, I don’t think I will find my future here. My future is an unemployed life back in my old bedroom where I use to play Barbies and help my brother climb out the window.

This blog will be about how I survive as a Vegan in Paris, Kansas City and whoever else the world decides to take me.

I’m living on a 20 something budget so the dishes I plan to make will be affordable for the rest of the people out there in my situation.

The cheapest, fastest and best thing I’ve learned to make in Paris are crepes. So, obviously I will begin the blog with them!

DISCLAIMER:

I don’t typically read recipes, so all of my personal recipes are still being perfected. Also, I don’t have a lot of time, so i try to bypass a lot of the original recipe to make my food faster, basically because i want to eat sooner!

Recipe:

Attention: Please see Disclaimer before trying this recipe out.

Yields about 6-8 crepes

1 1/2 C. Flour

2 T. Sugar

1 t. Salt

1/2 C. Soy Milk

1/4 C. Water

2 T. Vegetable Oil

Skillet and Medium/Hot Stove-top

(I don’t bother mixing the dry and wet ingredients separately.. I’m in a hurry and I’m typically pretty hungry..)

Throw all the ingredients in a bowl in order that they are written. Stir with whisk.

You want your batter runnier than pancake batter but not watery.

When your skillet is hot pour about 1/4 c. of batter into the skillet. With a spatula spread the batter out lightly so that a thin layer is taking up the whole pan.

Let the crepe bubble (about 1-2 minutes) and when the underside gets to be light brown, flip!

The other side won’t take too long to cook maybe 30 seconds.

Take off carefully with a thing spatula and top with your favorite filling.