Vegan Baking

This is a newly found hobby...er, test run? Trial run is how to best put it. But not a permanent lifestyle change. At least not just yet. I know a few vegans, or, a vegan. I wasn't all too familiar with the lifestyle but have heard of it. For those of you who are oblivious to the array of foodie lifestyles there are, a vegan is (according to Vegan Action)...

A vegan (pronounced VEE-gun) is someone who, for various reasons, chooses to avoid using or consuming animal products. While vegetarians choose not to use flesh foods, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs, as well as fur, leather, wool, down, and cosmetics or chemical products tested on animals.

I'm not too sure if I'll stop wearing leather goods. Lord knows I'm not too keen on fur so that part I won't have to worry about. And I don't even know if the makeup I use is vegan. To me, a vegan lifestyle only refers to what I put in my body, not on it. But who knows, there are probably full out vegans who steer clear of animal products altogether.

I'd best consider myself a newly transitioning pescetarian - "one who excludes land animals and birds, but includes fish, mollusks, and crustaceans in addition to fruits, vegetables, plants, legumes, nuts, and grains. Eggs and dairy may or may not be present in the pescetarian's diet." - According to Pescetarian Life.

Well, what? I loveeee my sushi. Weening off of dairy is one thing. But spicy tuna I hold near and dear to my healthy heart.


One night, I thought I'd try to bake something. I overslept and missed a bikram yoga class so what else was there to do? Bake some vegan cookies! I found an easy recipe for Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies. We had all of the essential ingredients but I needed a few from the store. So, Gi and I head over to Trader Joes where I pick up a lemon, stevia (a natual sugar substitute), and...tofu? I didn't know tofu could be put in cookies. And I kind of wish it wasn't. Because after what I thought would be a healthful, scrumptious alternative, ended up being the equivalent to a sweet dog biscuit. And the tofu left a weird aftertaste in my mouth, along with in the mouths of my test audience that were sadly subjected to tasting my failed attempt at vegan baking. 

Look for Pacman. 

Brody approved :)

But today, I redeemed myself with an easy and tasteful vegan oatmeal raisin recipe I found. And these look and taste more like cookies rather than biscuits.

Yum

And so, veganism doesn't deprive one of any of the dairy-filled goodies that one may normally be used to. There are always alternatives! One may argue that the "alternatives" may be more like "faulternatives" but that's for you to judge...and whether you even decide to change your lifestyle. But give it a try! No one said you were a hemp seed-eating hipster who's opening a vegan bakery while playing bongos and hanging out with dogs in your free time simply because you tried something. I'm still open to heading to a vegan restaurant and seeing what that's all about. I'm always open to trying new things so bring it on, vegan restaurant! I already get more than a daily dose of vegetables everyday so trying vegan lasagna is worth a shot. Also, the biffle nug found a Groupon that was "up your alley" as she put it. So, in the near future, we'll be heading to a vegan restaurant in Park Slope for a dinner for two that I bought for $19. Good find!

Until the day comes that I completely wipe out all dairy from my diet, which may take some baby steps, I'll still indulge in the occasional dairy-filled sweet treat. Like this little guy...

It even came with a spoon!

I couldn't help but get it. I love tiramisu. I truly believe that Italian desserts are the best kind: cannolis, gelato, tiramisu. And now that B&J have a tiramisu ice cream (let alone, the 3.6 fl oz. size that I purchased) out makes me rethink this whole vegan trial run. But I did find a recipe for vegan tiramisu cupcakes that I'll probably have to attempt one weekend when I'm feeling ballsy enough.