Tuesday, February 15, 2011

My Vegan Valentine

Our Valentine's day this year was really awesome! I've been making an effort to use less and consume only what I have to. This means that my gift to hubby was a clean house and a man meal for lunch! One of meaty Dean's favorite meals was Philly cheese steak, so I threw together a mega easy lunch that was a huge hit. To make your own:

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

  • Whole wheat bread or buns(Kaiser rolls would have been nice, but I didn't have any)
  • One package seitan (Seitan is a wheat gluten protein product that is firm and chewy and is a nice sub for beef. People can make their own, but mine have been gross so far. I've tried a few brands-the first one I liked has been Green Earth brand.) Sliced
  • One tbs olive oil
  • One small onion, cut into half moon slices
  • 1/2 green and red pepper, sliced
  • your favorite bbq sauce
  • Vegan mayo
  • Daiya mozzarella style cheese
Heat your oil pan on medium heat, saute sliced Seitan until it browns slightly. Add onions and peppers and saute until softish. (You might need a little bit of water to prevent sticking). Add enough bbq sauce so it's saucy but won't be sloppy. Cover and cook until peppers and onions are fully cooked. To assemble: toast your bread/buns, and apply mayo to taste. Use about 1/4 cup of your seitan mixture and top with Daiya. If you're me, stop to photograph. If you're anyone else-dig in and get ready for sandwich awesomeness!

So the other memorable thing about this Valentine's day is that Bean and I took our first road trip alone since having our kiddos. I don't know that we were totally ready-but I won a contest! The Toronto Vegetarian association had a contest in which you submitted a poem about vegetarianism and your valentine. Ummm....those two don't really go together in my world! Regardless, I've been known to write a little ditty and well-I'm a sucker for free stuff. The winner got dinner for two at the fabulous L.A.B in Toronto, so I gave it a go. Turns out, they thought it was better than I did ha! So, despite me feeling like a preteen baring my cheezy soul for all to read-here it is!

My Veggie Valentine

Passion. Strong, burning and free.

This is what your love and veganism are for me.

Both are so different, and yet the same,

A force of feelings that I can’t contain.

Both built on commitment and instinctual love,

And choosing someone else above;

A craving, convenience or what other people do.

This poem is a pledge of my devotion to you.

For both of my loves I profess my thoughts.

Animals, please don’t think of humanity’s have nots.

I’m sorry that one person can’t do more,

But please be patient-changes are in store!

We won’t eat you or wear you or laugh at your pain,

Speaking out and activism won’t be in vain.

My Valentine’s wish is for change to come fast,

Compassion to spread and our message to last.

Now this for my love of the human kind,

We have what others are trying to find.

It’s not best expressed with chocolates or clichés,

But the kind acts you show in so many ways.

Roses mean love but loose petals one by one,

Our partnership is better expressed with laughter and fun.

Collective dreams, support and forgiveness,

Makes 10 years of a person much better to live with.

I love you, I love you, and one more for good measure,

Dreaming of both my loves and a lifetime together.

Ok, so there it is. Laaaaame. However, the meal was awesome! I got to try things that I normally would have been too intimidated by. The appetizer is not pictured, as we got lost in downtown Toronto and was so hungry I couldn't stop to smell the flowers. My Thai Tom Ka soup was lovely. Next up I had the Bimibibop. I know right?! What the hell is that. Even when it came, I was still asking "what the hell is that". But the taste, oh it was amazing! The only thing is that I'm a girl with a big appetite, and this was the kind of place where you get quality and mad cooking skillz over quantity. I could have eaten an entree two times the size!

My honey had the risotto, which was apparently really good and had all kinds of neat sauces on it. The photo quality is embarrassing, but the lighting was less than ideal for food photos!

Lastly, we had the apple cobbler-which was both weird and really tasty. It had paper thin dehydrated apple hats. It had sorbet that had all the flavor of a traditional crumble topping, but in an icey concoction. It had apple cider smear and fried oats. Weird, but so am I and people still love me. So, I hope your Valentine's was even close to as great as mine was!

1 comment:

  1. Awww, I loved your poem! Not lame at all. And LOLing at "meaty Dean". :)

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