Phad Thai

Almost any veggies in your fridge sauteed with olive oil. Add peanuts and seasoning and mix in Trader Joe’s Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce and hot oil. Add phad thai rice noodles to the mix and viola! 

Perfectly matched with spicy Zinfandel.

Seasoning

I couldn’t possibly live without these guys. I use them in virtually all my dishes.

They are salt free and add flavor to any savory meal.  Keep an extra bottle as back up … you’ll need it.

Annie Chun’s Vegan Miso Soup

I haven’t tried her soups yet, but Michael seems to like them.  He says they’re good in a pinch for a quick lunch or snack. The noodles are packed in an air-tight package which keeps them moist—unlike the dry noodles you find in most instant soups. As a bonus, the bowl is made of an Earth-friendly, biodegradable material. Hats off to Annie Chun.

Spanish Rice

This vegan Spanish Rice dish is full of sweet and savory ingredients that can be eaten as a meal in itself. We like to add this to our vegan burritos for extra texture and substance.

First I saute onions, seasoning and chili flakes in olive oil. Then I add the rice to lightly coat and cook it for a few minutes. I add a can of tomatoes using most of the liquid in the can and add as much extra water as needed. I cook until all liquid has evaporated or about 20 minutes.

Cucumber Salad

Easy peasy. Sliced cucumbers, red onion, white vinegar, teaspoon of sugar and salt to taste.

Veggie Sandwich

This sandwich is one of our favorite dishes. It’s quite easy to prepare involving only a small amount of preparation.

The red bell peppers are lightly marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, s&p and then roasted in a toaster oven. 

Add tomatoes, avocado, onions and peperonchini or pickles on warm focaccia bread. I add basil for that little extra special flavor.

Enjoy this meal with a Pinot Noir or a hearty Chardonnay.

 

What does virtually vegan mean?

Virtually vegan means having a diet that’s nearly meat free. For a lot of people the word vegan is associated with giving up things. Or denial. Or even extremism. 

My girlfriend, Kiki, is a really good cook. Me? Not so much. Watching her in the kitchen, I was struck by how simple her meals are.

Over the years we’ve had an eye toward eating responsibly. To eat healthier by avoiding red meat and sea life that are over fished. Pork and cow factories create a lot of environmental harm and cause health problems for people living near them. Chilean sea bass has been overfished and methods to catch shrimp do a lot a damage to the sea bed.

We were moving in the direction of vegetarianism, then I heard my brother Pat was ‘a vegan who ate sushi’. I thought, ‘Yeah! That wouldn’t be hard at all.’ I was surprised, too, that it was Pat. I think there may have been a time in his life when he ate McDonald’s for two meals in a day three times a week. My competitive side kicked in and together, Kiki and I decided to cut out dairy and meat, but allow for fish that aren’t threatened.

We have fish perhaps once a week. In the beginning we started counting time. ‘Three weeks’ of being VV. ‘Five weeks’. But it didn’t take long before we just forgot to count. Why? The food is so delicious!

We’d like to share our experience and recipes here with you. Kiki and I are both photographers and involved in design. In the coming days we’ll spruce up the place, add new features and photos, and hang a few helpful ads to make this a sustainable business.

Thanks for stopping by. Post comments and suggestions. We’d love to hear from you.

Michael & Kiki

« Previous Page