Travel by Train

We recently took a very long train trip from Washington DC to Kansas City (through Chicago). We chose to ride the train for a number of reasons, but did you know that traveling by rail generates a lesser amount of carbon dioxide than by car or plane? Anyway, we had lots of fun, and here are some of our pictures! We had a roomette which had two beds, and a private door that closed. It also included meals in the dining car, and believe it or not, they had a vegan option! (You need to call ahead 72 hours prior to your travel to let them know.)
 

For more information about traveling green with Amtrak 

it's all a matter of opinion

My wonderful daughter recently celebrated her first birthday, and we made her a vegan cake from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I personally love the cupcakes found in this cookbook, but as you will see in the last few pictures, she hated them! Next year I am going to put a candle in a bowl full of hummus. I think that it will turn out much better! We also celebrated with a Lorax party. (pictures to come!)

Vegan Valentine Comfort Food

GOOD cheese enchiladas.

That is all I wanted last night. Well that, my bed, and some Lucy re-runs. As many of you know, I am a vegan, and have been for some time. Actually this February marks my two year anniversary of being a vegan. Veganism brings a ton of sustainability to your life, but that is for another post.

Being pregnant and vegan brings challenges unknown to someone whose body has not been taken over by hormone surges that make you say and do crazy things. Now, I haven’t had cheese for two years, but my pregnancy has brought more cravings for this substance that would undoubtedly wreak havoc on my intestines than you can imagine, and last night after my sweet husband said the wrong thing, all I wanted was cheese.

Ooey- gooey- cheese.

He ended up making a great vegan potato-broccoli-kale soup, and I made a vegan carrot cake, and by the time I went to bed, I was no longer craving the cheese enchiladas, but getting there was a different story.

Our Potato soup:

1 small/medium bag of organic yellow potatoes

2 small organic red onions - chopped

4-5 small organic garlic cloves - chopped

Organic broccoli - chopped

Organic bunch of kale - chopped

Organic bunch of dill - chopped

Organic vegetable broth

1/4c. – 1/2c. oatmeal (uncooked)

1/4c.- 1/2c. soy creamer

2 tbsp canola oil

1. Scrub potatoes and cut into small chunks. Add vegetable broth until potatoes are covered. Bring to boil in vegetable broth and reduce heat. Cook until soft.

2. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add all ingredients to potatoes and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat 10-20 minutes.

3. Use immersion blender to blend. Add soy creamer. Let simmer over low heat 10-20 more minutes.

I got the recipe for the vegan carrot cake here. I made a tofu-cream cheese frosting that didn’t set up quite like I wanted, but everything did taste amazing. I also substituted half of the oil in the recipe for applesauce

I know most of you would say why don’t you just cheat once, and have some cheese? But this is a very slippery slope. I have to admit that the reason I haven’t cheated in the past two years has more to do with all my wonderful friends, co-workers, and family members that have supported me in my decision to go veg. I have amazing people in my life who have gone out of their way to make sure they respect my decision by having vegan choices available for me. In the beginning I felt extremely guilty about people going out of their way to make something special for me, but now I just realize that these meals are the best comfort food anyone could ever ask for.

And we won’t talk about how all Terra wanted when I woke up this morning was a piece of that carrot cake.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!