Survey Says

I'm still feeling under the weather, and now I've lost my voice. Argh. I didn't cook at all, and am a bit lacking for inspiration, so I'm going to do the MoFo survey that everyone's been posting.

What is one food you thought you’d miss when you went vegan, but don’t?

Dairy products like ice cream and cheese, but not milk itself. I never liked milk, it was always too thick and overwhelming, or, if it was skim, too thin and watery.

What is a food or dish you wouldn’t touch as a child, but enjoy now?

A lot of small things like condiments and pickled items. Mustard made me gag, cauliflower was too sharp, and I couldn't stand dill cucumber pickles. I never liked olives as a kid, but I think I had only ever tried black olives, and I think part of my dislike stemmed from my irrational fear--when they're whole or sliced they look like eyeballs to me. Squishy, salty eyeballs on pizza freaked me out.

What vegan dish or food you feel like you “should” like, but don’t?

Kombucha isn't just vegan, but lots of vegans love it, and I think it's super gross.

The super-noochy tofu scrambles from Bouldin Creek Cafe are very beloved, and I've heard vegans talk of traveling to Austin just to eat them. I think they're icky and feels like they're covered in sawdust.

I only had the seitan buffalo wings from Watercourse Foods in Denver once, so it may have been an off day, but they were so heavy on the vinegar, my tongue felt pickled, and none of us could eat more than 2. Again, I've heard many vegans talk about how great these are.

What beverage do you consume the most of on any given day?

Water! I can't get enough.

What dish are your “famous” for making or bringing to gatherings?

I never thought about it, but it seems like I tend to make food based on the type of event. I take my Perfect Pecan Pie to macro gatherings, seitan-based dishes or desserts to VRA/vegan events, and sushi or dessert to Austin Food Blogger meetups.

Do you have any self-imposed food rules (like no food touching on the plate or no nuts in sweets)?

Not really. Though I prefer my foods stay separate in general. Sometimes I like picking out the vegetables by type or color, like with stir fries, curries, or fried rice, I'll pick out all of the peas, then the carrots, then eat the rest.

What’s one food or dish you tend to eat too much of when you have it in your home?

Dessert. I used to be really bad about nut butters, though.

What ingredient or food do you prefer to make yourself despite it being widely available prepackaged?

Sweets. I can make exactly what I want, exactly how I want it. I also feel really guilty spending $3 on one cupcake, when I know I can make a whole batch for less by volume.

What ingredient or food is worth spending the extra money to get “the good stuff”?

Chocolate. Dark chocolate is amazing and if it's good, a little goes a long way. It also makes you feel better, just ask Madame Pomfrey.

Alcohol. Life is too short for cheap booze.

Oil. The quality of oil can very greatly, and a lot of cheap, poor quality oils have been heated too high as part of the refining process, which makes them rancid, then they are clarified and flavorings are added.

Are you much of a snacker? What are your favorite snacks?

Not generally, though I do love hummus and chips/pita with olives, or guacamole with chips.

My latest favorite snack is freshly popped popcorn with a little melted EB and Old Bay. Sometimes I like it with a cinnamon, rice syrup and pecan glaze.

What are your favorite vegan pizza toppings?

Monterrey Jack style FYH, artichoke hearts, greens like spinach, arugala, or broccoli, olives and sautéed mushrooms in pretty much any combination. Sometimes I'll get in a mood for seitan or vegan sausage, roasted red peppers, and green olives.

I used to order pizzas with no cheese, and mushrooms and onions before commercial vegan cheeses were worth a damn (or offered for delivery). Now my favorite thing to order is the Don't Choke Art! on wheat deep dish, with Daiya.

What is your favorite vegetable? Fruit?

I have to pick just one? Broccoli, though I use onions in EVERYTHING. In the fall I love pomegranates and in the spring and summer, peaches.

What is the best salad dressing?

I make a creamy green goddess with avocado, ume vinegar and tons of herbs that's awesome on romaine with plenty of cucumber and it's super cooling on sweltering days. For everyday salads, I like something light and simple, like lime vinaigrette, with lime juice, white wine vinegar, sea salt, and a touch of coconut oil.

What is your favorite thing to put on toasted bread?

I huge fan of toast (YEAH toast!). And I like it anyway you'll give it to me. With a little EB, with EB and jam, with jam. With melted FYH, with avocado and sea salt mashed all over it, with hummus. Dipped in olive oil or dipping oil, as garlic bread. With strawberry or raspberry preserves and almond or cashew butter. With macadamia nut butter. With almond butter and chocolate chips, or melted chocolate. Yum.

What kind of soup do you most often turn to on a chilly day or when you aren’t feeling your best?

Miso! Preferably with tons of wakame and green onion.

What is your favorite cupcake flavor? Frosting flavor?

I like chocolate chocolate or chocolate peanut butter.

What is your favorite kind of cookie?

Chocolate chocolate chip walnut.

What is your most-loved “weeknight meal”?

You mean super quick and easy? That would be Chick'n Parmeshaun. But I try not to eat it too often, since the patties and FYH are pretty refined. Rice with a veggie stir fry, or fried rice are more typical.

What is one dish or food you enjoy, but can’t get anyone else in your household to eat?

Uh.... JD doesn't like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms, avocado, raw tomatoes, many fermented items, quinoa, millet.....

How long, in total, do you spend in the kitchen on an average day?

Usually about 1-2 hours total, for all meals. I like to make leftovers and eat those or something simple like salads, stir fries or sandwiches for lunch. If I'm working the next day, I usually throw it together by packaging small portions together while putting away leftovers from dinner.

Edited for clarity because I probably shouldn't write when I'm tired and sick.