Shmoo is quite the veggie dog lover, is he not? This time I took a cue from my lil' brother's childhood, and mixed sliced Yves Veggie Dogs in with macaroni and vegan "cheese" sauce. My brother went through a phase where he ate hot dogs mixed with boxed mac and cheese (the non-veg kind) every day for lunch until my mom thought it was going to come out his ears. On the side is an applesauce cup (I haven't been able to find applesauce tubes around here, but I'm still looking).To complete this all-American kid meal, I made a pan of brownies. Oh, I've been craving brownies lately -- not the cakey kind that I usually make, but the fudgy, gooey, ultra-chocolatey kind. It was Dreena Burton to the rescue, with her incredible Fudgy Brownies recipe in Vive le Vegan!
And to drink, a mixture of almond milk and vanilla soymilk, to go with that chocolatey brownie.Verdict: Shmoo loved the hot dog macaroni; the "Amazing Mac 'N Cheez Sauce" I use for mac & cheese (from Ultimate Uncheese)
is perhaps one of his favorite things to eat. And the brownies were perfection, just what I had been dreaming of! I can't imagine an omni ever guessing that these did not have eggs and dairy in them. 5 stars for sheer yumminess, but not too many for healthiness."Yes, where are the veggies?" I hear my critics complaining. Well, we do eat fruits and veggies every day, but I've noticed that my cooking tends to go back and forth between trying to be as super-healthy as possible, and trying to taste as delicious and comforting as possible (guess which style my husband and son prefer?).
Although I know it would be better if we always ate exclusively for our health, I don't think every vegan out there really cares about health first and foremost. Veganism for many is a path of compassion, rather than a "diet" or something they do for their bodies. And I'm glad of that, because everyone knows diets are meant to be broken! Thank goodness there are supremely decadent, ultra-rich vegan goodies -- like fudgy brownies! -- out there to enjoy, so we can continue to be kind to the animals, even when we're not being kind to our waistlines.
Amen to that sister! I hate going to restaurants and finding that the only vegetarian options are what we politely call "healthy." That usually amounts to grilled veggies with some bland pasta! Especially when I am eating out, I want something yummy and naughty! I can eat healthy at home :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I could not have said that better myself! I still find myself feeling somewhat guilty when I feed my kids vegan "junk". But, when it comes right down to it, I think it's very healthy to pass on the concept of moderation to our kids - and that means being allowed to eat for sheer pleasure sometimes, too!
ReplyDeleteI think you've inspired me - hot dog macaroni for dinner tonight at my house. :) And that brownie looks/sounds amazing; I really must get that book!
Funny, At my sons school, us parents must provide food from all the food groups. So this morning I gave my son a choice, broccoli, carrots, celery or corn, we went back and forth on this issue until he came up with a choice.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted you to know I made your coconut cream pie. The kids loved it and my husband ate one also. Im not sure if he heard my daughter tell him it had tofu in it.
I'm with you, Ms. Shmoo. While I would love to have been the perfect vegan, for me it was all ethical and animal- and planet-friendly. That was the biggest concern I had. Plus... when vegans eat this way ("delicious"), it just proves to the rest of the world that you don't have to have meat/eggs/dairy to eat delicious food ;)
ReplyDeleteThis post reminded me of one time in college when my friend and I attempted to eat vegan for a week. We were kind of experimenting because we knew it was healthier than our current diets. Well, we stopped eating all the animal products, but didn't replace them with any new veggie foods! And back then we hardly ever ate a fruit or vegetable, and we didn't cook, either. So we basically lived off of cheeseless pizzas for the whole week. Not what you'd call the smart way to do it!
ReplyDeletehello - my first comment to your blog! I've been enjoying reading for a few months now, but this post moved me to chime in! I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your vegan lunchbox adventures with the blog-reading world. I'm not vegan but you inspire me with everyday with your creativity and mindfulness. So, thank you!
ReplyDeleteEveryone deserves a treat now and then! Shmoo eats so much variety (way more than me) and fruits and veg he deserves a brownie!
ReplyDeleteit is very compassionate to feed ourselves some tasty treats every now and then. still loving your blog. i actually tried some brussel sprouts and now i get sad when the coop doesn't have any in stock!
ReplyDeleteif only i had someone to share the huge pile of vegan fudge i made last night with...
and about veggies...it is good to show people that we eat other stuff besides veggies! i swear, most people i know think i only eat tofu and salads becaues i'm vegan!
i agree, there is definite conflict between eating healthily and eating comfortingly, and the men always gravitate toward comfort ;) i've noticed vegan desserts are often quite good, especially vegan chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies. mmm.
ReplyDeleteWhat most people don't realize is that vegan "junk" food is often healthier than regular "moderately healthy" food. And, better to enjoy a treat and eat well than be miserable and end up giving up healthy eating!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my family has become obsessed with your cococream pie recipe. The first one didn't turn out, but we added (shoot us) marshmallow fluff and have been going great guns ever since. Not only did we eat your coco cream, but we're making choco cream tonight and intend to try peach and raspberry cream this week!
That sounds like a bit of a gross combo... but I know how kids are with that stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a vegan, not even a vegetarian, but a mom to a food allergic child and I am eagerly awaiting your cookbook. AND I think I need to forward a copy of your latest post to a few friends who also grapple with the healthy vs. fun food issue! Thank you for creating this blog- thanks to your cupcake recipe, my daughter can have birthday party treats!
ReplyDeleteYeah, those Vive le Vegan brownies are the best thing ever!
ReplyDeleteAmen to the last part!
ReplyDeleteAnd one more thing, Vegan junk is so much better than what some people call healthy omni food. I will sometimes forget that even my junkiest foods are usually still healthy, free of bad fats, cholesterol, animal products, chemicals, colorings, less calories, and 100% cruelty-free. Way to go for vegan "junk"!
ReplyDeleteAt least vegan food is always cholesterol-free. =) I think it's great that you show people that one can be compassionate and still enjoy tons of yummy food. Those brownies look -awesome-.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know the brownies satisfied your craving, Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteAs for your "critics", perhaps they could show us how many veggies they eat every day??!! I doubt they'll take me up on that suggestion.
Some days I am in awe of how much veg Shmoo eats in his lunchbox! Some of your visitors are just looking for reasons to nitpick with you. Tsk, tsk. You do a smashing job every day.
I absolutely agree with your last paragraph and you put it well.
ReplyDeletei totally agree & our family is the same way! food is more than nourishment.
ReplyDeleteMan! I miss this childhood favorite of mine! Sounds so yummy and looks even better!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! I know what you mean about wanting to find a balance between comfort food and healthy food. Usually, when I make mac n' "cheese" or want something plain like baked couscous and tofu, I throw in some frozen (thawed and cooked, obviously!) peas. That way I can compromise w/warm, comforting, plain food, and at least a smidge of green vegetable!
ReplyDeleteI think, however, that as healthy as you and your family eat, you hardly need to worry about one veggie-free meal!
Wait, aren't brownies a veggie? You're breaking my heart!
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on the health/vs comfort thing. I eat lots of fruits and veggies every day, but I occasionally find myself on a comfort food jag. My thoughts on this: as long as you are eating healthy on a regular basis, veggie dogs or brownies occasionally don't hurt a bit! It all evens out in the end.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI am totally craving mac and cheese. I'll have to see if the library has the Uncheese Cookbook and try some things out. Once again, thanks for the ideas!
ReplyDelete-Crystal
I buy nutritional yeast flakes in bulk at Whole Foods. Is there one in your area?
ReplyDeletes.
>>Can you tell me where in the Tri-cities I can find nutritional yeast flakes?
ReplyDeleteThe health food store (in Kennewick and Richland) has stopped carrying it. When I tried to order some they insisted that their own packaged brewer's yeast is the same -- it is not!!
So, currently the only source for nutritional yeast flakes that I know of is the enormous 6lb. bucket in my basement that I ordered from Vegan Essentials.
You could try special ordering them through the health food store -- maybe they'll listen to you! If you do find a source please let me know. Good luck!!
>>Uh, WHAT critics?
ReplyDeleteOh my, I have a lot of them! I don't think anyone was referring to anyone in particular. Things have gotten SO much better since I turned off anonymous posting.
Still, I do get emails from people who either think I'm abusing my child by feeding him vegan food, or that I'm abusing my child by feeding him sugar, or he's going to grow breasts because I feed him soy, or that I'm plain crazy, etc. etc. But the good messages really outweigh the bad, and I enjoy most of the messages I get. :-)
Hello Jennifer and all:
ReplyDeleteI love your loaf idea all my recipes are done that way at my blog ( http://createyourownrecipes.blogspot.com/ ) Many are vegan/vegetarian or easily adaptable.
SuzAnne
ddawnc, a quick note... I wasn't referring to your comment... in fact I very much agree with what you are saying about our bodies being nourished by healthy foods that are also comfort foods, and yes, we can all have our treats when our diets are otherwise very healthy - absolutely!
ReplyDeleteI was addressing all the comments that Jennifer has received in the past... getting picked and poked at just about everything!! There is a great deal of work behind this blog and all the meals she puts together for her shmoo, and yet it seems some people are just looking for an opportunity to criticize. I know most of the comments are very favorable and supportive, but still...
Hi, Future Adopter! Yes, thanks for the link -- I really like their site! The packaging on those applesauce tubes looks so familiar to me, I'm sure now that I've seen them around here somewhere. I love the idea of using them instead of sugary ice pops this summer!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, eating comforting foods is certainly part of maintaining good mental health! And our mental health, of course, affects our physical health.
ReplyDeletemost everything in moderation =)