The Sweet and the Savory

  Today it was time to discuss some very important ideas and to just hang out in general. What better way to do that than at the table surrounded by mounds of fruit and delicious vegan sausage crumbles?

  The rehabbers were reunited and this time was spent planning for the future around a smorgasbord of French Toast, fruit, and a savory sausage scramble. It was epic. Lauren brought the "sausage" as a surprise! How sweet! Er, savory.
 Never having tried it before, I have to say, "Holy garbanzo beans, that was damn good."
Of course, it was tested on the non-vegans of the house. It got a big thumbs up from both members.

So we began, I stuck to the sweet and Lauren to the savory.

May I say we must be cooking gods. Just saying, we must be.

In the end, this was a really great day and meal. We finished it off by painting in the front yard. In the sun. With the outside cat, Max. Best way to digest...lol.

I can only hope for more days like this.

And meals. More meals too.

Vegan French Toast

Stale french bread loaf cut into one inch slices.
Vanilla soymilk (1 cup)
Cinnamon (a couple dashes)
Vanilla Extract (a couple drops)
Cornstarch (2 tbsp)
Flour(1/4 cup)

Soak the bread in the mixture for a few seconds on each side. Like pancakes, place in pan on medium heat until brown on both sides.

Top with powdered sugar, maple syrup, fruit, or in our case, Organic Blueberry Preserves.

  Savory Sausage Scramble

Diced potatoes (3 cups when diced)
Chopped carrots (about a cup when chopped, or two whole carrots)onion, chopped
Handful or more of spinach
Three cloves garlic, minced
Vegan sausage

Heat potatoes first in pan until soft.
Add carrots until soft.
Add onion.
Add garlic.
Add sausage, pulling it off in pieces for the crumbly effect.
Add spinach last as it is most delicate.
Spice as desired.

I had mine with a hint of ketchup :]


This truly was a Feast of a brunch. Finish it off with tea if you'd like. we did.- N

No More Squishy!

   Skinny. Thin. Insanely gorgeous. These are all attributes that people are futilely trying to achieve thanks to todays media. If you are not one of these things, then society gives the impression that you will never achieve a true sense of happiness with yourself. This is commonplace ideal in western society and its becoming a subtle message in the way many organizations are marketing Veganism.  Skinny little things loving various vegetables in very very interesting poses. Sound familiar?
  When I first became a vegan almost a year ago I told myself it was for the sake of my health and how living this way made me feel. With a family history of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and a whole slew of other things that could kill me down the road.  Then further down the road I found a commitment to animals that has kept me going. However I was not immune to the images of skinny girls that were committed to this lifestyle as well. I thought that just by eating vegan foods and living the lifestyle would magically make me that beautiful girl that turned heads when I walked in the room. Funny thing is i'm not that girl at all.

   I am a squishy vegan. I eat all the "right" foods but somehow I forgot about one important thing: Fitness. I believe that this is something that is not emphasized enough in our community. Much time is spent on food, which I don't have any real objections against, but when looking for a balance with fitness there is not as much emphasis. Its more of a footnote or even side note at best and I feel that needs to change. I don't want to be a squishy vegan, I want to be a healthy vegan in all the aspects of the word.
   Number one on the objective to being a healthy vegan is making fitness a bigger and better part of my life. I no longer want to be a vegan who eats an extremely fresh and fulfilling variety of foods and expect that alone to make me look like Natalie Portman or Olivia Wilde. I want to be active and push the limits of what I think I can do. Its taken me almost nine months to develop this outlook. Nine months to realize that there was more to the formula of healthy living then I was believing. Its like I'm having a child of an epiphany, and I do not wish for others to have to wait that long if they have not met this realization.
  I think there needs to be a shift from how we show a vegan lifestyle. Instead of showing scantily clad women for the cause, we should try showing real everyday vegans that are making the change. We should be talking more about how fitness plays a role in this lifestyle in addition to helping animals and eating delicious foods. Change always has to start somewhere, and here in rehab at least one post a week will be dedicated to this cause. Now I am warning you that I am in no way a fitness professional, and the only thing I am certified in besides eating is CPR. However, as a person on a journey for constant self-improvement I can share my experiences, triumphs and weaknesses. So today we are starting something to change perspectives, stereotypes and hopefully some lives. Let operation Rehab Fitness begin.

Epic Vegan Adventure

Twinkle Lights and Awesome-ness in Stardust

  So today was an amazing adventure for us in Rehab. We started the day off at Stardust Video and Coffee which is one of the quirkiest places in the Orlando area. Not only was I mystified and in awe of the world I was taken to as I stepped in the door; I was also blown away by the delicious vegan goodies. While observing the beautiful space, there was a whimsical charm increased by a tree and twinkle lights, I also noted the intoxicating smell of fresh baked goods. My feet carried me to the counter where they had offering for all, but I decided on the Haiku Mint Green Tea and a Vegan Blueberry Muffin. My cohort decided to try an amazing vegan strawberry scone and had a cup of Oolong Tea. Regrettably to say that these delicious treats were gobbled up so quickly that only the wrapper was left. Photographic evidence of such will be provided.

   Next on the agenda was a trip to the super rad Park Avenue CD's which is soon to become my new favorite hangout. This basically means I wan't to move into the structure permanently. It surrounded me with the sounds of some of my favorite bands and other's that I had not heard of before. Definitely a place worth checking out in the Audubon Park area.

   Next on the days agenda was heading to a little shop in the Milk district called Etoile Boutique to check out what was new and talk some art. This little gem is super brilliant showcasing vintage, local and handmade items. Also being sold there are some super cool vegan lip balms and great handmade jewelry. There are usually two little furry friends to greet you if you go on a day that the owner is in. So head on down and you will not be disappointed.

 One of the highlights for me is checking out new places that I've never been to before. The first two establishments visited today had been around for a while, but I had never visited them before. The most anticipated stop for today was the newly opened Sandwich Bar. This place blew my taste buds away. They have two sides of the menu, one for those who are omnivores and the other for vegetarians. There is also a section on the bottom marked specifically with vegan options. For starters we ordered the vegan Bruschetta which was the best one I had had to date. Then following that delicious dish I had the healthy butt sandwich which consisted of multigrain bread, in house peanut butter, strawberries, bananas and sweet agave. Sooo Gooodddd. Ah.

  After many other stops today we ended up at the one and only Dandelion Communittea Cafe. We stopped in for some Kombucha  and a sweet or two. Okay it was two delicious sweets of the vegan variety: a raspberry cuppy with chocolate ganache and a PB&J Blondie. So that ended our epic vegan adventure for the day but I assure you there will be more fun times in this rehabber's future. - L

The Big O and the Dirty V Word

     So this past week was a big one in vegan (the Dirty V word) History. Oprah Winfrey (the Big O) decided to have all the staff at Harpo and herself trying to go Vegan for a week. On the show this was chronicled along with a visit to a slaughterhouse. The two guests on the show that were featured were  Michael Pollan and the Lovely Kathy Freston. Now I am going to warn you now that I was running errands and did not get to start watching until the slaughterhouse bit, but from that point on it was clearly not the show I thought I was going to be watching. 

     Now I know that not everything in this world is going to always be presented in a just and concise way, this blog for example is biased but my agenda is not hidden. This episode was something else. Every euphemism and oxymoron possible was being used by Michael Pollan, and whenever Mrs. Freston tried to defend her remarks they belittled her. The redeeming moments that saved face for this lifestyle was the moment they asked how some of the staffers felt and the one man lost 13 pounds and was feeling better than he had felt in a long time. That is truly what being vegan is about, making a compassionate choice that you know will change your life for the better. 

    Although the episode was not exactly what I expected, it still exposed many people to a different way of living that can cause a positive change. That is all you need to get an even bigger momentum is the curiosity and exposure to make that change happen. Oprah said that she my lean into being vegan which is really better than nothing at all. She even has a vegan started kit that is featured on her website. In addition to all the Oprah Exposure, Veganism was also a clue on Jeopardy this week. So maybe the "V" word wont be so dirty in the near future, except maybe when I throw it in Michael Pollan's face. 

- L 

my first encounter with Seitan

   Hello Rehabbers! So today I had the rare luxury of an evening off from work, which really never happens on a glorious Wednesday. This opportunity was taken advantage of by high tailing it to the Turkey Lake Whole Foods here in O-Town. What is so special about this Whole Foods at this time? It is a time of great exploitation and celebration, it is the Block party. This party consists of bounteous free samples as far as the eye can see. As Grandma treated this bounteous blessing with finesse, a.k.a tried as many free samples as she could, I partook of some of the vegan options.
   First on my list of limited samples was a raw apple crisp that made my taste buds have a Jersey Shore-esque dance party in my mouth. This was washed down with some organic apple cider, and man was it delicious. After walking around the store shopping for essentials, and the g-mizzle on a sample rampage, I arrived at the only other vegan options for the evening. The first was a dark chocolate truffle that made my toes curl, and I swear is the answer to world peace. The other was a gazpacho made from tomatoes and peppers and utter deliciousness.

   My favorite part of this outing was trying something new. It was the first time I tried Seitan. It was a prepared in a mexican cuisine style with black beans and some yummy peppers and veggies. To complement my selection I piled on some yucca [sooo good!] and platino. All I can say is this is my new favorite from whole foods. It was just the right amount of chewy and spice. Washing it down with a nice ginger pear kombucha left me feeling satisfied and happy to finally try another veg mainstay. All in all it was a great evening, well pre home work at least. Any suggestions on what I should try next or your first encounters with a strange or new vegan food? Please leave all suggestions/ experiences in the comments section and I will definitely use or mention them in the next post. Lots of Rehab Lurve - L

VegFestasticness in O-town

        Hello Rehabbers! This past weekend was one of the biggest Vegan events to hit Orlando, VegFest 2010! As my first year going I was amazed at all the vendors and community support. There were some of the local vegan/vegetarian restaurants such as Ethos, Dandelion Communitea Cafe, and the Loving Hut along with Rhapsodic Cooperative Company. There were also places that I had never heard of such as Hoover's Health Market, The Health Nut and many others (and those were just food related).
        Other attractions at this cornucopia of vegan-y goodness were multiple pet rescues with dogs that were ready to be adopted. There was also yoga, and messages being dolled out as well. Due to the sheer volume of vendors and different happenings going on around the festival, and the unfortunateness of no camera, I am not able to name everyone and everything. On that note however, I am able to give my perspective on how the experience is for a first timer, and relatively new Vegan.
      One of the greatest things I observed was the atmosphere. From the vendors to the partakers everyone looked like they were having a great time. Almost everyone was smiling, with the excepting being those eating and that is in my opinion a huge factor on the smile-o-meter. Heck I was surrounded by food and that's what was making me smile.
    Another highlight was the diversity of the event. It was not just one group of people eating one type of food. There was a great many people from various backgrounds munching on some excellent eats. I myself wanted some fresh veggies so I got a wrap, but that was after almost 30 minutes of trying to decide what I wanted. So Much food! This diversity is also seen in the musical acts and artist at the event. Music ranging from a jazzy blues vibe to a laid back feel the music had it going on. As for the artists works they ranged from cute and whimsical to abstract. This diversity in the fest really was the icing on the cuppycake for me and I enjoyed every second I spent there, and I know that next year's will be even better. Now after typing all this goodness with a hefty portion of it being about good eats, I must bid you adieu, and my breakfast bonjour. - L

My Reflection, and it Ain't that Scary Either

 Recently I celebrated my first six months of being a vegan and how the time has flown. It seems like just yesterday I was a reluctant vegetarian afraid of giving up my then true love, cheese. However I soon found that this love was just an infatuation, and my real true love Daiya walked in. That was the day that I changed my ways and moved on from my crush. 

 It seems now, as I look back, that this is pretty much the best thing that has happened to me. New worlds have opened up to me that would not have been possible if I kept up my old lifestyle. I truly enjoy each day more than I ever have before, which is saying a lot coming from the girl with some major issues. It has changed my life in every way for the better and I am so thankful for that. So as I reflect on how going vegan has changed me, I wonder how has it touched other lives? If it has for you, or in someone you know and you feel the need to share please leave a comment and inspire around you. - L 

"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed"- Audrey Hepburn