Vegan in Bellingham

It was over a year ago that I first wrote about Mambo Italiano Cafe. At that time I was writing about their fabulous vegan pizza and their tasty mixed greens salad, and I closed the post by promising to write more about their vegan options "soon." Now here I am, fourteen months later, finally getting back to that promise.
Now I must explain that this is not because I have not eaten at Mambo's during the past year--on the contrary, I have consumed my fair share of pizza and salad during this time. That's the thing, I am afraid. I have eaten pizza and salad every time I have gone there since I first wrote that first post.


Some of you may recall my earlier vegan sausage sandwich from Pastazza obsession; I am afraid this is a similar situation--I tend to get into happy food ruts and order the same thing over and over from many of my favorite places. So the reason I have not written sooner is not because I have not eaten there, but rather because I had to make a conscious effort to order something besides my favorite pizza.

Last week we had a happy occasion to celebrate and it was finally the perfect time for me to be adventurous and try something new. So I ordered the completely vegan "Rigatoni Primavera," described simply on their menu as "seasonal sauteed vegetables" cooked in a garlic, white wine, and olive oil sauce, with fresh basil.


I definitely did not regret stepping outside of my pizza comfort zone because this pasta dish was absolutely delicious. Zucchini, mushrooms, red peppers, artichoke hearts, and everything cooked to perfection.

One change thing that has changed since I first wrote about Mambo's is that they now have a fabulous website. It is one of the better local restaurant websites I have seen. They even have a great commercial that gives you a little taste of the place. One thing that has not changed since I first wrote about Mambo's is how much I still love the atmosphere of this place. The service remains consistently wonderful, as does the food. So next time you are in Fairhaven trying to decide where to go to dinner, may I recommend Mambo Italiano Cafe?

I realized today that if I was to go through all of my home-cooking-related blog posts, a rather high percentage of them would be about brunch and lazy weekend mornings. I think many vegans share my love of the comfort breakfast/brunch. Luckily, it is something my husband also shares with me. I remember when we first started dating, a mutual friend of ours took me aside and said, "One thing you have to know about Doug is that he absolutely loves breakfast." This was crucial information that I was glad to find out about early in our relationship.

So I have to admit that my breakfast-loving-husband is more than half my inspiration when it comes to my weekend breakfast-themed cooking endeavors. This morning I woke up determined to try something altogether new, and behold, my "eggs" benedict was born. Granted, this took a little while to cook and the kitchen was a bit of a mess afterwards, but it was fun to make and tasty to eat.

The biscuits are the "Easy biscuits" from Sarah Kramer's cookbooks (Preheat oven to 450. In large bowl sift together 2 cups flour, 3 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Cut in 1/4 cup vegan margarine and 1 cup sour milk, which is 1 cup soy milk mixed with 1 teaspoon cider vinegar. Divide dough into six portions and bake for 12-18 minutes.) I usually use more like a tablespoon of cider vinegar in the soymilk because to me it is a little more reminiscent of that buttermilk flavor.

The eggs are the basic omelette recipe from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, only with 1 tspn kala namak added to the mix and cooked in smaller round portions fried-egg style (in a non-stick pan with non-stick spray). The sausage was a modification of Felicity's "savoury veggie burger," only with "sausage" type seasoning ( sage, coriander, marjoram, etc). The Hollandaise Sauce was from Isa's Vegan Brunch and it was sooo yummy. So yummy that we ate too much and had to brave the cold and go on an afternoon walk to work some of it off. All-in-all, not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

With the change of the seasons, I crave different kinds of food. I rarely want soup in the summer, and I want food with more warmth in the winter. It is fun to look around you and find food inspiration in the changing seasons. And for me there has always been something about roasted root vegetables in the Fall. The color palette makes me think of the pretty colored leaves swirling around outside, brightening up a grey day. And when done right, these veggies taste delicious and melt in your mouth--talk about your comfort food on a dreary dark day.

The Nov-Dec 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times has a great quick and easy recipe for roasted root vegetables, only they have also thrown in a delicious dip that I think is one of my new favorite things.



Not only is the dip easy to make, it is full of flavor and a perfect accompaniment to these roasted veggie sticks. When we ate this a couple of weeks ago, we just added a green salad to the side and called it dinner! It was easy, tasty, yummy and very filling.

The recipe called for carrots, (cut into sticks, 6 cups) and red and gold beets (also 6 cups worth of sticks). I used carrots, yams, turnips, and red beets. I say just pick whatever your own favorite root veggies are and go with that, although I like how colorful beets make everything. Speaking of beets, I used to detest them when I was younger, and I never understood how my mother could love them, and now I can't get enough! I love them so much and every time I eat them, I realize I love them even more! I have no idea why it took so long for my beet-loving taste buds to kick in, but at least I finally have them now. And beets in particular taste great prepared simply and easily like this.



To make your own tasty meal, begin by preheating the oven to 450 and toss veggies with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender--the recipe says 25 minutes, but every oven is different and mine took closer to 45 minutes.

For the dip, in a food processor combine: 1 head of roasted garlic (you can wrap the garlic in foil and roast with the veggies, or roast separately in a garlic roaster), one 15 ounce can of cannellini beans (I used navy beans because I did not have any cannellini), 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and one tablespoon olive oil. Combine until smooth and that's all there is to it! Enjoy!

Don't forget to vote today! There is a drop off box over at the Viking Union at Western if you haven't already mailed your ballot. They are accepting ballots until 8pm, so it's still not too late if you can do it this evening!

I hope you all had a fun Halloween weekend! I sure did. We carved pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds, went to see B'ham's very own Thriller, and spent some time with good friends, as evidenced in the photo below of me with a couple of my good buddies: Carrot and Tofu, two of this particular vegan's very best friends.
As you may know, the day after Halloween is also "World Vegan Day," a day to enjoy delicious vegan food and think about what it means to be vegan, two things I have spent today doing. One of the things that it makes me think about is the importance of continuing to strive for consistency within myself, to live a self-reflective life, and to find a constructive way to articulate what it is I believe, and make that match with what I do every day. This impacts every aspect of my life, from what I eat, to what I say and how I say it; to what and how I buy, use, have, keep, read, watch, listen to or otherwise consume.


I once told a friend that I believe if you really try to always act with integrity, if you sincerely try to do what is right and to not harm those around you, and if you constantly strive for honesty in your every day life, ultimately nothing can hurt you and you can't help but align yourself with good things.

This is not to say that you will become perfect or invulnerable, or you won't ever have a bad day or cry again, or that you will be impervious to emotional pain, or that you will never experience momentary lapses in judgement, or never swear while driving when someone cuts you off, or anything like that--I don't mean anything exaggerated or unrealistic. I mean that generally speaking, from a sort of "big picture" perspective, doing what is right, considering how you impact the people and life forms around you, and making conscious and deliberate choices based on those considerations, can only make your life better. If you approach your life from this place of honesty and thoughtfulness, you will obtain a certain kind of strength that is both a comfort and a peace, and that will guide you through even the hardest of times, harder than you would have ever imagined possible.


I speak from personal experience, because this is something I know to be true from my own life. That being said, with this as a guiding principle for me, there is continual room for improvement in my own life, and every day is a new opportunity. To me this is empowering, because mistakes aren't a terminal thing--they are not an end but rather a beginning. And confusion is something that can be dispelled with clarity. And if I look at the people surrounding me as all being in the same boat, so-to-speak, as all muddling through and trying to figure things out and really wanting to do what is right, that can only help me feel a certain kind of closeness to humanity, even in the midst of our differences.

Because when you come right down to it, we all want so many of the same things--love, friendship, happiness. We all value so many of the same things--family, loyalty, kindness, security, safety, and honesty. These are things I wish everyone could have and experience, no matter what a person's race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or dietary choices may be. These things are universal and human.

So I am using this particular World Vegan Day to think about how I can improve both myself and the world around me, what things can I do or change that I haven't considered or wanted to consider before? And what am I already doing to support what I believe? Another thing I also hope you know is that the deadline for this election is coming right up, on November 3rd. Voting is a tangible way to align your actions with your beliefs, and to consider the lives of the people around you. Which is why I hope you Washington state readers will look beyond potentially divisive political rhetoric and really think about the fundamentals, about what really matters, and choose to approve Ref 71.

If you break it down logically, this referendum touches on what is not really even a political issue, but rather a human issue, an issue of basic human rights, an issue of making a choice to support families, to support love, to act with integrity, and to want what is best for humanity. So I really hope you will use this World Vegan Day to seriously consider what I have written, and please know that I am writing from a place of sincerity and honesty and truly hoping it will go some place positive. Thanks for reading this.

I have been excited about Bloom since the moment I heard of its existence. This past Friday, my husband and I, along with our beautiful niece, dined there for the first time. As we walked inside, we were struck by the roominess of the space; the lighting was simultaneously low yet warm, and the room was spacious yet inviting. The owner, Justin Bilancieri, was very friendly, greeted us immediately, and welcomed us to sit anywhere we wanted.

He gave us a menu to look at and explained that it was a bit limited at the moment and would be expanding in the near future. He referred to this as their "soft" opening. Since we weren't sure what to choose, we asked him for what he recommended, and we settled on two main dishes that we could share among ourselves so that we would all have a chance to taste a variety of options. We ordered a quinoa bowl with a superfood salad, and also a platter that included hummus, salad, and a coconut cucumber and tomato soup. My niece also tried the berry smoothie.



I know there exists for some a prejudice against fresh veggies and salads as main dishes--there is this idea that for something to be satisfying and flavorful, it has to be heavier, starchier, even dense. I am ashamed to admit that even I wondered, for a split second, if this would be the kind of meal where we would be hungry again soon after eating. I was also a little worried because here we finally were in our very own local vegan restaurant, and I wanted so badly for it to be good that I nervously wondered: what if it's not? I knew I wouldn't be able to bear the disappointment.

And, luckily for me, I didn't have to. Thankfully, the food was delicious. And unique. And ultimately, really, really, filling. Once I realized this I knew that at last I could let out a deep breath, relax, and really enjoy the meal. The quinoa bowl was seasoned really well, and I already forsee myself getting cravings for it. I love good quinoa. But I really hate bad quinoa. I have had some awesome quinoa and some really bland boring quinoa, and this fell into the category of awesome quinoa.

The soup was a blended soup full of complexities and flavor. It was unlike any soup I have ever had before in my life. With each new taste, I felt like my taste buds were waking up from a long nap. The fresh greens and herbs of the salad were delicious, served with a wonderful vinaigrette. They tasted as thought they had come straight out of the garden. My niece was the one who first noticed this--she commented on how different garden-grown vegetables taste when compared to store-bought, and how the vegetables here tasted so much better than anything you could buy in the store.


The hummus was also really good--there is a regular and a sun-dried tomato, and we tried and enjoyed both of them. And my niece also really liked her smoothie. Finally, for dessert, there was a berry mousse of some sort, that tasted so good it distracted me and I forgot to copy down from the menu what it's actually called. But at least I remembered to get a picture!


When we first arrived, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Then quickly it began to fill up, which makes me very happy. Clearly, this is a good sign. I am hopeful and confident that Bellingham is the perfect town to help sustain a place like Bloom. And Justin seems like the perfect person to take such a project on. His personal attention to detail, his friendly attentiveness, and his positive attitude are all definite positive attributes of the restaurant itself, and this definitely comes through in the food.


One of the other things I admire about Justin, besides his commitment to local and sustainable food sources, is that he wants to only use biodegradable corn-based plastics. He is thinking of the big picture with his restaurant, how his business impacts the world around him, not just how to make money. I read a truly disturbing article last week about the plastic debris that is breaking down and collecting in the ocean. One of the many negative impacts this is having on our environment is that these micro-plastics are being eaten by albatross chicks and other sea life who then starve to death while there stomachs are full of plastic. I have not been able to get those images out of my head all week, and it got me thinking not just about recycling, but also about trying my hardest to lower my own personal use of plastic. It is reassuring to dine somewhere where these concerns are also important and taken seriously.

Not only were we all full and happy after our meal together, I actually experienced a little burst of energy that is something foreign to me most Friday nights after a long week of work. Usually on Fridays, I am pretty tired and ready to collapse on the couch at an embarrassingly early hour. After dining at Bloom, not only was I full, but I also felt physically good. Really good. It's kind of hard to explain, but I remember thinking: so this is how food is supposed to make you feel. I actually had energy. I made a mental note that this is definitely the place to fuel up next time I am feeling lethargic and need a pick-me-up.

We Bellinghamsters are lucky to finally have a place like this in our own hometown. If you haven't already done it, be sure and check Bloom out. I will definitely be eating there again and I can't wait to see what else they have in store for Bellingham.

Bloom is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon-Thurs and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. See you there!

I love my kitchen in our new place--it has everything I could ever want, especially now that my husband added this little feature for me. No more crouching down on my hands and knees clanging pots and pans around trying to find what I need from inside the island counter. Now everything is right at my fingertips!



And see how nicely it goes in the kitchen! This is definitely one of my favorite rooms in the house. And I look forward to spending countless hours in here cooking away and making new and delicious things, like the yummy tofu scramble I made this weekend out of whatever we happened to have in the fridge. It turned out quite well and tasted really good. I borrowed something from a restaurant in Maui where I ate a really great tofu scramble and added both tahini and a touch of smoky paprika to my usual recipe. It made it that much creamier, richer and tastier.


My favorite store-bought tofu is the organic extra-firm high protein tofu from Trader Joes. It is so easy to cook with and you don't have to drain or press it--it comes pretty much ready to go. Saute it with some onion, garlic, a little tamari sauce and nutritional yeast, throw in some other seasonings as well as the tahini and smoked paprika, add some chopped tomatoes, and at the very very end some broccoli crowns and you are almost ready. At the last second wilt some spinach leaves on top and ta-dah! Brunch is served. And clean-up is easy--just wash the pan and hang it on the nice new shiny rack to dry!

If you could only eat out once in Maui, this is absolutely the only place you would need to go. I know I have been back awhile now and I am STILL talking about Maui, but bear with me for one last post, and then I promise to share some local "blooming" news with you.


This restaurant had such a profound impact on me, that if I had absolutely no other reason to ever want to go back to Maui, the chance to eat here again would be reason enough. I can't express how amazing the food was--both beautiful and delicious.


We ate here our last two nights, and had we known sooner how awesome it was, we would have eaten here every single day. There are a few items on the menu that are vegetarian rather than vegan because of egg-based ingredients, as in the "shrimp," but every item on the menu is vegetarian and the vast majority of items are vegan. Even the Thai iced tea was vegan, made with coconut milk!



We made a point of having an appetizer each night since we wanted to try as many things on the menu as possible. The first night we had the very delectable "Fried Imperial Rolls" served with a special citrus sauce. These were better than any fried "egg" roll or spring roll I have ever had anywhere in my entire life.



The next night we had the "Fresh Summer Rolls," and these too were incredible. The flavors were fresh and vibrant, and the special homemade peanut sauce complimented it perfectly. My two favorite dishes were very creative and amazing tofu-based dishes. One is pictured below and the other is at the top of this post. (Felicity, I would have given anything to have you there so that you could "deconstruct" these for me and tell me how to make them--I am still craving them days later.)

In addition, the service was great, the food absolutely amazing, and the prices are also incredible. If you ever go to Maui, I truly hope you will make a point of eating here. I feel so lucky that I had the opportunity. Some food makes an everlasting impression, and the food at Fresh Mint certainly made such an impression on me. I will never forget it.

Not wanting to waste the money we spent on parking, we left Pacific O on foot and decided to head back down towards the older-looking buildings we passed on the way in the hopes of finding somewhere good to eat. At this point, we were both tired and hungry, and very happy to see the word "vegetarian" under the sign for the incredibly vegan-friendly Aloha Thai.
The woman who greeted us when we walked in had a great smile and was very nice. After my usual questions, she immediately explained that they can add tofu to any item on their menu and make it vegan, that there is no fish, meat, or dairy by-products in their sauces, and that everything is fresh and made-to-order. We decided on the pineapple tofu curry, and also a garlic basil vegetable dish.

The place was small and very cute with a comfortable atmosphere and an eclectic mix of artwork on the walls, a kind of combo of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean photos with what I am assuming were framed photos of historically important Thai families or dignitaries, with a picture of the Eiffel Tower thrown in, and an elephant next to that. There was a small television mounted above the front counter that repeatedly played a fascinating music video and a song that seemed to loop eternally with no beginning or end. Through a wooden-framed door I could glimpse a tidy kitchen where our food was being prepared, and as soon as they began cooking the most fabulous smells began to emanate out to where we were sitting.

The curry was unlike any curry I had ever tasted before. I found myself thinking: "So this is a Thai curry." There were so many layers of flavor that somehow all synthesized to create a unified taste that was rich, a little spicy, and very satisfying. My husband was even more enamoured with the garlic basil tofu dish, that I think included baby bok choy. Neither one of us had ever eaten Thai food that tasted quite like this Thai food. The tofu was cooked perfectly, not greasy and over-fried, and the vegetables were so fresh and just right--not at all limp or over-cooked. The food was beyond delicious, but we did grow quite full and ended up taking home leftovers that we turned into an entire meal on another day.

Not only did we find a charming place to eat with lots of personality, our grand total for dinner including a decent tip came to $30.00. And, considering we had leftovers, we actually bought four meals--not a bad value at all for fantastic Thai food and a fun dining experience. My hope is that the place thrives because I would like to eat there again the next time we are in Maui. And yes, there will definitely be a next time, no doubt about it!

I love how easy the internet makes doing a little veg research before a trip. If you google "vegan" and "Maui," there are a number of helpful sites, which enabled us to compile a list of places to try before we ever arrived. Our first night there I was really excited to try Pacific O, which sounded great: live jazz, "beach front dining" and a "special vegetarian dish."

Live jazz made me think of a place with the feeling of something like the bar at Skylarks, while "ocean-front dining" conjured up images of a beach-casual vibe: people traipsing in with salty hair and sand still stuck to their sandals, outdoor tables where you could watch the sunset and sip a frou-frou drink while listening to the combination of jazz music and ocean waves crashing on the shore--just the mere thought of this and we were in!



And so we drove through a touristy area of shops and restaurants constructed out of what appeared to be older buildings, to a newer area that was more of a bland yet modern-looking conglomeration of such places located across the street from a pay-for-parking lot. Towards the front of this structure were numerous sports-bar type restaurants where noisy televisions and loud music blared simultaneously, and people would turn and stare when I peeked inside as I walked by.

It was a nice warm breezy evening and we could smell the ocean in the air and almost hear the waves. This sound grew louder as we continued inwards, past a "spa" storefront where a bored-looking girl with a cute bob was all alone and entirely immersed in a book. Then, finally, all the way in the very back, we spotted the sign for Pacific O, and underneath the name of the restaurant was the phrase "contemporary dining," which caused us to exchange glances, because in our prejudiced minds we tend to associate that phrase with over-rated food served on square plates and sold at inflated prices.

Still hopeful however, we watched the people entering the restaurant and tried to get a feel for the place that way. I was hoping to see something that would mesh with the images I had created for myself, but instead I saw men in freshly ironed designer Hawaiian shirts acompanied by slender fashionably-dressed women in high heels and respectable earrings. The outdoor dining tables had nice, crisp, bright-white tablecloths, and there was not a frou-frou drink in sight, only glasses of what I imagined was expensive wine. There was no jazz music to be heard, but rather the sound of tinkling conversation being shared over expensive food. We glanced at the outdoor menu board and saw "blackened tofu" with quinoa and red lentils being offered for a mere $30.00, and we decided we were not in the mood to blow $100.00 on dinner.

Don't get me wrong, this place could have been awesome. I cannot say since we did not eat there. This is most-definitely not an official review of Pacific O's food, but rather a lead-in to a great discovery we made after we decided to leave and head back down the street, where we stumbled upon a bright little gem called Aloha Thai.

So much happening, so much to write about! This is after all the time for Vegan MoFo, and if I had the discipline to participate, I would definitely have no shortage of material. Also, in case you haven't heard, there is a brand-spanking-new all vegan restaurant opening up here in Bellingham, as well as a sudden surge of participation in "Meatless Mondays," and an onslaught of rainy days perfect for cuddling up next to the computer and writing 'til my heart's content.


However, at this moment, I must first begin with the place where I left a little piece of my heart: beautiful, amazing, vegan-friendly Maui. So please join me on this rainy day while I try to bring you a little sunshine.


Time is different in Maui. It passes slowly and days seem longer than they do here--a week feels like a month, which is awesome if you are trying to make the most of a one-week trip. The water is like nothing else: aqua, blue, and clear all at the same time, warm and soothing and absolutely gorgeous. And you can swim at night or in the wee hours of the morning and be swept away by the beauty of the stars shining overhead and the sound of the breeze as the gentle waves carry you away. Because of the three-hour time difference, it is easy to get up for a five a.m. swim, as my husband and I did early one morning, and I will never forget how it felt to swim together in the darkness in that warm amazing water under a full moon.

And as far as food goes, you will never have pineapple that tastes like the pineapple you have in Hawaii. Our generous bride and groom, whose wedding we had after all come to Maui for, delivered a gift bag complete with a pineapple to our room the first day we arrived. This pineapple was beyond description, so fragrant the smell dominated our little apartment and intruded into my dreams. It literally woke me up and nothing was going to happen that day until I was able to cut into it and feast away. And fresh pineapple for breakfast in Maui--there's nothing like it. (BTW I can also recommend the local mango--it's like delicious candy that melts in your mouth.)


As far as food shopping goes, there is a terrific chain of vegetarian grocery stores that I fell in love with called Down to Earth. They have a fabulous deli as well as a great variety of grocery items. And, one advantage of living on the west coast where prices tend to be high is that you don't really feel the pinch to your pocketbook that people expect to feel when they are in Hawaii. It wasn't cheap but it also wasn't out-of-the-ordinary expensive; think Haggen prices. I was pleasantly surprised. We did quite a bit of shopping at the Down to Earth in Kahului (305 Dairy Road), and I loved it so much I even bought a T-Shirt.


The people were always friendly and the deli had some really delicious food, such as these two salads that were absolutely yummy. Down to Earth made it easy to pick up quick meals and basic foodstuffs, and out of all the natural food stores we visited in Maui, this is one was my absolute favorite, both because of its great selection and also because it is an all-vegetarian grocery store, so no worries about having to avoid the meat section. It's also heartening to see that this place does great business--it was hopping every time we stopped by. Maybe someday we will have a store this fabulous in Bellingham. You never know, right?


There are more dining experiences I am dying to share with you, and hopefully you too will someday have a chance to plan your own getaway to Maui. Stay tuned....

I know I have said it before, but I am one lucky woman. I have so much to be thankful for and happy about, and not a day goes by that I don't think about that. My husband and I have had an amazing summer together, finding our new home and taking a couple of fun short trips. And now, having recently returned from a long weekend to the beautiful Oregon coast, we are about to embark on a week-long trip to Maui.


There is something about the ocean that gets to me like nothing else, and I have always dreamt of going to Hawaii but never could find a way to make that a reality. But now we have the pleasure of joining two very dear friends for their wedding and wedding celebration, and if that's not a great reason to go to Maui, I don't know what is!
I have heard from a couple of different people that Maui is very vegan-friendly, and I look forward to finding out first-hand for myself. If anyone has any recommendations or tips for me, please feel free to send them my way. We leave next weekend so I look forward to sharing with you more fun vegan adventures once we have returned. (Have fun at the potluck Sean and thanks for thinking of us!)

Welcome back WWU students! So the new school year is officially upon us and now we face another Fall quarter. The students always bring back a certain energy to campus that is not as prevalent during the summer, and I enjoyed seeing them in the library and scattered about outside playing frisbee or laying in the grass reading and talking. Luckily the weather has so far been wonderful, but already I can feel the days growing shorter and I know I will soon miss the long days of summer. However, every season has its beauty, and so I still am able to enjoy nice vibrant evening walks with colorful leaves that swirl around me in the breeze as the air begins to feel a bit crisper, a bit more tingly, just a little bit different.

Fall cooking is also fun--hearty soups and tasty comfort foods, foods that make the house smell good and feel warm. This weekend I made a dish I had wanted to try for awhile now because I knew it would be easy to convert into a vegan recipe--I clipped it ages ago, I think maybe from a newspaper but I am not sure. Anyway, it turned out awesome and it was tasty, cheap, and easy---perfect college food and proof that the students have been on my mind. You can make this dish without vegan cheese, but I happened to have some Vegan Gourmet cheddar that I needed to use up, so I grated some on to the top, hence the orange color.



Begin by pre-heating the oven to 350. The main thing to know is that basically, this dish is just a bunch of layers. I used a 9 x 13 glass pan sprayed with non-stick spray, and then spread a single layer of thinly sliced red potatoes along the bottom. On top of that I added thinly sliced pieces of yellow onion, and then I sprinkled a little salt and pepper. Then I added a layer of chopped green onions and then a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley. At that point I began a new layer, starting over with the thin potato slices, etc. I made three layers, but I could have easily added more if I had more ingredients because it does tend to shrink in depth as it bakes.

I ended up using five washed but unpeeled red potatoes, one onion, one bunch of green onions and probably about 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley. Once you have finished adding your layers, then pour some soy milk or other milk substitute over the potatoes. I poured about 12 tablespoons of soy milk over it, and then added the shredded "cheese." The recipe I had also called for "dotting" the top with "butter," which you could also do with vegan margarine if you so desired.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for an hour. Then uncover it and bake for another half hour until the vegetables are cooked and tender and the top is kind of golden brown. This is a really satisfying dish, tasty and warm, very similar to scalloped potatoes and absolutely perfect for eating after a brisk walk on one of those chilly Fall days sure to come our way.