I tried out Junior's Cafe today with a friend. We wanted to go somewhere near her SE Hawthorne condo, and we were browsing through my brand-new, 2009-2010 Chinook Book and found a great 2-for-1 coupon for Junior's, located on 12th, just two blocks south of Hawthorne. Their coupon advertised the "best vegan scramble in Portland", so I figured it was worth a try.
It did not disappoint. The restaurant is cute, with about nine tables and booth seating available in a small interior that has funky decor and paintings of famous actors on the wall (Patrick Swayze, Chuck Norris, and Steven Segal were just a few). We both had breakfast dishes, even though it was 1 p.m. My dining partner tried a regular 'ole egg scramble, called the Pans, while I had the Superhero Tofu scramble, which came with spinach, tomato, onion, and potatoes and toast on the side. The tofu was delicious. It actually almost tasted like eggs, which makes me wonder if the chef added nutritional yeast to it to give it a richer flavor. I gobbled up the meal rather quickly, and, because of the coupon, our total bill came to only $8.50. Not too shabby.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A Good Tuesday
I decided to go crazy today and spend time out of my house and NOT at the library (I know, I know, what an insane concept!). As a result, I have spent money I didn't need to spend and have driven miles on my car that is barely still running, so I think it was a successful day.
I started with a little trip to Target because, you know, they have cool things. (Okay, the truth: it was across the street from where I had a dentist appointment this morning, but I wasn't sure if I should share that sort of info on a site that's supposed to be dedicated to green vegan living.) I was surprised by the supply of Kashi items they now offer. Thus, their selection of vegan food options has grown immensely. It was nice to see vegan granola for a little cheaper than I might pay at New Seasons or Whole Foods.
Second, I went to Ya Hala Lebanese Restaurant on SE Stark. I have had a severe craving for delicious, homemade hummus for a few months now (since I went to Arabian Breeze last summer), and I thought this might be the place to cure that itch. I enjoyed the creamy, flavorful hummus with puffy bread and the Fatayer (which they describe as "three small pies, baked fresh when you order. Vegans particularly enjoy the melange of spinach, onions, sumac and lemon juice, encased in pastry pockets". I liked the idea that vegans, in particular, loved this dish, so I was compulsively forced to try it.). It was especially good with hummus on top, because otherwise, the lemon flavoring was a bit strong for my tastes.
Finally, I drove over to and am sitting at a table in Sweet Pea, my favorite Portland vegan bakery. I had the cinnamon roll with a white icing (maybe made of fake cream cheese?), but it wasn't very sweet, and my ego and tastebuds lead me to believe that I make better rolls than the one I had today. The almond milk latte was good, though, and, as always, it's refreshing to go somewhere where I can eat everything and not have to continually ask (or wonder) about the ingredients. They are even showcasing a bit more gluten-free items, which is promising, as in the past, they haven't really had that option. I'm leaning more and more towards going gluten-free, although it will be difficult with all the baking I do, but I am confident that there are places in the Ptown area that I can go to (such as Sweet Pea) if I need a quick, gluten-free fix without all the hassle of doing it myself.
I started with a little trip to Target because, you know, they have cool things. (Okay, the truth: it was across the street from where I had a dentist appointment this morning, but I wasn't sure if I should share that sort of info on a site that's supposed to be dedicated to green vegan living.) I was surprised by the supply of Kashi items they now offer. Thus, their selection of vegan food options has grown immensely. It was nice to see vegan granola for a little cheaper than I might pay at New Seasons or Whole Foods.
Second, I went to Ya Hala Lebanese Restaurant on SE Stark. I have had a severe craving for delicious, homemade hummus for a few months now (since I went to Arabian Breeze last summer), and I thought this might be the place to cure that itch. I enjoyed the creamy, flavorful hummus with puffy bread and the Fatayer (which they describe as "three small pies, baked fresh when you order. Vegans particularly enjoy the melange of spinach, onions, sumac and lemon juice, encased in pastry pockets". I liked the idea that vegans, in particular, loved this dish, so I was compulsively forced to try it.). It was especially good with hummus on top, because otherwise, the lemon flavoring was a bit strong for my tastes.
Finally, I drove over to and am sitting at a table in Sweet Pea, my favorite Portland vegan bakery. I had the cinnamon roll with a white icing (maybe made of fake cream cheese?), but it wasn't very sweet, and my ego and tastebuds lead me to believe that I make better rolls than the one I had today. The almond milk latte was good, though, and, as always, it's refreshing to go somewhere where I can eat everything and not have to continually ask (or wonder) about the ingredients. They are even showcasing a bit more gluten-free items, which is promising, as in the past, they haven't really had that option. I'm leaning more and more towards going gluten-free, although it will be difficult with all the baking I do, but I am confident that there are places in the Ptown area that I can go to (such as Sweet Pea) if I need a quick, gluten-free fix without all the hassle of doing it myself.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Laughing Planet
Laughing Planet has always appealed to me because of their delicious menu that is very vegan-friendly and their all-vegan desserts. Now, they have joined up with Truitt Brothers, a Food-Alliance certified supplier in Salem, to offer pinto beans that are grown and processed in a sustainable manner. They will soon be offering black beans from Truitt Bros., as well. I went there yesterday and noticed they have also extended their cookie selection, and I was able to enjoy a hazelnut-carob cookie with my Mr. Green special burrito.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
World Vegan Day
I feel like I'm always the last to know, but apparently November 1st (my birthday!) was World Vegan Day. And thus marked the beginning of World Vegan Month. That comes at just the right time, when many Americans are hunkering down and starting to prepare for their carnivorous Thanksgiving meal in a few weeks. So, of course that means I will be presenting to you even more facts and articles and recipes that provide and discuss the value and perks of becoming a vegan. I love that it is so much more global than my Portland community, or even the west coast. Veganism, although not the mainstream diet of humans worldwide, is certainly more prevalent than I would ever give it credit it for.
So, on this rainy Sunday morning (at least here in Portland), enjoy some fair trade, shade-grown coffee with hazelnut milk and some oatmeal with maple syrup and cinnamon and think about how good (and green) your meat-free lifestyle is.
So, on this rainy Sunday morning (at least here in Portland), enjoy some fair trade, shade-grown coffee with hazelnut milk and some oatmeal with maple syrup and cinnamon and think about how good (and green) your meat-free lifestyle is.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Back From Vacation
I'm back from California, and ready to post about my travels, but as it's just about my bedtime, I'm going to wait and save that post until later.
Until then, however, here is something I ran across that caught my eye. When I originally became a vegetarian, I did it because I had just moved out on my own and I realized that I would save a lot of money by not purchasing meat. This quote from an article about Alicia Silverstone directly correlates with that line of thinking. This recession is causing everyone to re-examine his/her wallet, and perhaps spending less money on animal products is just one more way to keep the budget in the black.
"At these times when we're all worried about money, it's easy to switch to a plant-based diet. This radiant health is available for all of us and it's affordable. Your grocery bill will be the same when you trade in for a plant-based diet. Over time, you'll see the doctor less and need less drugs, if any. Like cappuccinos and anti-acids and sleeping pills, it all adds up. It's a really good investment in yourself. It's really good for your wallet. It reduces your health care issues too. Because these doctors, like Dean Ornish and John McDougall have proven that a plant-based diet is so powerful, powerful enough to reverse or prevent these diseases. These diseases and conditions end up costing the country billions of dollars so it's also a contribution to rescuing the health care system, in a way."
Until then, however, here is something I ran across that caught my eye. When I originally became a vegetarian, I did it because I had just moved out on my own and I realized that I would save a lot of money by not purchasing meat. This quote from an article about Alicia Silverstone directly correlates with that line of thinking. This recession is causing everyone to re-examine his/her wallet, and perhaps spending less money on animal products is just one more way to keep the budget in the black.
"At these times when we're all worried about money, it's easy to switch to a plant-based diet. This radiant health is available for all of us and it's affordable. Your grocery bill will be the same when you trade in for a plant-based diet. Over time, you'll see the doctor less and need less drugs, if any. Like cappuccinos and anti-acids and sleeping pills, it all adds up. It's a really good investment in yourself. It's really good for your wallet. It reduces your health care issues too. Because these doctors, like Dean Ornish and John McDougall have proven that a plant-based diet is so powerful, powerful enough to reverse or prevent these diseases. These diseases and conditions end up costing the country billions of dollars so it's also a contribution to rescuing the health care system, in a way."
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