Well hello there! I haven’t run off to a cabin in Iceland or to a missile silo in the midwest. Vegan Man has been neglecting this site, however, as the pressures of life mounted over the months. But the cold of winter has subsided, and I’m back to clear out the cobwebs and provide some more quality content.

What have I been up to since September? The answer: school. I’m back in classes full-time, increasing my macho street cred in a massage therapy program. I’m about 3 months out from having my license, after which I’ll be a massage therapist/software developer. I believe I will need two business cards.

Being in class 4 days a week as well as working has taken a toll on the cooking, as any busy vegan knows. It’s hard enough sometimes to get a nutritious and square meal when you’re busy, but add in the whole vegan thing and you’re in a different place. I’ve relied fairly heavily on Chipotle in months past to get me through – the veggie fajita burrito with black beans, lots of salsa, guacamole and lettuce is a whole cylinder of deliciousness. I’ve been there so often recently that I’m started to get comped now and then. Thanks Chipotle!

My second survival device has been the crock pot. Throwing a bunch of veggies in the morning and come dinnertime there’s a whole mess of goodness. In addition to my own awesome red lentils, I’ve been experimenting with recipes from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker.

The third has been cooking the quick and easy dishes I know like the back of my hand. Pesto, grilled tofu, chili, and soft tacos, over and over.

The great thing is that after this long being vegan isn’t a chore at all, it’s just how it goes. Those who are just getting started, rest assured, it gets easier. After a while it’s just as normal as your pants.

If you haven’t made Isa’s Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles, you really should take the time. They are crazy good!

Vegan Man is back from a lovely vacation to Mouseland, a.k.a Walt Disney World! I shook hands with Donald Duck, wore ears on my head and touristed with the best of them. The less said of the park food, the better. I didn’t starve, but it wasn’t much to write on the internet about.

However, there was something to write on the internet about! I had dinner at Victoria & Albert’s one night, which is their very good restaurant. I let them know when I booked that I was vegan, so when I arrived, I was treated to a seven course vegan meal. If you’ve ever seen Iron Chef America, this is the kind of food I’m talking about. Here’s the menu:

Amuse Bouche

Tomato Sorbet with Olive Oil Powder
Grilled Asparagus with Preserved Lemon
Florida Melon Soup
Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio

The tomato sorbet was magical; combined with the olive oil powder, the whole effect was incredibly intense. The carpaccio also stood out.

Petit Asian Greens with Edamame Purée and Candied Ginger

The greens had a single potato chip and a lotus root chip on top, and the purée was so bright. I was happy I had a single-serving baguette made by V&A’s pastry chef to make sure none was wasted.

Vegetable Ratatouille with Preserved Purple Artichokes

This was a soft and understated ratatouille, and the tartness of the artichokes worked well against it.

Yellow Chanterelle and White Clam Shell Mushroom Cannelloni with French Black Truffles

This was the best thing I’ve ever eaten, period. After it was served, it was covered in vegan consomme, which I could have happily drunk a gallon of.

Bamboo Rice Blend, Petite French Lentils and Potato Turnip Gratin

The entree didn’t have a particular focus, instead going for a “vegetable attack” strategy with a number of points of interest. The plate was a work of abstract art, and my fork wandered from place to place.

Peach Sorbet with Micro Orchids

I’d never eaten an orchid before, and was very happy to have the opportunity. A very refreshing palate cleanser, just the right amount of peach sweetness.

Fuji Apple Strudel with Poached Apples

An incredibly delicate strudel, it almost floated away (if a strudel could float).

The meal was concluded with a cup of coffee made on the table with a siphon (or vacuum) coffee maker. I went home happy, thanks to chef de cuisine Scott Hunnel and his kitchen team. So happy, I decided that I’d seize the day and see if I could get another meal in. I did, and in fact, on short notice they created a completely different seven course vegan meal just for me.

Quinoa is a great grain, one of my favorites. Served with tabouli (featuring another of my favorite grains) seals the deal. A great meal for a sweltering summer night.

Dr. Apricot and I were testing a new recipe – Upside Down Shepherd’s Pie – for Isa’s upcoming cookbook. The results were as promised: starchy, savory, filling and remarkably healthy. The french lentils made this dish for me.

Astounding! My friend Laurie sent me this drawing for my birthday of me as Vegan Man (looking rather buff). I’ve put it in the kitchen so I can be inspired to vegetable-related heroism.

The Heat is finally on here in Boston, making a fashionably late appearance. I broke down and installed the window air conditioning unit in my studio today, creating a one-room pocket of respite.

Is there a better meal for a hot, muggy night, than gazpacho? I’m not sure, but this recipe from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) was just right. I topped it with some diced avocado and served it with some slices of baguette.

I’ve been waiting to post about Isa’s new book Vegan Brunch for a while, but after cooking from it over the weekend I can’t resist. It’s full of things I’m drooling over.

Yesterday I made the tempeh sausage puff pastries and mango lassi to drink (you can see it lurking in the background), both of which were astounding.

And tonight’s dinner – not brunch I know, but this is an anytime food! – was the beer battered tofu. Oh. My. God.

Our 3rd of July festivities included some amazing rosemary smashed potatoes, but when it came to the actual smashing, we didn’t have anything in the kitchen blunt enough for the task. So out came the 8kg kettlebell (my favorite for quick-pressing tofu), which not only smashed up the taters but good, but also provided a good workout to my shoulders and lats.

And the finished product:

Central Square is home to Four Burgers, which makes a great vegan burger. Here is the configuration with guacamole and salsa.