Lunch today was a ridiculously good vegan meatball sub. And yes, that’s Teese underneath the meatballs.

Friday is a good reason for biscuits, right?

Continuing with the 660 Curries book, tonight brought us a black chickpea curry, kala chana masala. Black chickpeas are a lot tougher than yellow ones, and require around an hour in the pressure cooker after soaking! Combined with coconut, chilis, mustard, curry leaves and other spices, the result was an amazing chewy, spicy, dish. I had three bowls.

Dr Apricot and I took a trip to the Super 88 in Dorchester today, and returned with many delicious things. With some of the haul, we made a huge batch of dumplings, which we served up for dinner alongside some almost-pho. I am incredibly full at the moment, and supremely contented.

Yesterday’s breakfast was flaxseed waffles (modified Waffles I from The Joy of Vegan Baking) topped with caramelized nectarines. I made some homefries filled with onion, spring onions and carrots as a side dish. And there was much happiness.

Boston is in the early stages of a serious snowstorm right now. There’s a lot of snow on the ground already, and it’s going to snow like crazy for the next 8 hours or so if the reports are right. It’s the perfect day to stay in, work from home – this is easy for me since I always work from home – and make a giant pot of chili, one of my great comfort foods.

Sometimes on a cold, windy day, there’s nothing like a bowl of split pea soup and a big hunk of bread.

Recipe on request, if anyone is interested.

Last night’s dinner was vegan meatball subs, tater tots and a screening of RoboCop. I planned on photographing dinner, but it managed to find its way to my stomach before I could get the camera out. For this, I apologize.

RoboCop, might I point out, seems to be vegan, as all he eats is baby food.

I admit it, I’m having a hard time writing for Vegan Man right now. It’s not that I’m any less vegan – far from it. But there has been a change, in that the vegan experience has been integrated into the rest of my life. It’s been nearly two years since I crossed that invisible line in my head, and in that span of time being vegan has gone from being new and shiny in every way to who I am and how I live. To use a phrase, “the shiny wore off.”

This is a very good thing, but it makes writing a bit trickier, because things I might have written about before don’t pop out of focus like they once did. I cook vegan food every day, eat vegan food every day, have vegan thoughts. What’s interesting enough to share on the internet? Do you really want to see another picture of a bowl of delicious black beans and rice, slathered in fresh salsa and guacamole and topped with chopped cilantro?

Well, maybe you do on the last one, because damn, that’s some tasty stuff (though it doesn’t photograph so well). But hopefully you see the point.

The other side effect of this is that this Integrated Veganosity has blurred the line between “Vegan Man” and just plain old “Man.” I’ve tried to keep my ramblings as vegan as possible, but sometimes when it comes to thoughts and actions, it’s a challenge to decide what fits where. It feels to me right now that it might need to tilt a bit from the “Oh hey wow this is vegan neat huh!” to “yo, I’m a vegan dude chilling and here is what happens to me and also some delicious food pictures.”

I’m open to suggestions, so if you have had this problem or anticipate having this problem or just want to say “Hi” comment away.

Back in my pre-vegan days, I used to enjoy eating a blood orange tea cake, which is just a hair sweet but has a wonderfully complex flavor. 4 eggs, though, makes for a rough recipe to veganize successfully.

The ever astounding V took a different route and, taking as base Isa’s Jelly Donut cupcake batter (featured in Veganomicon), created a new recipe which hits all the right spots. It’s rich and gooey, and would be perfect with a nice cup of tea.