Heading into week two of my vegan challenge, I've successfully managed to
entertain twice and it wasn't any harder or any less tasty than if I had included animal products in my menu. Over the weekend, I had a friend over for brunch and I served assorted bagels with two different spreads: cream cheese for the omnivores and buttery Fuerte avocadoes (my personal preference) mashed with lime juice and nutritional yeast for me. I set out a big platter of sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and spicy radish sprouts, and I only missed the lox a little. (Sigh!) I also served a big bowl of mixed berries, and to drink I offered chilled fruit juice and coffee.
A few days later, friends came to dinner and after perusing through my new, favorite cookbook, Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson, I decided on a menu of lemon risotto with peas and a "Pseudo" Caesar salad. For starters I sliced up a chewy Judy's Breadstick (a staple in my house) and served that with Annie's cashew-sesame-pimento spread. The spread is made locally in Santa Cruz, California and it was sublime.
Recipes and reviews after the jump!
For a week now, I've been challenging myself to eat as close
to vegan as possible. It's part of my month-long, "
What Can I Get You Folks? - Eating Out for Thanksgiving
In Defense of Guy Fieri
'Top Chef Vegas' - And Then There Were Five
