A Vegan's First Year: Part 2

Here's a continuation of the highlighted Vegan dishes I've made over the past year. You can see here I'm getting slightly better with the photography ~ I have a friend taking classes that's helping me a bit. These photos should also bear witness to the fact that vegan eating is in no way dull! I'm going to be experimenting with different meat analogues this year (crab, fish, shrimp, and -gasp- -steaks!), as well as with techniques like grilling out with charcoal and wood chips! I really can't wait to grow some of my own foods, too (If I can find room! I will already have quite a bit of things in pots to save space. I may have to hit up a friend to plant a pumpkin patch in their backyard). It will be a magnificent challenge.

Various sushi fillings and shapes/sizes!

Spicy tofu with a dash of peanut oil

My favorite stand-by, cucumber-avocado

Inside-out rolls! Extra-spicy seared tofu with 'better than ceam cheese.'

Tempura sweet potato! Another favorite vegan sushi of mine.

My version of local Chinese take-out: beefless tips and broccoli, lomein noodles with water chestnuts and baby corn, and sauteed potatoes ~ with soy, ginger, white pepper and sugar.

My loaded pizza, with Daiya cheeze, olives, roasted peppers, the pepperoni I make from vegan bacon I buy, & favorite brand of vegan sausage crumbles - all on my yummy herbed dough I'm constantly trying to make perfect. Getting close!

Not-yo' Nachos! With Daiya (the deities' gift to vegan cheezes), all the classic toppings, and homemade guacamole (including sweet onion and a dash of lime).

Chili Cheeze fries! I cheated & used pre-made fries and chili. I would like to recreate this with fresher ingredients this year.

Four-layer Lasagna, with Daiya cheee...'nuff said.

Hush puppies...these were excellent. I think I will re-make these for the vegan fried fish, and maybe fried okra and other not-quite-healthy yums that are essential for a down-home fish-fry.

Red velvet X-mas themed cupcake. I may need to look into online emporiums for sprinkles with no confectioner's glaze; they are getting hard to come by around here.

Almost-Traditional Greek Baklava. I am Greek myself (1/4), so it made me very sad to see the honey go. But with proper preparation and spicing, the agave nectar really held up as a replacement.

Cherry turnover - these were super-easy to make, but it's only because I cheated. I know, I know. This spring/summer I'll try my hand at homemade puff pastry and fresh cherries.

Udon-noodle Stiry-fry ~ another dish I tried to emulate after my local Japanese steakhouse. It's not quite the same, but still awesome. I'm thinking about trying to obtain the actual recipe somehow.

Ultimate Blueberry Streusel Crumb Cake ~ a nice fresh 4 pounds of blueberries went into this!