that soup was SO not vegan!

today I went to a little cafe for lunch during my doula class i am taking.  They had black bean soup on the chalkboard so I asked if it was vegan.  The lady at the counter didn't know so she went to ask someone else.  i see her talking with a guy and by the looks of their faces, my gut instinct was telling me that he had no idea either...but then he made a look to her and said something that could have been...."it probably is vegan."  so she comes back and says, "it is vegan."  this coming from the same lady that when i asked if any of the pastry case was vegan, she pointed out a gluten free brownie.  dude, you work in a food establishment, this isn't pharmaceuticals...can't you know what dietary restrictions belong to which group of  crazies that have to ask these questions.  anyway.  i don't listen to my gut and i get the soup.  i get back to the class and when i take it out to eat lunch, and i am excited...cause i love food, and i love soup and i was very pleased that i had the foresight to get my soup at the morning break so when lunch came i didn't have to go anywhere.  (ps.  i would have been way more excited to have brought my own totally vegan food from home but my kids have been hellish in the morning before school this week and i just didn't have time since i had to tend to my screaming 5 yr old on the sidewalk.)  so, i take out the soup and i dig in.  hmmm. this takes cheesy.  another bite.  yes, it looks like black bean soup...and it tastes fucking cheesy.  vegan my ass, lady.  sorry, language.  but i was pissed.  what if i was truly vegan.  man if i was one of those hard core vegans with the tattoos and piercings and wearing all black, i probably would have been marching right over to that cafe again and giving her a piece of my mind.  but i am just a sweet little mama, taking a doula class for christ sake...doulas are very gentle (which is probably why i don't feel like this is my "tribe" as the teacher said.)  cause i wanted to go over there.  ok, this is really getting too long and if you are still reading, well, more power to you, and now i will get to something else.  but first,  for closure....i walked down to this super coffee shop  (Voxx on eastlake, they serve stumptown and it is this magical place where i am a normal, charming & talkative customer that gets great service)  and got a vegan peanut bar from flying apron bakery, a berry juice things with spirulina, a lemonade iced tea (nod to erin) and an apple.  that was my lunch, but i never ate the apple.  and it was good.  and vegan.

the weekend at san juan island, where i cooked for a bunch of great ladies went great.  and it was nearly all vegan, save the buckwheat pancakes with buttermilk.  the menu went like this:
Friday Night- veggie soup, salad, caprese appetizers with wine and cheese (ok so the cheese wasn't vegan, but my sweet friend Lis brought that, plus these ladies ren't really obliged to eat vegan cause i am doing some stupid blog)
Saturday Breakfast- tofu scramble (which was oddly loved), egg strata (by Lis), potatoes and apple turnovers
Saturday Dinner- Cannelini beans with sage, ratatouille, kale with roasted fennel, green rice with herbs and spinach, and for dessert...panforte and salted lavender ice cream (again Lis)
Sunday Breakfast - buckwheat pancakes with warm applesauce and maple syrup.
...and Lis made fresh bread all weekend too.  it was splendid.

i got introduced to the sidecar.  a yummy drink.   thank you Kate!

i want to give a hint to the rest of vegan month.  there may be a cleanse or fast coming up.  taking vegan month to a new level.  we'll see, i was just inspired today, so i'll let it settle in and see if it happens.  anyone wanna try it with me??????

peace,
melissa