Vegan on the run

One thing I have noticed about successfully eating vegan is that there is a bit of planning involved.  I need to have things packed in glassware in the fridge so I can see what I have available and get to it easily.  For lunch yesterday I had a delightful wrap consisting of a whole wheat tortilla, Trader Joes cuban black beans, sprouted lentils and heaps of homemade guacamole that took 2 minutes to make. It also took about 2 minutes to eat...Delicious!

Having all the ingredients for great meals makes it easy to take food to go as well.  If I'm really going to commit to a veganish lifestyle there are many times I need to take food with me.  Last night I had a babysitting job so I threw a salad together to go.  It took 5 minutes to put some mixed greens, garbanzo beans, beets, sprouts, and green peas with a little container of balsamic dressing in a container and rush out the door.  I also threw a can of Amy's organic lentil soup in my purse just in case the salad wasn't enough, but the salad was enough if you were wondering.  The best part about taking vegan meals with me to school or clinical or work is that they can sit out for hours and because they don't have any animal products in them they wont spoil.

This morning I munched on Quaker oat squares mixed with walnuts while I did homework.  The fat in the walnuts enhances the sweetness of the cereal which is delightful.  I often have a bag of oat squares and walnuts in my backpack to get me through long days at clinical or school.

Because its Sunday I spent a bit more time on lunch than I usually allow myself.  I decided to do a vegan version of the British favorite Bangers and Mash.  I made roasted garlic by cutting the top off a bulb of garlic, drizzling it with olive oil and wrapping it in foil then putting it in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. While the garlic was cooking I steamed some cauliflower and purple cabbage and pan fried field roast sausage which I purchased at Costco.  Hell yes people, Costco has field roast!  I was surprised and delighted to see the lone vegan option perched on a shelf with its nose high in the air among the aisles of bulk meat but anything that makes eating vegan cheap and easy is entirely welcome.  When I got to the line which, as always, was a freaken mess the guy in front of me insisted that I go first.  Maybe it was the fact that I only had 2 items or maybe it was the 12-pack of field roast sausage staring him down making him rethink the majority of items in his cart.  Either way it comes in a variety pack. Today I used the smoked apple sage.

While everything was cooking I could not believe the amazing smells that were filling the house.  The roasted garlic with the field roast sausage was in-cre-di-ble.  I remember mentioning to my aunt-in-law the other day over tea that one of the most noticeable changes that happens when eating vegan is that my sense of smell and taste are like a damn bloodhound. By not over-saturating my palate with salt and fat I can smell and taste my food like never before.  I wonder if all vegans have this experience.

Once the garlic was done I squeezed each clove on to the steamed veggies and added olive oil. I used a hand blender to mash it all together but a food processor would probably work, just let everything cool a bit first.  After mashing I added salt and pepper and the mash had this light and fluffy texture that I knew wouldn't weigh me down.  Now I'll be perfectly honest, the star of the dish was the field roast sausage but the mash was the perfect accompaniment.  The purple cabbage added some color to the mash which was fun to look at too. The finished product.

The best part is I have lots of mash left over to use for a vegan meal on the run.