Here I am, having arrived at day 30 of VeganMoFo 2010, which is not only my first VeganMoFo contribution, but also my first blogging experience. In other words, I dove in head first, trying to learn the technology, uploading pictures every so slowly, dealing with occasional writer’s block, and produce a post every day this month. I know I wasn’t obligated to post every day, nor would there be a VeganMoFo police checking up on me, but I made the commitment to myself, and I have to say that I now feel I can do anything.
There’s something cathartic about doing something for 30 days, every day, consecutively. Most of the time, I have no idea if anyone is even reading, but the fact that I have written it for myself is just as satisfying.
Most importantly, I let go of 14-year inhibitions about my writing — I simply hadn’t done any writing at all, outside of the academic. I also gave up the story that I couldn’t cook, think creatively about food, or share my insight publicly. And yet, it is publicly that I have made and held this commitment.
Ok, I’m blabbering now, but suffice to say that it has been quite an achievement, and I am serious when I say that I feel like I could take on another 30 day challenge in another area of my life.
For now, I am going to take a one week break, although I do have a list of blog ideas I could already be writing tomorrow! Nevertheless, a break will be beneficial, and then my goal is to post 1-2 times weekly. In addition, I do want to blog about vegan issues other than food and recipes, and with time review restaurants, stores, and events in New Jersey, seeing that it meant to be a blog about veganism in New Jersey (Sorry — I didn’t get out much this month!)
If you are reading this post, thank you for following this blog and forgiving my writing flaws and the desperate and weird posts I had occasionally when I hadn’t had time to cook or didn’t know what else to say.
For my last November blog meal, I write about yesterday’s lunch I had at Cafe Chocolate in Lititz, Pennsylvania. I spent the day in the area of Lancaster County with my mother, and since I knew they had both vegan entrees and desserts, I actually traveled 20 miles out of the way to eat there. As I did last summer, I ordered a Chocolate Lush — a cold chocolate drink made of strawberry puree and crushed dark chocolate blended with ice. Amazing!!! As our server explained, all the dishes are made with 70% dark chocolate that comes from West Africa and is not roasted, and thus does not contain caffeine. Apparently, in that state it has 13,120 units of antioxidants per 100 gram serving. As far as high-antioxidant foods are concerned, prunes come in second place at about 2/3 the amount as 5,770 units per 100 grams, and even the mighty kale is only 1,770! So chocolate really is good for you!
For starters, I had soup: West African Peanut Chowder with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and peanuts.
Next, I had my entree: Vegetable Curry with Black Rice Risotto. The curry included baby corn, water chestnuts, carrots, baby soy beans, and yubu tofu in a lemon grass and coconut milk curry. As a palate cleanser, it came with a small pineapple and grapefruit salad, topped with coconut shreds. It was the first time I had yubu tofu, which apparently is just tofu’s outer skin made into dumplings, and its texture was intriguingly a believable meat substitute (eek!) However, the black rices risotto was definitely my favorite part of this dish.
I had so many vegan desserts over Thanksgiving, that I just requested two Cafe Nero vegan coffee truffles. They actually had coffee bean grains mixed in with its soft chocolate center. Yum!
What a delicious month it has been. December’s 30 day challenge will have to be a diet and workout plan now.
However, I’m looking forward to VeganMoFo 2011, and will be better prepared next time! Thank you!
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