Mainstream Vegan

[Jason]

Afternoon
Just started a couple months ago.
Bachelor...cannot cook.
Anyone one know Vegan menu items from mainstream resturaunts?
So far, I am living on Chipotle Burrito Bowls and Pizzas.
Hungry and there are no Veggie Resturants in Pleasanton.
Thanks

[kmeldrum]

Hi, Jason.
Welcome to being vegan. It presents some challenges, as you know, but is well worth it for so many reasons.

I have a lot of experience finding vegan foods wherever I am because my job required me to be away from home most week days for about six years. I was able to find vegan food in North Carolina, Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago and many other places. So I know you can find it in Pleasanton. It's California, after all!

Breakfast: Look for oatmeal, fruit, juice, bagels and sour dough toast. Be sure they leave off the butter and milk. Some restaurants have pretty good breakfast potatoes, too, as long as they are not cooked in butter.

Lunch often involves eating in cafeterias. The salad bar can usually provide what you need, and often there is a sandwich bar, too. I start with the bread, mustard, lettuce and tomato from the sandwich bar, then add garbanzos, olives, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds, and other items from the salad bar. Salad dressings are often a problem if you're eating salad. Oil and vinegar is a good choice.

Dinner out often means looking for items that can be made vegan. Marinara sauce is often vegan. If not, pasta with veggies tossed in olive oil with garlic is very tasty. Baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and cooked veggies can make a great vegan dinner plate. Be sure to request that nothing is cooked with butter or cheese though.

Sometimes, if you know you are going to be somewhere that the choices are unappealing, it helps to supplement with food you bring along. Cliff Bars have some great new flavors. Baked Lays Original are vegan, as are Quaker Quakes Apple Cinnamon Crisps.

Now, to address the question you really asked: vegan items in non-vegan restaurants. Here are some items I've heard are vegan:
--Taco Bell bean burrito, no cheese
--Subway Sandwich on their french roll, all the veggies, no cheese or mayo. (It's actually pretty good.) They also have a veggie burger, but I'm not sure if it's vegan. If you find out, please let me know.
--California Pizza Kitchen Japanese eggplant pizza, regular crust, no cheese.
--Baker's Square has teriyaki veggies over rice.
--Whole Foods in San Ramon serves some vegan items at lunch time. They have warm foods as well as deli items and sandwiches. They also sell Sweet Earth products there in the deli case, and they are all delicious, but not every item is vegan, so read labels. Whole Foods also sells some vegan cookies, brownies, soy ice creams, puddings. In the deli case, they have some vegan soups and a very good lemon capellini that you can take home and just heat up.

One more thing: Since you are close to Berkeley and Oakland, you are close to some great veggie restaurants. The best, in my opinion, is Golden Lotus in Oakland. If you haven't tried it, don't wait. It is great. (Try the sauteed garlic "beef" and the carmelized "chicken", as well as the veggie foo young for starters.) New World Vegetarian in Oakland is also excellent. And there is a great vegan Mexican food vendor at the Berkeley Farmers Market on Saturday - Flacos. Also in Berkeley - Fellini, a non-veg restaurant, but they serve vegan pizza with vegan cheese and pepperoni. And don't miss Naia Gelato - they have four soy flavors, as well as about eight sorbets.

Good luck with this. The longer you do it, the easier it becomes.
Karen

[lauren]

Hey!

Check out Vegan Basics at: http://www.vivausa.org/veganbasics/index.html

We are currently updating, but we can send you a copy if you want.

Vegan Basics has a sample meal idea list.

And i am not sure if anyone has mentioned the Vegetarian Resource Group (www.vrg.org) but they have a guide specific to restaurants.

lauren
_________________

[tammy]

For hungry bachelors and bachelorettes everywhere, check out ready-made food items available at most Safeway stores, even the one in the small town of Pacifica has some items. Having a stash of these on hand is quicker than eating out (esp. if you have a microwave) and might be cheaper. Here's some ideas:

1) Amy's pizza (look for the cheeseless one, it's vegan)
2) Potatoes (if you have a microwave, so easy to do! Mine has a 'baked potato' button). I like my potatoes with a little bit of salt and Earth Balance margarine spread, or try salsa. Look for the new or baby potatoes currently in supermarkets.
3) Bagged, triple-washed bags of organic salad greens & spinach
4) Heinz vegetarian baked beans (note: can opener required)

If you shop at Trader Joe's, there's even MORE ready-made vegan food items available

frozen: burritos, enchiladas, frozen veggies, rice, meat balls
refrigerated: faux meats, dips & spreads like hummus and guacamole
can: soups, baked beans, plain beans
jars: organic peanut butter, several flavors of jelly

and lots of breads, crackers, etc.

Oh, and I always keep bread in the freezer, and a jar of peanut butter & jelly on hand. Wonderful for a quick snack at home or on the road.

Okay, *I* have to go now and get something to eat.

[Jason]

Thanks Tammy...That's funny. On my way to eat...never even thought of Sorbet instead of Ice Cream. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
J

[Rocker]