the bashful vegan

taking a break...

2012-01-08T12:19:00.001-08:00

Maybe it's silly to post this, but I've decided to put a hold on this blog, for now. After much soul-searching, I've decided that I can do more good in the world if I focus my attention on one thing, and while this blog has been a good thing, I don't think it's the most important thing I can do with my life. And, with only one trip a year to Walt Disney World, the information I have to share is limited.

Maybe someday, I'll give this another go. Until then, thanks for reading, and Happy Veggie Disney Dining!

mmmmmexican. :-)

2011-09-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

For the Labor Day weekend, my darling hubby volunteered to make us a wonderful Mexican meal. (He's a much better cook than I am. I have trouble boiling water.) As sort of an after-thought, he had me do a little searching on the Internet, to find out what they put in the tasty burritos we occasionally get from Chipotle Mexican Grill. If we'd thought of it sooner, they would have been a closer match, but all we had were re-fried beans, and we get black beans at Chipotle. But no matter - the burritos he fixed us were amazing! So I thought I'd share. (Well, share the picture, anyway. Sorry - the burritos are long gone.)

That amazing burrito above is made with a nice big flour tortilla, beans, rice, corn salsa, tomato salsa, lettuce, and vegan cheese. The rice is basmati, seasoned with a little lime juice and some finely chopped cilantro. The tomato salsa was made from home-grown tomatoes, red onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, lime juice and salt. The corn salsa is the same, but with corn instead of tomatoes. (Rice and salsas are more-or-less based on Chipotle's recipes, found online.)

There are two reasons I wanted to share these with you. First, I actually found a vegan cheese I like. It's made by Daiya (I used their mozzarella-style). Now, I have to admit that I haven't had "real" cheese in over 11 years, and I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've had vegan cheese. I tried it when I first went vegan, and decided I was just as happy to go without. Well, either vegan cheese has improved since then, or my taste buds have become less picky, but I really like this stuff! I found it at a local Kroger's, but if you Google Daiya, you can find their website, and search for locations that sell it near you. (Sorry - having trouble with the link tonight to their website, for some reason.) It melts pretty well - not perfectly, and it takes longer to melt than real cheese, but it does eventually get all gooey-chewy. (It makes awesome nachos!)

The second reason I wanted to share is this: I know I'm not the only vegan to find themselves married to an omnivore. My hubby is very supportive, but does not feel the need to follow the same path as me - and that's fine. Some vegans would have trouble being married to a non-vegan, and that's okay for them. But I get enough e-mails to know there are other vegans struggling with a partner who doesn't share their veggie lifestyle. I recently had someone share with me that they would like to go vegan, but their significant other made it impossible. "You can't just make two different dinners every night, and I feel guilty if I don't eat the way he eats". Well, there are ways to work around this. One is to make a single meal, with a few simple modifications. My hubby and I do this all the time. Some examples:

Burritos: mine had vegan cheese, his had dairy cheese. He could have easily added meat if wanted to, and/or I could have added veggie crumbles.

Pizza: one of my hubby's specialties. He likes to make it from scratch - dough, sauce and all. I splits the dough in half and makes two separate pizzas - same sauce, but his has meat and cheese, and mine has a ton of veggies.

Burgers on the grill: our BBQ grill has a dedicated "meat" side and dedicated "veggie" side. We've been enjoying it all summer. It's just as easy to grill a Boca burger along with whatever meat hubby chooses to grill. We often take some sliced peppers and onion and grill them on a piece of foil - we both enjoy that as a topping.

Spaghetti: hubby is actually perfectly happy with a meatless sauce now, but it wouldn't be hard to add a little meat, or some meatballs, just to his serving.

Chili: same as above - the "base" can be vegan, with meat added to half of it later.

There are lots of ways to make one meal with two slightly different finished products. There's no reason for anyone to have to compromise. I will say that after all these years, my hubby eats a LOT more veggies than before he met me. But it was never a forced thing. He eats what he wants, I eat what I want, and we live happily together. May all of you find the same peace in your relationships.

"just ellen"

2011-08-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't given up on my blog. I will be back. This is just my busy time of the year, and of course it's hard to update between Disney trips (which are, for the moment, just once a year in the winter). When I retire in Florida (still quite a few years away), I'll update this thing like mad!

For today, I just had to stop in and share a link to Ellen DeGeneres' page: Who's Vegan How can you not love Ellen? And she does have a couple of Disney connections ("Stupid Judy and her stupid energy"... and let's not "forget" a rather forgetful blue fish that speaks "whale"). Anyway, the page I linked to has an interesting list of famous vegans. I knew about quite a few of them, but there were a few surprises there. I just thought you all might find that interesting.

disney vegans on facebook

2011-05-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm the last person to suggest anyone sign up for Facebook. I kind of got sucked into it, but I hardly ever post anything, and, in fact, forget to check it for days on end. But it seems to be "the place to hang out" for a lot of people these days. So, if you're one of those people, did you know that there is a Facebook page now specifically for vegetarian and vegan Walt Disney World fans? I guess it's not that surprising, since there's a page for everything else. In fact, I'm surprised it took this long. But if FB is your thing, you might want to check it out and offer your support to the awesome vegans who made it happen: Veg Disney on Facebook.

más alimento del vegano, por favor

2011-05-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos! Yes, it's true... (sigh)... Mexico is the last country on my vegan junk-food journey around World Showcase.

Actually, truth be told, it was really my first country. It was here that I got the idea for this series of blog posts. While I always make it a point to wander around the little shops and stalls inside the pyramid, this time I actually made the effort to pick up many of the food offerings and read the ingredients... and I was amazed at how many of them were vegan! I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised. I love Mexican food in general, and much of it is vegan (or veganizable). Rice, beans, tortillas, salsa... I'm getting hungry already!

Because the idea was only just starting to form in my mind, I didn't take as many pix or notes as I should have. I'm afraid I'm still learning how to be a diligent vegan journalist. Some of the items I didn't photograph won't be a surprise; things like chips and salsa and tequila. Well, as long as the tequila doesn't have a worm in it.

(Okay, I just had to Wikipedia this. Why in the world would anyone put a worm in a bottle of booze? Turns out it really was just a marketing gimmick. Thank goodness it's not a very common practice.)

In addition to a huge selection of exotic salsas, I also found a surprisingly large selection of vegan candy. I'm not going to pretend to know how to pronounce all of these, but I'm happy to report that they all had the ingredients listed on the back in English, for those of us who's Spanish doesn't extend much past "hasta la vista".

This first one is some sort of fruit candy that, silly me, I forgot to note the ingredients on.

The next one, if my notes are correct, just contained sugar, peanuts and artificial flavor, which seems odd because I'm pretty sure that the name derives from marzipan, which is generally made from almonds.

The next one was another peanut candy - I think the ingredients were almost the same as the one above, though obviously a much different type of candy. (The name, cacahuate, actually means "peanuts", in Spanish.)

Last but not least, I found a colorful coconut treat. Ingredients were natural coconut, sugar, corn syrup, artificial colors (red #40, yellow #5, blue #1).

(As an aside, I was concerned about the red #40, but according to the Vegetarian Resource Group, it does not contain cochineal, and is considered vegan. But as with everything I list on this blog, please do your own research, and feel free to arrive at your own conclusions. There are many "questionable" ingredients that each vegan must decide for themselves to accept or avoid.)

As I mentioned at the beginning, there were actually a lot more treats that I did not think to photograph or record. And since products change all the time you'll certainly want to investigate for yourself, and read packages. However, I really feel that this pavilion would be a good place to look for sugary vegan treats.

And of course, how can you *not* want to explore this amazing pavilion? I see people walk right on by the pyramid without stopping, and I can't help but thing they are missing out. I just love the contrast here. The inside is always kept dark, to remind you of the night sky... but the decor and souvenirs are so colorful! In addition to the usual turquoise and silver jewelry I would expect to find, they also have these wonderful little brightly colored, carved wooden animals.

And I must confess that there is something about all the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) merchandise that just fascinates me.

Well, I'm afraid this wraps up my latest blog series. I will share a little teaser for a later blog series, though: this experience inspired me to try something daring on my next trip. Despite the fact that I recommend - and will continue to recommend - that vegans bring some of their own favorite treats with them when they go to Walt Disney World, I have decided to throw caution to the wind, and try a trip without that safety net, in the name of research. Instead, I will save my pennies and actually buy and try some of these little goodies I discovered last time.
I'm going to make it a point to be a more adventurous vegan eater, and of course, share my findings with all of you.

But sadly, that next trip is still many months away. In the meantime, I will try and keep an eye out for anything I think might be of interest to vegan Disney fans. Thanks for following along!

worth a look

2011-05-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know... where's Mexico? No worries - I *did* find some vegan treats in Mexico, and I promise I will blog about them soon. I think I'm just procrastinating, because it's the LAST country. Whatever am I going to write about until my next Disney trip? (Sadly, the next trip is still many months away. Sigh. But I have an idea of what I'll do for blog posts after that one. Then again, I'm always looking for ideas. Is there anything "Disney-vegan" related that you'd like to see me post about?)

Today, I'm just stopping in to share a link to the official Disney blog. There was an article posted last week that's worth a look: Best Vegetarian Eats in Walt Disney World Theme Parks. It's not 100% accurate (beware of meat in the Cobb Salad at Brown Derby), and keep in mind that many of these suggestions are lacto-ovo vegetarian (though many are "veganizable"), but I still get excited at vegetarian Disney posts. I strongly recommend reading the comments, too - not just the official post. Some of the readers have contributed even more suggestions, many of them vegan. It's nice to see Disney addressing this issue, and it's nice to see how many comments this article generated. We're not alone!

Happy Vegan Disney Dining!

"you are not the first to pass this way... nor shall you be the last."

2011-04-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

There's just something warm and cozy about the Norway pavilion at Epcot... though now that I think about it, neither trolls nor Vikings seem very warm and cozy. Maybe it's all those heavy sweaters in the gift shop. (No, sadly, most of those sweaters are not vegan, but I keep looking, anyway. Some of the coats are - though they are very pricey.)

The old Stave Church at the front of the pavilion is one of those little hidden gems you find at World Disney World. It's amazing how many people walk right by it without ever realizing that you can actually go inside (and learn more about those Vikings).

And Norway is one of only two pavilions in the World Showcase with a ride - Maelstrom. If you give it a try (and you should), be sure to look for the hidden Mickeys in the giant mural you'll see on your right, as you board the boats. (One is very subtle, but the other isn't too hard to find, if you're observant... one of the Vikings in the boat is sporting some unusual headgear.)

But onto the gift shop. There isn't a huge amount of food here, but there are a few snack items, some of which are vegan.

First, you can usually find a large display of Swedish Fish here (gummy candy). (Ingredients: Sugar, Invert Sugar, Corn Syrup, Modified Corn Starch, Citric Acid, White Mineral Oil, Artificial Flavors, Red 40 and Carnauba Wax.)

I also found some Sour Starfish. (Ingredients: Sugar, Invert Sugar, Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, Citric Acid and Tartaric Acid, Artificial Flavors and Colors [Beta-Carotene, Beta-Apo-8'-Carotenal].)

There were some Salty Licorice Fish. Hmmm... I'm noticing a theme here. Fish must be big in Norway, LOL. (Ingredients: Corn Syrup [Glucose Syrup], Sugar, Modified Starch, Salmiak [Ammonium Chloride], Water, Licorice, Flavoring and Colors, [Anise Oil, Menthol, Caramel], Salt, Glazing Agent [Vegetable Oil, Carnauba Wax.)

And last but not least, cookies. Not all of the cookies shown above are vegan - you will need to check the labels - but many of the thin wafers at the top of the photo were - more or less - vegan (with one of those vague "may contain trace amounts of" messages).

That was all I found to eat here, but I always have fun browsing this store, and checking out the wide variety of trolls. I hope you do, too!

check this out...

2011-04-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Just a quick message today, to throw a long over-due shout-out to C'est La Vegan, and her wonderful blog! She blogs about all things vegan (including some very yummy treats - check out all those cupcakes!), and recently blogged about her trip to Walt Disney World. I never get tired of reading vegan Disney trip reports, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

And if all those photos make you hungry, you might want to check out her online vegan bakery, C'est La V Bakeshop. Yummm!!!

tea and fortune cookies

2011-03-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Zǎo ān! I have to say that the China pavilion at Epcot is one of those places that just seems to get more magical every time I visit. I had a relative when I was younger who was quite taken with all things Chinese, and as a child, I never quite understood why. As an adult, I'm finally beginning to see what she saw. I find myself spending more and more time at this pavilion, just soaking it all in.

The entertainment is amazing, and the film - The Reflections of China - is just stunning. But my focus for this post is the large gift shop - Yong Feng Shangdian Department Store. The entrance to the shop is guarded by the traditional Foo Dogs. Just inside the entrance, you can find a sign that explains their significance, but in short, they bring peace and great fortune to the family that dwells here.

Once inside, you'll find an amazing array of food, clothes and decorative items. This is not a shop you want to rush through - so many amazing little trinkets to be found around every corner.

The tea is, of course, vegan, and something I actually expected. And as a tea-drinker myself, something I'm happy to take a look at.

However, I was actually surprised at the number of vegan food items I found, as well. While I'm not really familiar with Mochi, it appears to be some fruity rice treat. (*Ingredients: Maltose, Sugar, Glutinous Rice, Starch, Pineapple, Orange, Agar, Flavor, Sorbic Acid [Preservative])

There was some Puffed Rice. (*Ingredients: Rice, Sugar, Maltose, Peanuts and Black Sesame)

And some peanut candy (looked very much like peanut brittle). (*Ingredients: Peanuts, Malt Sugar, Salt, Sugar)

And there was also something more like peanut brittle in bite-size, individually wrapped pieces. (*Ingredients: Peanuts, Sugar, Maltose and Water)

In fact, there were so many different treats here that this is just a sampling. They weren't all vegan, but so many of them were that it's worth a look if something catches your eye.

Being the China pavilion, though, I couldn't leave without checking out the fortune cookies... and yes, they're vegan, too! (*Ingredients: Bleached Wheat Flour, Sugar, Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Soybean Lecithin, Sodium Bicarbonate, Natural Orange Flavor, FD&C Yellow #5 & 6)

On a vegan but non-food related note... I must confess that I always just assumed that most of the beautiful clothes in this store were made of silk. Silly me - it's never a good idea to assume. This time, I read the labels. If I had just bothered to look at the prices, I would have realized that most of these couldn't be silk. It turns out that many - including the ones shown here - are either 100% rayon, or 95% polyester/5% spandex.

And the same goes for the beautiful purses! (A woman can never have too many handbags.)

It's actually rather ironic that I found so many wonderful vegan items in this store, as this pavilion is the one I usually suggest vegans avoid for meals. The restaurants are not really known for their vegetarian/vegan offerings, and they tend to be a bit less flexible than others. (It seems, from my attempts to gather information, that they don't like to modify dishes. They don't wish to take away the flavor, and I think they find the idea of veganism rather hard to understand.) So, you may want to find your dinner in another pavilion, but be sure to check out this gift shop!

*As a gentle reminder: always read the ingredients for yourself before purchasing. Ingredients listed in this blog should be used only as a guideline, and not as hard fact. Things change, and I could made mistakes.

finally some chocolate!

2011-03-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

Willkommen!

Today's post is going to be very short, but very sweet. Germany has changed quite a bit since my last visit. Things have been rearranged, and the store that used to have sweets now just has misc. trinkets. The old Hummel porcelain store has been replaced by a wonderful - but not very vegan-friendly - caramel store. In the interest of research, I did try to check out this new caramel place, but the line was so crazy long that I must confess to giving up on actually asking any questions. Unfortunately, most of the fresh stuff looks decidedly un-vegan, and all of the prepacked stuff I found was definitely not vegan. It is possible to make vegan caramel, but sadly, it isn't the norm.

I wasn't ready to give up, though. I had too many fond memories of visits to the old sweet shop in Germany, so just in case, I wandered over to the other side of the pavilion, and took a lot around the teddy bears, cuckoo clocks and beer steins. While the surprisingly large selection of vegan candy I used to find is gone, I did manage to find a decent display of chocolate - much of it vegan.

Most of the Hachez bars shown below are vegan. As always, it's very important to read the labels. I've tried a couple of these in the past - very dark chocolate... not bad, but not my favorite. However, I should probably try them again as I've found that my tastes continue to evolve, and I've adapted to darker and darker chocolate.

The real treat here, though, in my humble opinion, is the Ritter Sport bars. These are probably my favorite dark chocolate candy bars to date - not just from Germany, but from anywhere. Again, please read the packages. Just two of the bars shown below are vegan - a plain dark chocolate bar (in the brown wrapper), and a dark chocolate with marzipan (in the red wrapper). Both are unbelievably good. I was actually surprised at how much I like the marzipan - not something I really had any previous experience with. Now, these remain one of my favorite treats ever.

So, as I said, short but sweet. However, I can't leave the Germany pavilion without at least mentioning the wonderful model train display. It's a must-stop for me, every visit. (I must confess that I rather enjoy counting little lizards here. I get such a kick out of seeing these tiny little lizards that look huge when they crawl over those tiny little houses. No lizards in the photo below, but the village is decked out for the holidays.)

Guten Tag und vielen Dank fur Ihren Besuch. (Good day, and thanks for stopping by!)

just a note

2011-03-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

I just received a nice little note from Jessica (thanks Jessica!) who just returned from her first vegan Walt Disney World trip. She wanted to let me know that it looks like the new Angus Burger brand multi-grain buns are now the "standard" on veggie burgers. They may put butter on them, so you'll still want to make sure you clarify with someone what you're getting, but in my opinion, this is a step in the right direction. I am hoping that we can get back to the point where ordering a veggie burger for a vegan doesn't require jumping through so many hoops. These are not gluten-free, so if that's an issue, you'll still need to request the gluten-free roll.

On a totally "non-Disney" topic, I thought I'd share a bit of vegan advice. While I certainly hope that no one is using my blog as the "end all, be all" guide-map for going vegan, I know that there are some relatively new vegans that do find their way here. Going vegan is a big move - it can have a lot of effects on your body, both good and bad, especially if you're not careful. There are some very important vitamins that *everyone* needs, but that vegans in particular must be careful about, because a vegan diet can be less "well-rounded" and miss out of some of these essentials, such as vitamin B, and Omega-3 fatty acids. It's critical that you do your homework before making this change.

But what I wanted to share is the amazing properties of flax seed oil. This nice little product isn't cheap (my "regular" grocery store carries it, but they want $9.99 a bottle!), which is why I found an alternate source for my Omega-3's for a while. I wish I hadn't. I have since gone back to putting about a tablespoon of flax seed oil on my dinner every night. You do have to be careful with this stuff - it can go rancid quickly, so you have to keep it refrigerated, and you can't cook with it. I just drizzle it over my veggies or pasta, after the food is prepared. It has a light, nutty flavor, and usually I don't even notice it. But I have to tell you that I can actually *see* a difference with this stuff.

While this hasn't been "verified by the FDA", or whatever it is they say, I have heard that it's good for your hair and nails... and now I'm absolutely convinced of it. My hair and nails used to be great, but had both gotten really bad recently. My hair was dried out, frizzy... just didn't look healthy. And my nails were breaking left and right, so soft I couldn't do anything with them. Finally one day it hit me... that the down-hill slide seemed to have happened after I stopped taking flax seed oil. So, I grabbed some at my earliest convenience, and I'm once again making it a part of my daily ritual. And slowly but surely, both my hair and nails are improving.

There may be other "wonder products" out there, but if you're a vegan who's struggling with bad hair and/or nails, it might be worth a try. (Look for the stuff that says "with lignans".)

Next post, Germany.

the little mouse

2011-03-05T07:15:00.001-08:00

Ciao amici!

Okay, yes... I've been procrastinating this post. I like the Italy pavilion, but try as I might, Italy was a complete bust. I was unable to find a single vegan food item in the gift shops.

The good news it that it was my only complete failure during my World Showcase quest of vegan treats. Disappointing, but who knows - maybe it was a fluke. Perhaps next time I'll find something? In all fairness, there isn't a whole of lot *any* kind of food here. There's a lot of wine... and some of it may be vegan. I confess to not knowing a thing about wine, except that a lot of it is refined using yucky animal parts. I'm afraid I wasn't much of a wine drinker before I went vegan, so I never saw a reason to try and become one after. (But feel free to share, if you're familiar with any good vegan wines.)

I will give credit to the Italy pavilion for one thing, though... they had a better selection of specialized Mickey Mouse items than most of the other pavilions. Clearly Italy likes the Mouse.

(The above sign reads: "In Italy, Mickey Mouse is known as Topolino, the 'little mouse'. Experience our unique collection of Topolino products created especially for the Italy pavilion at Epcot. These products are made from authentic Italian Murano glass and Alabaster stone.")

Yes, I have a lot of Mickey Mouse stuff... jewelry, clothes, silverware, mugs, bowls, calendars, license plate frame, "mouse" pad, pens, notepaper, keychains... doesn't everybody? Some of these items were just gorgeous, though!

This little clock, though, was probably my favorite. If I hadn't already splurged too much on a new Mickey watch, this would likely have come home with me. So, no snacks, but I found something fun on my search. You just never know what sorts of treasures you'll find at Walt Disney World. If there is a better place for a shopaholic, I haven't found it. :-)

Arrivederci!

happy presidents day!

2011-02-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

What better day than today to post about the American pavilion! Okay, here's where I'm going to gripe a bit, though. Now, the American Adventure is amazing, as are The Voices of Liberty and The Spirit of American Fife and Drum Corps... but Liberty Inn is hardly the best is American food, and the gift shop is just plain sad. I just can't help feeling that this wonderful country of mine has so much more to offer. I just wish they had done more with this pavilion.

On the other hand, part of it could simply be that I can't look at a display of coonskin caps without shuddering (even though these are obviously, blessedly fake).

I'm sorry, but this is the best they could come up with for American souvenirs? Really?

Okay, okay... back to the matter at hand - vegan snacks. There are actually a number of vegan snacks available here, though they are standard, run-of-the-mill Disney snacks that you can find through Walt Disney World. But, they're snacks and they're vegan, so I'll share.

First up, we have some Chip and Dale snack-packs. Okay, yes, I'm a total sucker for Disney "stuff", so yes, I actually think cashews in a cute little chipmunk bag are better than plain old cashews in a boring package.

They also have pretzels - usually a safe bet for vegans (as these are).

There are several different types of packaged popcorn. Most are not vegan,but the Kettle Corn is. (Ingredients: popcorn, granulated sugar, soybean oil, salt.)

There were also lots of different types of cookies. Most have dairy, but I found one that did not. Minnie's Bake Shop Vanilla Cream Cookies appear to be vegan. (Ingredients: wheat flour, sugar, coconut oil [hydrogenated coconut oil and hydrogenated soybean oil], dextrose, soybean oil, water, contains less than 2% of each of the following: high fructose corn syrup, salt, baking soda, soy lecithin, natural & artificial flavors, ammonium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate]

Like I said, not the most exotic selection of snacks, but it's a little something to keep you from suffering "funnel cake envy".

Well, I find myself thinking that I should have something clever to say about my own country, but I'm at a total loss. I suppose that which we're most familiar with does seem boring in comparison to things that are new to us. And perhaps that's my real problem with this pavilion. I'm glad it's there, but I have a lot more fun at the more exotic (to me) locations.

Until the next country, happy Disney dining!

watashi no hobakurafuto wa unagi de ippai desu

2011-02-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

Konnichiwa! (According to a website listing useful Japanese phrases, the title of this post translates to "my hovercraft is full of eels". My apologies if that is not the case.)

I have to confess that I absolutely love Mistukoshi - the huge store in the Japan pavilion. It's probably my favorite place to window-shop at Walt Disney World... and maybe even buy a few small items. Silly, I know... but for some reason, I just have this thing for Hello Kitty stuff. (Hmmm... wonder why? LOL.)

I haven't resorted to wearing the jewelry or anything (most of my jewelry is much more sophisticated... featuring Mickey Mouse, of course). But I do have quite a collection of Hello Kitty pens and pencils.

Okay, so maybe I got a little sidetracked there, but I did finally make my way to the snacks and treats. There is actually quite a large selection of foods here, but most of it is, not surprisingly, not vegan. (Actually, most of it appears rather strange to my American palette... but then, don't knock it if you haven't tried it, and all that.)

I really thought I had discovered one vegan dark chocolate bar here in the past, so if that's what you're interested in, it's worth another look. This time, though, all I managed to find was hard candy.

There were quite a few different kinds. They had two huge displays of these brightly-colored packages.

Almost everything I found listed the ingredients somewhere in English, so no worries if your translation skills are as bad as mine (read: totally non-existent).

Most of these consisted mainly of sugar and fruit flavoring. There were some that were clearly not vegan, but many that looked vegan to me (aside from concerns about the sugar). I do have the ingredients for everything shown - e-mail me, if you're curious.

One last candy was the first to catch my eye. It's called rice candy, and I used to love this stuff when I was a kid. Each candy is wrapped in an edible rice paper, so it's like both the candy and the wrapper are edible. I just thought that was so cool when I was a little girl. I used to buy this stuff - in the same exact little boxes - from a "Hello Kitty" gift shop not far from my house... too many years ago to mention.

(Ingredients for above: Glucose syrup [corn starch, water], sugar, sweet rice, water, lemon flavor, orange flavor, FD & C Red No. 40 [Allura red AC]. Note that as far as my research shows, this coloring is vegan, but please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that.)

I have to say that there are certainly a number of un-vegan items in this shop - beware of a "find your own pearl" counter, and plenty of silk items - but if you can set aside any discomfort, this is a fascinating place to wander and explore. I get more of a feel for the culture here than I do in some of the other country's gift shops. It's one of those places that just feels very exotic, for someone who currently lives in the dead center of "nowhere, Ohio".

One last thing before we leave Japan... while I don't know the ingredients, I do recommend trying to catch Miyuki, the candy artist - just to watch. What she can do with a little bit of colored taffy is just amazing! And she is so charming - just a delight to watch.

flying carpets and magic lamps

2011-02-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

The Morocco pavilion at Epcot is one of those amazing places that gets more interesting with each visit. I must confess that it's all too easy to simply pause in front of MoRockin, take a quick peek inside the little shop right on the water, and then simply move onto the next country. But when you take the chance to actually walk back into this pavilion, there are lots of hidden treasures to behold.

This pavilion is rather unusual in that it's the only one actually sponsored by its government, and not by a corporation. The tile-work found here is absolutely stunning - the King of Morocco actually sent his royal craftsmen to do the work. (How cool is that?!) Near the back of the pavilion, there are a couple of little "scenes" that I just find enchanting. I just love this one:

Here's a close-up of the book:

Aladdin and Jasmine can often be found posing for photos, and signing autographs in this pavilion.

But we're here looking for vegan food, right? At first, I thought I was going to strike out. Of course, there's always the vegetarian plate at the Tangierine Cafe, but I was on a mission to find snacks from the gift shops. Sure, the flying carpets were fun, and who doesn't love a nice fez, but was there anything to eat? I did come across a display for rose water and orange water. Doesn't sound all that tempting to me, but I took the time to read the blurb about it. (The sign behind the bottles reads says that Rosewater is produced in a small in the south of Morocco. Most of it is exported to France for use in perfumes and beauty creams, but some is also added to desserts and cakes for a unique flavor. Orange water is distilled from orange blossoms. It's been used in cooking since the Middle Ages, mostly in soups and stews.)

Finding that there were a lot more little shops here than I realized, I finally came across the food. While not exactly "treats", or even "convenience foods", I am happy to report that nearly all these boxes are vegan. Hummus and tabbouleh - Morocco is really not a bad place for vegans.

And we mustn't forget the falafel.

I kept digging, and did finally find something that I "think" is a treat, LOL. It appears to be called "Halva". According to the Internet, this is "a delicious East Mediterranean dessert". (Ingredients are: Tahina (ground sesame), sugar, halva extract, almonds, citric acid, natural flavors.)

Now, I realize that I'm showing you all these interesting items without actually being able to give an opinion about them. Here's the problem... I followed my own advice this time a little too well. I made sure I brought plenty of tasty vegan snacks from home, and purchased a few others on our grocery run at the beginning of the trip. I had a LOT of food in our hotel room. While I most definitely recommend "being prepared" - and I strongly push this on first-time vegan Disney visitors in particular - after so many vegan trips, I probably should just leave the snacks at home, and experiment a bit.

While it looks like my next trip won't be until the end of the year, I am strongly considering attempting a trip without ANY vegan snacks or treats from home, and seeing if I can find enough tasty options at the parks to keep myself happy. It would give me an excuse to try a lot of the items I'm writing about is this series. I would, of course, share all my findings with you. What do you think? Should I brave the unknown, in the name of research?

bon appetit

2011-02-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

Bonjour! While "vegan" is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of French food, I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of goodies at the gift shop in Epcot's France pavilion.

First, if you're in the mood for an adult beverage, there is a rather unique offering at a kiosk here, by the water - the unmistakable bright orange frozen concoction called a Grand Marnier Orange Slush (or, as I call it, "that orange slushie thing in France"). Sorry - haven't managed to get a good photo of this one yet, but you'll know it when you see it. I have yet to give it a try, but some folks say they are very tasty. Others think it's a bit too sweet. I suspect that curiosity will win out on a future trip. They're not cheap, but then this is Disney.

As for the gift shop, I had fun picking up all the little food items and reading labels. There are bins full of hard candies - most vegan (as long as you're not worried about sugar, or the usual "may contain traces of..." message):

Here's a close-up of the raspberry-filled ones:

They also had some hard strawberry candies in a cute little tin. (Why is it that candy is so much more fun in cute little tins?)

And I was pleasantly surprised to find some dairy-free dark chocolate:

... as well as some more fancy chocolates in a cute tin:

Description and ingredients for above listed as: 15 Dark Chocolate Squares with Cocoa Beans, Cocoa 70% minimum. Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, roasted cocoa beans 8%, emulsifiers: soya lecithin, E476. May contain traces of egg, milk, wheat, shell nuts.) Okay, I confess that I had to look up what E476 meant - but the Internet says it's vegan. :-)

Last but not least, I found a lovely confit. Aside from the fact that it clearly recommends you pair it with some goat cheese, it is basically just fruit and nuts. (Ingredients: figs 50.5%, fruit sugars, cane sugar, white wine from Pays D'Oc, walnuts 1.7%, fruit pectin, concentrated lemon juice. Okay... not sure about that white wine. Please feel free to correct me if that's a questionable item.)

Add a nice baguette, and you could have yourself a very French little picnic here. And when you're done, be sure to check out the Impressions de France. The film may not be the most exciting, but the music is beautiful, the seats are comfy, and the theater is air-conditioned.

Bonsoir mes amis.

we interrupt this regularly scheduled blog...

2011-02-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

I promise I'm still making my away across the bridge to France - I will hit every country around the World Showcase. But first, I just had to give a shout out to my buddy Emily, who had an article in last week's AllEars.net e-zine! Yes, there is a VEGAN article in the latest issue, and I actually learned something I didn't already know! No, I'm not going to share that - you'll have to read the article yourself.

And you know what's even more exciting? It looks like she'll be writing even MORE vegan stuff in future editions!

What's that? You're not a subscriber? Well, it's never too late to sign up for the best Disney newsletter in the world - just go here, and fill out the form. And if you missed the latest article, every newsletter includes a link to the archives, so you can read what you missed.

Okay, okay... back to my trip around the World...

a spot of tea

2011-02-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

Cheerio, and welcome to the UK. I'm not sure if it's the gardens, the architecture, or just all those rows and rows of tea, but something about this pavilion always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Yes, they sell a LOT of tea here. I'm sure it's not everyone's treat of choice, but I have actually become quite the tea-drinker, so this is a regular stop for me now. Although I'm not an expert, it looks like they have every variety of Twinings there is...

... and not just in those stuffy cardboard boxes.

No, most of the candy here isn't vegan - mostly milk chocolate, I'm afraid. But they do have some very British potato chips.

And while most of the cookies had some dairy in them, these Digestive Biscuits appeared to be more or less vegan (depending on your definition). Ingredients listed as: wheat flour, vegetable oil (palm), sugar, wholemeal, partially inverted sugar syrup, raising agents (sodium bicarbonate, tartaric acid, malic acid) salt. Contains gluten. Produced on a line handling milk.

As for non-food treats in this pavilion, there's no shortage of Beatles memorabilia, and there are some adorable teddy bears. (I fell in love with one in a kilt.) This is also the place to shop if Off Kilter inspired you, and you're in the market for a set of bagpipes. And there's a special shop for researching family names - a nice gift idea for a family member.

And I highly encourage you to try and catch the World Showcase Players here. They put on a really fun, and funny, show. For all you bashful fans, though, keep in mind that these actors always look for a few members of the audience to join them. I strongly suggest hanging out well behind the rest of the crowd, and don't make eye contact with any of the actors. Once they've found there victims... err, volunteers... it's safe to move up a bit and watch the show. :-)

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Okay, so I'm sure you're thinking "where's this bonanza of vegan treats you promised us?" Well, it does get better. I could have mixed it up a bit, but somehow it just seems right to follow the countries in order. So, next time we'll cross the bridge and see what France has to offer.

around the world in a day

2011-01-29T08:48:00.000-08:00

As promised, I did a little more research on my last Disney trip. While wandering around World Showcase in Epcot one day, I discovered some new vegan treats I hadn't noticed before. It got me to wondering just how many other vegan treats might be found... and an idea was born. Armed with a camera and a notebook, I spent an afternoon walking the entire World Showcase, checking out the gift shops in each country, looking for anything vegan.

Because I'm such a slow blogger, I'm just going to take this one country at a time - one country per post. I'm going to take you into each country, working my way counter-clockwise around the lagoon, and tell you what I found. How 'bout I start with Canada, eh?

I have to say that I was actually quite disappointed, and surprised, by the lack of offerings in Canada, because it had been such a good stop in the past. Maple is, of course, the flavor of choice here, and usually they have a nice variety of vegan maple syrup goodies, such as candy and cookies. This time - nothing... not a single maple-flavored anything to be found. I was so surprised that I actually swallowed my bashfulness, and asked a Cast Member. She said that they were just "out", and to check back another time. Out? Out of every single maple syrup *anything*? Hmmmm... doesn't sound right to me, but I do hope it's a temporary thing.

I did find some rice, though. I'm not sure it qualifies as a "treat", but at least it was vegan.

However, while Canada might be lacking in food for the tummy, at least they have some nice food for the "soul". The Canada pavilion is home to my all-time favorite Disney entertainment - the Celtic rock band called Off Kilter. (How can you not love these cute guys in kilts?!) Their music is really terrific, and they are just so much fun to watch - lots of "antics" on-stage.

Okay, I promise I had better luck with treats in other countries, so be sure to check back, as I work my way around the World!

some random thoughts

2011-01-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

Just some quick thoughts and answers for today...

I am so glad that there are some readers out there finding this blog helpful! When I made my first trip to Walt Disney World as a vegan, I was completely unprepared, and it was rough. I didn't starve... barely. But I suffered a lot, mostly from what I would call "Mickey ice cream bar envy" - that feeling that everyone around you is eating well and enjoying themselves while you're trying to control a rumbly tummy with a disappointing salad.

Every Disney trip should be magical - whether it's your one-and-only "trip of a lifetime", or one of many frequent week-end getaways. My trips have improved tremendously since that first vegan outing over 10 years ago. While I have learned so much about Walt Disney World from the Internet, and the friends I've made here, most of what I know about being a "vegan" in WDW I learned from my own experience. It's easy to feel like I'm the only vegan that has ever made the trip. I am hoping that my little blog will help other vegans not feel that lonely. You're not the first to make the voyage. And it's certainly worth the effort.

I do want to remind everyone of two things about my blog, though: (1) I'm not an export, and (2) things change. Please remember that everything I post here is just one bashful vegan's experiences. It's always important to ask questions at your dining location.

I recently received an e-mail from another vegan who mentioned receiving a separate vegetarian menu at La Hacienda de San Angel. I have also heard of a separate menu at Le Chef de France, and also San Angel Inn. And, thanks to another observant friend, I even discovered that there is a separate vegan menu available for Jiko, online. Sometimes I am offered a separate menu, and sometimes I'm not. I think that often, when I say I'm a "vegan", they don't bother with the vegetarian menu - which, while not "good enough" by itself, would still be a nice starting point for me. And, as there may be other lacto-ovo vegetarians reading this as well, I wanted you all to know that there are separate vegetarian menus available at "some" locations. The point is: it never hurts to ask.

And to answer the question from a comment about the veggie burgers currently available at various counter service locations: according to a post on the Disboards website, Disney is currently using the Gardenburger Malibu Burger (not currently available to buy in stores). It looks and tastes, in my humble opinion, a lot like the Gardenburger Veggie Medley Burger. You can click on either, to see a list of ingredients. Unfortunately, they both list "wheat", so no, it doesn't look like either burger is gluten-free. However, as I noted above, everything changes.

Every counter-service location at Walt Disney World is required to keep a big binder listing ingredients for every item they carry, available for guests to look at. I can't stress enough that if you have an allergy, please ask to see this book. The more I share vegan dining tips, the more I find myself also helping those with allergies - and that's wonderful. But if you have an allergy, it's even more important that you use my blog only as a "guideline", and that you verify everything with Disney before dining. I think you'll find that, 9 times out 10, Disney will bend over backwards to make sure you're taken care of. They take allergies VERY seriously.

Good luck to everyone currently planning a trip, and Happy Disney Dining!

thank you to my readers!

2011-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

This is just a quick post, to say thank you to all the readers who have commented here, or sent me e-mails. I generally don't "comment on the comments", but I do read them, and appreciate them very much. (I do, however, try my best to respond to every e-mail.)

A recent reader was kind enough to take the time to point out one of my mistakes. I have corrected the original post, but for anyone who was previously mislead by it: apparently, Divvies jelly beans (and gumballs - not mentioned in the post) are NOT vegan. Their cookies, and their popcorn products, are vegan, as far as I can tell, but the jelly beans have confectioner's glaze and beeswax. I hadn't bought any, and for some reason, didn't read the package this time (my bad). Divvies is very careful about avoiding "allergens", but not all of their products are vegan.

On a more positive note, I did catch an article on the Internet that I thought might be of interest to my readers. Apparently, the Fairmont Hotels chain is making a chain-wide decision to make sure all their restaurants have both vegan and gluten-free meal options, as well as options for diabetics, and those on a macrobiotic or raw food diet. It's quite an impressive move - something I hope will catch on elsewhere. I realize that this isn't Disney-related, but it is vegan and "travel" related. If you're curious: Luxury Hotel Chain Caters to Guests with Special Diets.

That's all for today. Happy vegan dining!

last but not least...

2011-01-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's high time I posted the meal "highlight" from my recent trip. Yes, I had the pleasure, once again, of dining with Chef Tj. On Tuesday, Dec. 7, we had dinner reservations at 1900 Park Fare, at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort - the current home of my favorite chef.

I was very fortunate to have already made arrangements with Chef Tj. This was the first time that I actually knew Chef Tj was expecting me.

We arrived just in time for our ressies (thanks to poor travel-planning on my part; resort-to-resort travel is always a bit tricky, and I should have allowed more time). There was a bit of a line to check in, but once we reached the check-in counter, everything went quickly. We were immediately taken to a photo area, where they asked us to place our coats and bags on a bench. We were posed in front of a nice Christmas tree, and photos were taken. Later, during our meal, we were offered these nice photos, for $31.95. No offense to those who like this program, but 32.00 for a photo of us in front of a tree? Okay, *maybe* I could understand if the photo was with Cinderella & Prince Charming... but a *tree*? (Needless to say, we passed on this one.)

We were quickly seated, and I informed our waitress that Chef Tj was expecting me. She said she'd get him. She was actually very sweet, and helpful - everything I would expect in a nice restaurant from the wait-staff. However, I'm afraid she won't play a major role in this report simply because she was over-shadowed by the chef. :-)

Not long after, my hero arrived at the table - smiling, and happy to see me. He's always like that - from my very first encounter with him, he appeared to be so excited to have the opportunity to create something for me. He genuinely appears to LOVE what he does. He's truly more of a food artist than a chef.

As per the usual routine with a buffet, Chef Tj walked me through all of the offerings, and pointed out what I could eat. This is always done rather quickly, and it's always a bit of a challenge for me to remember everything, but best as I was able to note: there was a nice squash salad, some bread, a Tomato Florentine soup, white rice, and I believe one or two other veggie dishes available. Not a whole lot, but I wasn't expecting anything. At a place like this, even if Chef Tj wasn't there, someone would most likely make me something to go with the few buffet items. It's worth noting though that Chef Tj is new at this restaurant. He told me that he really hopes to add a few more vegan offerings to the standard buffet soon.

I tried a bit of the squash salad (tasty!), and a bit of bread, because I knew I might have just a little bit of a wait, and I was starved! (That's a must, when I dine with Chef Tj - must arrive hungry!)

Pretty soon, he arrived with my first dish - a special little salad, in a wine glass! Not only are his dishes so tasty, the presentation is always beautiful!

The greens were wrapped in sea-weed, and coated with just the right amount of an amazing strawberry vinaigrette. There were lots of different greens and veggies here - a wonderful mix of items. Honestly, the best salad I've ever had. Here's a second picture, to show you some of the goodies in it. (I must confess that it turned out to be much easier to eat when I just put some of it on a plate.)

After the salad came two soups, with some buckwheat noodles. He described the soups as "one spicy, one sweet". The sweet one was a carrot soup. It was good, but not my favorite. The spicy one was a red pepper soup with a tomato base. This one I liked a lot. The noodles were probably a nice accompaniment to the soups, but were just "okay". They were served cold, with a bit of green beans in them, and a bit of a "licorice" flavor to them (anise?).

(Okay, I would never want to hurt Chef Tj's feelings, but I just have to share this story with all of you. 1900 Park Fare is a character meal. As you are dining, several characters make their way around the room, chatting with guests and posing for photos. These were some of the most fun characters I've ever encountered. Drisella, one of Cinderella's step-sisters, was my absolute favorite. She arrived shortly after my soup and noodles. She asked me what I thought of the noodles, and I said they were okay but not my favorite. She said they looked like worms, or something she would feed her cat, which had my dear hubby responding that our cat wouldn't touch the stuff. This resulted in an entire conversation about how finicky Lucifer is. She just embodied this role so well!)

Next came my appetizer - and my favorite dish of the night. I love Chef Tj's entrees, but his appetizers often end up being my favorite. He said this was one of his "new" dishes - vegan spring rolls, on a bed of hummus, with some crackers (fried pita bread sticks). There was a nice little bit of sauce on it, too. I'm so bad at describing flavors, but this was just wonderful - the springs rolls, as well as the hummus and bread sticks. I knew I would regret it when the entree came, but I couldn't help but finish this one off. Mmmmm!!!

By this time, of course, I had already eaten considerably more than my average "normal" meal... but thankfully I had eaten a very light lunch that day, and was prepared to roll out of the restaurant at the end of the night.

Next came the entree... and my attempt to describe it. There were carrots, asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, corn, potatoes, and some tofu, with a balsamic vinaigrette and onion straws on top. There was also a very spicy catchup on the side. It all worked very well together, and made for an amazing dish.

And last but not least, dessert. Chef Tj would never let me leave without dessert, and this one clearly required some early preparation. The photo really doesn't do it justice, because it was just too difficult to get a good shot from so close! How Chef Tj came up with this idea, and managed to make it work without toppling over on the way to the table, I'll never know.

Starting from the bottom, we have nice pineapple, followed by a cube of vanilla Rice Dream coated in caramel corn, with slices of bananas on top of that, and topped with a cherry. A few raspberries were scattered around the plate, and the whole thing was topped with chocolate sauce - dribbled table-side. (I should have gotten a picture of Chef Tj making the presentation!)

I have to tell you all, though - this was just a wonderful place to dine, and not just because of Chef Tj. The wait-staff was so nice, service was top-notch, my non-vegan hubby said that everything he tried on the buffet was very good, and the characters were an absolute hoot! I couldn't have asked for a better evening. I'd go back here in a heart-beat, even without Chef Tj. In fact, just remembering this meal has put me in such a good mood that I'm going to do something I rarely do... I'm going to share a picture of *me*, and Prince Charming.

See that big goofy grin on my face? You'd think I'm just so happy to be posing with Prince Charming. But you all know the truth, right? I'm just happy to be dining with Chef Tj! (Besides, my real Prince Charming was already sitting across from me at the table.)

And that's it for my latest trip meals. But I'll be back! I actually did just a little bit of extra "research", in an attempt to find some vegan snacks at Walt Disney World. I'll be sharing that in some future posts.

Until then, wishing you all some vegan meal "happily ever afters".

a nice counter-service option

2011-01-09T05:20:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite counter-service options hasn't changed in a few years: Sunshine Seasons, in the Land pavilion at Epcot. I used to love their "vegetarian entree", which basically consisted of all the vegetarian dishes they had, arranged on a plate. A year or two ago, they changed their standard vegetarian option to the Tofu and Vegetable Noodle Bowl - which was almost the same thing, but all of the veggies were thrown into a bowl, along with some tofu and some vegetable broth. It was also quite good.

On this most recent trip, the menu remains the same - the Tofu and Vegetable Noodle Bowl is still available. However, I was pleasantly surprised when one of the Cast Members working there asked me if I wanted that "in a bowl, or on a plate". I asked for a plate, and what I got was basically the same thing, but minus the broth. While the broth is a nice option, I actually personally prefer the plate, and in fact I chose this dish three times over the course of our week-long vacation. It consisted of a healthy serving of stir-fried vegetables, garlic udon noodles, and cubes of tofu. There is also plenty of soy sauce and hot sauce available to embellish it, if you'd like.

I should mention that, while the first Cast Member I encountered actually asked me if I wanted a bowl or plate, the next two gave me an odd look when I requested the dish "on a plate, please - not in a bowl". On my second visit, another Cast Member stationed there was able to explain and assist. On my third visit, I just nicely explained that I'd like the same items, but on a plate without the broth. They were all willing to do it, and were very nice about it - but clearly it wasn't an altogether common request. Just another example that you really can get what you want, even if it's not on the menu - just so long as they have the necessary ingredients to meet your request, and you ask nicely.

If the noodle bowl or plate doesn't appeal to you, there are actually a number of items available here just from the free-standing cases of add-on items they have, placed between the different "stations". While I didn't try most of these myself (sorry - I'm just so hooked on that noodle dish!), I did stop and take a look.

I found a nice veggie wrap:

There was some veggie sushi:

There were Taboulle Pin Wheels:

And to wash it down, they have both plain and chocolate Silk soy milk (and even some Silk yogurt!):

And Divvies chocolate chip cookies for dessert:

(Please note that the brownies on the left are gluten-free, but they do contain eggs.) I did also see Divvies caramel corn. Not a bad selection for a counter-service location, dontcha think? Try finding all that at a Six Flags park! (Sorry... my Disney loyalty got away from me for a moment.)

There are still other counter-service options out there. They still have a nice vegetarian platter at Tangierine Cafe in the Morocco pavilion. I still say that a nice plain soft pretzel with some fruit makes a wonderful light lunch (which I did have - but forgot to take a picture. Sorry!) I was sorry I missed one of my favorites this trip - the grilled veggie sandwich (minus cheese) at the Backlot Express in Disney's Hollywood Studios. It might not be vegan paradise, but you won't starve.

One more very special post coming soon - the meal "highlight" of my trip. Stay tuned!

dining in the 50's

2011-01-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

50's Prime Time Cafe, at Disney's Hollywood Studios, has been a favorite of ours for a few years. The idea behind this restaurant is that you're back "home" in the 50's, eating in your mom's kitchen, complete with a Formica table-top, and 50's kitchy knick-knacks on the walls. Each table has a view of a black and white TV set, playing clips from old sitcoms. The servers refer to themselves as your cousin, or big sister. If you order a milkshake, you might be told that "Grannie will be happy to whip one up for you - she makes the best shakes - but it's going to take a few minutes because her arthritis is acting up today". You will be expected to "set the table" (the silverware is all delivered together in a little basket), and be prepared to get reprimanded if you're caught with your elbows on the table.

I will confess that it took me a few years to finally try this place. It sounded a bit like a bashful person's worst nightmare. But curiosity finally won out, and I ended up having a lot of fun. Plus, my "uncle" in the kitchen was so eager to please me. He went out of his way to give me a couple of vegan meal options, and make me feel special, instead of a bother. I believe we ate here three times, over several years, and had a wonderful experience each time.

Fast forward to early December. Once again, we booked an early lunch here, expecting a good, if not great, meal. Our cousin came to the table, gave us menus, saw my "allergy" note and got the chef. The chef said "I see you are allergic to dairy, eggs and shellfish". (When you book dining online, there is no box for "vegan". The best you can do is to mark all the relevant boxes under allergies.) I explained that I was actually a vegan (and clarified what that meant). While he remained polite, he did seem a bit unprepared. He finally said "well, I guess I could leave the cheese off the pasta dish - modify it a bit". I accepted, and hoped for the best. He did ask if I wanted dessert. This is one place I often like to get dessert, so I asked if he had anything for me, and he offered some Tofutti, which I accepted.

Our server made sure we got drinks, and had what we needed, but with very little personality. I found myself waiting for her to say something "cute", but it never happened. I also watched other servers, with other diners. The place was unusually quite - not just that it wasn't that crowded, but there was no singing, no hollerin'... it just seemed to be missing that fun atmosphere that we'd experienced in the past.

Our meals arrived, and mine was... okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't that good, either. Perhaps the "non-vegan" version isn't all that good - I just don't know. The vegetarian version of this dish now found on the menu is relatively new. The previous two standard vegetarian dishes were easily veganizable, and very good, so perhaps the problem is the menu, and not so much the chef. The dish I received was mostly zucchini and mushrooms, with lots of cous cous, in a tomato-y broth. The veggies were pretty good, but I'm not a huge fan of soggy cous cous.

After the entree, the server asked my hubby if he wanted any dessert (as I was already going to be getting some Toffuti). He asked if he could see the dessert menu. This is a tradition for us. Even if we didn't want dessert, we would ask to see the dessert menu, because it's presented on a Viewmaster. Sadly, it appears that the Viewmaster is gone. All we got was a plain old paper menu. Hubby ordered a shake (still good, for you non-vegans out there), and it arrived with my Tofutti -a single small scoop of vanilla, with a tiny cup of chocolate sauce. Now, this isn't the smallest serving of a frozen dessert I've ever received, and honestly it was enough for me, but it sure looked wimpy next to the normally HUGE desserts they serve here. I have to give them credit for the chocolate sauce, but compared to previous experiences (and stories heard from others), it was a little disappointing.

So, I hesitate to call this a bad meal. Anywhere outside of Walt Disney World, I would probably label this a "good" meal, and be very happy that I didn't walk away hungry. But compared to my expectations for this place, it was disappointing. I am hoping that this was a fluke. Maybe we caught the chef, and the server, on a bad day. If I continue to hear good reviews from this place in the future, I'll probably give it one more chance. The place is just so "Disney" - I really hope it doesn't lose its spark.

dino-yummy

2011-01-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

Always on the hunt for good, quick, easy vegan meals at Walt Disney World, I was very happy to find a new option at Disney's Animal Kingdom - a park I have struggled a bit with, in terms of meal options. Restaurantosaurus, in Dinoland, has recently undergone some menu changes. Previously run by McDonalds, and specializing in McD's fries and chicken nuggets, they had to make some changes when Disney severed their ties with the popular hamburger chain. I am happy to report that they are now selling a very tasty Vegetable Subosaurus sandwich, with Sweet Potato Fries.

I saw the new addition to the menu, and was eager to find out if it was vegan. The menu describes it as "Grilled Vegetables, Mushrooms, Onions, Provolone, served on a Toasted Roll, with Sweet Potato Fries". Following my (now) usual protocol, I asked for a manager. She was very nice and friendly - eager to help. I asked her if the Subosaurus and fries were vegan, if ordered without the cheese. She said yes, and immediately produced the "big black book", to show me the ingredients of the roll. (E-mail me, if you'd like a copy.) To get a vegan version, they omit the cheese and don't toast the roll, which takes 8 to 10 minutes. As always, I'm happy to wait, in order to get a good vegan meal.

I happily ordered my sandwich with the manager, and she suggested we take a seat. She would come looking for us, when the meal was ready. Wow - that's the first time I've gotten table service from a counter-service restaurant! We spent a few minutes enjoying the little touches around the restaurant, and in no time at all, we saw the manager headed our way with our tray of food.

The sandwich was very tasty - a bit heavy on the portobellos, but not greasy at all (as I've found with some similar sandwiches). I shared it with my hubby, as we were only mildly hungry at the time, and it just fit the bill. So I can share that even my non-vegan hubby pronounced it "pretty good" (high praise for him).

I must confess that I did not grill the manager on their technique for preparing the sweet potato fries. She said they were vegan, and I didn't question it - so if preparation is important to you, you may want to check on this before ordering. Never having had sweet potato fries before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought they were quite good - and just different enough from regular fries to offer a nice change of pace.

The restaurant itself is really cute, too. As with nearly everything Disney does, the attention to detail is amazing. This cork board was one of my favorite little touches:

All in all, this was really the best counter-service meal I've had at the Animal Kingdom - a very welcome addition to some slim pickin's.

happy holidays! more coming soon...

2010-12-26T16:03:00.000-08:00

Just a quick message to wish everyone a merry holiday season, and to let you know that there is plenty more I plan to share, about my recent Disney trip... but it's going to be a few more days before I can start posting again. The holiday season, year-end at work, the whole "catching up from vacation" thing, and a nasty cold have all slowed me down. But I'll be back with plenty more good stuff soon!

wdw dec. 2010 - la hacienda de san angel

2010-12-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Now for another stand-out meal highlight of our trip. On December 9, my hubby and I joined some Internet friends for dinner, at the new restaurant in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot - La Hacienda de San Angel.

We had a wonderful time getting reacquainted with a couple of friends we had met on previous trips, and a few more that we were meeting in person for the first time. Everyone was so nice - we couldn't have asked for better company (and this is saying a LOT coming from someone as bashful as me).

I was, honestly, a bit worried about this dinner. Even though I knew I should contact a chef before the meal, I didn't do that. The only "pre-meal" work I did was to e-mail Disney Special Diets and ask them if the beans and tortillas were vegan. (They were, and the contact from the restaurant assured me that if I asked for a chef, I'd be taken care of.) I figured that as long as they had beans and tortillas, I wouldn't starve - but of course there's a big difference between not starving, and having a nice dining experience. My biggest concern this evening, though, was more of a bashful thing. I didn't want to make a big production in front of these new friends. Silly, I know. They probably would have enjoyed a big production, LOL.

As we were being seated, I found the opportunity to quietly tell our server that I had allergies and needed to speak with a chef. (I know, I know... I try to use the word "vegan" as much as possible, but when I'm in the slightest doubt of a cast member not understanding me, it's just so much easier to say "allergy". They ALL understand that word. For the record, I always explain that I'm a vegan - and, if necessary, what that means - when I speak with the chefs.) He was very polite and quietly said that he would take care of it.

As the other guests were checking out their menus, the server quietly brought the chef to my side, and he quietly discussed options with me. After clarifying what I could eat, he asked if I had anything in mind. It's terrible, but I never do. I gave my stock answer, which is "Do you have any suggestions? What would you like to make for me?" He offered me two ideas, and sadly, I completely forgot the first one. (Yes, I need to work on my reporting skills!) The second option was a couple of vegetable tacos. I chose that. I was imagining something rather simple - and would have been content with that. What I got was, simply, out of this world. I wish I knew how to describe these, except to say that there was a wonderful combination of sauteed veggies, and the whole thing was just brimming with flavor. I have always been a fan of Mexican food - but nothing I've ever had, before or after going vegan, matches this. It was wonderful.

The picture really doesn't do it justice. While not a HUGE meal, it was perfectly-sized for me. There are two flour tortillas there on the bottom, and then it was just loaded up with veggies - lots of white corn, peppers, onions... and I think maybe even some cactus. I enjoyed every bite of this meal, and the entire experience.

When you are seated, they also bring tri-colored tortilla chips with two types of salsa to your table. I did not ask, but I'm pretty sure all of that was vegan with the possible exception of the "red" chips. (In fact, my non-vegan friends were even discussing just what they might use to make those chips so red. If you don't know, consider yourself lucky, LOL.) They also provided us with warm corn tortillas and black beans (neither of which I tried, as I already had plenty to eat, and didn't want to bother confirming "vegan-ness" - but my guess would be that they both were vegan).

To be completely honest, though, I must confess that I also ordered one of their classic margaritas. It was vegan... and it was VERY potent. I don't drink very often, but I sometimes celebrate a bit at Walt Disney World. I have enjoyed a few of those frozen margaritas they sell at the stand by the giant pyramid. This was nothing like them. I was feeling tipsy after a few sips. If I had more than one of these, I don't think I could have left the restaurant on my own two legs. Drink at your own risk. :-)

And to round this out for others (like myself) traveling with non-vegan friends and family, my non-vegan hubby also enjoyed his meal, and I heard no complaints from anyone else we were dining with. I know that this was one of those "off the menu, chef's own creation" meals that you can't count on, but the experience was so wonderful that I will definitely be back.

wdw dec. 2010 - veggie burgers & salads

2010-12-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a shorter post, about some of the standard counter-service items I tried on our trip.

First, I didn't take any salad pictures, but my two favorites salads from the last trip are still my two favorite salads. :-) Probably the best "deal" is the house salad from Earl of Sandwich, at Downtown Disney. Just make sure you specify "no croutons" - it's the only "possibly non-vegan" item on the salad (and, of course, choose an appropriate dressing - the Italian is a safe choice). It's a very large salad at a very fair price ($5.99).

However, I still prefer the "made to order" salads available from the Beach Club Marketplace. It's not the most convenient location unless you happen to be staying at (or near) Disney's Beach Club Resort, but it works out for us. At $8.99, it's a bit pricey for a salad, but since I always take it back to our room, I can usually split it up and get two good-sized salads out of it. There are quite a few veggie toppings available to choose from: carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, hot peppers and olives, and some of what might have been "seasonal" offerings: sunflower seeds, cranberries, and another type of nut... sorry, that's all my brain would hold, LOL. (For any non-vegans, there are also two types of cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and croutons.) The raspberry vinaigrette dressing is wonderful. I always order the dressing on the side, and they put it in a little cup for me. With this method, the salad will easily last a couple days in your room's fridge (if you have one).

And, now onto those "last resort" veggie burgers. I have good news, and bad news. The good news is that there is a new option for a bun, available at *some* locations. As previously reported, the Angus burger multi-grain bun is (more or less) vegan (e-mail me for complete ingredients list). And, in my humble opinion, is definitely a step up from the gluten-free roll. (Note, though, that this new option is *not* gluten-free.) The bad news is that the veggie burgers are the same as they were a year ago - not very good. Perhaps they have their fans, but I haven't found any yet.

I ended up finding enough other options on this trip that I only resorted to a veggie burger once, at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, at the Magic Kingdom. The ample toppings bar helps, and I do like this bun better, as I said. It's more substantial, less crumbly - but it's still lacking a bit in flavor. Bottom line, though - I just don't care for these burgers, in any bun, with any variety of toppings. (Not the best photo. Bad or not, I was hungry, and I almost forgot to take the photo.)

I should also mention that, if you're interested in this new bun option, you may need to be VERY specific with your request. I followed the "now standard" procedure of telling the cashier that I had an allergy, and needed to speak with a manager. This time, the cashier actually pointed to the manager and said "he's over there" (not very classy, in my opinion, but it wasn't too big of a deal). Once with the manager, I tried the "v" word, but ended up having to explain what a vegan is (usually the managers are familiar). He then tried to get me to order the veggie burger with the gluten-free roll. I was persistent, saying that I had heard about the option of an Angus burger bun. He hesitated, but eventually got out "the book" (a big black binder with the ingredients for every item sold at that location). I verified that the bun met my requirements and asked if I could order the veggie burger with that. He took care of it from there, and I got what I wanted.

It wasn't the highlight of the trip (I promise there are better meals yet to report!), but at least this time, I was prepared. I will state again that any vegans wanting to eat at counter service should (A) try to eat at "non-peak meal times), (B) know what you want and be specific, and (C) be prepared for an additional wait. I did, I was, and I was. All in all, this was a much smoother trip than last time, because of that.

wdw dec. 2010 - babycakes

2010-12-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, time to sit down and do some serious blogging. Last year, I pretty much did a chronological trip through everything we ate, day by day. This year, I think I'm just going to focus each post on a different restaurant, meal or Disney "thing", in no particular order.

For this first post, I just have to rave about the new, all-vegan, all-gluten-free bakery at Downtown Disney - Babycakes NYC Bakery.
Notice anything missing from this picture? Yup, me too. This is the building that houses the wonderful new bakery, but there is absolutely no signage outside. The manager says it's being worked on. I hope so, because this is something people need to know!

Once inside, though, it's not hard to find. (From the above door, just turn right, and you can't miss it.)

You'll notice that the sign doesn't actually say "vegan" or "gluten-free". I actually think this is a brilliant move. This is the only real bakery at Downtown Disney. I think they'll bring in a lot more business from non-vegan tourists who just see the word "bakery", and don't look any further.

Here's a couple shots of the display cases:

While the selection isn't huge, it doesn't need to be - because every item they sell is incredible. The first thing I actually tried was a chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of it. Fortunately, the reason I don't have a picture is that my *non-vegan* husband gobbled it down before I could get the camera out! If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.

While all of these items are best fresh, I found that they kept very well for a couple of days if I put them in a zip-lock bag. (I have no idea how much longer they would keep - there's no way I could keep from eating them any longer than that.)

And on a non-vegan Disney note: zip-lock bags should be on everyone's packing list. I can't tell you how many uses I have found for them on vacation.

When you get something from the bakery to go, they will either give you a nice little clam-shell-type box, or an adorable "Chinese take-out" box.

There are a variety of cupcakes available. I decided to try the red velvet. Wow, was this ever rich! The frosting is incredible - not the usual bakery-type "just takes like sugar" stuff, but really rich and creamy. I meant to take a picture of it out of the box as well, but somehow it ended up in my tummy before I got to that.

Next up, we have their chocolate crunch donut. (No, I didn't eat all these items in one sitting. As tempting as that may be, each one of these treats is incredibly rich and decadent!) I will confess that I'm not a huge donut fan. (Stems from a few months actually working in a cheap donut shop when I was younger - *not* a pleasant experience.) However, since I hadn't had a donut since before going vegan (more than 10 years ago now), I decided I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did! This was so much better than I thought a donut could be. Actually, this is what cake donuts should be - like cake with toppings. I can't recommend this one enough!

And, last but not least, my favorite item: brownie bites. Okay, so they look a little small - but there is so much flavor packed into these little gems! They are more of a "cake-like" brownie, instead of a chewy one -but they are so much more moist and chocolatey than anything I've managed to bake at home. I so wanted to buy a dozen of these and take them home!

Not only did I make two trips to this bakery (and wanted to make more!), but I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet the manager, Emily. She is just the sweetest person ever - and so excited to be running this location! She's not only a vegan, but a huge Disney fan. I know that she'll do everything she can to make this bakery a success.

I was so excited to hear about this place. Now, having actually tried it, I'm even more excited. Babycakes NYC Bakery is going to be at the top of my "must-do" list for every future Disney trip. I hope it will be high on your "must-do" list, too!

i'm back!

2010-12-15T16:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, major updates coming soon. I have returned from a wonderful week at Walt Disney World, and I have pictures and stories! This post is mostly just a teaser as getting back to the real world has me completely zonked, but yes, there will real updates very soon.

Just a brief overall thought about the trip: from a vegan food standpoint, it was better than my last trip. I think this was based on two things: luck, and lower expectations. There were a couple of big disappointments last year, so I went into this trip not expecting too much, and instead had a couple of pleasant surprises. There *is* good vegan food to be had at the World. You just have to know where to look, don't be afraid to speak up, and keep your expectations reasonable.

So, more coming soon. I'll just share two happy thoughts before I wrap this up: Babycakes NYC bakery ROCKS, and Chef TJ is my hero. :-)

best vegan disney news EVER!

2010-11-12T14:22:00.000-08:00

I *just* read this amazing news... so totally cool that I just had to drop everything and immediately blog about it.

Okay, so I had already heard that McDonald's at Downtown Disney had closed its doors. This, in itself, was good news. (Sorry... totally not a fan of the golden arches here.) I had also heard that it was being replaced with a Mexican-type counter service place called Pollo Campero. It was supposed to focus on "delicious and nutritious". It certainly sounded promising, but not knowing their menu or ingredients yet, I was only mildly curious. But what I didn't know is...

that in addition to Pollo Campero, they also put in a Babycakes New York Vegan Bakery. Yes, you read that right. There is now a VEGAN bakery in Downtown Disney! How cool is that?!! I just took a gander at their website. If they sell half the stuff that's listed there, I'll be in heaven (at least until I get home on get back on that scale). Muffins, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, crumb cake, cinnamon rolls...

Seriously, check it out. Here's the link to the article mentioning the change: Inside the Magic, covering Disney news, theme park events and beyond (thanks Inside the Magic!). And here's a link to the website for this bakery: Babycakes NYC.

(I have to go now. The itinerary for my upcoming trip needs a little work... like a whole lot more trips to Downtown Disney!)

new buns...

2010-11-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of my next trip to the World, I e-mailed SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com, and asked a few questions. I'm still awaiting some restaurant-specific info (and suspect that I won't really have more on that until I get back from my trip), but I did learn something new.

I asked about the veggie burgers. During my last trip (December 2009), the standard counter-service vegetarian burger was a very veggie-type Gardenburger, on a non-vegan bun. By request (which means, speaking with a manager), you could order this veggie burger on a "gluten-free" vegan roll. These burgers are sadly not as tasty, in my humble opinion, as the Boca burgers they used to serve, but with enough toppings, they are edible. However, the gluten-free rolls are rather dry, tasteless and crumbly. Again, better than nothing, but not the best bun for holding together a veggie burger with enough toppings to drown out the flavor.

While it sounds as if the veggie burgers remain the same (I was just told it's still a Gardenburger burger), there is a new vegan bun option. The letter I received says "We also carry a new Angus Burger brand Multigrain Bun which is vegan friendly". I will have to report back after I've actually tried this new bun, but I'm very excited about the possibility of improvement!

Look for some major blog updates from me near the end of the year. Once again, I plan to attempt to photograph everything I eat, and take notes. Sadly, my pocketbook won't allow me to try everything, but hopefully I'll have some new tasty finds to share.

And if you've actually tried this new bun, I'd love to hear about it! Thanks, and Happy Disney Veggie Dining! ºoº

another teeny tiny update

2010-10-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just heard some exciting news, and wanted to pass it on...

A recent Disney guest had lunch at the Crystal Palace, in the Magic Kingdom, and mentioned that some of the food items on the buffet were marked as either "vegetarian" or "vegan". He didn't take any pictures, and isn't sure of specifics, but he's positive that the notes were there. (This guest was neither a vegetarian, nor a vegan. He probably never would have mentioned it, except that I think he was a bit surprised to discover that a dish marked "vegan" was actually quite tasty.)

This is very exciting news. I am absolutely positive that there were no such notes in December 2009. (I *did* take pictures, and notes, and being a vegan, most definitely would have noticed.) While I really don't know if the vegan options are any better than before, clear signage is a huge step in the right direction. While I have always managed to get a chef to walk through the buffets with me, and point out the vegan options, some are more thorough than others, and sometimes it's just difficult to remember everything. (As I actually had a rather unpleasant experience at Crystal Palace, I'm especially glad to hear of this improvement at this location.)

I have yet to hear of such signage at any other buffets, but I will certainly be on the lookout during my next visit. Let's hope this is a "sign" of things to come! :-)

quick, tiny, IMPORTANT update

2010-08-02T15:26:00.001-07:00

No time for a proper post, but I just got the news from a fellow vegan that Chef TJ has relocated again. That AMAZING feast I had at 'Ohana last December is now a thing of the past. However, Chef TJ is still at Walt Disney World, so there is hope for a new special TJ experience. Word is that he's now working at one of the restaurants at the Grand Floridian. I've been trying to determine which restaurant - will post as soon as I have confirmation. I will also be doing my darndest to get ressies at said restaurant for our upcoming trip later this year... after which there will be some real updates to this site again.

If you know where Chef TJ is, please let me know. Thanks to Jordan for breaking the news to me, and to Vegan Satori for confirming it on his blog!

a promising new disney option

2010-05-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see the words "vegan" and "Disney" in the same sentence, I just have to come here and share with you all. I just stumbled across an article for a new restaurant at Walt Disney World that I have been curious about. I've heard some happy first-hand accounts, but so far, none from a vegetarian or vegan. However, Disney is now reporting that this new spot is in fact a very good choice for us veggie lovers: Kouzzina by Cat Cora. This new restaurant, located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort in the spot previously occupied by Spoodles, is the brain child of professional chef Cat Cora, of Iron Chef fame. It's a family-friendly restaurant, specializing in contemporary Mediterranean food. Check out this article on the Disney Parks blog for more details.

the missing review

2010-01-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, finally, as promised, the review for my absolute greatest meal ever is online. A Vegan Adventure at 'Ohana has been posted as a guest blog on AllEars.net. I know... it left a real gap in my trip report here, but the meal was so amazing that I just had to share it with as many people as I could!

Chef TJ is amazing - he's more of a "food artist" than a chef, in my mind. He creates works of art that look as good as they taste, and they taste AMAZING! I have written to Disney, more than once, about what a gem they have in him. I am not kidding you - my meal at 'Ohana was seriously the highlight of my wonderful vacation. You can bet I'll be back on my next trip!

veggie burger update...

2010-01-13T04:53:00.000-08:00

Wow - so cool to have helpful readers! Thanks to the comments on my last post, I did a little more searching, and found a thread on Disboards that lists the ingredients and discusses the pros and cons of these burgers: New Gardenburger in Restaurants (As always, if you have an allergy, *please* confirm with the restaurant before eating anything. Nothing here is confirmed, guaranteed or set in stone, and things change all the time.)

It appears that these are not available at your local store. This is still just my opinion, but the Veggie Medley burgers are "close", if you just want to know what they taste like. (However, it does require buying a box of four, which I did... and managed to work my way through, with lots of "embellishing".) If it's particular ingredients, or calorie count that you're curious about, then the above-mentioned article has lots of helpful details.

In a perfect world, we'd be able to choose from a variety of veggie burgers, but at least Walt Disney World has them. (Has anyone seen a veggie burger of any type in any other theme or amusement park? I pretty much went hungry on my last trip to Cedar Point.)

regarding the veggie burgers...

2010-01-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

A reader of my blog (gosh, there's more than two of you!) asked if I knew the ingredients in the current veggie burgers at Walt Disney World...

Sadly, I just never thought to photograph the ingredients page, though I did look at it when they first made the switch, to be sure it was vegan. I cannot tell you exactly for certain what's in it, but I will tell you that they look and taste almost exactly like Gardenburger's Veggie Medley. I cannot be certain that they are exactly the same (it's possible that Disney has them create something especially for them), but they are really darn close, in my humble opinion. These are very "veggie-like", and not at all "hamburger-like", which is either a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on your point of view.

To be honest, I have wondered if Disney made the change because the old Boca burgers looked so much like hamburgers that maybe they had trouble telling them apart once they were cooked, but that's just me wondering. More likely, Gardenburger simply made Disney a better offer than Boca.

And just a reminder, you need to order these on a "gluten-free, tapioca roll", in order for it to be vegan. In my opinion, the new veggie burger, on the tapioca roll, is just barely edible. I politely told Disney that frankly, I'd prefer to wait and eat PB&J in my hotel room. But your experience may be different. And fortunately, there are still a few non-burger vegan options in the parks.

That's it for today! Happy Disney Dining!

happy new year!

2009-12-31T13:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is something I never do, but it's a new year, and time for something different.

For the first time in nearly a decade, I decided to stay up for New Year's Eve and ring in the new year. (Or, maybe I just wanted to make sure the *old* year really left!) I like to think I'm an optimist, but 2009 certainly had its fair share of challenges. With that thought in mind, I decided to break all the rules and give myself a treat for New Year's Eve.

Now for most of you, this probably doesn't sound all that wild and crazy, but keep in mind that, outside of vacations, I hardly ever indulge in sweet treats. I managed to completely change my habits about 2-1/2 years ago. I gave up fast food, frozen meals, soda pop, chips, candy, soy ice cream... just about anything even vaguely unhealthy. And I started exercising. And I lost a lot of weight. I feel great. I am absolutely not ever going back to that person I was before.

But I also know that sometimes you just have to break the rules. So what did I do? I made brownies. Now, I really really love oooey gooey chewy fudgey brownies... and I haven't managed to produce one since I went vegan almost 10 years ago. "How It All Vegan" has a good recipe for a rather cake-like brownie, but I've had my doubts that it was possible to produce a chewy version without the usual non-vegan ingredients. But I'm happy to report that I was wrong.

I went to a few vegan recipe sites, and did some research. I found a few promising ones on VegWeb.com (a great site for vegan recipes, by the way), and in the end, ended up taking someones modification of someone else's recipe, and making my own modifications. This is what I ended up with:

These are really, truly "gooey chewy" - not cake-like at all - which is exactly what I was craving. And given that I'm pretty useless in the kitchen, I am beyond thrilled with the results! They're also super rich, at least to me. My limit was two - and that took some effort!

Anyway, given my lack of skill, I wouldn't normally share this, but since my non-vegan hubby has pronounced these "pretty good" (high praise from him!), I'm going to give you all the recipe I used:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vanilla Silk soy milk
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup (softened) Earth Balance margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
(a little powdered sugar added for the photo, but not needed)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well. (This makes a very stiff batter - a big wooden spoon will help to mix it.)

Pour (push, shove, smoosh) batter into an oiled/floured pan. (The recipe I adapted this from calls for a 9 x 13 pan. Mine is closer to 8 x 12, and it worked fine. In fact, I would have had trouble spreading it into a larger pan, though I think the end results would be fine.)

Bake for approx. 30 minutes. The recipe I adapted from said 25 to 35. I took mine out at 30, but I really think they should have gone a bit longer. However, my current oven runs a bit on the cool side.

Now, a couple of notes: yes, I realize that using regular white sugar makes this "not vegan" in some circles. Use your own judgment and substitute accordingly. Also, the original recipe called for 1/2 cup vegetable oil, but all I had on hand was peanut oil - so I used 1/4 cup of that, plus 1/4 cup of Earth Balance, and it worked fine, though it might be why the batter was a little hard to work with. And again, if gooey-chewy isn't your thing, than these brownies aren't for you.

Wishing you all a bright, shiny, wonderful New Year, full of lots of good vegan eats!

update from my WDW trip

2009-12-31T13:29:00.000-08:00

For those of you who asked (and anyone else who was wondering), yes, I did write to Disney and tell them about my recent experiences dining at Walt Disney World.

Because my major gripe was the fact that the forms I filled out, via e-mail, before the trip turned out to be completely useless, I decided to e-mail my thoughts to the same people. I was careful to share both the good and the bad, giving praise where due, but also sharing my disappointments. In addition to sharing details about all of my table-service meals, I also gave my thoughts regarding counter-service in general, and the veggie burgers in particular. My only goal was to help educate Disney, in hopes that perhaps things could be better for other vegan diners.

I am happy to report that Disney wrote me back, and it wasn't a silly form letter. This was a very carefully thought-out reply, addressing my specific concerns. As I had already guessed, their main concern is the safety of their diners. While they didn't specifically say this, I'm afraid that, as vegans, we'll have to accept that we are now lumped in with allergies. Again, to anyone with an allergy, I mean no offense, and I truly admire Disney's efforts to make things safe. But I can't help feeling that dining has just gotten more complicated for the average vegan.

However, they did express concern over the fact that my e-mailed form had clearly not reached its target. Hopefully, they will fix this problem.

And, as a "goodwill gesture", they are sending me a Disney gift certificate. I didn't expect this, but since I did pay quite a bit for a couple of rather disappointing meals, I'm going to happily accept it. Had I been on the dining plan, it would have been different. But when you're paying that kind of money for what you hope to be a really good meal, and you leave disappointed (or worse, hungry), it's tough.

So, do I think Disney can do better for vegans? Yes. But even with the recent disappointments, I still eat better at WDW than I do at just about anywhere else. And, while some trips are better than others, I really do believe that Disney listens. I will happily plan many more trips to Walt Disney World, and I have no doubt that there will more good than bad to report in the future.

(And for those of you who are just looking for tasty food pictures... stay tuned. I might have a small treat for you tomorrow.) :-)

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 9

2009-12-27T12:42:00.001-08:00

Sunday, December 13 - our last day. Breakfast in the room and off to make the most of our last few hours.

Just one more meal to report, and it's a repeat. I knew that we'd be on a plane around dinner-time, so I wanted to make sure I at least got a real lunch, so we hit one of my favorites - Sunshine Seasons, in the Land pavilion at Epcot. Once again, I got the Tofu and Vegetable Noodle Bowl from the Asian station. Given that this is tasty and filling, and that no manager is required to place the order, this will remain one of my favorites.

I also noticed some decent vegan side items available here. Available in one of the cold cases, between the "stations", they had a variety of different types of salads, including Tabbouleh, and this Cous-Cous salad (both vegan). It was actually pretty tasty, though too much food for me after the tofu noodle bowl. It's probably something I could have bought and brought back to the room to eat later. I'll have to remember that for next time.

Well, that's all folks. After lunch at Sunshine Seasons, we headed back to the resort for our shuttle to the airport. And now it's back to life as usual, in central Ohio. Thanks for reading, and Happy Disney Dining!

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 8

2009-12-27T11:51:00.001-08:00

Saturday, December 12, and our last full day at Disney. Breakfast in the room, and then off to a morning at the Animal Kingdom. After a ride on Expedition Everest, and wonderful visit with some old friends, we headed for the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and my first look at Kidani Village. This is the new DVC section recently added to the resort. Along with the rooms, a new gift shop, and a great pool area, they also added a new restaurant - Sanaa. This choice was clearly a "no-brainer" - this restaurant actually has a dedicated vegan menu! Of course, that means that my review is pretty unnecessary - of course this is a good choice! I have to confess, though, after a disappointing week of Disney dining, it was really nice to go somewhere that I knew I wouldn't leave hungry.

Again, we showed up before the first seating of the day, and were treated to a wonderful round of African singing by the restaurant cast members. We were quickly seated, and it became apparent pretty quickly that we had a great server... who's name I didn't get, and I feel awful about that. She was knowledgeable, and helpful - and made the meal even that much better.

While we didn't get a window seat (most of those tables looked like they were designed to seat more than two people) we could still see the savanna, and the whole restaurant is very beautiful anyway. (Sorry no interior shots, but here's a picture of the check-in desk. See the hidden Mickey?)

The menu is sort of unusual in that there are a lot of "smaller" dishes. It's really nice how they set it up, though. A lot of the food is designed to be shared, and our server really helped to make this possible, even with a vegan and non-vegan. For instance, we ordered the Indian Style Bread Service, which comes with three types of breads, and three accompaniments. There are only two types of bread that are vegan, but she allowed us to order those two, along with a third non-vegan choice for my husband. The person who actually brought the bread to our table actually messed up the order, but our server caught it before we could take a bite, and brought a second, separate plate for me. The fact that she actually saw this, and fixed it so quickly really impressed me. She was on top of things! Here's a shot of the Roti and Paratha, both vegan:

I believe the Paratha is the one on top - sort of like pita bread, only a little softer. It was very tasty. The Roti was really more like a cracker than bread - brittle and crispy - but nice with some of the toppings. I chose the Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus (bottom right), and the Mango Chutney (top). Hubby added on the Red Chili Sambul (bottom left), which might not have been vegan.

Both the hummus, and the mango chutney were good. Actually, these with the Paratha bread were one of my favorite parts of the meal.

I also decided to try the Salad Sampler - three small servings of three different types of salads. With some help from our wonderful server, I chose (from left to right in the picture below) Roasted Beets, Roasted Potato Corn and Spinach, and Watermelon Lime and Radish.

As the server had suggested, the watermelon was actually my favorite. (I notice that this isn't on the vegan menu currently posted at AllEars, but that predates my visit - it was definitely on the vegan menu earlier this month.) The roasted beets were also good, if you like beets (I do). I have to confess, though, that the potato-corn-spinach salad was a little too different for me - just not that crazy about the flavor.

I had almost ordered the Chickpeas with Cucumber and Tomato salad, but Rocky decided to have that as his salad choice with his sandwich, so at the server's suggestion, I chose another, giving us more things to try, and to share. It was a good choice - I'd choose this over the potato-corn one next time.

Instead of an entree, I asked for one of the appetizers. Our server was more than happy to do this, arranging for it to arrive at the same time as my husband's sandwich. I figured that with both the bread, and the salad sampler, I wouldn't have room for a full entree. I will probably try something different next time, but I'm glad I did it this way this time. I ordered the Potato and Pea Samosas, with Tamarind Chutney. There were only two samosas, but they were quite large, and very filling. They really did work as an entree for me. The tamarind chutney wasn't really my thing, but I still had mango chutney left over from the bread service (and the offer for more, if I wanted it). While not "too" spicy, the samosas did have a little kick, and I felt that the sweet mango was a better compliment to them.

Amazingly, this menu actually boasts THREE vegan dessert options! I wish I had had some room left, but the samosas were quite filling, so I had to pass.

For dinner, I'm afraid we just made do with stuff in the room. I can't even remember what we had left at this point, but we must have found something. So, nothing to report for dinner, but lunch was really good. Yes, the flavors are a little exotic, and Sanaa won't appeal to everyone. But the options are amazingly plentiful for a vegan - no prior notice required.

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 7

2009-12-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 11 - yup, breakfast in the room again. Actually, I had a little trouble with breakfast - still recovering from all that food I ate last night!

By lunchtime, I was feeling better, and I was actually hungry. We were at the Magic Kingdom, so I decided to once again, brave the veggie burger, but this time, I tried Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Cafe. Different restaurant, same procedure. I tried every-which-way to just order the veggie burger with the tapioca gluten-free roll, but the cast member was clueless. I gave up, said the "A" word (allergies), and waited for the manager. It didn't matter that I had already seen "the book". I had to look at it and confirm that, yes, this is what I want, I'm ordering this of my own free-will, and I will take all responsibility for the consequences. This time, I did order the fries, and the manager didn't stop me. Was there a possibility of cross-contamination? Probably. Does that make me a bad vegan? Maybe. Am I worried about that? No. Unlike Cosmic Ray's, this restaurant doesn't have chicken nuggets. They do have a full fried chicken meal, so I suppose it's possible they fry those together. I didn't ask, didn't want to know. But if the possibility bothers you, by all means please *ask*.

Well, no matter how you embellish it, this burger is just bad. Don't hate me - just my opinion - but I liked the Boca burgers a heck of a lot better, especially on the old buns (which, in hindsight, may or may not have been vegan). It wasn't very enjoyable, but at least I didn't leave hungry. Here's a picture of the plain burger, before I embellished it:

Dinner was whatever we could find left in the hotel room.

Okay, not much for this post, either, but the next one will include a real live actual "good" table-service review - I promise!

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 6

2009-12-27T11:03:00.001-08:00

Thursday, December 10 - same old breakfast. :-)

Actually, this is going to be my shortest post of the trip. Lunch was just left-over salad and a bagel in our room. I wanted something light, because I knew that dinner would special...

And here's where I have to ask for your patience. You see, this was the night I ate at 'Ohana, and had the most amazing meal of my entire life! Chef TJ out-did himself, creating a 7 course vegan FEAST just for me! So why is this post the shortest one? Because this meal was so special, was so incredibly amazing, that I just have to share it with as many people as possible. So I have written a nice detailed article on this meal alone, and submitted it to AllEars, in the hopes of getting a "guest blogger" spot. If all goes well, I will be posting a link here on my blog soon. Trust me - it's worth a look, if not a read. If for some reason that doesn't happen, I promise that it will get posted *somewhere*, in its entirety, sometime soon.

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 5

2009-12-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 9, and again, my usual breakfast in the room.

Oh, I did miss one small detail from yesterday... Tuesday evening, we decided to enjoy a leisurely stroll around World Showcase, and I decided to try a little something that had been recommended by other Disney fans. I don't often drink (well, almost never, really), but it was a vacation, so I splurged on a margarita from Mexico. I did actually try to take a picture of it, but sadly, it didn't turn out. (If you're going to take a picture of food outside, at night, I think you need to find a suitable backdrop, or something.) I had confirmed in advance, via e-mail with Special Diets, that the margaritas are actually vegan. However, the cast member couldn't absolutely guarantee that there wasn't a possibility of cross-contamination during preparation, so if that's a concern, you may want to ask. Anyway, it was actually very tasty - expensive, but by Disney standards, probably not a bad deal. (I believe they're $8.99 for a pretty decent-sized drink.) I ended up trying two of these during my vacation: the strawberry, and the "fiesta" (strawberry, mango and lime). The fiesta is certainly pretty, but I'm not a big lime fan. However, both the strawberry and mango were really tasty.

Today was a fairly boring meal day, so I'll just throw in another detail. I did make it a point to stop by the Boardwalk Bakery, when there wasn't a line, and ask what they "could do for a vegan". I usually do this most trips - sometimes I get lucky, sometimes not-so-much. This time around, not-so-much. They did say they could bake me an entire vegan cake with 48 hours notice. It's a nice option, but I'd have to have a special occasion, I think, to justify it, and I couldn't eat a whole cake by myself. (Well, maybe over the course of a week. Okay, yeah, I probably *could*, but I definitely shouldn't!) Aside from that, they normally have Divvies, but were out. I'm afraid that was it.

So, today was shopping day. We always have to go to Downtown Disney at least once, though I must confess that I hadn't really thought through just how crowded it might get this close to Christmas. It was a madhouse! But, yes, I should have expected that. So after working up a hunger standing in the longest line ever at World of Disney, we headed for Earl of Sandwich, where I got my usual house salad. It used to be that you could more or less custom-order it. You'd tell them what you want as they prepared it. However, I'm guessing that the crazy long lines they get here made that impractical. You can make special requests, but you have to do it when you order. I just asked for the house salad, no croutons, with Italian dressing. Everything else on this salad is vegan. I enjoyed it, and at $5.95, it seemed like a reasonable deal. (I did have to add a snack bar to make a meal out of this. Earl of Sandwich does sell chips and fresh fruit cups as well.)

We ended up hitting Epcot after this, and sort of skipped our ritual mid-day break. In the end, we decided to make it an early night, and just had dinner in the room. (I had a microwaved baked potato, and some frozen peas. Okay, I probably also had some sort of treat from my stash, too.)

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 4

2009-12-27T05:16:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, December 8, day four, began the same as all the rest, with breakfast in the room. You know, if you're anything like me, you tend to eat a little less healthy on vacation. It's hard not to. What I've found is that simply starting every morning out with my usual routine healthy breakfast really makes a difference in how I feel. There's nothing wrong with treating yourself now and then, but starting the day off right just really makes me feel better.

So today we headed for Epcot, and what I expected to be an amazing lunch. People just rave and rave about Le Cellier, in the Canada pavilion. Of course, the most talked about items are the cheddar cheese soup, and the dairy-heavy desserts. However, I have heard from a few vegetarians and vegans who were treated to a special meal. In fact... well, whatayaknow. I was about to tell you that it even says on the bottom of the menu that they are happy to accommodate special dietary requests. However, that no longer appears to be the case. Hmmmm...

Well, anyway, we arrived early for our lunch ressies, eager for a special dining experience. As we had an early lunch ressie, we arrived before the restaurant was open, and were treated to a song from the cast members. It appears that a number of restaurants on property have sort of an opening ritual, before the first diners of the day are seated. It was cute, and very "Disney".

It's a nice restaurant, though very dark. Le Cellier means "the cellar", and it's meant to look like a cellar (a wine cellar, I believe). I couldn't get any good pix of the interior, but here's a shot of the outside:

We were seated, and as per the routine, our very nice server got the chef to come to our table. Now let me start by saying... he wasn't rude. The chef was polite, and I believe "doing his job". However, once again it was clear that he had not been warned in advance that I was coming. The notes I had made on my e-mailed form had never reached him.

He was willing to make me "something", but, while polite, he did appear a little put out. Now, had this been a more casual place, my opinion would be different. But let's face it: when you eat at a very classy, very expensive restaurant, you expect a higher level of service. When asked what I would like to eat, I gave my usual response, which was "what would you recommend?". Okay, so perhaps that's a bit wishy-washy for the less creative types, but honestly, I don't know what he *knows* how to cook. I can't cook myself, so I'm looking for suggestions on something he thinks he can prepare that will taste good. And I'm not picky. If it's vegan, odds are I am going to enjoy it. Finally, he says, "well, I guess I can try and find some tofu, and put together a little stir-fry dish. However, it's going to take me a little while. Could you, perhaps, order an appetizer, to give me time to get it all together? We can do a vegan version of the tomato stack for you."

Now here's the thing. If he had simply suggested that the tomato stack was a wonderful vegan appetizer, I might very well have ordered it anyway. But by implying that I had to order an appetizer, in order to give him some time... well, it just didn't sit well with me. However, I complied, and yes, the Tomato Stack, with caramelized onions, cucumbers and Yuzu vinaigrette (minus the blue cheese) was a pretty fancy, and pretty tasty appetizer:

After the chef had left to go find tofu, the server brought out our drinks, and Rocky's salad, and the wonderful bread sticks that others have raved about. I should have thought to ask the chef, but it had slipped my mind, so I asked the server to please check if any of the bread sticks were vegan. It took her a while to find out, since the chef had left in search of tofu, but the answer was "no", and no vegan substitute was offered.

When my entree arrived, it was tasty. I wish I was better at identifying flavors as this was actually pretty unique - not your run of the mill stir-fry, though I couldn't tell you just what it was flavored with. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste, and did enjoy it. (Tofu, tomatoes and some mixed greens, in a light, flavorful broth.)

But, it was a fairly small serving. Now, maybe that's not a fair statement. At home, I'd probably consider this a normal dinner; and I suppose the classier restaurants actually tend to have rather small-ish servings. And, if I had some bread to go with this, and a decadent dessert to follow, than I probably would have thought this was the perfect size.

Which brings us to dessert. Our server asked if we wanted any, and my response was something like "well, vegan dessert is sort of hard to come by. Unless the chef has already gone to some trouble, than I think I'll pass." To which she responded that she would go check and see what was available. The answer was a sorbet, or some fresh fruit. I politely declined. Now perhaps their sorbet would have been amazing, but at this point, I just felt a bit disappointed overall, and didn't want to make this any more costly than it already was. Of course, if the chef had gone to any special trouble, I would have happily accepted. That wasn't the case.

Bottom line? It wasn't a bad meal, but I actually left feeling a tad bit hungry, and it was the most expensive we have ever had at Disney... and more importantly, the chef had made me feel a bit like I was a bother. I hate that. I honestly almost didn't become a vegan because I couldn't stand the idea of putting other people out. The only time I ever eat out is on vacation, and part of why we vacation WDW every year is because it's the one place where they don't make me feel like a bother... or at least that's the way it used to be.

In closing, let me just say that both hubby and I are not much into really fancy restaurants. We're homebodies, and what you could probably describe as very casual diners. Le Cellier is really just not our kind of place, I guess. And if money were no object (or if I was on the dining plan), and if I hadn't gone out of my way to fill out that silly online form, I probably would have left Le Cellier content, if not thrilled. However, things got better from this point on, so perhaps I just had a bit of bad luck.

Okay, enough of that. Now onto dinner. Having had a big, fancy lunch (well, expensive, anyway), we both wanted something small and simple for dinner, so we headed to the Beach Club Marketplace to see what we could find. This is really more of a "shop with a little food counter", than a restaurant, but they have some nice options we can't find right at the Boardwalk, and it's close enough to walk to and bring back to the room. (Well, it's a little bit of a walk, but we don't mind.) In addition to the usual fruit cup and chips and side items, they also have made-to-order sandwiches and salads. Hubby got a nice turkey sandwich, and I went for the salad.

Now this actually turned out to be one of the happy surprises of the trip. I don't know if my picture does it justice, but this was a BIG salad. It cost $8.99, but I actually got two full meals out of this salad, and hubby ate some of it, too. I had the choice of Romaine, or mixed greens for the base (I chose mixed greens), and I added cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, shredded carrots, and almonds. (They also had some sort of hot peppers, onions, and walnuts and cranberries - the last 2 items might be seasonal, though.) I chose the Zinfadel vinaigrette dressing. I asked for the dressing on the side - not a problem. Back in the room, I just put the portion I wanted in a separate (Dixie) bowl, and saved the rest in the mini-fridge for later. Worked perfectly, and it was just as good the next day. I added a bagel from the room, and this made a very nice meal.

So, it wasn't a bad day - just a little disappointing. But things got better, so stay tuned for more!

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 3

2009-12-26T15:26:00.000-08:00

Today wasn't too terribly exciting, food-wise, so I'll start by saying that I did actually have a number of tasty snacks stashed in my room. While there are, actually, a fair number of vegan treats available in the parks, it's nice to have something special available in the room, so I usually either place an order online at someplace like Vegan Essentials, or Pangea before the trip, or stop by my local natural foods store and stock up on treats. This time, I splurged on a couple of Go Max Go candy bars. Have you tried these? They are vegan versions of popular candy bars: Snickers, Milky Way, Almond Joy and 3 Musketeers, and they are GOOD! I also had a nice supply of vegan microwave popcorn - a staple at my house.

I'm really not quite sure why (well, maybe partly to save money), but I didn't sample a lot of treats in the parks this year. Usually, though, at least a couple of soft pretzels, and some cinnamon-glazed almonds get sampled every trip, as well as a Kaki Gori (snow-cone-type-thing, available in the Japan pavilion). Divvies chocolate chip cookies were also pretty easy to find this trip.

Well, today started the same as every day, with breakfast in the room. We were headed to Disney's Hollywood Studios, so for lunch, we hit one of my favorite counter-service places - Backlot Express. I had my heart set on their Grilled Vegetable Sandwich. When ordered without the cheese, this sandwich is vegan, and really really good. In the past, this has always required a short wait, but I never had any trouble simply asking the cast member for the sandwich "minus cheese". However, I found that the cast member taking orders had to wait for a manager to assist, before the sandwich could be modified. I had to explain that "no, I don't have an allergy - I'm a vegan". The manager pulled out the big ingredients book, and I had to take a look at the list and verify that the sandwich was safe for me to eat. But the end result was, as I had hoped, a very tasty sandwich, with a side of black bean salad. This remains one of my favorite counter-service options at WDW.

For dinner, we found ourselves at the Magic Kingdom. One of my favorites here is actually from the Tomorrowland Noodle Terrace - which is only "open seasonally" (or, in other words, almost never), and wasn't open now. Columbia Harbour House still has a vegan chili, but it didn't appeal to me this evening. So, we headed for Cosmic Rays, hoping that I could just order a vegetarian burger on the vegan tapioca roll, with fries.

It wasn't to be. Once again, the cast member wouldn't modify anything, and didn't seem to understand the term "vegan" - I had say the "A" word before I got any coherent response. Once I said "allergies", I was again asked to wait for a manager. The manager arrived, and pulled out the big ingredients book. I politely explained that I just wanted a vegetarian burger on a tapioca roll. "Oh, you mean the gluten-free roll, right?" So he opened the book to show me the ingredients. While he did seem to know what "vegan" means, he was extremely careful to explain that I must read the ingredients and decide for myself if it is safe for me to eat. He was also quick to point out that the french fries are cooked in the same oil as the chicken, so I won't want those. In the end, I did manage to get a veggie burger on a (very dry, very crumbly) vegan tapioca roll, with a side of apple slices. I didn't starve, but it was not one of my tastier meals. Yes, the tapioca rolls are vegan - they have no eggs, no dairy, no wheat, and no flavor. By the time we finally ate, I was a bit disheartened, and completely forgot to take a picture. However, I did have a second veggie burger later in the trip - there will be a picture on day 7.

By the end of the week, it was quite clear that things had changed at Walt Disney World. While I appreciate Disney's attempt to accommodate everyone, it has definitely become more difficult for the average vegan to place a simple order. I really believe that this is as much a liability issue, as it is a concern for the guests' well-being. In short, as far as I can tell, regular cast members can no longer modify anything - you order of the menu, or you get a manager. While a manager will modify whatever they can based on ingredients on hand, and will follow your requests, they will insist that you read the ingredients book first and clearly state that you are aware of what you are ordering, and that it fits your needs. (In other words, if it's not okay for you, it's your own fault.) Also, even if you clearly explain that you are a vegan, and that trace amounts of offending foods aren't going to hurt you, they will still insist on preparing your food in a separate location to avoid cross-contamination. Not that I don't think that's a good thing, but at a theme park, I personally tend to be a bit more lax, and would rather speed things up a bit than take the extra precautions.

Please understand, I applaud their efforts, and I respect that many of you may think this is wonderful. But for me personally, it made this trip a lot more complicated. However, simply knowing what to expect is half the battle, so I'm sure my next trip will be easier, and hopefully your will be, too.

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 2

2009-12-21T15:45:00.001-08:00

Well, it's taking me longer than I intended to get to this, but I promise I will share the whole vacation eventually. :-)

Day 2, Sunday December 6, starts with breakfast in the room. Actually, that's how we started every day. While I would like to try a sit-down breakfast at Walt Disney World someday, it's such an easy meal to do in the room that it never seems worth the hassle. I bring my favorite cereal, and order soy milk from GardenGrocer.com. Actually, I guess I should talk about that, too. For our last three or four trips, we've gone online and ordered groceries from GardenGrocer.com. It's a wonderful little service - you choose from a pretty decent selection of items, including things like soy milk and Earth Balance margarine, which are hard to pack in your suitcase, and they go shopping and deliver everything to your resort. Disney's great about storing it all, if your room isn't ready yet. So far, the cold stuff has always been cold, and the frozen stuff has always been frozen.

On our last several trips, this worked without a hitch. I couldn't have been happier with the service. We got what we ordered, at the time it was promised, in perfect condition - and each time, I received calls confirming that the order was received, and confirming when it was delivered. Sadly, this was not the case on our most recent trip. I hoping that this was just "one of those things", but... we didn't receive a call when the groceries were delivered. Not a big deal - I was looking for them, called and was informed that they had been delivered, called bell services and they were there. However...

The order was wrong. Several items were missing, and in their place I found two frozen cheese pizzas. That's, obviously, a problem. I did not order anything even vaguely resembling a pizza, and of course, I don't eat cheese pizza. Also, in place of the vegan Earth Balance margarine was a non-vegan Smart Balance. So I called Garden Grocer, ready to accept that mistakes happen, and just wanting them to fix it. Instead, the woman on the phone tried to say it was my fault. I must have ordered the wrong thing. (I didn't - I had the print-out of my order right in front of me.) Okay, I must have made some special requests. (I didn't. Everything I ordered was off their list.) Well, sometimes they have to make substitutions. (Okay, this would explain the margarine, but *not* the two pizzas.) Well, clearly Disney must have screwed up and given you the wrong order. (No - all the bags were clearly labeled with my first and last name.)

Finally, she agreed to pick up the wrong items, and deliver the right ones the next day. In the end, it all worked out. But I was not particularly impressed with how it was handled. While I *might* use them again, I would at the very least caution anyone trying their service to put a special note on your order: no substitutions, items must be vegan, call my cell phone if questions (or something like that).

But onto more pleasant things. Breakfast in the room (the soy milk did arrive, and I had brought my own cereal); packed a snack bar (of which I think I eventually ate a total of two on the trip), and hit the parks. Today was Magic Kingdom day, with reservations at the Crystal Palace. I was looking forward to this for two reasons: I had heard that they are very accommodating to vegans, and I was looking forward to meeting Winnie the Pooh. Well, I struck out on both counts... but before I detail that, I want to mention that the two best meals of the trip came later. I promise this isn't all doom and gloom!

We arrived at the Crystal Palace about 15 minutes before our lunch time (I think it 11:35am). We usually try to eat early for all our meals, in hopes of missing the biggest part of the crowds. Of course, most of the table-service restaurants are pretty well booked, so I'm not sure that it really matters for those. We got a pager, and waited on the porch for our name to be called. The place was pretty crazy. When they did call our name, we had a heck of a time pushing through the masses, in order to get to the door. But this is Disney, crowds are to be expected, and the restaurant really didn't seem that crazy once we got inside.

We were seated, and the waitress asked me about my "allergies". That was the theme of the week. There isn't a box for "vegan" on the online reservations system, so I just marked "allergic to dairy, eggs and shellfish", and hoped that the forms I filled out with Special Diets would take care of it. The waitress was very nice - I can't fault her for anything. She was attentive, and available when we needed her. Per the usual routine, she asked the chef to come to my table.

After a brief wait, the chef arrived at our table, and asked what I needed. I explained that I was a vegan, and explained that I had provided some information to Disney Special Diets in advance. It became immediately clear that he did not know I was coming. Okay, I was a bit disappointed, but as long as he was willing to work with me, that was fine. Well, he wasn't all that willing. In fact, during our brief conversation, he seemed downright annoyed that he had to deal with me. In all of my visits to Disney, this was the rudest I had ever been treated by a cast member. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh. I will say, though, that he made me feel bad for being a vegan, and that's something no Disney chef has ever done.

But, grudgingly, he walked me through the buffet. It was pretty clear that he didn't know much about veganism. I did my best to explain what I do and don't eat; however, I'm a little nervous to send other vegans here because I'm not absolutely certain that what he described as vegan really was. But I'll share my experience with the caveat that anyone eating here should ask questions and make their own decision before eating any of these items.

First, he showed me the salad selection - the area where I usually have the most luck, and that turned out to be the case here. He said that most of the salad choices were vegan, but unfortunately the fruit salad clearly said "honey- lime dressing", so I avoided that one. There were the usual leafy greens with a couple of vinaigrette dressings, some plain chunks of watermelon, a cous-cous salad, cucumber salad, and potato salad. Here's a shot of the part of the salad buffet:

(The bottom row, from left to right, shows Moroccan Cous-Cous and Parsley Salad, Seedless Cucumber and Pickled Ginger Salad and Potato Salad - all said to be vegan.)

I tried most of what I mentioned above. The potato salad was just not really my thing, and while the cous-cous salad was fine, I really prefer my grains hot. But the mixed leafy greens and watermelon made a suitable start to my meal.

The chef also told me that all the bread was vegan. I can't be certain, but these rolls looked to be the safest, and I couldn't taste anything in them that would tell me otherwise. Of course, I did eat them plain and dry.

Next, he showed me around the hot foods. I had trouble getting decent shots of the rest of the buffet, due to crowds, but most of the dishes were not vegan. The ones that were: broccoli, Cinnamon and Lemon Infused Basmatic Rice, mixed stir-fried vegetables, and Ratatouille. I was also told that the children's green beans were vegan, but my taste-buds told me that might not be true. I thought I tasted butter, so I avoided them after the first bite. Here's what my plate looked like:

Okay, I have to say that, other than the green beans, this was all pretty tasty. The Ratatouille was quite good - so good, in fact, that my non-vegan hubby is going to try and reproduce it at home for me this weekend! The rice and other vegetables were fine, too, though given the choice, I wouldn't normally put cinnamon rice with Ratatouille.

All in all, it was a "fine" meal, and I didn't leave hungry. However, that was all I got. The chef did not offer to make or modify anything else. He made it pretty clear that this would have to do - nothing else was available.

What about dessert? The chef said that if I let the server know when I was ready, he could probably get me some Tofutti. I don't often eat dessert at home, so even plain vanilla Tofutti is a bit of a treat for me. It was the beginning of the trip, and I was happy with that. What really surprised me, though (and not in a good way), was the small serving and lack of effort that the chef went to. Now, bearing in mind that every table around us is filled with people getting GIGANTIC servings of all sorts of sweets and treats, you'd think that I would have gotten at least a normal-size bowl of Tofutti, and perhaps a Divvie's cookie on the side. Nope. What I got was, seriously, about three spoonfulls worth of plain vanilla Tofutti, in a teeny-tiny serving dish. I'm not sure if that's evident from this photo, but those scoops were probably made by a melon-baller - not a traditional ice cream scoop.

Now, despite being an omnivore, I really do have a wonderful, loving husband who looks out for me. Knowing my love of strawberries, he made a special trip to the dessert table, found a bowl of plain strawberries, and brought back a nice little plate full of them. With my butter knife, I was actually able to embellish the Tofutti myself, and while still a small serving, I did enjoy it.

Last but not least, I should mention that this is a character meal, meaning that while we ate, critters from the Hundred Acre Woods were making the rounds, signing autographs, and posing for pictures. Sadly, I managed to miss Winnie the Pooh - but I don't fault the restaurant for this. The place was pretty packed, and despite my planning, I managed to be at the buffet when the big bear passed our way. However, I did get to meet Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore. And, while I pretty much hate looking at pictures of myself, I'll share one of them:

Would I go back to Crystal Palace? Maybe. But if I do, it will be lowered expectations and possibly a meeting with a chef a few days before the meal.

As for the rest of the day, we opted to eat a small dinner in the room - baked potato and frozen peas, ordered from Garden Grocer. Nothing special, but it worked.

That's all for today. It's my big holiday weekend, and I have vowed not to spend the whole thing in front of the computer. But I will be back - with bigger and better meals (well, a couple at least). In the meantime, I wish all of you a very happy vegan holiday season!

a bashful vegan WDW holiday - day 1

2009-12-20T12:34:00.000-08:00

As I have so completely enjoyed reading similar blog posts from other vegans, I am going to write out a complete food report of our recent Walt Disney World vacation, listing pretty much everything I ate during our whole trip. I am sad to report that some of this will probably serve more as a "what not to do" primer, but if it helps any other vegans to have a better vacation, then it's worth it.

First, let me just start by saying that I had a wonderful vacation. Walt Disney World never fails to amaze me. In my opinion, the magic and wonder are as alive as ever. But, this is the bashful "vegan" blog, so onto the food.

Day 1 - Saturday, December 5. I mentioned the cookies in my last post, but didn't clarify. They're made by the AlternativeBaking Company (ABC), and are available from most online vegan sources (as well as, surprisingly, the Columbus airport!). As for the flight itself, they did offer a couple of free snacks, neither of which was vegan (for those who avoid honey) - honey-roasted peanuts and some sort of cheese cracker.

We arrived close to lunch-time, and the Clif bar I'd had at the airport was wearing off. (For the record, I always carry Clif bars on vacation - I had one with me pretty much at all times. While I don't often eat them at home - too many calories for my newer, healthier diet - they are such a blessing on vacations. Tasty, filling, and easy to carry - I rely on them when vegan food is scarce or inconvenient.) As we were staying at the Boardwalk Villas Resort, we decided to just make a quick stop at the Boardwalk Bakery for something easy. I settled for a fresh fruit cup and some chips. This was one of the few times I forgot to take a photo, but it was nothing memorable. I'm glad that fresh fruit is pretty easy to find at Walt Disney World (though a bit pricey), but in general it's not a substitute for a meal.

By dinnertime, I was looking for something a bit more substantial, so we headed for an old favorite: Sunshine Seasons, in the land pavilion in Epcot. The Asian station here used to offer a vegetarian entree, which was actually a combination of all their veggie side dishes. It was tasty and filling, and is sadly no longer listed on the menu. However, it's possible that you could still request it - it looked like they still had all the dishes that make it up. Instead, they now offer a Tofu and Vegetable Noodle Bowl, which I decided to try. It was a scoop of stir-fried veggies, a scoop of the lo mein noodles, a scoop of soft tofu cubes, and some vegetable broth. Quite tasty and filling - I was actually very happy with it. To finish it off, I went ahead and got some Divvies chocolate chip cookies. While these are not my absolute favorite, I'm just thrilled to see vegan cookies sitting out in the open. (They also had gluten-free brownies readily available.)

Over-all, not a bad dinner. And the end of day one. I will be posting each day separately, so be on the look-out for day two, and our first of four "sit-down" meals!

a quick teaser

2009-12-17T16:20:00.001-08:00

I'm back! I have returned home from a wonderful Walt Disney World vacation, and I have lots to blog about! However, I also have tons of dirty laundry, bills to pay, all sorts of work to catch up on... so, instead of trying to blog a whole vacation in one sitting, I'm going to do it one day at a time. But even that's more than I have time for tonight. So, I'll just start with a couple of general comments.

Okay, I really *really* really hate to say this, but on the whole, my vegan dining experiences for this trip were disappointing. There were a couple of very wonderful meals that were all I could have hoped for (and they will get extensive attention), but they were the exception to the rule. This is what I learned, regarding sit-down restaurants: CALL AHEAD, AND SPEAK TO A CHEF! Disney actually told me *not* to do this, but everything I *did* do was a complete waste of time. Lesson learned. More on that later.

For now, all I've got time for is one tiny happy surprise I found before I ever got to Florida. To my total and complete surprise, the Columbus airport actually sells vegan cookies! And not just any vegan cookies, but really good ones! I have since checked out two other airports (Orlando, of course, and Denver Colorado about two months ago), and never found any. Given the dinky size of the Columbus airport, I was shocked to make this wonderful discovery. Needless to say, I stocked up for the trip.

Next post will have actual Disney food in it - I promise!

a few little notes

2009-11-22T06:29:00.001-08:00

First, I just have to share with you all that one of my favorite bloggers has posted an awesome update! Vegan Satori has given us yet another amazing travel-log - everything he ate on his most recent Walt Disney World trip, along with pictures! Click here to read this amazing blog (and be sure to bring a snack, because his tasty descriptions are sure to make you hungry!).

Next up, I just want to clarify a little something that a nice reader named Molly pointed out to me: the intro on AllEars.net for the Vegetarian/Vegan Counter-Service Meals In the Parks page states: "I believe that all Disney french fries are vegan, except for those clearly advertised as McDonald's fries. (I believe that McDonalds has discontinued the beef flavoring, but they may contain dairy and wheat)." Well, as far as I know, there are no longer any McDonald's products in the parks. I believe they have all been phased out. However, there are still two McD's on Disney property. So, for any vegetarians who might have taken this as a signal that McD's fries are now, in fact, vegetarian, I'm afraid this might not be the case. It appears that McDonald's is again (or still?) using beef flavoring in their fries. This will be corrected on the next update, but I wanted to give everyone a warning.

And last but not least... I received a wonderful e-mail from a reader names Michelle. She was nice enough to fill me in on her latest trip to the WDW. Just to give you some highlights that might be helpful to future travelers: She had an awesome breakfast at 'Ohana (Lilo & Stitch character meal). After speaking with the chef, she received an amazing tofu scramble prepared with tamari sauce, snow peas, and other goodies. She also received a vegetarian enchilada with veggie cowboy beans at Whispering Canyon Cafe. The chefs at both Tusker House and Crystal Palace (both buffets) also made sure they were well taken care of. Her only disappointment was the princess breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. (I will say again that the draw here has never been the food. It's the thrill of eating in the castle with princesses. But given the price and difficulty in getting ressies, you *really* have to want this.)

And yet one more update! As I was typing this up, I received an e-mail from Doug, telling me that the WDW Special Diets people have told him that "you can go to the Main Street Bakery at Magic Kingdom and speak with a manager or chef, and they will prepare a "to go" box meal to pick up for lunch or dinner later in the day (but they don't take advance requests before the day you want it)." This is totally news to me, but I might just have to check it out for myself on my next trip! Speaking of which, that next trip is getting closer. Expect some really detailed updates from me in the not-too-distant future. Until then, happy Disney dining!

just checking in

2009-08-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't disappeared. I'm just being a bit more "bashful" than usual, I guess. Okay, okay... truth be told, I'm having trouble coming up with new Disney vegan bashful news between trips. If we ever move to Florida, I'll keep this blog jumping. :-)

In the meantime, I thought I'd do a little surfing, and see if I could come up with any new vegan Disney news... and sadly, what I found is a whole lot of out-of-date references. It's easy to start a vegan Disney blog, but not so easy to keep one up, I think. I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open, though, for any and all news that might appeal to my tiny handful of readers.

There is one vegan blog I have enjoyed quite a bit, and she just recently finished up a 5-part post on her trip to Walt Disney World, complete with food pictures! The rest of the blog is also worth a look-see... but be forewarned - I usually get very hungry when I read this blog, LOL. This is one vegan who knows how to find good eats! Be sure to visit Megan's blog at Say It's Not Soy. There's a link on the right side to her Walt Disney World posts, or this link will take you there directly. Despite all of my WDW trips, Megan managed to find some treats I didn't know about! (And, she gives yet another stellar review of 'Ohana - I *so* need to eat there!)

Now, back to my trip-planning. Yes, it looks like we may have another Disney trip planned for later this year! The details are still being worked out, but despite a lack of funds, we've decided that WDW is a large part of what makes life worth living. Right now, I'm battling with the desire to buy a new copy of Passporter. During our 12 years of WDW trips, I've probably bought a couple dozen Disney guidebooks - and read every one cover-to-cover. You would think I wouldn't need any more guidebooks, but Passporter is different. It has all the necessary tools for planning a trip, keeping all of your notes and ressie numbers and important papers organized, and it's the best way to save all your memories after the trip is over. And their website is full of more information and a very busy and helpful message board. I have tried several different methods for trip planning - spreadsheets, index cards, various notebooks... all with varying degrees of success. But still, none of them works as well as a Passporter. (No, I don't own stock in the company, LOL - just a satisfied customer.)

Here's hoping that all of you have Walt Disney World trips in the making, too!

possibly helpful disney link

2009-06-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

A very nice blog reader, Michael, pointed out to me that Disney does, in fact, have a page up on their website now regarding Special Dietary Requests. At a glance, there isn't a whole lot of useful information there (nothing more than I've already shared with you), but there is a phone number that they recommend you call 14 days before your trip. I haven't tried it yet (wish I had an excuse to!), but I will definitely be giving it a try on my next trip.

I often get asked about the best way to get your needs met at the full-service restaurants. I usually recommend the following:

(1) Make a dining reservation through Disney Dining, and ask them to make a note about your dietary restrictions on the reservation.
(2) Call the restaurant directly 72 hours before your meal (either through the direct phone number, if you can get it, or by being transferred there through the usual reservations number), and ask to speak to a chef. Explain your situation and discuss options.
(3) When you check in at the restaurant, always ask to speak to a chef. Do not rely on the wait staff to be able to help you.

While I still recommend this, a couple of e-mails, including Michael's, have reminded me that step number 2 may be easier said than done. I have confessed before that I'm really, really, REALLY bashful, and that I pretty much ignore my own advice and skip step number 2. I still usually manage okay, but I do miss out on some the extraordinary meals that other vegans have reported getting. However, bashfulness is only part of the problem - getting through to a restaurant directly can be difficult. Cast members don't generally give out the direct numbers, and would prefer not to put you through.

Part of this is because they have been told that by simply noting your dietary needs on your reservation, you will be taken care of when you arrive at the restaurant. In my experience, this is only partially true. Yes, sit-down restaurants (with a rare exception here or there) will do their best to make sure you get fed. However, they can only work with the ingredients they have on hand, and with any knowledge they already have stored up. If you call ahead, they can get in any necessary ingredients, and possibly research more recipes. Your choices will almost certainly increase with prior arrangements.

With that being said, let me say that, if the phone calls don't work, you can always go to "step 2 - plan B". As soon as you arrive at Walt Disney World for your vacation, go directly to the restaurant itself and ask to speak to a chef in person. You might have a short wait (I'd recommend you avoid the busy meal-rush times), but I've never been told "no". Depending on when your meal is, they may not have quite as much time to prepare, but even a couple hours notice is better than none. Now, this is extremely time-consuming, and rather a pain, depending on where your meal is - that's why I call this "plan B". However, it should be effective. Personally, I'd only bother with this for the most expensive or most "special" meals. But for those, it could very well be worth the effort.

If you will be staying at a Disney resort, you could also try working with your Lobby Concierge. Again, like with the phone calls, I've had mixed results with this - depends entirely on the cast member working at that time. But if you can catch the right person, they might be willing to connect you to the restaurant chefs.

Of course, hopefully this new number on Disney's website will help us all to eat better with less effort. If anyone tries this, I'd love to hear how it works out for you!

And if all else fails, just remember that the chefs are generally all very eager to help. Even without prior notice, you still stand a good chance of getting "something". And, the more specific and creative you can be with your request, the better they can work with you.

Good luck, and Happy Disney Dining!

amazing disney dining review

2009-05-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

For anyone planning a trip to Walt Disney World, you've just got to check out this new blog by Vegan Satori. This vegan has given a nice, long, detailed report of his latest vegan Disney dining experiences, just full of photos and tasty morsels of advice. I must confess that I actually learned a few things from him...

which leads me to an apology, and a word of advice. According to Vegan Satori, the standard buns used for the veggie burgers at the counter-service locations are *not* vegan, as I had been previously told. Either I received some incorrect information, or they changed at some point. There *are* vegan buns available - but you have to ask. I will follow up on this when I can, but in the meantime, if this is a concern for you, please *ask*before taking anything for granted.

To end this on a positive note, though, this new blogger reported getting some good service where others have not, leading me once again to believe that most of the bad experiences I hear about are the exception, and that for the most-part, Disney cast members continue to go out of their way to take care of us.

Happy Disney Dining!

picnics and the animal kingdom lodge

2009-05-20T04:16:00.000-07:00

Two bits of exciting news! First, you may have all heard about the "Picnic in the Park" being offered at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The park is now offering a "picnic lunch" all wrapped up in a nice reusable bag. You purchase the lunch, and then you can eat it at any of the nice "picnic spots" around the park. This is such a beautiful park that a picnic sounds like a pretty good idea. However, when it was first announced, the meal options were pretty much what you would expect: meat, meat or meat. But never fear - Disney has come through for us veggie lovers! They now offer a portobello mushroom and vegetable wrap, along with a number of veggie and fruit side options! I have yet to confirm if the wrap is vegan, but I'm guessing that it will be. You can check out the menu and details here, at AllEars.net. If anyone tries this, I'd love to hear your opinion!

And in our second bit of exciting news, the new restaurant, Sanaa, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, has officially opened. This restaurant is part of the new Disney Vacation Club section added onto the lodge. Unlike the other two (wonderful) restaurants at the lodge, this one was designed so that the savannah comes almost right up to the windows, offering some amazing views of grazing animals while you dine. I had hoped that, as with the other two restaurants, this one would be reasonably veggie-friendly - and it appears to be even better than hoped! They actually have both a vegetarian menu and a vegan menu! How's that for veggie-friendly! Thanks to AllEars.net, the first reports from diners are in, and while the menu is just a bit exotic for some, in general the reviews seem to be positive - though I haven't yet heard from a vegetarian or vegan. I'm not sure when my next trip to the World will be, but you can bet I'll be adding Sanaa to my "must try" list!

That's it for today. My plan is to begin work on an article about the off-site veggie-friendly restaurants in the Orlando area. I never seem to be able to tear myself away from Disney property on my own visits, so I'm going to have to rely entirely on the information I've received from others. If you have any info or advice, please let me know! I know this is a subject of some interest to vacationing Disney diners, so hopefully I can shed at least a little light on the subject.

Happy Disney Dining!

popcorn and ice cream

2009-05-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of vegan Disney news bits I wanted to get out there...

I just got word that the popcorn at Walt Disney World may have changed. As I'm not there (bummer!), I haven't been able to confirm this myself yet, but Lisa (another observant guest), mentioned to me that the popcorn kiosks no longer display the Orville Redenbacher name. As I've mentioned before, after some effort, I had found that the popcorn sold at Disney parks was, in fact, vegan. They used a combination of corn, canola, palm and coconut oils to pop it in. This may still be the case, but since the popcorn itself has changed, I cannot be certain that the oil is the same anymore. I plan to find this out at my earliest convenience, but for the time-being, please be aware that it *may* not be vegan anymore. (If anyone has more information, please let me know, and I'll make sure I post it!)

I also received a very nice e-mail from Elizabeth, with an unfortunate story about the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor at the Magic Kingdom. She knew that both Toffuti and Rice Dream were reported to be available here, and she was eager to try a non-dairy ice cream. She proceeded to ask for some, and the cast member working the counter asked her if she had an allergy. She responded "no", to which the cast member responded with "I'm sorry, but that product is only for those with allergies". What?!!! She nicely asked to speak to a manager, and eventually she did get her frozen treat, but it wasn't without difficulty. In my heart of hearts, I really want to believe that this was a one-time fluke - a misguided cast member that simply didn't understand. But I felt it was important to pass it on.

Here's my feelings on the subject: I really, really hate to lie, but I have to admit that the word "allergy" certainly gets more attention than "preference, diet or vegetarian/vegan". I still believe that it is important for us to use the "V" word, because it gets the word out there. The more of us vegans that speak up, the more the world will start to recognize this as a reasonable path, and understand that vegan options need to be made available. However, I won't begrudge anyone who feels the need to mention allergies, if you feel it will help you get an animal-free item. And as far as Disney is concerned? Never be afraid to ask for a manager. While I hope you never have to, as long as you are polite, most often Disney managers will do what they have to, to make things right.

Thanks Lisa and Elizabeth for the heads up! Happy Disney Dining! ºoº

just a couple of notes

2009-04-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

While I have a couple ideas for future posts, I seem to be a little low on motivation at the moment. So here's just a quick little note to let you all know that the bashful vegan is still bashful, still vegan, and still a Disney geek - and I do plan to post more in the future.

For today, I want to share with you all the most amazing e-zine *ever* - AllEars. Yes, I know I tend to go on and on about the website, but I haven't mentioned the newsletter before. It's an amazing way to get a bit of Pixie Dust dropped in your e-mail box every week. And don't just take my word for it - this newsletter just published its 500th issue, and they've topped over 117,000 subscribers! Is that amazing or what? Their latest issue talks about how the newsletter has grown - and it's just chock-full of happy Disney stuff. Here's the link to sign up: AllEars - the unofficial newsletter about Walt Disney World

And for a bit of Disney news: Spoodles, a mediterranean restaurant located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort, is set to close soon, and will re-open this fall as Kouzzina by Cat Cora, a celebrity chef from the Food Network's Iron Chef series. Now, I don't actually know that much about Cat Cora, and I have no particular reason to think that this restaurant will "veggie friendly", but I will say that Chef Cat Cora clearly has her heart in the right place, so I have high hopes. She has joined the fight to protect Canadian seals, and pledged to boycott all Canadian seafood.

That's it for today. Happy Disney Dining!

hoo-dee-doo hoopla

2009-04-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

In November of 2007, hubby and I decided to be truly adventurous and give the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review a try. This is a dinner show found at Fort Wilderness. It features some good old-fashioned country-western song and dance, slapstick, corny jokes, and a lot of meat. It's not normally the kind of thing that hubby and I would go for, but so many people rave about it. I suppose curiosity had gotten the better of us, so we decided to see what all the hoopla was about.

Now, I had two different concerns with this dinner: (1) I'm a vegan, and (2) I'm bashful as all-get-out. Well, it turns out that both concerns were valid, and this probably isn't an experience I will repeat. But I'm still glad I tried it once, and perhaps my review will help others decide if it's for them.

Ressies are a necessity for this popular meal, so I called ahead and made sure that they noted my special dietary needs. I intentionally booked "Category 3" seats, not just because they were the least expensive, but mostly because these seats are the farthest from the stage, and I assumed that this meant we would be safer from the general mayhem. Here's where I will quickly add a warning given to me quite some time ago by another bashful diner: if you're shy, do *not* go to this show alone. Like a lot of places at WDW, the cast members seem to make it their goal to make solo diners feel "included". At this particular event, that can mean targeting you for some serious attention - the very last thing a bashful diner wants. This was most decidedly not a pleasant experience for her. (Of course, if you're the more out-going type, by all means indulge in this special attention.)

When we arrived at Walt Disney World, we picked up our tickets for the show at our resort's Lobby Concierge. Again, I explained to the cast member my concerns about finding vegan food here. Again, I was assured that they would take care of me. And here I made my biggest mistake - I took her word for it and didn't follow up. Vegans, please learn from my mistake and call this place directly 72 hours in advance, and don't give up until you speak with a chef. I should have, I knew I should have, but I wimped out.

So, our night arrives for the big show. We hopped a bus to Fort Wilderness, hoping we would be able to find Pioneer Hall when we got there. We were under the impression that we'd need to switch to an internal bus. It wasn't necessary. Pioneer Hall is a short walk from the main bus stop, and we actually found the place with very little stress and without having to ask for directions. We checked in, and were directed to a line for our photo op. Our picture was taken by a bail of hay, and we were told we could pick it up later... for a fee. ($29.95 - we passed. But I just have to ask - why do they print off several copies before they even know if you'll buy?)

Shortly after, we're seated on the second floor balcony, with a nice view... of a pole, LOL. Now mind you, we did pay for the cheapest seats. And really it wasn't that bad. If I leaned over a little, I could see around the pole. It wasn't ideal, but it was good enough for us. I was far more worried about being picked on then having a good view. And wouldn't you know it? Being on the balcony, in the worst seats, does *not* save you from embarrassment! Five minutes into the show, we're turned toward the stage when we hear something behind us. We turn around to find Dolly right at my hubby's elbow. She gives him a huge smile and asks where he's from. The whole cast, spread around the room, goes into a really really corny song about different states, all the while Dolly's by our side, singing right to us. ("They're from Ohi-o, hope to die-o." Was that the best she could come up with?) However, my darling (also bashful) hubby was just so relieved not to be Frank! This poor guy on the floor, about 3 tables back from the stage, was singled out later by Dolly also - only she sat on his lap, ran her fingers through his hair, and most definitely made him the center of attention! Hubby and I both would have died if that had happened to him!

Now, as for the food... as soon as we were seated, I immediately told our server that I was a vegan. And pretty much immediately, I got the impression that I should've gone to greater lengths to make prior arrangements. The server just started rambling off that, "well, this has butter, and that won't work, and this is no good... hmmm... I think we could get you some grilled vegetables, and we might be able to find you some white rice. Would that be okay?" Now, perhaps I should've pushed, but generally, I take what's offered because I hate making a fuss. And honestly, if done right, grilled veggies over rice can make a nice meal. Here's the problem - they seemed to be entirely lacking in spices. I don't know how they managed it, but this was about the blandest meal I've ever had at WDW. It was plentiful, and filling, so that was a plus. And it actually looked quite nice on plate. However, it looked a lot better than it tasted. Points for presentation, but they need serious help in the flavor department. Here's a photo:

That, along with a little salad (sans dressing) was about all they could muster. For dessert, I recieved some plain fruit. Again, not terrible - just boring. And I will say this: had this been a $10.00 meal at a regular restaurant, I would probably have been satisfied. Instead, I paid the same price as everyone else (currently $50.99 for one adult - for the cheap seats!), for considerably less.

This next photo is a little fuzzy, but it gives you a pretty good idea of the view we had (when I leaned over a bit, to avoid that pole on the left).

This next photo shows the cast singing and dancing out on the floor. A good portion of the show has them prancing around the room - hence the "bashful" warning.

Here's one of my better shots of the action on the stage. The cast is certainly good at what they do.

And, last but not least, here's a photo of my favorite part of the show, though I'm not sure the same can be said for this poor fella. He was one of the audience volunteers that performed in the last number. During that number, he wore a HUGE cowboy hat that obscured his intire face - he couldn't even see where he was going. However, when they took the hat off, the little guy was so nervous that he refused to take his hands off his face. The big cowboy dude is saying "Here's a certificate to commemorate your experience. I know you can't see it right now, but it will be a nice souvenir to have later." Too cute!

So, in closing, I will say this. While it's corny to the max, the show itself is very cute. It's definitely good, clean family fun. But if you're bashful, be prepared for possible unwanted attention, and if you're a vegan CALL AHEAD, and don't rest until you've spoken with a chef.

quick tip

2009-04-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of bigger updates in the works, but tonight will just be a quick tip.

Thanks to Sally, I've been reminded that there's something I recommend to just about every vegan who writes to me, but I have yet to mention it here: bring your own food. Now this might sound like a contradiction. After all, I spend a lot of time suggesting the best places for vegans to buy food in the parks and resorts. However:

Going to Walt Disney World is supposed to be fun. And "hungry" isn't fun. In fact, if you're anything like me, "Bashful" quickly becomes "Grumpy" when mealtime runs late. Now, after 15 trips I usually have a pretty good idea where to find a vegan item when I need it - I almost never have to go hungry. But that's with lots of practice. And even so, I still never leave the hotel room without a vegan energy bar in my little waist-pack. I usually don't need it, but it's nice to know it's there.

And it's more than just not going hungry. Maybe you have a comfort food, or a particular treat that makes you happy. Or maybe there's just a regular item that you eat every day, and that if you don't have it, something just feels off. If it's at all possible, bring it with it, or have it shipped to your hotel to arrive when you do. Or order it from Garden Grocer, or pick it up on the way to the resort. It's a vacation - you want to feel pampered, not deprived.

As for bringing food into the parks? Okay, here's the deal: the official Disney policy is that they do not allow outside food into the parks. The reality, though, is that after having my bag full of snacks checked at security countless times, not once has anyone ever said a word about my food. As long as you do not have any bottles or booze, or a full-size cooler, security won't say a word if you're packing snacks. And even if they do, Disney does officially make exceptions in the case of special diets. Just explain that you're a vegan, and that you can't find this item in the parks. But trust me - they won't say anything.

Again, I'm the last person to recommend breaking the rules, but in our case, it really is a matter of dietary need. And it's not just for the parks. There's no harm in keeping some food in your hotel room as well. I am hoping that my little blog will make it easier for you to find plenty to eat at Disney, but if a little planning will your trip that much sweeter, why not?

I'll leave you with an image of one of my favorite treats, though this one *is* available at Walt Disney World. Just check out the truly decadent chocolate shop at Downtown Disney. :-)

table talk, part 2

2009-04-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've shared some of my favorite table-service memories, but to give you the bigger picture, I think I need to share some of the less-than-perfect meals, too. Forewarned is forearmed, or something like that. But just as a reminder, every dining experience is unique, and I still say that, for vegans, the service you get can mean a lot more than what's on the menu. Catch the right chef, and it could be your lucky day! Call ahead, and your odds most likely improve as well.

In an attempt to be more organized, I'll try to group these by park. Let's start at the Magic Kingdom. Crystal Palace is a buffet with "character" - you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and friends. While I haven't tried this one myself yet, it actually gets high praise from other vegans as one of the most accommodating buffets. It's on my list to try. The Plaza Restaurant is another good choice that I haven't tried yet. There's a vegetarian sandwich on the menu, veganizable by request. And I've heard they usually stock Tofutti and Rice Dream for dessert. Liberty Tree Tavern was a bit disappointing. Dinner is a family-style meat-fest, but lunch usually offers a vegetarian option. The menu has changed since I ate here about a year ago, but at the time I felt it was just "okay". Tony's Town Square Restaurant was another that just didn't live up to my expectations - very generic pasta dish with little flavor. A call in advance might help here. Last but not least, we've got Cinderella's Royal Table. Rating this place on food alone, I'd have to call it "okay", at best. I was served a rather simple pasta/veggie dish. However, it remains one of my favorite meal memories because of the atmosphere - there's just something magical about eating the castle.

Moving onto Epcot, Futureworld... haven't tried Coral Reef, but the menu isn't too promising for vegans. To be honest, I think the idea of watching other diners feasting on seafood, while happy little fishies swim by their table just turns me off. I'm guessing I'm not the only one, because I've never read a review on this place by a vegan before. Garden Grill, on the other hand, is one I would try again. I ate here as a vegetarian and had a very tasty ravioli dish. Last I heard, they were offering a veggie cous-cous dish, but they have plenty of fresh veggies to work with, and seem happy to accomodate. They do suggest you call ahead, though, for the best options.

Hitting World Showcase, we have some rather exotic choices. Le Cellier (Canada) gets good reviews from other vegetarians and vegans. They are reported to be very accomodating - I plan to give the place a try someday. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Norway) is a bit riskier - I've heard good and bad, depending on who your chef was at the time of your visit. The buffet itself is rather limited, so you'll need a helpful chef. Biergarten (Germany) has, in all honesty, kept me away more for its design than its food. Being bashful, the idea of being seated with other diners kind of freaks me out. However, I've read at least two reports from other vegans who said that they were treated to a very nice meal here - again, dependant on the chef as the buffet is mostly not veg-friendly. In France, we have Bistro de Paris, and Chefs de France - I've heard that the later is much more accommodating, but have no first-hand experience to back this up. Nine Dragons (China) is definite no-go - response from Disney has led me to believe that every dish here has some sort of hidden meat ingredient, and they aren't comfortable altering them. Sadly, Restaurant Marrakesh is a no-go, too. Their best option, veggie cous-cous, supposedly contains dairy, though it seems that they're a little evasive about the question, making me think this isn't a safe choice. You might find something at Teppan Edo or Tokyo Dining (Japan), but again, I haven't tried them, or heard enough to give an opinion. Tutto Italia (Italy) - same thing.

One I get asked about a lot is San Angel Inn. As someone who loves Mexican food, like many others, I thought this would be a no-brainer - Mexican dishes usually lend themselves well to vegan versions, and this place even has a separate vegetarian menu! Well, I was sadly disappointed, as were other vegans I've heard from. It seems that when you remove the dairy, the chefs here completely lose all ability to think. I ended up with a plate of black beans in tortillas, with a side of black beans. It was edible, but that's about it. I'm going to pass on a suggestion - skip San Angel Inn and hit Cantina de San Angel (the counter-service place) instead. They will put together something for you that tastes better and costs much less. (Thanks for the suggestion, Lisa!) The best part? You can still wander the pavilion and enjoy all the ambience of the restaurant without enduring a bad meal!

Disney's Hollywood Studios: I've already raved about 50's Prime Time Cafe, and given Brown Derby a thumbs-up. Hollywood & Vine is supposed to be a decent buffet choice for a vegan, but I haven't tried it myself - this is one you might want to call ahead on, just to be sure. Mama Melrose's, for some reason, is one I keep meaning to try and just never seem to get there. I've heard that they will work with you - it looks promising. Sci-Fi Dine-In is one I have trouble reviewing. I hear so many non-vegans complain about the food here, but vegetarians and vegans seem to be pretty happy - something you don't see very often from a place that pushes burgers and shakes. I ate here years ago as a vegetarian and enjoyed my meal, though my meat-eating husband did *not* enjoy his meal. It's a cute place, though - worth a visit at least once.

Animal Kingdom... Rainforest Cafe was not a favorite for me, but other veggie folks have enjoyed it. I was a bit uncomfortable with the set-up (very noisy, tables much too close together), so that may have influenced my opinion. I ate there many years ago, but haven't felt the need to try it again. Tusker House already got a full review from me, but I will add a note here: my "less-than-perfect" experience had more to do with a rather unhelpful chef and much-too-high expectations. The truth is that I did have a number of options and didn't leave hungry. Other vegans *love* this place. Yak and Yeti, the newest choice, is one I hope to try someday. While the menu is limited, I just happened to stumble on a couple of vegans asking the staff what they could do, and it seemed that they were very willing to work with them.

Well, it looks like I'll have to share the resort restaurants in a future post, because this is just too darn long already. I'll leave you with a photo of the Mexico Pavilion. Just remember, enjoy the pavilion, skip the restaurant.

quick note

2009-03-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

No time for a full post tonight, but I just found another wonderful Disney vegan blog - how cool is that?! Y'all have to check this out: Vegan in Disney World. Shame on me for not seeing this sooner!

I'll be back soon, with a "part 2" to my table talk. I realized two things about that post: first, I left out a LOT of restaurants (which was inevitable - there are so many!), and second, I focused completely on the "good" experiences. Of course it's more fun to talk about the good ones, but knowing what to avoid is important, too. So, look for a follow-up soon, with more good, a little bad, and maybe one or two uglies.

Happy Disney Dining!

table talk

2009-03-25T04:49:00.001-07:00

If money (and calories) were no object, I'd eat all my vacation meals at Disney's table service restaurants. With very few exceptions, my experiences have ranged from pretty good to outstanding - which never ceases to amaze me, since I often go hungry at regular restaurants in the real world. Now, admittedly I live in "cow country", and I've (gasp!) never actually eaten at a real-life vegan restaurant, so my experience is limited. Never-the-less, I am of the opinion that Disney does a pretty good job of taking care of us veggie people.

Because money and calories *do* count in my world, I have to choose my dining experiences wisely. While having access to all the menus certainly helps, as a vegan I've found that choosing the right restaurant is a little more complicated than that. Many of my best Disney dining experiences have been meals not found on the menu. Whether or not I go home hungry often has more to do with the attitude of the chef than what the restaurant traditionally offers. (It's worth noting, though, that as a vegetarian I did often order off of the menu, with just the occasional small modification - the menus were a much better gage for me then for making a good dining decision.)

As for general table-service dining tips, I think I've given these before, but as a quick reminder: when you make ressies, mention your dining restrictions. I'm still not certain if this helps, but it certainly can't hurt. For extra attention and better options, call the restaurant directly 72 hours in advance and speak to a chef - this allows them time to gather special ingredients and make sure they have what you want/need. And, when you're first seated (whether or not you have ressies or called ahead), always ask to speak to a chef. I can't stress this one enough - though some wait staff are more knowledgeable than others, there's no substitute for the help you can get from a chef. (I recently heard a horror story from a couple of vegans who were happily munching on some animal-laden dishes from a buffet because of a misinformed server.)

Okay, now for the good stuff - let's talk restaurants and meals. Now it wasn't all that long ago that my table service suggestion sounded a bit like a broken record: Boma, Boma, Boma. Sadly, though, I recently received a detailed food report from Lee, letting me know that things have definitely gone down-hill at Boma (Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge). The special attention, personal vegan masterpieces and total pampering have pretty much been eliminated. While it still probably ranks as one of the better buffets for a vegan (much of the regular items are already vegan), it's not the "magical, unforgetable" experience I had come to expect.

But never fear - there is good news! The force behind most of my magical Boma experiences has simply moved to a new venue. Chef TJ can now be found at 'Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort), where I hear is still a vegan's best friend. I cannot rave enough about Chef TJ - if you have the pleasure of enjoying a meal with him, you will never forget it. Though 'Ohana is generally known for its grilled meat-fest, thanks to Chef TJ, Lee and his wife were instead treated to a 7 course vegan meal lasting 2-1/5 hours! While I haven't tried 'Ohana yet myself, it has suddenly risen to the very top of my "must try" list.

For a special, romantic, slightly-more-extravagent meal, I would recommend California Grill (Disney's Contemporary Resort). While it has been a few years since my last meal there, it made an impression on me. We were able to schedule our meal to coincide with the Magic Kingdom fireworks. I was served something called "Vegetarian Unplugged" - not found on the menu, but was available by request. You would definitely need to call ahead to see if it's still available, but if so, I highly recommend it. They had to make a couple of slight modifications to make it vegan, but I didn't notice anything lacking - a beautiful presentation of several different and unique dishes.

One of my regular happy haunts is Kona Cafe (Disney's Polynesian Resort). Hubby and I do lunch here almost every trip - lunch crowds are small, and it makes a nice break during the middle of our day. There used to be a vegan dish on the menu. While it was gone on my last visit, and short chat with the chef produced a wonderful alternative - a sweet and sour tofu veggie dish over rice noodles. This is just one of those places where I've always felt that they're eager to work with me.

Another favorite is 50's Prime Time Cafe (Disney's Hollywood Studios). With its focus on old-fashioned family favorites, it's a bit of an unlikely choice, but again, it's the service that makes all the difference. There's currently a stuffed grilled pepper on the menu that is easily veganizable - but be sure to ask, because the jasmine rice they usually use has whey in it (thanks for the heads up on that, Lee!) This is also one of the few places where I am always offered dessert - a nice treat for a vegan. The whole gimmick behind the place is to make you feel like family - and this extends to us vegan cousins. It took me years to tackle my bashfulness enough to try this place, but I was so glad when I finally did. I always feel welcome and cared for here.

The Rose and Crown restaurant (Epcot - UK pavilion) is one I plan to go back to. If I'm being completely honest, then I'd have to confess that part of the attraction for me is those British accents. I just love chatting with the servers here! But I was also treated to a wonderful curry dish that was unique and satisfying.

A few others that I would consider good bets: Garden Grill (Epcot - Land pavilion) - they seem eager to help, and they have a lot of fresh veggies to work with. They do encourage you to talk to a chef in advance, though. Brown Derby (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - while not my personal favorite dish, they do have a vegan Noodle Bowl with Wok Fried Coconut Tofu that many have raved about. Artist Point (Disney's Wilderness Lodge) - while I haven't tried this one in quite some time, I have been assured by more than one patron that their vegan Potato Chive Pot Stickers are "to die for". And, if money was no object, I wouldn't hesitate to schedule a special one-of-kind dining experience at Victoria and Alberts. Advanced (VERY advanced) reservations are an absolute must, as is a very detailed discussion with the chef at least 72 hours in advance - but I have no doubts that they would be willing to work with you, and give you a meal you would never forget.

While that's hardly a dent in Disney's huge selection of offerings, hopefully that gives you all some ideas. Are there any particular restaurants you were curious about? Just send me a note, and I'll share what I know, or what I've heard. Happy Disney Dining!

And, since pictures are worth a thousand words, here's an example of what I call a "TJ special" - an amazing tofu veggie dish that Chef TJ created for me back when he was at Boma.

And, because I'm feeling particularly brave today, I'll even share a old (very old) photo of me! Yes, this bashful vegan, after 15 trips to Walt Disney World has yet to get up the guts to have her picture taken with Mickey Mouse. However, she somehow managed to pose with Chef TJ, after an amazing meal at Boma (which should tell you something about just what I think of him!).

counter-service comments

2009-03-11T10:38:00.002-07:00

When it comes to vegan dining at Walt Disney World, it is, not surprisingly, the nice sit-down restaurants where Disney really shines. However, as much as we enjoy them, our habits and pocket book have hubby and I eating most of our Disney meals at the more casual, and less expensive, counter-service places. Fortunately, while selection is limited, Disney still does a much better job than any other amusement park I've visited.

For starters, let's talk salads. Okay, so "rabbit food" won't keep you going forever during a jam-packed Disney vacation, but I still eat more than my fair share... and Disney has some very nice ones. In the "real world", I'm lucky if I can get a plate of plain iceberg lettuce. Disney's counter-service salads are definitely a cut above that. One of my old favorites, the Chicken Salad at Pecos Bill's (Magic Kingdom) has lettuce, jicama and veggies in a lime vinaigrette... which brings me to a very important note: yes, you can order a chicken salad without the chicken. In fact, I routinely ask for my salads "minus chicken, minus cheese, with dressing on the side", and usually the cast member doesn't even bat an eyelash.

Some notes about special requests, though: while I usually have no trouble getting meatless salads, there are a couple of exceptions. The last time I asked for a chicken-free salad at Electric Umbrella (Epcot - Future World), I was told that the salads were pre-made, but "I suppose we could make you one - but it might take a while". I did take them up on the offer, and they were nice enough to bring it to our table after we were seated - but it was one of the few times that I felt a little like I had been a bother (something I really try to avoid). Also, I received word from Melody that she had a bad experience at Columbia Harbour House (Magic Kingdom) - she discovered bits of chicken in what was supposed to be a meat-free salad. I sincerely hope that this was a one-time deal - I've had nice chicken-free salads there myself - but I suppose there is always a small risk involved. And if that happened to me, I confess that it would most likely be the last time I ordered that particular salad.

But onto the good stuff, like my favorite counter-service meal: the vegetarian entree at the Asian station at Sunshine Seasons (Epcot - Land pavilion). It includes garlic udon noodles, stirfry vegetables, white rice and brocolli. While not the least expensive choice, it's a sizeable meal - tasty and filling. Second favorite would probably be the grilled vegetable sandwich at the Backlot Express (Disney's Hollywood Studios). You have to special-request it without cheese, and this does add a bit to your wait-time, but I think it's worth it. Honorable Mentions go to the vegetarian chili at Columbia Harbour House (Magic Kingdom), the whole wheat veggie pita at Starring Rolls Cafe (Studios), and the new vegetarian flatbread wrap at Golden Oak Outpost (Magic Kingdom).

If you're in need of some protein, veggie burgers are available in every park. Sadly, the current offering is the very veggie Gardenburger - a fine choice for many, I'm sure, but a bit of a disappointment for those of us that enjoyed the more hamburger-like Boca burgers they used to servce. Some of the restaurants have quite an impressive toppings bar, though, which can make all the difference. (It's become a tradition for hubby and me to start our trip with a veggie burger at Cosmic Ray's - excellent toppings bar, and we get to enjoy entertainment from the "out of this world" Sonnny Eclipse!)

I also must confess that sometimes I just make do with fruit and a soft pretzel. There's a fruit stand in every park, and they tend to have a pretty good selection - more than just apples and oranges. (Sometimes they even have strawberries! A personal favorite of mine.) The plain soft pretzels, also available in every park, are vegan and pretty filling. In fact, when it comes to snacks, and even treats, there are more options than you might think - but that's a topic for another post.

I try to keep a reasonably up-to-date list on AllEars.net, for all the Vegetarian/Vegan Counter Service Meals at Walt Disney World, but feel free to ask questions. Do you have a favorite counter-service meal?

Now, this is the place where I should put a photo of Sonny Eclipse, but sadly I don't have one. In fact, I have surprisingly few photos of counter-service places in general. So, we'll just have to settle for a photo of one of my favorite "menus" at WDW:

(Okay, I realize that this menu is very UN-vegan, but I thought it was important to show that even stuffy old vegans can have a sense of humor. This menu can be found in the queue for the Jungle Cruise - just one of the little details that make the Disney parks so special.)

i scream, you scream, we all scream for...

2009-03-05T15:01:00.001-08:00

soy ice cream! Okay, I've been inspired by an e-mail from Cheryl (thanks Cheryl!). She wanted me to know that you could find Tofutti at ice cream shops in both the Magic Kingdom, and at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's an important message to get out there, because non-dairy ice cream is out and about at Walt Disney World, and has been for quite some time... and yet I've never seen it on any menu. I believe it's a little bit like the Divvies cookies I mentioned in an earlier post - Disney is doing a pretty good job of making a vegan alternative available where non-vegan treats are sold, but they are doing a dismal job of advertising it. My suggestion: any time you get a hankerin' for something sweet, ASK. If you're craving cookies, head for the nearest bakery and ask for Divvies. If something cold and creamy is calling your name head for the nearest ice cream shop and ask for Tofutti. And another suggestion: if the cast member you first encounter gives you one of those "looks" (you know the one, that one that makes you feel like you grew a second head), then don't hesitate to ask for a manager. It's possible that they won't have it, but it never hurts to ask... and you might just plant the seed that will help the next vegan who passes that way.

So, where are your best bets for the sweet creamy cold stuff? I've heard a couple reports from the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor at the Magic Kingdom. I believe it may also be on hand at Hollywood Scoops at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I'm afraid I haven't heard any reports from Epcot, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't lurking there somewhere. If I had to take a guess at the Animal Kingdom, I'd suggest Dino Bite Snacks.

As for sit-down restaurants, I've heard reports that Sci-Fi Dine-In keeps it on hand. And I can personally attest to finding it at 50's Prime Time Cafe. In fact, during our last visit there, Cousin Tommy started to hand me a nice sundae dish full of vanilla Tofutti, but then told me not to eat it yet. He felt it looked much too bland, so he insisted that I wait a moment while he made some inquiries. He returned shortly with some candy sprinkles and vegan chocolate sauce! Okay, so maybe it's a silly little detail, but gosh, I felt just like a little kid! He completely made my night! (Photo below is missing the chocolate sauce - he brought the sprinkles first, and I couldn't wait any longer to give it a try!)

At the Magic Kingdom, I'd be willing to bet that the Plaza Restaurant has it on hand, or can grab some from the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor. I heard a report quite some time back of someone getting a nice non-dairy sundae at the Garden Grill at Epcot. This was back when they had a sort of "ice cream social" thing, which, I believe, is long gone, but I thought I'd mention it.

Resort restaurants can sometimes surprise you, too. I've heard of Tofutti being available at Kona Cafe, at the Polynesian. Also, I've been told that Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club Resort is happy to create non-dairy sundaes with advance notice. And then there's my favorite restaurant in the whole World - Boma. On my last visit, Chef TJ was already gone, so I didn't get his special touch, but the chef was still quick to find me something. I ended up with a nice bowl of butter-pecan Tofutti, with raspberries and a Divvie's chocolate chip cookie. While it was very easy for her to put together, I still really appreciated the extra thought - it felt like so much more than just a scoop of Tofutti.

Now, back in the day when Chef TJ was at Boma - wow. He used to go all out! One year I got a fancy fried banana dessert with non-dairy ice cream. (Tasty, but it melted too quickly for a decent photo.) My favorite dessert *ever*, though, was the year he made me some chocolate soy ice cream (and, yes, I think he actually "made" it, as opposed to serving me Tofutti) with blueberries, and a fruit topping, and vegan chocolate-covered strawberries! Amazing just doesn't begin to describe it!

Well, I was actually going to share my thoughts on "non-Disney" frozen treats as well, but it seems that I managed to ramble quite a bit already on this tasty subject. I will say that while I'm at Disney, Tofutti always feels like such a treat. However, in the "real world" there are plenty of even better non-dairy ice creams. Soy Dream's Mocha Fudge is one of my favorites, and another is It's Soy Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter. But it's seems I've run out of time, so let me just leave you with one more: Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent - absolute heaven. :-)

some potentially great news, and a shout-out

2009-03-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

I heard the most wonderful news about Walt Disney World a couple of months ago, and thought that I probably should have shared it here with all of you. Sadly, though, when I went to double-check this news this morning, I found that it might have been innaccurate. But just in case there is any truth at all to it, I want to share. Thanks to the All About the Mouse Podcast (which, by the way, totally rocks), I heard that Walt Disney World is no longer going to serve fois gras in any of its restaurants. According to the report, Disney was making no claims of an intentional "humane decision" - they would only state for the record that "menus change, etc." For those of you not familiar with this culinary "delicacy", let's just say that it is just about the most inhumanely produced food item I've ever had the displeasure to learn about. However, sadly, when I went to double-check the menus, I still see it listed at Bistro de Paris. Now, it's possible that the menu is old and has since been changed. That's what I am sincerely hoping. I did immediately write to Disney when I initially heard the news and told them "Thank You!". (I just got the usual generic response that they received my message and appreciated the feedback.) If it's true, YAY Disney!

And while I'm here tonight, I just wanted to take this opportunity to sing my praises for the best Disney website on the planet - AllEars.net. If you haven't checked it out before, you really need to have a look-see. Every question you've ever had about Walt Disney World, and a whole lot of questions you never even thought of, are answered in detail here. You'll find menus for every restaurant, pix and descriptions of every resort, reviews of all the tours, and even charts of the vegetarian and vegan meals available (updated by yours truly, though not nearly as well or as often as I should).

In other news, "bashful" is trying very hard to come out of her shell a bit, in order to share a bit more with the vegan community. I've added a link below my picture so you can all e-mail me if you have any ideas, suggestions, thoughts, complaints, whatever. (Please be gentle with me, though - I'm still learning!)

Happy Disney Dining!

disney vegan news

2009-03-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

From the beginning, I've been a little lost about what to do with this blog. However, my goal has always been to share helpful or useful information, most likely related to Disney, or veganism (or bashfulness). So, after pretty much ignoring this poor blog for months, I've decided to give it another go. With no other plan in mind except to share info, here's a couple of random vegan Disney notes:

I have learned from some helpful vegan correspondents that the amazing Chef TJ has moved. The bad news is that he is no longer creating incredible dining experiences for us vegans at Boma. The good news is that he can now be found at 'Ohana, at Disney's Polynesian Resort - and first reports tell me that he is as eager as ever to please those of the veggie persuasion.

I've also heard that there are some good options at Captain Cooks, if you're staying at the Polynesian - chocolate soy milk (becoming more common all around the "World"!), chocolate chip cookies, Lays potato chips, and frozen desserts.

For anyone who hasn't already heard, Disney is now selling Divvies at many of their bakeries. These little goodies are prepackaged vegan sweets. I've encountered chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and caramel corn. They are out in the open at the Magic Kingdom's Main Street Bakery, and they have been available at the Boardwalk Bakery by asking (but not visible from the line). I've also encountered them at a couple of sit-down restaurants when I asked about dessert. While they aren't the most amazing treat ever (most likely because they are prepackaged), they will do in a pinch when a cookie craving hits. My guess is that they are kept behind the counter at all the bakeries now, so don't hesitate to ask, even if you don't see them on display.

Was this helpful? Should I keep posting news and updates, when I get them? I could really use some feedback, to know if I'm on the right track. Thanks!

tusker house review

2009-02-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

During our last trip to Walt Disney World, we decided try dinner at Tusker House, at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This restaurant recently underwent a major rehab, to make it into a proper sit-down restaurant with a large African-inspired buffet. It has been compared to Boma, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, often called "Boma light". As Boma is unquestionably my favorite restaurant *anywhere*, I figured I should give this place a try.

We planned on an early dinner, with ressies for 5:00 pm Saturday, January 17, 2009. We arrived a few minutes early, and were seated almost immediately. The place wasn't very crowded, and stayed that way for our entire meal. On my last trip to the World, I had been impressed on how every host/hostess had asked us before we were seated if we had any special dietary requirements. Sadly, that practice seems to have been short-lived as I was never asked that on this trip. So, of course, I mentioned to the hostess that sat us that I was a vegan. "A what? Oh, you're server can help you with that." So, of course I mention it to the server. "A what? I don't know what that is. Oh... okay. Would you like to see a chef?"

After our drinks are served, and my hubby has made his first trip to the buffet, a chef finally makes it to our table, and asks how he can help. I explain that I am a vegan, and at least this time, he appears to understand what that means. He asks if I would like him to show me around the buffet. Ummm, yes, that might be helpful, LOL. As we walk towards the food, he says "So are you a strict vegan?" It was so tempting to ask "Is there any other kind?", but I refrained, and simply answered "yes".

The chef was fairly thorough with the tour, showing me which dishes were okay and which ones weren't, and what made them "non-vegan". While certainly not overly friendly, he got the job done, and I felt confident enough to feed myself when he was done. He did point out one pasta dish that had cheese, and said that he could make it without cheese, if I would like. It didn't look interesting enough to pursue, so I passed. After stating that none of the desserts were vegan, he said that he could get me a popsicle, if I wanted. Okay, as a vegan, I'm used to making do, but a popsicle? Perhaps Disney has given me unrealistic expectations, but this just seemed a little disappointing to me. But, the buffet looked fairly promising, so I vowed to make the most of it.

The following are some of the dishes I tried. First, the salads. This was surprisingly disappointing - even hubby agreed. It really wasn't much more than lettuce (arugala), with a couple of dressings to choose from (I had the balsamic vinaigrette). They had some roasted potatoes which I was looking forward to. I love Boma's Potatoes with Affritude, and these looked similar. Sadly, they had almost no flavor - no seasoning that I could detect, and very boring.

There was a table of "condiments", listed as "Blatjangs (Spicy South African Preserves); Sambals - Condiments: Mango Chutney, Mixed Dried Fruit Chutney; Hummus and Tabouleh". I think that everything here was vegan. I didn't try the hummus because, sadly, there is no vegan bread of any kind, and I'm not much for raw hummus without something to put it on. And, I'm not much of a tabouleh fan. I tried the chutneys. The mango chutney was pretty tasty. I wasn't so crazy about the mixed dried fruit one, though. I felt like they should be eaten "with" something, though, and not quite sure just what - sort of like the hummus, needed some bread or crackers to go with it.

Next was Marakesh Cous Cous with Roasted Vegetables - I'm a pretty big cous cous fan, and I really enjoyed this one. Sadly, the samosas on the same table were not vegan.

There were some green beans in olive oil - very plain, but okay. The potatoes had dairy, and obviously, the dish to the right is not vegan.

Next up, some cold dishes: Tunisian Cous Cous salad (left), a curried rice salad with golden raisins (right), some sort of green bean and onion salad, and some fresh fruit. Honestly, I don't remember the green bean salad - I might not have tried it. The cous cous salad wasn't bad, but I prefer warm cous cous to cold - the flavor was interesting, though. The rice was kind of odd - too heavy on the raisins, just not my thing. The fresh fruit was, well, fresh fruit. I sort of made it my dessert, though there was very little of it left when I went back for more. Either it was very popular this evening, or they need to work on restocking better.

And, last but not least, my "main entree" - Spiced Vegetable and Tofu Tandoori (center dish). This was actually very good - the highlight of the meal, for me. Also on this table, Basmati Rice with Toasted Almond Slivers, and Pearl Cous Cous with Sweet Basil. I don't remember the Pearl Cous Cous (it might not have been vegan). I tried the Basmati Rice but didn't care for it.

So, while I didn't leave hungry, and I did enjoy a couple of dishes, it simply did not live up to my expectations. Boma this was *not*. While I don't expect every restaurant to cater to my every whim, there really wasn't an offer of anything special here, and the service was simply "okay". Given that they weren't that busy, we never should have had to wonder when we might get a drink refill. And the chef never returned to the table to make sure everything was okay - again, not something I would expect all the time, but for a vegan at a buffet, it would have been nice.

And for any of you omnivores out there, my non-vegan hubby felt pretty much the same way - okay, a bit pricey for what you got, and certainly no comparison to Boma. I'm glad I tried it, but I probably won't be back here any time soon.

rather bashful lately

2008-08-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, so if you've actually been keeping an eye on this blog, then you've probably noticed that I sort of stopped posting. Believe it or not, this little experiment has actually convinced me that I do, in fact, want to have a blog. But more than ever, I want the blog to be something interesting, and maybe even a little helpful. Not that a "this is a my life" blog isn't worthy. It's just that I feel this need to have my blog be more structured... for it to have a theme, a purpose, a reason to exist. Without that need, I don't think I could talk myself into keeping this up. (It's not easy to blog, when you're bashful.)

So, I've got an idea in the works. I'm not sure yet if it's going to work out, but I have decided that if it DOES work, I'm going to really pour my heart into it, to make it something special. If it DOESN'T, then I will come back here, and make this into something better than it is now. Either way, I'll post a note when that happens. In the meantime, I'm just going to work a little behind the scenes.

But before I fade away (to return in some form, at a later date)... thank you! Thank you to everyone who spent the time to read this, to everyone who encouraged me to try it in the first place, and to everyone who has left me nice comments. It really means a lot me!

every little bit counts

2008-06-28T05:24:00.000-07:00

I read something on a vegan blog a couple of days ago, and it has really been bothering me. It’s not something new – it’s a rather common sentiment among vegans. But it’s a part of why I almost *didn’t* become a vegan. And, at the possible expense of alienating myself from the very people that share my lifestyle, I’d like to share my feelings about this.

This particular author was commenting on people who say they are vegan except when they eat out, or when they are on vacation, etc., and how he felt that this was a bit of a cop-out. He, and other vegan writers, have said that “if you can be vegan some of the time, you can be vegan all of the time”. Sure, it’s not always convenient, but just suck it up, and do what you have to.

I have a problem with this – not with the idea of being vegan “all of the time”, but the idea that it’s “all or nothing”. This somehow implies that anyone who does “a little” is wasting their time, or isn’t good enough, or isn’t worthy.

My feeling is that every little bit counts. And I’m not just talking about being a vegan. In fact, that’s my whole point. There will always be people that do more than us, or do it better than us – doctors who save lives, teachers that inspire the children who are our future, every-day heroes that change the world.

And then there are the rest of us.

Maybe you adopted a cat or dog. Maybe you dropped some coins in the bucket for a charity. Maybe you sent someone a “Get Well” card. Maybe you were there when a family member needed you. Maybe you paid a friend a compliment. Or maybe you just gave a total stranger a smile today. A smile can work miracles. Who knows – maybe that smile was just the encouragement that person needed, to do something incredible that would change the course of history. Or maybe it just made someone feel good - a truly worthy goal, in itself.

I sometimes hold back from trying new things, because I feel like I'm not good enough, or I have nothing new to offer. Or, sometimes I know that I can't embrace something completely, and perhaps "a little bit" isn't enough, so why bother? I'm trying not to do that any more.

No one is perfect. Life shouldn't be an "all or nothing" venture. Every little bit counts.

Have you given someone a smile today? :-)

a bashful vegan eats out...

2008-06-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

Well, okay, *this* vegan doesn't eat out very often. But to be honest, that's only partly due to the vegan thing. It probably has more to do with me being a homebody.

But sometimes even this vegan finds herself out-and-about, and hungry. So I thought I'd share some of my experiences. First, let me mention that vacations are a whole 'nother ballgame, and definitely deserve their own post, so that's something I will address (probably in HUGE detail, as it's one of my favorite subjects) at a later date.

Whenever I go out to run errands, I almost always take a snack bar with me. I love Clif bars, though I've cut way back, simply because they're not all that low on calories. Even if I don't need it, it's nice to know it's there. As I mentioned, I don't eat out much, and sometimes a snack bar is all it will take to tide me over until mealtime at home. But sometimes that's not an option.

For those "on the run" meals, there are actually a few fast food places that can accommodate a vegan. There's a site I found that has information about a handful of places: Vegetarian-Restaurants.net I also have a guide I bought a few years ago that lists helpful info like that. You can order it at: The Vegetarian Resource Group.

A few standby meals for me include: bagels at Panera Bread. They aren't all vegan, but a few are. You can find all the ingredients on their website at panerabread.com. Taco Bell has a couple of safe items, if you modify them (and so far, I've never encountered a problem doing that). I usually just get a bean burrito, no cheese. It's not very exciting, but with a little hot sauce, it's not too bad - it's filling, and a good source of protein. Wendy's has baked potatoes. You need to order it "plain, dry", but it will keep you from starving (salt and pepper helps). Actually, if "healthy" isn't your issue, then Wendy's fries are vegan, too. (They're actually one of the few that is.)

And then there are those occasional invitations to eat out. Those are the worst, because either I don't have any say in where we eat, which can be disastrous, or they *do* ask for my opinion, which is even worse, because I hate being a bother, and I know full well that my first choice is almost never anyone else's.

One of my tools is a little business card I carry in my wallet. I use this to give to servers and/or chefs at restaurants, whenever I get that blank stare that tells me they really don't know what a vegan is:Happily, I am using this less and less, as the word is getting out about just what we are, but it's a nice little thing to have, anyway - especially if you're too bashful to say anything.

Some restaurants are really great - they ask questions and genuinely want to accommodate you. Others aren't so great. Olive Garden falls into this second catagory. Company policy prohibits them from sharing recipes, and in turn, ingredients. Now, I don't have a problem with that, as long as they will assure me that a particular dish is actually free of everything on that little card. However, they feel the need to take this policy to the extreme, and will not "guarantee" any item on the menu as vegan. (Wouldn't you know it... my hubby's family loves this place.)

I have found, with experience, that the more ideas *I* have, the better I will eat. This has been a very hard-learned lesson for me, because I've always been the type to say "I'll have what they're having", or "whatever you have is fine", etc. This doesn't work so well as a vegan. Out of desperation, I have eaten a lot of salads "minus cheese, minus bacon bits, minus croûtons, with vinegar and oil dressing, or lemon, or no dressing" as it seemed to be safe. (For the record, Italian dressing is usually safe, but you do have to ask as some places add cheese.) I have also eaten a lot of plain, dry baked potatoes. All this, because I was too bashful to explain my situation. (Usually, the servers just assume that I'm watching my weight.)

I'm getting better, though. Most sit-down restaurants have the ability to prepare a nice plate of steamed veggies, sometimes with seasoning, if you ask. (You do have to be clear, though, about your needs, or most likely they will add butter.) Pasta is another good option. You have to make sure there's no egg in the pasta (fresh usually has eggs, dried usually does not, so in this case, the fancier restaurants are actually a worse choice). As for pasta sauce, often the tomato sauces are vegan - but you have to ask.

If I have the opportunity, I will call ahead and ask to speak with a chef. It's still difficult for me, but it's easier than speaking up when we get there. Sometimes this works, sometimes not. Most places appreciate the extra notice, so they aren't caught off guard.

The best tip I have for bashful diners, though, is SMILE. If you are nice to them, often they will be nice right back at you. Isn't it wonderful how that works?

why i'm a vegan...

2008-06-03T15:50:00.001-07:00

The big question. I actually debated about whether or not to answer it here, but somehow, it's seems important to clarify it at least a little, before I move on with this blog.

There are a number of reasons that people go vegan: health & diet, environmental issues, compassion for animals... My primary reason is the animals - but saving the planet and being healthier are nice little fringe benefits.

For me, veganism is a spiritual thing - I can't separate my spirituality from my veganism - it all fits together. Pocohontas explains it so well in the song "Colors of the Wind": "Ev'ry rock and tree and creature has a life, has a spirit, has a name." I believe that this world and everything in it are sacred, and that everyone and everything is connected. When we harm one, we harm all, and we harm ourselves. I look to do as little harm as possible - to myself, to others, to the planet in general.

I have heard the arguement that the animals were placed on this earth for us to "use". I see it a little differently, but I have a strong respect for others' beliefs. I don't claim to have all the answers. I'm just trying to live my life the best way I know how, for me. I can't make decisions for others. I respect that as serious as I am about this lifestyle, others feel as strongly about theirs. This makes me a lousy activist, which is okay. I have a lot of respect for those who do fight for the animals, and try to teach the world, but I just don't believe that path is meant for me. And yes, this actually tends to make me unpopular with other vegans. It's something I am learning to live with. When going vegan, it helps to have a thick skin (which I don't, so this is a challenge for me).

There's some question as to whether or not a vegan diet is "natural" for humans. Again, I won't argue one way or the other. What I do believe is that it is *possible* for a human to be healthy on a vegan diet (as well as a non-vegan diet). There are healthy vegans, and there are not-so-healthy non-vegans. Yes, there are a few crucial nutrients not commonly found in a vegan diet, so you do have to be careful. I did a lot of research before I made this lifestyle change - and I strongly caution anyone considering it to learn as much as they can, and speak with their doctor. I take a good vegan multi-vitamin and other suppliments every single day (B vitamins and Omega-3's are two big things to look for). I really pay attention to making sure I have a well-balanced diet, and that my body is getting what it needs.

Being vegan is very important to me. It's truly a part of who I am. I would love it if someday my life, in some way, inspired someone else to do something positive with their life. But I won't condemn anyone for living a different way. Right and wrong are rarely black-and-white - life is full of grey areas. I don't know what is right for you, only what I feel is right for me. I understand that even this next comment will offend some, but I truly believe that we each have our own path to follow, and that no one can find or choose it for another. May you find your path, and follow it with joy.

being a bashful vegan

2008-05-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I just did something I probably should've tried before I set up this little blog... I typed "vegan blog" into Google. Wow! There are an amazing number of vegan blogs! Now why hadn't I noticed them before? (By the way, if you're a vegan, I highly recommend giving the Google thing a try - I found some great resources!)

So now I'm left wondering what I have to offer that hasn't already been done before. (If you have any ideas, please leave me a comment - I'd love to hear your thoughts! And if you have any questions, fire away. I'm certainly not an expert on the field, but I'll be happy to share my thoughts, feelings and experiences.)

One thing I haven't found (yet) is advice for the "bashful" vegan. It's certainly an extra challenge to follow this lifestyle when you're the type of person that tries to blend in and never make a scene. It's virtually impossible to go to a restaurant and "order off the menu". Or worse: to go to a friend or family member's home for a meal, and not be a difficult guest.

I suppose it's a good thing, then, that I tend to be a bit of a hermit. I virtually never eat out, except on vacations. It just so happens that my favorite place to spend vacations is also one of the best places for a vegan to fit in - Walt Disney World. That has turned out to be such a lucky coincidence!

If you're a vegan, and you're thinking about a trip to Walt Disney World, there are two things I suggest doing (besides asking me for advice, of course): check out http://allears.net/ This website has the answer to any question you ever had about Walt Disney World - including what's vegan at the parks. The second thing to do is pick up a copy of PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line, by Deb Wills and Debra Martin Koma (http://openmouse.com/). (Okay, so I've contributed to both, but honestly, these are wonderful resources!)

As for meals with family and friends, that's an ongoing challenge. I highly recommend that you be honest and upfront as soon as you receive an invitation. I really, REALLY, hate being rude, and that's how I feel when someone goes out of their way to prepare a nice meal for me, and I can't eat it because it's not vegan.

I have a confession to make: shortly after I went vegetarian (before vegan), I found myself inviting a cute guy to dinner. When I asked him what kind of food he liked, he described himself as a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy. Gosh, what to do? Well, beef was just out of the question - too icky for me. But I felt that I could probably make myself cook chicken just one more time (how could I disappoint him?)... so I did. And it was awful. He bravely ate it without complaining, and I bashfully confessed that I had pretty much gone vegetarian, and had apparently lost my meat-cooking skills. It was the last time I ever made that compromise for someone else. Fortunately, he came back a week later - this time with a vegetarian pizza in hand. He never let me cook for him again, but he must have found some other redeeming qualities in me - we've been married now for more than 10 years. :-)

By now, all my family and friends know that I'm a vegan. For family gatherings, I tirelessly tell them over and over not to "worry about me", and to prepare whatever it is they were going to prepare anyway. Sometimes they listen, and I just eat before the gathering (or sneak off to have a vegan energy bar in the car - never leave home without emergency vegan snacks!). Sometimes, they bravely try to prepare something I can actually eat. If they ever ask, "simple is better". If you don't know how to cook vegan, then it's best not to experiment. Vegetable soup, made with veggie stock (instead of the more common chicken stock), or spaghetti with a basic tomato sauce, are good, safe bets. But honestly, I'm perfectly happy with a simple salad (hold the croutons), or a frozen Boca burger.

In addition to the lack of "bashful" vegans, I've noticed something else, too: most vegans know how to cook. I guess this makes sense. Cooking skills would definitely come in handy when prepared vegan meals are so hard to come by. However, I have come to terms with the fact that this is never going to be my strong point. Yes, I'm a bashful vegan who can't cook. Believe me, I've tried. And I'm sure I'll continue to try in the future. But at the moment, my entire repertoire consists of fried rice made with frozen veggies, and prepackaged spaghetti with sauce from a jar. But I can nuke a mean Boca burger. Hahahaha.

Stay tuned for more adventures from the bashful Disney-obsessed vegan who can't cook...

who i am, and why i'm doing this...

2008-05-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Kitty, and I'm a vegan. I'm incredibly bashful. I don't like to stand out. This idea of blogging is a huge step for me, so please bear with me as I learn to open up to the world.

Vegan doesn't mean exactly the same thing to everyone, so here is my personal, brief description: I don't eat meat, dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, or anything that comes from an animal. I don't wear leather, wool or silk. I try to avoid using anything that comes from an animal or is tested on an animal. However, I am not perfect. I make mistakes. To me, being a vegan means doing the best you can. It means causing as little harm as possible, while still living a (relatively) normal life. There's no such thing as a perfect vegan. (I hear there are actually some small animal-derived parts in home computers!) Each vegan has to decide where they will draw the line. I do the best I can, remember that every little bit makes a difference, and try not to beat myself up when I don't live up to my own expectations..

A lot of people think veganism is rather extreme. And, in a way, I suppose it is. It's certainly not "mainstream". It sets a person apart from the norm, and in many social situations, can cause a person to stand out. It can also make non-vegans uncomfortable - perhaps because they don't understand it, or perhaps because they feel the need to cater to the vegan's needs and don't know how.

And that is the real reason I hesitated from becoming a vegetarian, and later, a vegan. I thought about it for a LONG time before I actually took the plunge. I didn't want to stand out. I didn't want to make other people uncomfortable. And most of all, I didn't want others to feel as if they had to modify their routine to fit my needs. I was bashful LONG before I was vegan. I don't want to be special, or different, or weird. I just want to blend in.

But I also want to be happy, and I want to be true to myself. In the end, my need to go vegan outweighed my need to fit in. Now, I am 100% committed to this lifestyle. I won't make compromises to what, for me, is an ethical decision, just to make other people feel better. But I will do whatever I can not to inconvenience others, or make them uncomfortable. And that's why I don't talk about this much.

But I'm not the only vegan. And maybe I'm not the only vegan who struggles with the dilemma of fitting into a meat-eaters' world. So I am starting this blog - to share my thoughts and ideas on veganism, and everything else that makes me *me*.

Perhaps another bashful vegan can benefit from my experience. Or, perhaps a non-vegan can learn to be a little more comfortable with a vegan acquaintance, friend or family member.

If you have any questions, thoughts or ideas, please let me know. I want this to be a place where we can share ideas, and help each other.

Bright blessings to all.

a new adventure

2008-05-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so everybody has a blog. That doesn't mean I have to have one, too. Maybe I don't have time to keep one up. Maybe I don't have anything interesting to say. Maybe no one is interested in what I have to say.

But maybe that's not the case. My life, in general, is blissfully boring, but the path I've chosen for myself is a little unusual. And maybe hearing how how I got here, and what I do next, could help someone else. And wouldn't that be an amazing thing?

So here I am... blogging. And I'll just see where it takes me...