Nibble Scribbles

Michelle and Jagjot. Discovering scrumptious vegan food in the Big Apple! Established March 3, 2018.

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Dipping Into the Sauce

By Michelle

Morning Sauce:

On St. Patrick’s Day, Jagjot and I ventured down to Downtown Manhattan to try out three restaurants that offered vegan options! They all had an abundance of vegan dishes that catered to different tastes and preferences that we simply had to go and try them out.

We first mosied on down to by Chloe. in SoHo for some breakfast to kick off our vegan tour. It was about one o’clock in the afternoon but our first stop was breakfast. by Chloe. was a short walk away from the F train station Broadway-Lafayette St station. The small, quaint restaurant could be easy to miss from its outward appearance; in fact, we almost passed right by it. Outside of the restaurant, it looks like an ordinary shop. Once we went in, however, it was packed with mainly young people around our age. We took this as a good sign though, and quickly lined up to order some scrumptious food.

Jagjot and I looked up the menu beforehand so we immediately knew what we wanted. Jagjot got the The Sunrise and I got the AB&B Toast. The Sunrise is a breakfast burrito with scrambled tofu, spicy seitan chorizo, black bean salsa, avocado, and tofu crèma all wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. The AB&B Toast is a slice of 7-grain toast topped with raw almond butter, banana, and drizzled with pure maple.

Though it comes as no surprise since we are in the city, we found the food pretty expensive. My toast was about $9 and Jagjot’s burrito was about $10. However, we were still eager to dig right in.

When we received our food, my first thought was how unappetizing Jagot’s breakfast burrito looked. There are no other words to describe it: just a wrap. I expected more from a popular vegan restaurant. The AB&B Toast for me, wasn’t much better aesthetically. Although it is a rather more simplistic dish, I thought by Chloe. would spice it up a bit more. Nevertheless, I hoped looks were deceiving and the food would taste a lot better than it looks.

Jagjot thoroughly enjoyed his breakfast burrito. Instead of actual chorizo, by Chloe. used seitan, a wheat gluten to still give it a “meaty” flavor, without the actual meat. Also, scrambled tofu was used in place of a scrambled egg. He commented on how he normally doesn’t like soft tofu but it works in the burrito. His one con is the avocado in it, which he is not a fan of. But other than that minor complaint, Jagjot wholeheartedly liked The Sunrise.

My almond butter and banana toast tasted similar to the peanut butter and banana toast I make at home for breakfast on weekend mornings. However, I noticed that it was more sticky, most likely because the almond butter was raw. To make the dish vegan, honey (which I would normally use) is replaced with pure maple. I suspect that this maple also added to the extreme stickiness of the food.

Overall, Jagjot and I enjoyed the food at by Chloe. Though pricey and cramped in the restaurant, it is to be expected from a well-known restaurant in Manhattan.

Heavy Sauce:

The second place we went to was Red Bamboo in Greenwich Village.

Jagjot got the Bamburger: a marinated and grilled vegan soy burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized red onions, and vegan mayo toppings, sandwiched between sesame seed buns. I got the Barbecue Buffalo Wings, which were marinated with a spiced citrus BBQ sauce and came with celery sticks and a vegan sesame ranch dressing as a bonus. These two dishes are Red Bamboo’s specialties, which was no surprise to us after we had our first bites. Jagjot practically fell in love with the Bamburger and admired how the burger exceeded his expectations. When it came to my buffalo wings, I was very impressed with how similar it was to actual buffalo wings. Though the texture reminded me that it really was not meat that I was eating, everything else was pretty spot on. Jagjot, and our other companion, Clara, tried the buffalo wings too. Their reactions to it was astounding: they were so in awe of how delicious the buffalo wings were and gushed over it for a couple minutes. It had been some time since the both of them consumed meat (Jagjot is vegan and Clara is vegetarian) so it is possible that is why this dish was particularly appetizing to them. Interestingly, the buffalo wing I ate touched the burger sauce that Jagjot had left behind in the container, and I found it much more delicious than the original. I guess that I craved the familiar taste of a hamburger so it tasted much better to me.

Overall, Red Bamboo was a great restaurant for everyone! We all agreed that we would go back for vegan food if we were in the area. In hindsight, it was the best place we visited that day.

Creamy Sweet Sauce:

For something sweet, we went to Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream in Lower East Side.

It was a longer walk to this ice cream shop, tucked away on a short street by Houston Street. When Jagjot and I walked in, we were immediately immersed by the cute appearance of the shop. Jagjot’s friend, a worker at Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, offered us many different samples of the ice creams offered there.

Jagjot tried all the vegan flavors in the store, which are Concord Grape Peanut Butter & Jelly, Dark Matter, Salted Caramel, Mint Chip, Planet Earth, Cookie Crumble Strawberry Jam, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Cookies & Cream Caramel Swirl.

The vegan samples I tried are Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Cookie Crumble Strawberry Jam, and Planet Earth (a fruity flavor). What surprised me was the really coconutty flavor I got from it. Instead of using eggs, cream, and milk, the vegan ice creams use coconut cream, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. I was not really a fan of the vegan flavors because they did not remind me of regular ice cream and I only got the taste of coconut.

The non-vegan flavors I tried are Conversation Hearts (a cotton-candy-like flavor), Honeycomb, Earl Grey Tea, Chocolate, and Vanilla.

I ended up getting a scoop of the Honeycomb and Jagjot got a scoop of Cookie Crumble Strawberry Jam for our dessert. We both thoroughly enjoyed the ice cream and will definitely want to come back for more. We both love how it is an ice cream shop that provides options for vegans and non-vegans, while still having tasty selections.

After our trip, we agreed that it was a great experience to explore the city and try out some vegan food. For me, as a non-vegan, it was a new adventure because I have never really tried vegan food for me. For Jagjot, as a vegan, it was a great opportunity for him to experience new vegan food in the city. Overall, Jagjot and I both really loved making this project - from the filming to eating to editing the blog, it was a great experience that we would love to do again.

Sources: by Chloe., Red Bamboo, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream

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Process Letter

We decided to conduct our research project on vegan restaurants in New York City. Our subject position is health - we wanted to find good places that offer delicious vegan food. We wanted to find spots where a vegan could spend money without having to splurge a lot of cash and where a meat eater would be able to go out with vegan friends and not feel like they are eating disgusting food. Jagjot is a vegan so he was hoping to find more food spots to go to in the city. He most sticks with cooking food at home besides eating out so he wanted to not only find places that he liked but he also wanted to see what kind of twists these vegan restaurants put on the usual dishes. I’m a hardcore meat-lover and eater so I wanted to give vegan food a try to see if it would be an option I would choose. For our project, we created a blog and documentary video of our trip. On our blog, we have posts about veganism, whether vegan is better than omnivore, and tips on how to change to veganism. Our video documents the vegan food we tried and our critiques based not only on the food quality but the price of the food as well as the atmosphere of the restaurant itself.  

Jagjot and I both agree that this was a very enjoyable project. We liked the creative aspect of it - being able to make the project in whichever form we desired. I love making, designing HTML, and writing for blogs. Jagjot loves filming and editing videos. He has a lot of experience with photography and he always wanted to try out videography so he was glad a class project gave him the opportunity to take his first steps in that field. We liked how we were able to combine our passions and talents for an academic project. We were extremely pleased with the results of both forms because when they were combined together, they made an even better project than if we were to do things individually.  We did not find any aspect of the assignment particularly difficult; we mainly just had fun throughout the entire process. As you grade our piece, we want you to assess the creativity of the whole blog and video, the content of information, and how well we presented the information that we were trying to convey.

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Tips on Transitioning Into Becoming Vegan

By Michelle

So you’ve watched read our posts and are thinking of becoming a vegan. Adapting to veganism can be a tough process if you have grown up on a meat-rich diet but no worries, I will give you some pointers to guide you on your journey to veganism!

Helpful Tips:

It is advised to slowly shift into a vegan diet from an omnivorous one, rather than jumping in headfirst and changing overnight. Like most new things, it is better to go slow. You can start off by substituting butter (or other animal-based fats) you use for cooking with a cooking oil, such as vegetable or olive oil. You can also substitute honey with maple syrup as a natural plant-based sweetener.

It is okay if you mess up in the beginning, as long as you keep going. You may slip up when you first start your transition, such as accidentally having butter with your toast or cheese on your pizza, but that’s alright. It is essential that you do not immediately give up after a mistake and regress back to meat-eating habits. One helpful quote to help you through your journey is, “It does not matter how slow you go as long as you do not stop” by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher. This could relate back to the previous tip of taking it slow.

Make sure to watch what you eat - even when eating vegan options! Now that veganism is a more popular lifestyle, there are vegan choices for almost everything! Now cakes and cookies can be made without eggs and butter. Be careful to not indulge yourself too much when eating vegan desserts and other junk food. As mentioned in our previous post, vegan does not always necessarily mean healthier.

Don’t forget to remind yourself what you are becoming vegan for. Whether it is for animal welfare, your health, the environment, or all three reasons, remind yourself why you are choosing this new lifestyle. The process could be difficult and you could be doubting or regretting your decision. But don’t give up! You will feel much better when you give yourself daily reminders of the reason you are changing to veganism!

Learn as you go and ask for help along the way. It is not always easy to start something new especially if you have no background knowledge or mentor to assist you. Do your research (like how I’ve done here) and consult a vegan for more guidance. You do not have to go through this transition alone; there will always be help just around the corner! Just be sure to know where to look.

These tips are just some helpful pointers for you to begin your journey of a plant-based diet! Everyone adjusts to a new lifestyle differently so not all may tips may be applicable to you but I hope that it will be of some help in easing into the new changes that will occur in your life!

Source: The Vegan Society

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Should You Go Vegan?

By Michelle

There are many reasons to go vegan. Jagjot, a vegan himself, mainly does so for health. However, people become vegan for a whole range of reasons. Animal lovers, for example, give up meat and animal (tested) products for their love of animal welfare. Health fanatics, like Jagjot, hope to shed some pounds and fat for their health and appearance. Environment protection activists want to reduce the amount of methane being emitted through the air (from cows) and meat compounds in the world that also pollute our atmosphere.

One question people considering veganism may have is: “Why go vegan and not just vegetarian?” Veganism includes all animal products or products that have mistreated animals. Dairy and eggs are commonly used animal products. Reduced use is also ethical, since chicks get killed immediately and cows get killed for decreased milk production.

Something to think about before you eat meat, animal products, or use animal tested products, is how the animal had felt. Everyone feels fear of dying or being killed. Animals are no different.

I have watched the documentary Food, Inc. in my seventh grade English class. It goes more into depth about the food industry - especially those using meat. It shows the horrific ways of slaughter of chickens, pigs, and cows. It was very heartbreaking to watch. Something my own mom told me about made me hesitate about continuing to eat meat too. She said that before cows are killed, they sense it and will start crying. As an animal lover, I was very hurt to know this.

A big worry of those who become vegan is the welfare and care of animals. If this and/or the other reasons majorly concern you, you could consider switching to veganism.

I will talk about some helpful tips for a smooth transition into veganism in a future post because it is a difficult process.

Source: The Vegan Society

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Debate: Is a Vegan Diet Healthier Than an Omnivorous One?

By Jagjot

In the US, there are around 3.7 million vegans which accounts for a little over one percent of the population. Although a seemingly small number, these vegans tend to be considered healthier than their omnivorous counterparts. In a recent study by the University of Florence, there was some correlation found between a vegan diet and lower rates of heart disease and cancer as well as lessened menopause symptoms and healthier stress levels. One might question how a vegan diet creates healthier stress levels but as a vegan, knowing that, definitely makes me feel good which might be why we have healthier stress levels. A vegan diet is also higher in fiber and vitamin C, while lower in saturated fats which are all positive in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. So it seems that a vegan diet has a great deal of positive aspects but there is an unending debate as to how healthy a vegan diet actually is. 

To put it in simpler terms, a diet consisting of fruits and vegetables is only as healthy as you make it. Eating potato chips and french fries definitely won’t make you healthier than a person who eats lean white grilled chicken. In fact, in that situation the meat eater is a hundred times healthier. Not only do you have to eat healthy as a vegan, there is also the potential risk of missing out on micronutrients by completely eliminating food groups. By not eating animal products, vegans could miss out on ingesting calcium, vitamin D, iron, and omega 3 fatty acids. It is important the vegan find these nutrients from the foods that they eat and looking for fortified foods when going grocery shopping. 

Besides a vegan diet, there are those that argue that a balance between having some meat protein while also eating fruits and vegetables is healthier than a strictly vegan diet. In my opinion, to simply put it in a nutshell, placing one diet over another is not necessarily going to make you healthier- what you ingest in those diets definitely will. One thing to remember while maintaining a vegan diet is that you should always look at the ingredients when buying a vegan product because vegan products sometimes have more sugar and oil than a non-vegan product, which definitely does not entail a healthy diet.

Sources: Jamie Oliver, Time

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Veganism: What Is It?

By Michelle

First of all, what exactly is veganism? According to The Vegan Society, veganism is “a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” In essence, it is a diet that avoids all animal foods (including eggs, honey, dairy, fish and shellfish, and even insects). Vegans also do not use animal products such as leather, and products that have been tested on animals.

Although vegans do not eat meats and other animal products, they are not limited in their food choices. There is a wide variety of foods that do not require meat, eggs, or dairy. Anything grown from the ground is fair game for vegans - such as fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. There are also many more products on the market being offered that are vegan-friendly, such as cakes and cookies, without the eggs and butter.

Most people see veganism as just not eating meat, like vegetarianism, but going farther than that by also not eating eggs and dairy. Or, at least, that is how I saw it before I knew any better. In fact, veganism is so much more than that. Not only do vegans not eat meat for the welfare and prevention of cruelty of animals, they also avoid any and all products involving animals. An interesting fact I have learned while delving more into the research is: vegans also refrain from participating in or supporting in any way, animal exploitation, including going to zoos, aquariums, horse racing shows, to name a few. Instead, it is better to visit animal shelters and sanctuaries for rescued animals.

This is the overall idea of veganism. As you can see, it is a much more developed idea than the preconceived notion of “not eating animals.” The vegan lifestyle is not for everyone, but proves to have its benefits as we will see in future posts.

Source: The Vegan Society

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Vegan Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bites