The Social Vegan

One of the top reasons why I always felt resistant to become vegan was that I felt it was an “anti-social” endeavour. I envisioned vegans as never going out for dinner or going to friends’ homes for dinner, and essentially tucked away under their rock of a homestead, eating dinner alone at home every evening.

But since becoming vegan, my vision of what “vegan dining” means has completely unravelled and been re-knit into a beautiful tapestry of layers, colours and tasty delights. Never would I have guessed that I would have so many sensual treats and savoury adventures after only one month into my Vegan Adventure.


Here is a breakdown of some helpful tips I have learned through personal experience about how to be an awesome social vegan, who has fun all the time, no matter whom they are with!

Restaurants:
The following types of cuisine have tons of vegan options:
- Indian
- Thai
- Mexican
- Sushi/Japanese
- Chinese
- Ethiopian
- Middle Eastern
- Italian
- even good 'ol SAD (Standard American Diet) food

I love thinking about this because the first four have always been my most favourite cuisines anyways (in descending order of importance). So, eating at these types of restaurants is easy peasy for a vegan like me. Remember, never be afraid to call ahead of time and ask the restaurant what options they have that do not contain meat, dairy or eggs. Also, don’t be afraid to substitute out certain ingredients when you order.


So, for instance, if you go to a sushi joint, you can order vegetable roll (knix the mayo), vegetable gyozas, spinach gomaae, miso, yam or veggie tempura, teriyaki vegetable don, edamame, salads, agedashi tofu (knix the fish flakes), etc., etc., etc! The macrobiotic diet, which is pescatarian and emphasizes whole grains, legumes, fresh vegetables, etc. was invented in Japan many moons ago, and so this is why so much of their food is still veg today.

Thai food is easy, half the Thai are Buddhists anyway! Choose red, yellow or green tofu-coconut curries, sweet and sour tofu soup, stir-fries, coconut or ginger tofu, noodles pad thai or fried rice but knix the egg, soups, tempeh, peanut sauce, mango salads, veg spring rolls, etc – go crazy!

Indian food is easy peasy too, because “ahimsa” which is a policy of non-violence to all living creatures, is a practice that many Indian cultures follow. Go for curries like bhindi curry, dals, dosas, roti, chana masala, veggie samosa or pakora, aloo-gobi, veg stir-fries, as well as a multitude of dips like chutneys and spicy sauces, and savoury snacks like bhel puri.

Many Chinese (as well as Vietnamese and Korean) restaurants, like the popular “Hon’s” chain in Vancouver, have a variety of faux meats – you’ll be shocked! Faux beef, chicken, pork, fish, shrimp and even goose, duck and oyster! If that’s not your bag, you can always opt for veg stir-fries, chow mein, chop suey, veg spring rolls and gyozas, noodles, sweet & sour and black bean sauces, bean curds, soups, bok-choi, hot-plates, rolls, casseroles, tofu dishes, Buddha’s feasts, the list goes on …

At a Mexican (or Latin) restaurant, you can basically order anything bean based, just knix the cheese and sour cream – so enchiladas, tacos, burritos, fajitas, tostadas, veg chilli, taco salads, tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, and wash it down with a sangria, margarita, or mojito! Mmmm

When you go Italian (or Mediterranean), order pastas and knocchi with tomato sauces, risotto, pesto, eggplant, salads, soups like minestrone or sun-dried tomato, antipastos, veg pizza (knix the cheese), etc.

A myriad of Ethiopian vegetarian dishes evolved because of a tradition of abstinence from any animal products during the Orthodox Christian fasting days. Try the Aterkik Alitcha (split peas prepared with light sauce), Atkilt Wot (cabbage, carrots, potatoes simmered in sauce), Atkilt Salata (boiled potatoes, jalapeno mixed in salad dressing), Buticha (chickpea dip mixed with lemon juice), Inguday Tibs (mushroom sauteed with onions), Fasolia (string beans and carrots sauteed in caramelized onion), Gomen (collard green and spices), Misir Wot (pureed split red lentil are simmered berbere sauce), Misir Alitcha (pureed split red lentil are simmered in mild sauce), Shimbra Asa (chickpeas flour dumplings & cooked in wot), Shiro Alitcha (mild split peas are milled together & slow cooked), Shiro Wot (split peas are milled together and slow cooked), Salata (Ethiopian salad, dressing: lemon, jalapeno & spices), Timatim Selata (tomatoe salad, onions, jalapeno & lemon juice)

Middle Eastern food is fun times both on-the-go or for a long and special meal: falafel, donairs (falafel), dolmades, Tabouleh, grilled vegetables, couscous, hummus & pita, koshari (lentils and rice with tomato sauce), soups like fava bean and chick pea soup, veg & lentil & rice dishes, spinach pie (knix the cheese), salads like fatoush, tahini & Baba ganoush, pita chips…

Even SAD food can make a vegan happy! Go for garden or portobello mushroom burgers, veg subway sandwiches, fries, salads, and lots more!

Dinner at a Friend’s Home:
If they are not vegan, you can say something along the lines of
“Thank you so much for inviting me. I am really excited about coming to your place for dinner. I am really trying hard not to eat meat or dairy, but I would like to bring a dish or two that would be tasty for everyone. Is there something I can make that would compliment your meal?”

Happy dining!