Trekkin' across Europe

Just finished up the French leg of our tour - a literal "Tour de France," as we pretty much zipped around the entire country. We started about 2 weeks ago in the Northeast in New Brittany, an area known for its crepes and alcoholic cider. We then made our way around counter-clockwise, hitting some lovely cities like St. Nazaire, La Rochelle, Marseille, Reims, Villeurbane, Dijon, Calais and finishing up last night with an incredible sold out show in St. Germain en Lay, a suburb of Paris.

Oh, how I had missed this royal treatment! The venues and promotors here take great pride in making their artists and musicians comfortable, and it really makes a difference in life on the road. We generally arrive at the venue mid-afternoon for soundcheck. Upon arrival, we head to the dressing room or catering where a gorgeous spread of salads and snacks awaits, while the crew at the venue carries in our equipment and sets it up. The lunch catering is always chock full of delicious veg/vegan goodies. The standard fare is couscous, shredded carrots, cornichons, fresh greens with an insanely good vinaigrette, and a big bowl of fresh fruits. And of course, a few bottles of local red wine. Also, a food blog about France would not be complete without mention of the bread - I'm not quite sure what they do that is so different, but nothing I've ever had in the states even comes close. I have managed to stay 90% vegan on the trip, but the local cheeses they give us with that insanely good french bread is something that I simply have to indulge in a little when I am here...

On The Road Again...

Time for another episode of Mi Vida Loca! I just got back from a great run of shows in Arizona - rocked a bunch of great parties for Oakley and the Phoenix Open. Met lots of wonderful people and just had a generally awesome time. Was slammed with work all day yesterday and now I am left with one free day to do laundry, pack and purchase a few necessities, as I am leaving at 6AM for 3 weeks! Flying into Paris tomorrow and playing a bunch of shows in France, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany. Then flying from Amsterdam to Austin, TX to spend 4 zany days at the South By Southwest music festival, where I'll be playing a bunch of fun shows with a few of my favorite peeps. Living VEG on the road is always an interesting adventure. I'm heading to the store today to pick up a bunch of healthy snacks - what I like to call "my trusty nutsack." Hehe...

Be well. Au revoir mis amigos...

Egg Industry vs. the Environment

I came across an article in the news about a small California town situated next to a large egg hatchery factory farm. It starts like this: "At the end of a remote road lined by houses, children play in yards just a short distance from a stagnant, 16.5-acre lagoon filled with the waste sludge of a factory egg farm." This type of waste disposal is a very common practice at these behemoth factory farms - the one in the article houses 700,000 hens.  Lagoons like this are the leading cause of soil and groundwater contamination in the US and contribute greatly to the vast greenhouse gas emissions that fuel the global warming problem.

Sunflower Seed & Herb Cheese Spread

My family has always been big on cheese spreads. I think it's a Midwest thing. Cheese logs, balls of cheese, cheese dips - all delicious and dangerously irresistible. One of my favorites is the garlic & herb cheese spread made by Rondelé, spread on a cracker - it's a tiny piece of heaven. This recipe captures that essence and is very similar in consistency and taste. Cheese has certainly been one of the more difficult obstacles on my path to veganism. Needless to say, when I first heard about nut and seed cheese and how amazing it is, it peaked my interest in a major way.

Soyaki Tofu and Garbanzo Beans

A few months ago I got hip to the beauty of marinating tofu. I'd been cooking the stuff for some time and I knew how to spice it up and prepare it pretty consistently, but I came across an article raving about the benefits of marinating, so I gave it a try. I gotta say - definitely the way to go. Marinating tofu for 30 minutes or more before cooking is super effective. The flavors take hold really well and it also makes the tofu cook much faster and more evenly. My fav marinade at the moment is Trader Joe's Island Soyaki - it's unbelievably delicious, teriyaki with hints of ginger and garlic goodness. If you're not near a TJ's the brand Soy Vay makes and Island Teriyaki or Soyaki marinade that is available in most supermarkets.

Vegan Black Bean Chili Lunch Bowl

I woke up today to the unusual sound of rain falling outside my window. Southern California doesn't see too many rainy days, but when they come I am thankful. It was chilly and wet all day long and I was in the mood for some warm comfort food. I thought of black beans - I've become very fond of their many uses as a meat alternative - and I had some fresh veggies to use up, so I decided on a chili-type bean bowl to soothe my soggy soul. It was very quick and easy to throw together and certainly served it's purpose...

Hearty Tofu Scramble

I've always enjoyed a good breakfast. When I first lived on my own, my roommate and I would make these big egg scrambles, packed with all kinds of delicious ingredients. When I first started seriously considering vegetarianism and researching the food industry, eggs was one of the first things to go from my diet. I'm not here to preach, but the way they discard the male chicks in hatcheries (see here if you're curious) shows such a complete disregard for the beauty of life and the spirit of nature. Animal cruelty is just a very small part of why I went veg, but this left quite an impression on me - and eggs almost immediately lost their appeal.