2013 Will Be My Year

Hello blog-land!

So many things have happened in the past couple months that I don't even know where to catch up. So, the basics:

• I recently (as in, December?) took on a bigger responsibility in Vegan Iron Chef, which is awesome and teaching me A LOT.
• I turned 30. I had a table full of free drinks and I went to bed before the party ended. 
• I graduated college! I have an English degree now and feel SO DARN SMART. 

and finally, the very best update:

• I got a new job! At an airline! 

 I love where I work now. I really do. It can be crazy, but being around animals every day has been SO good to my soul. On a whim, I applied for a ground service job at an airline where one of my closest friends works and managed to snag the job! I had to suffer through a full day interviewing process/intense federal background check which led to 2011 W-2 gathering mania. I was sweating bullets, but every single job I've had, I've gotten because of who I know and this one was no different. I officially start July 8th!

So, what does that mean? It means I will be out on the tarmac, marshaling planes in and pushing them back out and sorting luggage and avoiding lavatory duty. It means Jeff and I can travel for free (on standby) wherever this airline flies (internationally to Canada and Mexico). We are also able to take advantage of airline agreements with like 90 other airlines. I will be able to travel so much more, which has been a high priority for me for awhile. The hours will be nuts (low seniority = weekends, holidays and either super early or super late shifts) but honestly, it'll be worth it. Also, I haven't been able to work full time with my school schedule, so I will also be able to save even more for travelling!

Obviously, this doesn't use my degree one bit, but then again, neither does my current job! I've taken some time to polish some editorial and writing examples and am planning on joining the Copyeditor Freelance Association in the next couple weeks. Editing is something I've been trained to do in my spare time with the last couple of quarters and now, instead of paying ridiculous tuition to do it, I hope to actually make some money off of it!

So, stick with me friends. Add me to your new feed conglomerates (RIP Google Reader!) and keep an eye on this guy. We've got some travellin' to do.

VIda Vegan Con (2)!

First, I'd like to apologize for the radio silence for the last 7 months. I'm in my final month of my undergrad career (!!) and combined with work, Vegan Iron Chef, and running, I just find myself falling asleep at the end of the day (or, not so end of the day) instead of blogging. After this weekend, though, I will (most likely) be headed back to the ol' blogging grindstone!

Why now? You see, Vida Vegan Con is back in town this weekend! I will undoubtedly find myself energized and motivated all over again by the awesome attendees and range of topics the conference has to offer.

This is my second time at the conference (second time as an assistant, even) and I am so excited. I didn't recap it at all last time, but I fully plan on blogging about it this year! Please let me know if you'll be there!

Thanks for sticking with me!

Nøgne ø Brewery

I absolutely dropped the ball on recapping our most recent trip (and MoFo, for you vegans reading). School and work and life just caught up with me. In fact, I'm writing this in the tutoring room of the Athletic Center at PSU while I wait for sporty students to beg me for help on their writing.

To apologize, here is a little post on our visit to one of Norway's awesome breweries, Nøgne ø. To say the name, you have to make the "neuuk neuuk" sound the 3 Stooges are famous for.

Jeff and I first found beer by Nøgne ø at John's Marketplace in SW Portland. It was expensive and pretty damn good considering the tiny little bottle shipped from (almost) the Arctic Circle.

One day, while searching for cool Norway things instead of working on homework or something useful, I found Nøgne ø's website and realized that the brewery was right on the way on our drive from Kristiansand to Oslo. I also found out the brewery offered tours and tastings. How could we not visit?

So, I rearranged our rental car schedule (and saved us $150 in the process, somehow) and set up a time to tour the brewery. Good thing, too, since Norway has strict alcohol regulations (on par with those in Utah) and beer that wasn't Duff (FOR REALS) was not available outside of the liquor store (thereby making it incredibly expensive).

The sad selection at the supermarket.

First, I have to comment on how beautiful this brewery is. It overlooks a lake and is in an old power station in the middle of nowhere. I mean, Norway itself is stunning and breathtaking. This building is no different.

 

Our tour was a group tour, but we were the only people who weren't from Norway. The tour included 2 different sakes and 6-8(!!!) different types of beer. Because of our "refined beer palates" the guide introduced us to the brewery's more adventurous beers. Norwegians are accustomed to drinking beer akin to PBR, so the tour guide was excited to let us try the good stuff.

And, my friends, it was GOOD.

I couldn't tell you everything we tried, but I remembered some of the "special issue" types: Double Hop IPA, Single Hop Citra, Beyond the Pale, Dark Horizon (my favorite!!) and Jolly Pumpkin (not spiced whatsoever, just pure pumpkin flavor). The pours were excellent and we got sweet glasses out of it. The actual brewery had Rogue AND Bridgeport Brewing Co. flags hanging on the walls, making this trip extra special to us Portlanders.

 

 

 

 

If you ever find yourself in Norway and are a fan of beer, I would highly recommend taking a tour of this place. It's only about two hours from Oslo and most definitely worth the trip. I will say they don't sell the higher alcohol stuff in their gift shop due to the Norwegian alcohol rules, but since most of their business is importing, a good beer shop in your area (I've found it at John's Marketplace and Belmont Station in Portland) will carry the brand.

Day 6 - How This Vegan Fuels for Races

I wasn't really planning on writing about how I fuel for my races, but running has become such a big part of my life and is a constant work in progress that I can't ignore.

I have major anxiety stomach. What does that mean? It means the day of the race (and, depending on the length, the day BEFORE the race) I can't really eat much at all. My go-to breakfast is a single piece of toast with peanut butter and most of the time I can't finish that. I drink ONLY water up to about 2 hours before the race to avoid side-aches. This is really not the best way to fuel your body, especially if it's a longer race or one that I'm planning on going all out on.

So, I take in my calories during the race. Currently, my stomach will allow chocolate Clif energy gels (confirmed vegan on their website!) and some Gatorade (but not much). I take a Clif gel 15 minutes before the race starts, then one hour into it, then about 45 minutes after that. This method has only failed me once (during my second half) and really, it was most likely the humidity that was hurting me. During the Shamrock run last year, my longest distance to date at that point, I didn't pack that extra Clif gel and I was shaking so hard during that last mile.

So what about after? Most races are good at offering the bread + PB + banana combination. Also, beer works wonders for post race cheeriness. I also am lucky enough to run in Portland, where most of the time the food offerings after the race have vegetarian and vegan options. If not, my lovely group of friends will happily hit up a vegan friendly establishment for post race eats.

Please note I didn't say anything about carb loading. Carbs are my favorite. I eat enough of them that carb loading for normal people is a regular meal for me. I do always have a beer the night before the race if my stomach allows it.

Day 3 - The Baked Potato Shop, Edinburgh

 

The first time I visited Edinburgh, it was for a total of about 5 hours and since I didn't know where to even start to find this lovely little potato shop, we wound up eating crappy pizza in a hostel bar and getting lost in the narrow streets and alleys. I vowed that someday I would come back to Edinburgh, if only to visit the Baked Potato Shop.

 

Come back I did. Of course, it wasn't just for potatoes. And it seems like an incredibly vegan touristy thing to do. But you know what? When you've spent the last week in one of the most expensive countries in the world, living off of Lara Bars and instant coffee smuggled from Portland in your backpack and dreaming of your own kitchen, you CHERISH these cheap, ridiculously stuffed potatoes. You become ECSTATIC over the reintroduction of vegetables into your diet, even in the form of a white starch. You decide that yes, curried chickpeas do sound delicious stuffed into a hot potato. 

 You may also come back again for lunch and, stuck between the agonizing decision of a hot or cold filling, you choose both. Couscous and veggie haggis complement each other well.

Happy bellies all around. Oh, and Edinburgh is also incredibly beautiful and fantastic and dreamy.

Day 2 - How to Be Unprepared for a Long Day

Yesterday I wrote my post at 11pm, when I got home from my semi-regular Monday working schedule: 9 hours at the clinic, 3 hours on the paper route (plus the extra drive time to change clothes after an unfortunate and smelly spill).

Getting home that late meant my dinner was oven fries and beer. Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA, to be exact. I am not complaining about this.

However, it's kicking me today. My Tuesdays and Thursdays are spent at school from 10-8:30, so I have to be prepared or at least be willing to pay for lunch. Since my bank account is currently not allowing that, I grabbed what I could from the house that didn't require cooking.

A peach from a fruit farm in Hood River and a super delicious food bar made in the Columbia Gorge. Vegan! Organic! GF! No refined sugars!

I will probably be starving when I get home.

It's Time to MOFO!!

Hello!

So, it's been a little while since my last missive. But I had to come back. It's time to celebrate the Vegan Month of Food! Time to squeeze a little time out of my October days to appreciate veganism and everything this lifestyle has done for me.

Last year I tried to follow a theme and it basically sucked. So, this year will be different. This year will be written in the classic fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants style. You see, I am currently working full time and going to school full time (not complainin' just explainin'). I have zero time outside of the weekends. Cooking has been....half-hearted.

I just got back from a little(!!) trip to Scandinavia and the UK, which I'm dying to share bits and pieces about.

I also know I want to explore Beard on Bread, a book I hijacked from my late grandmother's extensive cookbook collection (just one small part of her massive book collection). Let's face it, bread is awesome.

So, today, I will share a photo of the most amazing food I found in Norway (Norway is amazingly gorgeous and amazing, but it's not really vegan friendly). The Norwegians LOVE hazelnut spread with their toast, but most has milk in it.

Not this private label brand I scored at a grocery store (seconds after fumbling through trying to understand a kid asking me to hand something from a too-high shelf. In Norwegian). You better believe I Google Translated those ingredients twice.

Onward!