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@gfweb um.... you really think that? I counter that the vegans and vegetarians I know (my partner and I included) spend a lot MORE time thinking about food, new ingredients, researching recipes and techniques, than non-vegans. Comes with the territory, you know! We can't just make spaghetti & meatballs or a piece of chicken with a veggie on the side. We've been going recipe crazy in my house for the last year - we use at least one new recipe pretty much every single day, sometimes several! And I've been bookmarking some of Kenji's stuff he's come up with this month. Check the comments - a lot more vegans are certainly paying attention to Kenji's posts than did before!

My favorite is going out with friends at happy hour, when they decide to still tip their standard 15-20% on the *happy hour* price. I say, poor bartenders! They shouldn't get less money just because they're serving at happy hour! Be a pal to your bartender - full price tips at happy hour times.

Had a bartender last week who I pointed out he forgot a drink on our tab, then I still tipped at least a buck a drink on draft beers during happy hour. Biggest thank you I've ever gotten from a bartender!

"No Jamaican breakfast would be complete without a wide variety of fried foods" seems narrow-minded to me. Surely you don't mean to suggest that all Jamaican people eat a pile of fried foods every morning? I'm guessing this is a "classic Jamaican breakfast" in the same way that bacon, eggs, and toast would be a classic American breakfast - you can find it, but it's not necessarily what people eat every day. Although I do like me some fried foods!

@Pauper Nick I used to do my eggs like you when cooking Chinese food, but then observed the cooks at our local greasy spoon, open-kitchen Chinese diner just cracking the eggs on top of the fried rice when it was almost done frying, a few quick stirs, then removing the whole finished dish from pan once egg had set up. It works great! That's how I always do my eggs in fried rice now - none of this need for a separate egg bowl or breaking it up with a spoon. The raw egg sets and cooks within about 20-30 seconds in a hot pan full of fried rice, and the end result looks just the same.

Ever tried it like that?

I use half an avocado at a time. When I twist it open, I use the non-pit half, and stick the half with the pit still in it back in the fridge wrapped in a bit of plastic wrap, a baggie, or in a tupperware. The unused half is always still gloriously green when I go back for it the next day. Can't imagine leaving avocado uneaten for longer than a day though!

Ask the guys behind the counter!

yes yes yes. I just found these in an Indian grocery store near New Haven, CT a week ago, and they have changed my life! I love good, carefully cooked Indian food, and if I were eating dinner or sharing with other people I'd surely still go with home-cooking or take-out. But! for the busy woman who needs to pack 5 lunches during the week and finds herself too tired to cook anything at all, these are a blessing!!! Rice cooker rice with 3/4 of this makes lunch, with the last 1/4 for a quick snack when I get home. AWESOME. I'd say there's not much better you can do for 99 cents without actually cooking. Thank you, Swad.

Robyn, thank you for fixing this grievous error.

My mom and I found a branch of the Mexican chain 100% Natural (cien por ciento natural) by accident while wandering around the downtown area. We were highly impressed with this excellent vegetarian and healthy twist on the often meat- and grease-heavy options. More of a lunch spot, and has plenty of chile available that packs a good kick.

http://www.discoverymexico.com/guide/t-cancun-100-por-ciento-natural.asp

I describe myself varyingly as a freegan or a flexitarian, but I've certainly never done any dumpster diving.

Rather, it's because I was 100% vegetarian for many years, and I still am in my own home, but as a poor college student on a limited budget and with little free time, it hurt to turn down all the free food opportunities one can find on a college campus just because they happened to be serving meat foods. Free, nicely prepared foods including meat seemed better than yet another meal of pasta with beans and salsa dumped on top (for which I had to purchase the ingredients, no less). I see no problem with living off free banquet/reception/lecture food as much as possible.

But now I go with flexitarian because the “only if it’s free” caveat has slipped a little in the last year or so. It’s a slippery slope, kids. Careful with your freeganism.

What a fine lookin' woman. Please bake some molasses cake sometime for your neighbor around the corner. Thnx.

Being a poor student! I was happily veg for 4 years of high school, first 2 years of college while I lived in the dorms. Then I got an apartment. I have no problem cooking a totally vegetarian diet for myself in my home - I never buy meat ingredients at the store. And I still very rarely pay for meat when eating out, unless I'm really sick of just ordering the freaking veggie burger. But the number of free food events at my university and my poor student budget make passing up free meaty meals seem wasteful. I call myself a freegan now (vegetarian unless it's free). I've heard others use the term too.

Sympathies! my fellow student. All I did was take an hour at the beginning of last week to make a giant batch of cous cous and stir-fried veggies - dished some out for meals all week long. This week it's bagels and cc plus tomato and onion I have pre-cut in containers in the fridge. Apparently my quick comfort food is all about carbs.
Keep eating. Good luck to us both, and all the other students on here.