An Introduction + Some FAQs

Hello!

My name is JD, and I'd like to welcome you to Veggie Terrain, a vegetarian + mostly vegan blog that chronicles my adventures (and misadventures) in veg cookery!

I'm a young attorney who's passionate about food, living "green," and inspiring others to explore their own cruelty-free lifestyles. I'm currently living near Chicago in Brooklyn, NYC, where I share an apartment with my amazing boyfriend, CH.

Veggie Terrain represents my attempt at creating a veg-based food blog that's accessible to, and useful for, veggie and non-veggie readers, alike. As a result, I've packed it with tons of tasty recipes, mouth-watering food pictures, helpful cooking hints and tips, and a variety of in-depth culinary articles.

My genuine hope is that you'll enjoy reading Veggie Terrain as much as I've continued to enjoy publishing it...

Please feel free to ask questions/contact me by leaving a comment (which is always appreciated!) or simply by dropping me an email. I can be reached at: veggieterrain [AT] gmail [DOT] com.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

-jd
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FAQs

So, how long have you been a vegetarian? Or are you a vegan?

Actually, I've disliked & avoided eating meat for most of my life, & have been leaning towards vegetarianism since I was really young. However, it wasn't until 10 years ago that I made the switch from limiting the amount/type of meat that I ate, to eliminating it from my diet altogether.

Also, while I don't use eggs or cow's milk, I do occassionally eat cheese & am not 100% strict about egg or milk ingredients when purchasing packaged food. So, although I'm not quite vegan yet, I'm proudly getting there.

Update: I officially went vegan in March 2009, & have never felt better!

Alright, so why did you want to start this blog?

Truthfully, I wanted to start this blog because I was tired of feeling like a lonely vegetarian. Although I've discovered tons of fantastic veg-related sites over the years, sometimes simply reading the words on a web page didn't quite give me what I was looking for. Sometimes I just felt a need to talk to other people about the great recipes that they made, or their favorite veg restaurants, or the completely ridiculous "protein/calcium" questions that they inevitably fielded. Sometimes I just wanted to touch base with like-minded people; people who were as passionate about food & living a compassionate lifestyle as I am.

Thus, my very own food blog, Veggie Terrain, was born.

Do you have a few favorite and least favorite cooking ingredients?

Well, I definitely have to give a gigantic "no thanks" to saffron, chipotle peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, & most "mock" meat products. However, my favorite ingredients are cumin, garlic, avocados, beans (especially black beans & chickpeas), edamame (which is also a bean!), & pasta.

What about cooking habits or rituals? Do you have any of those?

Hmmm... Well, I have a Williams-Sonoma pink and white striped apron that I like to wear, & I love listening to music while I'm cooking (lately I've been on an old school Pearl Jam kick). I also have a specific knife that I love using. It fits in my hand comfortably & is just the right size. Oh, & the fact that the handle is red (instead of plain old black) is pretty cool, too.

Other than that, I always try to do as much prep-work as possible before I even begin cooking, & to organize my ingredients according to when they'll be needed during cooking. This technique is referred to as "mise en place" in French, and it's extremely helpful. Being able to quickly grab a small bowl of pre-measured spices or diced vegetables - instead of interrupting the flow of cooking to peel a bunch of carrots - definitely helps the whole process run much more smoothly.