So, here’s the thing about moving to Maryland and cutting down on spending to accommodate a shrunken salary and a higher cost of living: IT’S REALLY HARD. Not because I’m tempted to purchase an all new wardrobe or anything, but because MD is just too vegan-friendly! Case in point: Roots market.

S and I had been shopping at Wegmans (pleasantly vegan-friendly!) and Trader Joe’s since we arrived, but a couple nights ago we decided to check out Roots. We went to the Clarksville location, which is right by Great Sage (where, coincidentally, S’s mom had taken us out to dinner a few nights before (and where I ate THE MOST AMAZING peanut butter cookie ice cream with hot fudge. OMG I am still dreaming about it.)). They don’t call that shopping plaza “Conscious Corner” for nothin’ — I just about died at Roots. It’s a vegan’s dream come true!

First there was the wall crammed full of vegan-friendly prepared products — I’m talkin’ eggless tofu salad, potato salad, wraps, sandwiches, and the like. And then there was the crazy-big selection of Beyond Meat products, like BBQ chicken and curried chicken salad. Holy crap! We couldn’t resist picking up a small container of the regular chicken salad. I was wary, but intrigued. (My verdict? Eek! Too meaty! But definitely a good option every so often to mix up my meals.)

Then there was the bakery. I now feel like the ultimate small-town girl for getting so excited about the Madison Whole Foods carrying a couple of Chicago Diner cakes. Roots puts that selection to shame. For starters, Roots carries products from Sticky Fingers, the famous vegan bakery in D.C. That’s dangerous, y’all. I happened to be in D.C. last weekend to meet up with a friend who happened to have a conference there, and S and I just happened to pass Sticky Fingers on our way to meet her, so we just happened to have breakfast there. We also just happened to pass it on the way back to the metro, so we had to get desserts for the road. Ahem. My point is, Sticky Fingers has some seriously delicious baked goods, and they are available at Roots. S and I caved and bought a three-pack of the most delicious vegan brownies I’ve ever tasted. No lie. They’re seriously the Holy Grail of brownies; no need for me to continue my search for the best brownie recipe when I have easy access to these babies!

Beyond the cache of Sticky Fingers sweets, Roots carries their own store-brand baked goods, many of which are vegan. And by “many,” I mean “most.” They had a WHOLE FREAKING DISPLAY of vegan cookies, cupcakes, and bars. And there were scones and muffins elsewhere in the store!

We didn’t buy any of Roots’ baked goods on this trip, but I can attest that they’re yummy — at work last week, we had a department meeting with catered breakfast-y baked goods. My organization serves only vegan foods on its premises, so for the first time in my professional career I could take advantage of free food. I indulged in a pecan sandie cookie and an amazingly rich fruit tart with a creamy coconut base. I didn’t know where they’d come from at the time, but then I saw both items at Roots and figured it out.

So, to summarize, S and I spent more than we should have on novelty vegan goods at Roots, and I’m both frightened and delighted that there’s a Roots location near the condo we’ll be renting starting next month. My wallet is cringing already!

After a few horrible late nights of packing and cleaning, an 848-mile drive, and nearly a week of apartment hunting, the worst part of our move to Maryland is over. My mama (who flew out to Wisconsin to help) made it infinitely better — she calmed me down when I felt like we’d never manage to cram everything into our U-Pack box, cleaned the kitchen like a champ, and did most of the drive so I could sit with Moria. What a dame.

We thanked her for her help by treating her to lunch at Native Foods in Chicago, where we stopped on our way east. One of my close friends met up with us, and we braved the unseasonably cold temps and threat of rain and sat outdoors for our meal (not that we had a choice; we had Moria with us). Happily, they had set up some gas-powered heaters, so we were not uncomfortable. And my mom loved her first Native Foods experience — she was adorably excited about it for weeks before the trip. I’m pretty sure she only volunteered to help us move because I mentioned that we could stop there for lunch that day! (JK, JK.) She told everyone she talked to how happy she was to be there and how she’d come “allll the way from Rhode Island!” to try it. Just look how genuinely excited she was:

Moms are great. That includes S’s mom, who’s happily letting us stay with her until we move into our new place (more on that soon). She and Moria are getting along famously!

I know this is a short dispatch from Maryland, but I’ll have more soon. I’m two days into my new job, so expect to hear more about that! In the meantime, I’ll be trying to come up with a new tagline for my blog — “a vegan in Dairyland” is wholly irrelevant now that I no longer live in Wisconsin. :( Thoughts?

When I first accepted my job offer, S and I started packing — in lite mode. By which I mean we sat in our bedroom watching back-to-back (…to back) episodes of Parks & Rec while leisurely putting off-season clothes in suitcases. Then we transitioned into medium mode, where we taped together boxes, packed up the non-essentials, and listed our furniture on Craigslist. But now, with a week (!) till moving day, it’s time for hardcore packing mode.

By which I mean kitchen packing mode.

Ugh.

Today I started cleaning out the fridge. It wasn’t too bad, but there were some notable finds in there that made me feel ashamed and wasteful. And also like a weirdo. For example, stuck in the back was sticky bag of really old sliced almonds. Why was the bag sticky? Because I put an unfinished glass of red wine in the fridge, forgot about it, and spilled it while rooting around on the top shelf last week. Oops.

Also, I found half a lime. The rind was extremely hard and brittle, but because I stored it face-down, the actual lime was okay. I squeezed it into the citrus chia water I like to keep in my fridge for a before/after-run refreshment. (Yes, I go running now. Who am I.)

Then there was a container of what I can only assume is oatmeal. WTF, y’all. I rarely eat oatmeal at home (it’s an at-work breakfast), and when I do, I don’t have leftovers. It might be from a month ago when I was rushing to eat breakfast before heading off to an all-day volunteer event, but I dunno.

I also discovered this tiny bowl of sliced green onions. They did not look or smell like a particularly appetizing garnish for any dish.

Aaand finally, I found a ridiculously small amount of coconut cream left in its can. Seriously, Past Kelly, why did you save that?! No one ever wants that small a serving of coconut cream. Ugh.

This was, obviously, not all I found. The freezer housed a treasure trove of mysterious creamy concoctions, mostly sauces that we never finished and I optimistically assumed would seem appealing later on. (Spoiler: They rarely do.)

Up next? Actually cleaning the fridge. Those sticky red wine spots ain’t gonna scrub themselves.

Despite the fact that I’m incredibly excited about my new job, there are lots of things I’ll miss about my old one. My relative freedom to make my own schedule, for example. And my amazing third-floor single office with a fantastic window view. Aaand the food.

Ah, the food.

My current company has a top-notch culinary team. Truly — they’ve won competitions. Every day they offer three soups, at least two entrees, multiple grill items and sides, a full salad bar, and a sandwich bar. (Also dessert, but it’s never vegan so it doesn’t count!) And the prices? They’re excellent. Dishes rarely cost more than $5.00, and you can stuff a small salad container pretty darn full of yummy fixins, including vegan-friend proteins like roasted tofu or spicy seitan.

Yep, seitan.

There’s at least one vegetarian soup and main dish every day. Usually, one of those dishes (if not more) is vegan. And the vegan dishes rarely cost more than $3.00. I’ve been spoiled, I know. During most of my tenure I tried not to buy lunch more than once or twice a week, but lately I’ve been splurging more often. Because we’re cutting down on grocery shopping in an effort to clean out the pantry, our dinners tend not to provide leftovers. So I’m saving a bit on groceries but spending more on lunch. Worth it! I’ve been snapping photos of noteworthy lunches sporadically for the past few years, but I’ve never shared them. Now seems as good a time as any to do so!

Let’s start with sushi! This dish included eight pieces of sushi, lotus root salad, and a cup of miso soup on the side.

How about a lettuce wrap filled with spicy ground tofu? That’s edamame on the side.

 

This nut- and seed-crusted tofu was savory perfection. The roasted veggies offered a delicate counterpoint to the heavier tofu.

Errybody likes tacos. (I’m pretty sure these were tacos. There seems to be a tortilla shell buried under the veggies…)

Back to the Asian-inspired eats with udon noodles and veg in a savory broth.

Another nut-crusted tofu! I’m 87% sure this one featured pistachios.

Falafel is never not a good idea, especially when served with lavash bread and a big ol’ salad.

Moar tofu! This time it was gently fried and served over udon noodles and veg.

Are you salivating yet? Yeah, me too. I’ll be sad to say goodbye to these dishes. Those chefs definitely know their way around a vegan dish. My only complaint was the consistency of the vegan offerings — some days I had two or three options from which to choose, while other days there was nary an animal-free option in sight. In those situations, it was straight to the salad bar for me. :)

Are you able to find good vegan food at your place of work?