Vegans Are From Vega

I first went vegan in 1999, when I was 16. I was really only a quasi-vegan back then, because I did sometimes eat free-range products and sustainable fish, and I didn't worry about casein or whey. But since I was doing it for the animals, and since I was effectively vegan in most situations, I called myself one. Then in college I found it much harder to stay vegan in a tiny rural town with no Whole Foods and no vegan-friendly restaurants, and I succumbed to the lure of animal products. In 2006, after three years off from veganism, I started up again, and this time I've gone totally vegan because I'm a little more skeptical of the "free-range" label than I used to be, and I don't really need cholesterol-filled eggs or mercury-laced fish anyway. The first time around, I was a lazy high schooler and college student and I ate a lot of frozen dinners and never cooked for myself. But this time I've gotten way into vegan cooking, and I've included here my favorite recipes..