Kimchi with Rice

Casa Salad at Phil Sandoval's Mexican Restaurante in Huntsville AL

This is another visit at Phil Sandoval's in Huntsville AL. I had a Casa Salad with no cheese. It came with free chips and salsa.

Casa Salad at Phil Sandoval's Mexican Restaurante in Huntsville AL

Vegan Spud Ole at McAlister's Deli in Concord NC

During this visit to my favorite McAlister's Deli, I ordered a Spud Ole with veggie chill with no cheese and no sour cream. I also ordered a sweet tea. Everything was perfect. This McAlisters Deli always gets my food right. They give me plenty of veggie chili, and the food always looks nice. This restaurant is right beside Concord Mills Mall and down the road from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

SpringHill Suites Breakfast Buffet

SpringHill Suites has plant-based food options for breakfast! It's nothing fancy, but it works for me. They have little packages of grits. I used the hot water from the coffee maker and mixed it up with a little bit of salt and pepper. Not bad. 

 I toasted a plain bagel and found some peanut butter and jelly.

I took a bowl of dry Special K cereal to snack on during my drive.

During my visit, I took some bananas up to my room for a late night snack. There was a coffee maker in the room, so I made some of that each morning. I was very pleased.

Qdoba in Charlotte NC

Qdoba has very good food! This is a burrito made just the way I wanted with a side of chips and salsa. At Qdoba, you can watch them make the food. These burritos are very big. I ate all of this, but it was enough for 2 meals. It costs about $8. This  Qdoba meal was enjoyed at the location on W.T. Harris Blvd. near the UNC-Charlotte campus.

Vegan Sides at Zoe's Kitchen

I went to Zoe's Kitchen and ordered the braised white beans with rosemary, potato salad, roasted fresh vegetables, and pita with hummus. These four items are marked as vegan on the menu.

This looks really good! But there's a big problem with this meal. Can you spot it? Look very carefully. Lets inspect this vegan food before eating it.

Well, this sure does look just like a big chunk of nasty meat in the roasted veggies.

I sent the veggies back and got another order of beans. The pita and hummus is also vegan.

 

Click here to see Zoe's Kitchen website

Amy's Kitchen Rice Macaroni

This is some seriously good macaroni and cheese. Warning: People in the break room will think it smells nasty (like real cheese!). You may want to enjoy this at home.

Click here to see the Amy's Kitchen website

Home-made lettuce wrap

This is just blended pinto beans on a lettuce leaf with fresh pico de gallo. I prepared this myself in just a few minutes, and this was very inexpensive.

Thai Garden in Huntsville AL

I got the steamed mixed vegetables with a side of tofu and a side of rice. This is not really on the menu. I just tell them what I want. The servers are usually unsure of what I'm ordering because it seems strange to order such a simple meal from a restaurant that specializes in very flavorful foods. But they always get it right, and it's very good just like this. I just add soy sauce. Another option is to get this with miso sauce which is a mushroom seaweed sauce.

Thai Garden is a small restaurant in Five Points near downtown Huntsville. It's usually quiet and mostly clean. It does get busy, so the service can be slow at times. I try to go after the lunch rush. There's not really anything else at Thai Garden I know a vegan could eat. Thai peanut sauce would be nice, but I heard they make it with fish sauce as a base. I do like this place for the peaceful environment and wonderful smells, but I must get this same thing each time.

Tofurky Pepperoni Pizza

This is the first time I tried Tofurky. I'm not really into fake meat, but it was pretty good.

McAlister's Deli Choose Two

I got a half taco salad with veggie chili and a half Spud Ole with veggie chili, both without cheese and sour cream.

Lime Fresh Mexican Grill

This is a Nudie Bowl. I get it with no sour cream and no cheese. I grabbed some extras from the salsa bar and hot sauce collection.

Bruegger's Bagels

This is a toasted sesame bagel with hummus, tomato, and lettuce. I always ask them not to cut it in half to avoid cross-contamination. Tuna salad or scrambled egg flavors on a dirty knife can ruin a good vegan bagel sandwich. This time it was perfect.

Moe's Southwest Grill in Dothan AL

I found a Moe's Southwest Grill in Dothan AL. This is the Art Vandalay (veggie burrito). It's made to order. I ordered mine vegan style with rice, black beans, lettuce, and fresh jalapenos. I also got a few samples from the salsa bar. All of this was about $8, and the burrito was really big. Moe's gives free refills on the chips.

The Crab Trap, Ft Walton Beach and Destin Florida

The gulf coast of Florida is beautiful, but a strict vegan will have a very tough time finding a good meal, especially if eating with non-vegans who want seafood. Most seafood restaurants don't even have a good side salad. I was so happy to see the menu at The Crab Trap. I've been to the Ft. Walton Beach and Destin locations.

The Crab Trap is a real seafood restaurant with an outside dining room with nets, wood, ropes, all kinds of seafood, a beach bar, and a fantastic view of the Gulf of Mexico. They also have vegan food. Check it out!

They have a side salad too. I ordered it with no dressing, no cheese, and no croutons. I asked for bottles of oil and vinegar on the side. I used lemons to make it taste fresh and zesty!

And they have new potatoes! They're plain potatoes with nothing on them. I put cocktail sauce on them just because it was there on the table, and it was vegan too. This was very good!

I recommend this place to all people, vegan or not. Everyone will enjoy it. The environment was awesome. The food was fresh and perfectly prepared. They have good sweet tea and friendly servers. The price was good. I drive extra miles to get to The Crab Trap when I'm in the area. It's worth it.

Fusion Spring Rolls

I got these at Wal-Mart, and they're very good.

Veggie Burrito at Chipotle

This is another of the many vegan options at Chipotle. Look at that huge burrito! It's big enough to save half for later and it costs just over $8 with a regular drink.

Click here for the Chipotle website

Chocolate Candy

I found this at the European Market. It's dark chocolate and it's full of brandy! So good!

Chung's Potstickers

Grilled Sauerkraut Sandwich

Grilled sauerkraut sandwich with spicy mustard on pumpernickel bread. This was not bad, but it could have been better with Field Roast vegan sausages.

McAlister's Deli Taco Salad

At McAlister's Deli, the Taco Salad with veggie chili is vegan if ordered without sour cream and cheese. It usually comes with meat chili, so don't forget to request the veggie chili. This is really good, and their sweet tea is the best in town.

Spaghetti Noodles With Spinach

This is home-cooked spaghetti noodles with spinach, sprinkled with red pepper. So easy. So inexpensive. To make this even better, I could have sprinkled Bragg's Nutritional Yeast on it.

Ruby Tuesdays Salad Bar

Ramen Noodles

Most ramen noodles aren't vegan because the flavor packs usually have chicken fat or fish. This one is vegan.

Taco Bell for lunch

I found a Taco Bell in middle Tennessee that has Tostadas on the menu. I ordered one fresco style. Most of my local Taco Bells don't offer them. This is a hard corn tortilla shell with beans, lettuce, and fresco toppings. I topped it with Fire Sauce. This is vegan, however, vegans must be cautious. I almost always dig around to check for unwanted ingredients that sometimes get mixed in, like cheese or nasty bits of beef. This tostada was perfect.

UPDATE. Taco Bell now sell something called a Spicy Tostada. It's exactly the same as the old tostada but with a chipotle sauce on it. The chipotle sauce is not vegan! So a vegan tostada is now "a Spicy Tostada minus chipotle sauce and minus cheese".

ANOTHER UPDATE. Taco Bell no longer has Tostadas on the menu. 

 

Click here to see the Taco Bell website

Prepackaged Vegetable Sushi

This vegetable sushi was made in the supermarket deli. It's made with rice, seaweed, carrots, cucumbers, avocados, and sesame seeds and comes with a side of ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.

Here's another one.  These do not have avocado or sesame seeds.

Vegans may want to be careful. The sushi food prep area could be contaminated. I have found non-vegan particles on my sushi.

McDonald's early morning

What can a vegan get at 2am? I went to the 24 hr McDonald's and got coffee served black.

P.F. Chang Tofu Lettuce Wraps, Buddah Feast, Asparagus, and Spinach

P.F. Chang's has many vegetarian and vegan options. This is the tofu lettuce wrap appetizer. I get this if I don't get the edamame. The lettuce wraps are always vegan.

My favorite dish at P.F. Chang is the steamed Buddha's Feast. It's vegan straight from the menu as long as it's the steamed version. It also comes in a stir-fried version with vegetarian sauce. It's vegan too. The stir-fried version may be cooked in the same dish as other foods unless a special request is made. I ordered this Buddha's Feast with no mushrooms and extra tofu. It comes with rice on the side. I like this with chili oil, hot mustard, and soy sauce.

 P.F. Chang has a few good vegan side dishes. Here's the asparagus and spinach.

Click here to see P.F.Chang's website

Fries at Burger King

A vegan at Burger King? Yes! My latest research says Burger King french fries are vegan. The catch here is that there is a risk of cross-contamination. The fries and onion rings are supposed to be cooked in one vat of oil, and the chicken and fish is suppose to be fried in another. The onion rings are not vegan because they're battered with milk. So this is a tough one. Are the fries vegan if cooked with onion rings? And how often do the fries accidentally get cooked in the meat oil vat? I have no idea. I have found onion rings in my carton of fries. But I never found meat in them. And they never have a meat flavor. These fries are very good! And ordering straight from a menu without special requests is refreshing.

A Vegan Wrap at Jason's Deli

I ordered the Veggie Spinach Wrap without cheese, and I requested them not to cut it in half with a dirty knife. This time I chose chips and salsa for my side. This is a good meal for a vegan.

Click here to see the Jason's Deli website

Sweet And Sour Tofu at Mei Wei Asian Bistro in Huntsville AL

This is the Sweet and Sour Tofu dish at Mei Wei in Huntsville AL. This is tofu with green peppers, red peppers, pineapples, and sweet and sour sauce. It's served with rice. With a drink it costs about $9. This is enough food for 2 meals.  If split in half, each serving is no more expensive than cheap fast food.   

Sweet And Sour Tofu at Mei Wei Asian Bistro in Huntsville AL

Mei Wei also has several other dishes the employees say can be vegan, such as the Singapore Noodles, General Tao, and Orange Mandarin. And they do have rice and edamame.

The employees at Mei Wei have given inconsistent information about the vegan status of the food. I'm not 100% sure this tofu is vegan. According to one source, it could be washed in egg. And the Singapore Noodles may have chicken flavoring. I'm also concerned about the use of fish sauce, which they admit is in many of the sauces. At one point, Mei Wei had a vegan menu in a notebook for reference. An egg noodle meal (Lo Mein) was on the vegan menu.......it actually said "egg" in the description of the dish in the vegan menu. They may not understand the vegan perspective.

I really like this place. I just wish I could trust the food. The flavors have always been good. Another issue is that the vegetables are not always thoroughly cleaned. The MeiWei near downtown is modern and comfortable. The employees are always nice. So I have mixed feelings about this place. I'll check back with them later.

Click here to see the Mei Wei website

Dirty Potato Chips

Mediterranean Veggie sandwich at Panera Bread

Panera Bread has a few vegan foods. This is the Mediterranean Veggie sandwich without feta. It comes with plain chips and a pickle wedge. I order mine uncut to avoid the dirty knife.

UPDATE: This bread does contain honey. I choose to avoid honey, so next time I order this meal I will be getting this served on Sesame Semolina bread.

Click here for Panera Bread's vegan menu

Steamed Buddha's Feast at P.F. Chang's

I get the steamed Buddha's Feast with no mushrooms. I don't like mushrooms, so I often get extra broccoli instead of mushrooms. I like to eat this with rice, and I sprinkle the chili oil and soy sauce on top.

Click here to see P.F.Chang's website

Edamame And Hot Tea At P.F. Chang's

The edamame is steamed and has a sprinkle of sea salt. This is one of my favorite snacks.

The hot tea is very good. This was the peach flavor. Sometimes I add sugar, but it really doesn't need it. This has a light, fresh taste, and adding sugar seems to make it taste too much like candy.

Click here to see P.F.Chang's website

Introduction

Hello to everyone! Welcome to Monk Island. My focus is on easily prepared meals, cheap foods, take-out foods, snacks, restaurant meals, and any food that could be good for plant eaters who are traveling or can't cook. I'm not a vegan chef or nutritionist. I'm not here to debate issues or criticize people who are unlike myself. I'm not rich or famous. I'm just an active individual who really enjoys sharing photographs of food, and my food of choice is vegan. Take from it whatever you choose.

My goals for this blog are to:

• present photographic documentation of my food with some comments
• share useful information with current and potential vegans
• present evidence that a plant-based diet can be fun, inexpensive, and easy
• promote a positive view of veganism
• educate anyone interested in plant-based eating
• present occasional essays on related subjects
• spread information about plant-based products
• present restaurant reviews from the perspective of a vegan

You may want to know about me. I live in the south-eastern United States of America (a vegan food desert). I discontinued consumption of pigs in 1987, birds in 1989, then cows and eggs in 1995. I became a vegan in 2009. My gradual transition was effortless. My desire for animal-based foods is completely gone. The greatest challenge is being a social anomaly, but I have absolutely no regrets. I'm healthier now than I've ever been. Cognitive dissonance associated with food, cleanliness, and my friendship with animals is now resolved. Eating is much more simplified with fewer choices, naturally ready-to-eat foods, and clearer boundaries for what is "food". I can taste my food better because my sense of taste has adjusted to appreciate the subtleties of nature. Becoming a vegan is one of the greatest things I've ever done for myself.