La Alaskeña

Remember when I said I was going vegan for Lent? I kind of sort of did it! Yeah!

So I was going strong for the first few weeks. I had no cravings, although I did develop a little vegan cookie problem. Other than that, I was completely free of animal products and not missing them at all.

And then… well, you know. That time of the month. And all of a sudden, I was a fiend. I wanted something NOT VEGAN NOW. I wasn’t even able to articulate what it was I wanted to eat. Just anything, as long as it was NOT VEGAN.

But I stayed strong until last Wednesday, when we ordered Chinese food and I caved and got sweet and sour prawns. I know, I know! Not only not vegan, but also not technically vegetarian. I’m not proud of myself. Then I was good until Saturday, when I ate chilaquiles with cream, because ¿chilaquiles sin crema? Besides, I’m pretty sure it was already Easter in Australia.

So here’s what I’ve learned: veganism is not easy unless you’re prepared. You can’t just waltz into a restaurant. You can’t count on fast food. You have to have your meals planned out, or else you’ll get hungry and frustrated and order sweet and sour prawns.

I also learned that it’s doable. That I can do it, and that I do feel better, and have more energy when I’m not eating dairy. So the takeaway lesson is that now that Lent is over, I’m not planning on changing things too much. After I eat a copious amount of macaroni and cheese, of course.

Um, how come nobody told me about Pancake Tuesday?

My feelings for pancakes border on religious fervor. During my third semester of college I subsisted off a family-size bag of Krusteaz pancake mix (just add water!) because it was easy and it was what I could afford. Four months of pancakes for breakfast and dinner. (Lunch is for rich kids. Also: syrup.) And I still love pancakes. That’s love. That’s commitment.

But I digress… Pancake Tuesday.

My new best friends.

In an effort to enjoy both Pancake Tuesday and my last day of lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, I made Swedish Pancakes. My mom used to make these for us all the time. I loooove these pancakes, and I will miss them. (Fun fact: I made these for breakfast on my first day of college. An indicator of eating habits to come?)

Swedish Pancakes

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs sugar
• Splash of vanilla extract

(Sorry, no photos. I ate ‘em too fast.)

Whisk it all together. Some small lumps are ok. Heat up a large skillet until piping hot. I turn it to the highest heat setting until it’s hot, then turn it down a tad. Put a smidge of butter on the skillet, then pour in your batter, and rotate the pan until it’s coated with batter. (We’re going for something crepe-y.) Cook until the edges are crisp and just starting to brown. Flip over, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, or until the underside has deep brown spots. This recipe makes enough for you and a friend or two, if you feel like sharing.

You can fill them with whatever your little heart desires. When I was a kid, I liked butter and powdered sugar, but like I said, the sky’s the limit. They’re somewhat more substantial than crepes, so you could omit the sugar and vanilla and fill them with something savory as well.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t know how “Swedish” these pancakes actually are, so please don’t leave nasty comments about how real Swedish people wouldn’t be caught dead eating these or anything like that. I’m not claiming authenticity, just scrumptiousness. They are Swedish Pancakes to me and my family, and always have been and always will be. So there.

Best idea ever: EVERY Tuesday should be Pancake Tuesday! So I will definitely be making pancakes next Tuesday, but I’ll be trying a different recipe.

I went to La Petite Creperie for breakfast and IT WAS CLOSED. So you know what that means.

It means I’m still hungry. I missed the most important meal of the day and it’s all the Creperie’s fault. I also missed lunch, the second most important meal of the day, but that’s just because I was busy watching telenovelas and napping, so we’ll let the Creperie slide on that count.

My little sister asked why my last post was so angry. Ahem. Yeah, I got a little emo. But I stand by what I said. Don’t worry though. It wasn’t directed at you, gentle reader. You’re a lovely person.