I just came from Pei Wei at Brentwood (101 Creekside Crossing) where I had the usual, a Pad Thai without egg.  That’s not why I am writing this post. When I ordered and sat down there was a woman and four kids sitting directly across from me. As I was sitting down initially they got their food. They ate rather quickly, and when I got my food they were getting up to leave. As they did a boy with them, about 14 years old, took one last bite of something from his plate. He immediately picked up a napkin and spit it out. He then placed the half-eaten food filled napkin face up and open onto a pile of plates that you will find on the table for sharing. The group then left and not long after a woman came to clean the table.

I pay attention to little things when I eat alone.

The woman makes her way cleaning the table, picking up the dirty plates, used silverware, glasses and gathers everything up including the half-eaten food filled napkin from atop the plate stack. She makes her way back to the backroom with her load of dishes LEAVING THE STACK OF PLATES! Not long after she came and finished cleaning the table readying it for the next customer and STILL LEFT THE STACK OF PLATES placing napkins on top of them as usual!

I like Pei Wei and occasionally look forward to a saucy, high-sodium meal but this makes me think twice about ever returning.

Maybe corporate would take interest. You think? I have nothing to gain but I think someone should make some changes.

Since Whole Foods has opened in Green Hills, and for a bit before that, I have written here about how much I am happy that they have decided to open a store in Nashville. If you read this on a regular basis then you would think I am a major stock holder (I own zero). I do visit at least weekly to pick up a few staple items among other spur of the moment things. It’s good to have a wider choice in the foods I purchase. For instance, I no longer have to give money to Dean Foods in order to get unsweetened soy milk. I can get a massive pack of tater tots for $1.99 to go with my lazy burger nights. I have a wider choice of produce that doesn’t look like it has been sitting on top of a heating grate for two weeks before being put out for sale.

I look at the comment board each time I am in the store. The most complaints are about the bulk spices being in the Whole Body store on the corner outside. That’s something I don’t understand as well but I’m not complaining. It is unreal the people who request that the Whole Body store be closed and health products be moved into the main store! Lazy…I’ll leave it at that. Elizabeth has twice left a compliment on a comment card but neither was posted. I guess they would rather show the negativity.

Now that there is news of another Whole Foods opening in Coolsprings I am wondering if the Wild Oats there will meet the same fate as the one that was in Green Hills. I really don’t want to see Wild Oats close but I have nothing to do with that and can’t control it, I won’t complain for that reason. I just consider myself lucky to be able to get the items I choose to use in my daily cooking and munching as easily as I can now. I am acquainted enough with some of the employees at the Wild Oats in Coolsprings enough to hear about all the complaining people do concerning the Whole Foods takeover. They hate the parking at the new store, they hate the bulk selection, they hate the prices. I have noticed prices on the same item lower at Whole Foods as opposed to Wild Oats, but as well, I have noticed a increase in some pricing at the new store. They hate the location. I heard one complaint about Whole Foods carrying conventional items, as if they thought all products were supposed to be organic.

I have noticed the selection of bulk spices and coffee dwindling at Wild Oats without being replenished. When I asked about the spices I was told that Whole Foods management has decided to cut out 8 feet of the bulk isle and the selection goes with it. Odd move, but I’m not going to get in a fit over it, someone else will. I assume the coffee is being phased out in order to supply the Allegro brand.

I’m not going to complain, I’ll leave that to the others. Just happy to have a choice.

With a new house comes all sorts of plans for a spring season of fix-it-ups.  I am guessing it does at least, this house was our first.  So for me that statement is true.  Our biggest plans this year are for the outside.  Flowerbeds wil be plowed up and planted, I think we have eight or so in the works and those include herb gardens.  A compost pile has already been started.  The main goal is to get a vegetable garden going this year.   I would expect it to cut down dramatically on what we purchase at the grocery store each week.  We have had bell peppers and tomatoes at the house we rented but I tried to keep them in pots.  With room for a full-fledged garden I am thinking beans (black beans, pinto beans), carrots, beets, lettuce, celery, onions and garlic.   I have a few tricks I am intending to try which I learned from The Organic Gardeners for the short time I had Sirius last month.  There are also some rosebushes that came with the house that I must do something with.  They seem to be old and in need of pruning.  Maybe I should talk to them as well, I hear that works.

Do you tell everyone you know of the virtues of veganism? Do you look for ways to interject your vegan lifestyle in conversation? Go to the grocery checkout with boxes of tofu, rice milk and tempeh in hopes the cashier will inquire as to why you are buying such items? If so, you may be “vegangelical”. I had not heard of the word until last week when my wife said she heard a discussion on NPR about vegans and that the word was mentioned as an “up-and-coming” word. I guess some people are on the edge of religion with their veganism, not sure I am one of those. I would see a meat-eater as being more religious with their diet, mention being a vegan to them and they get all panicked and violated as if my way of eating is a false way. You see where I am going with this.

So, are you vegangelical?

This is going to be one of those late-nite-before-bed-nonsense posts…

Nutritional yeast is great. If you are vegan or vegetarian and you DON’T have this in your pantry/cabinet then go out and buy some now. In fact, even if you are a hardcore meat-eater, you should get some for the great flavor it has as a popcorn topping. You can find it in bulk at Wild Oats or Whole Foods as well as in large cans in the health section, although I don’t recommend purchasing it in this way as it will cost you alot more. This great little flake gives a powerful dose of vitamin B12 as well as protein. It has a great, sharp cheese flavor and works well in anything that needs that tasty kick. I made a batch of cheeseburger macaroni tonight using it. I’ve used it for macaroni-and-not-cheese, grilled cheese (after making a spread from the yeast), cheesy biscuits, I’ll even go as far as to eat a spoonful dry and plain!

Like I said, a late ramble but the greatness of nutritional yeast had to be shared! Now you know!