Epic Vegan MoFo Survey in which I use too many !

A bunch of cool people over on the PPK came up with a survey!  So, of course, I am going to respond.  Hopefully my answers will not disappoint, the way that my promise to blog daily has.  *sob*  Forgive me...

What's your favorite spice or spice blend?
This is tough.  I love spices...at the moment, I think I will stick with smoked paprika.  Soooo good.  Although, cumin is rather versatile...

You have $20 to spend on fresh groceries and produce for the whole week (with a fairly well stocked pantry of dry goods, legumes, grains, and spices). what do you buy?

Tofu, asparagus, spinach, and udon. Probably also an avacado and some peanut butter, as well. I think that pretty much covers all my food groups...(note: *my* food groups, not the ones the FDA makes up)
What's your favorite way to make tofu?

I like to marinate it in some sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, sriracha, and whatever other spices I'm feeling like that day, then bake it until it has that nice chewy texture...this is especially good when served with spinach. (are you catching my spinach theme...?)
Vegan guilty pleasure?

Tempt frozen dessert. sooo good. Though, now that I have cut out sugar, I guess I will have to find a new guilty pleasure. Probably popcorn.
If you could make anyone vegan, who would it be?

My sister. I think she would enjoy it, and it would make playing in the kitchen together so much more fun!
If you could only read one other vegan blog, what would it be?

Sadly, I don't read enough other blogs often enough to have a firm answer to this yet...
Were you always interested in cooking, or did veganism change the way you saw and interacted with food?

A month after becoming vegan I moved into my first apartment and stocked my first kitchen, so the two went hand in hand. I don't think I'd cook or play in the kitchen nearly as much if I weren't vegan, though.
Excluding analogues, what new things have you tried that you probably wouldn't have as an omni?

Tempeh.
What is the one vegan staple that everyone seems to love, but you can't get behind?

I'm not sure if it is a staple, but I really, really dislike mushrooms.
What was your first "wow, I'm such a stereotypical vegan" moment?

Aha! I promised this would come! I was eating my dinner at school one day, when I looked at what I was eating, and realized my stereotypical state. I was eating my homemade smoked paprika hummus with the Sticks & Twigs pretzel sticks from my package. I realize this may not be a great story, but it was amusing. That, or the day I spent an inordinate amount of time discussing how much I loved spinach.

First recipe you veganized?

Sachertorte! http://veganary.blogspot.com/2010/03/torte-for-torts.html
What would you like to veganize, but haven't yet?

Hmm...this will require some thought.

Favorite kitchen utensil/appliance?

garlic press! It saves my food from huge chunks of garlic!

Most disastrous kitchen failure?

Last year I was trying to make a bean cassoulet. However, I thought it would be fun to use dried beans and actually make them, rather than just opening a can. Well, silly me, I figured they'd cook the rest of the way through in the cassoulet, so I didn't bother making sure they had fully cooked before making the dish. It was terrible. I tried to persevere and eat it anyways, but the beans and biscuits were undercooked and it was just...bad. I ended up ordering take out that night. *sigh*

First vegan cookbook?

Vegan With a Vengeance!
What question about being vegan do you HATE answering?

Where do you get your [insert nutrient here]?
If you could tell the world one thing about vegans, what would it be?

Being vegan is not the same as hating food! It is rather about redefining food and loving that! We also don't hate people who eat meat (at least, not on that basis)!
Funniest vegetable?

Brussel sprouts...they're like little, itty, bitty lettuce heads.

What is a family recipe you have veganized?

Crunchy peanut butter cookies! Top secret, but maybe I'll post a picture at some point...
Weirdest food combination ?

Jalapeños and chocolate. So good, though.

Is there something you wish you could veganize, but can't/couldn't?

My mom's baked mac and cheese. I am just not sure I can get that creamy gooey thing going.
Favorite ways to prepare tofu, seitan, tempeh, any other vegan proteins?

Tofu - see above; Tempeh - crumbles in beans and tomato dishes! yum!; I have yet to try seitan...
Are your pets vegan? if so, what do you feed them? tell us about having vegan furbabies!

Benjamin is not vegan, sadly. And one of his favorite attempted foods is me. And I am not vegan in the acceptable-food sense of the adjective!
Favorite non-dairy milk?

Almond milk!
What’s one “vegan myth” you’d like to squash?

That I can't get a complete protein without massive food combinations? Or that it somehow makes me defensive about my food...I find that people who worry about preachy vegans are a little on the preachy side, themselves.

Tomorrow (or the next time I post...) will be the epic tale of my very sad attempt at mini-quiche. And sometime soon will be a bragging session on the yummy things I got this weekend at the store. Stay tuned.