As a vegan, you learn to live as somewhat of an outsider in mainstream society. You may try to surround yourself with vegan friends, but the fact is that many of your family members, friends and acquaintances eat meat…

and will continue to do so, despite your best efforts to share your insights.

That’s a fact of life, and I think one that most vegans accept fairly openly. But what about your romantic relationship – your partner, the love of your life, your soulmate? What do you do when he/she is not vegan?

Please Share you thoughts here ~

Post your  a comments HERE  tell US !

Tell us your story !

Next  Valentine Menu from Chef Mayra

A gift from Chef Mayra Kitchen ~

A Sexy Valentines Menu !

CM  Organic  Version of Eggplant Caviar
Makes about  4-6 servings

Wha’Cha  NEED

• 2 medium globe eggplants (large eggplants tend to be bitter, hence the use of medium)
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• 1 medium onion, peeled, left whole with skin intact
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne or to taste
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Assorted raw veggies, toasted  baguette rounds, breadsticks to serve
  
  Preheat the oven to 400F

Wha’Cha DO:

1. With the tip of your knife, pierce the eggplants all over. Cut a slit in the fattest part of the eggplant and insert one garlic clove in each.
2. Rub the eggplants and the onion with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast the eggplants and onion on a baking sheet for about 40 minutes or until the eggplants are collapsed and the onion brown.
3. Turn the veggies frequently while roasting. When done, cut the eggplants lengthwise and drain on several layers of paper towels, cut side down.
4. When cool enough to handle, strip off the skin and cut the flesh into 4 quarters. Quarter the onion, then put the eggplant and onion into a food processor.
5. Add the rest of the oil, the lemon juice, tomato paste, salt, pepper and cayenne.
6. Process until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
7. Refrigerate in a covered bowl.

You can make this the day before if you want.

Serve with veggies and/or bread.

Chef Mayra Organic Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Toasted Pecans

Wha’ Cha Need make it organic if possible

• 8 ounces of baby spinach or torn fresh spinach
• 1 ½-2 cups fresh strawberries, hulls removed and thinly sliced
• ½ cup lightly toasted pecan halves or pieces
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.

Wha’ Cha Do:

1. Combine spinach, strawberries, pecans and onions in a large serving bowl.
2. Put the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake well.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad to serve.

Main Course

Chef mayra Sexy Pesto Polenta with Healthy Sautéed Portobello Slices

Makes about  4 servings

Wha’Cha Need:

• 3 ½ cups of water
• 1 teaspoon salt, more for seasoning
• 1 cup medium-ground yellow cornmeal
• ¼ cup My vegan pesto (See the recipe BELOW)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into ¼ thick slices

THE PESTO VERY SIMPLE First, make the pesto:

Tha’ Vegan Pesto

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups loosely-packed bail leaves
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Wha’ Cha do ~ For the PESTO
Peel the garlic and grind it, the nuts and the salt in a food processor. Add the basil leaves and grind them. Stream in the oil with machine running.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Polenta TIME !!!!

Next, make the polenta:

1. Boil the water over high heat in a large saucepan.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the salt. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently until mixture thickens.

Near the end of cooking time, combine the pesto with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Stir it into the polenta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

1. Spread the polenta evenly over the bottom of a lightly oiled, shallow 10-inch square baking dish.

Refrigerate until firm (at least 30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 375F

2. Cut the now-firm polenta into 4 squares.
3. Put it on a lightly-oiled baking sheet.
4. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil and bake for about 30 minutes, until it’s hot and golden brown.

Polenta is in the OVEN

TIME to MAKE the mushroom sauce:

1. Over medium heat in a large skillet.]
2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
3. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the mushroom slices are tender.
5. Keep warm over low heat.

To serve, put a slice of the polenta on a plate and top with the mushrooms.

Dessert!!!

These ~ Chocolate Chip Cookies are NO BAKE recipe and YES DELISH!

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This dessert recipe is available to our subscribers. If you’d like to receive more free vegan recipes like these, sign up using the form on the right!

Are you in?

Related posts:

1. Chef Mayra Tofu Al MOJO
2. Chef Mayra Yucca (Cassava) with Garlic Mojo
3. Chef Mayra’s Tempeh Bourgignon
4. Chef Mayra Tri Color Pepper–Quinoa Linguini Salad
5. Vegan New Year Party Food Ideas

1. 

   Ashley

   February 7, 2011 at 7:18 pm

   My fiance is not vegan. He’s a pescatarian, which doesn’t bother me very much. He will eat fish when we are out and are definitely not going to share, eggs on the weekends at home, cheese almost never. He eats vegan at home (I do most of the cooking) and vegan most of the time when we go out. He is convinced that oysters and eggs give him stamina in the bedroom, so I don’t argue! He’s the love of my life and as long as he isn’t putting many animal products into his body, I’m fine!

   Reply
   1. 

      Chef Mayra

      February 7, 2011 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Ashely ~ I hear Ya !
      SO ~ in the mean time he is getting his Sexy ON in the Bedroom ~With oysters and eggs
      You Ms Ashely ! Here is some info about Aphrodisiacs!!!
      YOU eat them and show him how much more Stamina YOU HAVE !!!!
      Read here ~ http://www.chefmayrakitchen.com/valentines-day-get-in-the-mood-with-fruits-and-veggies

      Maybe ~ you can start a Little ~ POINT system in the Bedroom !
      Have some Good OLD VEGAN Sexy FUN !

      Thank you for SHARING this was Great !

      Reply
2. Tweets that mention When you are vegan, but your partner is not… -- Topsy.com

   February 7, 2011 at 7:23 pm

   [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ⓥ VeggieChefMayra Ⓥ, Rhonda Price. Rhonda Price said: RT @VeggieChefMayra: WHEN YOU ARE VEGAN, BUT YOUR PARTNER IS NOT… Please go to… http://fb.me/DMKmLbMv [...]

   Reply
3. 

   LoVegan

   February 8, 2011 at 5:08 pm

   I couldn’t live with a non Vegan, let alone sex! My husband is the first Vegan I met (more than 18 years ago). Maybe I can seem too “extreme”, but I’m Vegan for so much time that I’m quite intolerant I can’t suffer the smell (better, the stink) of meat eaters, my partners can be only Vegan
   Never forget: Vegans do it better !!!

   Reply
   1. 

      Chef Mayra

      February 8, 2011 at 10:30 pm

      LoVegan ! Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts~~

      I appreciate your point of view ~ I think as we all ” grow, learn and develop” we will make choices that will reflect where we are at the present time ~
      And YEAH !!!! Vegan have more stamina !! SO I hear hahahahah
      Thank you ! LoVegan ~ for stopping by ~
      PLEASE DO IT again !!!
      Chef Mayra

      Reply
4. 

   LoVegan

   February 9, 2011 at 3:22 pm

   I surely will hun, I subscribed your wonderful blog You know that I’m your fan #1
   Have a wonderful Valentine Day, I’m “stealing” recipes from you for my husband (we say that man must be “captured” with food)

   Reply
   1. 

      Chef Mayra

      February 17, 2011 at 1:38 pm

      THANK you SO MUCH LoVegan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      I am so proud you did ~
      PLEASE continue to post comments!
      Your opinion is valuable to me !

      Reply
5. 

   Kayleigh

   February 10, 2011 at 1:20 am

   My fiance isn’t a vegan. He eats vegan when he is at mine, but he eats meat and fish etc when he is at his moms.
   To an extent it doesn’t bother me that much because he respects my beliefs and he does try vegan foods – even if it is just mainly weekends and a few weeks through the year. I stand firmly that for a lasting relationship, couples need to have more than one thing in common, I have seen many vegan + vegan relationships suffer purely because that was their common ground only.
   If I could change his diet completly I would be happy, but I love the person I am with for who he is, and the numerous things we do have in common.

   Reply
   1. 

      Chef Mayra

      February 17, 2011 at 1:37 pm

      Hi Kayleigh~ Thank you for your comment ~
      Everyone is in a different space ~
      The entire thing is being compassionate .. Everyone is starts somewhere.
      Thank you so much for stopping by !

      Reply