So it’s October and it’s time for the Bad Ass Vegan of the month. While this Vegnista is well known in LA We at Bad AssVegan thought it was time to unveil her to the rest of the world. A beast in the kitchen and in the gym she can be either caught whipping up one of her delicious cruelty free dishes or in the gym getting ready to compete in her first competition. Make sure to to check her out to get some amazing food tips or gym motivation. Without further ado, help me welcome @ahnestveggie to the BAV family!
Name: Sarah Ahn aka Ahnestveggie
Where do you live and where are you from? I Iive in Los Angeles, CA but am originally from Maryland. Always rep my East Coast
Age? 26
What do you do for a living/profession? Catering manager, Food Blogger, Part Time Vegan chef
What do you like to do for fun? You can always find me at the gym in the weightroom. I have a slight obsession with squats and deadlifts. I’m also an outdoorsy person and love hiking, camping, hanging by the beach or going on food adventures!
How long have you been vegan? 4 Years
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Why did you become vegan? I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I was 17 years old. I lost over 20 pounds, went under a blood transfusion and barely could any food down. My doctor put me on a strict diet to up my veggie intake, limit red meats and cut down on spicy foods. I was terrified for my health since I haven’t seen result and wasn’t getting better so I slowly transitioned to a vegetarian diet. I was so for 2 years until I relapse from the dairy upsetting and flaring up my ulcer so I slowly cut out dairy milk and tried switching to almond milk, then limit my animal cheese intake and fully transitioned to vegan once I started to see change on how much energy I had and didn’t have a relapse since.
How was your transition? Gradually for sure. I was vegetarian for 2 years
What is the funniest misconception(s) that you have heard about vegans? “WHERE THE HECK DO YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN?!” That is all my favorite question.
What is your Favorite thing(s) about being a vegan?
Being able to be creative in the kitchen trying to veganize menu items. Also, learning that the vegan community is continuously rapidly growing and meeting new friends on social media and going on food adventures
What Do you think makes a Bad Ass Vegan? All vegans are SEXY. Anyone who helps the planet by living a healthier and cruelty free life is one Bad Ass. I’m currently prepping for a NPC bikini fitness show and every time I’m training and lifting more than others at the gym, I strut high and proud that I’m one “BAD ASS SEXY VEGAN”
.What is the best vegan dish that you make in your kitchen? Korean Spicy Cauliflower
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1/2 all purpose flour
1/2 corn or potato starch
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/2 cup filtered water
1/2 cup oil for frying (I used sunflower oil)
1 green onion, thinly sliced (for garnish)
1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Steps:
Cut cauliflower into bite size florets. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, seasoning and stir. Slowly add in water until a batter is made. Add 1 tbsp of water as needed if the batter is too thick to work with.
Heat oil in a deep pan or wok on medium high heat. Carefully drop each battered cauliflower making sure they do not touch and stick together. Fry for about 3-4 minutes per cauliflower or until they are crispy, brown and slightly hardened. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain the oil.
Korean Spicy Sauce:
1/4 cup Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2-3 garlic, minced
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp agave
1-2 tbsp filtered water, optional
On medium high heat, combine all ingredients minus the water. Stir for about 1-2 minutes until well combined. If the mixture is too thick add 1 tbsp of water at a time to loosen the sauce. Turn off heat and toss in fried cauliflower to full coat.
Plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds and fresh green onions. Best served right away while still warm and crispy.
What is the best Vegan Restaurant you have ever had the pleasure of eating at? Plum Bistro in Seattle, Washington
What advice do you have for those that are thinking of transitioning to a vegan lifestyle? Don’t be so hard on yourself. We are not perfect and if you have a little hiccup, just learn from it and try again. There are a lot of articles and cookbooks out there can help better educate yourself on veganism. Baby steps:)
Do you have a website to share with the BAV nation?
Food Blog: http://ahnestveggie.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/surrahahn
