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About Natalie (The First Kitchen)

I'm a sometimes-vegetarian, sometimes-vegan, sometimes-omnivore college student cooking for three teenage guys and myself in Austin, Texas.

hi there

Wow, I did NOT mean to let that post be on the front page of this blog for so long. I really hope everyone didn’t think I was in such a pissed-off mood since November 7. I can only imagine … Continue reading

Posted in dessert, fruit, my life, photos, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

harvest pot pie; a change of pace

Yesterday Preston told me that I told too many exaggerated stories on my blog. And it’s true; although everything on the blog is based on true events, a bit of creative license is involved in nailing the punch line. My … Continue reading

Posted in beans, casserole, entree, my life, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

massaged miso kale with baked tofu

Y’all, the past few weeks have been rough. I’ve started to realizing that doing everything I love to do is both incredibly fun but also incredibly tiring, particularly around midterms. I’ve been slammed with tests, papers, work, and organization responsibilities, … Continue reading

Posted in entree, salad, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

birthday cake cashew butter

Since I moved into an apartment and started venturing into the kitchen, one of the things that I keep learning over and over again is how much you can make yourself. Brownies don’t always come in a box! Taco seasoning … Continue reading

Posted in 5 ingredients or less, breakfast, cake, nuts, photos, snack, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

vegan “caramel delights” bites + vegan week 3

I cheated this week. I cheated real, real bad. Migas. One omelette. Creamy, soft, tangy goat cheese. A bowl of ice cream. And a nasty incident with nacho cheese Doritos. I think the cheese and beer pairings last weekend (followed by … Continue reading

Posted in 5 ingredients or less, cookies, dessert, gluten-free, photos, snack, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

texas craft brewers festival and hickory street grill

This Saturday I selflessly* volunteered for the Texas Craft Brewers Festival. Once I  sold tickets for a couple hours, I was chosen** to volunteer at the food/beer pairings. I spent the rest of my afternoon running back and forth between … Continue reading

Posted in advice, beverage, my life, photos, scenes from the weekend | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

vegan update; tahini sriracha salad dressing

Today is the 10th day of my vegan stint (with the exception of that one moment when I accidentally/tipsily ate popcorn from Cornucopia drizzled with milk chocolate). Here is what I have learned so far: Veganism requires planning, which is … Continue reading

Posted in dip, gluten-free, photos, salad, side dish, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

reasons to love the the flagship whole foods store

[a very eclectic pumpkin patch, fractal-like cauliflowers, a delightful bulk section, my hot bar selection, and two types of kale to plant in the fall garden]

Posted in advice, beans, my life, photos, restaurant review, scenes from the weekend, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian, wordless wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

top 3 austin vegetarian and vegan restaurants

So far, being vegan is pretty great. A more detailed post of the first week is coming soon (after I recover from ACL heatstroke). Until then, take a peek at the best Austin vegetarian/vegan restaurants. These are all places you … Continue reading

Posted in advice, beans, entree, photos, restaurant review | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

well, i’m going for it.

After months (years?) of deliberation, I’m going to start eating vegan. (For a month, that is.) Eating vegan is something I’ve wanted to do for a while — not just because it’s better for you and better for the Earth, … Continue reading

Posted in advice, beans, casserole, gluten-free, photos, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments