The Vegan Month of Food is over, and I'll be honest here: I miss it already! The idea behind the MOFO was to spread the word that not only is a vegan diet easier on the planet and often healthier for our bodies than the Standard American Diet, it can be pretty freaking delicious, too! If you want to keep that awesome cooking momentum going, here's some vegan food porn straight from the MOFO!

My pal Jes over at Cupcake Punk posted this drool-worthy recipe for
Pan Roasted Hen of the Woods Mushrooms with Maple Pumpkin Polenta and Tatsoi “Spoon” Mustard Greens:

Going vegan doesn't mean giving up things you've always dug. It just takes a little bit of love and some substitutions. Case in point, check out Where's the Revolution's veganized version of fesenjan an Iranian stew. She veganized her grandmother's recipe:

The super-fantastic Leigh from online vegan superstore Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe posted about the Mighty Tofu Scramble. Toss in a side of vegetarian baked beans, and this one of my favorite comfort food meals:

In the less-healthy-but-totally-decadent department, check out superstar Don't Eat Off the Sidewalk's Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.

Hungry for more? You can check out the full list of MOFO participants over on Kittee's blog.

The thing I love about veganism that hasn't really come up explicitly during the Month of Food is the sense of community. You can sort of see it in action if you search the #VeganMOFO hashtag on Twitter. No matter where folks are or what they're like, all of my vegan peeps have a common thread. Even if you disagree about some of the specifics of veganism itself, we all face some of the same challenges and pitfalls. I guess sometimes it feels like more than just a dietary or even lifestyle choice. It feels like being part of something larger than yourself, and there's a sort of comfort there.