9 Genius Tricks for Ordering Chinese Take-out

You know those nights when you don't want to cook? Yeah, I don't really either. But on those rare nights where nothing will hit the spot quite like greasy Chinese food, here are some simple but brilliant tips for keeping it vegan.

1. Scallion pancakes. Enough said.

2. Ask what's in their brown sauce or garlic sauce. Both can have oyster sauce or other animal products.

3. If the other sauces aren't vegan friendly, here's a simple swap: Ask for the "clear sauce" instead. This simple corn-starch based sauce (sometimes studded with scallions) is vegan.

4. A great entree option (that's super healthy too) is mixed steamed veggies with brown rice and clear sauce (on the side, if you like). Extra hungry? Have tofu added (some menus already have this included) for some filling protein.

5. Sharing with multiple folks? If they're getting tasty vegan options like baby eggplant, veggie trios, stir-fried crispy tofu with chile and cumin, braised assorted fresh mushrooms, mixed veggies and tofu, etc. (hungry yet?) ask for the sauce on the side, you can avoid those that aren't vegan. And things like cold sesame peanut noodles, veggie dumplings, etc. you don't have to worry about asking the sauce issue because it either comes on the side or is vegan.

6. Ask if they have any vegan soups. (or vegetarian, I've never heard of a Chinese restaurant that adds dairy to soups, or uses any kind of dairy for that matter. When was the last time you heard of chicken Teriyaki with melted cheese?)

7. Ask if they can omit egg from your veggie fried rice.

8. Don't stress too much. If you accidentally ingest an ounce of brown sauce with animal products in it or inadvertently have a bite of something glazed with fish sauce, don't sweat it. You want to show people how simple and delicious it is to be vegan, so don't get too caught up in "rules" and worrying if your tofu was grilled on the same hot top as salmon was. You'll drive yourself crazy, and your missing the bigger picture of kind and conscious eating.

9. Get your takeout out of those sad looking containers and into pretty bowls. Not only does this make for a happier looking meal, but it'll help with portion control (ever notice how massive those Tupperwares are filled?) Nothing spells sad and pathetic pig out fest list eating your way through 2/3rds of your main course and that dinky white paper rice box and then figuring "Screw it, I'm almost done, I might as well finish it all." And then your significant other being mad at you because they find you passed out in the bed five minutes later.