Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 10

Posole, Tres Leches Cake, and Vegan Chicken Wraps

I'm still working my way through the Born to Run 2 Run Free program, which I blogged about a few weeks ago as I did the Two-Week low-carb test. That part is over, thankfully! And now the program is just focusing on running form. I can eat all the carbs I want. And I can also make recipes from the book, many of which don't fit into the Two-Week Test rules. And most of the recipes are either vegan or easily veganizable. So far, I've made the vegetarian version of Arnulfo's Posole with Roasted Kale, which is a Tarahumara recipe.

The Born to Run 2 book includes a meat version with pork and a veg version with eggplant and mushrooms. Of course, I made the veg version, and I also added seitan for extra protein. The stew has lots hominy and tomatoes with a bright lime finish, and it's topped with roasted kale (I roasted mine in the air fryer) and vegan sour cream. It's the kind of recipe you're glad to have leftovers of! I even froze some for later.

A few weeks back, Lulu's Cafe and Bakery offered Tres Leches Cake, a super-sweet cake soaked in three kinds of milk. Of course, it was all vegan milk! Everything at Lulu's is vegan. I picked up a slice and savored every bite.

Here's some amazing Eggy Avocado Toast. I used my homemade sourdough, topped with avocado, sauerkraut, and scrambled Just Egg. I will definitely be doing this again.

For summer solstice, I made the Lemon Chicken Wraps from Llewelyn's Sabbats Almanac. The recipe wasn't vegan, but I made it vegan with Morningstar Farms chicken strips. The dressing was made with preserved lemon (I used Indian pickle cause it's what I had, and it's basically the same thing.) Really, really good! I also had a Tomato and Squash Salad from the book on the side.

And finally, here's the Banana Almond Butter Waffles from the No Meat Athlete Cookbook. I've made this recipe as pancakes plenty of times, but this was my first time (I think) making it as waffles! Sausage was the Whole Foods store brand vegan sausage.

Vegan Spam!

As I've mentioned in a few posts lately, Sprouts recently had a ton of vegan meats on close-out, and one of those was the OmniPork Luncheon (aka vegan spam). It was regularly priced for about $8 a package, which always seemed too much. So I never bought it. But then it was marked down to $2 a pack, so I grabbed some. Now I'm sad I only got one.
I know spam gets a bad rap. But I remember enjoying Spam as a kid. Truth be told, I was a fan of most potted meats I tried. I LOVED Vienna sausages, too. So, maybe I'm just a weirdo. But I remember really liking Spam. 

That said, I didn't really remember how I ate Spam. Straight from the can? On sandwiches? I don't remember. But I have some weird inkling of a memory of eating Spam Hash. So I decided I'd try some that way. 

I first browned the luncheon meat and sampled a bite on its own. It was good! Very salty and quite greasy. And though I can't remember exactly what Spam tasted like, I think this is similar. Then I fried some potatoes with onions and peppers and added back the diced luncheon meat. This was good! 
I have a couple slices of OmniPork left, and I think I'm going to try using it in sushi. It's not something I'd want to eat often, as it's very processed. But I love a good treat like this. And good news: It seems Sprouts wasn't totally getting rid of the product. I noticed a few weeks later than they had the same thing in new packaging, so I suspect the product underwent a rebrand and that's why it was marked down.

Food and Fun with Greg!

Long-time readers of this blog might remember my friend Greg. He used to live Memphis, and we did everything together. But he moved to Kentucky about eight years ago, and now I only see him once a year or so. He came to visit this past week for the 4th of July, and we packed a ton into about five days.

On Saturday night, we met up with our friend Andy, who just had a birthday, for a birthday drag show at Dru's Place.

And on Sunday, we had brunch at RP Tracks with friends Vaughan and Nicole.

The Veggie Rooster on RP Tracks' brunch menu is vegan if you leave off the cheese. It has tofu scram, vegan sausage, and coconut bacon, and it's served with toast. I also had a couple of Salty Dogs. RP Tracks' brunch cocktails are just $4.50!

After brunch, we stopped by to visit with our friend Shara, who has been house-sitting and caring for some backyard chickens. These little babies were so sweet. Our favorite was Pancake, the super social hen in the foreground. She followed us around and let us pet her. 

The next day, Monday, was my day off work for the holiday. For complicated reasons that are too boring to explain here, I work a few hours on almost every holiday, but I'm always off the day before the holiday. So Greg and I decided to go kayaking on the Wolf River.

We packed a little picnic of Pasta Salad, Veggies & Hummus, and Chips and kayaked to Memphis Beach — the small sandy beach on the Wolf River — to spread out our blanket.

Here's my picnic plate!

Later that night, we went to the free Memphis fireworks show at Liberty Park. Paul, who spent most of the weekend working (and sleeping because he works a million hours a week) got to join us for this outing. And then after the official show, we had our own mini show with some fireworks that Greg brought along. 

Tuesday was actual Fourth of July, but I had to work for a few hours. So I got my work done in the morning, and we spent the afternoon grilling. We made Veggie & Tofu Kabobs, Grilled Corn, Oyster Mushrooms, and Asparagus. And I had some leftover pasta salad.

Wednesday was Greg's last full day in town, and I had to work all day. But when I got off, we headed to Imagine Vegan Cafe for one last dinner. 

I got the new Buffalo Fish Sandwich, which is made with Gardein fish covered in buffalo sauce, coleslaw, and tartar sauce. It sounds weird, but it was good! 

BBQ Pizza, Popcorn Chick'n Fries, & More

I've been busy hanging out with my friend Greg this week, who is visiting from Kentucky for the Fourth of July. So I'm just now blogging for the first time this week. I'll catch you up on some of our weekend and holiday eats soon, but for now, here's a quick post with some meals I enjoyed a few weeks ago.

One was this amazing BBQ Tofu Flatbread from Arsaga's Mill District in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I ran a 50-mile race in Oklahoma back in May. And I stopped in Fayetteville on the drive over because my friend Misti lives there. But before I checked in with Misti, I stopped at my favorite vegan-friendly spot in Fayetteville for a tasty flatbread. The only problem with this pie — which was covered with charred tofu, BBQ sauce, and vegan ranch — was the obscene amount of cilantro. I like cilantro but not that much. It was perfect after I scrapped some off though.

That same weekend, I stayed in an AirBnB in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, for my race. And I brought along this Field Roast Breakfast Sandwich (from the freezer case at Whole Foods) with vegan sausage, Just Egg, and Chao Cheese. Perfect quick breakfast the morning after my race before hitting the road!

Imagine Vegan Cafe in Memphis has added several new menu items, including these Carolina Gold Popcorn Chicken Fries. It's exactly what it sounds like, with vegan ranch, too.

And finally, here's a tasty breakfast from Lulu's: Vegan Sausage Biscuit with Strawberry Jam, side of Creamed Cashew Greens. Yum!

Product Review: Jovial Foods Vegan Mac

I was sent a couple boxes of Jovial Foods Gluten-free Vegan Mac to review, and though I'm not gluten-free, I sometimes prefer the texture of gluten-free pasta over whole wheat pasta. Now, white pasta absolutely wins the prize for best texture in my book, but I try to limit my refined carbs so that I only have them around workouts (or special occasions).

So gluten-free pasta is a great go-to for a healthy everyday meal. This box has brown rice pasta, which is probably the most superior of the gf-pastas, texture-wise. This particular one only has one ingredient — organic brown rice flour. That's it! As for the cheese sauce, it's made with pea protein, rice syrup solids, palm oil powder, corn starch. Not the most wholesome ingredient list, but at least every ingredient is organic. 

One of my favorite ways to eat boxed mac is Mac & Trees & Peas. 

You cook the pasta according to package directions, but throw some frozen broccoli and a drained can of chickpeas into the boiling pasta water when there's about three minutes left on the timer. The frozen broccoli will slow down the boil, so I just wait until the water starts to boil again and test the broccoli and pasta for done-ness. If it needs more time, I'll add a minute or so.

This Jovial Foods vegan mac made a fantastic and quick weeknight dinner. The cheese sauce was super-creamy, thanks to the addition of soymilk and vegan butter. I would absolutely buy this!

Not Chicken and Healthy Bowls

A while back, I was shopping at Sprouts when I noticed about half the products in the vegan meat section were on closeout sale. While this concerns me (does this mean they’re not selling well?), I was also happy to stock up on some things I probably wouldn’t buy otherwise.

One of those products was a fiesta-flavored vegan chicken shred, and I wish I could remember the brand name. But I can’t. It was in a yellow and red box, and it was a brand I’d never heard of. Anyway, it made for a perfect taco filling! The bad part about buying products on closeout is that I can probably never buy them again.

Another product I found on closeout were these Hungry Plant vegan chicken patties, which made for an excellent chicken sandwich. I always top my chicken sandwiches with vegan mayo and pickles. It’s the only way!


When I’m not eating fake meat, I’m turning to healthier options, like bowls. This was a very tasty and filling Bean & Rice Bowl with pintos, kale, brown rice, and avocado. Yum!

And this Miso Glory Bowl of Goodness was a recipe from a Complement e-cookbook that I downloaded. The miso-based dressing had a little Complement Gut Nuture mixed it. Gut Nuture is a prebiotic powder (that tastes like ginger!) that I take daily to help my gut microbiome. I usually just mix it with water, but it’s fun to use in recipes.

Indian Corn Pudding, Taco Tuesday, and Fancy Avo Toast

I'm still catching up on posts of my random eats, so these are all foods I ate a long time ago! Like March! I made this Makai No Chevdo (aka Indian corn pudding) from Plant-Based India, and it was soooo good, especially in those cool spring days. The savory dish is seasoned with curry leaves and lots of other Indian spices, and it's topped with crunchy sev. On the side, I made the Blueprint Pakoras from the No Meat Athlete Cookbook. These were baked pakoras stuff with lots of veggies, which you can't see under all that chickpea flour batter. I served them with some sprout chutney that I made months ago and froze ice cube trays.

Taco Tuesdays are back at Global Cafe! A couple years ago, the cafe's manager, Juan, started Taco Tuesday specials where you could get three tacos with free chips and salsa and a $4 margarita. And I loved Taco Tuesday. But then Juan moved away, and so did Taco Tuesday. But he's back in Memphis and managing Global again, and he's revived the old taco special. I always get the Black Bean Tacos. Juan's margs are the best in town. 

Way back on St. Patrick's Day, I met up with a coworker for coffee at Vice & Virtue, and since it was around lunch time, I ordered this Avocado Toast. Best avo toast ever! The homemade bread is super thick and toasty, and they add garlic pepitas and fermented jalapeno. It also comes with chili-garlic butter, but it's easy to ask for that to be left off. 

And here's a quick meal from a can! I discovered these Heyday canned, seasoned chickpeas at Sprouts, and they're perfect for busy nights. Sadly, after trying a few flavors, the cans disappeared from Sprouts' shelves. Bummer.

Memphis Vegan Festival 2023

The annual Memphis Vegan Festival was Sunday in Fourth Bluff Park. Our vegan fest, organized by Memphis event planner Cynthia Daniels, isn’t your typical vegan fest with speakers and free samples. Instead, it’s a gathering of local (and regional) food vendors selling food.

The fest is free to attend, but you definitely need to plan on spending a good amount of money to eat. Which is fine by me because I love using my money to support small, local, Black-owned, vegan businesses. The vast majority of the businesses at this event are Black-owned (perhaps all of them were this year).

I arrived just after the fest opened because these tend to get very busy later in the day, and then you have to spend time standing in food lines. But when I arrived, most vendors were just getting started. I spotted Little Rock-based Utopia Deli right away, and since I can’t eat their food very often, I went there first for this Hot Chop Sandwich!



This was a fried vegan pork chop (but it had the same texture as vegan chicken) covered with agave-gold sauce and served on a brioche bun with garlic aioli and pickles. It was sooooo good! I sat on a park bench and enjoyed every bite.

Next up, I spotted Thicc Ass Vegan, who was selling alfredo pasta and milkshakes. I was too full for pasta, but I’d been wanting to try her milkshakes for a while. So I ordered this Cinnamon Toast Crunch Milkshake. It had little bits of cereal mixed in, and wow!! Who knew cereal would be better in milkshake form?

Somehow, milkshakes are very filling. So I didn’t have room for any more food at that point, and I’d spent plenty on two items. So I headed home. But I wish I had all the money and all the room in my belly because I wanted to eat so many more things: burgers, tacos, loaded fries, mushroom wings, cinnamon rolls, vegan ice cream. Everything looked so good!

Father's Day Fun with Papa Crunk!

I went back home to Arkansas on Friday for an early Father's Day with my parents. First things first, I gave my dad his gifts (a Yeti beer coozie, a Busch beer shirt, and a six-pack of pickle beers). I picked up the shirt and coozie at the Budweiser gift shop in St. Louis when Paul and I visited there back in April. And I thought it'd be fun to buy family Bud shirts. I got myself a Bud Light shirt, my mom a Budweiser tee, and my dad a Busch shirt (because that's his beer of choice). Now, I much prefer craft beer, but I do enjoy the political statement that supporting Budweiser makes these days. Happy to support any brands that celebrate Pride!

After our family pic, we headed to a new Thai place in downtown Hardy, Arkansas. Sabai Thai was super vegan-friendly. When I asked to have my Pad See Ew made without fish sauce, the server asked me if I was vegan and said the chef was always super careful with vegan orders. Quite surprising in a small Arkansas town! And awesome!

I also got the Thai Salad Rolls with no egg. These were really great salad rolls.

After dinner, we went to the Spring River Draft House to meet up with my parents' friends for a beer and live music. They typically have cover artists on Fridays, and the guy played a bunch of 90s songs!

And we rounded out the night with my mom's Vegan Peanut Butter Pie topped with PB Oreos. Sooooo good. She used the Philadelphia vegan cream cheese for this, and it was definitely the best version she's made over the years. That cream cheese is so good.

The next morning, I went to Loberg Park in Hardy for a 10.5-mile run, but about four miles in, I had to use the bathroom. So I went to the little bathroom building next to the playground, and well, I got stuck. The metal door didn't lock because the lock didn't line up with the doorframe, so I closed it extra hard. And then when I went to open the door, it wouldn't budge. I tried with my weight and might. And nothing.

Luckily, my parents live about 20 minutes away from the park, so I called my dad. And he was there as fast as he could be to free me. He was able to put his weight into the door and push it in. Whew!! That was scary. My dad is a real hero!

After that, I finished my run in this beautiful park overlooking Spring River. 

And then I headed back to my parents' house for brunch. We had vegan Breakfast Casserole with Just Egg, Impossible Sausage, biscuits, and Chao cheese, plus some Hash Browns and mimosas. 

My mom and I got a little kayaking in on their lake, too, before I had to drive home.

Carb Week: Grains! Bread!

As I mentioned in my last couple posts, I've been slowly adding carbs back in after doing Phil Maffetone's Two-Week Test with very low carbs. During those 12 days (cause I cut it short), I felt pretty sluggish and gross. My energy was low, my run paces were slow. But as soon as I started working carbs back in on Sunday, I instantly felt better. 

On Sunday, I added beans, and on Monday, I had fruit. Tuesday was grains! Grains were one thing I didn't miss as much because, some days even in my normal eating patterns, I'll go a whole day without grains. But I was amazed at how much better I felt with a little brown rice in my tummy. I started with brown rice on the side of a Tofu Stir-fry. I'd made the dish for Monday and served it then with just extra tofu since grain day was the next day. But I added rice to my leftover desk lunch at the office, and it sure did make a different in my energy level.

Later that day for dinner, I made this quick Curried Lentils & Kale dish over quinoa with Roasted Bhinda (okra). The rice and lentils was an easy dish made on the fly with canned lentils and kale, but I used a recipe from Plant-Based India for the bhinda. It was loaded with Indian spices, like coriander, cumin seed, hing, and amchur powder. So good.

The next day, Wednesday, was bread day! I may not have missed grains that much, but I missed bread so bad. I make my own sourdough, and I had some in the freezer just waiting. I couldn't wait to whip some out and butter with Miyoko's oat butter. I had some Upton's Naturals vegan tortilla chicken soup on the side. 

The soup was just okay (a little too lime-y), but the bread was everything. I ate one slice, assessed how I felt (great!), and then I ate the other. Still great! Clearly, my body does best on carbs. Later in the evening, I made a bean and rice burrito on a white flour tortilla. Very satisfying!

Today is sugar day! Rather than have a big dessert (because I've got pie planned this weekend), I spread my sugar out over the day with some grape jelly on my morning toast, a little sweetened peanut butter bite snack with a banana mid-morning, and some barbecue mushroom jerky with a little added sugar in the afternoon. I try to never go over 25 grams of added sugar per day, after reading the Alzheimer's Solution a couple years back. I felt just fine after each sugar snack! Now, I know when I eat a big dessert, I do typically feel a little gross after, but I so rarely do that so I think that's fine. Splurges are good for the soul.