Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 118
August 15, 2017
Juice Bar in Crosstown Concourse!
FINALLY — I can get fresh juice in my neighborhood without having to drive! I live and work in Crosstown Memphis, a neighborhood on the northern edge of Midtown, and for years, our little area has been neglected and filled with abandoned buildings. That's because the neighborhood anchor — the 1.5-million-square-foot Sears headquarters — closed in the late 90s, leading to the closure of other businesses around it.
But that's changing thanks to a massive revitalization project led by Crosstown Arts, the nonprofit I work for. A few years ago, Crosstown Arts got the ball rolling to renovate and rebrand the old Sears Crosstown building as Crosstown Concourse. It's a HUGE building, and a little arts organization couldn't fill it on its own, so dozens of local businesses and organizations (medical centers, education nonprofits and various nonprofits of all stripes, restaurants, and retail) stepped up to save the long-vacant 1920s art-deco building. It's been under construction for a few years now, and slowly but surely, businesses are opening to the public. Crosstown Arts is moving our galleries and arts programming into the Crosstown Concourse this fall. We're currently across the street.
Yesterday, one of my favorite additions to the building — Juice Bar — opened, and quite frankly, made my little world complete. One of my two gyms —the Church Health YMCA — is in Concourse too. So now I can get fresh juice as I leave the gym! Plus, they have lots of vegan grab-and-go items for lunch.
This is Juice Bar's second Memphis location (it's a small franchise), but the other one is in the Cooper-Young neighborhood about a 7-minute drive away. While that doesn't sound far, I prefer to walk or bike everywhere. Since I live and work in the neighborhood, I often go days without driving a car. This is much more convenient! In fact, I walked over to Concourse for lunch today and got these Pad Thai Noodles (sweet potato noodles, carrots, cucumbers, spinach, cilantro, garlic, sesame seeds, cashews, Thai peanut sauce) and Mean Greens Juice (jalapeno, celery, kale, spinach, cucumber, parsley, lemon).
Last night, I was invited to a media preview party at Juice Bar. They don't sell alcohol, but they had some special spiked cocktails for us to try. There was Gin & Juice and Orange You Glad We Said Prosecco.
They also had some food samples available. I had already eaten a big dinner, so I didn't eat much. But they had samples of the Pad Thai Noodle Bowl.
And the Almond Butter Sandwich (with strawberries, apple slices, and cacao nibs). While Juice Bar is about 95 percent vegan, they do use bee products in some items, and this sandwich typically comes with honey. It's sold in the grab-and-go case, but the owner tells me that they can make it without honey by request. Just ask at the counter.
Most food items are prepared ahead of time and available in the grab-and-go case. Vegan options include the Sprout Sandwich, Pad Thai Noodle Bowl, Kale Quinoa Bowl, and Spring Rolls.
There are a few food items to avoid or alter if you're vegan — the Overnight Oats contain honey and bee pollen (but they are made with almond milk so if you don't avoid bee products, there's that), and since they're prepared the night before, they can't be made vegan by request. The dressing in the Nori Bowl contains honey, but it's served separately so you could eat it without the dressing (or take it home and use your own vegan dressing). The other items with honey — the Chocolate Bowl, Dragon Fruit Bowl, and the Acai Bowl — are smoothie bowls that are prepared as they're ordered, so they can be made without honey. All of the smoothies and juices are vegan, and they use plant-based protein powder.
They also sell essential oil shots and power shots (made with power foods like wheatgrass, cayenne, ginger, and turmeric). There's even a Hangover Helper with activated charcoal that I'm sure will come in handy.
And they fill growlers! I have a juicer at home, but juicing can be expensive and messy. And while I do juice at home sometimes, it's nice to have another option for when I'm too busy (or real talk, lazy).
Juice Bar is open in Crosstown Concourse Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
But that's changing thanks to a massive revitalization project led by Crosstown Arts, the nonprofit I work for. A few years ago, Crosstown Arts got the ball rolling to renovate and rebrand the old Sears Crosstown building as Crosstown Concourse. It's a HUGE building, and a little arts organization couldn't fill it on its own, so dozens of local businesses and organizations (medical centers, education nonprofits and various nonprofits of all stripes, restaurants, and retail) stepped up to save the long-vacant 1920s art-deco building. It's been under construction for a few years now, and slowly but surely, businesses are opening to the public. Crosstown Arts is moving our galleries and arts programming into the Crosstown Concourse this fall. We're currently across the street.
Yesterday, one of my favorite additions to the building — Juice Bar — opened, and quite frankly, made my little world complete. One of my two gyms —the Church Health YMCA — is in Concourse too. So now I can get fresh juice as I leave the gym! Plus, they have lots of vegan grab-and-go items for lunch.
This is Juice Bar's second Memphis location (it's a small franchise), but the other one is in the Cooper-Young neighborhood about a 7-minute drive away. While that doesn't sound far, I prefer to walk or bike everywhere. Since I live and work in the neighborhood, I often go days without driving a car. This is much more convenient! In fact, I walked over to Concourse for lunch today and got these Pad Thai Noodles (sweet potato noodles, carrots, cucumbers, spinach, cilantro, garlic, sesame seeds, cashews, Thai peanut sauce) and Mean Greens Juice (jalapeno, celery, kale, spinach, cucumber, parsley, lemon).
Last night, I was invited to a media preview party at Juice Bar. They don't sell alcohol, but they had some special spiked cocktails for us to try. There was Gin & Juice and Orange You Glad We Said Prosecco.
They also had some food samples available. I had already eaten a big dinner, so I didn't eat much. But they had samples of the Pad Thai Noodle Bowl.
And the Almond Butter Sandwich (with strawberries, apple slices, and cacao nibs). While Juice Bar is about 95 percent vegan, they do use bee products in some items, and this sandwich typically comes with honey. It's sold in the grab-and-go case, but the owner tells me that they can make it without honey by request. Just ask at the counter.
Most food items are prepared ahead of time and available in the grab-and-go case. Vegan options include the Sprout Sandwich, Pad Thai Noodle Bowl, Kale Quinoa Bowl, and Spring Rolls.
There are a few food items to avoid or alter if you're vegan — the Overnight Oats contain honey and bee pollen (but they are made with almond milk so if you don't avoid bee products, there's that), and since they're prepared the night before, they can't be made vegan by request. The dressing in the Nori Bowl contains honey, but it's served separately so you could eat it without the dressing (or take it home and use your own vegan dressing). The other items with honey — the Chocolate Bowl, Dragon Fruit Bowl, and the Acai Bowl — are smoothie bowls that are prepared as they're ordered, so they can be made without honey. All of the smoothies and juices are vegan, and they use plant-based protein powder.
They also sell essential oil shots and power shots (made with power foods like wheatgrass, cayenne, ginger, and turmeric). There's even a Hangover Helper with activated charcoal that I'm sure will come in handy.
And they fill growlers! I have a juicer at home, but juicing can be expensive and messy. And while I do juice at home sometimes, it's nice to have another option for when I'm too busy (or real talk, lazy).
Juice Bar is open in Crosstown Concourse Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
August 14, 2017
Goddess Box: Unicorn Magic
It's Goddess Provisions box unpacking time again! I subscribe to their monthly goddess box, which is always filled with crystals, oils, vegan treats, and other magical items. This month's theme was Unicorn Magic, which is just awesome because UNICORNS! I'm so into unicorns. And really, who isn't? Here is all the magical rainbow goodness packed inside the August box.
There's a unicorn-inspired essential oil blend, a chakra oil diffuser, a rainbow energy inhaler, a unicorn makeup brush, vegan sprinkles, a self-care sticker, unicorn cream highlighter, and a rose quartz-amethyst orgone wand.
As always, the crystals are my fave, and this unicorn horn filled with rose quartz and amethyst is awesome. The tiny crystals are encased in resin. The Goddess Provisions folks suggest using this as a massager for the feet, hands, neck, and shoulders, and I've been doing just that. As a runner, my feet take a beating nearly every day, and a little personal foot massage is always in order.
There are seven different Soul Candy Chakra Diffusers, each one associated with one of the seven chakras, so it was a surprise which chakra would come in your box. Mine came with this lovely purple crown chakra stone. You're supposed to apply a little essential oil to the white part and use this in meditation. I've applied lavender oil to mine, and I keep it by my bedside to diffuse its relaxing scent while I sleep.
Sometimes the goddess boxes come with fun vegan makeup, and I'm always super-stoked when that happens. This month, there was a Let's Put a Bird On It Unicorn Dust Highlighter. It's a shiny glimmer cream that helps highlight my cheekbones (and helps my face glitter stay on!). The unicorn fan brush is cute as hell, and I've been using it to apply said face glitter.
There were a couple of smell-good stuffs in the box — a Soul Sunday Unicorn Aromatherapy Roller (with lavender and peppermint!) and an Awaken Essentials Oils Rainbow Energy Inhaler. The unicorn roller has a bright minty scent, and I've found it's great for healing headaches when rolled on my temples. The inhaler is probably my second fave thing in the box (after the crystal wand) because it smells heavenly with its blend of rose, sweet orange, lemon, green mandarin, blue chamomile, and lavender essential oils. I carry it in my purse for a mid-day energy boost.
I love this self-care sticker! So cute! I'm not sure where to put it yet, but I've been thinking of getting back into journaling. So I may save this for a future journal.
And finally, the sprinkles! These Sweetapolita Twinkle Sprinkles are so fun! They have little gold stars mixed in. It's so hard to find good vegan sprinkles, so I'm glad to have these. I'm sure they'll find their way onto homemade doughnuts and cupcakes soon.
But right away, I had to try them on this Unicorn Latte from the Goddess Provisions blog. They posted a recipe to accompany the box, and it sounded so yummy that I had to make it. It's warm almond milk with melted coconut butter, cinnamon and cardamom, dates, and beet powder for color (I subbed beet juice). I had this as a mid-afternoon snack last week, and it was delicious. The sprinkles are super-sweet, and they were just perfect with this healthy blend of good fats and spices.
By the way, I'm a Goddess Provisions ambassador, which means I make a couple bucks if anyone signs up using this link. I don't get my boxes free though, just to be clear. I subscribe and pay the $33 a month, and it's totally worth it. It's a great deal, and the boxes are so much fun!
There's a unicorn-inspired essential oil blend, a chakra oil diffuser, a rainbow energy inhaler, a unicorn makeup brush, vegan sprinkles, a self-care sticker, unicorn cream highlighter, and a rose quartz-amethyst orgone wand.
As always, the crystals are my fave, and this unicorn horn filled with rose quartz and amethyst is awesome. The tiny crystals are encased in resin. The Goddess Provisions folks suggest using this as a massager for the feet, hands, neck, and shoulders, and I've been doing just that. As a runner, my feet take a beating nearly every day, and a little personal foot massage is always in order.
There are seven different Soul Candy Chakra Diffusers, each one associated with one of the seven chakras, so it was a surprise which chakra would come in your box. Mine came with this lovely purple crown chakra stone. You're supposed to apply a little essential oil to the white part and use this in meditation. I've applied lavender oil to mine, and I keep it by my bedside to diffuse its relaxing scent while I sleep.
Sometimes the goddess boxes come with fun vegan makeup, and I'm always super-stoked when that happens. This month, there was a Let's Put a Bird On It Unicorn Dust Highlighter. It's a shiny glimmer cream that helps highlight my cheekbones (and helps my face glitter stay on!). The unicorn fan brush is cute as hell, and I've been using it to apply said face glitter.
There were a couple of smell-good stuffs in the box — a Soul Sunday Unicorn Aromatherapy Roller (with lavender and peppermint!) and an Awaken Essentials Oils Rainbow Energy Inhaler. The unicorn roller has a bright minty scent, and I've found it's great for healing headaches when rolled on my temples. The inhaler is probably my second fave thing in the box (after the crystal wand) because it smells heavenly with its blend of rose, sweet orange, lemon, green mandarin, blue chamomile, and lavender essential oils. I carry it in my purse for a mid-day energy boost.
I love this self-care sticker! So cute! I'm not sure where to put it yet, but I've been thinking of getting back into journaling. So I may save this for a future journal.
And finally, the sprinkles! These Sweetapolita Twinkle Sprinkles are so fun! They have little gold stars mixed in. It's so hard to find good vegan sprinkles, so I'm glad to have these. I'm sure they'll find their way onto homemade doughnuts and cupcakes soon.
But right away, I had to try them on this Unicorn Latte from the Goddess Provisions blog. They posted a recipe to accompany the box, and it sounded so yummy that I had to make it. It's warm almond milk with melted coconut butter, cinnamon and cardamom, dates, and beet powder for color (I subbed beet juice). I had this as a mid-afternoon snack last week, and it was delicious. The sprinkles are super-sweet, and they were just perfect with this healthy blend of good fats and spices.
By the way, I'm a Goddess Provisions ambassador, which means I make a couple bucks if anyone signs up using this link. I don't get my boxes free though, just to be clear. I subscribe and pay the $33 a month, and it's totally worth it. It's a great deal, and the boxes are so much fun!
August 13, 2017
Sheridan Turns 37!
My best friend Sheridan turned 37 last week, but she lives two hours away in Little Rock, Arkansas, so I couldn't celebrate with her until this past weekend. We've been besties since junior high, so we've celebrated A LOT of birthdays together. I'm just a few months behind her (October), and we're getting old. But we're still tons of fun! And we certainly don't feel almost 40.
Paul and I drove down to Little Rock on Saturday to meet up with Sheridan and her partner Drew. Sheridan is a theater teacher, and she spent her summer off directing a production of Hedwig & the Angry Inch at Studio Theatre in Little Rock. This was opening weekend, so we combined her birthday celebration with a visit to the show. But first, she opened presents at her house. I got her an Origin of Love friendship necklace (from Hedwig!), an assortment of crystals, and some phases of the moon cocktail glasses.
And we met her and Drew's new kitties — Ari and Azure! They just adopted them from the shelter a few weeks ago. For some reason, I didn't get any photos of Azure (I'm terrible at photographing anything that isn't food), but we did get this shot of beautiful Ari!
Then we grabbed some dinner at Three Fold Noodle & Dumpling Co. downtown before the show. I got the Tofu & Shiitake Steam Bun Sandwich with Carrot Slaw. Y'all. Seriously. I wish I could eat this again and again. It's a large steam bun stuffed with marinated tofu, a daikon radish spread, and shiitake mushrooms. The carrot slaw was super garlicky and amazing.
And Three Fold has Dairy-Free Bubble Tea made with soymilk! Yay! It's so rare to find vegan versions of the milky bubble teas. In Memphis, I can only find the vegan bubble teas that are fruity.
After dinner, it was time for the show!
It was soooooo good! Anthony, who played Hedwig, is a drag queen in real life, and he NAILED Hedwig. Anthony's real-life BFF Brittany played Yitzhak, so they had amazing chemistry on-stage. We were all blown away by how great the show was. And bonus: We sat in the front row, and I got the carwash! (If you don't know what that means, watch this clip from the movie). Here's a shot with me and Anthony after the show.
After a drink at the theater lobby bar, we went back to Sheridan's for snacks, cocktails, and birthday dessert. Sheridan made her famous Vegan Onion Dip, and we had PB&J Oreos.
I usually make Sheridan cupcakes for her birthday, but Drew had made her cupcakes earlier in the week since her birthday fell on a Tuesday. So I made her a Cherry Pie instead!
We had our pie with scoops of So Delicious Vanilla Soy Ice Cream.
By the time we were done with pie and drinks, it was about 1 am, so we retired for the night. This morning, rather than go out for brunch as we usually do when I visit, we opted to cook at Sheridan's house. We made Vegan Biscuits & Sausage Gravy. So good!
And then before we hit the road back to Memphis, I tried one of Drew's Vanilla Birthday Cupcakes! These were yummy and so cute. He used the sprinkles Sheridan got in her August Goddess Provisions box (which I'll be blogging about tomorrow!).
We're back home now, but we had such a fun weekend with best friends and Hedwig and pie and biscuits! Happy birthday, Sheridan!
Paul and I drove down to Little Rock on Saturday to meet up with Sheridan and her partner Drew. Sheridan is a theater teacher, and she spent her summer off directing a production of Hedwig & the Angry Inch at Studio Theatre in Little Rock. This was opening weekend, so we combined her birthday celebration with a visit to the show. But first, she opened presents at her house. I got her an Origin of Love friendship necklace (from Hedwig!), an assortment of crystals, and some phases of the moon cocktail glasses.
And we met her and Drew's new kitties — Ari and Azure! They just adopted them from the shelter a few weeks ago. For some reason, I didn't get any photos of Azure (I'm terrible at photographing anything that isn't food), but we did get this shot of beautiful Ari!
Then we grabbed some dinner at Three Fold Noodle & Dumpling Co. downtown before the show. I got the Tofu & Shiitake Steam Bun Sandwich with Carrot Slaw. Y'all. Seriously. I wish I could eat this again and again. It's a large steam bun stuffed with marinated tofu, a daikon radish spread, and shiitake mushrooms. The carrot slaw was super garlicky and amazing.
And Three Fold has Dairy-Free Bubble Tea made with soymilk! Yay! It's so rare to find vegan versions of the milky bubble teas. In Memphis, I can only find the vegan bubble teas that are fruity.
After dinner, it was time for the show!
It was soooooo good! Anthony, who played Hedwig, is a drag queen in real life, and he NAILED Hedwig. Anthony's real-life BFF Brittany played Yitzhak, so they had amazing chemistry on-stage. We were all blown away by how great the show was. And bonus: We sat in the front row, and I got the carwash! (If you don't know what that means, watch this clip from the movie). Here's a shot with me and Anthony after the show.
After a drink at the theater lobby bar, we went back to Sheridan's for snacks, cocktails, and birthday dessert. Sheridan made her famous Vegan Onion Dip, and we had PB&J Oreos.
I usually make Sheridan cupcakes for her birthday, but Drew had made her cupcakes earlier in the week since her birthday fell on a Tuesday. So I made her a Cherry Pie instead!
We had our pie with scoops of So Delicious Vanilla Soy Ice Cream.
By the time we were done with pie and drinks, it was about 1 am, so we retired for the night. This morning, rather than go out for brunch as we usually do when I visit, we opted to cook at Sheridan's house. We made Vegan Biscuits & Sausage Gravy. So good!
And then before we hit the road back to Memphis, I tried one of Drew's Vanilla Birthday Cupcakes! These were yummy and so cute. He used the sprinkles Sheridan got in her August Goddess Provisions box (which I'll be blogging about tomorrow!).
We're back home now, but we had such a fun weekend with best friends and Hedwig and pie and biscuits! Happy birthday, Sheridan!
August 10, 2017
Protein-Packed Lasagna Noodles!
I think you all know by now how I feel about protein. I LOVE IT. I firmly believe that sedentary vegans can get plenty of protein without supplementation, but athletes — whether vegan or non-vegan — need to take just a little more protein for muscle recovery after workouts. But all that aside, I just feel better when I'm eating more plant protein. It keeps me full longer. It gives me more energy. It's just great!
I get protein in all kinds of ways — through tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, nuts, seeds, protein powders, etc. But one of my favorite ways to get extra protein is through pasta! Because pasta. Explore Cuisine makes high-protein pastas with very few ingredients, and they're totally organic. They recently sent me some Organic Green Lentil Lasagna Noodles so I could do a post for National Lasagna Day, and well, that was July 29. Sooooo, I'm a little late, but real talk, lasagna is good EVERY day.
These noodles are gluten-free and made from lentil flour, green pea flour, and brown rice flour, and one two-ounce serving packs 11 grams of protein! Plus, they're no-boil, and that means no-fuss. Nothing sucks more than boiling lasagna noodles and having them stick together in the pot, and then you've got to shred them apart with a fork. And then they tear, and you're left with a big ole mess.
With these noodles, you simply layer the ingredients using dry noodles and then bake according to directions. I chose the recipe Simplified Mushroom-Spinach Lasagna from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, which calls for boiled noodles, and subbed these instead. Perfect results!
The noodles had a delightful, chewy noodle texture. They don't taste like lentils. They taste like any pre-boiled, semolina pasta. You wouldn't even know these are gluten-free!
The recipe layers sauteed mushrooms and onions with spinach, white beans, nooch, and marinara. Then it's topped with a homemade cashew cheese and baked. The cheese gets all crusty on top and melty underneath (you can't see that in this picture, but trust me). It's topped with a vegan basil pesto (also from the NMA cookbook) made with spinach, basil, brazil nuts, pine nuts, and almonds. So yummy and wholesome. Plus, PACKED WITH PROTEIN. These noodles (and this recipe) are total winners.
I get protein in all kinds of ways — through tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, nuts, seeds, protein powders, etc. But one of my favorite ways to get extra protein is through pasta! Because pasta. Explore Cuisine makes high-protein pastas with very few ingredients, and they're totally organic. They recently sent me some Organic Green Lentil Lasagna Noodles so I could do a post for National Lasagna Day, and well, that was July 29. Sooooo, I'm a little late, but real talk, lasagna is good EVERY day.
These noodles are gluten-free and made from lentil flour, green pea flour, and brown rice flour, and one two-ounce serving packs 11 grams of protein! Plus, they're no-boil, and that means no-fuss. Nothing sucks more than boiling lasagna noodles and having them stick together in the pot, and then you've got to shred them apart with a fork. And then they tear, and you're left with a big ole mess.
With these noodles, you simply layer the ingredients using dry noodles and then bake according to directions. I chose the recipe Simplified Mushroom-Spinach Lasagna from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, which calls for boiled noodles, and subbed these instead. Perfect results!
The noodles had a delightful, chewy noodle texture. They don't taste like lentils. They taste like any pre-boiled, semolina pasta. You wouldn't even know these are gluten-free!
The recipe layers sauteed mushrooms and onions with spinach, white beans, nooch, and marinara. Then it's topped with a homemade cashew cheese and baked. The cheese gets all crusty on top and melty underneath (you can't see that in this picture, but trust me). It's topped with a vegan basil pesto (also from the NMA cookbook) made with spinach, basil, brazil nuts, pine nuts, and almonds. So yummy and wholesome. Plus, PACKED WITH PROTEIN. These noodles (and this recipe) are total winners.
August 9, 2017
Superfoods Box!
I'm a monthly subscriber to the Goddess Provisions box, which includes crystals, essential oils, teas, chocolates, and other goddess-worthy goodies. And I'll be sharing the contents of my August box (it has a unicorn theme!) soon. But every once in a while, Goddess Provisions releases a special-edition, extra box that isn't included in the subscription service. I'm such a nerd, and I get super-excited when these special boxes are released. I have to have them all! A few have been crystal boxes (with only crystals!). Others have been designed for retrogrades or solstices. Most recently, they released a Superfoods Box, so I ordered it!
Here's what was inside: Lica Cole The Good Vibe Polishing Paste, Navitas Organics Superfood + Cacao Hemp Almonds, Yumbutter Plant Protein + Probiotic Almond Butter, Pranayums Super Spice Shots, Koyah Smoothie Tubes, Shanti Vitality Bar, HealthForce MacaForce Lucuma Spice, Urban Moonshine Digestive Bitters, Vitanica Adrenal Tasty Tonic, and Spice Foods Argentine Chimichurri Almonds.
A few of these items were already in past monthly Goddess boxes, like the Shanti bar, the digestive bitters, and the chimichurri almonds. But I was happy to have more of those!
I've been using the adrenal tonic (which has a chai spice flavor) and the maca-lucuma powder as an add-in in my smoothies. The adrenal tonic is supposed to boost your body's response to stress, and the maca powder boosts energy and concentration (I can attest that maca actually works very well for an energy boost!). Y'all, I know this smoothie looks gross, but it was delicious — Green Berry Chai!
I LOVED the Koyah smoothie tubes. These are tubes of powdered greens and fruits, and they make perfect pre-run fuel. You just mix with cold water and drink! They're thick like smoothies, and they contain a LOT of real food. The Pineapple-Kale-Banana has 2 cups of kale, 1/2 cup of pineapple, and 1/4 cup of banana. Hey, look, kitty photo bomb!
I think I was most excited to try the Yum Butter Protein Almond Butter because PROTEIN! I have some other protein nut butters at home, and they're okay, but they do have a slightly chalky protein powder texture. This stuff, however, doesn't have that texture at all! It's smooth and creamy and contains 10 grams of protein per serving. I had some on a whole wheat bagel with smashed blueberries for breakfast after my run on Monday.
I've been making golden milk lattes with the Spice Shots. These little packets have turmeric, cardamom, black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon, so there's a bit of a chai flavor. I shake with cold almond milk and a 1/2 tbsp of bee-free honee and then heat in the microwave for about one minute. Great afternoon pick-me-up!
The Good Vibe Polishing Paste is the only non-edible product in the box. This body scrub has a bright lemon and bergamot scent and is loaded with superfoods (for your body!) like moringa, matcha, camu camu, and walnuts. The grounds are super-fine, so no worries about clogging your shower drain.
On the Goddess Provisions blog, they posted a recipe using MOST of the ingredients in the box. I'd already used up my two smoothie tubes, so I subbed out fresh greens and fruit, but here's my Superfood Smoothie Bowl ! The base is banana, berries, kale, almond milk, a spice shot, maca-lucuma powder, and adrenal tonic, and it's topped with the cacao-hemp almonds (these are so good!!), banana, hemp and chia seeds, and protein almond butter. Delicious!! I'd never used almond butter on a smoothie bowl before, but what a good idea!
This Superfoods Box is still available on the Goddess Provisions site. It's $44 and well worth it!
By the way, I'm a Goddess Provisions ambassador, which means I make a couple bucks if anyone signs up using this link. I don't get my boxes free though, just to be clear. I subscribe and pay the $33 a month, and it's totally worth it. It's a great deal, and the boxes are so much fun!
Here's what was inside: Lica Cole The Good Vibe Polishing Paste, Navitas Organics Superfood + Cacao Hemp Almonds, Yumbutter Plant Protein + Probiotic Almond Butter, Pranayums Super Spice Shots, Koyah Smoothie Tubes, Shanti Vitality Bar, HealthForce MacaForce Lucuma Spice, Urban Moonshine Digestive Bitters, Vitanica Adrenal Tasty Tonic, and Spice Foods Argentine Chimichurri Almonds.
A few of these items were already in past monthly Goddess boxes, like the Shanti bar, the digestive bitters, and the chimichurri almonds. But I was happy to have more of those!
I've been using the adrenal tonic (which has a chai spice flavor) and the maca-lucuma powder as an add-in in my smoothies. The adrenal tonic is supposed to boost your body's response to stress, and the maca powder boosts energy and concentration (I can attest that maca actually works very well for an energy boost!). Y'all, I know this smoothie looks gross, but it was delicious — Green Berry Chai!
I LOVED the Koyah smoothie tubes. These are tubes of powdered greens and fruits, and they make perfect pre-run fuel. You just mix with cold water and drink! They're thick like smoothies, and they contain a LOT of real food. The Pineapple-Kale-Banana has 2 cups of kale, 1/2 cup of pineapple, and 1/4 cup of banana. Hey, look, kitty photo bomb!
I think I was most excited to try the Yum Butter Protein Almond Butter because PROTEIN! I have some other protein nut butters at home, and they're okay, but they do have a slightly chalky protein powder texture. This stuff, however, doesn't have that texture at all! It's smooth and creamy and contains 10 grams of protein per serving. I had some on a whole wheat bagel with smashed blueberries for breakfast after my run on Monday.
I've been making golden milk lattes with the Spice Shots. These little packets have turmeric, cardamom, black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon, so there's a bit of a chai flavor. I shake with cold almond milk and a 1/2 tbsp of bee-free honee and then heat in the microwave for about one minute. Great afternoon pick-me-up!
The Good Vibe Polishing Paste is the only non-edible product in the box. This body scrub has a bright lemon and bergamot scent and is loaded with superfoods (for your body!) like moringa, matcha, camu camu, and walnuts. The grounds are super-fine, so no worries about clogging your shower drain.
On the Goddess Provisions blog, they posted a recipe using MOST of the ingredients in the box. I'd already used up my two smoothie tubes, so I subbed out fresh greens and fruit, but here's my Superfood Smoothie Bowl ! The base is banana, berries, kale, almond milk, a spice shot, maca-lucuma powder, and adrenal tonic, and it's topped with the cacao-hemp almonds (these are so good!!), banana, hemp and chia seeds, and protein almond butter. Delicious!! I'd never used almond butter on a smoothie bowl before, but what a good idea!
This Superfoods Box is still available on the Goddess Provisions site. It's $44 and well worth it!
By the way, I'm a Goddess Provisions ambassador, which means I make a couple bucks if anyone signs up using this link. I don't get my boxes free though, just to be clear. I subscribe and pay the $33 a month, and it's totally worth it. It's a great deal, and the boxes are so much fun!
August 8, 2017
Summer Grilling with Lightlife!
This is a totally sponsored post! But it's sponsored by an awesome vegan company that I've supported for years, so I'm okay with that. I only work with vegan-friendly companies that I trust and love!
Lightlife reached out to me a few weeks ago asking if I'd be willing to do a post about summer grilling with Lightlife in exchange for them sending me free hot dogs, a portable grill/cooler, condiments, and grilling tools. How could I say no? Few things make me happier in the summer months than picnics and grilling, and I have a genetic predisposition for hot dogs (my mom is OBSESSED with hot dogs, and that trait was certainly passed down to me).
This past weekend, Paul and I met up with friends Vaughan, Nicole, and their dog Shelby for a hot dog picnic in Overton Park. Rain was in the forecast, but we managed to get the grill going and the food prepared just before a light drizzle started. We enjoyed our meals while sitting in the warm rain, and it was just perfect.
Lightlife sent me a gift card to purchase hot dogs and other side items. I bought the Jumbo Smart Dogs, the regular sized Smart Dogs, and some Lightlife Smart Bacon to make Loaded Bacon-Wrapped Veggie Dogs!
And they sent me condiments by Sir Kensington. That Dijon has a splash of chablis, and it's possibly the best Dijon I've had. I tend to buy store-brand mustard and ketchup, so this was a fancy step up for me.
They also sent me an awesome Picnic Time Caliente Grill Tote. It's a cooler and a grill all in one!
The top half is a cooler, so we stuffed that with assorted beers and some fizzy water.
And the bottom half holds a small grill.
The charcoal grill was the perfect size for four Jumbo Smart Dogs, and a few slices of Smart Bacon. We were basically just heating the bacon, so we stacked the slices. The Jumbo Smart Dogs pack 13 grams of protein per dog, and the bacon has 2 grams per slice, so a bacon-wrapped dog with 2 slices of bacon has 17 grams. Y'all know how I love my plant protein!
Paul and Vaughan handled the grilled duties, which in retrospect seems like a total gender role stereotype. But Nicole is the real grilling expert, and she guided them every step of the way.
At home, before we left for the picnic, I sauteed about eight ounces of mushrooms and one onion in a tablespoon of avocado oil. I also packed dill relish and pickled jalapenos. Here's my Loaded Bacon-Wrapped Veggie Dog. I wrapped the dog in the grilled bacon and topped with mushrooms, onions, relish, jalepenos, ketchup, and Dijon! On the side, I made the Dillweed Potato Salad and Summer Tomato Salad from Cookin' Crunk.
Such a fun afternoon! And Lightlife hot dogs are truly delicious, especially when they get that fresh-grilled charcoal flavor. Summer may be waning, but there are a number of warm picnic days left to get out there and get grillin'.
Lightlife reached out to me a few weeks ago asking if I'd be willing to do a post about summer grilling with Lightlife in exchange for them sending me free hot dogs, a portable grill/cooler, condiments, and grilling tools. How could I say no? Few things make me happier in the summer months than picnics and grilling, and I have a genetic predisposition for hot dogs (my mom is OBSESSED with hot dogs, and that trait was certainly passed down to me).
This past weekend, Paul and I met up with friends Vaughan, Nicole, and their dog Shelby for a hot dog picnic in Overton Park. Rain was in the forecast, but we managed to get the grill going and the food prepared just before a light drizzle started. We enjoyed our meals while sitting in the warm rain, and it was just perfect.
Lightlife sent me a gift card to purchase hot dogs and other side items. I bought the Jumbo Smart Dogs, the regular sized Smart Dogs, and some Lightlife Smart Bacon to make Loaded Bacon-Wrapped Veggie Dogs!
And they sent me condiments by Sir Kensington. That Dijon has a splash of chablis, and it's possibly the best Dijon I've had. I tend to buy store-brand mustard and ketchup, so this was a fancy step up for me.
They also sent me an awesome Picnic Time Caliente Grill Tote. It's a cooler and a grill all in one!
The top half is a cooler, so we stuffed that with assorted beers and some fizzy water.
And the bottom half holds a small grill.
The charcoal grill was the perfect size for four Jumbo Smart Dogs, and a few slices of Smart Bacon. We were basically just heating the bacon, so we stacked the slices. The Jumbo Smart Dogs pack 13 grams of protein per dog, and the bacon has 2 grams per slice, so a bacon-wrapped dog with 2 slices of bacon has 17 grams. Y'all know how I love my plant protein!
Paul and Vaughan handled the grilled duties, which in retrospect seems like a total gender role stereotype. But Nicole is the real grilling expert, and she guided them every step of the way.
At home, before we left for the picnic, I sauteed about eight ounces of mushrooms and one onion in a tablespoon of avocado oil. I also packed dill relish and pickled jalapenos. Here's my Loaded Bacon-Wrapped Veggie Dog. I wrapped the dog in the grilled bacon and topped with mushrooms, onions, relish, jalepenos, ketchup, and Dijon! On the side, I made the Dillweed Potato Salad and Summer Tomato Salad from Cookin' Crunk.
Such a fun afternoon! And Lightlife hot dogs are truly delicious, especially when they get that fresh-grilled charcoal flavor. Summer may be waning, but there are a number of warm picnic days left to get out there and get grillin'.
August 7, 2017
Bluff City Vegan Eats: Red Fish Asian Bistro
Four years ago, when I was still working as a reporter/editor for the Memphis Flyer, I spent a good deal of time covering the fight to save the historic 19th Century Club building on Union in Midtown. The building, a gorgeous mansion built in 1906 by Memphis lumber magnate Rowland Darnell, once served as the meeting space for a philanthropic women's club called the The 19th Century Club. They moved into the building in 1926 and operated there for more than 20 years, but as the condition of the structure deteriorated, they eventually moved out and it sat vacant for years.
Back in 2013, a couple purchased the property with intent to tear it down and build a restaurant in a strip-mall-style building. But before they could do so, they had to deal with some code violations in Shelby County Environmental Court. When Midtowners learned that one of the only remaining historic mansions on commercial-heavy Union Avenue was going to be demolished, they fought back. And I covered that fight for the newspaper. In July 2013, I wrote a piece titled "Demolition Certain for Nineteenth Century Club." And at the time, it seemed certain based on what happened in court. But an appeal was made, and the fight to save the club carried on until the new owners decided to save the building after all.
The couple, which owns a number of other Asian restaurants around the city and in the suburbs, announced they'd fix up the mansion and open a restaurant there rather than building a new structure. People rejoiced! Midtowners are all about preservation.
I was glad to see the building saved, but when the new place, Izakaya, opened, I was sad to see the menu offered almost no vegan options (maybe a salad?). It had a Japanese steakhouse and sushi theme, and there weren't even any vegan sushi rolls on the menu! I did visit there one time for drinks, but that was it. Luckily for me (and other vegans), that concept didn't work out, so they closed Izakaya and reopened it it as Red Fish Asian Bistro. The couple already operates two other Red Fish locations (in Olive Branch and Lakeland), so they know it's a concept that works.
I met Susan and Lesley there for lunch last week, and I noticed a number of dishes can be ordered with fried tofu. I opted for the Cashew Nut with Tofu, and THIS WAS SO GOOD. The fried tofu has a light breading on it, like maybe it's tossed with cornstarch before frying. And the cashews were added after stir-frying so they were nice and crunchy.
I loved this dish SO MUCH that Paul and I went back to Red Fish for dinner this weekend. I'd hoped to get vegan sushi that night. My friend Lesley had ordered three veggie rolls for lunch the other day, and they looked so beautiful. But sadly, the veggie sushi is only on the lunch menu and not the dinner menu, which is weird. Our server told me they could probably still make veggie rolls at dinner, and I was thinking of asking for that. But then Paul ordered noodles, and I thought I'd just do that too. Lest I be jealous of his noodles.
But first, we ordered a round of Vegetable Spring Rolls. These came with a spicy sweet and sour sauce that was much tastier than the standard sweet and sour you typically get at Asian restaurants.
For my entree, I went with the Yaki Udon with Fried Tofu — fat, rice noodles with zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and broccoli. This typically also has egg, but they were happy to leave that out. These noodles have a lovely, pan-seared flavor, and I would definitely order this again and again.
Besides the food menu, Red Fish has a nice wine selection and an inventive cocktail menu. Plus, the inside is just gorgeous. Nineteenth century architecture, with its ornate crown moulding and high ceilings, is so impressive, and the owners have really preserved the character of the mansion. The dining areas are in the separate rooms of the house, so only a few tables fit in each room creating an intimate dining experience. It's definitely a great date night place!
Back in 2013, a couple purchased the property with intent to tear it down and build a restaurant in a strip-mall-style building. But before they could do so, they had to deal with some code violations in Shelby County Environmental Court. When Midtowners learned that one of the only remaining historic mansions on commercial-heavy Union Avenue was going to be demolished, they fought back. And I covered that fight for the newspaper. In July 2013, I wrote a piece titled "Demolition Certain for Nineteenth Century Club." And at the time, it seemed certain based on what happened in court. But an appeal was made, and the fight to save the club carried on until the new owners decided to save the building after all.
The couple, which owns a number of other Asian restaurants around the city and in the suburbs, announced they'd fix up the mansion and open a restaurant there rather than building a new structure. People rejoiced! Midtowners are all about preservation.
I was glad to see the building saved, but when the new place, Izakaya, opened, I was sad to see the menu offered almost no vegan options (maybe a salad?). It had a Japanese steakhouse and sushi theme, and there weren't even any vegan sushi rolls on the menu! I did visit there one time for drinks, but that was it. Luckily for me (and other vegans), that concept didn't work out, so they closed Izakaya and reopened it it as Red Fish Asian Bistro. The couple already operates two other Red Fish locations (in Olive Branch and Lakeland), so they know it's a concept that works.
I met Susan and Lesley there for lunch last week, and I noticed a number of dishes can be ordered with fried tofu. I opted for the Cashew Nut with Tofu, and THIS WAS SO GOOD. The fried tofu has a light breading on it, like maybe it's tossed with cornstarch before frying. And the cashews were added after stir-frying so they were nice and crunchy.
I loved this dish SO MUCH that Paul and I went back to Red Fish for dinner this weekend. I'd hoped to get vegan sushi that night. My friend Lesley had ordered three veggie rolls for lunch the other day, and they looked so beautiful. But sadly, the veggie sushi is only on the lunch menu and not the dinner menu, which is weird. Our server told me they could probably still make veggie rolls at dinner, and I was thinking of asking for that. But then Paul ordered noodles, and I thought I'd just do that too. Lest I be jealous of his noodles.
But first, we ordered a round of Vegetable Spring Rolls. These came with a spicy sweet and sour sauce that was much tastier than the standard sweet and sour you typically get at Asian restaurants.
For my entree, I went with the Yaki Udon with Fried Tofu — fat, rice noodles with zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and broccoli. This typically also has egg, but they were happy to leave that out. These noodles have a lovely, pan-seared flavor, and I would definitely order this again and again.
Besides the food menu, Red Fish has a nice wine selection and an inventive cocktail menu. Plus, the inside is just gorgeous. Nineteenth century architecture, with its ornate crown moulding and high ceilings, is so impressive, and the owners have really preserved the character of the mansion. The dining areas are in the separate rooms of the house, so only a few tables fit in each room creating an intimate dining experience. It's definitely a great date night place!
August 6, 2017
This Cheese Is Nuts!
A few years ago, Miyoko made vegan history with the release of her Artisan Vegan Cheese book. With a little patience and forethought to plan ahead, we were finally able to create our own fancy vegan cheeses at home. Since then, I've made many a cashew cheese — some aged, some quick and easy. But cheese-making is no longer intimidating, and I know that my homemade cashew cheeses are just as good (or actually better!) than fancy vegan dairy cheeses.In keeping with the artisan vegan cheese trend, Julie Piatt (author of the The Plantpower Way and married partner of vegan ultrarunning legend Rich Roll) has released This Cheese Is Nuts! Delicious Vegan Cheese at Home. It's a gorgeous, full-color book with photos of every recipe.
Julie's book is similar to Miyoko's in that she includes recipes for aged and quick cheeses, but her methods are quite different so it really is nice to have both books in my collection. Most of the cheeses in both books are nut-based, but rather than making your own rejuvelac, as Miyoko instructs, Julie recommends using capsules of acidophilus to give cheeses that tangy, aged flavor. It's certainly a quicker tactic, so it's better when you're pressed for time. Making your own rejuvelac takes several days, and this method is instant.
There are recipes for cheese spreads/sauces, quick "form" cheeses, aged & multi-step cheeses, nut-free cheeses, dairy-free staples, and dishes using the homemade cheeses. I opted to try two recipes — one from the spreads/sauces chapter and another from the aged cheeses chapter.
First up, I tried the Cashew Camembert. This is an aged cashew cheese that's flavored with truffle oil and then dried out a little in a dehydrator. I used my Excalibur dehydrator for this. Note: Most recipes in this book don't call for special equipment, but a few do call for a dehydrator. Also, this one does not call for the probiotic capsule. It's simply cashews, truffle oil, and salt with a little aquafaba.
The cheese formed a crusty top layer in the dehydrator, so I thought it would easily come out of the mold as the recipe suggested it would. But under that harder layer, the cheese remained very soft and spreadable. I really think the hardness of this cheese would depend on what brand of chickpeas were used for the aquafaba. I used the generic Kroger brand, and it's been my past experience that it doesn't do that great in recipes. So I ended up leaving it in the bowl. But that was okay! It tasted AMAZING. That truffle oil really gave it such a special flavor. I've been enjoying it on crackers and bread all week.
From the sauce chapter, I made the Ancho Chili Nacho Cheese sauce and served it over nachos!
This creamy cashew cheese sauce is made tangy from miso paste and spicy from ancho chili powder. It's perfect for nachos, and I'll probably end up using the rest of it as a dip for tortilla chips. Or maybe as a topping on burgers!
Next, I'd love to try some of the dishes in the book. They're mostly for fancier meals that would impress, but they all seem fairly easy to create. For example, Provolone Baked in Phyllo Dough, Beet Goat Cheese Salad, and Gorgonzola Dolce Kale Ancient Grain Pasta.
As much as I love cashew cheeses, I'd also like to try some of the nut-free cheeses. There's a White Bean Cheese thickened with Irish moss and a Creamy Sesame Seed Spread made with 2 whole cups of sesame seeds.
This beautiful book is so inspiring. It makes me want to make and eat artisan cheese and bread with fancy wines every night!
August 3, 2017
Vegan Lemon Icebox Pie
I mentioned in last night's post that I made a special summery dessert for Lammas, but I was making y'all wait for it. Well, here it is! The world's easiest, creamiest, four-ingredient Vegan Lemon Icebox Pie!
This seriously only has four ingredients, and aside from the time it takes to set up in the fridge, you can whip this dessert up in less than five minutes. It's a veganized version of the lemon icebox pie my mom has made for years. For me, this feels like a summer pie, but she makes this all year long using food dyes to color it for whatever season/holiday is coming up (she uses pink for Valentine's Day or green for St. Pat's).
The pie stays in the fridge, and it has a soft, creamy consistency with a tart-sweet flavor that perfectly complements the crunchy graham cracker crust. You can also freeze it if you want the pie to keep for a few weeks (just be sure and thaw in the fridge for a little bit before you're ready to eat it).
Note: This recipe calls for Let's Do Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk, which was sent to me for review an embarrassingly long time ago. As far as I know, this is the only sweetened condensed vegan milk on the market, but I could be wrong. I'm sure any brand would work (if there are others), but I've only made this with Let's Do Organic so that's what I'm recommending.
Also, I used So Delicious CocoWhip, which is the only vegan Cool Whip-style whip sold in a tub. Homemade coconut whip would probably work, as would Rice Whip (the kind you whip by hand), but So Delicious CocoWhip is by far the most convenient here.
Here's the recipe!
Vegan Lemon Icebox PieYields 1 pie
1 tub So Delicious CocoWhip1 7.4-oz can Let's Do Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk1/3 cup lemon juice (bottled or fresh)1 vegan graham cracker crust
Thaw the CocoWhip. Whisk the sweetened condensed coconut milk until all the lumps are gone and milk is smooth. Stir in the thawed CocoWhip and lemon juice. Pour into crust and cover. Allow to set in the fridge for several hours or until pie is sliceable.
This seriously only has four ingredients, and aside from the time it takes to set up in the fridge, you can whip this dessert up in less than five minutes. It's a veganized version of the lemon icebox pie my mom has made for years. For me, this feels like a summer pie, but she makes this all year long using food dyes to color it for whatever season/holiday is coming up (she uses pink for Valentine's Day or green for St. Pat's).
The pie stays in the fridge, and it has a soft, creamy consistency with a tart-sweet flavor that perfectly complements the crunchy graham cracker crust. You can also freeze it if you want the pie to keep for a few weeks (just be sure and thaw in the fridge for a little bit before you're ready to eat it).
Note: This recipe calls for Let's Do Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk, which was sent to me for review an embarrassingly long time ago. As far as I know, this is the only sweetened condensed vegan milk on the market, but I could be wrong. I'm sure any brand would work (if there are others), but I've only made this with Let's Do Organic so that's what I'm recommending.
Also, I used So Delicious CocoWhip, which is the only vegan Cool Whip-style whip sold in a tub. Homemade coconut whip would probably work, as would Rice Whip (the kind you whip by hand), but So Delicious CocoWhip is by far the most convenient here.
Here's the recipe!
Vegan Lemon Icebox PieYields 1 pie
1 tub So Delicious CocoWhip1 7.4-oz can Let's Do Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk1/3 cup lemon juice (bottled or fresh)1 vegan graham cracker crust
Thaw the CocoWhip. Whisk the sweetened condensed coconut milk until all the lumps are gone and milk is smooth. Stir in the thawed CocoWhip and lemon juice. Pour into crust and cover. Allow to set in the fridge for several hours or until pie is sliceable.
August 2, 2017
Lammas Eats!
Yesterday was Lammas, the pagan celebration of the First Harvest. There are three harvest holidays — Lammas (or Lughnasadh), Mabon (the Autumn Equinox), and Samhain (or Halloween).
On Lammas, we give thanks for summer’s bounty. It’s the time when ALL the amazing produce is ripe for the pickin’. Summer tomatoes are at their juiciest. Watermelon are at their sweetest. And cucumbers are at their crispest. Traditionally, people baked bread at Lammas as a way to use grain from the harvest. These days, while I do buy most of my produce at farmer’s markets, my grains still come from Kroger. And they’re probably not as fresh as they could be. But I’m all about symbolism, so I bake bread at Lammas anyway.
Last night, I made a Rosemary Focaccia from Cooking By the Seasons. It’s a recipe I’ve made for Lammas in the past, and it makes the softest, most delicious herbed bread. Some folks bake their loaves into the shape of Lugh, the Celtic god of the harvest. I’m no bread artisan though, so I just do the best I can. Here’s my sad little bread man!
He may not have looked so pretty, but he tasted amazing! I served the hot bread with a schmear of homemade cashew camembert. More on this cheese soon in a coming review!
Because the produce is so fresh right now, I typically serve my Lammas loaf with a raw salad or raw soup. This year, I opted for the Classic Kale Salad from the No Meat Athlete Cookbook.
It’s a low-oil kale salad that’s loaded with crunchy veggies (beets, carrots, celery, and bell pepper), dried fruit (I used dried cranberries), and seeds (I went with sunflower). Such a nice complement to the bread and cheese. Of course, I enjoyed this with a nice cabernet sauvignon.
I also made a summery, fun dessert! BUT I’m saving that recipe for tomorrow’s post, so you’ll have to wait and see.
On Lammas, we give thanks for summer’s bounty. It’s the time when ALL the amazing produce is ripe for the pickin’. Summer tomatoes are at their juiciest. Watermelon are at their sweetest. And cucumbers are at their crispest. Traditionally, people baked bread at Lammas as a way to use grain from the harvest. These days, while I do buy most of my produce at farmer’s markets, my grains still come from Kroger. And they’re probably not as fresh as they could be. But I’m all about symbolism, so I bake bread at Lammas anyway.
Last night, I made a Rosemary Focaccia from Cooking By the Seasons. It’s a recipe I’ve made for Lammas in the past, and it makes the softest, most delicious herbed bread. Some folks bake their loaves into the shape of Lugh, the Celtic god of the harvest. I’m no bread artisan though, so I just do the best I can. Here’s my sad little bread man!
He may not have looked so pretty, but he tasted amazing! I served the hot bread with a schmear of homemade cashew camembert. More on this cheese soon in a coming review!
Because the produce is so fresh right now, I typically serve my Lammas loaf with a raw salad or raw soup. This year, I opted for the Classic Kale Salad from the No Meat Athlete Cookbook.
It’s a low-oil kale salad that’s loaded with crunchy veggies (beets, carrots, celery, and bell pepper), dried fruit (I used dried cranberries), and seeds (I went with sunflower). Such a nice complement to the bread and cheese. Of course, I enjoyed this with a nice cabernet sauvignon.
I also made a summery, fun dessert! BUT I’m saving that recipe for tomorrow’s post, so you’ll have to wait and see.
Bianca Phillips's Blog
- Bianca Phillips's profile
- 6 followers
Bianca Phillips isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
