Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 124
May 11, 2017
Protein Pasta!!
It's been years since anyone has asked me where I get my protein, but man, I wish somebody would! I feel like most non-vegans now understand that protein is found so many foods (not just meat), but back in the day, I swear I got that question all the time (as did every vegan everywhere). Veganism wasn't so mainstream back then, and while some folks were just being obnoxious, many genuinely wanted to know how a vegan diet was sustainable.
Back then, I'd always answer, "tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, nuts, and seeds." But today, I'd also add "smoothies, waffles, cookies, shakes, bars, and pasta" to that reply. Yes, pasta! At least when that pasta is made by Explore Cuisine. They make protein-packed, gluten-free pastas from beans and legumes. Perfect for post-run meals! Explore Cuisine sent me some samples of their Edamame Spaghetti and their Chickpea Spaghetti to try for a review.
The Organic Edamame Spaghetti is greenish in color, and it packs 25 grams of protein per serving! 25 grams! How do they even do that? The only ingredient is green soybeans! That's it! It's also low-fat (2 grams per serving) and high-carb (22 grams), so this is ideal pasta for athletes.
The texture is a little softer than, say, a whole-wheat pasta, but it's pretty well on-par with other gluten-free pastas. Lightly chewy but soft. You can do all kinds of creative things with it, but I simply dumped a jar of Muir Glen Garden Vegetable Pasta Sauce and some IKEA Vegetable Balls on top and called it a day. The serving size is two ounces, but it looked a little small when measured out. But with all that protein, I still filled up quickly! A serving of this pasta and a salad made a meal that kept me satisfied for hours.
They also sent me their Organic Chickpea Spaghetti. This has 11 grams of protein per serving (lower than the edamame, but still a lot for pasta!), 35 carbs, and 2.5 grams of fat. It's made with chickpea flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and pea protein.
This was closer in texture to a brown rice pasta, which I've long been a fan of. The trick is to make sure you follow instructions and cook for the recommended time. And of course, you need to do that cold water rinsing trick afterward to firm up the pasta. I imagined this would make a fine carbonara pasta, so I whipped up a quick and easy vegan version using Follow Your Heart's Vegan Egg.
By the way, I've never actually eaten carbonara pasta, so I can't say if this is a great replication of the traditional egg yolk sauce with bacon. But regardless, this was delicious! The Vegan Egg made a thick and creamy sauce. I used nutritional yeast in place of the parm, and I added mushrooms because it needed some veggies. For the bacon, I went with Benevolent Bacon by Sweet Earth Foods, but any vegan bacon (even homemade tempeh bacon) would work.
Here's the recipe!
Vegan Carbonara Chickpea Protein PastaYields 4 servings
4 Tbsp. Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg + 1 cup ice water1/2 cup nutritional yeast1/2 tsp. black salt1 8-ounce box Explore Cuisine Organic Chickpea Spaghetti4 slices vegan bacon1 Tbsp. vegan margarine1 small onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, minced8 ounces mushrooms, slicedGround pepper, salt to taste1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Before you do anything else, remove the ice from the water. Add the Vegan Egg and blend with an immersion blender. Or transfer to a blender, and blend until very fluffy. Add the nutritional yeast and black salt. Set aside.
Boil the pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta boils, spray a large skillet with non-stick spray and brown the bacon on both sides. Remove from heat and chop into small pieces. Set aside.
In a separate skillet, while the bacon is cooking and the pasta is boiling, heat the margarine over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute one more minute. Add the mushrooms, and saute another 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms and onions are very soft.
Drain the pasta water, and rinse under cool (but not freezing water) for just a second. You want the pasta to still be a little warm to cook the egg sauce. Transfer the pasta back into the still-warm pasta pot (with heat turned off), and pour in Vegan Egg mix. Toss to slightly cook the egg sauce. Add the bacon and mushrooms. Taste for seasonings, and add as much black pepper and salt as needed. Toss with fresh parsley. Serve!
Back then, I'd always answer, "tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, nuts, and seeds." But today, I'd also add "smoothies, waffles, cookies, shakes, bars, and pasta" to that reply. Yes, pasta! At least when that pasta is made by Explore Cuisine. They make protein-packed, gluten-free pastas from beans and legumes. Perfect for post-run meals! Explore Cuisine sent me some samples of their Edamame Spaghetti and their Chickpea Spaghetti to try for a review.
The Organic Edamame Spaghetti is greenish in color, and it packs 25 grams of protein per serving! 25 grams! How do they even do that? The only ingredient is green soybeans! That's it! It's also low-fat (2 grams per serving) and high-carb (22 grams), so this is ideal pasta for athletes.
The texture is a little softer than, say, a whole-wheat pasta, but it's pretty well on-par with other gluten-free pastas. Lightly chewy but soft. You can do all kinds of creative things with it, but I simply dumped a jar of Muir Glen Garden Vegetable Pasta Sauce and some IKEA Vegetable Balls on top and called it a day. The serving size is two ounces, but it looked a little small when measured out. But with all that protein, I still filled up quickly! A serving of this pasta and a salad made a meal that kept me satisfied for hours.
They also sent me their Organic Chickpea Spaghetti. This has 11 grams of protein per serving (lower than the edamame, but still a lot for pasta!), 35 carbs, and 2.5 grams of fat. It's made with chickpea flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and pea protein.
This was closer in texture to a brown rice pasta, which I've long been a fan of. The trick is to make sure you follow instructions and cook for the recommended time. And of course, you need to do that cold water rinsing trick afterward to firm up the pasta. I imagined this would make a fine carbonara pasta, so I whipped up a quick and easy vegan version using Follow Your Heart's Vegan Egg.
By the way, I've never actually eaten carbonara pasta, so I can't say if this is a great replication of the traditional egg yolk sauce with bacon. But regardless, this was delicious! The Vegan Egg made a thick and creamy sauce. I used nutritional yeast in place of the parm, and I added mushrooms because it needed some veggies. For the bacon, I went with Benevolent Bacon by Sweet Earth Foods, but any vegan bacon (even homemade tempeh bacon) would work.
Here's the recipe!
Vegan Carbonara Chickpea Protein PastaYields 4 servings
4 Tbsp. Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg + 1 cup ice water1/2 cup nutritional yeast1/2 tsp. black salt1 8-ounce box Explore Cuisine Organic Chickpea Spaghetti4 slices vegan bacon1 Tbsp. vegan margarine1 small onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, minced8 ounces mushrooms, slicedGround pepper, salt to taste1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Before you do anything else, remove the ice from the water. Add the Vegan Egg and blend with an immersion blender. Or transfer to a blender, and blend until very fluffy. Add the nutritional yeast and black salt. Set aside.
Boil the pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta boils, spray a large skillet with non-stick spray and brown the bacon on both sides. Remove from heat and chop into small pieces. Set aside.
In a separate skillet, while the bacon is cooking and the pasta is boiling, heat the margarine over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute one more minute. Add the mushrooms, and saute another 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms and onions are very soft.
Drain the pasta water, and rinse under cool (but not freezing water) for just a second. You want the pasta to still be a little warm to cook the egg sauce. Transfer the pasta back into the still-warm pasta pot (with heat turned off), and pour in Vegan Egg mix. Toss to slightly cook the egg sauce. Add the bacon and mushrooms. Taste for seasonings, and add as much black pepper and salt as needed. Toss with fresh parsley. Serve!
May 10, 2017
Lunar Love Goddess Box!
My May Goddess Provisions box arrived just in time for tonight's full moon — the Flower Moon! The theme this month is Lunar Love, and the box was filled with awesome moon-themed objects. By the way, if you're not familiar, Goddess Provisions is a vegan company (run by the Vegan Cuts people) that ships monthly subscription boxes to help you embrace your inner goddess. The items range from teas to chocolates to candles to body products to jewelry.
Here's the May box contents!
There's rooibos tea, a palo santo stick, a new moon body spray, moon goddess anointing oil, a crescent moon necklace, body powder, and a moonstone with black tourmaline.
Of course, the crystals are always my fave. This gorgeous moonstone glimmers in the sunlight, and it's flecked with little bits of protective black tourmaline. Moonstone harnesses the energy of the moon and balances masculine and the feminine energies. Great for connecting with life's natural rhythms. And black tourmaline is a root chakra stone that has grounding qualities.
I have several sticks of palo santo wood at home, but this one from Sacred Wood Essence is extra special since it's etched with the phases of the moon. I'll use this for cleansing my space.
I absolutely LOVE this Chakra Love crescent moon necklace. I actually wore it today with a teal green sleeveless dress shirt and some flowing gold leaf earrings.
The Element Botanicals new moon spray, with hints of citrus and vanilla, smells JUST LIKE an orange creamsicle. Seriously, when I sniffed this, it took me back to those orange Flintstone push-up pops I used to eat when I was a kid. The Kate's Magik moon goddess anointing oil is made with jasmine oil and is said to both uplift and help alleviate worry.
I don't chafe much, but occasionally when I'm running on a hot, hot day in a sleeveless running tank, I have gotten some light chafing under my armpits. I'll save the Fat and the Moon Bod Powder for those long Saturday morning runs in hot weather. It has a great sage and grapefruit scent.
Finally, the consumable in this box was a loose-leaf rooibos tea by Golden Moon Tea. It's naturally caffeine-free, so it's great for my afternoon tea time at my desk. I can't drink too much caffeine after noon, or I'll have problems sleeping. Didn't used to be that way, but I think it's a sign that I'm getting old. I had some this afternoon. Sadly, my tea infuser has big holes, so lots of loose-leaf tea slips through. I don't mind drinking herbs though.
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 $39 a month, and it's totally worth it. It's a great deal, and the boxes are so much fun!
Here's the May box contents!
There's rooibos tea, a palo santo stick, a new moon body spray, moon goddess anointing oil, a crescent moon necklace, body powder, and a moonstone with black tourmaline.
Of course, the crystals are always my fave. This gorgeous moonstone glimmers in the sunlight, and it's flecked with little bits of protective black tourmaline. Moonstone harnesses the energy of the moon and balances masculine and the feminine energies. Great for connecting with life's natural rhythms. And black tourmaline is a root chakra stone that has grounding qualities.
I have several sticks of palo santo wood at home, but this one from Sacred Wood Essence is extra special since it's etched with the phases of the moon. I'll use this for cleansing my space.
I absolutely LOVE this Chakra Love crescent moon necklace. I actually wore it today with a teal green sleeveless dress shirt and some flowing gold leaf earrings.
The Element Botanicals new moon spray, with hints of citrus and vanilla, smells JUST LIKE an orange creamsicle. Seriously, when I sniffed this, it took me back to those orange Flintstone push-up pops I used to eat when I was a kid. The Kate's Magik moon goddess anointing oil is made with jasmine oil and is said to both uplift and help alleviate worry.
I don't chafe much, but occasionally when I'm running on a hot, hot day in a sleeveless running tank, I have gotten some light chafing under my armpits. I'll save the Fat and the Moon Bod Powder for those long Saturday morning runs in hot weather. It has a great sage and grapefruit scent.
Finally, the consumable in this box was a loose-leaf rooibos tea by Golden Moon Tea. It's naturally caffeine-free, so it's great for my afternoon tea time at my desk. I can't drink too much caffeine after noon, or I'll have problems sleeping. Didn't used to be that way, but I think it's a sign that I'm getting old. I had some this afternoon. Sadly, my tea infuser has big holes, so lots of loose-leaf tea slips through. I don't mind drinking herbs though.
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 $39 a month, and it's totally worth it. It's a great deal, and the boxes are so much fun!
May 9, 2017
More Stuff I Ate
Friday was Cinco de Mayo! For every holiday in 2017, I'm making a dish or two from Isa's The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook. I had fun Friday evening plans, and I knew I'd be eating junk and drinking beer, so I opted for a healthy Mexican Caesar Salad for lunch. This had a tahini-chipotle dressing, romaine, black beans, crumbled tortilla chips, pepitas, and avocado.
As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the weekend at Beale Street Music Fest — Memphis' annual 3-day music festival with multiple stages. From Friday night to Sunday, I saw Snoop Dogg, Ziggy Marley, MGMT, Bush, Ani DiFranco, Soundgarden, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, and Kings of Leon. Most years, the vegan options are scarce, but there's always SOMETHING I can eat. This year, I found a food stand right across from the Memphis Flyer's VIP tent (where we staked out for the weekend) that had some really fresh options. I ate there Saturday and Sunday evening.
My dinner on Saturday night was this Quinoa Hummus Pita with fresh veggies. I love super-soft pita bread like this!
And on Sunday night, I had their Quinoa Vegetable Salad with dried cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, tomato, cucumber, and balsamic dressing.
I also snacked on tater tots and some vegan noodles later in the evening both nights. And beer. Lots and lots of free beer.
We stayed out way too late most nights of the fest, and Saturday, we ended up heading to Beale Street to dance at Silky's O'Sullivan's after the festival was over. I think we made it home around 4 a.m.! But I had brunch plans at 11:30 a.m. at Midtown Crossing, so I powered through on very little sleep. Brunch food (and a Bloody Mary) definitely helped to wake me up though. I had the Vegan Biscuits & Redeye Gravy.
And the Tofu Scramble with vegan cheese, potatoes, peppers, and onions.
Speaking of Midtown Crossing, I met Susan there for lunch one day last week because they were donating part of their sales that day to Friends for Life (a nonprofit I sit on the board for -- they help low-income people with HIV/AIDS access services, housing, and food). I got the Greek Salad with added chili tofu.
And finally, another breakfast! Yesterday, I had some scrambled Vegan Egg with Vegan Sausage and half a Dave's Whole Wheat Bagel with Vegan Cream Cheese.
As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the weekend at Beale Street Music Fest — Memphis' annual 3-day music festival with multiple stages. From Friday night to Sunday, I saw Snoop Dogg, Ziggy Marley, MGMT, Bush, Ani DiFranco, Soundgarden, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, and Kings of Leon. Most years, the vegan options are scarce, but there's always SOMETHING I can eat. This year, I found a food stand right across from the Memphis Flyer's VIP tent (where we staked out for the weekend) that had some really fresh options. I ate there Saturday and Sunday evening.
My dinner on Saturday night was this Quinoa Hummus Pita with fresh veggies. I love super-soft pita bread like this!
And on Sunday night, I had their Quinoa Vegetable Salad with dried cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, tomato, cucumber, and balsamic dressing.
I also snacked on tater tots and some vegan noodles later in the evening both nights. And beer. Lots and lots of free beer.
We stayed out way too late most nights of the fest, and Saturday, we ended up heading to Beale Street to dance at Silky's O'Sullivan's after the festival was over. I think we made it home around 4 a.m.! But I had brunch plans at 11:30 a.m. at Midtown Crossing, so I powered through on very little sleep. Brunch food (and a Bloody Mary) definitely helped to wake me up though. I had the Vegan Biscuits & Redeye Gravy.
And the Tofu Scramble with vegan cheese, potatoes, peppers, and onions.
Speaking of Midtown Crossing, I met Susan there for lunch one day last week because they were donating part of their sales that day to Friends for Life (a nonprofit I sit on the board for -- they help low-income people with HIV/AIDS access services, housing, and food). I got the Greek Salad with added chili tofu.
And finally, another breakfast! Yesterday, I had some scrambled Vegan Egg with Vegan Sausage and half a Dave's Whole Wheat Bagel with Vegan Cream Cheese.
May 8, 2017
Stuff I Ate
Sorry I didn't blog last night! I typically always post on Sunday nights, but I went to the Beale Street Music Fest here in Memphis this past weekend, and I was busy jamming out to Bush and Ani DiFranco yesterday!
Got some random meals for you! Last weekend, we celebrated my mama's birthday a little early. Her birthday fell this past Thursday, but she and my dad came to Memphis the weekend prior so we could go eat and do presents. My parents love Genghis Grill, the Mongolian stir-fry chain. They love the whole build-a-bowl concept. And I do too! But I rarely eat at chains, so I like having an excuse to do so. I got a stir-fry with tofu, lots of veggies, and brown rice.
Afterward, we went to IKEA so I could pick out a new couch and recliner! And then back to my house for birthday wish time. I asked my mom if she wanted me to bake her some cupcakes, but she said she'd rather have a bagel from Dave's Bagels. Ha! So we had apple cinnamon bagels with vegan cream cheese in lieu of cake.
Speaking of bagels, I made some strawberry chia jam last week using organic berries from Winchester Farms. Served on a whole wheat Dave's Bagel with peanut butter. Perfection.
It wouldn't be a "stuff I ate" post without bagels, right? Or without FitQuick! I made some FitQuick Double Chocolate Brownie Protein Pancakes last week and served with banana and peanut butter maple syrup. For the syrup, I mixed two tablespoons of PB2 with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Yum!
Mama Gaia started serving breakfast last week! This all-vegetarian, all-organic restaurant is in the Crosstown Concourse building, just two blocks from my house. So I popped over there after a morning run last Monday and grabbed the Apple Cinnamon Oats (made with steel cut oats, fresh apples, and rice milk). I brought that home and enjoyed with a REBBL protein shake.
Later that morning, I was in the Crosstown Concourse building for a work meeting, so I got a Red Power Juice from Mama Gaia — beets, apple, carrots, orange, lime, and ginger.
Last week, I met up with Jennifer, Pam, and Shay on our lunch breaks for Pho Binh buffet. None of these ladies had ever been to Pho Binh's legendary, dirt-cheap, tofu lunch buffet, and we needed to remedy that. You can't go wrong with lemongrass tofu, black bean tofu, clear soup, and coconut tofu soup!
More random meal pics tomorrow!
Got some random meals for you! Last weekend, we celebrated my mama's birthday a little early. Her birthday fell this past Thursday, but she and my dad came to Memphis the weekend prior so we could go eat and do presents. My parents love Genghis Grill, the Mongolian stir-fry chain. They love the whole build-a-bowl concept. And I do too! But I rarely eat at chains, so I like having an excuse to do so. I got a stir-fry with tofu, lots of veggies, and brown rice.
Afterward, we went to IKEA so I could pick out a new couch and recliner! And then back to my house for birthday wish time. I asked my mom if she wanted me to bake her some cupcakes, but she said she'd rather have a bagel from Dave's Bagels. Ha! So we had apple cinnamon bagels with vegan cream cheese in lieu of cake.
Speaking of bagels, I made some strawberry chia jam last week using organic berries from Winchester Farms. Served on a whole wheat Dave's Bagel with peanut butter. Perfection.
It wouldn't be a "stuff I ate" post without bagels, right? Or without FitQuick! I made some FitQuick Double Chocolate Brownie Protein Pancakes last week and served with banana and peanut butter maple syrup. For the syrup, I mixed two tablespoons of PB2 with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Yum!
Mama Gaia started serving breakfast last week! This all-vegetarian, all-organic restaurant is in the Crosstown Concourse building, just two blocks from my house. So I popped over there after a morning run last Monday and grabbed the Apple Cinnamon Oats (made with steel cut oats, fresh apples, and rice milk). I brought that home and enjoyed with a REBBL protein shake.
Later that morning, I was in the Crosstown Concourse building for a work meeting, so I got a Red Power Juice from Mama Gaia — beets, apple, carrots, orange, lime, and ginger.
Last week, I met up with Jennifer, Pam, and Shay on our lunch breaks for Pho Binh buffet. None of these ladies had ever been to Pho Binh's legendary, dirt-cheap, tofu lunch buffet, and we needed to remedy that. You can't go wrong with lemongrass tofu, black bean tofu, clear soup, and coconut tofu soup!
More random meal pics tomorrow!
May 5, 2017
Peaches & Cream & Green Protein Smoothie!
More often than not, my post-run recovery treat is smoothie made with vegan protein powder, plant milk, frozen fruit, and maybe a fun "superfood" add-in or two. Smoothies are super-easy on my tummy in the morning, and with enough protein and fat, they keep me full for hours!
VeganSmart makes some of my favorite protein powders because 1) they taste great, 2) they make for very thick, creamy smoothies, and 3) they're made with high-quality ingredients like whole veggies and fruits and a protein blend made from pea, quinoa, chia, potato, and chlorella. They come in flavors that so many other brands do not (think cookies 'n' cream, chocolate raspberry, and strawberry shortcake). Plus, since it's an all-in-one nutritional shake, it has so much more than just protein. In addition to 20 grams of protein, there are vitamins and minerals, digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and much more. VeganSmart mailed me another of their fun and different flavors — Peaches & Cream — to sample and develop a recipe with.
I wanted to do a Peaches & Cream thing with the ingredients as well as the powder, but I didn't want to go the standard cashew cream route because that seemed too obvious (probably delicious though!). Instead, I opted for avocado to give the smoothie an extra creamy mouthfeel. Plus, frozen peaches, almond milk, flax seed, and a greens powder for good measure. You could always sub out fresh greens, like kale or spinach, instead of the greens powder.
Here's the recipe!
Peaches & Cream & Green Smoothie
Yields 1 smoothie
1 cup almond milk1/2 avocado1/2 cup frozen peaches1 Tbsp. ground flax seed1 scoop VeganSmart Peaches & Cream All-in-One Nutritional Shake1 tsp. greens powder (or 1/2 cup fresh kale or spinach)
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smoothie and creamy. Enjoy!
VeganSmart makes some of my favorite protein powders because 1) they taste great, 2) they make for very thick, creamy smoothies, and 3) they're made with high-quality ingredients like whole veggies and fruits and a protein blend made from pea, quinoa, chia, potato, and chlorella. They come in flavors that so many other brands do not (think cookies 'n' cream, chocolate raspberry, and strawberry shortcake). Plus, since it's an all-in-one nutritional shake, it has so much more than just protein. In addition to 20 grams of protein, there are vitamins and minerals, digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and much more. VeganSmart mailed me another of their fun and different flavors — Peaches & Cream — to sample and develop a recipe with.
I wanted to do a Peaches & Cream thing with the ingredients as well as the powder, but I didn't want to go the standard cashew cream route because that seemed too obvious (probably delicious though!). Instead, I opted for avocado to give the smoothie an extra creamy mouthfeel. Plus, frozen peaches, almond milk, flax seed, and a greens powder for good measure. You could always sub out fresh greens, like kale or spinach, instead of the greens powder.
Here's the recipe!
Peaches & Cream & Green Smoothie
Yields 1 smoothie
1 cup almond milk1/2 avocado1/2 cup frozen peaches1 Tbsp. ground flax seed1 scoop VeganSmart Peaches & Cream All-in-One Nutritional Shake1 tsp. greens powder (or 1/2 cup fresh kale or spinach)
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smoothie and creamy. Enjoy!
May 4, 2017
Vegan Care Package!
The absolute best thing about blogging is community! I've made so many friends from all over the world through blogging. I've had the pleasure of meeting (and eating/drinking with) quite a few of those online friends, thanks to the three Vida Vegan Con (RIP, sadface) events in 2011, 2013, and 2015. There are so many more blogging friends I've yet to meet. But somehow, I feel like I KNOW those people even if we haven't met. And I know that, if and when we do meet, we'll be fast friends!
One of those awesome people is Sarah from Long Island Vegan. I've been following her blog for years through all of her grocery hauls, her photo spreads of creatively designed monthly planners, her snacky hummus plates, and so much more. I feel like every time I head over to Sarah's blog, I learn about some new Trader Joe's product that I wish I could try. But sadly, we don't have a Trader Joe's here (YET), so I have to stock up on TJ's products when I'm visiting Nashville (3 hours away). Last time I was in Nashville — last month for VegFest — I went into TJ's with a list, mostly derived from Sarah's blog!
But they were out of the one thing I was most excited to try — Everything But the Bagel Seasoning! I mentioned that on Sarah's blog comment section one day, and she offered to send me a bottle in the mail!! And then one day late last week, I came home to this box of goodies in the mail.
Yay for vegan care packages! She sent the bagel seasoning, plus Soft-Baked Snickerdoodles, Dark Chocolate Crisps, a Long Island bottle opener, and a magnet from New York City. So cool to get new-to-me foods and some souvenirs from her city.
I tried the crisps first! These are like dark chocolate Pringles, except they're all chocolate (no chips). They're loaded with little crispy bits, like a Nestle Krunch bar. Such a nice little afternoon treat. Perfect for when you want something sweet but not too much.
The snickerdoodles absolutely blew me away. I guess I haven't had a soft-baked cookie since going vegan. I'd forgotten how awesome soft cookies are. These practically melt in your mouth. And bonus — they're gluten-free. Definitely the best gluten-free cookie I've ever had.
I finally got to try the Everything But the Bagel Seasoning this morning on ... A BAGEL! So technically, it was everything AND the bagel. But the bagel (a Cajun flavor bagel from Dave's Bagels) wasn't an everything bagel, so I made it one! Plus, the flecks of onion, garlic, salt, and sesame seeds stick on a little better when sprinkled over cream cheese. So good! Can't wait to try this on avocado toast.
Thanks so much Sarah!!
One of those awesome people is Sarah from Long Island Vegan. I've been following her blog for years through all of her grocery hauls, her photo spreads of creatively designed monthly planners, her snacky hummus plates, and so much more. I feel like every time I head over to Sarah's blog, I learn about some new Trader Joe's product that I wish I could try. But sadly, we don't have a Trader Joe's here (YET), so I have to stock up on TJ's products when I'm visiting Nashville (3 hours away). Last time I was in Nashville — last month for VegFest — I went into TJ's with a list, mostly derived from Sarah's blog!
But they were out of the one thing I was most excited to try — Everything But the Bagel Seasoning! I mentioned that on Sarah's blog comment section one day, and she offered to send me a bottle in the mail!! And then one day late last week, I came home to this box of goodies in the mail.
Yay for vegan care packages! She sent the bagel seasoning, plus Soft-Baked Snickerdoodles, Dark Chocolate Crisps, a Long Island bottle opener, and a magnet from New York City. So cool to get new-to-me foods and some souvenirs from her city.
I tried the crisps first! These are like dark chocolate Pringles, except they're all chocolate (no chips). They're loaded with little crispy bits, like a Nestle Krunch bar. Such a nice little afternoon treat. Perfect for when you want something sweet but not too much.
The snickerdoodles absolutely blew me away. I guess I haven't had a soft-baked cookie since going vegan. I'd forgotten how awesome soft cookies are. These practically melt in your mouth. And bonus — they're gluten-free. Definitely the best gluten-free cookie I've ever had.
I finally got to try the Everything But the Bagel Seasoning this morning on ... A BAGEL! So technically, it was everything AND the bagel. But the bagel (a Cajun flavor bagel from Dave's Bagels) wasn't an everything bagel, so I made it one! Plus, the flecks of onion, garlic, salt, and sesame seeds stick on a little better when sprinkled over cream cheese. So good! Can't wait to try this on avocado toast.
Thanks so much Sarah!!
May 2, 2017
Neat "Meat" Enchiladas
There are soooo many plant meats on the market, and some are more nutritious than others. Most are made with soy and/or gluten, and that's just fine with me since I've got so food allergies or sensitivities. But so many people do! It's nice to know there are some great options out there for everyone.One of those options, if you're not allergic to nuts, is Neat meat substitute. It's made with a mix of pecans, garbanzo beans, white beans, and cornmeal and is sold in powdered form. You simply mix it with water and a vegan egg sub (I used The Vegg, but any substitute would work), and then you can shape it into patties or fry it up like ground beef. It comes in Original, Italian, Mexican, and a Breakfast sausage flavor. Neat recently sent me the Mexican mix and their Neat Egg substitute to review. You can read about the Neat Egg in this post. But tonight, I'm focusing on the Mexican burger mix.
I've tried this stuff before on nachos, and it was fantastic, but I wanted to do something different this time. And I'd been craving enchiladas for awhile, so enchiladas it was! I mixed the powder with water and a The Vegg mix equal to two eggs (by the way, the Neat Egg would be perfect for this, but I actually FORGOT I had some). Then I followed the directions on the bag to make taco filling by adding 1/2 cup of salsa to the mix. I heated a teaspoon of oil and fried it up.
The "meat" tends to stick together a little when frying, so it's really ideal to form it into patties, fry and flip, and then break it up. But I didn't do that. I just kept stirring and using a spatula to break it up. The Mexican mix is seasoned with chili powder and onion powder, and it has a great flavor that doesn't need any extra dressing up. I did, however, add some fresh, chopped onion to the mix because I wanted an extra oniony flavor. Here's a close-up of the "meat" falling out of my enchiladas.
Once the meat sub had browned, I stuffed it into warm corn tortillas, rolled them, and topped with black olives, canned enchilada sauce, and Daiya vegan cheddar. Served with a dollop of Tofutti sour cream and side of seasoned corn and steamed kale. Perfection!
Here's the recipe!
Neat "Meat" EnchiladasYields 10 enchiladas (5 servings)
1 package Neat Mexican Mix (prepared according to package directions)1/2 cup salsa1 tsp. oil1 small onion, chopped10 corn tortillas1 28-ounce can red enchilada sauce10 Tbsp. sliced black olives1 cup shredded vegan cheddarVegan sour cream and hot sauce, for serving
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine the Neat mix and salsa in a medium mixing bowl. Heat a skillet on medium heat and add the oil. Add the chopped onion, and saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion begins to soften. Add the Neat mix and saute for another 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring often and using a spatula to break it up into small pieces.
Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds to make them pliable. Add a couple tablespoons of mix to each, rolling them as you go. Place each one closed-side-down into the casserole dish.
Top with sauce, olives, and vegan cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until cheese has melted and edges of tortillas are lightly crisp. Serve with vegan sour cream and hot sauce.
May 1, 2017
Acai Power!
Let's be real — a lot of the talk about superfoods is just hype. Of course, superfoods — like lucuma and mesquite and maca — boast amazing health benefits. But so do your average, everyday fruits and veggies, like kale, blueberries, and spinach. That said, there's something decidedly exotic and appealing about these so-called superfoods that grow in faraway lands (at least, they seem faraway to most people living in North America). Eating them not only gives us a boost of nutrients (just like with not-so-superfoods), but the big difference — for me, at least — is the burst of new and interesting flavor we get from rarer foods like acai or goji berries.
I especially love superfoods that come in powdered form because they're easy to blend into my morning smoothies and smoothie bowls. I knew when Sari Foods shipped me their Organic Acai Powder that it'd very quickly find its way into my breakfasts.
Acai — pronounced ah-sigh-ee — is a low-glycemic berry with a high concentration of antioxidants, omega fats, and essential amino acids. Acai is also a great source of iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamin A. It tastes like a cross between a tart blueberry and chocolate, if that makes any sense.
When blended with light-colored fruits and plant milk, acai's bright purple color shines! That's from the anthocyanin compounds, which gives purple and red produce it's deep, rich color. Anthocyanin teams up with flavonoids to defend the body against free radicals. Here's some acai blended with banana and protein powder for a quick, week-day smoothie.
But acai smoothies and bowls aren't always purple! If you combine it with enough green stuff, you'll end up with a very green smoothie, like this Green Acai Smoothie Bowl.
This was a perfect post-run breakfast last week. You can top the smoothie bowl with any fresh fruit or nuts you want, but I used trail mix, chia seeds, and coconut flakes since that's what I had on-hand. Here's the recipe!
Green Acai Smoothie BowlYields 1 serving
For the bowl:1/2 cup plant milk (I used almond-cashew)1 frozen banana1/2 cup chopped kale2 tsp. Sari Foods Organic Acai Powder1 scoop vegan berry protein powder (I used Vega One Berry protein)
For the toppings:2 Tbsp. raw trail mix (mine had almonds, pepitas, walnuts, dried cranberries, & goji berries)1 Tbsp. sweetened, shredded coconut1 tsp. chia seeds
In a high-speed blender, combine the milk, banana, kale, acai powder, and protein powder. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and top with trail mix, coconut, and chia seeds. Eat!
I especially love superfoods that come in powdered form because they're easy to blend into my morning smoothies and smoothie bowls. I knew when Sari Foods shipped me their Organic Acai Powder that it'd very quickly find its way into my breakfasts.
Acai — pronounced ah-sigh-ee — is a low-glycemic berry with a high concentration of antioxidants, omega fats, and essential amino acids. Acai is also a great source of iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamin A. It tastes like a cross between a tart blueberry and chocolate, if that makes any sense.
When blended with light-colored fruits and plant milk, acai's bright purple color shines! That's from the anthocyanin compounds, which gives purple and red produce it's deep, rich color. Anthocyanin teams up with flavonoids to defend the body against free radicals. Here's some acai blended with banana and protein powder for a quick, week-day smoothie.
But acai smoothies and bowls aren't always purple! If you combine it with enough green stuff, you'll end up with a very green smoothie, like this Green Acai Smoothie Bowl.
This was a perfect post-run breakfast last week. You can top the smoothie bowl with any fresh fruit or nuts you want, but I used trail mix, chia seeds, and coconut flakes since that's what I had on-hand. Here's the recipe!
Green Acai Smoothie BowlYields 1 serving
For the bowl:1/2 cup plant milk (I used almond-cashew)1 frozen banana1/2 cup chopped kale2 tsp. Sari Foods Organic Acai Powder1 scoop vegan berry protein powder (I used Vega One Berry protein)
For the toppings:2 Tbsp. raw trail mix (mine had almonds, pepitas, walnuts, dried cranberries, & goji berries)1 Tbsp. sweetened, shredded coconut1 tsp. chia seeds
In a high-speed blender, combine the milk, banana, kale, acai powder, and protein powder. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and top with trail mix, coconut, and chia seeds. Eat!
April 30, 2017
Imagine Vegan Cafe's 6th Anniversary Party!
Imagine Vegan Cafe celebrated six years in business this weekend! Imagine has been my home away from home for those past six years, and I've tried to eat there weekly since opening day in 2011. Sometimes, I fail at that and two weeks may pass before an Imagine visit, but I don't think I've ever gone more than two weeks without eating there. In those past six years, Imagine has occupied three locations, all along the same street, and each one has quickly begun to feel like home to me.
Imagine had an anniversary party buffet dinner tonight, and for $15, you got access to an all-you-can-eat buffet, two glasses of wine, and a slice of Stephanie's amazing chocolate caramel cake. The party started at 6, but I knew it'd be packed so I arrived at 5:20 to secure a table for myself, Shay, Simon, and Jennifer. We were close to the front of the buffet line, and I got a little serving of everything!
There was spinach-artichoke dip and tortilla chips, alfredo pasta with broccoli, mini turkey club sandwiches, BBQ meatballs, hot wings and ranch, BBQ seitan sliders, a mini taco bar, mini chicken and waffles, turkey pinwheels, and our friend Don's homemade vegan tamales. He made several flavors, but I got the black bean and mushroom tamale, and it was just spectacular.
SO MUCH FOOD! And yes, I cleaned my plate. Here's a close-up of my chicken and waffle.
And the turkey club.
Here's Shay and I before digging in.
And Simon and Jennifer, who'd just returned from a weekend camping trip and were grateful to not have to cook dinner after unpacking.
It's a good thing we arrived early because the place was packed! People were fixing plates and then standing outside the door to eat because they had no place to sit.
We were pretty well first in line for the buffet. I ALWAYS have to be in the beginning of a buffet line or I get incredible anxiety about some dish running out before I make my way to the front. Here are some buffet shots before people dug in — the spinach dip and pasta.
Turkey clubs. These were so cute!
Vegan hot wings. Not pictured — the bowl of Kristie's amazing homemade vegan ranch for dipping.
And the mini taco bar with black beans, guac, Tofutti sour cream, salsa, tomato, lettuce, and hard and soft shells! I went with the soft flour tortilla.
For my two glasses of wine, I opted for a merlot and a red table wine blend. Two-buck chuck, y'all! We don't even have a Trader Joe's here, but they'd stocked up on that good stuff. Nothing beats economy wine and vegan junk food. Winning.
But that's not all! It's not a party without cake! Stephanie — Imagine's awesome baker/my awesome friend — baked a special chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and caramel glaze. I was pretty full after my savory buffet plate, but this cake put me over the edge.
Now, it's nearly 10 p.m., and I'm still so stuffed. I'm about to call it a night and sleep off all this food! But I'm so grateful for Imagine. When they first opened in 2011, they were the city's only vegan restaurant. Now we have several, but Imagine holds the number-one place in my heart, always and forever. I've made so many friends there. I've eaten my most memorable meals there. And owners Kristie and Adam do soooooo much to spread the message of veganism. They're truly ethical vegans, and I'm incredibly blessed to have them and Imagine in my life.
Imagine had an anniversary party buffet dinner tonight, and for $15, you got access to an all-you-can-eat buffet, two glasses of wine, and a slice of Stephanie's amazing chocolate caramel cake. The party started at 6, but I knew it'd be packed so I arrived at 5:20 to secure a table for myself, Shay, Simon, and Jennifer. We were close to the front of the buffet line, and I got a little serving of everything!
There was spinach-artichoke dip and tortilla chips, alfredo pasta with broccoli, mini turkey club sandwiches, BBQ meatballs, hot wings and ranch, BBQ seitan sliders, a mini taco bar, mini chicken and waffles, turkey pinwheels, and our friend Don's homemade vegan tamales. He made several flavors, but I got the black bean and mushroom tamale, and it was just spectacular.
SO MUCH FOOD! And yes, I cleaned my plate. Here's a close-up of my chicken and waffle.
And the turkey club.
Here's Shay and I before digging in.
And Simon and Jennifer, who'd just returned from a weekend camping trip and were grateful to not have to cook dinner after unpacking.
It's a good thing we arrived early because the place was packed! People were fixing plates and then standing outside the door to eat because they had no place to sit.
We were pretty well first in line for the buffet. I ALWAYS have to be in the beginning of a buffet line or I get incredible anxiety about some dish running out before I make my way to the front. Here are some buffet shots before people dug in — the spinach dip and pasta.
Turkey clubs. These were so cute!
Vegan hot wings. Not pictured — the bowl of Kristie's amazing homemade vegan ranch for dipping.
And the mini taco bar with black beans, guac, Tofutti sour cream, salsa, tomato, lettuce, and hard and soft shells! I went with the soft flour tortilla.
For my two glasses of wine, I opted for a merlot and a red table wine blend. Two-buck chuck, y'all! We don't even have a Trader Joe's here, but they'd stocked up on that good stuff. Nothing beats economy wine and vegan junk food. Winning.
But that's not all! It's not a party without cake! Stephanie — Imagine's awesome baker/my awesome friend — baked a special chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and caramel glaze. I was pretty full after my savory buffet plate, but this cake put me over the edge.
Now, it's nearly 10 p.m., and I'm still so stuffed. I'm about to call it a night and sleep off all this food! But I'm so grateful for Imagine. When they first opened in 2011, they were the city's only vegan restaurant. Now we have several, but Imagine holds the number-one place in my heart, always and forever. I've made so many friends there. I've eaten my most memorable meals there. And owners Kristie and Adam do soooooo much to spread the message of veganism. They're truly ethical vegans, and I'm incredibly blessed to have them and Imagine in my life.
Imagine Vegan Cafe'e 6th Anniversary Party!
Imagine Vegan Cafe celebrated six years in business this weekend! Imagine has been my home away from home for those past six years, and I've tried to eat there weekly since opening day in 2011. Sometimes, I fail at that and two weeks may pass before an Imagine visit, but I don't think I've ever gone more than two weeks without eating there. In those past six years, Imagine has occupied three locations, all along the same street, and each one has quickly begun to feel like home to me.
Imagine had an anniversary party buffet dinner tonight, and for $15, you got access to an all-you-can-eat buffet, two glasses of wine, and a slice of Stephanie's amazing chocolate caramel cake. The party started at 6, but I knew it'd be packed so I arrived at 5:20 to secure a table for myself, Shay, Simon, and Jennifer. We were close to the front of the buffet line, and I got a little serving of everything!
There was spinach-artichoke dip and tortilla chips, alfredo pasta with broccoli, mini turkey club sandwiches, BBQ meatballs, hot wings and ranch, BBQ seitan sliders, a mini taco bar, mini chicken and waffles, turkey pinwheels, and our friend Don's homemade vegan tamales. He made several flavors, but I got the black bean and mushroom tamale, and it was just spectacular.
SO MUCH FOOD! And yes, I cleaned my plate. Here's a close-up of my chicken and waffle.
And the turkey club.
Here's Shay and I before digging in.
And Simon and Jennifer, who'd just returned from a weekend camping trip and were grateful to not have to cook dinner after unpacking.
It's a good things we arrived early because the place was packed! People were fixing plates and then standing outside the door to eat because they had no place to sit.
We were pretty well first in line for the buffet. I ALWAYS have to be in the beginning of a buffet line or I get incredible anxiety about some dish running out before I make my way to the front. Here are some buffet shots before people dug in — the spinach dip and pasta.
Turkey clubs. These were so cute!
Vegan hot wings. Not pictured — the bowl of Kristie's amazing homemade vegan ranch for dipping.
And the mini taco bar with black beans, guac, Tofutti sour cream, salsa, tomato, lettuce, and hard and soft shells! I went with the soft flour tortilla.
For my two glasses of wine, I opted for a merlot and a red table wine blend. Two-buck chuck, y'all! We don't even have a Trader Joe's here, but they'd stocked up on that good stuff. Nothing beats economy wine and vegan junk food. Winning.
But that's not all! It's not a party without cake! Stephanie — Imagine's awesome baker/my awesome friend — baked a special chocolate cake with caramel buttercream. I was pretty full after my savory buffet plate, but this cake put me over the edge.
Now, it's nearly 10 p.m., and I'm still so stuffed. I'm about to call it a night and sleep off all this food! But I'm so grateful for Imagine. When they first opened in 2011, they were the city's only vegan restaurant. Now we have several, but Imagine holds the number-one place in my heart, always and forever. I've made so many friends there. I've eaten my most memorable meals there. And owners Kristie and Adam do soooooo much to spread the message of veganism. They're truly ethical vegans, and I'm incredibly blessed to have them and Imagine in my life.
Imagine had an anniversary party buffet dinner tonight, and for $15, you got access to an all-you-can-eat buffet, two glasses of wine, and a slice of Stephanie's amazing chocolate caramel cake. The party started at 6, but I knew it'd be packed so I arrived at 5:20 to secure a table for myself, Shay, Simon, and Jennifer. We were close to the front of the buffet line, and I got a little serving of everything!
There was spinach-artichoke dip and tortilla chips, alfredo pasta with broccoli, mini turkey club sandwiches, BBQ meatballs, hot wings and ranch, BBQ seitan sliders, a mini taco bar, mini chicken and waffles, turkey pinwheels, and our friend Don's homemade vegan tamales. He made several flavors, but I got the black bean and mushroom tamale, and it was just spectacular.
SO MUCH FOOD! And yes, I cleaned my plate. Here's a close-up of my chicken and waffle.
And the turkey club.
Here's Shay and I before digging in.
And Simon and Jennifer, who'd just returned from a weekend camping trip and were grateful to not have to cook dinner after unpacking.
It's a good things we arrived early because the place was packed! People were fixing plates and then standing outside the door to eat because they had no place to sit.
We were pretty well first in line for the buffet. I ALWAYS have to be in the beginning of a buffet line or I get incredible anxiety about some dish running out before I make my way to the front. Here are some buffet shots before people dug in — the spinach dip and pasta.
Turkey clubs. These were so cute!
Vegan hot wings. Not pictured — the bowl of Kristie's amazing homemade vegan ranch for dipping.
And the mini taco bar with black beans, guac, Tofutti sour cream, salsa, tomato, lettuce, and hard and soft shells! I went with the soft flour tortilla.
For my two glasses of wine, I opted for a merlot and a red table wine blend. Two-buck chuck, y'all! We don't even have a Trader Joe's here, but they'd stocked up on that good stuff. Nothing beats economy wine and vegan junk food. Winning.
But that's not all! It's not a party without cake! Stephanie — Imagine's awesome baker/my awesome friend — baked a special chocolate cake with caramel buttercream. I was pretty full after my savory buffet plate, but this cake put me over the edge.
Now, it's nearly 10 p.m., and I'm still so stuffed. I'm about to call it a night and sleep off all this food! But I'm so grateful for Imagine. When they first opened in 2011, they were the city's only vegan restaurant. Now we have several, but Imagine holds the number-one place in my heart, always and forever. I've made so many friends there. I've eaten my most memorable meals there. And owners Kristie and Adam do soooooo much to spread the message of veganism. They're truly ethical vegans, and I'm incredibly blessed to have them and Imagine in my life.
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