Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 148
May 18, 2016
Vegan Bacon Makes Everything Better
This might be a bold statement to make in May, but I'm just going to declare Baconish by Leinana Two Moons the Best Vegan Cookbook of 2016. I made that same declaration last year in April for Kittee Berns' Teff Love, and guess what book VegNews later named the Cookbook of Year? Yep, Teff Love. So you know, my record on these things is pretty good.Baconish, as you might have guessed, is all about vegan bacon. The book's subtitle — Sultry and Smoky Plant-Based Recipes From BLTs to Bacon Mac & Cheese — pretty much sums it up. The book is packed with recipes, from breakfasts to soups to sides to mains to desserts, that use vegan bacon.
And not some pre-packaged vegan bacon. Nope! Leinana has a whole chapter on homemade bacons to use in other recipes throughout the book. There's tofu bacon, tempeh bacon, eggplant bacon, king trumpet mushroom bacon, coconut bacon, chickpea bacon — am I starting to sound like Forrest Gump? I made Seitan Bacon for a recipe, and it made way more than I needed for that one recipe, so I've been enjoying slices with my cereal and oats! For this recipe, you make a slab of seitan, coat it in smoky-maple-pepper marinade, and bake it in the oven. Then, you slice it into thin bacon strips. It has an amazing flavor — far better than any storebought vegan bacon I've ever had.
I made that seitan bacon to stuff inside the Eggless McMuffins from the breakfast chapter. I'm a sucker for a good breakfast sandwich. For the egg, you dip tofu in a spice mix laced with nooch and black salt and fry it up. That's stacked on an English muffin with seitan bacon, vegan mayo, vegan cheese, and spinach. I used Follow Your Heart Pepper Jack cheese and Chipotle Just Mayo for a spicy twist!
I also used some of that seitan bacon in this White Bean & Bacon Soup. It's loaded with chopped seitan bacon, white beans, carrots, celery, and smoked paprika. It's also topped with Carrot Bacon from the book! CARROT BACON, Y'ALL! You can seriously make bacon out of anything. This soup was really special, and it hit the spot this week since temps have dropped back down into the 60s (after several solid weeks of temps in the high 80s).
I also made the Tempeh Bacon from the book, but it was for a recipe, and I failed to photograph the bacon by itself. But you know what tempeh looks like, right? Anyway, I used said bacon, which by the way was the best tempeh bacon I've ever had (even better than my own tempeh bacon in Cookin' Crunk!), in this Apple, Bacon, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese from the sandwich chapter. It's stuffed with green apple slices, tempeh bacon, and vegan cheddar. I had some Miyoko's Creamery Aged English Smoked Farmhouse that needed using, so I used that in this recipe. And wow! So sophisticated and fancy. The sharp cheddar and sweet apple and smoky bacon paired so well together.
All of the above recipes, even the homemade seitan bacon, came together really quickly. And most of the recipes in Baconish would fall into the quick and easy category, but there is at least one recipe in the book that's pretty labor-intensive. And of course I decided to make that one — Potato, Bacon, and Onion Pierogies!!!!
These soft, pan-fried dumplings are stuffed with mashed potatoes that are flecked with Leinana's Baconish Bits (TVP bacon bits), vegan cheddar, and onions, and they're served with vegan sour cream and chives. I used to love pierogies in my cheese-eating days, and I've yet to find pre-packaged vegan pierogies anywhere. So it's been years since I've had one! These were so, so, so amazing. I can't even express to you just how delicious they were. They took about two hours to make, but it was worth every second. Plus, the recipe made about 36 pierogies, and I've been eating four in a serving (with sides of quinoa and kale), so I froze a bunch to last forever.
The dough actually called for aquafaba (the revolutionary bean liquid that magically turns into eggs), making this the first mention of aquafaba I've seen in a cookbook yet. I really believe it made a huge difference in the dough. It was so light and chewy!
Also, bonus: The recipe made about 3 1/2 cups of bacon-cheddar potatoes, and since each pierogi is stuffed with just a teaspoon of filling, I had about 2 1/2 cups of potatoes leftover. And they're delicious, so I'm stoked about having an extra stash for side dishes throughout the week.
Oh hey, here's an inside shot.
I made quite a bit from the book, but honestly, there are so many more recipes I want to try — Bacon Pancake Dippers (these are pancakes with strips of tempeh bacon cooked in the middle!!!), Black Bean BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers, BLT Hot Dogs with Bacon Remoulade, Bacon Fried Rice, Tofu Bacon Carbonara, and of course, Smoky Bacon Mac & Cheese. There's even dessert — Maple Bacon Doughnuts, Chocolate Peanut Bacon Truffles, Maple Pecan Sundaes with Coconut Bacon.
Yea, I know you're drooling now. Go get this book. Seriously. Because vegan bacon makes everything better.
May 17, 2016
Pereg Quinoa Review
Gosh, I remember way back when I first went vegan in 2004, I was learning about all these new (to me) foods — tahini, kale, tempeh, seitan, nooch, TVP, quinoa. Like so many people who'd never heard of quinoa, I thought it was pronounced kwin-no-ah. It was one of those words I didn't dare speak aloud until I finally heard someone else pronounce it keen-wah. Eventually, quinoa became one of my favorite grains. It's amazing the world of foods that opens up to you when you become vegan.
Of course, quinoa isn't just for vegans. The peoples of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile have been eating this amazing protein-packed grain for centuries, but unfortunately, at the time I went vegan, quinoa hadn't yet made it into the Standard American Diet (at least not in the South). I'd say that quinoa has pretty much arrived these days. Everyone eats quinoa — vegans, vegetarians, ominivores, gluten-free folks (okay, well, maybe not paleos, but they're missing out!).
Quinoa is so popular now that Pereg Gourmet Natural Foods has released a line of flavored boxed quinoa mixes. Think Rice-a-Roni but for quinoa and way healthier! They sent me a few packages to review.
I tried the Quinoa Vegetables first. This packaged mix contains one bag of quinoa mixed with spices and dehydrated veggies. You just simmer it on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, and dinner is on the table. The vegetable mix had potatoes, carrots, onions, red bell pepper, currants, spices, salt, and mustard seeds. While the veggies were small and dehydrated in the package, I'll say that I was surprised by how many veggies were crammed in. Also, I really loved the sort of veggie broth flavor this dish had.
Of course the Quinoa Southern Smoked was my favorite. This one had a decisively smoky, bacon-y flavor, and while I can't be too sure because the ingredient list only says "spices," I'd guess that comes from smoked paprika. I served this with garlic steamed kale, and the two paired so well together. This one was also loaded with veggies — onions, carrots, tomatoes, and red bell pepper, garlic, and parsley.
Pereg also sent me a plain Quinoa Tri-Color to try. This didn't have any seasoning or veggies, just white, red, and black grain quinoa. Each color has a slightly different texture (the darker quinoas don't get as soft), so the multi-color blend offered a variety in each bite. You might remember this picture from my review of Quorn's vegan products. I used the tri-color quinoa in a stir-fry with vegan Quorn and veggies.
All of these flavors cook up in 25 minutes or less (depending on how high your heat is — mine took about 20 minutes). And the flavored packages are a nice change from plain ole white quinoa!
Of course, quinoa isn't just for vegans. The peoples of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile have been eating this amazing protein-packed grain for centuries, but unfortunately, at the time I went vegan, quinoa hadn't yet made it into the Standard American Diet (at least not in the South). I'd say that quinoa has pretty much arrived these days. Everyone eats quinoa — vegans, vegetarians, ominivores, gluten-free folks (okay, well, maybe not paleos, but they're missing out!).
Quinoa is so popular now that Pereg Gourmet Natural Foods has released a line of flavored boxed quinoa mixes. Think Rice-a-Roni but for quinoa and way healthier! They sent me a few packages to review.
I tried the Quinoa Vegetables first. This packaged mix contains one bag of quinoa mixed with spices and dehydrated veggies. You just simmer it on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, and dinner is on the table. The vegetable mix had potatoes, carrots, onions, red bell pepper, currants, spices, salt, and mustard seeds. While the veggies were small and dehydrated in the package, I'll say that I was surprised by how many veggies were crammed in. Also, I really loved the sort of veggie broth flavor this dish had.
Of course the Quinoa Southern Smoked was my favorite. This one had a decisively smoky, bacon-y flavor, and while I can't be too sure because the ingredient list only says "spices," I'd guess that comes from smoked paprika. I served this with garlic steamed kale, and the two paired so well together. This one was also loaded with veggies — onions, carrots, tomatoes, and red bell pepper, garlic, and parsley.
Pereg also sent me a plain Quinoa Tri-Color to try. This didn't have any seasoning or veggies, just white, red, and black grain quinoa. Each color has a slightly different texture (the darker quinoas don't get as soft), so the multi-color blend offered a variety in each bite. You might remember this picture from my review of Quorn's vegan products. I used the tri-color quinoa in a stir-fry with vegan Quorn and veggies.
All of these flavors cook up in 25 minutes or less (depending on how high your heat is — mine took about 20 minutes). And the flavored packages are a nice change from plain ole white quinoa!
May 16, 2016
Sunwarrior illumin8 Protein Powder Review! With Recipes!
If you ask me my favorite food, I'll probably say "pizza" or "vegan mac & cheese" or something else carb-y (and possibly deep-fried). But truthfully, on a day to day basis, the favorite thing I consume is actually far healthier. It's protein powder! I'm a little obsessed with pre- and post-workout nutrition, and I've tried all sorts of things before, during, and after workouts to determine what works best to power me through runs and help me recover afterward.
And hands down, for post-workout, nothing works better to ease sore muscles and help me get back out there to run the next day than vegan protein powder. I'm partial to Vega, but I'm always willing to branch out and try others. And I've been known to stock up on whatever brand Whole Foods has on sale. I especially love the little sample-size packs so I can collect multiple flavors. And though I've tried many brands, for some reason, I'd never tried Sunwarrior until the company mailed me a few sample packs of their illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal to review.
These powders are intended as meal replacers, and they contain 19 grams of protein (from peas and brown rice!), organic sprout powder, a vitamin blend, and an enzyme blend. It's also gluten-free, soy-free, and gmo-free if you're worried about any that stuff (I'm not, but it's nice when products are inclusive for the whole vegan community).
While you can certainly mix these with water, down them, and call it a day, I much prefer to mix protein powders into smoothies or protein ice cream. Much tastier that way and you get some fruit in your diet!
Some protein powders can be a bit chalky, but these weren't. They blended smoothly and, when combined with frozen banana (a smoothie staple for me), they made for very thick and creamy smoothies. Also, they're stevia-sweetened, so you don't have to worry about sugar or artificial sweeteners.
I used each of these flavors — Mocha, Vanilla Bean, and Aztec Chocolate — to create new recipes. First, I used the Aztec Chocolate to create a creamy cinnamon-cayenne-spiked chocolate protein ice cream.
Aztec Chocolate Protein Ice Cream--------------------------------------------------Serves 1
2 frozen bananas2 Tbsp. almond milk1 scoop Aztec Chocolate Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal1 tsp. maca powder1 tsp. cinnamon1/8 tsp. cayenne2 Tbsp. So Delicious CocoWhip or other vegan whipped topping
Place the frozen bananas in a food processor or blender with the 2 Tbsp. of almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. This can take awhile, and the processor will seem like it's freaking out at first. But just let it go a few minutes, and it'll work itself out. You may need to stop once and scrape down the bowl. When it's done, it'll look and feel like ice cream.
Add the protein powder, maca, cinnamon, and cayenne, and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with coconut whipped topping.
----------------------------------------------------
Blueberry Peach Ginger Smoothie----------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1/2 frozen banana1/2 cup frozen peaches1/2 cup frozen blueberries1 inch ginger root, peeled and chopped1 scoop Vanilla Bean Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Blend everything together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peanut Butter Mocha Protein Smoothie--------------------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1 frozen banana2 Tbsp. powdered peanut butter (such as PB2) or 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter1 tsp. maca powder1 scoop Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
And hands down, for post-workout, nothing works better to ease sore muscles and help me get back out there to run the next day than vegan protein powder. I'm partial to Vega, but I'm always willing to branch out and try others. And I've been known to stock up on whatever brand Whole Foods has on sale. I especially love the little sample-size packs so I can collect multiple flavors. And though I've tried many brands, for some reason, I'd never tried Sunwarrior until the company mailed me a few sample packs of their illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal to review.
These powders are intended as meal replacers, and they contain 19 grams of protein (from peas and brown rice!), organic sprout powder, a vitamin blend, and an enzyme blend. It's also gluten-free, soy-free, and gmo-free if you're worried about any that stuff (I'm not, but it's nice when products are inclusive for the whole vegan community).
While you can certainly mix these with water, down them, and call it a day, I much prefer to mix protein powders into smoothies or protein ice cream. Much tastier that way and you get some fruit in your diet!
Some protein powders can be a bit chalky, but these weren't. They blended smoothly and, when combined with frozen banana (a smoothie staple for me), they made for very thick and creamy smoothies. Also, they're stevia-sweetened, so you don't have to worry about sugar or artificial sweeteners.
I used each of these flavors — Mocha, Vanilla Bean, and Aztec Chocolate — to create new recipes. First, I used the Aztec Chocolate to create a creamy cinnamon-cayenne-spiked chocolate protein ice cream.
Aztec Chocolate Protein Ice Cream--------------------------------------------------Serves 1
2 frozen bananas2 Tbsp. almond milk1 scoop Aztec Chocolate Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal1 tsp. maca powder1 tsp. cinnamon1/8 tsp. cayenne2 Tbsp. So Delicious CocoWhip or other vegan whipped topping
Place the frozen bananas in a food processor or blender with the 2 Tbsp. of almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. This can take awhile, and the processor will seem like it's freaking out at first. But just let it go a few minutes, and it'll work itself out. You may need to stop once and scrape down the bowl. When it's done, it'll look and feel like ice cream.
Add the protein powder, maca, cinnamon, and cayenne, and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with coconut whipped topping.
----------------------------------------------------
Blueberry Peach Ginger Smoothie----------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1/2 frozen banana1/2 cup frozen peaches1/2 cup frozen blueberries1 inch ginger root, peeled and chopped1 scoop Vanilla Bean Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Blend everything together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peanut Butter Mocha Protein Smoothie--------------------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1 frozen banana2 Tbsp. powdered peanut butter (such as PB2) or 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter1 tsp. maca powder1 scoop Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Sunwarrior Illimin8 Protein Powder Review! With Recipes!
If you ask me my favorite food, I'll probably say "pizza" or "vegan mac & cheese" or something else carb-y (and possibly deep-fried). But truthfully, on a day to day basis, the favorite thing I consume is actually far healthier. It's protein powder! I'm a little obsessed with pre- and post-workout nutrition, and I've tried all sorts of things before, during, and after workouts to determine what works best to power me through runs and help me recover afterward.
And hands down, for post-workout, nothing works better to ease sore muscles and help me get back out there to run the next day than vegan protein powder. I'm partial to Vega, but I'm always willing to branch out and try others. And I've been known to stock up on whatever brand Whole Foods has on sale. I especially love the little sample-size packs so I can collect multiple flavors. And though I've tried many brands, for some reason, I'd never tried Sunwarrior until the company mailed me a few sample packs of their illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal to review.
These powders are intended as meal replacers, and they contain 19 grams of protein (from peas and brown rice!), organic sprout powder, a vitamin blend, and an enzyme blend. It's also gluten-free, soy-free, and gmo-free if you're worried about any that stuff (I'm not, but it's nice when products are inclusive for the whole vegan community).
While you can certainly mix these with water, down them, and call it a day, I much prefer to mix protein powders into smoothies or protein ice cream. Much tastier that way and you get some fruit in your diet!
Some protein powders can be a bit chalky, but these weren't. They blended smoothly and, when combined with frozen banana (a smoothie staple for me), they made for very thick and creamy smoothies. Also, they're stevia-sweetened, so you don't have to worry about sugar or artificial sweeteners.
I used each of these flavors — Mocha, Vanilla Bean, and Aztec Chocolate — to create new recipes. First, I used the Aztec Chocolate to create a creamy cinnamon-cayenne-spiked chocolate protein ice cream.
Aztec Chocolate Protein Ice Cream--------------------------------------------------Serves 1
2 frozen bananas2 Tbsp. almond milk1 scoop Aztec Chocolate Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal1 tsp. maca powder1 tsp. cinnamon1/8 tsp. cayenne2 Tbsp. So Delicious CocoWhip or other vegan whipped topping
Place the frozen bananas in a food processor or blender with the 2 Tbsp. of almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. This can take awhile, and the processor will seem like it's freaking out at first. But just let it go a few minutes, and it'll work itself out. You may need to stop once and scrape down the bowl. When it's done, it'll look and feel like ice cream.
Add the protein powder, maca, cinnamon, and cayenne, and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with coconut whipped topping.
----------------------------------------------------
Blueberry Peach Ginger Smoothie----------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1/2 frozen banana1/2 cup frozen peaches1/2 cup frozen blueberries1 inch ginger root, peeled and chopped1 scoop Vanilla Bean Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Blend everything together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peanut Butter Mocha Protein Smoothie--------------------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1 frozen banana2 Tbsp. powdered peanut butter (such as PB2) or 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter1 tsp. maca powder1 scoop Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
And hands down, for post-workout, nothing works better to ease sore muscles and help me get back out there to run the next day than vegan protein powder. I'm partial to Vega, but I'm always willing to branch out and try others. And I've been known to stock up on whatever brand Whole Foods has on sale. I especially love the little sample-size packs so I can collect multiple flavors. And though I've tried many brands, for some reason, I'd never tried Sunwarrior until the company mailed me a few sample packs of their illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal to review.
These powders are intended as meal replacers, and they contain 19 grams of protein (from peas and brown rice!), organic sprout powder, a vitamin blend, and an enzyme blend. It's also gluten-free, soy-free, and gmo-free if you're worried about any that stuff (I'm not, but it's nice when products are inclusive for the whole vegan community).
While you can certainly mix these with water, down them, and call it a day, I much prefer to mix protein powders into smoothies or protein ice cream. Much tastier that way and you get some fruit in your diet!
Some protein powders can be a bit chalky, but these weren't. They blended smoothly and, when combined with frozen banana (a smoothie staple for me), they made for very thick and creamy smoothies. Also, they're stevia-sweetened, so you don't have to worry about sugar or artificial sweeteners.
I used each of these flavors — Mocha, Vanilla Bean, and Aztec Chocolate — to create new recipes. First, I used the Aztec Chocolate to create a creamy cinnamon-cayenne-spiked chocolate protein ice cream.
Aztec Chocolate Protein Ice Cream--------------------------------------------------Serves 1
2 frozen bananas2 Tbsp. almond milk1 scoop Aztec Chocolate Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal1 tsp. maca powder1 tsp. cinnamon1/8 tsp. cayenne2 Tbsp. So Delicious CocoWhip or other vegan whipped topping
Place the frozen bananas in a food processor or blender with the 2 Tbsp. of almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. This can take awhile, and the processor will seem like it's freaking out at first. But just let it go a few minutes, and it'll work itself out. You may need to stop once and scrape down the bowl. When it's done, it'll look and feel like ice cream.
Add the protein powder, maca, cinnamon, and cayenne, and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with coconut whipped topping.
----------------------------------------------------
Blueberry Peach Ginger Smoothie----------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1/2 frozen banana1/2 cup frozen peaches1/2 cup frozen blueberries1 inch ginger root, peeled and chopped1 scoop Vanilla Bean Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Blend everything together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peanut Butter Mocha Protein Smoothie--------------------------------------------------------Serves 1
1 cup almond milk1 frozen banana2 Tbsp. powdered peanut butter (such as PB2) or 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter1 tsp. maca powder1 scoop Sunwarrior illumin8 Plant-Based Organic Meal
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
May 15, 2016
Vegan Brunch at Cafe Eclectic
If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know by now that I brunch with my friends at Imagine Vegan Cafe almost every Sunday. Imagine has an amazing brunch menu, and their full (and HUGE) regular menu is available at brunch as well. But this morning, we had an unexpected change in plans. About 15 folks from the local vegan meetup group had planned a brunch gathering at Imagine this morning, so my little group of friends (there are typically four of us) pushed our usual brunch time back to give the meetup group time to order, eat, and free up some seats.
But when we arrived at Imagine at 12:30, the meetup group was still there, and there weren't enough open seats. So rather than wait, Megan suggested we go to Cafe Eclectic. I've eaten dinner at this hip Midtown cafe recently, but it'd been years since I'd had brunch there, and the menu has changed since then. Now they have Vegan Pancakes!
And they're good pancakes too. They're on the thin side, but they're fried in plenty of oil, so they get that slight crispiness on the edges while the center stays all soft and pillowy. I love that they come topped with fresh berries. One thing to note though: The menu clearly says "Vegan Pancakes," but under the description, they say they're served with housemade honey granola on top. And honey obviously isn't vegan, so I'm not sure why they would serve non-vegan granola on vegan pancakes. But that's an easy thing to leave off. We all ordered our pancakes sans granola.
Cafe Eclectic also has a build-your-own Tofu Scramble. You start with a tofu base for $3, and then for 75 cents each, you can add bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, red onion, tomato, jalapeños, spinach, avocado, jalapeño, or pico de gallo. I opted for mushrooms and avocado!
This was an awesome meal! And even though Imagine will always be our home base for brunch, it's nice to know that we can get a delicious vegan brunch at Cafe Eclectic too.
But when we arrived at Imagine at 12:30, the meetup group was still there, and there weren't enough open seats. So rather than wait, Megan suggested we go to Cafe Eclectic. I've eaten dinner at this hip Midtown cafe recently, but it'd been years since I'd had brunch there, and the menu has changed since then. Now they have Vegan Pancakes!
And they're good pancakes too. They're on the thin side, but they're fried in plenty of oil, so they get that slight crispiness on the edges while the center stays all soft and pillowy. I love that they come topped with fresh berries. One thing to note though: The menu clearly says "Vegan Pancakes," but under the description, they say they're served with housemade honey granola on top. And honey obviously isn't vegan, so I'm not sure why they would serve non-vegan granola on vegan pancakes. But that's an easy thing to leave off. We all ordered our pancakes sans granola.
Cafe Eclectic also has a build-your-own Tofu Scramble. You start with a tofu base for $3, and then for 75 cents each, you can add bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, red onion, tomato, jalapeños, spinach, avocado, jalapeño, or pico de gallo. I opted for mushrooms and avocado!
This was an awesome meal! And even though Imagine will always be our home base for brunch, it's nice to know that we can get a delicious vegan brunch at Cafe Eclectic too.
May 12, 2016
May Goddess Provisions Box!
I subscribe to the monthly Goddess Provisions box (from the same folks who bring you Vegan Cuts snack and beauty boxes), which comes stuffed with a grab bag of crystals, essential oils, teas, vegan beauty products, chocolate, vegan snacks, and jewelry. I like to do unpacking posts here with each box because receiving my box is one of the highlights of my month!
My May box arrived earlier than expected. They typically come mid-month, so I was stoked to get this surprise in the mail this week. Here's what was inside.
There are two kinds of herbal greens & superfood powders by Mattole Valley Naturals, a wildflower facial steam by Soapylane, Eagle essential oil blend by Rootfoot, a citrine point, and a power mala bracelet by High Chi Energy.
I feel like I say this every month, but I think this was my favorite box so far! The boxes just keep getting better and better. The power mala bracelet is definitely the coolest bracelet I've gotten in one of my Goddess boxes. This has amethyst for intuition and spiritual connection, turquoise for luck and protection, jade for inner peace and balance, rudraksha for spritual connection, and vegan-friendly glass pearls.
I've received so many amazing-smelling oil blends in these boxes, and this Eagle Spirit Animal fragrance is among the best. It's organic and made with wild-crafted cedarwood, palo santo, geranium, orange, and cinnamon oils. It's smells both woodsy and bright at the same time.
I'm totally in love with this citrine point (mine has little streaks of red!). I had tumbled citrine in my collection, but I didn't have a rough stone version. Citrine is known as the "success stone" and it helps manifest abundance, prosperity, creativity, and physical vitality.
The wildflower facial steam is really neat. I've used herbal facial steams before, but it's been years. Basically, you just steep a pinch of herbs or dried flowers in a bowl of boiling water, wait for it to cool a tad, and stick your face over the bowl. I cover my head with a towel to trap the steam. I tried this mix of red roses, calendula, chamomile, comfrey leaf, and rosemary leaf last night, and it made my face feel so amazing. So fresh and clean!
I've saved the best for last! My very favorite items this month are the greens blends. One is Full Spectrum (acai, goji, chlorella, reishi, blue-green algae, green papaya, etc.) and the other is the Longevity blend (fo-ti, blueberry, gotu kola, reishi, shilajit, etc.). I added a teaspoon (that's all it takes!) to my blueberry-peach protein smoothie yesterday morning, and I swear it gave me SO MUCH ENERGY. I felt like I'd had a few cups of coffee after drinking this smoothie. I'm thinking about buying more as soon as I run out!
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. You always get all full-sized items (no sample sizes in this box!). Also, Goddess Provisions has the BEST Instagram ever. I check it nightly because all the pics of crystals and unicorns and mandalas make me happy.
My May box arrived earlier than expected. They typically come mid-month, so I was stoked to get this surprise in the mail this week. Here's what was inside.
There are two kinds of herbal greens & superfood powders by Mattole Valley Naturals, a wildflower facial steam by Soapylane, Eagle essential oil blend by Rootfoot, a citrine point, and a power mala bracelet by High Chi Energy.
I feel like I say this every month, but I think this was my favorite box so far! The boxes just keep getting better and better. The power mala bracelet is definitely the coolest bracelet I've gotten in one of my Goddess boxes. This has amethyst for intuition and spiritual connection, turquoise for luck and protection, jade for inner peace and balance, rudraksha for spritual connection, and vegan-friendly glass pearls.
I've received so many amazing-smelling oil blends in these boxes, and this Eagle Spirit Animal fragrance is among the best. It's organic and made with wild-crafted cedarwood, palo santo, geranium, orange, and cinnamon oils. It's smells both woodsy and bright at the same time.
I'm totally in love with this citrine point (mine has little streaks of red!). I had tumbled citrine in my collection, but I didn't have a rough stone version. Citrine is known as the "success stone" and it helps manifest abundance, prosperity, creativity, and physical vitality.
The wildflower facial steam is really neat. I've used herbal facial steams before, but it's been years. Basically, you just steep a pinch of herbs or dried flowers in a bowl of boiling water, wait for it to cool a tad, and stick your face over the bowl. I cover my head with a towel to trap the steam. I tried this mix of red roses, calendula, chamomile, comfrey leaf, and rosemary leaf last night, and it made my face feel so amazing. So fresh and clean!
I've saved the best for last! My very favorite items this month are the greens blends. One is Full Spectrum (acai, goji, chlorella, reishi, blue-green algae, green papaya, etc.) and the other is the Longevity blend (fo-ti, blueberry, gotu kola, reishi, shilajit, etc.). I added a teaspoon (that's all it takes!) to my blueberry-peach protein smoothie yesterday morning, and I swear it gave me SO MUCH ENERGY. I felt like I'd had a few cups of coffee after drinking this smoothie. I'm thinking about buying more as soon as I run out!
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. You always get all full-sized items (no sample sizes in this box!). Also, Goddess Provisions has the BEST Instagram ever. I check it nightly because all the pics of crystals and unicorns and mandalas make me happy.
May 11, 2016
More Stuff I Ate
I'm back with more random meals! Lots of stuff from Imagine Vegan Cafe in this post. Last week was their five-year anniversary, and they had all kinds of specials (free milkshakes, free cake, gift certificate giveaways. Imagine has been my home away from home since the very day it opened five years ago. I was there for opening day, and I've been eating there about once a week (sometimes more) ever since. At the time they opened, they were the only vegan restaurant in town.
Now, we have a handful of others (including my friend Cassi's Pink Diva Cupcakery!), but Imagine paved the way. It still amazes me that, when dining out in Memphis, I'm overwhelmed by choices these days. When I went vegan in 2004, there was one little vegan cafe that very quickly went under. And for years after that, there was nothing — just a few menu items here an there at non-vegan places. But today, Memphis is totally vegan-friendly city!
Anyway, back to Imagine. They started off anniversary week by giving out free chocolate cake baked by my friend/Imagine's former baker, Stephanie. She's taking a break from baking professionally, but she stepped up to create this melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake with fluffy chocolate buttercream and ganache. I stopped by Imagine for my slice!
I didn't order a full meal there on cake night because I'd already planned to bake a pizza for dinner. But I did pick up a bowl of Imagine's Vegetable Soup to take home and eat with said pizza.
That pizza was a Tofurky Barbecue Chick'n Pizza, one of their new frozen pizza flavors. It's loaded with shredded vegan chicken, roasted corn, and onions. It has a barbecue sauce base, but I added extra sauce.
Okay, but back to Imagine. On Tuesday of last week, they were giving away free potato salad with any purchase. The potato salad isn't on their menu, but they make it for special occasions — potlucks, parties — in the restaurant. I've had it before at owner Kristie's birthday potluck, and it's so good. It's a mashed potato salad. I ordered the Messy Dog to go with it — veggie dog, chili, cheeze, onions, kraut, Vegenaise, and jalapenos.
Imagine specializes in comfort food, and they have lots of plant meat-based menu items and a fair amount of fried stuff. I love that because I tend to cook really healthily at home. And when I eat out, I want to splurge. But some customers have asked for more veggie-based options, so they've got a new chef named Don, and he's doing weekly specials made from locally grown veggies. This week, he's doing Mushroom & Onion Tamales Wrapped in Local Chard Greens with Strawberry Chipotle Sauce, Black Beans, and Brown Rice. I just HAD to try that! It sounded amazing. So I stopped in last night for an order. And holy hell!!!!! This dish was amazing and creative, and I felt so good about myself after I ate it.
I was planning on just eating that, but I saw Imagine had one last bowl of Vegan Banana Puddin' in the dessert case. Y'all, I haven't had banana puddin' in at least a decade because it's never vegan. And I'm sure it's easy to veganize, but I don't really see myself making a whole thing of it just for me. I was so happy to have a nice, individual serving. If you're not familiar with this distinctly Southern dessert, it's just banana pudding, banana slices, whipped topping, and vanilla wafers.
Speaking of fun finds, check out what I stumbled upon at the Memphis Farmers Market last Saturday! Smoked Tofu! I usually just walk right past the meat sellers because I have no interest in that, but for some reason, I glanced over at the Pigasus booth and saw a sign that said "Smoked tofu, $5." How cool! I love smoked tofu but don't own a smoker, so this was a great find.
I chopped some up later in the day for a salad. It has a mild smoky flavor that really paired well with my vegan bacon bits. I've also been slathering the tofu with barbecue sauce for dinners this week (but I've failed to take any pics).
Today for lunch, I stopped by Pink Diva and grabbed Cassi's special of the week — Vegan Fish Tacos! These have brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, and a sriracha aioli. I went with avocado-kale salad as my side. These tacos were really yummy and absolutely loaded with deep-fried (YES!) Gardein Fishless Filets.
Now, we have a handful of others (including my friend Cassi's Pink Diva Cupcakery!), but Imagine paved the way. It still amazes me that, when dining out in Memphis, I'm overwhelmed by choices these days. When I went vegan in 2004, there was one little vegan cafe that very quickly went under. And for years after that, there was nothing — just a few menu items here an there at non-vegan places. But today, Memphis is totally vegan-friendly city!
Anyway, back to Imagine. They started off anniversary week by giving out free chocolate cake baked by my friend/Imagine's former baker, Stephanie. She's taking a break from baking professionally, but she stepped up to create this melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake with fluffy chocolate buttercream and ganache. I stopped by Imagine for my slice!
I didn't order a full meal there on cake night because I'd already planned to bake a pizza for dinner. But I did pick up a bowl of Imagine's Vegetable Soup to take home and eat with said pizza.
That pizza was a Tofurky Barbecue Chick'n Pizza, one of their new frozen pizza flavors. It's loaded with shredded vegan chicken, roasted corn, and onions. It has a barbecue sauce base, but I added extra sauce.
Okay, but back to Imagine. On Tuesday of last week, they were giving away free potato salad with any purchase. The potato salad isn't on their menu, but they make it for special occasions — potlucks, parties — in the restaurant. I've had it before at owner Kristie's birthday potluck, and it's so good. It's a mashed potato salad. I ordered the Messy Dog to go with it — veggie dog, chili, cheeze, onions, kraut, Vegenaise, and jalapenos.
Imagine specializes in comfort food, and they have lots of plant meat-based menu items and a fair amount of fried stuff. I love that because I tend to cook really healthily at home. And when I eat out, I want to splurge. But some customers have asked for more veggie-based options, so they've got a new chef named Don, and he's doing weekly specials made from locally grown veggies. This week, he's doing Mushroom & Onion Tamales Wrapped in Local Chard Greens with Strawberry Chipotle Sauce, Black Beans, and Brown Rice. I just HAD to try that! It sounded amazing. So I stopped in last night for an order. And holy hell!!!!! This dish was amazing and creative, and I felt so good about myself after I ate it.
I was planning on just eating that, but I saw Imagine had one last bowl of Vegan Banana Puddin' in the dessert case. Y'all, I haven't had banana puddin' in at least a decade because it's never vegan. And I'm sure it's easy to veganize, but I don't really see myself making a whole thing of it just for me. I was so happy to have a nice, individual serving. If you're not familiar with this distinctly Southern dessert, it's just banana pudding, banana slices, whipped topping, and vanilla wafers.
Speaking of fun finds, check out what I stumbled upon at the Memphis Farmers Market last Saturday! Smoked Tofu! I usually just walk right past the meat sellers because I have no interest in that, but for some reason, I glanced over at the Pigasus booth and saw a sign that said "Smoked tofu, $5." How cool! I love smoked tofu but don't own a smoker, so this was a great find.
I chopped some up later in the day for a salad. It has a mild smoky flavor that really paired well with my vegan bacon bits. I've also been slathering the tofu with barbecue sauce for dinners this week (but I've failed to take any pics).
Today for lunch, I stopped by Pink Diva and grabbed Cassi's special of the week — Vegan Fish Tacos! These have brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, and a sriracha aioli. I went with avocado-kale salad as my side. These tacos were really yummy and absolutely loaded with deep-fried (YES!) Gardein Fishless Filets.
May 10, 2016
Stuff I Ate
I have sooooo many random meals to share, so I'm breaking my regular "stuff I ate" post into two parts. I'll share half the pics tonight and the rest tomorrow. So here goes! These are in no particular order by the way.
I'll start with this awesome sandwich I had last week at Pink Diva Cupcakery. It's called The Susan Sandwich, and it's stuffed with creamy chickpea salad and lettuce. It's named after my editor Susan, who thought it'd be a good idea for Cassi to put a sandwich on her menu shortly after she opened.
Cassi doesn't like bread, so she kind of forgot about sandwiches. But she created this chickpea salad spread and named it after Susan. Now, Cassi also serves a BBQ tofu sandwich and a vegan fried fish sandwich, and she sells this spread by the tub at Curb Market.
I had this BLTA (vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado) sandwich at Imagine Vegan Cafe one Sunday at brunch a few weeks back. Classic! Served with a side of garlic kale.
While we're on the subject of sandwiches, here's a Boca Essentials Sweet Potato & Red Quinoa Burger on an Ozery Bakery OneBun with homemade baked sweet potato fries. I know Boca has a reputation for putting out bland burgers, but these new Boca Essentials are freakin' amazing, especially when topped with Follow Your Heart Pepper Jack. I had this at my desk at work one day last week.
I blogged all about Ozery Bakery's awesome OneBun sandwich thins last week, but since then, I've eaten them in even more new ways. I absolutely love these buns. One day last week, I whipped up some Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg and melted Miyoko's Creamery Smoked Farmhouse cheese in it (a tip I learned on the Rise & Resist podcast!). Had an Ozery bun with Miyoko's Cultured VeganButter on the side.
The Ozery 100Cal OneBun is perfect for a pre-run snack. On Saturday, I topped one of those with Miyoko's Creamery Garlic-Herb Cream Cheese and homemade fig jam before a 9.5-mile run.
As you can see, I REALLY like bread! But hey look! Juice! I've been making lots of juices from the Juice Guru book I reviewed awhile back. Had this Maca Magic Juice this morning — cucumber, apple, pear, powdered maca. You can see Maynard's little booty in the background.
I attended the Beale Street Music Festival two weekends ago and saw Zedd, the Violent Femmes, Weezer, Cypress Hill, Better Than Ezra, Beck, and the Gin Blossoms. I've been going to that fest every year for over a decade, and it hasn't always been very vegan-friendly. But there were a number of options this year! I found these Vegan Noodles (clearly marked "vegan" on the menu) at the Island Noodles stand. They're were loaded with veggies and were delightfully greasy. Perfect with beer and easy to eat standing up while my friends made me suffer through Paul Simon. Hated Paul Simon, by the way. Boresville. Sorry if you're into him, but that just wasn't my thing.
One more random meal! Broccoli and Leahey Gardens Vegan Cheese Sauce! I always keep a bag of Leahey Gardens Cheese Sauce Mix in the pantry. It keeps forever, and it's super-simple to make. I had this today at lunch with a side of the Vegan Alfredo Pasta that I shared in yesterday's post. The broccoli was from the Memphis Farmers Market, and it was the best!
More randomness coming at ya tomorrow!
I'll start with this awesome sandwich I had last week at Pink Diva Cupcakery. It's called The Susan Sandwich, and it's stuffed with creamy chickpea salad and lettuce. It's named after my editor Susan, who thought it'd be a good idea for Cassi to put a sandwich on her menu shortly after she opened.
Cassi doesn't like bread, so she kind of forgot about sandwiches. But she created this chickpea salad spread and named it after Susan. Now, Cassi also serves a BBQ tofu sandwich and a vegan fried fish sandwich, and she sells this spread by the tub at Curb Market.
I had this BLTA (vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado) sandwich at Imagine Vegan Cafe one Sunday at brunch a few weeks back. Classic! Served with a side of garlic kale.
While we're on the subject of sandwiches, here's a Boca Essentials Sweet Potato & Red Quinoa Burger on an Ozery Bakery OneBun with homemade baked sweet potato fries. I know Boca has a reputation for putting out bland burgers, but these new Boca Essentials are freakin' amazing, especially when topped with Follow Your Heart Pepper Jack. I had this at my desk at work one day last week.
I blogged all about Ozery Bakery's awesome OneBun sandwich thins last week, but since then, I've eaten them in even more new ways. I absolutely love these buns. One day last week, I whipped up some Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg and melted Miyoko's Creamery Smoked Farmhouse cheese in it (a tip I learned on the Rise & Resist podcast!). Had an Ozery bun with Miyoko's Cultured VeganButter on the side.
The Ozery 100Cal OneBun is perfect for a pre-run snack. On Saturday, I topped one of those with Miyoko's Creamery Garlic-Herb Cream Cheese and homemade fig jam before a 9.5-mile run.
As you can see, I REALLY like bread! But hey look! Juice! I've been making lots of juices from the Juice Guru book I reviewed awhile back. Had this Maca Magic Juice this morning — cucumber, apple, pear, powdered maca. You can see Maynard's little booty in the background.
I attended the Beale Street Music Festival two weekends ago and saw Zedd, the Violent Femmes, Weezer, Cypress Hill, Better Than Ezra, Beck, and the Gin Blossoms. I've been going to that fest every year for over a decade, and it hasn't always been very vegan-friendly. But there were a number of options this year! I found these Vegan Noodles (clearly marked "vegan" on the menu) at the Island Noodles stand. They're were loaded with veggies and were delightfully greasy. Perfect with beer and easy to eat standing up while my friends made me suffer through Paul Simon. Hated Paul Simon, by the way. Boresville. Sorry if you're into him, but that just wasn't my thing.
One more random meal! Broccoli and Leahey Gardens Vegan Cheese Sauce! I always keep a bag of Leahey Gardens Cheese Sauce Mix in the pantry. It keeps forever, and it's super-simple to make. I had this today at lunch with a side of the Vegan Alfredo Pasta that I shared in yesterday's post. The broccoli was from the Memphis Farmers Market, and it was the best!
More randomness coming at ya tomorrow!
May 9, 2016
Running on Pasta Power!
When I was in high school, I had this old thrift store tee that said "I run on pasta power." It was actually a Spaghetti Warehouse employee shirt, but it was super old and all soft and 80s cotton. I wore it all the time, paired with oversized JNCOs and Vans. Aw, the 90s.
Little did I know at the time that nearly 20 years later, I would, in fact, be running on pasta power. Literally. I don't buy too much into the whole carb-loading thing, but it definitely helps to have a reasonable amount of carbs the night before a run. And it's even better when that pasta not only has carbs but lots of plant-based protein! Explore Cuisine noodles have all that, and they're gluten-free and made from legumes and beans. They sent me a couple packages of their noodles to review.
There's an Organic Edamame Spaghetti that has 22 carbs and 25 grams of protein per serving! 25 grams of protein, y'all! And non-vegans wonder where we get our protein. Ha!
The dry noodles have a green tint from the edamame, but after cooking, they look a little less green. And they don't taste at all like edamame, even though that's literally the only ingredient in these. They just taste like regular gluten-free pasta, which I tend to prefer over gluten-full pasta. I'm not gluten-free, but I prefer the texture of non-gluten-containing pasta. The noodles are soft yet still chewy. They were wonderful topped with a jar of Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara and some baked tofu (even more protein!). I pressed the tofu, tossed it with a little olive oil and Italian herbs, and baked it in the oven.
Additionally, they sent me an Organic Green Lentil Penne, which also retained a chewy yet soft texture. Again, it didn't taste like green lentils. And it has 36 grams of carbs and 13 grams of protein per serving. Oh, and bonus — this stuff is super low-fat with only 1 gram per serving.
For this pasta, I decided to develop a fun and easy recipe. I whipped up a Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo loosely inspired by the vegan alfredo sauce in Happy Herbivore. That's long been my favorite vegan alfredo sauce, but I veered from that recipe a bit for this — adding a little more of this or that and, of course, adding a ton of roasted red pepper. By the way, on the side there is Cadry's Sesame Kale from Cadry's Kitchen (check it out!).
Green Lentil Penne with Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo
Yields 4 servings
1 8-ounce package Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Penne1 12.3-ounce package silk tofu1 cup jarred roasted red pepper, chopped3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 tsp. onion powder1/2 tsp. salt1/4 cup vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast (I used Follow Your Heart Parmesan!)
Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu, red pepper, almond milk, garlic, onion powder, salt, and vegan parmesan (or nooch!).
Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and heat over low heat until heated through. The sauce should be thick and creamy. Serve over pasta.
Little did I know at the time that nearly 20 years later, I would, in fact, be running on pasta power. Literally. I don't buy too much into the whole carb-loading thing, but it definitely helps to have a reasonable amount of carbs the night before a run. And it's even better when that pasta not only has carbs but lots of plant-based protein! Explore Cuisine noodles have all that, and they're gluten-free and made from legumes and beans. They sent me a couple packages of their noodles to review.
There's an Organic Edamame Spaghetti that has 22 carbs and 25 grams of protein per serving! 25 grams of protein, y'all! And non-vegans wonder where we get our protein. Ha!
The dry noodles have a green tint from the edamame, but after cooking, they look a little less green. And they don't taste at all like edamame, even though that's literally the only ingredient in these. They just taste like regular gluten-free pasta, which I tend to prefer over gluten-full pasta. I'm not gluten-free, but I prefer the texture of non-gluten-containing pasta. The noodles are soft yet still chewy. They were wonderful topped with a jar of Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara and some baked tofu (even more protein!). I pressed the tofu, tossed it with a little olive oil and Italian herbs, and baked it in the oven.
Additionally, they sent me an Organic Green Lentil Penne, which also retained a chewy yet soft texture. Again, it didn't taste like green lentils. And it has 36 grams of carbs and 13 grams of protein per serving. Oh, and bonus — this stuff is super low-fat with only 1 gram per serving.
For this pasta, I decided to develop a fun and easy recipe. I whipped up a Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo loosely inspired by the vegan alfredo sauce in Happy Herbivore. That's long been my favorite vegan alfredo sauce, but I veered from that recipe a bit for this — adding a little more of this or that and, of course, adding a ton of roasted red pepper. By the way, on the side there is Cadry's Sesame Kale from Cadry's Kitchen (check it out!).
Green Lentil Penne with Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo
Yields 4 servings
1 8-ounce package Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Penne1 12.3-ounce package silk tofu1 cup jarred roasted red pepper, chopped3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 tsp. onion powder1/2 tsp. salt1/4 cup vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast (I used Follow Your Heart Parmesan!)
Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu, red pepper, almond milk, garlic, onion powder, salt, and vegan parmesan (or nooch!).
Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and heat over low heat until heated through. The sauce should be thick and creamy. Serve over pasta.
May 8, 2016
Mother's Day Eats!!
Every year for Mother's Day, we do something a little different. Some years, my grandmas come over to my parents' house to eat, and other years, we go out to a restaurant. But this year, we had a nice little Mother's Day lunch today at my Me-Maw's house in Jonesboro.
My dad took this picture of all the ladies in the family. My Me-Maw (mama's mom) is on the left, and then there's my mama, and Granny (daddy's mom) is next to me. These are the coolest, most amazing women on the planet as far as I'm concerned. All of these ladies are strong, smart, independent women who have been the best role models a girl could ask for.
And yes, I wore my Herbivore "Bacon Had a Mom" tee today because it seemed appropriate!
Back at Thanksgiving, my mama made a few extra batches of Vegan Cornbread Dressin' and Hash Brown Casserole (and some extra non-vegan versions for them) and put them up in the freezer. She didn't know at the time when they'd come in handy, but she knew they would. Well, today they did! She thawed out the dressin' and casserole for lunch today. And then she made a fresh batch of Vegan "Chicken" Dumplins and some Green Beans.
That's the hash brown casserole on the far left. It's basically just hash browns, Daiya cheddar, Tofutti sour cream, and vegan-buttered cornflake topping. So rich and delicious! It's always my fave thing at Thanksgiving. On the far right is mama's famous dressin'. She makes the BEST dressin' in the world. Seriously. It was so nice to enjoy these two Thanksgiving dishes without all the extra Thanksgiving food. I felt like I could enjoy them more when I wasn't cramming a million others things onto my plate.
The dumplins are another fave of mine. For her vegan ones, she makes flour dumplins, rolls them out, and then cuts them like noodles. And then she boils them in hot, seasoned veggie broth. She doesn't add any vegan chicken, and I think I like it better that way because, as a kid, the dumplings were always my favorite part of chicken and dumplings. I'd pick around the chicken and eat the dumplings first.
You might remember that, last week, we had some Vegan Peanut Butter Pie for my mama's birthday dessert. We loved that pie so much that she made another one for today! It's soooo good. It's just peanut butter, Daiya cream cheese, powdered sugar, So Delicious CocoWhip, and a graham cracker crust.
I just had to photograph the pie next to my Me-Maw's collection of solar-powered, animated knick-knacks! So kitschy and cute!
We had a lovely Mother's Day! Hope y'all did too!
My dad took this picture of all the ladies in the family. My Me-Maw (mama's mom) is on the left, and then there's my mama, and Granny (daddy's mom) is next to me. These are the coolest, most amazing women on the planet as far as I'm concerned. All of these ladies are strong, smart, independent women who have been the best role models a girl could ask for.
And yes, I wore my Herbivore "Bacon Had a Mom" tee today because it seemed appropriate!
Back at Thanksgiving, my mama made a few extra batches of Vegan Cornbread Dressin' and Hash Brown Casserole (and some extra non-vegan versions for them) and put them up in the freezer. She didn't know at the time when they'd come in handy, but she knew they would. Well, today they did! She thawed out the dressin' and casserole for lunch today. And then she made a fresh batch of Vegan "Chicken" Dumplins and some Green Beans.
That's the hash brown casserole on the far left. It's basically just hash browns, Daiya cheddar, Tofutti sour cream, and vegan-buttered cornflake topping. So rich and delicious! It's always my fave thing at Thanksgiving. On the far right is mama's famous dressin'. She makes the BEST dressin' in the world. Seriously. It was so nice to enjoy these two Thanksgiving dishes without all the extra Thanksgiving food. I felt like I could enjoy them more when I wasn't cramming a million others things onto my plate.
The dumplins are another fave of mine. For her vegan ones, she makes flour dumplins, rolls them out, and then cuts them like noodles. And then she boils them in hot, seasoned veggie broth. She doesn't add any vegan chicken, and I think I like it better that way because, as a kid, the dumplings were always my favorite part of chicken and dumplings. I'd pick around the chicken and eat the dumplings first.
You might remember that, last week, we had some Vegan Peanut Butter Pie for my mama's birthday dessert. We loved that pie so much that she made another one for today! It's soooo good. It's just peanut butter, Daiya cream cheese, powdered sugar, So Delicious CocoWhip, and a graham cracker crust.
I just had to photograph the pie next to my Me-Maw's collection of solar-powered, animated knick-knacks! So kitschy and cute!
We had a lovely Mother's Day! Hope y'all did too!
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