Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 152

Vegan French Yogurt Cake

I'd never heard of French yogurt cake until recently, but apparently, the simple loaf cake is as ubiquitous over there as the boxed, frosted sheet cake is in the U.S. It's the one thing everyone knows how to whip up in a jiffy, you know if company is coming over and you can't get over to the fancy pâtisserie.

I love a good light, unfrosted loaf, so I decided to veganize the traditional French cake to celebrate the Spring Equinox. I enjoyed a couple slices on Sunday night — the first night of spring — with a glass of cheap chardonnay (because I'm classy like that).


The most important elements in the yogurt cake are yogurt (duh) and oil — both of which give the cake a moist, soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The folks at Taste the Dream sent me a bunch of their almond and coconut yogurts to develop recipes with, so I used the Almond Dream Non-Dairy Yogurt Alternative in Plain, and it made for a perfect cake!

I veganized a recipe I found in the New York Times — the French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade Glaze by Emily Weinstein. The main changes are the yogurt (subbing almond yogurt for the dairy called for) and eggs (I used Ener-G egg replacer powder). And honestly, there's not quite as much rise in my cake without the eggs, but that's okay. The cake held together expertly, and it's light and fluffy despite the fact that it didn't grow to be as tall in the pan.



Vegan French Yogurt Cake with Lemon Glaze
Yields one loaf
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour2 tsp. baking powderPinch of salt4 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer + 6 Tbsp. warm water1 cup sugarZest of one lemon1 container Plain Almond Dream Non-Dairy Yogurt1/4 tsp. vanilla extract1/2 cup canola oil1/4 cup lemon marmalade
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5-inch) with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg replacer powder and water until it forms a froth. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, use you hands to work the lemon zest into the sugar, rubbing the zest with your fingers to release the natural oils and moisten the sugar. Stir in the yogurt, egg replacer mixture, vanilla, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture and stir until just combined. Don't overmix. A few lumps are okay.
Transfer the batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (you can also test the cake by touching the middle top of the cake with your finger to see if it immediately springs back. If it does, it's done).
Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, and then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. 
Once cool, heat the lemon marmalade in a small saucepan on low. You may need to thin it with a couple teaspoons of water. Heat until the marmalade melts down and liquifies. Using a pastry brush, brush the marmalade over the top of the cake.

V is for Vegan

Sometimes a cookbook is so beautiful that you just want to read it from front to back, just so you can admire every page of glossy, full-color food porn, perfectly placed type, and expert layout and design. Oh, and then maybe, when you're done admiring the book as a work of art, you might want to cook from it, too. But only if you're careful not to get splashes of olive oil and sprinkles of smoked paprika on the pages.

That's how I feel about V is for Vegan , the new hardcover cookbook by British underground supper club pioneer (and blogger at MsMarmiteLover) Kerstin Rodgers. It's as much work of art as it is cookbook. The book features a unique zine-style layout and a punk rock aesthetic. The recipes range from simple dishes, like a watermelon-veggie stir-fry or a homemade miso soup, to complex, gourmet meals that are equally impressive and intimidating. Think Artichoke, Potato, Spinach & Tofu B'stilla with Poppy Seeds and Rose Petals (b'stilla is described as "an exotic filled pastry pie" and is created with phyllo pastry). And some pages feature magazine-style photo spreads with various easy ideas for spreads and dips, ramen noodle hacks, or things to spread on toast.

As a toast lover, I was immediately drawn to the 13 Things on Toast spread. Just look at this gorgeous layout!


Of course, I had to try a few of these ideas first! I actually shared a picture of the first toast I tried — Marmite, Tahini, & Alfalfa Sprouts — in my St. Pat's Day post last Thursday. But here it is again. I went with a big chunk of whole-wheat bread (from the Whole Foods Bakery), and it's topped with creamy tahini, salty Marmite, and sprouts. The yeasty Marmite is such a good marriage with the tahini! 

I tried the Dark Chocolate Spread with Hazelnuts on Saturday morning before my long run. For this, I used the Endangered Species Cocoa Spread, chopped hazelnuts, and chunky sea salt. I would never have thought to add the sea salt on my own, but it really stepped this toast up a notch. Perfectly gourmet!

Today was the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox! Also known as Ostara. And on this day, it's common to eat eggs as symbols of the Earth's fertility. But since eggs are out of the question for me, I typically make some sort of vegan "eggy" dish to celebrate. I settled on the Scrambled Tofu on Truffled Sourdough Bruschetta. It looks like this would also be from the toast spread, but it's actually listed in the breakfast chapter (though I had it for dinner!). 

This was unlike most tofu scrambles I've made in that it didn't really mimic eggs, and it was made with silken rather than firm tofu. But it was delicious nonetheless! The tofu was cooked on high for quite a while with mushrooms, scallions, and herbs until all the water cooked out of the tofu. Then, it was served on toast that was spread with garlic and truffle oil. Anything with truffle oil is alright by me. I actually added a little black salt at the end just to make it eggier, but it would also be good without that.
On the side, I made another one of the simple recipes from the book — Roast Potatoes in Coconut Oil. This is just what it sounds like! Potatoes are roasted in coconut oil. And she offers several flavor variations. I went with the Italian variation, which meant adding one can of tomatoes and some herbs. So amazing! I used expeller pressed oil, which has a heavy coconut flavor, and I really loved how that paired with the Yukon potatoes.

Here's my Spring Equinox celebration plate! The kale was just steamed and tossed with soy sauce and vinegar (not a recipe from the book).

There are far more complex recipes in this book as well. But I like to keep things simple (and I'm a little lazy sometimes), so I steered away from those. But dishes such as Beet Pelmeni with Herb & Walnut Filling (like little raviolis made with — gasp! — homemade pasta), Lettuce Cups with "Ceviche" & Sweet Potato (the ceviche is made with hearts of palm), or Wilted Day Lilies with Mustard Greens (who knew you could eat lilies?!) would certainly be impressive for guests. 
Thankfully, the book offers enough easier, more pedestrian dishes for lazy cooks like me! And even if I'll never make the Orange Flower Water, Cardamom, & Coconut Rice Pudding, a girl can dream.

St. Patrick's Day Fun!!

I love, love, love holidays. All holidays. Big and small. And I tend to celebrate them all in some way. But St. Patrick's Day is, by far, one of my faves — Irish stuff (we've got a wee bit of Irish in our family), drinking, the color green. I go big on St. Paddy's Day.

As per tradition, I started the morning with a green smoothie after my quick speed-work run. This year, I went with a Mint Carob Chip Shamrock Smoothie — frozen banana, almond milk, baby spinach, fresh mint, vanilla & mint extracts, natural Vega One protein powder, and carob chips. Oh, and some homemade coconut whipped cream on top just because.


It's also tradition to spike my coffee on St. Pat's, even on work days! For the past few years, I've made the Vegan Irish Cream from Vegan Food Gifts (Jameson Irish whiskey, vegan creamer, coffee, sugar, and cocoa powder). I added a generous pour to my coffee this morning.


I bought this cute green beer dog treat (and this not-so-green teddy bear) at the vet last week. I treated the pups this morning so they could celebrate too!


I typically go to a lunchtime yoga class on Thursdays, and when I do, I have a hearty snack at my desk beforehand. Today, that was Toast with Marmite, Tahini, and Sprouts (cause they're green). More on this combo later. It's from a cookbook — V is for Vegan — that I'll be reviewing soon.


After yoga, I went back to work and heated up a bowl of the Irish Stew with Seitan & Potatoes from Appetite for Reduction. I make this recipe for St. Pat's every couple years, and I skipped last year, so it was time! Made a big batch last night so I could have it for lunch today. It's such a hearty, satisfying stew of homemade seitan, potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a base of stout beer and flour-thickened veggie broth. And yes, I served it in a green bowl because I'm a dork.


My friend Misti and I planned to do our first pub run tonight, so after work, I ate a very light dinner. I made a Veggie Wrap with Trader Joe's Muhammara (walnut-red pepper spread), black beans, white carrots, baby spinach, and kalamata olives on Trader Joe's whole wheat lavash bread. But I only ate half of it because I didn't want to be full before our run. Please note that this was stuffed with green spinach! Because green.


The pub run started at 6 p.m. at Breakaway Running, Midtown's running shop in Overton Square. Misti made us the cutest tulle tutus!!!

There were about 200 people there! I'm a slow, slow runner, and I planned to stay at the back of the pack. But Misti is much faster, and once we got going, I decided to keep pace with her. It was rough, but I made it to our first pub stop — Hammer & Ale — without dying. I had a Yazoo Daddy-O Pilsner there.

After our first beer, it was time to run to stop #2 — Memphis Made Brewing Co. Running after one beer is ideal. You feel much lighter and swifter on your feet. It didn't even feel like an effort. Here we are at Memphis Made. I went with their Pork Chop Stout (horrible name, delicious beer).

After that beer, running became a BREEZE. Seriously, we barely even felt like we exerted any effort in our run to stop #3 — Slider Inn. It was a few blocks away, but it felt like it was just next door. But after that heavy porter at Memphis Made, I needed something light. Misti did too. So we ordered PBRs. Classic.

By the time we arrived at Slider, we'd worked up quite an appetite. So we ordered some sliders and fries. Misti eats meat, so we did the mix 'n' match plate. She got a meat slider. I got the Vegan Triple B (beets, black beans, and brown rice), and we split a Nuts 'n' Berries (PB & strawberry jam) in half. Also, fries because we earned those.

After dinner, it was time for the last stop on the pub run — Zebra Lounge. It's a swanky piano bar near the running store. And by the time we made it there from Slider, we were pooped. But for the record, the run there was fabulous. We teamed up with a guy we found running by himself, and we had some great conversation on the way. Beer and running are pretty much perfect together. Once at Zebra, we ordered one last round — for me, a Suzy B Prohibition, and for Misti, a Miller Lite. 

Whew! Good times! We decided that running on beer is basically the best thing ever, and we're considering joining the local hash house harriers group! At the least, we plan to attempt the beer mile. 

Cherry Pie Smoothie!

Monday was Pi Day, but I'm trying really hard to eat a little healthier this week after a pretty indulgent weekend in Nashville. So rather than have a slice of pie to celebrate, I opted for a Cherry Pie Smoothie instead.


The folks at Taste the Dream sent me some samples of their Coconut Dream and Almond Dream non-dairy yogurts to develop some new recipes with. One of my favorite uses for sweet yogurt is in smoothies. They add such a rich, thickness with a slight hint of tang.


For this recipe, I went with the Coconut Dream Vanilla Non-Dairy Yogurt. But you could also use plain or even one of the berry flavors for a Cherry-Berry Pie Smoothie. The Coconut Dream yogurt is super smooth and creamy, and it's delicious eaten straight from the tub. But it's also great combined with frozen cherries, almond milk, and protein powder in this smoothie. Rolled oats give it a pastry flavor, and coconut whipped cream adds that special boost that every good slice of pie needs to go to the next level.

Cherry Pie SmoothieMakes one serving
1 container Coconut Dream Vanilla Non-Dairy yogurt1/2 cup almond milk1/2 cup frozen cherries1/4 cup rolled oats1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Vega One)2 Tbsp. homemade coconut whipped cream (see recipe below) or storebought Coco Whip
Combine everything but the whipped cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in a chilled glass with a generous dollop of coconut whip on top.

Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can full-fat coconut milk (make sure it doesn't contain emulsifiers, such as guar gum or carrageenan) 2 Tbsp. to 1/4 cup powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you want)1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Place the can of coconut milk in the fridge for 24 hours. Look for brands that DO NOT contain emulsifiers because these will prevent the coconut fat from solidifying (note: I use a brand called Coconut King that I buy at my neighborhood Vietnamese market).
After 24 hours, carefully open the can without shaking it around much. Scoop the fat off the top, leaving the water behind, and spoon it into a stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for about 3-4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a storage bowl and store in the fridge for about a week.

March Goddess Box!

It's time for my monthly post unpacking my Goddess Provisions Box. In case you don't know, Goddess Provisions is a subscription box run by the same couple — Jill and John — who run Vegan Cuts. For $33 a month, I get an awesome box loaded with crystals, chocolate, candles, teas, essential oils, and other fun stuff!

The March box arrived earlier than I expected. I'm usually obsessing over the package tracking feature on the day I know the box is due. But this one just popped up at my office last week! This box is dedicated to "self-awakening," so there's a big focus on the crown chakra (our seat of cosmic consciousness).


There's gratitude journal by Your Joyologist, aromatherapy patches by Purple Frog Patches, Omega Munch chocolates by Nicobella Organics, a lapis lazuli talisman by Chakra Love, and a house blessing kit by House of Good Juju.
The crystals are always my fave, and I've been wanting a lapis lazuli — a crown chakra stone for communication, inner power, and intuition — for some time. I love that this comes on a necklace so I can wear it everywhere.

The house blessing kit so cool!! It's loaded with all kinds of herbs (mugwort, juniper, frankincense, cedar, and more) and a couple crystals (black tourmaline and clear quartz) to rid your living space of negative energy, and the kit even comes with a little spell. I can't wait to use this, but I want to clean my house first. I've been so busy lately that I've not had time to dust or mop. Yuck.

I love that Goddess Provisions boxes typically come with something edible. This month, that was a mouth-watering Omega Munch mix of candied walnuts and toasted flax clusters coated in dark chocolate. I've been snacking on these at my desk. They're decadent and healthy at the same time!

The Air Awakening aromatherapy patches are really neat! There are 12 little patches in a pack, and they're stuffed with bubbles of peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, and lemon essential oils. You stick 'em wherever you need a pick-me-up (the car, shower, desk) and then pop the bubble, allowing the oil to diffuse through the soft surface. 

I immediately stuck one on my steering wheel, so it's right near my nose. After a couple days, the diffusing dissipates, but you can still stick your finger on it and it transfers the oil. 

Finally, I'm loving the gratitude journal! I used to keep a daily list of things I'm thankful for in a gratitude app for iPhone, but honestly, my interest in most apps wanes quickly. It's much more exciting to write things down on paper.

If you're interested in subscribing to Goddess Provisions, here's the link!

Nashville Vegan Eats

I spent Saturday and Sunday in Nashville hanging out with Paul, who has taken a job there for a few months. He's mostly been coming home on his weekends off, but this past weekend, he wasn't able to get off two days in a row. So I made the three-hour drive to visit him. He didn't get off work until 6 p.m. on Saturday, but I really wanted to check out Vegan Vee — a new-ish gluten-free vegan bakery — and they closed at 1 p.m. on Saturday.


So I woke up in Memphis at 5 a.m. on Saturday (after going to bed way too late Friday night), got a 4.5-mile run in, and then headed to Nashville to make it there by noon! That's dedication. I really wanted to try their gluten-free doughnuts. I'll do just about anything for a doughnut. There were plenty of doughnuts left when I arrived. I went with the Vanilla Sprinkled Doughnut and the Chocolate Dipped Doughnut! These were cakey doughnuts, and they were outrageously good. I'm not gluten-free, and I don't always love gluten-free baked goods. But you couldn't even tell these were gluten-free!


Vegan Vee had all kinds of treats — cupcakes, bars, cookies. And most were sweet, but they did have these savory Pizza Rolls. And it was right at noon, and I'd been driving for hours. I was really hungry for something substantive. I had to have one. Bonus: They were still hot from the oven! This soft bun was flecked with sundried tomatoes and whole kalamata olives, and it was all topped with vegan cheddar. Seriously — one of the best things I've had to eat in a long time. Again, you couldn't tell it was gluten-free. It just tasted like the most amazing pizza roll in the world. After I ate it (in my car, after leaving the bakery), I considered going back for another. But I knew I had so much more eating to do in Nashville, so I talked myself out of it.

The folks at Vegan Vee were so nice! They threw in a free Chocolate Chip Cookie, which I enjoyed on the drive home Sunday night. Excellent! No weird gluten-free taste. Just a sweet, soft, chocolatey cookie.


Even though I ate my pizza roll right away, I was still pretty hungry. And I had lots of time to kill before Paul got off work at 6 p.m. So I headed over to another newish Nashville vegan place. Avo is an almost-too-cute-to-be-real raw vegan restaurant. It's located inside a shipping container, next to another shipping container that houses a CrossFit gym. And there's a volleyball court in the back. On nice days, one whole wall of the container rolls up, and the whole place basically becomes an open-air patio. 

The whole menu looked amazing, but I wanted something lighter since I'd already had the pizza roll and I still needed to fit one of my doughnuts in before dinner. I couldn't resist the Tree Nut Cheese Plate — aged nut-based cheddar, aged nut-based "goat" cheese, raw flax crackers, locally sourced pickles, fig jam, apple slices, and edible flowers. Y'all, this place is so fancy that the cheese plate is served on a log!!!

The nut cheeses were divine. Both were tangy, but the cheddar was slightly more sharp. It paired really well with the green apple slices.

I enjoyed the goat cheese schmeared on flax crackers with the fig jam. I really took my time with this plate, enjoying a book as I ate. I wanted to savor every single amazing bite.

After my special snack time, I hit up the Trader Joe's to stock up on goods I can't get in Memphis (we don't have a TJ's yet — later this year!). And then I stopped by the Whole Foods and Whole Body (they have a whole separate WF beauty & body shop!) in Green Hills. By the time I was done, it was time to meet up with Paul. We headed downtown for dinner because I wanted to check out Two Boots Pizza, a vegan-friendly pizzaria. Y'all, they have vegan pizza BY THE SLICE!

The V is for Vegan has artichokes and basil and red pepper pesto! And they're big ole New York-style slices. I grabbed one for dinner and a second one to go (ate that cold in the car on the way home Sunday).

I also got a salad to eat with my pizza for dinner. I love that their basic side salad has chickpeas!

After dinner, we had a couple beers downtown and then turned in for the night. But we got up bright and early for brunch at Wild Cow, a (mostly) vegan (they do have dairy cheese by special request) restaurant in East Nashville. I never visit Nashville without stopping in for a meal at Wild Cow! 

They don't have a brunch menu, but they do offer smoothie bowls on Sundays. And they had a special tofu scramble side. But it's been more than a year since I've eaten at Wild Cow, so I just had to go with my old stand-by — the French Quarter Dip. It's a French dip sub with seitan, portabella mushrooms, vegan cheese, & au jus. For my side, I went with Vegan Queso and Chips cause when you're going in, you just gotta go all in.


Look at the adorable mug they served my coffee in!
It was a delicious and fun-filled weekend!

Stuff I Ate

Here are a few things I've eaten lately. I'm still on a sandwich kick, and I know this burger doesn't look like much. But trust me — it was delicious. My friend Andy had a cookout last weekend, and I brought some of the new Boca Essentials Sweet Potato & Red Quinoa Burgers to throw on the grill. I added a slice of Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda, and Andy caramelized a bunch of onions. And even though he's not vegan, he buys Just Mayo cause it's awesome. So I slathered some of that on.


The Boca burger was fantastic! Just the right level of sweet (from the sweet potato) and savory and the right level of "meatiness." My friend Denise, who is not vegan and also had a beef burger and a meat hot dog on her plate, had a Boca patty as well, and she declared it delicious and said she could probably be a vegetarian someday. She wouldn't go so far as to say "vegan" because cheese. But baby steps.

On Sunday, our friend Nigel hosted a vegan brunch at his house, secret supper club-style. I ordered the Vegan Roast Beef & Cheese Sandwich with a side of Garlic Kale. Tender seitan slices were sauteed with peppers and onions and topped with a delicious cheese sauce. Out of this world.


Stephanie had made Anpan — Japanese red bean-paste buns — the night before, and she brought one to brunch for me! LOVED this. I took it home and had it for an afternoon snack with a matcha latte. The bread is so soft, and the red bean paste has just the right level of sweetness.

More yogurt! One day earlier this week, I had some unsweetened So Delicious coconut yogurt with bee-free honee, walnuts, strawberries, and grapes. Any time I can eat bee-free honee, I'm a happy girl.

Last night, Cassi held her bi-monthly ladies-only bitch sesh — Cocktails, Cupcakes, & Cursing — at Pink Diva Cupcakery. I arrived early and ordered some dinner — BBQ Tofu Nachos with black beans, brown rice, black olives, lettuce, tomato, onions, vegan sour cream, salsa, and her homemade vegan cheese sauce. Love these nachos! You can also order this with tater tots instead of chips and make it totchos!

Once the event got started, there was sangria and Mini Strawberries & Champagne Cupcakes. She used her whipped topping on these instead of buttercream, and that's always my fave. It makes for a lighter cupcake, and I'm kind of a whipped cream-a-holic.

Quick dinner tonight — Mac & Peas! A few months ago, my friend Pam gave me two packets of the Daiya Cheezy Mac cheese sauce. She didn't care for the sauce, so she ate the pasta from each box and didn't use the sauce. I was happy to put some to use with these quinoa shells. Added peas to get my veggie group in. Had steamed kale on the side.

A Sandwich is a Sandwich ...

... but a Manwich is a meal. Remember that?

If you grew up in the 1980s (or late 1970s), you no doubt remember that Manwich sauce slogan. Here's a 1977 Manwich commercial to jog your memory.



Manwich, the canned tomato sauce for sloppy joes, actually hit the market in 1969. But when I decided to create a sloppy joe recipe for my vintage vegan cookbook project, I figured I'd tuck it into the 1980s chapter because the sauce definitely rose to its height of fame at that time. And it's such an iconic thing for an 80s kid like me. Of course, Manwich is still a thing, but in the age of moving to less processed and prepared foods, I doubt they're seeing the sales they saw in the latchkey kid 80s.

Loose meat sandwiches, what sloppy joes were once referred to, actually go way back the 19th century. But legend has it that some guy in Iowa discovered his loose meat tasted way better when he added a little tomato sauce. Other theories say the sloppy joe actually originated in a restaurant called Sloppy Joe's Bar (so named because owner Jose was apparently a messy dude) in Key West in the 1930s. Either way, the sandwiches go way back.


I created a Manwich-inspired vegan version this week for my next cookbook. I'm saving the recipe for the book, but I can say that it has a base of TVP, French lentils, and green bell pepper. I've always loved the Snobby Joes from the Veganomicon, so I wanted to work lentils in here. But I also desired a meatier texture. Hence, the TVP. The result is a meaty, yet still pretty wholesome, sandwich with a tangy sweet-n-savory sauce.

Tofu & Veggie Korma

The folks over at Taste the Dream sent me some samples of their Almond Dream and Coconut Dream non-dairy yogurts so that I could develop a few fun recipes. This post is the first in a sporadic series of yogurt recipe posts.

Almond Dream Non-Dairy Yogurt is their newest addition to the Almond Dream family, but Taste the Dream makes all kinds of other vegan products — Soy Dream milk and ice cream, Almond Dream chocolate-covered ice cream bites (so good!), Cashew Dream milk, and even Dream Gelato (which I've unfortunately never seen in a store around here).

But for now, we're focusing on that Almond Dream Non-Dairy Yogurt, specifically the Plain variety. Keep in mind that "plain" doesn't mean "unsweetened." This yogurt does have a hint of sugar, but it's not as sweet as the fruit-flavored Almond Dream yogurts. It has a light tang, but it's not quite as tangy as some other vegan yogurts on the market. The texture is almost like pudding — smooth and creamy, thick and light.

Despite the slight sweetness, when seasoned correctly, the plain Almond Dream yogurt can work well in a savory application, but you need lots of spice to mask the sweetness. That means it works perfectly in korma, a traditional Indian dish made with a spicy yogurt sauce. For this vegan version, we're using tofu and veggies instead of the more traditional chicken.

Without further ado, here's my recipe for Tofu & Veggie Korma. The ingredient lists looks long, but most of those ingredients are spices. Serve this over brown basmati rice.


Tofu & Veggie Korma---------------------------------1 pound extra-firm tofu (drained, pressed)2 6-ounce containers Almond Dream Plain Almond Non-Dairy Yogurt1 Tbsp. paprika1 1/2 tsp. garam masala2 tsp. cumin, divided1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided1/2 tsp. turmeric1/2 tsp. coriander1 Tbsp. olive oil1 onion, diced1 russet potato, diced2 carrots, peeled and sliced1 jalapeno, seeded and diced1 clove garlic, minced1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger2 tsp. curry powder1/2 tsp. cardamom1/8 tsp. ground cloves3/4 cup frozen green peas
Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, paprika, garam masala, 1 tsp. of the cumin, 1 tsp. of the salt, turmeric, and coriander. Stir well to combine. Gently toss the tofu cubes into the yogurt and stir to coat. It's okay if some of the cubes crumble, but try to keep most intact by stirring gently. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 2-3 minutes or until it begins to soften. Stir in the potatoes and carrot. Cook and stir occasionally for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are as tender as desired. As the potatoes cook, if they begin to stick to the pan, add small splashes of water to prevent sticking.
Add the jalapeno, garlic, and ginger, and saute one more minute. Add the curry powder, cardamom, and cloves, and cook and stir another five minutes. Gently stir in the tofu and yogurt sauce and the peas, and saute for about 7-8 minutes or until heated through. 

Endangered Species Chocolate Spreads!

I remember the day I was introduced to Nutella. I was in high school French class, and our teacher (whose name escapes me) brought a jar of the chocolate hazelnut spread and a baguette to class. She sliced the crusty bread and spread on thick layers of Nutella for us to sample, telling us "This is what French kids eat for breakfast."

I have no idea if she was right about French kids eating Nutella for breakfast, but I believed her at the time. And it felt like a whole new world had opened up to me. Before, I guess I'd never thought much about what the French ate for breakfast or what anyone from any other culture ate at all. I grew up in a small Arkansas town where chain restaurants reigned supreme (and still do), and back then, the Chinese buffet (which was loaded with American faves, like mac & cheese and ranch dressing) was about as cultured as dining could get. But that Nutella, man — it was as if I'd just learned some amazing new secret.

Of course, finding Nutella in Jonesboro grocery stores proved difficult until much later in my college years. So I wouldn't get a second taste for awhile. And after I went vegan, I remember thinking, "Damn, I guess Nutella is out." Thankfully, a number of vegan companies have developed vegan versions over the years. And the latest — and perhaps best — version comes from Endangered Species Chocolate. Three versions in fact! They sent me all three to sample and review.


If you're not familiar with Endangered Species Chocolate, you should be! They donate 10 percent of their net profits to species preservation and habitat conversation.  Most (not all) of their chocolates are vegan. And they're recommended by the Food Empowerment Project, which means their chocolate is ethically sourced and slavery-free. They've been in the chocolate bar market for years, but the spreads are fairly new.
The Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa is the one that mimics Nutella, and it's a pretty spot-on comparison. It's rich and chocolately, smooth and creamy, with a hint of hazelnut. Think of the inside of a Ferrero Rocher truffle (surely, you ate those in your pre-vegan days, right?). I tried all three of these spreads on toast, and this one was definitely my fave. It was delightful paired with mashed raspberries on whole wheat toast. 

I enjoyed that toast before a Saturday long run. Since the spreads arrived, I've learned that they make perfect pre-run fuel. I like to get the right combo of fat, wheat, and simple sugar to power me through a long run without getting hungry. And this did it for me!
Next up is the Almond Spread with Cocoa. This one tastes a bit like a chocolate almond butter, but it's sweeter and creamier. That's probably because the two main ingredients are cane sugar and vegetable oil. This isn't health food, but that's okay because sometimes, we just need into indulge. I spread this one on some toast with banana slices before another long run. Again, it powered me through about an hour and a half run. Look how the spread gets all melty on the warm toast. Mmmmm.

Then there's the Cocoa Spread. This one is just straight-up chocolate. It's sweet with a slight bitterness from the cocoa. Just the right balance. And while I prefer the other two over this one when eaten straight from the jar with a spoon (yes, I have been doing that), this cocoa spread makes the very best toast because you can totally make peanut butter cup toast! OMG! One tablespoon on crunchy peanut butter and one tablespoon of cocoa spread! YES!

Who need Nutella when you can have cruelty-free vegan chocolate spread that helps animals?