Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 161
November 10, 2015
An Open Letter to the Memphis Whole Foods
Dear Whole Foods-Poplar,
I tried the new Kite Hill artisan almond milk yogurt this morning. It was amazing. Creamy, tangy, with just the right amount of sweetness and natural flavor. By far, the best vegan yogurt I've had. But I didn't buy it at your store. I would have if you carried it, but you don't.
This yogurt was imported — from Arkansas. My best friend picked it up at the Little Rock Whole Foods and brought it to Memphis. I've looked for it at your store on every visit. I even asked a nice man in the grocery department if y'all could order it. He said he'd look into it. He was very sweet and helpful. But several weeks have gone by and still no Kite Hill yogurt.
My friend Sheridan also brought me some Kite Hill Cream Cheese-Style Spread, which you also don't carry with any regularity. Sometimes you have it, but it tends to disappear for long periods of time when you run out.
That seems to be a constant problem at your store. An awesome new vegan product will appear on the shelves, only to disappear a few weeks later (I'm talking to you Earth Balance Vegan Sour Cream & Onion Chips). But an even bigger issue is the lack of so many great vegan products that are available in other Whole Foods stores across the country.
Here's a quick list of products that I've never seen in your store (or have spotted once or twice only to disappear later):
* the aforementioned Kite Hill Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt (plain, vanilla, peach, blueberry, strawberry)
* Earth Balance Chips Vegan Sour Cream & Onion Kettle Chips
* Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Flavor Kettle Chips
* Daiya Greek Yogurt Alternative, all flavors (peach, black cherry, strawberry, & blueberry)
* Daiya Cheezecake (you do carry strawberry, but we'd also love the New York-style, key lime, & chocolate flavors!)
* Field Roast Deli Slices (lentil sage, wild mushroom, smoked tomato)
* Field Roast Apple Maple Breakfast Sausage
* Wildwood Aioli (zesty garlic)
* Tofurky Pockets (broccoli "cheddar," "pepperoni" pizza, bbq chick'n)
* Miyoko's Creamery aged vegan cheeses (any flavor!)
You're awesome, Whole Foods. The store is massive and beautiful. The hot bar, flex venue, and Wok Street station offer delicious vegan options. Your produce is perfectly arranged. Your bulk bins never do me wrong. But I do wish you'd expand your vegan product line to include the above-mentioned products, most especially the Kite Hill yogurts.
They're really that good. You may not remember, but you used to carry a now-defunct vegan yogurt by Whole Soy & Co. That brand was most every vegan's fave. But the company went out of business leaving a hole in our vegan hearts. This Kite Hill yogurt is as good, if not better, than Whole Soy, and that's saying a lot. I think it would also appeal to your non-vegan customers, who may just be looking to cut out dairy for health reasons.
Please consider stocking the above-mentioned products. Pretty please!
Sincerely,
Bianca XOXO
P.S. While we're at it, can we also get a vegan option in the in-store BBQ restaurant? I heard y'all tried to add one when you first opened. I was super-excited for that, and I'm not sure what happened. But we vegans and vegetarians would like to sit down and enjoy a beer and a BBQ meal, too.
I tried the new Kite Hill artisan almond milk yogurt this morning. It was amazing. Creamy, tangy, with just the right amount of sweetness and natural flavor. By far, the best vegan yogurt I've had. But I didn't buy it at your store. I would have if you carried it, but you don't.
This yogurt was imported — from Arkansas. My best friend picked it up at the Little Rock Whole Foods and brought it to Memphis. I've looked for it at your store on every visit. I even asked a nice man in the grocery department if y'all could order it. He said he'd look into it. He was very sweet and helpful. But several weeks have gone by and still no Kite Hill yogurt.
My friend Sheridan also brought me some Kite Hill Cream Cheese-Style Spread, which you also don't carry with any regularity. Sometimes you have it, but it tends to disappear for long periods of time when you run out.
That seems to be a constant problem at your store. An awesome new vegan product will appear on the shelves, only to disappear a few weeks later (I'm talking to you Earth Balance Vegan Sour Cream & Onion Chips). But an even bigger issue is the lack of so many great vegan products that are available in other Whole Foods stores across the country.
Here's a quick list of products that I've never seen in your store (or have spotted once or twice only to disappear later):
* the aforementioned Kite Hill Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt (plain, vanilla, peach, blueberry, strawberry)
* Earth Balance Chips Vegan Sour Cream & Onion Kettle Chips
* Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Flavor Kettle Chips
* Daiya Greek Yogurt Alternative, all flavors (peach, black cherry, strawberry, & blueberry)
* Daiya Cheezecake (you do carry strawberry, but we'd also love the New York-style, key lime, & chocolate flavors!)
* Field Roast Deli Slices (lentil sage, wild mushroom, smoked tomato)
* Field Roast Apple Maple Breakfast Sausage
* Wildwood Aioli (zesty garlic)
* Tofurky Pockets (broccoli "cheddar," "pepperoni" pizza, bbq chick'n)
* Miyoko's Creamery aged vegan cheeses (any flavor!)
You're awesome, Whole Foods. The store is massive and beautiful. The hot bar, flex venue, and Wok Street station offer delicious vegan options. Your produce is perfectly arranged. Your bulk bins never do me wrong. But I do wish you'd expand your vegan product line to include the above-mentioned products, most especially the Kite Hill yogurts.
They're really that good. You may not remember, but you used to carry a now-defunct vegan yogurt by Whole Soy & Co. That brand was most every vegan's fave. But the company went out of business leaving a hole in our vegan hearts. This Kite Hill yogurt is as good, if not better, than Whole Soy, and that's saying a lot. I think it would also appeal to your non-vegan customers, who may just be looking to cut out dairy for health reasons.
Please consider stocking the above-mentioned products. Pretty please!
Sincerely,
Bianca XOXO
P.S. While we're at it, can we also get a vegan option in the in-store BBQ restaurant? I heard y'all tried to add one when you first opened. I was super-excited for that, and I'm not sure what happened. But we vegans and vegetarians would like to sit down and enjoy a beer and a BBQ meal, too.
November 9, 2015
Mabel the Squirrel!
I had a review lined up for tonight. But I realized that I need a little more time before I post it. It's just not ready. I scrolled through the food pics in my phone, and well, you've seen just about everything. So tonight, you're getting a Mabel photo essay. Sorry not sorry.
Just in case you've not been following the Mabel tales, here's a quick rundown. In August, teensy baby Mabel fell from my backyard tree. My pit bull Maynard found her writhing in the dirt, covered in mud and worms one morning. He began pawing at her. She screamed. I knew that sound — the desperate cries of a baby squirrel. I'd heard them last summer when another squirrel, Herman, fell from the same tree. We raised him, set him free, and he's off doing very important squirrel stuff. He doesn't visit anymore, and I miss him very much.
But I digress. I rushed Mabel inside, cleaned her off, and picked off the worms. I fed her formula, rid her of a nasty maggot infestation, and let her move into my bathroom (the best room in the house to raise a squirrel in my opinion). And she grew up to be a strong, healthy squirrel. She's 13 weeks old, and we officially set her free last weekend. I opened a window, and now she's free to come and go as she pleases. She goes out during the day. But for now, she's been opting to sleep inside in the nest she built in my bathroom using old toilet paper and used KT tape that she scavenged from the trash can. She'll probably eventually build a nest outside and come by less and less. Just like Herman. But for now, she's around a lot. And I take lots of pics. So here ya go.
Mabel loved grapes a few weeks back. Now she's just meh about grapes.
But she does love acorns.
And sticks. Oh, sticks! When she's done with one, it looks like a forest exploded all over my bathroom.
She knows the good stuff. Here she is trying to get into the cashew jar.
Sometimes, when I get home from work, I find that Mabel's made a big ole mess of nut shells, wood, and toilet paper in the bathroom floor. One day, she offered to help me clean.
Mabel spends most of her day outside though. Here she is peeking out on her first day of freedom.
And here she is climbing stuff.
Sometimes, she likes to eat perched on my shoulder, usually when I'm wearing black for a maximum messy effect.
And if you been reading the blog lately, you've already seen this one. But it's too cute to not include in a Mabel photo post. Her Halloween costume is basically the greatest.
Just in case you've not been following the Mabel tales, here's a quick rundown. In August, teensy baby Mabel fell from my backyard tree. My pit bull Maynard found her writhing in the dirt, covered in mud and worms one morning. He began pawing at her. She screamed. I knew that sound — the desperate cries of a baby squirrel. I'd heard them last summer when another squirrel, Herman, fell from the same tree. We raised him, set him free, and he's off doing very important squirrel stuff. He doesn't visit anymore, and I miss him very much.
But I digress. I rushed Mabel inside, cleaned her off, and picked off the worms. I fed her formula, rid her of a nasty maggot infestation, and let her move into my bathroom (the best room in the house to raise a squirrel in my opinion). And she grew up to be a strong, healthy squirrel. She's 13 weeks old, and we officially set her free last weekend. I opened a window, and now she's free to come and go as she pleases. She goes out during the day. But for now, she's been opting to sleep inside in the nest she built in my bathroom using old toilet paper and used KT tape that she scavenged from the trash can. She'll probably eventually build a nest outside and come by less and less. Just like Herman. But for now, she's around a lot. And I take lots of pics. So here ya go.
Mabel loved grapes a few weeks back. Now she's just meh about grapes.
But she does love acorns.
And sticks. Oh, sticks! When she's done with one, it looks like a forest exploded all over my bathroom.
She knows the good stuff. Here she is trying to get into the cashew jar.
Sometimes, when I get home from work, I find that Mabel's made a big ole mess of nut shells, wood, and toilet paper in the bathroom floor. One day, she offered to help me clean.
Mabel spends most of her day outside though. Here she is peeking out on her first day of freedom.
And here she is climbing stuff.
Sometimes, she likes to eat perched on my shoulder, usually when I'm wearing black for a maximum messy effect.
And if you been reading the blog lately, you've already seen this one. But it's too cute to not include in a Mabel photo post. Her Halloween costume is basically the greatest.
November 8, 2015
Belated Birthday Weekend!
My best friend Sheridan and her partner Drew came up to Memphis this weekend for a little post-birthday celebration. They live in Little Rock and couldn't get here for my actual birthday in mid-October, so we had a make-up weekend. We ate lots of delicious food. So much food!
This weekend was the annual India Fest in Memphis. It's a massive celebration of Indian culture with food from all the states of India, sales of saris and bindis, dance performances, and more. Sheridan and Drew got here right in time for India Fest, so we went straight there for lunch.
My friends Pam, Stephanie, and Richard (and Steph and Richard's kid Peter) were there too. We all scattered to find food and met back up to stuff our faces. Sheridan and I both tried the Dhal Bati — dhal with wheat rolls. The dhal was so well-spiced. Good stuff.
A trip to India Fest is never complete without at least one Samosa (fried potato pastry) and one Vada (fried lentil doughnut).
I love, love, love dosa (lentil flour crepe), so I grabbed a Plain Dosa with Pepper Chutney and Peanut Chutney.
And Pani Puri is another Indian street food fave. I seek it out at India Fest every year. These little crispy pockets are stuffed with a chickpea-potato mash that's seasoned with black salt. And you pour the spicy green water inside just before eating.
After all that, I was pretty stuffed. But then Sheridan and Drew appeared with these noodles, and I had to try a few bites. They were just sold as Veg Noodle, so we're not sure what the spices were. But they were super-oily and very well-spiced. Soooo good. Maybe my favorite dish from India Fest this year!
After India Fest, we thought we'd never be hungry again. But I wanted Sheridan and Drew to try some of Cassi's cupcakes from Pink Diva Cupcakery. So we stopped by and grabbed some to go. I chose the Cranberry Orange Cupcake, flecked with dried cranberries and topped with orange syrup.
We always visit one another's Whole Foods stores when we're visiting each other because the Memphis store and the Little Rock store have some different products, so we killed a little time at Whole Foods. And then, miraculously, we were hungry for dinner! Drew was craving ramen, so we hit up Crazy Noodle. They got ramen bowls, but I wanted to try something different. So I got the Crazy Bibam Noodle. It's like bibambap but with noodles instead of rice. The veg version has tofu, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, lettuce, noodles, and spicy Korean sauce.
After dinner, we grabbed some beers and headed to my house for a game night. We played Clue and Jenga. But we tucked in early because we wanted to squeeze in breakfast before Sheridan and Drew had to leave on Sunday. They wanted to try Abyssinia for brunch because Sheridan's never had Ethiopian food. But they don't open until 11 a.m., and they needed to be gone by then. That put Imagine Vegan Cafe out too, since they don't open until 11. But thankfully, Brother Juniper's opens at 8 a.m.! So we went there this morning and got Fahim's Special with Home Fries & Whole Wheat Toast.
Note to locals: Fahim's Special (the tofu scram with portabellas, peppers, and olives) is no longer on the menu, but they'll make it if you ask. The only catch is they no longer carry kalamata olives, so the scramble comes without olives. BUT we brought our own olives to add!! BYOO, right? Vegans always come prepared.
After breakfast, they had to head home. But they got me this awesome tea diffuser pot and adult coloring book for my birthday, so I made chai and got busy coloring! They also got me the soundtrack to The Light Princess, the musical by Tori Amos.
Here's what I colored today!
This weekend was the annual India Fest in Memphis. It's a massive celebration of Indian culture with food from all the states of India, sales of saris and bindis, dance performances, and more. Sheridan and Drew got here right in time for India Fest, so we went straight there for lunch.
My friends Pam, Stephanie, and Richard (and Steph and Richard's kid Peter) were there too. We all scattered to find food and met back up to stuff our faces. Sheridan and I both tried the Dhal Bati — dhal with wheat rolls. The dhal was so well-spiced. Good stuff.
A trip to India Fest is never complete without at least one Samosa (fried potato pastry) and one Vada (fried lentil doughnut).
I love, love, love dosa (lentil flour crepe), so I grabbed a Plain Dosa with Pepper Chutney and Peanut Chutney.
And Pani Puri is another Indian street food fave. I seek it out at India Fest every year. These little crispy pockets are stuffed with a chickpea-potato mash that's seasoned with black salt. And you pour the spicy green water inside just before eating.
After all that, I was pretty stuffed. But then Sheridan and Drew appeared with these noodles, and I had to try a few bites. They were just sold as Veg Noodle, so we're not sure what the spices were. But they were super-oily and very well-spiced. Soooo good. Maybe my favorite dish from India Fest this year!
After India Fest, we thought we'd never be hungry again. But I wanted Sheridan and Drew to try some of Cassi's cupcakes from Pink Diva Cupcakery. So we stopped by and grabbed some to go. I chose the Cranberry Orange Cupcake, flecked with dried cranberries and topped with orange syrup.
We always visit one another's Whole Foods stores when we're visiting each other because the Memphis store and the Little Rock store have some different products, so we killed a little time at Whole Foods. And then, miraculously, we were hungry for dinner! Drew was craving ramen, so we hit up Crazy Noodle. They got ramen bowls, but I wanted to try something different. So I got the Crazy Bibam Noodle. It's like bibambap but with noodles instead of rice. The veg version has tofu, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, lettuce, noodles, and spicy Korean sauce.
After dinner, we grabbed some beers and headed to my house for a game night. We played Clue and Jenga. But we tucked in early because we wanted to squeeze in breakfast before Sheridan and Drew had to leave on Sunday. They wanted to try Abyssinia for brunch because Sheridan's never had Ethiopian food. But they don't open until 11 a.m., and they needed to be gone by then. That put Imagine Vegan Cafe out too, since they don't open until 11. But thankfully, Brother Juniper's opens at 8 a.m.! So we went there this morning and got Fahim's Special with Home Fries & Whole Wheat Toast.
Note to locals: Fahim's Special (the tofu scram with portabellas, peppers, and olives) is no longer on the menu, but they'll make it if you ask. The only catch is they no longer carry kalamata olives, so the scramble comes without olives. BUT we brought our own olives to add!! BYOO, right? Vegans always come prepared.
After breakfast, they had to head home. But they got me this awesome tea diffuser pot and adult coloring book for my birthday, so I made chai and got busy coloring! They also got me the soundtrack to The Light Princess, the musical by Tori Amos.
Here's what I colored today!
November 5, 2015
Stuff I Ate
I have a new favorite food. Garlic Knots!! And the knots at Midtown Crossing Grill, my neighborhood pizza parlor, can be made vegan by request. I've ordered them twice in one week already. They're so soft and garlicky.
I also ordered Midtown Crossing's Spring Rolls last week. They're the best because they're stuffed with candied pecans, and they're served with a wasabi vinaigrette.
I've actually been on a spring roll kick lately (smack in the middle of fall, I know). I keep rice paper wrappers at home, but for some reason, I mostly only crave them when I'm eating out. Cassi has added spring rolls to her new Pink Diva Cupcakery menu, and I had some of those last week. She stuffs hers with rice noodles, veggies, and basil and serves with soy sauce.
Also new to Cassi's Pink Diva menu is Chili Mac — vegan mac with tempeh "beef" and non-dairy sour cream. Hearty and satisfying on chilly fall days.
Last weekend at brunch at Imagine Vegan Cafe, I was craving carbs. So I ordered the Biscuits & "Sausage" Gravy. Just what I needed. Not pictured is the order of Garlic Kale on the side because I felt guilty not eating something green.
Last week, I did a vegan cooking demo for the Memphis library system's staff. They have an annual retreat day for employees, and they close all the city libraries that day. And then all of the staff can pick from different workshops and talks. Mine was one of those talks, and I had a great crowd (about 40 people!), most of whom were not vegan. I made two recipes from Cookin' Crunk — Tofu Eggless Olive Salad and Southwestern Corn Salad. Both were big hits, and so many people came up for seconds and talked to me about how, thanks to the tofu salad recipe, they would be trying other tofu dishes. I tripled the recipes to make sure there were enough samples, and I had just enough leftovers for an open-faced egg salad sandwich and some chips and corn salad when I got home.
And a sandwich the next day, eaten while reading Stacy Schiff's new book The Witches.
One day for lunch, I packed some Daiya Deluxe White Cheddar Style Mac. I think this one is my fave because it comes with dehydrated veggies that rehydrate into lots of green peas, carrots, and red bell peppers.
Drinking lots of post-run smoothies. This week, I've been having this Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie — peanut butter, frozen strawberries, cashew milk, lingonberry jam, and Vega One French Vanilla protein powder.
Today, the Memphis Flyer office (my newspaper day job) had a cookout on the loading dock. Joe, our IT guy and resident burger chef, made sure we had some vegan Boca burgers for the vegetarians.
Lastly, check out this stash of snacks that my dad ordered me from Vegan Essentials. Just because! Earth Balance cheddar kettle chips, J&D's vegan bacon croutons, Love Thy Food chili con queso, Viana onion butter, Wayfare Pig Out bacony bits, Parmela Creamery chipotle nut cheese, Wheaty Spacebar, and some yummy raw white chocolate by Organic Nectars. Thanks Papa Crunk!
I also ordered Midtown Crossing's Spring Rolls last week. They're the best because they're stuffed with candied pecans, and they're served with a wasabi vinaigrette.
I've actually been on a spring roll kick lately (smack in the middle of fall, I know). I keep rice paper wrappers at home, but for some reason, I mostly only crave them when I'm eating out. Cassi has added spring rolls to her new Pink Diva Cupcakery menu, and I had some of those last week. She stuffs hers with rice noodles, veggies, and basil and serves with soy sauce.
Also new to Cassi's Pink Diva menu is Chili Mac — vegan mac with tempeh "beef" and non-dairy sour cream. Hearty and satisfying on chilly fall days.
Last weekend at brunch at Imagine Vegan Cafe, I was craving carbs. So I ordered the Biscuits & "Sausage" Gravy. Just what I needed. Not pictured is the order of Garlic Kale on the side because I felt guilty not eating something green.
Last week, I did a vegan cooking demo for the Memphis library system's staff. They have an annual retreat day for employees, and they close all the city libraries that day. And then all of the staff can pick from different workshops and talks. Mine was one of those talks, and I had a great crowd (about 40 people!), most of whom were not vegan. I made two recipes from Cookin' Crunk — Tofu Eggless Olive Salad and Southwestern Corn Salad. Both were big hits, and so many people came up for seconds and talked to me about how, thanks to the tofu salad recipe, they would be trying other tofu dishes. I tripled the recipes to make sure there were enough samples, and I had just enough leftovers for an open-faced egg salad sandwich and some chips and corn salad when I got home.
And a sandwich the next day, eaten while reading Stacy Schiff's new book The Witches.
One day for lunch, I packed some Daiya Deluxe White Cheddar Style Mac. I think this one is my fave because it comes with dehydrated veggies that rehydrate into lots of green peas, carrots, and red bell peppers.
Drinking lots of post-run smoothies. This week, I've been having this Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie — peanut butter, frozen strawberries, cashew milk, lingonberry jam, and Vega One French Vanilla protein powder.
Today, the Memphis Flyer office (my newspaper day job) had a cookout on the loading dock. Joe, our IT guy and resident burger chef, made sure we had some vegan Boca burgers for the vegetarians.
Lastly, check out this stash of snacks that my dad ordered me from Vegan Essentials. Just because! Earth Balance cheddar kettle chips, J&D's vegan bacon croutons, Love Thy Food chili con queso, Viana onion butter, Wayfare Pig Out bacony bits, Parmela Creamery chipotle nut cheese, Wheaty Spacebar, and some yummy raw white chocolate by Organic Nectars. Thanks Papa Crunk!
November 4, 2015
Bluff City Vegan Eats: Belly Acres
I feel like this Bluff City Vegan Eats post should come with an apology for how long it's taken me to get anything up about this awesome locally owned burger joint. Belly Acres opened over a year ago in Midtown's hip Overton Square entertainment district, but I didn't finally get around to trying it until last month when I had a lunch meet-up with a friend who works at Planned Parenthood.
Belly Acres (get it, belly ache-ers ... cause you ate too much!) is a casual, order-at-the-counter diner specializing in burgers made with farm-fresh ingredients. They're not all vegan, of course. Lots of grass-fed beef and "free-range" chicken. Of course, we all know free range is a farce that doesn't actually mean anything positive for the animals, but let's just be positive and thankful they have some vegan stuff.
There are three veggie burgers on the "Beef-less Burgers" menu, and on my first visit, I tried the Black-Eyed Pea Burger with roasted sweet potato and pickled collard greens. It comes with a sriracha aioli, but I asked to leave that off.
When they first opened, I sent Belly Acres a message asking if the veggie burgers were vegan, and I was told they were. So that's enough for me! This black-eyed pea burger was AMAZING. Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, full of flavor. And it's Southern-ness was really set off with the soft steamed sweet potato and pickled greens. This burger officially makes my list of top four best veggie burgers in Memphis (others are at Fuel Cafe, Imagine Vegan Cafe, and Huey's).
I haven't had a chance to go back yet and try the others. But there's a Lentil & Onion Burger with caramelized onions, spinach, tomato, and sauteed mushrooms (ask to leave off the cheese and aioli). And there's a Magic Mushroom Burger made with a portabella mushroom, spinach, sauteed onions, and balsamic vinegar (ask to leave off the goat cheese, please).
Menu items are ordered a la carte, so burgers don't come with sides. But for a couple extra bucks, you can get house-made chips, regular or sweet potato fries, local collard greens, fruit salad, local veggies, or a side salad. Lots of options!
Belly Acres is in Overton Square, home to four live theaters and a movie house, plus lots of bars, restaurants, a candy shop, a hip clothing boutique, a yoga studio, and an olive oil shop. And if you drink too much in the Square, for $2, you can hop a ride on the Roo, a shuttle that has a giant kangaroo on top.
Belly Acres is located at 2102 Trimble Place. Call 901-529-7071.
Belly Acres (get it, belly ache-ers ... cause you ate too much!) is a casual, order-at-the-counter diner specializing in burgers made with farm-fresh ingredients. They're not all vegan, of course. Lots of grass-fed beef and "free-range" chicken. Of course, we all know free range is a farce that doesn't actually mean anything positive for the animals, but let's just be positive and thankful they have some vegan stuff.
There are three veggie burgers on the "Beef-less Burgers" menu, and on my first visit, I tried the Black-Eyed Pea Burger with roasted sweet potato and pickled collard greens. It comes with a sriracha aioli, but I asked to leave that off.
When they first opened, I sent Belly Acres a message asking if the veggie burgers were vegan, and I was told they were. So that's enough for me! This black-eyed pea burger was AMAZING. Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, full of flavor. And it's Southern-ness was really set off with the soft steamed sweet potato and pickled greens. This burger officially makes my list of top four best veggie burgers in Memphis (others are at Fuel Cafe, Imagine Vegan Cafe, and Huey's).
I haven't had a chance to go back yet and try the others. But there's a Lentil & Onion Burger with caramelized onions, spinach, tomato, and sauteed mushrooms (ask to leave off the cheese and aioli). And there's a Magic Mushroom Burger made with a portabella mushroom, spinach, sauteed onions, and balsamic vinegar (ask to leave off the goat cheese, please).
Menu items are ordered a la carte, so burgers don't come with sides. But for a couple extra bucks, you can get house-made chips, regular or sweet potato fries, local collard greens, fruit salad, local veggies, or a side salad. Lots of options!
Belly Acres is in Overton Square, home to four live theaters and a movie house, plus lots of bars, restaurants, a candy shop, a hip clothing boutique, a yoga studio, and an olive oil shop. And if you drink too much in the Square, for $2, you can hop a ride on the Roo, a shuttle that has a giant kangaroo on top.
Belly Acres is located at 2102 Trimble Place. Call 901-529-7071.
November 3, 2015
O'Coconut!
I wake up at the crack of dawn every day to workout. Some days, I run. Those are my fave. Other days, I do yoga or HIIT training at home. And every once in a while, I make it to the gym for a 6:15 a.m. class (totally hitting up the PiYo class this Thursday!). But I'm a morning eater, and I can't work out without a snack.
But since I have real breakfast after my workouts, I like to keep the snacks light. On running days, I opt for a 100- to 120-calorie raw fruit & nut bar or naturally-sweetened granola bar. The simple sugars are great running fuel. But on non-running days, when I know I won't need quite as much fuel, I like even lighter snacks.
A few weeks ago, Nutiva sent me these O'Coconut treats to sample, and at only 60 calories each, these are perfect for yoga days or days when I'm doing simple calisthenics.
These lightly sweetened coconut treats are individually wrapped, making them excellent for travel. And they come in two flavors — Classic and Hemp & Chia.
Here's a shot of the Hemp & Chia. They're just little tiny balls, and these are flecked with hemp and chia seeds.
The ingredient list is short — tapioca syrup, fair trade coconut and coconut flour, hemp, chia, monk fruit (for sweetness), and a couple natural flavors. The texture reminds me of a Mounds bar without the chocolate. In fact, these would be AMAZING dipped in chocolate. Nutiva should look into doing that! But even without the chocolate, I'd recommend these coconut balls for light snacks, either in the afternoon to stave off hunger or before workouts.
But since I have real breakfast after my workouts, I like to keep the snacks light. On running days, I opt for a 100- to 120-calorie raw fruit & nut bar or naturally-sweetened granola bar. The simple sugars are great running fuel. But on non-running days, when I know I won't need quite as much fuel, I like even lighter snacks.
A few weeks ago, Nutiva sent me these O'Coconut treats to sample, and at only 60 calories each, these are perfect for yoga days or days when I'm doing simple calisthenics.
These lightly sweetened coconut treats are individually wrapped, making them excellent for travel. And they come in two flavors — Classic and Hemp & Chia.
Here's a shot of the Hemp & Chia. They're just little tiny balls, and these are flecked with hemp and chia seeds.
The ingredient list is short — tapioca syrup, fair trade coconut and coconut flour, hemp, chia, monk fruit (for sweetness), and a couple natural flavors. The texture reminds me of a Mounds bar without the chocolate. In fact, these would be AMAZING dipped in chocolate. Nutiva should look into doing that! But even without the chocolate, I'd recommend these coconut balls for light snacks, either in the afternoon to stave off hunger or before workouts.
November 2, 2015
Burgers, 1920s-Style
I'm always on the lookout for vintage recipes to veganize for my retro vegan cookbook project. And one day a few months ago, I was visiting my parents' house, and we were watching some cooking show. And one of the featured recipes was an Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger.
They were using meat, of course. But when I'm watching cooks prepare meat on cooking shows, I'm always thinking of ways to veganize whatever they're making. Anyway, the show told the history of the burger, which being from Arkansas and living in Tennessee, I'd never heard of. But apparently, they're a big deal in Oklahoma.
And legend has it the burger was invented by a man named Ross Davis, who owned the Hamburger Inn on Route 66 in in El Reno, Oklahoma. It was the late 1920s, right around the start of the Great Depression, and he would smash a ton of onions into the meat as the burger cooked, caramelizing the onions and cutting back on meat since resources were scarce. I love caramelized onions, so I decided to veganize this for my cookbook. Here's my Black Bean Fried Onion Burger with vegan cheddar, pickles, and onions.
I created a homemade black bean patty, and then I fried it on one side in a little olive oil. While that side was cooking, I smashed about 1/4 cup of very thinly sliced onions into the patty. Then I flipped it and let it cook for quite awhile, allowing the onions to soften and caramelize. Mmmmm. Delicious.
On the side, I created another recipe for the 1920s — Fried Cauliflower.
From what I've been reading, frying was very common vegetable preparation method in the 1920s. In fact, it seems veggies were always either overcooked or fried. I'll take fried and crispy over limp and boiled any day!
This cauliflower was lightly steamed and then dipped in a flour batter and fried in a little oil. Not deep-fried. Just pan-fried. Crispy and good with ketchup.
Unrelated to the 1920s, but I had the pleasure of running into a fellow blogger named Miriam this weekend on her visit to Memphis. She's vegan and found Imagine Vegan Cafe through my Vegan Memphis Dining Guide. And while she was there eating, I happened to be stopping by to pick up my Halloween hot dog. So we met, and she was just lovely. She blogged about her Memphis visit on her blog, Journey of a Wylde Soul. Check it out!
They were using meat, of course. But when I'm watching cooks prepare meat on cooking shows, I'm always thinking of ways to veganize whatever they're making. Anyway, the show told the history of the burger, which being from Arkansas and living in Tennessee, I'd never heard of. But apparently, they're a big deal in Oklahoma.
And legend has it the burger was invented by a man named Ross Davis, who owned the Hamburger Inn on Route 66 in in El Reno, Oklahoma. It was the late 1920s, right around the start of the Great Depression, and he would smash a ton of onions into the meat as the burger cooked, caramelizing the onions and cutting back on meat since resources were scarce. I love caramelized onions, so I decided to veganize this for my cookbook. Here's my Black Bean Fried Onion Burger with vegan cheddar, pickles, and onions.
I created a homemade black bean patty, and then I fried it on one side in a little olive oil. While that side was cooking, I smashed about 1/4 cup of very thinly sliced onions into the patty. Then I flipped it and let it cook for quite awhile, allowing the onions to soften and caramelize. Mmmmm. Delicious.
On the side, I created another recipe for the 1920s — Fried Cauliflower.
From what I've been reading, frying was very common vegetable preparation method in the 1920s. In fact, it seems veggies were always either overcooked or fried. I'll take fried and crispy over limp and boiled any day!
This cauliflower was lightly steamed and then dipped in a flour batter and fried in a little oil. Not deep-fried. Just pan-fried. Crispy and good with ketchup.
Unrelated to the 1920s, but I had the pleasure of running into a fellow blogger named Miriam this weekend on her visit to Memphis. She's vegan and found Imagine Vegan Cafe through my Vegan Memphis Dining Guide. And while she was there eating, I happened to be stopping by to pick up my Halloween hot dog. So we met, and she was just lovely. She blogged about her Memphis visit on her blog, Journey of a Wylde Soul. Check it out!
November 1, 2015
Halloween Eats!
Another Halloween has come and gone! It's definitely my favorite holiday. Mostly because I love dressing up but also because Halloween is also Samhain, the night when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its thinnest. It's a fantastic day to hold a little ritual honoring your friends and family members who have passed. I also love Halloween because it means squirrels in witch hats!
I know, I know. You can't even stand it, right? I can't believe I got Mabel to hold still long enough to pose for this adorable pic. But more on Mabel in a few. Here's what I ate yesterday.
For lunch, I stopped by Imagine Vegan Cafe and picked up a Messy Dog (hot dog with vegan cheese sauce, chili, kraut, vegan mayo, jalapeno, & relish). I always eat a hot dog on Halloween because my Me-Maw usually throws a Halloween party (with chili dogs). This year, she couldn't have a party because she just had hip surgery, but I can't let go of tradition.
For dinner on Samhain night, I always have a little Feast of the Dead. I set out photos and tokens at the dinner table representing everyone I know who has passed. Then, I light a candle for each person, and then we eat together — just me and the spirits. It's quite lovely. I usually make this awesome seitan & plantain stew from Bryant Terry's Grub cookbook. But this year, I mixed things up by making another of my favorite fall recipes —Punk-kin Pasta from La Dolce Vegan. This is whole wheat pasta with pumpkin puree, vegan burger crumbles, and sauteed onions, and it's topped with vegan cheddar. Had a slice of garlic toast with Viana Onion Butter on the side.
I also made a salad with yummy J&D's Bacon Croutons (yes, they're vegan!) and Wayfare Bacony Bits — both treats that my dad ordered me recently from Vegan Essentials!
For dessert, I picked up a Pumpkin Cupcake with Cinnamon Buttercream from Pink Diva Cupcakery!
Now I promised more Mabel, so here ya go! Today was Mabel's first unsupervised outdoors adventure. Our rescued baby squirrel is 12 weeks old now, so she's ready for release. I opened the window today and let her explore outside on her own. She didn't get far before coming back inside to the nest she's created with toilet paper on top of the toilet! But she did spend some time climbing some boards we propped against the house for her.
She's free now to come and go as she pleases. But it's been our experience with Herman, our last rescued squirrel, that newly released babies like to stay inside at night for a few more weeks until they can make their own nests. And as long as she wants to stay inside, we'll let her! And of course, we'll provide food all winter since she hasn't had time to gather her own nuts. Gonna miss having her running around the bathroom all the time though!
I know, I know. You can't even stand it, right? I can't believe I got Mabel to hold still long enough to pose for this adorable pic. But more on Mabel in a few. Here's what I ate yesterday.
For lunch, I stopped by Imagine Vegan Cafe and picked up a Messy Dog (hot dog with vegan cheese sauce, chili, kraut, vegan mayo, jalapeno, & relish). I always eat a hot dog on Halloween because my Me-Maw usually throws a Halloween party (with chili dogs). This year, she couldn't have a party because she just had hip surgery, but I can't let go of tradition.
For dinner on Samhain night, I always have a little Feast of the Dead. I set out photos and tokens at the dinner table representing everyone I know who has passed. Then, I light a candle for each person, and then we eat together — just me and the spirits. It's quite lovely. I usually make this awesome seitan & plantain stew from Bryant Terry's Grub cookbook. But this year, I mixed things up by making another of my favorite fall recipes —Punk-kin Pasta from La Dolce Vegan. This is whole wheat pasta with pumpkin puree, vegan burger crumbles, and sauteed onions, and it's topped with vegan cheddar. Had a slice of garlic toast with Viana Onion Butter on the side.
I also made a salad with yummy J&D's Bacon Croutons (yes, they're vegan!) and Wayfare Bacony Bits — both treats that my dad ordered me recently from Vegan Essentials!
For dessert, I picked up a Pumpkin Cupcake with Cinnamon Buttercream from Pink Diva Cupcakery!
Now I promised more Mabel, so here ya go! Today was Mabel's first unsupervised outdoors adventure. Our rescued baby squirrel is 12 weeks old now, so she's ready for release. I opened the window today and let her explore outside on her own. She didn't get far before coming back inside to the nest she's created with toilet paper on top of the toilet! But she did spend some time climbing some boards we propped against the house for her.
She's free now to come and go as she pleases. But it's been our experience with Herman, our last rescued squirrel, that newly released babies like to stay inside at night for a few more weeks until they can make their own nests. And as long as she wants to stay inside, we'll let her! And of course, we'll provide food all winter since she hasn't had time to gather her own nuts. Gonna miss having her running around the bathroom all the time though!
October 29, 2015
Jazzy Vegan Eatin'
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of being a guest on Laura Theodore's The Jazzy Vegetarian podcast. We talked about my upcoming cookbook (this was before Cookin' Crunk came out) and tips on creating vegan meals from menu items at non-vegan restaurants. It was my first exposure to the podcast medium (I didn't even really know what a podcast was back then!), and Laura was soooo nice.These days, Laura is a public television cooking show host! She stars in the kitchen on the Jazzy Vegetarian show, and she's got a few cookbooks under her belt. Her latest one — Vegan-Ease — just came out, and today is my stop on the book's blog tour.
This hardcover, full-color book is just lovely. There are pictures with most of the recipes. And as the book's name suggests, the recipes are all super-simple. She's organized the dishes by Ease Factor with 1 being the easiest and 3 being more challenging. But really, they're all pretty easy.
The food is contemporary cuisine and comfort food —red lentil curry soup, vegan lox & bagels, lots of pasta dishes, walnut & quinoa-stuffed portabella mushrooms, seitan piccata, peanut butter chocolate mousse, blueberry cheeze-cake squares. And the recipes are made with whole foods and very little oil.
I started with the Spinach-Tomato Vegan Omelet because I'm sort of on a quest to make every vegan omelet in every book ever.
LOVE vegan omelets. This one is tofu-based, and it's baked rather than cooked on the stove. The fillings — thyme-laced tomatoes and baby spinach — are placed in the bottom of the baking dish. And then the eggy tofu mixture is spread on top. It's baked for 45 minutes until the tofu is eggy firm. Then you flip it out of the pan, stuff with vegan cheese (optional, but of course I opted for it!), and fold. It makes two servings, so you get a thick omelet. Very hearty and filling for a weekday breakfast! It was a level 3 on the ease factor, and it was still pretty darn simple.
I also tried one of her Ease Factor 1 recipes — Potato-Hummus Canapes. Because potatoes and hummus!
All you do is bake a potato, chill it, slice it, and top with hummus, olives, and dill. I added seasoned salt to the potatoes too. There's a hummus recipe in the book, but I went for the easiest route and purchased some Roots Roasted Garlic Hummus. Amazing. I'd never had potatoes and hummus together before, but they're really a match made for one another.
Vegan-Ease would be perfect for a new vegan who's just getting started and wanting some simple, healthy dishes. And it's great for folks looking to add more whole foods to their diets. I'm a self-professed junk food vegan, and even I'll admit that it feels good to eat clean some of the time. Something has to balance out all that beer and vegan cheese pizza and Oreos.
October 28, 2015
Vegan Drinks: Asian Fusion Edition
We had our monthly Vegan Drinks meetup at Mosa Asian Bistro tonight. It's a cute, casual fusion cafe with Chinese, Thai, Korean, and Japanese food. Here's the gang, minus a couple who showed up later.
It was happy hour, and house wine was $5 a glass. So I started with some red wine and a Veggie Spring Roll. I was starving, and I needed something to tide me over. This roll was perfectly crisp and stuffed with delicious seasoned cabbage.
For my entree, I went with Pad See U, a Thai dish with wide rice noodles, broccoli, garlic sauce, and fried tofu. Any time I see Pad See U on a menu, that's what I get because it's pretty much my fave thing ever. Pam, who eats at Mosa weekly, encouraged me to order this with extra tofu, so I did. There's just something about wide rice noodles that makes me happy.
Mike got the Tofu Fried Rice. I took a bite of his, and it was delicious. It had that cooked-in-a-hot-wok flavor. You know what I'm talking about.
Jennifer went with the Sapporo beer and Singapore Curry Noodles, which would have been my second choice if Pad See U wasn't on the menu. This is made with a coconut curry sauce and rice noodles.
Megan ordered wine to drink — happy hour stuff!
And she ordered the Hunan Tofu. Looks good and saucy! I love that Mosa offers brown rice as an option.
Pat ordered a true fusion meal — Mosa Wraps! Fried tofu and veggies with tortillas for wrapping. Weird. But it looks delicious.
Nathan always goes with beer. Tonight, it was a Sam Adams Boston Lager.
And he and Susan both ordered the Rainbow Panang Curry for their entree. I tasted the sauce, and wow. Just wow. Thai coconut curry with lemongrass, lime leaves, and panang curry. I will definitely get this next time!
It was happy hour, and house wine was $5 a glass. So I started with some red wine and a Veggie Spring Roll. I was starving, and I needed something to tide me over. This roll was perfectly crisp and stuffed with delicious seasoned cabbage.
For my entree, I went with Pad See U, a Thai dish with wide rice noodles, broccoli, garlic sauce, and fried tofu. Any time I see Pad See U on a menu, that's what I get because it's pretty much my fave thing ever. Pam, who eats at Mosa weekly, encouraged me to order this with extra tofu, so I did. There's just something about wide rice noodles that makes me happy.
Mike got the Tofu Fried Rice. I took a bite of his, and it was delicious. It had that cooked-in-a-hot-wok flavor. You know what I'm talking about.
Jennifer went with the Sapporo beer and Singapore Curry Noodles, which would have been my second choice if Pad See U wasn't on the menu. This is made with a coconut curry sauce and rice noodles.
Megan ordered wine to drink — happy hour stuff!
And she ordered the Hunan Tofu. Looks good and saucy! I love that Mosa offers brown rice as an option.
Pat ordered a true fusion meal — Mosa Wraps! Fried tofu and veggies with tortillas for wrapping. Weird. But it looks delicious.
Nathan always goes with beer. Tonight, it was a Sam Adams Boston Lager.
And he and Susan both ordered the Rainbow Panang Curry for their entree. I tasted the sauce, and wow. Just wow. Thai coconut curry with lemongrass, lime leaves, and panang curry. I will definitely get this next time!
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