Food and Finds!

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksliving had a great holiday. We all know I don't really do holidays so I just had a nice day. I made tacos for some non vegans I know. Since it was a holiday I splurged and got Beyond Beef for the tacos. I have to say that I was a bit turned off by how beefy my apartment smelled, and the smell lingered longer than I would have liked. But other than that, it made some great tacos. I mixed it with some black beans and taco seasoning and it was a HIT!! I'm telling you, tacos are the thing to make for non vegans. It's been my go to for years, and always a smash, even with very cynical non vegans!

I also made some spicy potatoes, so I had a taco potato bowl!! I was going to really splurge and have vegan sour cream, but the store was all out, and I was out of cashews for homemade. Oh well, it was still delicious!
Yesterday I needed a few groceries, so I went to Sprouts which was blissfully slow and not at all Black Friday-ish.

Protein powder and bar, cocomels and Amy's vegan chocolate(!!)veggie burgers, fizzy water, avocados,carrots,cuties,lemons,pineapple,celery,raspberries,lemongrass, vitamin C packs, coconut milk, live kombucha soda

Not much to say about my haul. Pretty much my normal purchases.I also got an eight pound bag of potatoes that somehow didn't make the picture. Of all things to leave out!

I also got this new to me flavor of kombucha from Live beverages. It tastes pretty dang close to cream soda, if you see this I highly recommend!!

I also had to run into Smith's for cat food, and look what I saw!! I HAD to pick this up, I haven't seen it anywhere and I've heard some people comment that it tastes like goat cheese, which was one of my favorite cheeses! Either way, it's from Violife so I'm sure it's going to be tasty!

What I've Been Eating and Drinking, Lots of Booch!

I keep meaning to do another what I eat in a day post, but I always forget to take a picture of something I've eaten that day. So, I have some random food and drink pictures from different days, so I'm just going to mash them together.
I also got my scoby so I'm super excited to start brewing my own kombucha again. I think I might even experiment with making my own juice to flavor it, so it will be SUPER artisinal and local and all the buzzwords!

These are some delicious flavors of kombucha I've been enjoying. I really, really love the cayenne cleanse from Health-Ade. It has just the right amount of kick!!

Still drinking the celery juice! This is celery, cucumber, pear and ginger. Pretty good. Hats off to the brave people who drink celery juice straight!

Garlic-y breakfast potatoes with lots of ketchup! I'm still loving potatoes, I just don't see that ever changing!

Rice noodles tossed with tamari and chili onion crunch from Trader Joe's. I also tossed my baked tofu in the same mixture. With some fresh romaine and cucumber to help cool it all off!! This was DELICIOUS!!

Last night I made Thai red curry with tofu and red lentils. Served with more rice noodles. Yesterday was a cold, snowy day and I was out trampling in it, so this warmed and hugged me at the end of the day.

I couldn't resist picking this up when I saw it at Winco for only $3.30!!! You guys, it's pretty amazing. I remember I tried the raspberry peanut butter So Delicious oatmilk ice cream and really loved the creaminess. This is just as creamy, and they're very generous with the caramel, and I am a sucker for vegan caramel!! I think oatmilk might make the creamiest ice cream!!

Gluten Free Chao Mac and Cheese!

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you probably know that I don't do a lot of holiday things. This isn't the place for holiday recipes or tips. Honestly, holiday foods or I guess traditional American holiday foods aren't really my favorite flavors. In general, American cuisine is my least favorite.
I don't know what came over me, but I decided last week I wanted to come up with a recipe for a side dish that would be a mixed crowd pleaser, and would be hearty and satisfying.
 I decided on gluten free mac and cheese using my favorite vegan cheese, Chao! I feel like Chao makes the best mac and cheese because Chao is thick and has body. It doesn't turn kind of thin and liquid-y like other vegan cheeses. I've made mac and chao for several non vegans, and I always get enthusiastic thumbs up.
This is a super basic sauce. I used cashews and a few seasonings along with the Chao cheese. When I'm making decadent mac and cheese, I think of Stouffer's. I know that sounds funny, but as a kid mac and cheese wasn't really something we ate, and I remember the first time I tried Stouffer's frozen mac and cheese I was in LOVE!!!! So I tried to go for that kind of junky , but oh so creamy cheese sauce.

I think I accomplished my goal! This hit the spot! I had a little garlic-y roasted broccoli on the side. This was hearty enough that if it's the only thing you can eat, you'll be satisfied!!


                                                        Creamy Chao Mac and Cheese!

• 3/4 C. Raw Cashew Pieces, soaked for at least two hours
• 3/4 to 1 C. Water
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp. Turmeric
• 1/4 Tsp. Yellow Mustard
• 2 T. Nutritional Yeast
• 5 Slices Chao Original Creamy, plus 3 slices for the end.
• 1 14 to 16 ounce container of gluten free, or gluten full pasta

Drain your cashews and add them to your blender with the S&P, turmeric, mustard, nutritional yeast, and the five slices of chao cheese. Blend until everything is smooth and creamy. You want the sauce to be pretty thick, but still pourable.
After you've cooked and drained your pasta, add it back to the pot and add your cheese sauce over low heat. Cut the remaining three slices of cheese into small pieces and add them to the pot. Give it all a good stir, cover the pot, turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. Serve, and enjoy!

Thrifting, Brewing and Sprouts Haul!

I've been wanting to get back into brewing my own kombucha for awhile now. It's just been a matter of getting to a thrift store so I can find a gallon jug, and getting a scoby. The thrift store that I love and is the closest to me is totally out of the way so I've just been putting it off. Well, yesterday I finally made it and I found two jugs, and I ordered a scoby! By next week, I'll be making my own small batch, local and artisinal booch! (ha)

Aren't they cute? One is a tiny bit bigger than the other, but they're both big enough! My plan is once I make my first batch, and the scoby has produced the little baby scoby, I'll just always have two batches going so I'm never without!!

I also picked up this wood filing cabinet to use as a mini dresser! I've needed a dresser since I've lived in SLC, and I don't own a lot of clothes so this is actually the perfect size. I'm keeping it classy with a shot of the litter box!!
I also made it to Sprouts and got a little haul! I love Sprouts because I feel like I buy more fruits and veg when I shop there, because they just have such great deals!!!

Lemons, granny smith apples, oranges, carrots, cinnamon tea, raspberries, chocolate covered bananas, celery,water kefir, kombucha,fizzy water, romaine, vanilla protein, tofu,potatoes, garlic,avocado, pears, humus, veggie chips

I've been really enjoying these water kefir beverages from GT'S. I've had pineapple peach, pink grapefruit and now this pear ginger. They've all been amazing, but pink grapefruit is my favorite so far. I wish these were as widely available as kombucha, because I like water kefir even more! Maybe I'll have to learn how to make my own!!

Yesterday was Caturday, and Caturdays are for snuggling around here! Of course everyday is cuddle day, especially in the winter!!

Food and Stuff

Last week I learned of a West African stew called Maafe. It's a peanut stew made with peanut butter, so you know I had to try it! It turned out so delicious, and it's so easy and inexpensive to make. When I went to share it in a post, I had deleted the picture!! It's okay, poor me I just had to make it again last night. It's so delicious and comforting, I see this gorgeous stew being a winter staple! I loosely used this recipe. I used regular potato instead of sweet, didn't use bell pepper or turnips, and of course added red lentils. This dish is AMAZING!! The ginger really shines, and it just has this simple, savory, delicious flavor!!

I served mine with quinoa in place of cous cous. Last week I had it with rice which was delicious as well. You definitely want something to soak up every last bit of the sauce!!!
It was the perfect meal on a grey, rainy day. It was a Seattle kind of day, with a constant drizzle of rain.

It's so funny how I always had a hard time with the grey and rain in Seattle. But now, living in a place where it's so sunny and the sun can be BRUTAL, I crave and love these days!!! It smells so fresh, and you can feel the moisture in the air. If you can't tell I've been feeling homesick for Seattle!

I saw this sign on a truck as I walked by. I thought it was pretty funny, and true. I wish we encouraged skateboarding more myself!

The other night I made black bean noodles with mushrooms and tofu. I used rice noodles to keep it gluten free. I tried to make black bean noodles once before, but I didn't dilute the black bean paste and it was really, really strong. This time, I actually followed the directions on the jar, and it turned out sooooo much better!!

One of my favorite easy meals! Stuffed baked potato! While the potato was baking, I let some cannellini beans marinate in some buffalo sauce. When the potato was done, I just stuffed the beans inside and drizzled a little FYH blue cheese on top. So freaking tasty!! And the blue cheese is a splurge because I found a sale, but I can definitely say the potato and buffalo beans combo is tasty on it's own as well!

For anyone brave enough to shop at Trader Joe's during this time of year, I highly recommend this creamer. I wish I would have bought more than one! It's a great price, under two dollars and it tastes great in coffee and tea!!!

Sprouts Haul, and Some Food, all Vegan!

Coconut oil, chao cheese, poultry seasoning, sage, lantana hummus,gluten free bread, daiya slices, rice noodles, cuties, rice cakes, daiya cheesecake(!!),raspberries, live kombucha soda.peppermint tea, tempeh bacon, avocados, vanilla protein, fyh blue cheese, cassava flour chips, and bogo coconut oil

Thanks to a store coupon, and some in store specials that Sprouts had I got all this for under forty dollars, even with some splurges! When is the last time I've had a daiya cheesecake?
I got the blue container of smart balance thinking it was vegan, but it has palm oil and apparently the D3 is not vegan, so I'm going to be returning it. I was going to use it for grilled cheese, but honestly coconut oil or vegan mayo work just fine.

I am not a huge fan of temeh. There are a few ways I like it, but in general I just prefer tofu. I don't think I've ever had tofurky's tempeh bacon, and I found a box on clearance. I was craving a salad, and I figured that would be a great way to try the tempeh. I tossed some butter lettuce, romaine, shredded carrots and sunflower seeds with a little Italian and fyh blue cheese, and then added some avocado and tempeh bacon. I still prefer tofu, but this tempeh was still pretty tasty with the salad!

I've been experimenting with making my own marinated, baked tofu. The first batch I tried was sriracha, and this batch was sesame soy. I just marinated it in a little tamari and sesame oil and then baked. It came out so firm and almost juicy.Served with what else, rice, veggies and peanut sauce!!

Of course this isn't food, but I found this eco friendly, not tested on animal cleaner at Target. It's pnly $2.49 a bottle, and it works like a dream! I saw a thread on twitter about how the vegan community doesn't discuss the high cost of cleaning products, shampoo, etc. enough, and I could not agree more. It's why sometimes I don't feel like I even belong in the vegan community. But anyway, that's a whole different topic!
This is an affordable option, and this brand has a whole line, dish soap, hand soap, spray cleaners, candles, even toilet paper made from recylcled paper which I use and love!!

See You in 2020 Trader Joe's!!

I made it to Trader Joe's yesterday, and after leaving did not have the strength to go to Sprouts. I have been half joking about taking a break from Trader Joe's till after the holidays, but after yesterday I really won't be back till 2020. I lost my list on the bus or the walk to the bus, so I was already frazzled, and then the crowds put me over the edge!! And I went on a Friday morning, about an hour after they opened. I can only imagine what today will be like.

Tofu, celery, gala apple, lemons, potatoes, Miyoko's cream cheese, butter lettuce,ginger, carrots, shredded carrots,coconut milk,chocolate peppermint almond beverage,water kefir,ginger turmeric tea,peppermint coffee creamer, lime, onion

I didn't buy this, but it's the first time I've seen it at Trader Joe's, and the price is lower than I've seen at other stores. It drives me insane how expensive oat milk is considering how cheap oats are. Kind of like bean pasta.

I love the GT's water kefir!! I tried the pineapple peach awhile ago, and Trader Joe's now has the pink grapefruit which is AHMAZING!! I highly recommend! Joan shares my enthusiasm!

Some Vegan Food I've Eaten!

I've been eating a lot of the same foods I normally eat. I feel like red lentil curry and tofu, rice veggie bowls with peanut sauce will always be in my rotation. But I have tried a few new things so I figured I'd share.

I wanted to report back on this kombucha. I'm guessing this will be popping up this time of year. It tastes a lot like a cream soda, with that booch bite. I really enjoyed it! And the bottle is cute too!

Another thing I like about this season! These have always been one of my favorite treats, since I was a kid. My step grandma used to make homemade Turkish delights and they were even more amazing! These have always been vegan, and now it says it on the front of the box!

I've been trying to eat a salad a day. It's not always possible, but it's a good goal to have. This beauty had romaine, shredded carrots, green olives, sunflower seeds and a little Italian and FYH blue cheese. YUM!!!!

This picture turned out blurry and weird for some reason, but the fried rice was definitely not weird!! Veggie fried rice with carrot, peas, mushroom, onion and of course tofu!

Here's a Thai green curry I made with red lentils and tofu. I had this with mung bean noodles instead of rice. Although I love rice, sometimes I just want to slurp some noodles!!

I picked up these veggie burgers to try. I've only seen this brand at Winco. It's a Canadian company, owned by women!!! Yay! Unfortunately, the burgers remind me of Hilary's veggie burgers which are a pass for me. These taste good, but they're really dry and crumbly in that vegan, gluten free healthy way. Lots of sauce needed!!

Last night's dinner. One of those Asian salad kits with kale, cabbage, romaine and red cabbage and two of the burgers with sriracha and veganaise. I used more veganaise than what is shown for the burgers. All in all a tasty dinner. The burgers aren't terrible, just not my first choice.
I'm off to Sprouts and Trader Joe's this morning, so I'll have a haul tomorrow. I have a coupon for Sprouts, so I might get a treat or two!!

To Splurge or Not to Splurge

I am a coconut oil girl. I use unrefined coconut oil for moisturizing my face and body, and I use it for cooking. I've been cooking with it for so long I really don't notice the coconut flavor, but I've had people I cook for mention the taste. So, I've been wanting to try avocado oil, but it's so freaking expensive I just never can swing it. And when I can, I prefer to splurge on something a bit more exciting than oil! So, when I saw this at Winco for a really great price I decided to try it. It's a combination of safflower, avocado and coconut oil so it's of course cheaper. I've used it several times and it's a nice, neutral flavored oil. Highly recommend!
I've been gluten free for a little over two years, and I hate it!! Although there are a few gluten free pastas that are okay, they still aren't as good, and when I see people eating regular pasta I feel so incredibly jealous! And bread is the worst. At least with gluten free pastas there are a few brands like Barilla and Trader Joe's that are pretty okay, and reasonably priced. But gluten free bread is insanely expensive, the loaves are much smaller than regular bread, and most of them are terrible!! I get so pissed when I splurge on a seven or eight dollar loaf of bread and it's horrible. I think of the vegan cheese I could have splurged on!

I've looked at this Julia's table gluten free bread a hundred times at Smith's, and never wanted to pay seven dollars just to be disappointed. So, last week when I saw a loaf on a Woohoo sale, I couldn't resist. I bought this and a package of dinner rolls. The dinner rolls were seriously as heavy as a baseball. And they had a really dense but crumbly texture. The bread isn't much better. I definitely don't think soft should be used!!I can't be the only gluten free person on a budget, and even if you aren't on a budget, save your money!! Remember when vegan cheese used to be the worst, and then it seemed like overnight they figured it out and it's all pretty great now? I'm still waiting for that to happen with gluten free bread!

We're still making progress with the girls and boy. Etta used to hiss and then run away from Bubba, so napping face to face with him is quite a big step!!

Sriracha Tofu Success!

I wanted to give a little update on my DIY sriracha baked tofu. Long story short, it was really easy and it turned out great!
I used the firm tofu that comes wrapped in plastic, not in the container with water. I sliced the brick in half, and then in four squares. I marinated the squares overnight in sriracha. I saw a few recipes online that used sriracha and soy sauce so the next day I added a little tamari and let that soak in for a few more hours. Right before I baked it, I added a little olive oil.

I baked it in a foil covered dish for about thirty minutes, then took the foil off and baked it for about fifteen or twenty minutes more. It had a great texture, and was nice and spicy from the sriracha!!

I used some in what else, a rice and veggie bowl with peanut sauce!!! The texture is that nice, dense texture that firm, baked tofu gets. And because it marinated for so long, every piece is flavorful!
I can't wait to experiment with more flavor combinations. I love finding ways to make my own versions of things I can't afford an a regular basis!! And next time, I'll write down exact measurements and share!

A Little Money, So Much Flavor!

I was at Winco the other day looking for veg stock cubes, couldn't find any and saw this. It has the little certified vegan sticker on it so I went for it. WOW, when you open the jar it smells like a head of sweet roasted garlic!!!!
I've made a couple of soups using this and it adds a great flavor!! It's very concentrated so a tiny dab will do!!

Last night I made a smoky split pea and potato soup, and the roasted garlic flavor complimented the smokiness.
I believe I paid around $2.69 give or take for the jar, and like I said a tiny dollop packs a huge punch, so this jar will last FOREVER!!!

I love the baked tofu that's already cooked, and you can eat it right out of the package. Last week I finally tried the sriracha baked tofu from Trader Joe's and of course loved it! I would buy baked tofu all the time if it weren't for the price! So, I have this lovely block of tofu marinating in some sriracha, and today I'm going to bake it and see what I can do! If I succeed I will definitely report back!!

Trader Joe's Haul!

After last week's mistake of getting groceries on Sunday, I made it to Trader Joe's early this morning to avoid any extra anxiety. As we get closer to the holidays, I will be completely avoiding Trader Joe's because there are really no safe times to go.

Lemons, red and yellow onion, oranges, carrots, evoo, romaine hearts, sesame crunch salad, potatoes, shredded carrots, tofu, chocolate peppermint almond beverage,coconut milk, peppermint tea, gluten free brownie mix,tomato paste, celery

Pretty much my usualhaul, with a few treats. I really like their gluten free brownie mix. It's pretty easy to veganize with a flax egg. And I had to try the sesame crunch salad, after reading about how much Sarah loves it!! Those Asian salad kits by Dole, or whoever makes them is one of my favorite salads. Add some baked tofu and I'm set!

This is one of my favorite things about this time of year! It's only $1.99 for this decent sized carton, and it makes a great coffee creamer for much less than any vegan creamer!!

I went to Smith's after Trader Joe's to see if I could find some gluten free rolls or bread that are vegan and don't cost an arm and a leg, and WOOHOO look what I found!!! I got to get both rolls and bread for less than the cost of one gluten free item!!

I also thought this was pretty cool! Almond Reddi whip displayed by the berries in the produce section of Smith's!! I love that vegan food is becoming so much more mainstream. You see less and less vegan sections, and more vegan choices just mixed in. I love it!