Superbad

Wegman's had the deal on Ataulfo Mangoes!

I saw these peeled and steamed fava beans in the produce section of Wegman's, and I had to get them! I bought some dried fava beans in bulk last spring, and they are a lot of work to prepare. You have to blanch them, peel off the tough outer skin, then cook them. They are on the pricier side, even for bulk, so these already peeled and cooked beans were really quite the deal. The box was around $2.50, which is more than what I would have paid for that amount in bulk. I'm going to sautee these with some garlic and green onion, stir in some pasta, and add parsley at the end. Yum. If you like fava beans, keep an eye out in your produce section. I found these near the bagged salads, right next to hummus, and steamed beets and lentils. I also have been loving all the Ataulfo mangoes I've been able to find this spring. They are so much sweeter, richer, and creamier than the standard mango. In the middle of the mango madness is a little papaya. I forget what variety it is, they might have just called it small papaya. I also got a dragon fruit. I just really love the way they look so much! I also like the texture. I like them in a fruit salad, they add a little crunch with all the seeds.
The chocolate bar is by Vosges chocolate, and it looked interesting, so I decided to try it. It boasts of super foods, and all the benefits that come with super foods. I will be honest, I tried a square last night after dinner, and umm, not my favorite chocolate ever. I've decided I don't want super foods near my chocolate unless maybe it's goji berries or something. The chocolate is like really dark, and at first you taste the very intense chocolate, then it seems okay because you taste banana, but then the coconut ash kicks in, and it goes downhill fast. I don't know how to describe the taste. It's not coconut, and although I've never eaten ash, I don't think it's ash, but it sure isn't super. They had another variety that was dark chocolate and matcha, which sounded great, until I saw with spirulina! What in the world. I have to be honest I cannot handle spirulina. I had some powder, and I would try to add the teeniest bit to smoothies, and I could taste it right away. I certainly don't want it in or near my chocolate! I think that I will be sticking to my beloved stone ground chocolate. This is not chocolate that I would give to a non-vegan. I feel it would make them leery of vegan food. True story, at some point my parents went to a party and someone was vegan. They brought chocolate truffles or something of the sort, and didn't mention the chocolates had spirulina in them. Well, my parents were utterly grossed out, and it has given them a very negative view on vegan food, especially treats. I have tried to tell them time after time that not all vegans eat spirulina with everything, but I definitely can see the distrust in their eyes. The few times I've gotten them to try vegan foods, I can see the shock in their eyes that they aren't gagging. Anyway, I say thumbs down on this chocolate, but it has some glowing reviews on their website, so I say if super foodie, super healthy, super dark chocolate is your thang, you might love this!

It's Cheap, Spicy, and Easy to be Vegan!!

I got artistic with the hot sauce!

This is a dinner that is a regular dish in the wintertime. It is cheap, tasty, very easy to add whatever is on hand, and the leftovers taste even better! It's just rice, and beans layered with tortillas and a green chili cashew cream. I also added some thinly sliced tomato cayenne Chao slices. I have made this dish at least a million times, and it is good with or without vegan cheese. You can use white or brown rice. I've made it using millet, I'm sure quinoa or even farro or bulger would work. I've also used just about every bean in my pantry. You can add whatever vegetable you might like. What I'm trying to say is this is a flexible meal. Last night I blended a 4.5 oz. can of green chillies with 1/2 cup soaked cashews, plus 1/4 C. soaked sunflower seeds and about 1/2 half C. of water. After blending I stirred in 1/4 C. nutritional yeast and a pinch of turmeric. I usually make this dish when I have that little bit of salsa at the end of the jar. It's also delicious with a tomato based enchilada type of sauce.
I of course didn't write down an exact recipe, but it's pretty much done like a lasagne. First, a little sauce, then some tortillas. You can use corn, or flour, I've made it with both. Last night I used flour. Then, grain, bean, whatever veg, vegan cheese if using, and more sauce. Build as many layers as you want, and then bake at 350 Fahrenheit for about 25-30 minutes. Let rest for at least ten or fifteen minutes before slicing. Like I said, this is tasty with or without vegan cheese. It's a tasty, comforting meal that is super cheap, but you don't feel like you are eating "poor".  It drives me nutso when people accuse a vegan diet of being expensive. Any diet can be expensive. There are some vegan specialty foods that I will probably never try in my life because of the price. Some things I would never buy even if I were rich just on principle. But there are so many foods that are cheap, and with a little creativity you can eat well. I truly feel that I learned a lot about cooking through extreme financial droughts.
The next time you have that little bit of salsa at the end of your jar, try blending it with some soaked cashews, or sunflower seeds, and a little nutritional yeast. Instant vegan Queso! Great for this recipe, nachos, spicy mac&cheese, baked potato topper, burrito topper, and whatever else you can think of.
Vegan food doesn't have to be bland, or expensive!!

Setting Yourself Up

Breakfast of champs!!

Pantry finds!!

Have you tried these Sing Buri cashews by Sahale Snacks? They are everything I want in my mouth. They are salty, sweet, spicy, crunchy, and chewy from the small pieces of dried pineapple. I could eat these all day long. I was doing cupboard inventory to see what I need to start using, and somehow I forgot about these nuts I found on sale awhile ago. I couldn't stop eating them yesterday. They really do remind me of delicious Thai food, which I have not had since leaving Seattle. My mind is blown, and I look forward to trying some of this companies other nut blends. I also forgot all about this loose leaf tea I bought awhile ago. It is Tea Forte Cucumber Mint. I brewed a cup yesterday and enjoyed the light flavor. The mint is very light, it's more of a fruity(berry?) cucumber taste. I plan on making a batch of iced tea with some of it today. For some reason I prefer fruity and cucumber teas to be cold. Anyway, it is very refreshing if you are looking for a new iced tea option. The canister promises that this tea is good for skin clearing and youthful skin benefits. If I notice one day that my skin looks unusually amazing, I will certainly report back!
I started my day with a head of Romaine topped with sliced sweet baby peppers, cucumber, Bao Raw Slaw, and a hearty shake of nutritional yeast. I feel so amazing when I have a green salad in the morning. It also sets up the rest of the day to make good, healthy choices. I want to continue that good, healthy vibe I have going. I also feel really satisfied when I start my day with a lot of crunching and chewing. I feel satisfied like I really ate a MEAL! I'm really loving the Bao Raw slaw as a salad topper. It adds that delicious, salty pickle-y flavor. This whole salad combo is also delicious stuffed in a pita, or shoved into a baguette. One of the many things I've learned on this wild ride to healthy is when you start the day with stuff that makes you feel really great, you want to keep that great feeling going. When I look back to starting my day with coffee and cigarettes, I see how I wasn't really setting myself up to have a good day. I've been aggressively pursuing health and happiness for around a year, and although I still have a long way to go, it's really nice to see where progress has been made.
How do you like to start your day?

Beet-le Juice and Pizza

Pizza, Dylan, and beet juice!!

I had to find a use for the rest of the Victoria Vegan original Alfredo sauce that really wasn't my fave, and I didn't want to use it on pasta again. I thought of doctoring it up for a mac&cheese type of sauce, but then I thought pizza! I often see white pizza's on menus, so I thought, why not veganize it! Normally I would use my beloved oatmeal crust recipe, but I am out of oats! Also, with my big move coming up, I need to start using up some pantry stuff, so I made a traditional pizza dough using this recipe. I followed it exactly, except I did add some dried Italian herbs and black pepper to the dough. It rose beautifully, and was a pretty decent crust. I will use this recipe again when I make traditional pizza. The only criticism I have of the recipe is they didn't give oven temps, or cooking time. I just looked on another recipe, and cooked my pizza at 425 Farenheit  for around twenty minutes, give or take a minute. I topped it with the Alfredo sauce, a generous sprinkling of nutritional yeast, three slices of original Chao slices julienned , white beans, kale, garlic, onion, and spicy green and Kalamata olives. I then sprinkled the top generously with Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. The toppings I chose really helped to mask the overpowering citrus flavor of the Alfredo. The creamy cashew based sauce, and the Chao really made for a creamy texture to this pizza. The spicy, briny taste of the olives cut through the richness and made me feel like I was very elegant! I've always used red sauce, or even just a garlic, olive oil base for my pizza so this was a new to me pizza experience. I would make this pizza again in a heartbeat and serve it proudly to non-vegans and watch them delight in the rich, deliciousness! I've noticed a lot of pizza shops have some type of white pizza with chicken, and sometimes broccoli. It would be super easy to recreate that with some Beyond Meat strips, and of course broccoli. Where there is a will, there is a vegan way!
Beets are another one of those things like dandelion tea that are really good for the liver, but not so good for my taste buds. I've been forcing myself to drink beet juice for over a year now, and I've learned through a lot of trial and error that beets, pineapple, orange, and lemon make the beets as palatable as possible. If you are like me and find beets super lets say earthy(dirty), this is the answer if you still want the health benefits. The pineapple and citrus almost completely mask the beet taste.
Do you have any foods you trick yourself into eating?

Vegan Banana Split Ice Cream Sandwiches Exist!!!

Wegman's!

I went to Wegman's looking for So Delicious Neapolitan mini ice cream sandwiches, grabbed a box, threw it in my cart and was surprised to notice that these minis were banana split! In the banana split, the vanilla ice cram is swapped out for banana! I didn't even know vegan banana ice cream existed. This stuff should be sold in pints, it would be in my freezer always. It reminds me of some kind of non-vegan frozen treat that I've had in my life, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is. I have seven more bars to go, so hopefully I can put my finger on the memory. As with the mini bars, the sandwiches are rich, so the mini is really a perfect size. You can really taste the chocolate, strawberry and banana flavors, and they work really well together. I can't imagine anyone choosing plain old dairy ice cream sandwiches when you can have banana split ice cream sandwiches made out of coconut ice cream!
I also decided to try the Victoria Vegan original Alfredo sauce. It was okay, I definitely prefer the Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo. I have made cashew Alfredo, and cashew cream sauces so often at his point that I guess I just prefer my own. It had a sharp taste that at first I thought was too much lemon, but after looking at the ingredients, lemon isn't even an ingredient! I read quite a few very glowing reviews of this sauce, so maybe I am just a little wacky. I have half a jar left to use, so maybe the second time around will be better. I'm not giving this a thumbs down, but I do recommend the Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo over the original.
The last new to me thing in my Wegman's haul is the Traditional Medicinals Green Tea Dandelion. I try to add dandelion tea to my diet for the healing qualities, but dandelion is a very strong, slightly bitter very earthy taste that doesn't always please me, so it is easy for me to blow it off. I try to pay attention to herbs, and foods that are good for the liver. For all the beer I've poured in my body, I have a lot to make up for with my liver. I'm pleased to report that the green tea really helps balance out the dandelion. They go really well together and I am sipping a cup of this now, and I am actually enjoying it!
To sum up my haul, run don't walk to your fave grocery and buy a box of Banana split minis, or any So Delicious mini bar, you won't regret it!

Pssst. You didn't Hear it from Me....

Mini-Haul

I went to the Co-op yesterday in search of a delicious vegan ice cream sandwich, and due to the warmer weather they sold all out of their So Delicious mini everything! I decided to get another hibiscus berry Kevita Probiotic beverage, along with some green chili hummus, which is a new to me hummus, and some chocolate to soothe my blues. I got another tiny but powerful coconut crunch bar, and I decided to try one of Taza's disc chocolates. I got the vanilla, because chocolate and vanilla. I'm super excited to try this round disc. I ate a piece of regular dark chocolate the other day, and after eating stone ground chocolate it just wasn't as pleasing. The regular chocolate just felt flat and boring. I'm hooked on the texture of stone ground chocolate!
I also talked to two different employees about Chao slices. One employee is vegetarian, the other not vegetarian, but leans that way, and they both raved to me about Chao! I think it's so amazing because these are guys that eat dairy cheese! They both raved about the taste, and texture. One tried the tomato cayenne, and one tried the creamy original. These guys might buy Chao now to put on their veggie burgers this summer, instead of dairy cheese. And they might have cook-outs and impress other people with the Chao slices. I know there are so many people who don't care, and that is sooooo discouraging. But I also think there are people who at least kind of care, they care enough that if they can find a suitable replacement for some animal product they use, they just might do it. But it's up to us vegans to keep tasting, and passing along the information. Both employees also mentioned that Field Roast as a company is pretty much nailing it. I of course agree, and it warmed my heart to see such enthusiasm from non -vegans. They will continue to spread the word to all of the Co-op shoppers. The power of word of mouth is real. I was feeling kind of funky yesterday, and I came home feeling a little better. Sometimes you get a little cheering from the most unexpected places!
Before I go, I finally opened the bag of  Tyrrell's   sweet chili and red pepper crisps and all I can say is I am ruined for all other chips, or crisps. These crisps have potatoes, canola oil, and spices in them. Every single spice makes sense, and they taste so fresh! They taste like someone made them for me that same day. I had never heard of this brand before noticing the sale at the Co-op, but I will be on the lookout always for Tyrrell's crisps. They taste like real chips with real flavor. And while you still feel like you are eating a chip, they aren't total grease and salt bombs. All the thumbs up!

Animal Kindness

Animal

I was so proud last night, I made another oatmeal crust pizza, and I found a different spot to take a picture where it was a little less bright, and I took the picture holding the web cam upside down! This morning when I added the picture, it took me awhile to figure out what was wrong with it! I am a dork for sure. Anyway this is way cuter than pizza . This is Animal, yes she is named after the Muppets character! She has a very similar wild but lovable personality. Although she occasionally cuddles with the rest, she does tend to march to the beat of her own drum most of the time. She and I are similar in that way. I've said it before, it certainly was never a goal to become a crazy cat lady, but I'm not upset that it happened. I've learned so much about myself through this experience, and I feel happy that this little family got to stick together.
My Yogi teabag today says "Love is where compassion prevails and kindness rules" I have had a very funky week, and I feel the weight of sadness on my shoulders. No amount of Yoga is easing the tension. I'm going to carry this little tea bag label with me today. I hope to walk off my funk, and come home with my spirits a little lifted. Have a wonderful day!

Groovy Stuff

A little Groovy

I was super excited to see yet another new to me Kombucha at the Co-op. For the longest time, they only sold Synergy, and Reed's. Now they have Kevita, and also High Country. From the look of High Country's website, they have a new bottle design, so be on the lookout for that. This bottle was bought about two weeks ago, so the change must be very recent. Anyway, I was excited to see a Groovy Grape flavor, as I love groovy things, and grape is one of my favorite flavors. When I was a kid, and could sneak in some old fashioned junk, grape bubblegum was my jam! Oh, and I shudder to think of how much I loved grape soda. Blech. This kombucha is not as fizzy as other brands, including my own home brew. It also is way less sweet, which I'm sure a lot of people would like. The grape flavor was there, but very subtle. I was a little disappointed, to be honest. It tasted much more like how my home brewed kpmbucha tasted like when I was still learning and experimenting. One of the reasons I splurge on some of the bottled kombuchas is they taste way more amazing than what I have made so far. I would say that this kombucha is for those that like a sharper, less sweet kombucha. And I know there are a lot of Kombucha drinkers that prefer a stronger booch. It is amazing that there is a booch out there for everyone! Just to see more than one brand of kombucha on the shelves is pretty amazing, if you ask me! Even the meatier, junkier Giant Eagle sells Synergy kombucha, and also Kevita kombucha along with a few flavors of their probiotic drinks. I really love kombucha. As someone who was severely addicted to coffee, and for a stint energy drinks, neither ever gave me the wonderful feeling kombucha does. Anyway, I would say if you like a sweeter, fizzier booch, this brand may not be for you. But if you prefer a stronger, less sweet booch, I would say try High Country. From the looks of their website, they have a few new flavors.
I also can't sign off without suggesting that everyone run, don't walk to your local grocery and buy a box of  So Delicious Just Java Minis. I expected these bars to be like a fudge pop, or was it sicle? Anyway, I thought they would be that kind of creamy, icy texture. I couldn't have been more wrong. Luxurious is a word that comes to mind. They are creamy, and thick, and rich. Again, the size is perfect. To make it even better, they are only eighty calories a bar? With as rich and creamy as these are, it's really hard to believe.  So Delicious is also now using sticks that are plant based and compostable! So Delicious is really nailing it!

Masks

I had heard of Amy Schumer, the comedian, but as I don't own a TV, I have somehow missed the brilliance that is Inside Amy Schumer. Has anyone watched this show? I haven't been able to find full episodes online, Comedy Central has them locked, you have to enter your cable provider, and I have none so blah. But after a really bad Friday night at work, I did binge watch a million and one clips of this brilliant show on YouTube. I also found one of her stand-up shows and I almost died from laughter, which would be a great way to go. She is not for people who are easily offended, she really gets in there, and can be quite raunchy. I used to date a stand-up, I believe she would be considered a blue comedian. She is one of the funniest comedians I have seen in a loooooong time. I have always appreciated those who can make us laugh. No matter who you are, this world is hard, and sad, and every day there are horrible things happening. We have to be able to laugh once in awhile, to balance out all the sadness. Comedy/Tragedy.  This video came on the heels of my frustration with Cover Girl's new ad campaign telling us ladies to "Embrace our face", while telling us to buy foundation to cover our face. It makes me gag. Anyway, this video is hilarious, and if you do own a TV, and have cable, I would for sure be adding Inside Amy Schumer to my watch list!
Also, yesterday I talked about the Kanwa mint mineral tea that I bought, and I wanted to say that it is by far the best mint tea I have ever had. The mint flavor is perfect, not too much. Too much mint can equal bitter. And I truly feel energized after drinking a cup, and it's caffeine free.  I am so grateful to the feline's for putting in those extra hours at the nip factory!
Sorry about the super gross anti-smoking ad before the video. The downside to watching these clips on YouTube is EVERY clip has one of three very grody anti-smoking ads. All I can assume is Amy Schumer fans are chain smokers?

I'll Have Some Chips with my Tea

More Co-op goodies!

I love when the Co-op has the smaller, chubbier collard leaves! They are so much more tender, and make great collard wraps! I like to make my wraps with hummus, shredded carrots, and sprouts. Yum. I of course bought a ton of organic oatmeal, not for breakfast, but for my favorite pizza crust ever! I can't stress enough how easy it is to make, and the crust is really delicious. It's a denser crust, so it's so great if you're like me, and like lots of sauce and veggies! My feline friends put in some extra hours at their jobs and told me to get myself something special for Mother's Day, so I splurged on this tea that I have been eyeballing for some time. It's called Kanwa, and it is a mineral tea. The Co-op had mint, chamomile, and one other flavor that I can't remember. I chose mint, because I find mint tea naturally perks me up, so it seems a good choice for morning time, and my quest to lower my caffeine intake. I also tried another flavor of the Taza stone ground chocolate. Last time I tried hazelnut crunch, this time I tried coconut crunch. I am now as obsessed with this chocolate as I am with Chao slices! The coconut crunch is even better than the hazelnut! The chocolate just has this amazing crisp texture that I can't get enough of, and then add little pieces of coconut and I'm in chocolate heaven. The chocolate is so rich, you truly only need a small amount to be satisfied. That is the tiny bar on top of the Equal Exchange green tea. That tiny bar packs a punch, trust me. The little fruit under the green tea is in my opinion the Queen of all mangoes, the Ataulfo mango. I impulse bought the Tyrrell's chips. They were on a super sale, and how can I resist sweet chili and red pepper??  Tyrrell's website is really cute, and they had several flavors at the Co-op. I haven't tried them yet, but my suspicion is they will be great. I will report back of course.
Not pictured are the So Delicious Just Java Minis. I had to stick them in the freezer immediately because I walked to and from the Co-op, so poor things had been melting away on my almost two mile walk home. I can't wait to try these delicious looking treats!
I can't stop saying how happy I am about the continuous stream of new vegan goodies! In a world where it is so easy to get discouraged, you have to look for signs of hope where ever you can find it. I keep saying it because I truly believe this. It is getting harder and harder to use taste and cravings as an excuse for cruelty. There are vegan options for almost any kind of non-vegan food. And good, tasty substitutions.
What new vegan treats have you discovered lately??