Ancho Cashew Cream Sauce

What you see below is a bowl of Ancho Cashew Cream Sauce from Daily Grub.  As a gift, Elle (owner and chef) gave me an enormous jar of it.  She knows just how in love with it I am.  

So what did I make with this lovely spread?  Every morning, I ate it on toast with Granny Smith apple slices.  For lunch, I dipped vegetables and pita in it.  For dinner, I made pasta with broccoli and smothered it with Ancho Sauce.  There is nothing you cannot eat with this spread.  It is so creamy, smooth, spicy, and satisfying.  It's hard for me to even put into words how much I adore it.  If you're ever lucky enough to eat at Daily Grub, you can enjoy the Ancho Cashew Cream Sope or the Banh Mi, which both feature the sauce.  Truly, one of the best gifts I've ever received :)

If you're friends with me on Facebook, you can see a picture of me just after I received my gift, shot by my awesome friend Denise! 

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays!  I'll be traveling the next couple of weeks, but I'll soon have full reviews of my eats from Chicago, Columbus, Youngstown + Palm Springs!!! 

One Flew South

Last weekend my husband and I had a long layover in Atlanta...so we finally got to try their sushi restaurant, One Flew South, in the E terminal.

I started with the Arugula Salad with apple butter, cranberries, pecans and onion vinaigrette.  The apple butter is made in house and was the perfect addition to this lovely salad.

And their Garden Roll is filled with arugula, carrots, cucumbers, avocado + micro herbs.  I also ordered just a plain Avocado Roll, a staple of vegetarian sushi.

They also have a full Non-Sushi menu.  They have a Salmon Hot Pot that includes fried rice, tofu and veggies that could most likely be ordered without the salmon.  You could also make an entree out of all of their side dishes, like sweet potatoes, cous cous, brussel sprouts, spaghetti squash puree, etc.  For vegetarians, they offer a Mushroom Ravioli with shitake mushrooms, cauliflower, golden raisins, capers, green beans and spinach.

It is expensive compared to a traditional airport meal (normally fast food), but it is so worth it if you have the time.  You actually feel good after eating here, not heavy and lethargic.

Vegan Desserts Go Mainstream

Today I discovered that Candle Cafe vegan desserts have finally made it to Omaha.  I had been checking the Whole Foods here for months...I am so thrilled that they have gone nationwide.  If they've made it to Omaha, chances are they're in your Whole Foods or on their way!

When I'm in New York I always grab one of their Raspberry Linzer Tarts for an after dinner treat.  They also sell a Vanilla Cheesecake and a Peanut Butter Tart...and just in time for the holidays.  Cheers!

My Oh So Wonderful Veg Parents

Happy Birthday to my amazing veggie parents - both have birthdays this month and my mom's just happens to be today!

Thank you to both of you for accepting my decision to go vegetarian at the age of 3 and supporting me in every way since then.  And thank you for becoming vegan and helping me become vegan this year!  Love you both.

Eat the Worm

This weekend my husband and I were snowed in, so we had to find a restaurant within walking distance.  We decided to try Eat the Worm, a taqueria and bar nearby.  At first, I thought finding vegan options might be difficult, but I was oh so wrong.

A Vegetable Tostada with lots of fresh veggies, guacamole and pico de gallo.

And a Tofu Soft Taco with guacamole.

They have all of the traditional Mexican dishes - enchilcadas, tacos, burritos, tostadas - that can all be made with veggies and/or tofu.  Just make sure to order without cheese if you're vegan.  And their guacamole is sour cream free!

Community Food + Juice

I love going for a light brunch at Community Food and Juice on the Upper West Side whenever I'm in New York.  I used to live closeby, so it was our go to spot on the weekends.  I love the atmosphere - light and airy, yet extremely cozy.

Their Hot Apple Cider is so comforting on chilly mornings.

I wasn't terribly hungry that morning, so I stuck to the fruit plate.  They also have dressed greens and several kinds of toast and jam.  I have inquired about the veg status of their Carrot Hashbrowns, which I used to adore, but have not heard back.  

For lunch, they have a Vegetarian Soup of the Day and Rice Bowl with Tofu, along with a Spring Market Salad, Farmer's Chop Salad and Warm Lentil Salad that can easily be made vegan.  

The restaurant is extremely vegetarian friendly...I hope that in the future they become even more vegan friendly!

Soy American + Mozzarella Cheese Review

This week I also tried Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan American Cheese Slices and their Mozzarella Cheese.

I made a grilled cheese with Earth Balance and roasted red pepper puree, with half American and half Mozzarella.  The roasted red pepper just gives it a nice flavor and a bit more depth.  

I was so pleasantly surprised by these cheeses.  There wasn't a whole lot of flavor going on (which in my opinion is a good thing - these types of cheeses in particular should not have strong flavors), but the texture was spot on.  Both cheeses had just the right amount of creaminess and melted perfectly.  The American was exactly the texture of traditional cheese slices.  I haven't tried them uncooked, but they'd be perfect on any hot sandwich.

And the mozzarella was very similar to how fresh mozzarella would melt, great on paninis or on top of baked pasta.  

I'm absolutely thrilled that vegan cheeses have evolved from what they used to be!  I've avoided most of them because of bad experiences early on...most of them I've tried have very strange flavors that overpower everything.

Trader Joe's has a great Roasted Red Pepper spread if you want a shortcut to preparing your own!

Soy Parmesan Review

This is my last post for Vegan Mofo.  It has been so much fun...and I've loved connecting with my fellow Mofoers!  So much good vegan info out there...

I was recently sent some cheese alternatives and asked to review them.  I was slightly concerned at first, since I don't think all that highly of soy cheese. (If I don't like something, you won't hear about it.  I like to keep Eat Pure 100% positive).  However, I was very happy to see the Soy Parmesan (pictured below) by Galaxy Nutritional Foods arrive at my door.  I am very familiar with this product and have used it for quite some time.  I really like it on pasta and pretty much all things Italian.  It can be used as a substitute in any recipes that call for Parmesan cheese.  I particularly like it on top of salads and bruschetta.

It has a slight Parmesan flavor, but mostly it adds texture, like traditional grated Parmesan.  I love the simple dish of penne, marinara sauce and soy Parmesan with garlic bread.  It's so comforting and perfect for winter.