It’s all happening! My cookbook The Complete Vegan Instant Pot: 101 Delicious Whole-Food Recipes For Your Pressure Cooker is now available for pre-order on Amazon (affiliate link) and I’m hyperventilating!
I haven’t been allowed to share much about the book until now, so bear with me while I explode share everything with you now!
My book, which I am insanely proud of, focuses on healthy, easy recipes that are accessible to everyone because there aren’t a lot of complicated steps or ingredients to worry about.
It’s completely whole-foods based. There aren’t any mock meats (tofu and tempeh only!), although because these recipes were written by ME there are of course a lot of opportunities to fancy your versions up with your favorite vegan products. Vegan cheese, sour cream, etc can be added to lots of these recipes if you like.
I also really like how the recipes are tagged, whether they’re budget friendly, gluten-free, etc.
Recipes like:
Berry Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
Curried Squash Soup
African Peanut Stew
Butternut Quinoa Chili
Easy Chinese Fried Rice
Veggie Lasagna
Bourbon Apple Crisp
Here’s the full table of contents to give you an idea of what is in there…
Even if you’ve never had one, you’ve surely heard of The Elvis Sandwich… Peanut butter, banana, and bacon. Until last week I certainly hadn’t tried one, and if I’m being honest I have no idea what inspired to create a vegan version (oh wait, it was probably that stuff that’s legal here?!) but regardless, here it is: The Vegan Elvis Sandwich, with creamy peanut butter, fresh banana slices, and Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon on sourdough bread, pan-fried with about a ton of vegan butter.
It was divine, no lie.
Before assembling the sandwich I cooked the bacon in the pan, along with a hefty drizzle of real maple syrup. Then I just layered it in there with the banana slices and globs of peanut butter.
It’s the frying of the sandwich (much like you would a grilled cheese) that turns it into total perfection. The peanut butter gets all melty and sticks it all together.
There’s no real recipe here. A banana or two, and your favorite peanut butter. I used sourdough bread and Earth Balance because those are my faves, and one package of the Benevolent Bacon will make 4-6 sandwiches I think, depending on how decadent you get. And with a sandwich named after Elvis, there is no such thing as TOO DECADENT.
I love ramen. You love ramen. EVERYONE loves ramen. There’s such a wide range available too, from the 4/$1 packs to fancy organic brands at your local grocery, even entire restaurants dedicated to the noodly goodness. For me, what separates okay ramen from freaking amazing ramen are the toppings. Veggies, fresh or frozen are great (I love me some sugar snap peas), and according to Instagram a lot of you also like putting vegan egg on there as well. And that’s great, but the thing is, unless you’re making Korean BBQ Ramen… you’re missing out! It’s easy, you just whip up a batch of my Beefy Style Seitan (I always keep some in my freezer- the Chick’n flavor too!), slice it up and cook it in some flavorful Korean BBQ sauce (homemade or store bought), and you have savory, chewy BBQ that takes the noodles and broth to a whole new flavor universe! An added, unexpected, bonus was how much better the broth got, as some of the sauce from the seitan mixed in with it! Next time I might even mix a little of the leftover marinade directly into it.
Here’s the beefy seitan cooking up in the sauce. It’s a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet and all kinds of delicious. The trick is to add the extra marinade in at the end of the cooking process, so the pieces get all sticky and chewy and mmmmmm!
Another thing I like about this recipe is how budget friendly it is, especially assuming you have the seitan in your freezer, all ready to go. Pro tip: Nissan’s Top Ramen brand has a Soy flavor that is vegan (it used to be called Oriental, but they got woke) that generally goes for ~25 cents per package.
You may have heard that Denver experienced a Bomb Cyclone last week, and the dogs and I were holed up at home enjoying a snow day. I really wanted something warm, comforting and hearty, and this is what I came up with. I had veggies and seitan in the freezer, and ramen in the pantry. This time around I did “cheat” a little and used a store-bought Korean BBQ sauce… mostly because I was in a hurry to get back to the couch and the dogs.
Back when I first started making Korean BBQ dishes there weren’t a lot of options at my local grocers, and so I always made my own (here’s a recipe in you’re interested), and it’s still my preferred, but honestly some of the mass produced brands they have now are really good. And because this was EASY Korean BBQ Ramen, that’s what I went with.
If you’re also a fan of Korean BBQ, you should check out these recipes….
Slice the seitan in half lengthwise, then into thinnish strips. Marinate in the BBQ sauce for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, medium high. Cook the seitan, 2-3 minutes each side, reserving some of the marinade in the bowl. When the seitan is crispy and brown, pour the remaining marinade over it and turn the heat to low. Allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the marinade-covered seitan is all sticky and fabulous.
In a separate pot, cook the ramen per package directions, adding in the frozen veggies for the last minute or so. Drain most of the liquid then mix in the seasoning as you normally would. Serve in bowls topped with the seitan.
Notes
This recipe is best with my Beefy-Style Seitan, which is easy to make and stores well in the freezer. For an extra flavorful broth you can add an extra tablespoon of Korean BBQ sauce to the ramen along with the seasoning, while it’s still in the pot.
Here we go again my friends! But before I share all the food I’ve been feasting on lately, I have to tell you… I decided on Sunday to re-watch all of GoT before the final season starts. Insane right? I may not have time to cook or eat (or blog!) if I’m going to make it all the way through 7 seasons before April 14th… but I’m sure going to try!
Okay, food! First up is the ahhhmazing Sesame Tofu with Steamed Rice + Veggies from Spicy Basil (on Broadway)! It’s the perfect blend of sweet n’ spicy. My BFF Eric and I had lunch there on a recent snowy day, so we also shared a big ol’ pot of steamy green tea. He had the Peanut Tofu, which you can see in the background.
I’ve also been back to Native Foods TWICE in the past month! I finally downloaded their app and had a bunch of credit to use up… can’t pass up deliciously discounted vegan food, amitrite!? Both visits were also on my Flex Fridays, so I went gloriously solo, with a book, and just relaxed with my food. Really, one of my favorite things to do!
On my first trip I had their February special burger, The Big Kahuna Burger! It was their seitan burger topped with bbq sauce, a thick slice of sweet pineapple, and onions rings. I’m bummed it’s not on their regular menu because I would definitely order it again.
On my second trip I went with my 100% fave, the Nachos. Corn tortilla chips, black beans and chipotle sauce, topped with cashew cheese, salsa fresca, roasted corn, green onions, cilantro and pickled jalapenos, PLUS guacamole and seitan taco meat (which cost extra but are SO worth it).
This was from lunch with my little brother last month, at Motomaki on the 16th St Mall- A Build Your Own Bowl (which I highly recommend over the sushi burrito- it’s just easier to eat) with tofu, edamame, tempura asparagus, avocado, extra tempura (which looks like rice krispies!), and a sweet teriyaki sauce, all over brown rice. PERFECTION.
This one is OLD but I just found it and really wanted to share. This is actually from Christmas Eve (stop judging me), my mom and brother and I went to an early dinner at Imperial Chinese. Mom and I shared an order of the Veggie Noodles and Vegetarian Sesame Chicken (which is actually vegan).
And last but not least, I was meeting some friends at Park & Co but got there early, so I treated myself to a cocktail and appetizer… This was the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with candied pecans, caramelized onions, and sherry vinegar and a Manhattan!
Ok that’s it for this week! And don’t forget, if you’re in the Denver area and looking for great restaurant ideas you should check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!
Sweet Potatoes. Fajitas made with crisp, fresh sweet peppers and onion. Using my Instant Pot. These are a few of my favorite things! Combine them all together and you get these Vegan Fajita “Baked” Sweet Potatoes, full of (you guessed it!) peppers and onion and soy curls, cooked with fajita seasonings. Using your Instant Pot to “bake” the potatoes is where the genius lies, because it’s so fast and you don’t have to keep an eye on the oven. Plus these fajita-taters are just as good in the warm months, when you’re not going to want to turn on the oven anyway. These easy-yet-flavorful sweet potatoes make an excellent side or main dish (I used them as a main).
Also the flavor! I’m a fan of choose your own adventure spice mixes, and knowing these fajita soy curls and veggies were going to be paired with a naturally sweet potato, I went hotter than I normally would.
I bet a lot of people have never even considered using their Instant Pot for baking potatoes, but you absolutely can! It’s easy and you can do it with all different types of potatoes. I can’t help it, I love my Instant Pot! I have the Duo 6-qt and couldn’t be happier.
I chose to keep the toppings simple (just a little salt and pepper), but there are soooo many ways you could choose to go with this. To name a few:
Vegan ranch or sour cream
Fresh cilantro
Avocado
Hot sauce
Shredded vegan cheese (especially if you put them under the broiler for a few moments before serving!)
You get the idea. And while these aren’t technically “twice baked” because I never put them back in the oven (or, err, in the oven at all, ever), I did scoop out much of the delicious sweet potato insides and mixed that in with the fajita filling, before putting it all back into the potato jacket. This gives it that all-melded-together-creamy-goodness that everyone everywhere loves about twice baked potatoes.
And as I noted above with the potential toppings ideas, you could absolutely throw these under the broiler before serving!
Place the trivet inside your Instant Pot, along with the potatoes and 1 cup water. Lock and seal the lid, and cook at High Pressure for 18 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 12 minutes, then quickly release any remaining.
While the sweet potatoes are “baking”, place the soy curls into a bowl of hot water and allow to sit for ~10 minutes. When soft, squeeze all excess water out of them and set aside.
Slice the peppers into thin circles, then again in halves. Slice the onion into small, similarly sized strips. Heat ~1/4 cup water in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the veggies and the fajita seasoning. Add an additional 1/4 cup water as needed. Cook the veggies (stirring well to coat with the seasoning) 2-3 minutes. Add the soy curls and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until everything is warm and coated.
When the potatoes are done, use tongs or oven mitts to remove them from the Instant Pot. Still using one or the other to protect your hands (they’re hot!), slice each open at the top and scoop out ~75% of the filling, add that to the pan of fajitas. Stir the sweet potato into the veggie-soy curl mix, taste, and add additional salt as desired. Careful return the filling to the potato jackets.
Add any additional toppings before serving.
Notes
Depending on which toppings you’re adding, consider throwing the potatoes under the broiler for a few moments (say, to melt the cheese!) or to re-heat before serving.
I’m not gluten-free, and it’s not something that factors into my decision making process when grocery shopping. That said, I always love trying new things, so when Little Northern Bakehouse reached out and asked me to create a recipe for National Toast Day using their plant-based, gluten-free products, I jumped at the chance!
They have a wide variety of breads to choose from, including: Seeds & Grains, Millet & Chia, Cinnamon & Raisin, and White Wide Slice. They also have Millet & Chia Buns.
I chose the White Wide Slice because they were the largest and I knew I needed a sturdy base to pile all this goodness on!
I considered all sorts of potential toppings before settling on a Ricotta-Garlic Toast with Tomato + Basil. It’s sort of a cross between garlic bread and lasagna, minus the noodles and the long bake time.
The toppings start with a batch of my homemade tofu ricotta (which is divine, if I do say so myself), topped with fresh tomatoes and sweet basil, plus a little salt and pepper. Simple yet delicious.
But the toppings wouldn’t even be there if it weren’t for the Garlic Toast underneath!
Again, simplicity was key. I toasted the bread, then slathered it with a little softened vegan butter. Then I sprinkled garlic powder all over it, and added the toppings. AND IT WAS DELICIOUS!
Like I said, I don’t often eat gluten-free products (especially bread) but Little Northern’s may have made me a convert. Their white bread was soft and chewy and not at all dry. Basically, it wasn’t any of the things I feared gluten-free bread would be. I will absolutely buy it again – although next time I’m going for the Cinnamon Raisin I think!
They have a handy store locator on their website (if you’re a Denver local you can find them at Natural Grocers and Safeway, FYI), and I recommend you give them a try- especially if gluten-free bread is something you buy on the regular.
And DEFINITELY give my Ricotta-Garlic Toast with Tomato + Basil a try. It’s a fun, simple meal that is filling yet light- and has lots of protein and even some veggies.
Toast the bread, then slather generously with vegan butter (softened, so the bread doesn’t tear). Sprinkle with the garlic powder, as much as you’d like.
Top with the tofu ricotta, ~1/4 cup for each slice (more or less to taste), and spread. Place the toasts on a baking sheet and broil at low for just about 30 seconds or until warm. Don’t allow the ricotta to cook! Remove as soon as it is warm enough.
Add the diced tomatoes and sweet basil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
So, ummm… Happy Valentines Day? No? Good, me neither. Glad we got that out of the way. Now let’s focus all of our brain-and-taste-bud-power on my latest ooey-gooey pasta dish: Vegan Spicy Beefy Mac n’ Cheese! This one is decadent and delicious and comforting. My new Beefy Seitan is in there, vegan jack cheese of course, and plenty of spices. It’s easy to make, and even easier to eat.
My preferred method of enjoying this mac n’ cheese (if we’re being honest) is on the couch. In my comfies. Mac + Chill, so to speak. Although Netflix is invited too, of course. The more the merrier, right?
My favorite thing about this mac n’ cheese, that makes it stand out from alll the other vegan mac n’ cheese recipes that I’ve loved over the years, is the spice. There’s cumin, and chili powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. It’s so flavorful!
And at the risk of bragging, the homemade Beef-Style Seitan is just so damn good. I’ve been making it nearly every week, and I truly can’t get enough. It’s so easy to make and even though you have to buy some of the ingredients in bulk, it’s a lot cheaper than what you can find at the store. If you’ve never made your own seitan, you gotta try it.
All this talk about mac n’ cheese has me reminiscing about some of my favorites over the years…
What else is new? I know I’ve been a bit quiet lately. I think I conked myself out a bit working on the book, plus the holidays. I needed a little quiet time. That said, I feel ready to get my butt back in the kitchen. I’m actually feeling creative again, which is fantastic. Go me!
2cupsnon dairy milkI like soy or cashew, you don’t want a strong taste here
7ozvegan jack cheese, cubed
2tbsptomato paste
1 1/2tspcrushed red pepper flakes
1/2tspchili powderMore to taste!
1 1/2tspcumin
Instructions
Chop the seitan into quarters and give it a couple pulses in the food processor until it’s a similar texture to that of hamburger. Fry in pan with the olive oil over low/medium heat for 4-5 minutes until browned. Set aside.
Cook the pasta shells per package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat and whisk in the flour to create a roux. Add the milk and cheese, stirring constantly until everything is melted and smooth.
Stir in the beefy crumbles, tomato sauce and seasonings. Taste and add S&P as needed. Fold in the pasta, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through. Add more milk if it’s too thick. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can use store-bought “beefy” crumbles, but they wont have as much flavor as my Beef Style Seitan!
Oh boy still trying to work my way through this scrumptious backlog of vegan foodstuffs!
Let’s start with NACHOS! This is a big ol’ plate of my favorite dish to order from Native Foods, the Nachos, which are corn tortilla chips, black beans and chipotle sauce, topped with cashew cheese, salsa fresca, roasted corn, green onions, cilantro and pickled jalapeno peppers. I added guacamole and seitan taco meat for a small upcharge, and unfortunately they were out of the cashew cheese. It was still amazing though.
I made another trip to Native Foods recently- this time I went for their new Crazy Good Grilled Chicken Sandwich – which is aptly named. It’s grilled “chicken”, smoked gouda (from FYH!), crunchy parmesan truffle potato chips, roasted tomatoes, arugula, and truffle aioli, all on a toasted pretzel bun. I don’t like sending food back (especially at vegan places like this where I want to be extraextraextra supportive), but the first one that came out was cold and had a weirdly large amount of aioli on it. Like… more than half a cup. This was their second try tho and it was perfection!
Another day I took myself to lunch at Sputnik (one of my very favoritist spots in Denver), where I posted up at the bar with a book and just relaxed. Eating alone with a book is one of the best ways to relax, IMO. Especially with a beer, haha! On this day I had one two pints of 90 Schilling, along with their Bahn Mi, which is made with tofu, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, cilantro and vegan mayo, served on a hoagie roll. I chose sweet potato fries for my side, along with vegan ranch for dipping.
After leaving Sputnik I sprinted across Broadway to the best grocery store in the world, Nooch! I went on a bit of a shopping spree, buying lots of great stuff. The best part though was my crazy Wafare haul- Sour Cream, Jalapeno Cheddar Dip, and Creamy French Onion Dip! I’ve had (and loved) the dips before but this was my first time buying their sour cream (my local grocery carries tofutti so I buy that or make my own with cashews)- but I really liked it! I especially like the larger container.
Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with being basic. I was having a quite night at home with Elmer and Hulu, and I was craving pizza, so I whipped this one up super quick using one of those accidentally-vegan pizza crust rolls, Field Roast apple sage sausage, Follow Your Heart mozzarella, and peppers and onions, and it was PERFECT! Just what I was craving.
Lasagna soup! This was actually a recipe for the book, and even the leftovers were delicious. Lots of flavorful broth and noodles and tomatoes in there, and of course a glass of wine.
This wasn’t actually something I ate- these were Pupcakes my mom bought the dogs for Christmas (I was dog-sitting so there were 4 furry monsters). She got them at a local store called Two Pals & a Pup – cute right!?
If you’ve followed this series at all you know that no installment is complete without something from Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, right? Here’s my usual- a Chicago Veggie Dog with peppers, relish, red onions, tomato and mustard, plus sweet tots and fries
I shared the sides, I swear! My friend Eric’s veggie dogs just aren’t in the shot because he’s vegetarian and had cheese on his!
These next two were from a fabulous beer-n-lunch I had with my friend Chelsea at Trinity, a super vegan friendly brewery in Colorado Springs. I don’t remember what the beers were, but the first shot is Fried Artichoke Hearts, which are batter fried and served with vegan ranch. SO GOOD! This was an appetizer that we shared.
For my actual meal I went with the Vegan Corn Dog, which is actually TWO vegan dogs on a stick dipped and fried in vegan batter. They come with fries and a choice of two sauces. I went with the Flo Beer Mustard and the Soul BBQ sauces. Again, very yummy but my it was way too much food. And definitely too much fried food… Oh well. I am a big fan of Trinity though, I need to do a Mile High Vegan Eats on them someday soon.
Okay, that’s enough drooling for now. I still have eleventy billion pictures left to share, so I’ll be back soon with the next installment! Until then, happy vegan eating! 🙂
Are you a new vegan or vegetarian? Maybe you’re just looking for a few delicious plant-based recipes to add to your omnivore life? There are so many cookbooks out there, with a variety of focuses, and it can be overwhelming! So, to help you out, I’ve compiled 25 of the best cookbooks that I would recommend for new vegans.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the amazing-great-wonderful vegan cookbooks out there (because who could list them all?), these are just some of my favorites and the ones I think new vegans and vegetarians would really benefit from. So, in no particular order… (Contains affiliate links)
Why I Recommend This Book: Meal planning is probably the single best thing you can do to save time, money, and sanity especially if you’re just starting out with veganism!
Why I Recommend This Book: Well… because it’s foolproof! New vegans who maybe aren’t confident in the kitchen yet need recipes they know will work. Plus I love the wide variety of recipes in this one.
Why I Recommend This Book: This is the cookbook that taught me how to make biscuits that aren’t flat as, well, pancakes. I also like how Bianca’s southern take on recipes provides a lot of flavors that other books are missing.
Why I Recommend This Book: This book is perfect for anyone under the misconception that vegan food is all lentils and lettuce. The Edgy Veg is full of omnivore-style dishes, veganized. It would also appeal to younger vegans, as it is written in a very fun, millennial sort of way.
Why I Recommend This Book: “I would go vegan except I have to celebrate blah-blah-blah holiday” is no longer a valid excuse. Isa Chandra has alll the holidays covered in this huge, beautiful tome.
Why I Recommend This Book: There’s a lot to like about this book, but one of my favorite things is that all of the recipes were created by vegan coaches. As in, people who have been trained to help others thrive as vegans! That’s a pretty good indication that it would be a good book for new vegans.
Why I Recommend This Book: This book is just plain fun! But, I should note, don’t gift this book to any new vegans who might be offended by raunchy language or humor…
Why I Recommend This Book: Hannah is one of my favorite bloggers, and her recipes never fail. Like ever. And as with other books on this list, I think the fact that this one focuses on the quick n’ easy is a huge bonus.
Why I Recommend This Book: I bought this book nearly 8 years ago when I was also a new vegan, and I still cook from it. I think it strikes a great balance between “yes this is plant-based” and “damn this is good“.
Why I Recommend This Book: New vegans need to learn how to cook healthy at home, and this book will help them! Kathy Hester has written quite a few great books, and you really wont go wrong with any of them.
Why I Recommend This Book: That veganism = expensive is a common misconception, which is why I like this book. Especially if you’re just starting out, there’s no reason to spend a ton of money on expensive ingredients.
Why I Recommend This Book: If you (or that special vegan in your life) have an air fryer, this book is a must-have. JL’s recipes are fantastic and easy!
Why I Recommend This Book: Every single recipe in this book requires 10 ingredients or less, just 1 bowl/pot, or 30 minutes or less to prepare. As in, they’re all easy in one way or another. And Dana’s recipes are always amazing – I’m a huge fan of her blog too.
Why I Recommend This Book: I own three of the Jazzy Vegetarian’s cookbooks, but this one is my favorite. The recipes are delicious yet doable, and the ingredients are easy to find.
Why I Recommend This Book: I’ve followed Richa’s blog for years and years (almost as long as I’ve been blogging myself!) and I am in awe of her recipes. So many of the Indian dishes I’ve had in restaurants, and recipes I’ve seen online, seem difficult or intimidating. Not these!
Why I Recommend This Book: Well, clearly I’m a JL fangirl but believe me she’s earned it. I was a recipe tester for this book and have most of the dishes in this book and there’s not a single one I didn’t love!
Why I Recommend This Book: I think it’s important for all vegans, new or not, to be able to make veganized versions of their “old favorites”- in fact, that’s kind of the premise of my blog…
And now, because I don’t want your new vegan to think they can’t have dessert…
Why I Recommend This Book: I’m terrible at baking. The worst. But! I can make cupcakes from this book and they come out wonderfully which means her recipes are perfect. Okay, just my opinion, but still.
Why I Recommend This Book: Hannah is one of the most talented bakers (and photographers!) ever to exist, and her book is full of the most decadent and delicious vegan treats.
Why I Recommend This Book: Just in case your new vegan pal is gluten-free… don’t want them going without!
Okay, those are MY recommendations… now tell me what YOUR favorite vegan cookbooks are! Which would you buy for a friend or family member who’s interested in adding more plant-based meals to their life?
When I first started my Mile High Vegan Eats page, the very point of it was to only review “regular” restaurants that happened to have awesome vegan options. My reasoning was that 99% of vegans have friends/family/dates who aren’t plant-based, so restaurants that cater to everyone are often the best choice. This is why I never included Denver’s most two famous vegan/vegetarian restaurants (and also because everyone already knows about them anyway). And I still stand by this.
But! I have decided to make an exception for Meta Burger for two reasons. One – they’re a small all-vegan start-up and I want to support them, and two – they’re freaking delicious and I would hate for anyone to miss out on eating there. SO HERE WE GO!
Meta Burger (located in the plaza at Parker Rd & Mississippi in SE Denver) serves up “plant-based American classics”, meaning burgers, fries, hot dogs, and shakes. And they do it deliciously! Despite the fact that they’re really close to home, I don’t get there as often as I’d like- although they did start delivery via GrubHub and Postmates recently and I’ve ordered <ahem> twice…. They also have special items quite often, which I’ve seen on their ‘gram. Here’s their menu, and here are some of my favorites:
First up, the Meta Bites: Breaded baked potato bites with bacon and chives, served with nacho cheese. Tons of savory flavor packed into this little guys, and the nacho cheese has just a tiny bit of heat which really adds to it.
This is 100% my favorite burger (currently, at least), the Texan Burger, which has chopped bbq, cole slaw, pickles, bbq sauce, and ranch. OMG it’s so messy and delicious. The burgers themselves are really good, but I lovelovelove having all that messiness piled on top too!
This is the Supernova Burger, which has habanero ham, cheese, pickled jalapenos, lettuce, pickled red onions, and tomato. I ordered it with the jalapenos on the side because I’m a baby, but that habanero ham still brings the heat. And I am a huge fan of pickled onions, so I loved it.
Chili Cheese Fries! Waffle fries SMOTHERED in homemade chili and nacho cheese. Not to spicy, just the right amount of messy!
Sadly, this burger isn’t on their menu anymore, but as you can see it was the Mac n’ Cheeseburger with thick ol’ sliced of avocado. YUM!
My other favorite burger that I don’t seem to have a picture of is the Island Burger, which comes with grilled pineapple, mahalo cream cheese, teriyaki, bacon, pickled red onions and lettuce. As you can imagine, it’s a little sweet but not overly so. I’ve also had the Chili Cheese Dog with is covered in homemade chili, nacho cheese, and onions and is amazing – even delivered!
Meta had a few hiccups when they first opened (my poor Mom was so excited for her Island Burger and it was missing half the ingredients!), but I think they’ve ironed them out. If you’re planning to dine in, be prepared for a very simple environment. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s pretty minimalist. Not the sort of place you’d go for a long leisurely lunch but hey- you’re there for the food right? I also wish they served beer because what goes better with a burger than beer!?
Those are VERY minor complaints though. The food here is fantastic and all-vegan and I think all us locals should support them.
Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!
Well hello there!
I'm Barb and I love creating delicious vegan recipes, so whether you're a new vegan, an "old" vegan, or just interested in adding more plant-based dishes to your life, you've come to the right place!
Follow
