That Was Vegan?

Angry Tacos. Why angry? Sitting on the bus one day I saw a sign at one of the fast food places for an “angry burger”. I assumed that meant it was really spicy, and liked that idea. So I unabashedly stole it, turned it into vegan tacos, and there you have it. Very spicy, smoky, flavorful tacos full of chickpeas and sweet potatoes, a maple-chipotle-adobo sauce, and just a touch of crisp cabbage on top. 

Oh, and happy new year by the way! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with my mom for the first time in more years than I want to count, and it was wonderful. It was also Teddy’s first holiday season, and I feel like he enjoyed it… especially since I bought him and Sally new toys and baked them dog treats. Those dogs are spoiled af, but that’s okay. New Years Eve was a quiet affair, spent snuggled up on the couch with wine and food. I was definitely ready to tell 2016 to hit the road, and I’m looking forward to a happy and productive 2017. Partly because of my 40 Before 40, and also just because I’m so darn happy these days. I have so many projects planned and trips to look forward to and friends and loved ones to spend time with. It’s gonna be a fantastic year, I promise!

There are also going to be a lot of tacos. I’ve never stopped and counted the number of taco recipes I have on this blog, but I bet it’s a lot. And this one is my new favorite!

These tacos are so flavorful. And very, very spicy. Please take that seriously. These tacos are not playing around.

Angry Tacos

2017-01-03 14:25:07

Serves 4

Spicy, spicy, spicy tacos!

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

1. 1 large sweet potato
2. 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3. 4 chipotle peppers packed in Adobo sauce, chopped PLUS ~2 teaspoons of the sauce
4. 1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff!)
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. Nonstick spray
7. Salt & pepper to taste
8. Topping as desired (sour cream, purple cabbage, coleslaw, etc)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Slice the potato into 1/2" rounds. Bake on a sheet with just a little non-stick spray and some salt and pepper until tender. 10 minutes, then flip and another 5 or so minutes, depending on how thick they are.
2. Combine the peppers, adobo sauce, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl.
3. When the potatoes are done, remove and turn off the oven BUT keep the door shut so it holds in the heat. Chop the potatoes into smallish bite sized cubes and return to the baking sheet. Add the chickpeas and top with the sauce. Stir until everything is coated, then return to the (still hot) oven for 5 or so minutes.
4. Prep your toppings, and when the filling is warm, serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

1. This makes 8 tacos. Peel the potatoes if you like, but I prefer the skin on.

By Barb@ThatWasVegan?

That Was Vegan? https://www.thatwasvegan.com/

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It’s been two months since I turned 39 and launched myself headfirst into my 40 Before 40 challenge, and I wanted to give you guys a few updates.

#7 Foster at least 10 animals. I’ve had three 8 week old foster kittens- Moses, Sara and Miriam. They were sick, they all had URIs which, if you know kittens, can be fatal- even though it’s really just a cold. They also had ear mites, the little buggers! They all took their meds like champs though, and within two weeks were ready to be spayed and neutered and adopted!

#26 Visit at least 2 more museums. Check! My mom and I visited the Byers-Evans House and the Molly Brown House.  Both were super interesting (my mom and I love old homes mixed with history lessons) but Molly Brown’s was my favorite. Yes, partially because Kathy Bates made her seem so bad-ass in Titanic, but also because they had all the Christmas decorations up so it was extra beautiful. 

#30 Have a more positive outlook on Sundays and Mondays. I’ve actually been doing this! I’ve found that by planning something I know I’ll enjoy on Sunday afternoon (a long bike ride with a friend, a bottle of wine on the couch with Netflix, whatever appeals to me that week), it really does make the weekend feel longer and more fulfilling. 

#35 Keep monthly mileage on my car below 500 (6k annual). I’m totally kicking butt at this one! In the 2 months, I’ve put less than 600 miles on my car, which is actually well ahead of my goal. I’ve been taking the bus to work almost everyday, and riding my bike (#36!) on errands. Seriously, I’ve been to the liquor store on my bike 3 times now! I just can’t buy more wine than fits in my backpack 😉 

There are a couple others that I’m working on too, and will update you on soon! And now, on to my new favorite podcasts!

There are so many podcasts that I adore, and not enough time to listen to them all (although, with the upcoming projects I have planned… let’s just say, nothing makes painting go faster than binging a good podcast)- and I’m always looking for more. So please! Share your recommendations in the comments, and here are some I shared before.

Ok, here’s what I’m listening to and loving right now…

• Someone Knows Something – The second season of this Canadian BBC mystery is fantastic and I’m enjoying it just as much as the first season- perhaps even more because the mystery feels more solvable to me. Plus you can’t beat that soothing Canadian accent! This season is about a 20-something year old woman who was murdered in 1997. Her fiance is the likely suspect, but was never charged. The host, David, takes you through her life, talking to her mother and her old friends and her fiance’s friends and family, piecing everything together. It really draws you in!
• You Must Remember This – OMG! OMG! I love this podcast. I love Karina Longworth and every story she tells. Her voice is 100% Old Hollywood elegance, and she’s very pleasant to listen to. The focus is on “the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century”, so it goes very well with #39 on my 40B40. Each season focuses on a different topic, and you learn so much. I’m currently two seasons back, learning all about Hollywood’s black list and the hysteria our country was in, people turning on each other over their real or perceived communism. It reminds me a lot of how a certain reality tv personality has gotten this country fearing and hating immigrants and people from other religions, then using it his own political advantage…
• Last Podcast on the Left – This one is definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you like true crime and gory details, you might really enjoy this one. It’s a group of friends who are all comedians and actors and are very funny, and each episode is somehow both disgusting and laugh-out-loud funny. The first time I listened to them it was their 3 part series on Albert Fish, one of the most horrendous killers (and cannibals) in America’s history, and they still made me laugh. They’re very respectful of the victims, but they have a great time making fun of the bad guys. What I also really enjoy about this podcast, as opposed to My Favorite Murder, which I talked about last time, is the way they research. They’ll make you squirm with the details, and they’ll make you laugh like a fool while you’re listening on the bus, but they’ll also educate you. You can repeat facts you learn on this podcast, as opposed to MFM (as I learned the hard way because NO, JonBenét’s father is NOT married to Natalee Holloway’s mom!)
• Afford Anything with Paula Pant – I’ve gotten a lot more into personal finance podcasts lately, thanks in large part to my friend Cynthia with whom I’ve shared many great personal finance discussions. Paula is young, brilliant, and interesting, and her podcast is really about learning to spend your money on what actually matters to you. If you’d like to learn more about getting smarter with your money in a way that’s easy to understand, I definitely recommend this podcast.

Now it’s your turn- tell us what podcasts you’re listening to!

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Let’s start with some of the randomness, shall we? The Denver Botanic Gardens has the romantic date market on lockdown with their annual Blossoms of Light event- This was a sort of “tunnel of love” you walk through towards the beginning. The temperature was in the teens while we were there, so I didn’t take any other pictures. You’ll just have to trust me when I tell you how beautiful it was! And now, the foods…

Warming up after the chilly garden stroll was absolutely delightful at True Food Kitchen in Cherry Creek- one of my very favorite restaurants. I really need to do a MHVE review! 

The restaurant is just lovely, very contemporary-industrial-chic, and the bar faces into the open kitchen so you can watch everyone work. They also have a very delicious sparkling rosé on their menu. We shared the Herb Hummus which comes topped with a greek salad and a side of warm pita bread (make sure you ask them to hold the feta).

Other adventures included a Sushi Burrito at Komotodo in Writer’s Square, this time with my girl Chelsea:

The burrito was followed by vodka shots at Red Square, and a freezing cold selfie in front of the Capitol building…

Last Saturday my mom and I brunched at City O’ City before visiting the Molly Brown House Museum. Visiting more museums in Denver is on my 40 Before 40 list, so this wasn’t all booze and food fun and games, haha!

I had a rosé (of course) and my mom had a pinot noir, and we shared Seitan Buffalo Wings and the BBQ Mac Wrap which is bbq tofu, mac n’ cheese, creamy coleslaw, pickles and shallots. All vegan, all delicious!

I took my friend Eric to a birthday lunch at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs where I can never resist the Sweet Potato Tots…

And a team I’m on at work had a very fun and delicious holiday lunch at Lowdown Brewery too! This is the They Call Me Portobello, which is the best sandwich ever. I ate every single bite and all the fries (and the Patio Pounding Pilz) and didn’t feel a bit bad about it!

I also managed to cook a few meals at home, believe it or not. I made my Spicy Italian Drunken Noodles for a date night dinner (it was a hit!):

I also made a Massaged Kale Salad… something I make pretty often because it’s easy and healthy and delicious! This shot is pre-massage, clearly…

And last Saturday, which was a wonderful quiet night home with the dogs, I made myself a big ol’ batch of Spicy Seitan Fajitas (using my Chicken Seitan recipe)…

Speaking of the dogs, they asked me to let you know that I’ve also been baking for them! That’s right, they got some very special Christmas Cookies, made with my Pumpkin Pie Bites recipe… and they loved ’em!

Okay, that’s it! I hope you’re all enjoying your holidays. I know I am… and I’m planning to get some cooking done and share some new recipes with you soon!

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I’m an unapologetic lover of all things salty. I’m that person who will lick the tip of her finger and stick it straight in the salt, just taste it. I especially love flavored or “essenced” salts. Rosemary and Italian salts, anything savory, and this crazy Dancers Dust salt that I picked up at a restaurant in Daytona Beach once that combines hints of celery and poppy seeds… they all find their way into my recipes. 

Smoked salts are my favorite though, so I was pretty excited to unpack this box from Pacific Resources International that contained an array of Mesquite smoked sea salt and Mesquite BBQ salt. The flavor is fantastic and it’s a really easy way to add that smoky flavor to any dish- especially when recreating a formerly meaty recipe, like I tend to do. 

Here are a few ideas that might get you excited to try some of this delicious smoky salt…

Maple Bacon Sweet Potato Tacos with a Spicy Cream Sauce

Chipotle Potato Bites

Chipotle Sweet Potato Chowder

BLPTS: Bacon, Lettuce, Pickle and Tomato

Zucchini and Tofu Soft Tacos

Chili Cheese Red Potatoes

Tofu Scramble

Thick n’ Hearty Taco Soup

Smokey Kale and Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole

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Yah, I know… I had you at Brewery 😉 

The Lowdown Brewery & Kitchen is on Broadway and 8th, just a short walk from my office, and one of my favorite places for a special lunch. As you can see it’s a cool urban spot, and they have tons of space, both indoors and out. Their patio is even dog friendly! They have lots of great, seasonal food for everyone AND all vegan items are clearly marked. Can’t beat that. They also have some great beer choices- The Patio Pounding Pilz is my favorite!

This sandwich is one my favorites: They Call Me Portobello- braised portobello mushrooms, edamame hummus, pickled carrot, red onion, roasted red pepper, toasted pumpkin seeds, mixed greens on lightly toasted sourdough. And as you can see, it came with a little side salad. 

I also love, love, love this salad, The Boulderite- Watermelon radish, asparagus, dried cranberries, carrots, quinoa, roasted pumpkin seeds, spicy cashews over arugula tossed in charred orange vinaigrette. This is a seriously pretty salad!

They also have a rotating selection of hummus, all of which have been quite delicious. I can’t remember what kind this was… but right now they offer Edamame and Ginger Hummus, and they’re always accompanied by lots of crispy veggies and crostini. 

Check out their website… They really are a great spot for beer and food, with options for everyone! 

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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First, don’t miss your last chance to enter the Super Amazing Awesome giveaways before they end- Superfun Times Holiday Cookbook by Isa Chandra, Superfood Soups cookbook by Julie Morris, and 4 bags of delicious Activated Superfood Popcorn!

Second, I hope you all had a lovely ThanksLiving! I spent it with family, and most importantly with my mom- it was our first Thanksgiving together in 17 years! I made so much food… Isa Chandra’s seitan roast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, corn, rolls, apple pie, pumpkin pie, sugar cookies. It was insanity. Delicious, delicious insanity.

Here’s the obligatory shot of the table, and my plate:

We did have a little drama on Sunday though… I woke up to sweet Teddy with a snout so swollen his eyes could barely open! Poor kid. I got him in the car and called the ER vet on my way  and Alex the vet tech was waiting for us in the lobby to make sure right away that Teddy was breathing okay. He was, so she took him back for a more thorough exam. The vet told me it was an allergic reaction to something, but since they couldn’t find a stinger and he wasn’t on any new food or medication, they didn’t know what it could be- so they treated his symptoms and sent us home. Thankfully the swelling started to go down right away, but it was still really scary!

I’m off to a work conference this week, so I’ll just leave you with a few shots of the amazing food I’m lucky enough to have here in Denver. I hope you all enjoy your week, I’ll be back next Tuesday!

Pho! This time to go, but as always it was from Phonatic– the best pho in Denver! What made this even better is that it was raining and I somehow convinced a co-worker that HE really wanted to Pho… and since he was going anyway, could he just pick mine up as well? 😉 

Another delicious lunch at work- Falafal wrap and fries from the Shish Kabob Grill in Cap Hill. They make this dairy free sauce, it’s not quite tzatziki, but more like a thinned out hummus? Whatever it is, it’s tasty!

I know this bowl looks like a crazy mess, but I promise you it was delicious- it was tater tots with nacho toppings, except not nearly as organized as Totchos. I just baked the tots, mashed an avocado, chopped some veggies, and covered it all with that Wayfare nacho cheeze dip. Excellent!

Beet infused vodka shot from the Red Square Bistro. I’m not sure what flavor the other one was. They had close to 20 different infused vodkas, and we tried a lot of them. A. Lot. They all come with pickles, which is fun.

This was a dinner at home with the fam… my Best Fall Casserole, Orange-Vanilla Massaged Kale Salad, and a yummy pasta salad my mom made.

My mom and I had brunch at City O’ City a while back, which consisted of Buffalo Seitan Wings with vegan ranch, and …

Cauliflower Chorizo Tacos which were one of the best things I’ve ever eaten! From the menu: “chorizo spiced cauliflower topped with chipotle aioli, chimichurri slaw and vegan sour cream. served on corn tortillas.” Freaking amazing!

Oh, and there were more Buffalo Wings too… this time to go, from The Vegan Van, Denver’s very own all-vegan food truck. I had just finished dinner and was walking home with my cousin and brother when I spotted them. Even though I wasn’t hungry I had to show them so love, so I got the wings to go and ate them for breakfast next morning. Delicious! They came with buffalo and bbq sauce, and they made their own vegan ranch, which was super tasty!

This was Birthday Sushi I had with my bestie Eric at Tokyo Joe’s- not the best sushi but I was craving it, and it really hit the spot.

I learned about Sushi Burritos from my blogger friend Hannah, and set out immediately to try one. I wasn’t disappointed! This monster is from Komotodo (which, funny enough, is basically next door to the beet vodka place!) and is called The Green’ Go: it’s got tofu, portabello mushroom fries, avocado, asparagus, and other stuff, all with a teriyaki sauce. The sauce it was supposed to come with has dairy in it, so you have to be a little careful when ordering. Also prepare to be a bit annoyed- their menu reads “Dairy free cream cheese option”… the option is to not have cream cheese added to your burrito. Huh? But, anyway, the sushi burrito is enormous and delicious and I can’t wait to have another one!

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Don’t forget to enter our other two giveaways here and here!

Are you guys ready for tomorrow? I’m very excited to give Teddy his first Thanksgiving, I just know he’s going to love it. My fam is coming over and we’re having an all-vegan feast, and I can’t wait. I know the dogs (and foster kittens) will all get spoiled, and it’ll be a great day. I hope all of you and your critters have a fabulous day too!

But first, you need to enter another giveaway, because this is “Teddy’s First Thanksgiving Week of Giveaways” and he’ll be disappointed if you don’t.

Today, for our third and final giveaway we have Superfood Soups by New York Times bestselling author Julie Morris, a natural food chef, writer, and advocate of whole, plant-based foods. Beautiful color photographs, amazing recipes, and helpful soup-making advice make this one of those must-have cookbooks!

I’m also sharing a recipe for White Bean and Winter Squash Soup that I think you’ll enjoy!

Soups are obviously perfect for this time of year, but I also think they’re really great for newbie vegans, or for making for your non-vegan friends and family. They’re full of real, whole foods, nothing “strange” or scary to people that aren’t used to eating vegan. So enter to win a copy for yourself, or as a gift for someone you love! Because, after all, this is the “Enter a Giveaway For Someone You Love” week, right? Happy Thanksgiving!

The Giveaway

One lucky reader will win a copy of Superfood Soups by Julie Morris! To enter, leave a comment below telling us what your favorite kind of soup is!  Contest ends Wednesday, November 30th at midnight (mountain time). One winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day. Be sure and log your comment into the Rafflecopter to make it count! Open to residents of US and Canada only excluding PR, Hawaii, and Virgin Islands, good luck!

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*I was provided product to review but the opinions are 100% mine!

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Check out our other giveaways here and here!

Welcome back to my little blog, where it’s Day #2 of “Wow What a Bunch of Great Giveaways!” week. Today I’m here to tell you about Activated Superfood Popcorn, a nutritious and delicious snack from Living Intentions. They’re already known for their cereals, trail mixes, and nut blends, but just last month they launched a new line of ready-to-eat popcorn (Which, BTW, I just saw on the shelf at Nooch, my fave vegan grocer, yesterday). 

You guys, this popcorn is so good AND has probiotics and superfood ingredients like turmeric, chlorella, maca and more. They come in four flavors:

• Cinnamon Twist with maca root and mesquite pod
• Tandoori Turmeric with turmeric and Ashwagandha extracts
• Salsa Verde with spirulina, chlorella, spinach, and kale
• Berry Smoothie with macqui berry, banana and beet powders, and lacuma fruit

Because I usually have samples delivered to my office, my co-workers get to share. 

Denise is kinda my fave so she got first pick- and she went with Salsa Verde. I feel like I should mention this picture was taken on Halloween- she doesn’t always wear devil horns around the office:

Look at the popcorn- you can *see* the flavor on there!

Later in the afternoon I brought the Berry Smoothie to a staff meeting:

It tasted fruity, but not in a weird way. It was mellow and smooth and was definitely evocative of a smoothie. Everyone loved it, and my co-workers are not all “healthy, eat-carrots-as-a-snack” type people either. What I’m trying to say is, this popcorn is delicious and doesn’t taste as healthy as it actually is!

Okay! Because this is “The Three Days of Thanksgiving Giveaway Week!“, it’s time for a … giveaway! Big surprise, right? Well, one lucky reader is going to get a big ol’ bag of each of the four flavors, so you can try them all! 

The Giveaway

One lucky reader will win Four bags of Activated Superfood Popcorn, one in each flavor! To enter, leave a comment below telling us when you snack the most! While you’re watching TV with your dog? On the bus home from work? In the bath? Contest ends Wednesday, November 30th at midnight (mountain time). One winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day. Be sure and log your comment into the Rafflecopter to make it count! Open to residents of US only, good luck!

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*I was provided free product to review but the opinions are 100% mine!

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I’m also giving away Activated Superfod Popcorn and Superfood Soups by Julie Morris!

It’s “Who Needs to Shop on Black Friday Giveaway Week” here at TWV? and we’re starting it off right with an amazing book by the OG Vegan author/chef herself, Isa Chandra Moskowitz! The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook is enormous and full of every recipe you’ll need to celebrate every holiday all year long. And because Isa wrote it, it’s awesome and fun and totally superfun times!

I’m so excited to share this book with one of you lucky readers during this “Three Fabulous Days of Giveaways Week” (that’s right- come back tomorrow and Wednesday for two more giveaways!) because I know you’ll love it- even if you’re not vegan, it would make a fantastic Christmas/Hanukkah/Festivus gift for the plant-based person in your life!

Or just keep it for yourself. I wont blame you, because I’m 100% not re-gifting my copy!

Not only am I sharing a copy of the book, I’m also sharing a recipe for Banana Eggnog Pancakes because Thursday is Thanksgiving and if we can’t eat vegan eggnog-based breakfasts this time of year, when can we?

Here’s what I want from you: Pin this recipe and plan to make it ASAP, then enter the contest. Then come back tomorrow and Wednesday to enter the other giveaways and make this the best “Thanksgiving Week O’ Giveaways” ever! My fingers are crossed for all of you!

The Giveaway

One lucky reader will win a copy of The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook! To enter, leave a comment below telling us which holiday is your favorite to cook for! Contest ends Wednesday, November 30th at midnight (mountain time). One winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day. Be sure and log your comment into the Rafflecopter to make it count! Open to residents of US only, good luck!

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*I was provided free product to review but the opinions are 100% mine!

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