That Was Vegan?

Another round-up of all the “fascinating” things I eat when I’m not cooking for the blog, or eating for the blog… In no particular order EXCEPT for the first because it’s wine and wine is awesome!

I don’t remember who introduced me to McManis Family Wines, but I’m glad they did- for around $9 per bottle, this wine is fantastic. I’ve had the cabernet and the pinot noir and both taste more like $20 bottles. Great for that “everyday” sort of drinking, but when you want to take it a few notches above that box we all know you keep hidden away… Also, Sally is cute!

Have you guys tried the new Ben & Jerry’s vegan flavors yet? The PB & Cookies is my favorite. Granted, it’s the only I’ve tried so far, but still! I also happen to believe it’s best enjoyed by the cone, scooped fresh in a B&J’s shop, if you have one near you.

These next three are what Randy and I ate for brunch at Real Food Daily on my last day in LA…  I had The Weekender which was way too big, but came with 2 pancakes, tofu scramble with cashew cheese, tempeh bacon, and hash browns. It was delicious, but I couldn’t eat it all. And it was $17. I realize I’ve been away from LA for a while now so that’s why the prices seem shocking, but… 

Randy ordered The Charlie, which was a mock tuna salad and SO GOOD (I may have stolen a couple 8 bites), and also a plate of Pasta Bravas to share, roasted red potatoes with a spicy cashew cheese: 

Next we have a really fresh and filling California Mixed Green Salad I had at Gladstones in Malibu. Tons of cucumbers and tomatoes and asparagus and of course avocado in there, with a red wine vinaigrette. True story: Both of my roommates worked at Gladstones when we first moved to LA. I was also hired as a cocktail waitress, but quit before I ever even started. Silly me, I would’ve made mad money! 

This delicious Veggie Burger was enjoyed at The Sidewalk Cafe on Venice Beach. People who don’t really know LA, or who have only been once or twice think Venice Beach is gross… and while the boardwalk is still a little cray, it’s got some gorgeous sand and coast! Also this cafe had a bunch of vegan and vegetarian options, which is always nice to see. 

Mmmmmm Vegan Reuben from Subculture (who I’ve told you about before). They rock the best subs in Capitol Hill, IMO. 

This Lemon Meringue cupcake from Watercourse Bakery/City O’ City isn’t much to look at, but believe me when I tell you it was totally scrumptious. The tartness of the lemon offset the sugary sweetness and kept it from being overwhelming. I’m so lucky to have an all-vegan bakery right across the street from my office!

Every summer, Denver has this great event on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays where Civic Center Park is filled up by food trucks for lunch. Here are two of my recent finds: A Valley Veggie Wrap from Cali Wraps, and (I think?) The Colorado from Keenwah Co. 

From a street fair in the Valverde neighborhood, I got the Boulder Veggie Philly from a truck called Wong Way Veg, the name of which seems… a tiny bit racist?

Annnnnnnd finally some more veggies. A Beet Salad with red and gold beets and a citrus vinaigrette from Vendetta’s in Vail:

A regular ol’ salad I made at home with Follow Your Heart Ranch (I love, love, LOVE salads like this in the summer!):

And, as a strange sort of grand finale, the crazy thing I’ve been eating for breakfast lately… Steamed Broccoli with salt and pepper. I swear it’s good though, and it’s a great way to pre-load some nutrition in your day!

Have you guys been eating anything fun or unusual lately?? 

Follow

Share on Tumblr

Every year I’d see my LA blogger friends posting pics and stories from the LA Vegan Beer and Food Festival and would succumb to massive jealousy. I lived in LA for years (and San Diego for years after that) and I wasted all that time by not being vegan! Gah! But this year I finally put things right, got my butt on a plane, and went to the festival. And let me tell you… it did not disappoint! If you’re thinking of attending next year, be sure and scroll all the way down for my own personal checklist of ways to make it more enjoyable! 

Although I spent most of the long weekend partying it up with canine celebrities in WeHo, my old bestie Patrick was my date for the fest. I did a very poor job of documenting all that we ate and drank, but here are some of the highlights: 

A plant-based version of KFC’s “Double Down” from the Herbivorious Butcher – 2 pieces of fried seitan with the bacon, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion in between. We waited in line for at least 45 minutes for this bad boy, and it was delicious! Too big for me to finish though. 

Coconut macaroons and peanut butter cheesecake from The Little Sweet Place:

I won (WON!!) this 2lb bottle of FYH Vegan Egg just for tweeting a picture of my posing with their logo! I can’t even imagine how much this would cost in a store?

This was an avocado taco from somewhere I can’t remember (See? I did a terrible job!) but it was good. The avocado was dehydrated, covered in salsa, and wrapped in lettuce which was perfect for the hot day:

There were lots of brands with lots of freebies too. FYH, in addition to giving away the yummy Vegan Egg were also serving up free “pizza” grilled cheese sandwiches, and handing out cheese samples. Gardein was there with their fishless filets and fries:

And of course there was a lot of beer. A.Lot.Of.Beer. But I didn’t take pics of that. It was so hot and I didn’t have enough hands, so I decided to just enjoy myself. And I finally met my favorite Instagrammer- The Unhealthy Vegan!

He was a food judge and was set up at a table with one of EVERYTHING. And he shared! Love that guy. 

There were so many people there, it was insane. 

And this was a shot taken from the VIP area, where it was a lot less crowded:

Okay, enough pictures… here are my thoughts:

1. VIP access is worth the extra $$ for 3 reasons: You get in two hours earlier which allows you to get in line for things like the “double down” or the vegan “big mac” before that line is a mile long. The VIP area has their own bathrooms (in the regular area you have to actually leave the beer/food space to get to any) with no lines, and they stay cleaner because fewer people are using them. And, finally, it gives you a less crowded place to go if you’re like me and get a little uncomfortable in crowds. 
2. Go with friends/a group is better than a duo: First of all, you have more people to talk to, or walk around with. It’s summer in Pasadena so it’s hot. Some of you are going to walk to chill in the shade while others are all “Let’s get more beer!” Also the portions are huge so that way you can share and try more things! Set up a blanket in the shade, and you all have a sort of homebase for the rest of the day. And draw straws so one of you is the DD. 
3. Bring a blanket: See #2
4. Bring a tote bag or backpack: Don’t be that person carrying a 2lb jar of Vegan Egg around all day, juggling her beer glass and phone and food.  The parking lot is really far away, you don’t want to be going back and forth, trust me. 
5. Wear something light but fun: I saw people in all sorts of crazy outfits and I wished I had thought of that. Next year I’m wearing a pink tiara and maybe a tutu. Depends on the weather. 

Did any of you attend? Do you have other ideas? Add them to the comments section!!

Follow

Share on Tumblr

Yep, I went to LA and met Giggy! But first my old roomie/forever friend Randy picked me up from the airport and we went straight to hiking in the Pacific Palisades. 

Gorgeous views of both ocean and mansions. See the one with the vineyard in the backyard? That’s Steven Spielberg’s house.

Randy and I met in college back in NH, and moved to LA in 1999 where we were roommates for 4 years (along with Theron, who missed this trip).  So, we’ve known each other for about 20 years.  We both look so hot and youthful you’d never know it though! I hadn’t seen him since moving to CO more than 10 years ago, but as it always is with real friends, we jumped right back into it. It was like no time had gone by – at least after we caught each other up a bit. 

I had THE BEST weekend. Randy lives in West Hollywood so it was dubbed The WeHo Weekend, and JT’s CAN’T STOP THE FEELING was our theme song, because it came on the radio every time we got in the car. We went to the beach twice:

Did lots of sightseeing (including the beautiful canals in Venice Beach):

And generally ate and drank a ton. I also went to the LA Vegan Beer & Food festival, but I’m saving those deets for my next post. The best night was Friday… we got all dolled up and hit the happy hour at Pump… as in Lisa Vanderpump from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. 

We each ordered a Gigster and mingled…

Until THE REAL Gigster showed up!

My head practically exploded in so many directions. 

1. Because Randy is fabulous, he’s friends with that guy Dwight we’ve all seen on the show being besties with Lisa and Taylor, so we got an actual introduction (as opposed to me just being a dorky fan girl)
2. Ken is so nice and OMFG Giggy is so adorable in person dog!
3. Giggy and I matched. Swoon. 
4. Lisa is tiny in person but so sweet!
5. Ken admired my Cooper paw tattoo and I told him about Cooper and he thought it was great
6. I can now walk around saying things like “Well, my friends Ken and Lisa…“
7. Bucket list CHECK!

Best part is, the fun that night was just beginning. Randy had made reservations for us at Gracias Madre, a super swank all vegan spot in WeHo (and yes, it’s the spot with all the owner drama, but we didn’t know that… not that it would necessarily have kept us from eating there anyway). And I apologize for the pics- it was so dark in there, but I really want to share!

We were waiting for Randy’s BF Mark to join us (and for some reason I have no pics of the three of us, sad), so we sat at the bar for our first cocktail. You know how regular bars have the tray of lemon wedges and fluorescent cherries and such? Not Gracias Madre! They have this: 

Their cocktail menu is amazing- they only serve drinks made with tequila and mezcal but there are tons of delicious options. I am fairly certain that I had the One In A Melon:

We ordered a lot and shared among the three of us. We started with the Coliflor Frito (cauliflower with a cashew nacho cheese sauce) and this insane Grilled Street Corn with chipotle aioli, pumpkin seed parmesan, and lemon: 

We also had the Enchiladas Verde (tomatillo enchiladas served open faced with sauteed greens, grilled zucchini, avocado cashew crema, and black beans) and the Coconut Ceviche Tostadas with guacamole, cashew crema, and cilantro:

Both dessert pictures came out terrible, but we had the Strawberry Shortcake (coconut cashew whipped cream, cinnamon biscuit, and balsamic reduction) and the Peanut Butter Cup (raw cacao crust with toasted peanut ganache). Both were delicious. We ate it all! 

One last cute shot of me and Randy… 

… and I’ll be back in a few days with my post about the LA Vegan Beer and Food Fest which I am DEFINITELY heading back for next year! 

Follow

Share on Tumblr

When you’re craving a big ol’ plate of salty, gooey, nacho deliciousness… but not just any nachos will do, I suggest you try these Chick’n Fajita Nachos! SO flavorful, SO easy to make, and SO satisfying to your tummy. 

They’re also: fun, finger-eatable, and have enough veggies that you can eat a batch for dinner and feel perfectly fine about it. 

What’s in ’em? Sweet peppers and onions and (if you like, but not strictly necessary) mock chicken. I used Beyond Meat strips, but any kind would work- even my homemade chicken style seitan if you’re feeling all Martha Stewarty. So, you cook all that up with a bunch of fajita seasonings, then you pile it on a plate full of chips along with lots of spicy cheese and some fresh basil because it’s summer now (almost) and I’m gonna put fresh basil on everything, dammit! 

Seriously though, don’t skip the basil. It’s fantastic!

So, there are your basic Fajita Nachos… you can take it a couple steps further and add some pico de gallo: 

And some avocado and vegan sour cream:

This is your party, people. Add whatever you want! Just don’t skip the cheese (I used Daiya pepperjack shred and melted them in a pan with a little unsweetened almond milk and a diced jalapeno).

Whatever you put on there, you really can’t go wrong. And although the recipe is technically for two, well… lets just say I ate almost the entire thing myself the other night. It was Saturday, which was date night with Sally and Teddy. The AC was cranking and we were all settled in with a bottle of rosé and The Wire, which we’re currently binge-watching. (We’re on Season 3, and other than the laughably old cell phones and other various technologies, it’s pretty good!). 

On a side note, I’m taking the month of June off from dating, and it’s going really well. I’d hate to be accused of defamation or slander, so lets just say… the last couple jokers were definitely not what I have in mind for myself. Plus I’m traveling a lot this month, so it worked out well timing-wise for a little break! And it gives me more time to focus on Mr. Theodore Maximus who, beeteedubs, is fitting in just perfectly in his new pack! 

Also, not dating means I get to spend Saturday night on the couch. With these. 

Yum. 

Fajita Nachos

2016-06-13 16:00:36

Serves 2

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Ingredients

1. 6 mini sweet peppers, sliced
2. 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
3. 1/4 cup fajita seasoning
4. 1/2-3/4 bag Beyond Meat strips, thawed, chopped into small cubes (if desired)
5. 3/4 cup vegan cheese (I used Daiya pepperjack shreds)
6. 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk, more as needed
7. 1/2 jalapeno, diced
8. 10-12 basil leaves, sliced
9. 1/2-3/4 bag tortilla chips
10. Other toppings as desired: pico de gallo, avocado, sour cream, etc

Instructions

1. Water saute the veggies with the fajita seasoning mixed in for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cubed chick'n (if using) and cook for another 2 minutes. You want there to be some saucey liquid in the pan with your veggies and chick'n!
2. In a separate pot, combine the cheese, milk, and jalapeno and melt over medium heat until creamy. Add as much milk as you need to get a good, pour-able consistency.
3. Heat the chips on a plate in your oven for just a few minutes, then add the fajita mix and top with plenty of the cheese and basil. Add additional toppings as your little heart desires!

By Barb@ThatWasVegan?

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr

If you follow me on insta you’re already familiar with my epic date nights- I crack open a box bottle of wine, queue up something good on Netflix, and order myself something delicious for dinner. Then it’s cuddle time on the couch with Sally -and Teddy too, soon, hopefully!

Once in a while I’ll cook, but more often it’s delivery, and definitely something I wouldn’t normally get. Chinese delivery is a big favorite, and thanks to apps like GrubHub and Eat24, it’s at my door pretty darn quick. Lately I’ve been ordering from Fortune Kitchen, which apparently has a dine-in option, although I’ve never even driven by. Their food though? I can definitely vouch for that. And though they’re actually located in Aurora, they do have a pretty large delivery area that stretches into parts of Denver. 

The best best best part? They have an entire portion of their menu dedicated to vegan meat! That’s right, you can order all your old pregan favorites, but without the animal products. And I’ve double and triple checked- their seitan is egg and dairy free! It’s made with Chinese mushrooms, soybeans, veggies and seaweed.

Here are a few of my favorite dishes…

Vegetarian Sesame Chicken is hands-down the best thing they have, IMO. It’s battered and deep fried the way I remember Chinese chicken dishes being- as opposed to that thinner batter you usually get on tofu. It’s so flavorful and meaty and even omni friends say it’s delicious and authentic.

 Vegetarian Chicken Fried Rice is almost always in my Eat24 cart as well. The seitan isn’t battered, but it’s very flavorful. And they have little bits of yellow tofu in there to make it look like egg. It also has peas and carrots and onion, just like the fried rice you’d find anywhere else. 

They call this Tofu in Peanut Sauce but I think it’s really more of a Massaman Curry… And I have to stop myself from just drinking it straight from the cup it’s delivered in! I always order it medium spicy, and I love the broccoli and pineapple mixed in. 

Vegetarian Beef with Broccoli is the only “beef” dish I’ve ever ordered from here. The flavor is great, but the texture of the “beef” is much softer than the chicken. I’m a huge fan of all the veggies they include in there though!

And finally, the old delicious standbys: Sesame Tofu and Orange Chicken! Both are good, but when I crave the sesame sauce, I much prefer the vegetarian chicken dish. And I find the orange chicken to be a bit sweet… although in all fairness I do order it mild, so it may be my own fault. The veggie spring rolls are free with a coupon on Eat24 so I always get them, but they’re nothing special. But hey, free is free, right? 

So if you find yourself in need of Chinese takeout or delivery in Southeast Denver, you have to try them. You can checkout their full menu here (or via your favorite food order app), and they’re located at 12120 E Mississippi Ave in Aurora!

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr

I’ll be the first to admit that these veggie dogs need a more succinct name, but I don’t know what it would be. If you have any ideas, please share, because they really do deserve a good name. They’re so delicious! I love anything with fresh sweet basil, and then you add in the charred, grilled corn plus the tang of the pepperoncini, and suddenly your veggie dogs are next level. 

And speaking of dogs… 

Teddy!

He’s really starting to settle in. He’s figured out the stairs and loves to go upstairs on his own to explore. Sometimes I’ll be sitting on the couch reading or watching tv and wonder “Who the heck is stomping around upstairs? Oh, that’s just Teddy!” He also likes to hang out on the landing, halfway up the stairs. It’s carpeted so I assume it’s fairly comfortable, plus it gives him a great view out the front door and over the fence. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I know I did. I went for a much needed walk n’ talk with my girlfriend Sonali- she’s kind of my online dating guru and is always full of wisdom. I hiked with Teddy and another friend, went to a BBQ (and brought these amazing veggie dogs!), and even spent some time soaking in my mom’s pool:

Yah… you don’t need to be psychic to know I’m going to be spending a lot of time in that pool this summer 🙂 

But back to the (edible) dogs- when I’m invited to an omni bbq I really try to step up my game. Normally I’d bring some delicious sides (like Spicy Pasta Salad or perhaps Grilled Sriracha Sweet Potatoes) or one of my many homemade bean burgers, but this time ‘veggie dogs’ was the specific request. This gave me pause. Sure, they’re delicious with ketchup and relish and onions, but is that really going to open anyone’s mind? Probably not. So I went with a twist, and easy-yet-tasty topping combo of sweet and tart, that had all the flavors of summer.

Being a food blogger means more is expected of you at potlucks. But it also means you get to make the dishes at least twice- including once at home to practice and photograph, and then stuff into your own face with no one watching. In this case, I did that with a side of grilled beets which I highly recommend!

I know I’ve shared these before, but they’re still a favorite of mine. The natural, earthy, sweetness of the beet, and the charred flavor from the grill… perfection! A fun way to eat your veggies as the weather warms up. And a great side to all your favorite summer dishes! 

Follow

Share on Tumblr

They say love is complicated, but that’s not always true.

Sometimes, you’re scrolling through pictures online, looking for that special someone, and the right one just jumps out at you. Maybe the feeling isn’t mutual right away, maybe it takes time to find your groove, but when it’s meant to be, well… nothing can stand in the way of fate, right?

I fell in love this weekend. The lucky guy? Teddy.

After Cooper went to the rainbow bridge, I took some time to heal before I started fostering again. Then, a few weeks ago, I started to feel like someone was missing from my family. There seemed to be this emptiness at home that Sally and I just couldn’t fill on our own. So I decided to adopt. I already volunteer with the Dumb Friends League so they seemed like the natural choice, and there were lots of sweet faces on their website. Furry faces that needed homes. There was one in particular who kept jumping out at me:

Such a sad little face he had after a month at the shelter!

All it took was a quick visit with Sally to get her approval, and that sweet fella was on his way home with me. I didn’t choose his new name until the next morning, but I knew it needed to be the perfect fit. He’s an old man so the name needed to be respectable… but it also needed to fit that adorable face of his. And those ears. Those ears!

He looks like a teddy bear to me, so his name became Theodore Maximus, or Teddy for short, and he’s doing great in his new home. He’s still a bit shy and reserved, but he always wants to be in the same room as me, and has started approaching me for scratches around the neck and under the chin. What I really want to do is hug him and kiss his adorable face, but I’m showing remarkable restraint

I’m still getting to know him, but here’s what we know so far: He’s 9 years old and has arthritis in his back hips. He spent his whole life as a working sled dog here in Colorado. He really likes other dogs, and is only moderately interested in squirrels and rabbits. He and Sally are definitely friends, although I haven’t seen them playing yet. He’s insanely sweet, with no aggression at all, even over food. And he takes treats SO gently, just using his lips. I assume he’s never had the need to be house trained (since he has never lived in a house), but he’s already a pro at the doggy door and hasn’t had any accidents in the house (knock on wood).

I have a four day weekend coming up, and I’m excited to take him on his first trip to the dog park, and I’ll definitely share pics of that adventure! 🙂 

Follow

Share on Tumblr

Hello and happy Thursday! I’m on a very special mission this weekend, and hope to have really good news for you in my next post. I’ll give you a hint… it involves 4 paws and a whole mess of love. Follow me on twitter or insta for updates! 

For now, it’s another update of all the amazingness I eat when I’m not making something for the blog! (Stolen shamelessly from Bianca, btw)

First up, a falafel wrap and fries from a little Syrian joint 2 blocks from my office called Shish Kabob Grill. The owners make the falafel fresh in house from their own recipe, and it’s the best I’ve ever had. That’s a creamy hummus sauce on top, totes vegan!

This next one is going to seem a bit random, but I have to share it because of how vegan-friendly Amtrak is: I took the train recently to Glenwood Springs for a work conference, and ate this vegan burger on the way. It’s literally called “The Vegan Burger” on their menu, so no need to ask annoying questions. They also have a different vegan option in their dining car for lunch and dinner each day. It was a black bean patty, not bad at all (although they did cook it in a microwave and there were no vegetable toppings available), but it was better than what I expected. And, of course, there’s always the bar car 🙂 

These “vegan popsters” were both adorable and delicious! I grabbed one at Pig Train, a coffee shop inside Denver’s Union Station. They had strawberry and blueberry… I went with strawberry of course. Similar to a pop tart (which I believe are vegan if unfrosted?), but softer and moister, and bigger. Which is better!

I like to keep frozen burger or chik’n patties in the freezer for quick and easy meals, like this one. This was one of those $1 finds from the Dollar Tree, score!

You know I love a good date night at home with just me and Sally, and on this particular one “we” had nachos and beer. That is to say, I had nachos and beer and she had a kong stuffed with peanut butter and plenty of fresh, clean water haha. My nachos were literally smothered in melted Daiya cheddar with pinto beans, taco flavored seitan crumbles, onions, bell peppers, salsa, and avocado!

I freaking love Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs. Especially with a side of deep fries sweet tater tots. The veggie dog was “Chicago style” with mustard, red onions, tomatoes, pickles, strangely colored relish, and celery salt. Delicious!

Another quick n’ easy meal: tater tots from my freezer with a huge portion of sauteed kale, and one of my spicy chickpea burgers. I can’t remember what brand of cheese that was… I grabbed it at Natural Grocers because it was on sale, but it wasn’t very good, honestly. 

I busted out the waffle maker for the first time in my new place, and made beer waffles! The recipe isn’t quite perfected, but almost… it’ll be great in a number of savory recipes I’m thinking of. 

Last but DEFINITELY not least: Crazy @ss Totchos. You know those days when everything goes wrong and you just want to drown your sorrows in fats and oils and grease and starch? Well I had one of those days, so I went home and baked off some tots, then smothered them in melted Daiya, green chile, and ketchup. It was divine. Exactly what I needed to life my spirits! 

Okay, that’s all I have for ya. Don’t forget to check back for updates on my top secret mission ❤︎!

Follow

Share on Tumblr

It’s cold and rainy here, but I’m pretending it’s summer. Dishes with fresh veggies, burgers, and pasta salads are all on the menu at my house!

Also? Getting outside as much as possible. Even when it’s so cold I can see my own breath… 

These are from a trail in Boulder on Sunday morning. It was a great hike, and had there not been all those clouds hovering around us, there would’ve been a beautiful view. And I really could see my own breath!

Can’t claim this pasta salad is on the same level as a perfect hike, but it IS delicious! Pasta… hummus… what else do you need? The hummus makes it all so creamy, but still healthier than vegan mayo. Plus depending on what kind of hummus you use, it changes up the flavor. I went with the garlicky-est hummus I could, but I feel like a roasted red pepper would be great too. 

Also, sorry for the crummy picture. I got new lights and I’m still figuring them out! 

Follow

Share on Tumblr