That Was Vegan?

I’ve made it six days so far, including one long weekend (I am on a flex schedule, and get every other Friday off. This past weekend was one of my 3-day weekends) and I’m feeling good!

Highlights:

• I’m sleeping better! It took a while, but the last two nights have been wonderful. Last night especially, I slept for a solid six hours before waking up for the first time, and then I quickly fell back to sleep.
• Per my Fitbit, my resting heart rate is down to 68 BPM (from 69 last week… not sure how meaningful of a change that is?)
• And… I’ve lost 5 lbs! Now, we have to keep in mind that some of that is just water weight (thanks for all that bloat, alcohol!), and I’ve also been a bit more physically active this week. In my mind, the biggest contributing factor is that when I drink I become a mindless eater. Or perhaps mindless hoover is more accurate because I will inhale anything that isn’t nailed down. So in addition to the alcohol calories, I’m also avoiding those eating-after-I’m-already-stuffed calories.

My final tally at the grocery store this week was also a lot lower, with no wine or bourbon in my cart, haha!

Issues:

I don’t want to say these are problems but there are some things I’m having to get used to. One thing is that, without alcohol, I find TV really boring! Again, not a bad thing… leaves more time to be productive or work on other hobbies. I have a ton of things around the house to get done (I’m almost done painting, woot!), and I read AN ENTIRE STEPHEN KING NOVEL this weekend. The Institute was really good! Not one of his longest, but all of his books are pretty long, so it feels like an accomplishment.

I still have quite a bit of post-remodel organizing that I want to get done and I think this will be the month to do it. Wish me luck!

And how about YOU! If you’re doing Dryuary (or Drynuary or Dry January) let us know how you’re doing so far!

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What is Dryuary?

Dryuary (also called Drynuary or Dry January) is the decision to give up drinking for the entire month of January. It’s been around for a while now, and judging from my twitter and facebook feeds, quite a few people are into it!

I’ve decided to take the Dryuary challenge for a couple of reasons. One is that I really want to focus more on my health this year, and I think a month without alcohol would be a great jumpstart. The other is that I haven’t been sleeping well lately, and alcohol is a very likely culprit.

I’m not a heavy drinker, and tend to abstain on most weeknights anyway… but I do love my wine! And I know that alcohol I consume on the weekends could still be affecting my sleeping during the week.

So here we are! Starting at midnight on December 31st I will be officially undertaking the Dryuary Challenge, and although part of me is dreading it (no glass of cabernet while cooking?) part of me is looking forward to sleeping better and feeling better.

I’ll be blogging about it weekly as a way to hold myself accountable because I know willpower is not always my strong suit.

You can track my progress throughout the month:

• Day Six
• Day 13

Are any of you doing Dryuary, or another health challenge in the new year?

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Every morning on the way to work my bus takes me on a tour up Lincoln, and for months I saw Anise Modern Vietnamese Eatery and wondered “Hmmm I wonder if they have vegan options?” before finally going online to check… and they do! Plenty of them, in fact!

I think I’ve tried everything vegan on their menu (it is all very clearly marked), and I’m happy to finally be sharing them with you. It’s been too long! (Spoiler alert, I loved EVERYTHING!)

Anise has a small, simple menu and you can tell they’re focusing on doing a handful of things right, rather than offering a ton of dishes that are just meh. Their flavors are all light and bright, and everything seemed so fresh!

Appetizers

There are three vegan appetizers, and I’ve tried two of them. My favorite is the Crispy Tofu. You know how tofu described as crispy on the menu usually isn’t? Well not here. It is truly crispy on the outside, and pillowy soft on the inside. The dipping sauce is delicious! My one warning to you will be that the inside of the tofu bites will be volcanically hot, so be careful.

I really enjoyed the lightly pickled veggies that come on the side- crispy and sweet.

On another visit, we ordered the Vegan Spring Rolls as well. Thai basil, rice noodles, tofu… the usual, but the flavor was very fresh.

Pho

The manager (owner?) spent quite a bit of time chatting with me on my first visit, and we talked a lot about Pho. I told him of my trip to Vietnam where I ate pho twice a day, sometimes even for breakfast. We also discussed other pho restaurants in the area. You see, Anise doesn’t specialize in pho and it isn’t what they’re known for (as opposed to, say, Phonatic).

Their pho was very different from any I’ve had before, either here in the US or in Vietnam. I’m not saying it’s not authentic, just that they went for a different flavor profile than I’m used to. It was really delicious, very rich and savory. Personally, I love mushrooms, but if you don’t love them, this might be a bit too mushroomy for you.

Entrees

Anise offers two different entrees that are vegan, and both are great! Here’s the Tofu Fried Rice, full of tofu and big chunks of veggies. Delicious, but not too heavy. It didn’t feel very oily at all.

My favorite entree was definitely the Tofu Lemon Grass Noodles.

The noodles are hidden (you have to stir up the bowl), and the tofu was so crispy! It’s also full of the lightly pickled carrots and daikon that I loved so much in the appetizers.

Anise is definitely a win, and with all their vegan (and non-vegan) options, I think any group would be happy dining here.

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

*This post may contain affiliate links.

I’m back with more excellent meals I’ve eaten (if you missed part one of this catch-up, you can see it here). It’s fun to share, and also fun for me to look back at what I’ve eaten.

NACHOS! Here are some Nachos from Native Foods with corn tortilla chips, black beans, seitan taco meat and chipotle sauce, topped with guacamole, cashew cheese, salsa, roasted corn, green onions, cilantro and pickled jalapeno peppers. Pretty much my favorite thing to order there!

Annnnd here are some nachos I made at home! My toppings of choice were chick’n seitan with taco seasoning, mashed avocado, tofutti sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sweet mini peppers, red onion and cheese sauce! Just as good but enjoyed on the couch in my comfies.

I was at a networking event last month, held in the offices of a very fancy company and they had their in-house restaurant cater. They had a build-your-own-bowl station with a whole bunch of grain, protein, and sauce choices and it was great! I chose quinoa and tofu, then added about 4lbs of roasted veggies including cauliflower, brussels sprouts, carrots, and potatoes topped with a sweet/spicy sauce and seeds and nuts. Such a healthy yet delicious lunch, and also I wish I worked for that company!

There’s a Thai place here in Denver called Spicy Basil that does a wide variety of Asian dishes, and had lots of vegan options. You can actually sub tofu for any meat on the menu, so the options are nearly limitless. We had a family dinner there when my step-brother was visiting from Texas and mom and I each got the Sesame Tofu (which is what I usually get). It comes with rice and some veggies, and the tofu is always nice and crispy.

My younger brother was feeling adventurous so he had them sub tofu and create him some Whiskey Tofu and I tried a bite- it was delicious! Very flavorful and much kinder than the beef it is usually made with. Look at those grill marks!

This was the Dijon Chicken Bacon Club from Meta Burger. I had been craving a crispy chick’n sandwich for a while and this hit the spot. Their bacon is really good too.

Do you every just want to eat like a little kid? I was feeling that a few weeks ago so I made English muffin pizzas. I used Yves veggie bacon and Trader Joe’s vegan mozzarella plus some diced onion and bell pepper and it hit the spot!

Speaking of Trader Joe’s, have you tried their Vegan Pesto? I am addicted. I mostly just use it on pasta instead of exploring all the possibilities, but it’s so handy to keep in the fridge. This was a little lunch I had at work a while back. With a book of course because #metime.

Little brother took me to Blue Sake Sushi Grill for lunch last month. They’re the sushi spot with a whole vegetarian/vegan portion of their menu and I could eat there every week. This was the Spicy Tuna roll and it was GOOD!

I think I’ve shared some pictures from Saj Mediteranean Grill before. They’re a local chain and they have a food truck too, so if you see them around, give them a try! They’re similar to Garbanzo. Their menu is all clearly marked so you can easily see what is vegan and what isn’t. This was the Falafel Plate with a ton of sides, and it easily made two meals for me.

Last but not least… I finally went to Punch Bowl Social (where you can actually get a cocktail served in a big ol’ punch bowl!). I ordered the Mediterranean Salad (hold the feta and tzatziki!) which had falafel, marinated cabbage, romesco, hummus, mixed lettuces, and a lemon vinaigrette.

So. Many. Good. Meals.

I know I’m lucky to live in Denver which is just so vegan-friendly! I hope you enjoyed these pics, I’ll try not to wait so long before sharing again

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Whoa, I haven’t done one of these since July! I actually have a ton of random meals to share, so I’m going to split this into two posts for more yummy goodness. Here goes!

Let’s start with Thanksgiving because it was delicious af. My mom and brother came over and I did all the cooking (mom brought the wine and the crescent rolls and brother brought the peanut butter whiskey (yes that is a thing!))

I made:

• Spinach dip for snacking
• TWO vegan roasts (Gardein and Trader Joe’s)
• Sweet Corn
• Candied Carrots
• Green Bean Casserole
• Brandied Sweet Potato Casserole
• New England Style Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Crescent Rolls
• Cranberry Sauce
• Apple pie (storebought but it was vegan!)
• Cherry pie (same)
• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Ice cream and coco whip for the desserts

Green Bean Casserole, covered in crispy onions of course:

NE Style Stuffing with apples and celery and cranberries YUM! (and other veg in the background):

Brandied Sweet Potato Casserole – my first time making this but I really intend to blog the recipe:

The roasts! Gardein is still my favorite, but the TJ’s plant-based roast was really good too.

And finally… my plate. Thanksgiving is crazy because you spend days preparing and cooking… and then you eat for like 20 minutes and are done.

Way too much for three people? Yes. But my friend Jamie and her daughter were maybe going to join us and I wanted everyone to be able to take leftovers. Jame and Em couldn’t make it at the last minute but I went ahead and made everything anyway. The three of us just had to eat leftovers for every meal for a week!

I also recently tried the PLANT BASED CORNED BEEF at Quiznos! They’re testing it in the Denver market and I want to do my part to make sure it is a success and they roll it out everywhere.

The plant-based meat is from Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli and it is everything. I’ve never had “real” corned beef so I can’t compare it, but it was full of flavor with a bit of pepper. Quiznos toasts their subs so the edges sticking out from the bread were all crispy and extra good. The sub is supposed to come with sauerkraut but they were out so I added extra pickles plus some banana peppers. I definitely plan to go back and try it again.

Impossible Whopper, I just can’t quit you. BK was my favorite fast food as a (non-vegan) child. Grandma Josie would take my brother and me there every weekend and I’d always get the same thing: a whopper jr. with cheese and no onions, with onion rings instead of fries. Why did I like onions on the side but not on the sandwich? Why did I insist on eating this meal while going through a car wash? These are questions with no answers BUT Grandma always had a clean car 🙂

I have discovered the key to maximum Impossible Whopper enjoyment is to bring it home and add some vegan mayo… although I did eat it in my car once and just added ketchup which was pretty good too. I realize it isn’t super healthy but damn its a nice treat once in a while, and I’m just glad we have the option now.

I’ve blogged about Sputnik quite a few times, and it’s still one of my very favorite spots in Denver. According to the pictures on my iphone I’ve eaten there three times recently, so clearly I love it. Actually make that four times- my bestie Eric took me there for a birthday lunch and the sandwich was made wrong and it was sad so I didn’t take a pic.

This was the White BBQ Sandwich with smoked tempeh, topped with cabbage, carrots, onion, and pickles doused in house-made Alabama White BBQ sauce. I ordered a half-side of sweet potato fries and spicy habanero jam for dipping. And beer. This is currently my favorite sandwich there!

Next up is the Bahn Mi which USED TO BE my favorite sandwich but they either changed the recipe or the day of my birthday lunch the kitchen crew forgot how to make it, but it was sad. I was sad. Hopefully it was a one-time thing because their original recipe (pictured here) was to die for. Tofu, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, cilantro and vegan Fresno mayo. Pretty sure, looking at this picture, that I accidentally ordered a full side of fries that day. Oops. Also looks like I went with wine that day.

Last, but not least, is a Cashew “Chicken” Salad that isn’t currently on their menu (I think they only have it during spring/summer/fall). It was messy but tasty and I’ll for sure order it again next year if they bring it back.

And finally (for this first half-post)… Piante Pizzaria in Breckenridge! This was there Margherita Pizza made with house-made organic San Marzano tomato red sauce, Piante mozzarella blend, and basil. They make all their own vegan cheese and I love everything I’ve ever tried there. Amazing. So gooey and hot and stretchy – everything you want the cheese on your pizza to be!

Okay, I’ll be back next week with the rest of the random pics!

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Unusual name… unusually delicious food! Bang Up to the Elephant is so close to my office, I don’t know how I didn’t find out about it sooner, but now that I have I’m excited to share it because it is such a fun space!

Bang Up is in the heart of the Cap Hill neighborhood, and it is incredibly pretty and hip. They serve Carribean “beach-shack food”, most of which is crazy spicy.

Beautiful right!? Well so is the food!

Their menu clearly shows which dishes are/can be vegan or vegetarian, so they make it easy to eat there. Here are the dishes I’ve tried so far- and there are many more too!

Edamame & Shishito with grilled red onion, jerk seasoning, and lime juice… the seasoning was really hot! We couldn’t eat more than one or two in a row without a little sweat on our brows – but I will fully admit to being a baby when it comes to heat.

We also shared the Hot & Sweet Tamarind Seitan Wingers, served with celery, trini-pepper sauce, and garlic sauce. Again, very hot, but also a ton of flavor. I stuck mostly with the garlic sauce as it was cooler.

The chunks of seitan were really big (bigger than actual wings), and the seitan itself was the perfect texture- very chewy and toothsome.

I also tried the Scratch-Seitan Cubano on grilled white bread with braised mojo jackfruit, garlic “seit-ham”, mustard and pickles. LOVED IT!

All sandwiches come with a huge side of plantain chips and smoked carrot-coconut dip too. I recently fell (back) in love with plantains while in Central America so I was extra happy to have them again. And the carrot-coconut dip is amazing- smoky and sweet!

On one of my visits I was with my little brother and it was his birthday so they brought us a baked treat- it was chocolate and coconut and it’s not on the menu so I’m not entirely sure what it was, but she said it was vegan.

On another visit, I opted to try one of their breakfast options, the Doubles Plate with frybread with curried chana, trini-pepper sauce and tamarind sauce, cilantro, and sweet plantains:

What a tasty combination of spicy and sweet! I especially appreciated those big sweet chunks o’ plantain.

On my most recent visit I went with a cup of Sweet Corn soup with roast tomato and salsa verde. It was sweet, but not overly so. Very flavorful. This picture is terrible but the soup was so thick and comforting!

I also had the Happy Monkey, a kale salad with fried sweet plantains, pickled onions, jicama, fresnos, and hot pepper vinaigrette. You see, I wanted to sample some of their “bunny food” (what the salad section of their menu is called) so I could report back. It was good! Definitely a good way to taste their flavor with a little less of the fried foods… although yes, the plantains were fried. Oh well!

They also have a full bar (pictured waaaay above) and plenty of meat options on the menu, so this is definitely a spot where everyone in your party will be happy. Check them out!

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

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It’s giveaway time AGAIN people!

Want to add more veggies to your plate, but aren’t interested in cold zoodles? Then The Vegan Spiralizer Cookbook is for you! We are talking about 101 recipes featuring delicious favorites like

• Cheesy Cauliflower + Broccoli Casserole
• Barbecue Chick’n Pizza with Sweet Potato Crust
• Spicy Thai Chickpea Burgers
• Green Chile Hashbrowns
• Coconut-Pear Sundaes with Fudge Sauce
• And more!

Amazing dishes made more fun with the addition of spiralized fruits and veggies!

You have three easy ways to enter and win, so get on it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Most of us are planning to serve stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce next Thursday. I mean, those are very traditional Thanksgiving sides, right? And there’s nothing wrong with that (I’ll be serving them)!

But sometimes it’s fun to change it up, even just a little. You can still serve everyone’s favorite sides AND add a few different and unique dishes to the table.

Here are few not-your-mother’s side dishes for your consideration:

Massaged Kale Salad with Maple-Roasted Pumpkin

Kale & Cabbage Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing

Warm Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad

Agave Roasted Red Potatoes

Coconut-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Pan-Fried Polenta with Fresh Sage

Lemon Couscous with Sweet Potatoes and Kale

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Sticky and chewy. These two qualities are an absolute must when it comes to wings, and these vegan Maple-Bourbon Seitan Wings are exactly that! Crisped up in the air fryer and coated with a homemade sweet bourbon sauce… it’s hard to stop at just one five eight.

I started with my own (amazing if I do say so myself) Chick’n style seitan, and air fried them until crisp and chewy. The sauce starts with butter and garlic, and once you add the maple syrup and bourbon and it’s simmering away on your stovetop, mouths will be watering!

I am really digging my air fryer. Although there is oil in the seitan recipe, you get to skip a lot by not frying the seitan. The air fryer is magic! I have the Magic Chef 5.6qt which is perfect because I can “fry” a lot of food at once.

I also love that this recipe makes about 25 wings, so you can feed lots of hungry faces.

I’m really enjoying my new air fryer, with recipes like this! I’m currently struggling through a remodel at home, and I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen and make some new recipes!

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