That Was Vegan?

Happy Monday (if such a thing exists) and I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend! I did. In preparation for bagging my first 14er in just a few days, I spent most of the weekend hiking and biking. Sunday was the best though because Lauren and Jamie and Mike came over and we had a vegan BBQ! I made my very favorite-ist pasta salad, and bean burgers which were a delicious combo of my spicy chickpea burgers and my smoky-sweet chickpea burgers with adobo. Jamie and Mike brought tons of fresh fruit and Lauren made my most favorite onion dip in the world. I could take a bath in that stuff! I think she uses the Lipton mix but then adds in secret ingredients like dog kisses, and love ♥♥♥

Annnyway, enough reminiscing about what I ate yesterday, let’s talk tacos.

Korean BBQ (the vegan kind!) has been popular in my kitchen and tummy since Shawna, a friend since alllll the way back in middle school, introduced me to it in 2012. I’ve made

Korean Seitan Tacos with Sriracha Pineapples (hmmm… why does that sound familiar?)
Korean BBQ Quesadillas
Korean Pizza with Kogi-Style BBQ Seitan and Sriracha Pineapples
Korean BBQ Subs
Korean BBQ Tofu (with Kimchi Fried Rice)
Korean BBQ & Kimchi Pizza
Sweet Potato and Korean BBQ Bites

Clearly I really love that sticky sweet Korean BBQ sauce! Especially on seitan, which is really “meaty” and holds up well. This time though, I decided to take the easier (and some would argue) healthier route and just roll with some chickpeas. They’re still really delicious and it’s much easier to open a can than it is to make your own seitan… And of course I topped them with my famed sriracha pineapples!

And the rice! I made Coconut Jasmine rice… Here’s the recipe, it was to die for. I also served them with some steamed kale, because vitamins.

 All in all, a healthy and delicious meal that was easy to prepare. The tacos and kale took no time at all, and if you cheated and bought some coconut scented rice at the grocery store, well… you’d be eating by now!

Korean BBQ Chickpea Tacos

2014-07-07 10:59:40

Serves 2

A fun new take on tacos!

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

20 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

20 min

Ingredients

1. I can chickpeas
2. 1-2 tablespoons Korean hot pepper paste (Gochujang)
3. 3 tablespoons brown sugar
4. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
5. 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
6. 1 tablespoon hot chili oil
7. 2 cups pineapple chunks
8. Sriracha sauce
9. 4-5 taco shells

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a mixing bowl combine the gochujang, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil. Mix well, then pour in the chickpeas. Stir well until coated. If you have time you can let them marinate in the fridge, but it's not necessary. Heat a skillet over medium. When it's hot, pour in the chickpeas and all the extra marinade. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer uncovered until most of the sauce is gone.
2. While the chickpeas are cooking, put the pineapple chunks in a container with a lid (like a tupperware), and add about 1 teaspoon of sriracha. Close and shake, then taste one. If it's not hot enough, add more sauce. If it's too hot, rinse them all of and start over, this time using less sauce. When you get the right amount of heat, set aside.
3. Spoon the chickpeas into the taco shells and top with the pineapple chunks. Top with more sriracha if you're feeling brave!

Notes

1. If you don't want to make your own Korean BBQ sauce, you can buy the bottle kind in most mainstream grocery stores, in the Asian section!

By Barb@ThatWasVegan?

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr

Photo credit: eschuette1

As you all know, nothing really happens in life unless it’s blogged, tweeted, facebooked or instagramed, so to make it official (and to keep myself from wussing out) I’m officially announcing that I will be hiking up to the tippety top of my very first 14er this summer!

The mountain? Mt. Bierstadt.

Why? Because I’m a Coloradan and that (apparently) is what we do. We “bag” 14ers, which are mountains with peak elevations of 14,000 or more. Mt. Bierstadt,  at 14,060, is considered one of the easiest in Colorado and is one of the three or four that are recommended to first timers.

We’re planning to make the trek early on Friday, July 11 and I’m very excited!

And now the real question is… which Denver-area readers want to come with me? 🙂

Follow

Share on Tumblr

That? Right there? That’s music for your mouth, otherwise known as Sweet n’ Sour Baked Cauliflower Steaks!

They’re easy, healthy and you’re not tied to the sweet n’ sour version I made. You could top them with any flavor of sauce you like… or no sauce at all! You could just rock a little olive oil and salt & pepper and call it a day!

In case you were wondering, they’re Cooper and Sally Approved™…

Theoretically speaking, of course. They didn’t actually get to taste any… but I feel certain that if they had gotten a taste, they’d have given it two enthusiastic paws up! Good dogs!

Do you guys love cauliflower? I’ve been eating quite a bit of it lately, it’s delicious and versatile, which I love. Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza? Cauliflower n’ Cheese? Done and doner.

You simply start by slicing and roasting the caulisteaks™ (haha, can’t stop using the cute little “tm”!), then literally just top it with your favorite sauce and serve. They make a great main OR side dish.

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

2014-06-27 07:28:21

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

25 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

25 min

Ingredients

1. 1 head cauliflower
2. S&P
3. Olive oil or non-stick spray
4. Sauce of choice

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper OR cover with non-stick spray.
2. Peel off the green leaves at the base of your cauliflower, then slice it (top down) into 3/4" "steaks". Make sure you leave the bottom of the cauli intact, that's what will hold your pieces together. You'll also end up with some smaller bits, so just throw those in too!
3. Spray the steaks with a bit of the non-stick or brush on some olive oil, and add a pinch of S&P. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping once, or until they're soft enough to cut easily with a fork. I put mine under the broiler for a few moments to get a little color.
4. Top with your favorite sauce (or with more olive oil and S&P) and get ready to make your tummy happy!

By Barb@ThatWasVegan?

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr

So, when I started the MHVE reviews, I said I wasn’t going to feature all-vegan or all-vegetarian restaurants. I have two reasons for this: Because everyone who’s interested in eating veg in Denver already knows about places like Watercourse, City O’ City and Native Foods, and because I live in an omni world where many of my friends and most of my family eat meat and dairy… and I’m pretty sure your guys are in that same boat with me. I want to use this space to share reviews of  “regular” restaurants that have tons of delicious options for us plant-eaters, the types of places your friends and family are already eating. The types of places where you’d like to be able to join them!

It’s a wonderful argument and I totally stand by it. Today, however, I’m breaking my own rule. Which is okay because this is MY blog and I get to write about whatever I want. And so my review today is for Tasty Harmony, and all-vegetarian restaurant in the fabulous city of Fort Collins!

A group of us went to FoCo for the day last month, to visit some breweries and to eat at Tasty Harmony.

You know how it is when you discover a restaurant online and spend weeks staring at their menu before you finally get the chance to eat there? You literally start to dream about what you’re going to order and you just can’t stand it?

That’s what happened to me with Tasty Harmony. I must’ve looked at their menu at least 5 times a week, trying to decide what I’d order first. Their online menu is actually a little frustrating for vegans, because although many of the descriptions look like they might be vegan (cashew cheese, etc), it doesn’t actually say what is vegan and what isn’t.

Good news: Once you get there and look at their IRL menu, almost everything is vegan!

I had the Nachos de Ynez… as my lunch. And yes, I think that’s perfectly okay!

Beans, guac, salsa, vegan sour cream, and cashew cheese! They weren’t the best vegan nachos I’ve ever had, but they were very yummy!

Jamie had the Kentucky Fried Freedom: Battered and pan fried mock chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, black eyed peas and garlicky greens!

That’s what I had last time I ate there, and what I wish I had ordered this time. You know how you have that old favorite, and you’re torn between ordering that one dish again and again, or trying something new that you might love even more? Such a hard decision, especially at a place like Tasty Harmony where everything is, well, TASTY! Still, this dish gets my vote as Best Of Menu 🙂

What else was ordered? Mark had the Heart of Provence (cornmeal and almond crusted tempeh triangles, garlic seared polenta cakes, Provence inspired tomato sauce) which we all picked at…

And Mike chose the Reuben, which was AMAZEBALLS and was made with marinated tempeh, homemade sauerkraut, cashew cheese and Russian dressing on toasted marble rye bread.

There are still lots of options on that menu that I want to try, so I can’t wait till I find myself in Fort Collins again! And if you’re planning a visit, you simply must stop by Tasty Harmony!

Want more Colorado restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

Follow

Share on Tumblr

We just got back from a 3-night/ 4-day camping trip, which was my longest stay yet in the RV, and I had a BLAST! I got to hike and drink and eat… basically my three favorite things. Another favorite thing? Getting a new outfit for the aforementioned hiking! Seriously, I could blow my entire paycheck each month on cute little athletic outfits 🙂

Well, of course I don’t hike in the flip flops, but isn’t that little skort just the cutest? Technically it’s for running, but if you wont tell on me I’d appreciate it. And those cute little furbles are my “bonus dogs”, Allie (the golden) and Cody. Behind me is the view we had from our camp spot in Gunnison County on the edge of the Big Blue Creek. We saw elk nearly every morning and night as they went back and forth to the water.

I love Colorado. I know there are beautiful spots all over the world, but this state will always be my favorite! Here’s a few more:

Cody and Allie playing in the creek…

Allie giving herself a bath…

A view of Lake San Cristobal, south of Lake City…

And some more green mountains. I don’t remember where this was shot exactly, but it’s too pretty not to share!

I got to stop in three Colorado towns I’ve never been to: Gunnison, Lake City and Creede. I also got to visit two awesome restaurants, one in Del Norte and one in Gunnison, both with great vegan options which I’ll be sharing on my Mile High Vegan Eats page soon. The dogs got to play in the water and we all got to see tons of elk. It was fantastic!

We also ate very well. Because we’re glamping rather than tent camping, we have a fridge and stove and microwave which makes things easy. We had green chile black bean burgers the first night, with spicy pasta salad, and we also had tuno salad sandwiches and grilled seitan steaks! And wine. Lots and lots of wine and beer and gin and vodka. I’d say it was a well-rounded menu 🙂

Follow

Share on Tumblr

Vegan Sausage Pizza… with Peppers and Onions!

I ate this glorious pizza nearly three weeks ago, but sitting here looking at these pictures has me drooling all over again. All that delicious melty Daiya… the fresh veggies, the meatballs… and look at all the oregano and crushed red pepper on there! Divine!

I’d go on a date with this pizza, and I’d make out with it SO HARD. I’m in love.

Ok, so maybe “love” is too strong a word (and “lust” would probably be a little weird), but I’m really into this pizza. I hadn’t had a sausage pizza since I went vegetarian back in ’08, but a couple months ago I saw one on a menu somewhere. It wasn’t vegan so I had to wait and recreate it at home, but it was 100% worth it. And obvs you can make it with sausage or meatballs and it’s yummy either way.

If you used to be into meaty pizzas, you simply must try this. Leave work, and go to your nearest grocery store for supplies. Go home and bake the pizza, then shovel it into your foodhole.  There will be plenty of time to thank me afterward 🙂

Vegan Sausage/Meatball Pizza

2014-06-19 09:58:27

Yields 1

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Ingredients

1. One pizza dough, store bought or homemade, rolled out and ready to go
2. 8-10 vegan meatballs or slices of sausage
3. 1 small onion
4. 1 bell pepper
5. 1/2 cup pizza sauce
6. 1.5 cups Daiya shredded mozzarella
7. S&P
8. Oregano
9. Crushed red pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 425.
2. Heat the meatballs over medium heat in a frying pan just until warm. Slice in half and set aside.
3. Slice the peppers and onion, set aside.
4. Pour the sauce onto the pizza dough, spreading out evenly. Top with 1/3 of the Daiya, then add the meatballs and pepper/onions. Add the remaining cheese over the top, and sprinkle on the S&P, oregano and crushed red pepper as desired.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until melty.

Notes

1. I used Nate's meatballs, but Trader Joe's are exactly the same and would work great as well!

By Barb@ThatWasVegan?

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr

Confession time: I’m totally copying my blogger-friend Annie right now. She’s been going back and updating some of her photos, which is a fabulous idea.  All food bloggers have those early recipes and pictures that they’re maybe a little bit embarrassed less proud of.

And it’s more than just pride, of course. This recipe for Vegan Creamy Pasta Alfredo with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms is a perfect example. It’s totally delicious, but my pictures from waaaaay back in April, 2012 just didn’t get that across. No one is going to trip over themselves to try a recipe when the picture only looks mediocre, right? The pictures need to draw you in, maybe make you drool a little bit.

I think these ones do that.

You can get this delicious pasta recipe here.

I also wanted to show you my beautiful little plant. I bought her at Lowes, and I can’t remember what the fruit is. It’s a lemon/orange hybrid. Maybe a Rangpur?

Rangpurs are apparently every popular and I’ve seen flavored products popping up all over. Including gin, which is obviously my favorite rangpur-flavored-product EVER.

Anyway, I just thought they were super pretty and wanted to share!

As you’re reading this I’m on my way to the Gunnison National Forest for some serious glamping and hiking! We’re staying in an area that I’ve been wanted to visit for more than a year (The Uncompaghre Wildnerness) and I’m beyond excited. I’ll be back next week with some pictures… have a great weekend!

Follow

Share on Tumblr

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! We’re halfway there, folks. And to make your week a little bit brighter, I have an awesome giveaway for you: Four bottles of delicious salad dressings, marinades, and dipping sauces from Terrapin Ridge Farms!

They were all great, but let’s break them down by just how much I loved them…

Roasted Pineapple Habanero Sauce (vegan, gluten free):  Hands now, this was totes my fave. It was a perfect combo of spicy and sweet, and although they categorize it as a dipping and cooking sauce, I loved it the most as a marinade! I would press a block of tofu and then it sit in this sauce for at least an hour before grilling or baking it. Then I’d drizzle a bit more on top before serving. I bet it would also be delicious as a dipping sauce for raw veggies!

Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette (vegan, gluten free, fat free): I tend to be a little suspicious when something this delicious is fat free (How do they do it? Magic? Unicorn tears?), but of all the flavors I used as salad dressings, I loved this one best. It’s not sweet like a honey mustard, it actually has this crazy bite to it which is perfect for spicing up your salad. When I’m having salad for dinner and I’m not super excited about it, this is the dressing I use to really perk it up.

Toasted Sesame & Ginger Vinaigrette (vegan, gluten free, fat free): Honestly, this guy came from behind and almost took 2nd place! I wasn’t sure I’d like it that much and actually put off opening the bottle, but as soon as I did it went pretty quickly. I was keeping it in the fridge at work for my lunch salads, and as soon as my co-workers caught on, they started using it too. The ginger isn’t overwhelming but you can taste it. It’s a very light dressing, which is perfect when you don’t want a heavy, creamy type.

Garlic & Herb Vinaigrette (vegan, gluten free, fat free): This one scared me a little bit when I first pulled it out of the box, those huge chunks of garlic! This sauce worked wonderfully as a marinade though. So far I’ve only used it on tofu, but would like to try it on tempeh too…

I also really liked how these sauces were marked as vegan, gluten free, etc. It’s nice when companies don’t make us guess, right? And definitely check out their full product line. They have tons of mustards (sweet beet and horseradish!? I need that NOW!), jellies, salsas, and more. They’re not all vegan though, so be careful.

The Giveaway

Enter below to win FOUR bottles of Terrapin Ridge Farms Sauces (Roasted Pineapple Habanero, Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette, Toasted Sesame & Ginger Vinaigrette, and Garlic & Herb Vinaigrette). There are lots of ways to enter… start by leaving a comment letting us know which flavor you think will be your favorite. There are FB and Twitter options too!

The contest is open until Midnight, Sunday 6/22 Mountain Time, to US residents. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr

First (and more important!) while my fabulous friend Angie (as in Angie Eats Peace) is traipsing her way around Europe, I’m excited to have written a guest post for her, so please go check it out! It’s all about how eating vegan doesn’t need to be complicated or hard. Go on, we’ll wait…

Are you back? Okay good, cuz you’re not gonna want to miss today’s creation: Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza! What’s it got on it?

Cauliflower that is swimming in Frank’s Buffalo Sauce
Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese
Follow Your Heart vegan ranch
Fresh basil

What more could you want?

We all know that cauliflower is the new kale (for now, anyway… who knows what will be the new cauliflower by this time next year!?), and we also know that Frank’s buffalo sauce is both vegan and delicious (two things that nearly always go hand-in-hand), so why not put them together. On a pizza. Because if there’s anything we all know, it’s that I’ll put anything on a pizza!

Breakfast? Yes. Korean BBQ? Yes. Tater tots? HELL YES.

And don’t even think about skipping the vegan ranch dressing or the fresh basil. They take the buffalo flavor to a whole new level. Trust me.

Here’s your handy dandy printable.

Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza

2014-06-16 11:01:23

Yields 1

Who wants to eat buffalo wings when you can have buffalo cauliflower... on a pizza!?!?

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Ingredients

1. 1 pizza dough, store bought or homemade, rolled out and ready to go
2. 1 head of cauliflower
3. 1 cup Frank's buffalo wing sauce, divided
4. 1 1/2 cups Daiya mozzarella shreds
5. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6. S&P taste
7. 10-12 fresh basil leaves
8. Vegan ranch dressing for drizzling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 425.
2. Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and water saute for just 3-4 minutes. They don't need to be fully cooked, you just want to take the edge off. Drain any water out of the pan, then stir in ~ 3/4 cup of the Franks.
3. Top the pizza dough with the remaining wing sauce, spreading evenly. Add the saucy cauliflower bites, then sprinkle with the cheese and seasonings.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Top with the basil leaves and drizzle with the dressing right before serving.

By Barb@ThatWasVegan?

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

Follow

Share on Tumblr