It's the cheesiest!

Macaroni & cheese is one of those few dishes that can still make me cheat.  When I see it on a menu, it's so hard for me to say no.  Sometimes I relent and reason that it is still vegetarian at least.  Other times, I stick to my guns and then wonder all night what it tasted like.

So this week's challenge was to put some well-known mac & cheese to the test so that I wouldn't be tempted anymore.  Get ready for a mac & cheese taste-off!

Veggie Grill: I like this place because they use quinoa pasta, which admittedly doesn't taste too different from regular pasta, but psychologically, I like knowing that it has more nutrition than regular pasta.  They also sprinkle the top with toasted garlic bread crumbs so that it appears more like a baked pasta dish.  They have multiple locations around Los Angeles and Orange County, and hopefully will continue to grow.  My only complaint would be that the cheese does taste different so you get the feeling you're not eating the real deal.

 

Veggie Grill

Native Foods: I give this restaurant 2 whisks up!  The pasta, again, was made from quinoa.  The sauce was a smooth and creamy white "cheddar" sauce, which I felt kicked up the gourmet factor.  Plus, because this was a kid's menu item, they added a few broccoli trees.

Native Foods

Now I KNOW that frozen meals NEVER look like the picture.  That's a given.  Having said that, I was even more disappointed with Candle Cafe Macaroni & Vegan Cheese frozen dinner.  I suppose if I ate it fresh from their restaurant, it would look like this picture.

But what my friend and I actually got was this.

The cheese was rubbery and would not separate from the big clump, so there was no way this was going to be a cheesy delight.  It was more like a plain pasta with a huge hunk of cheese.  And for $7, it was not worth it.  Makes me sad because I would have liked something quick and convenient when I didn't have time to grab something at lunch or make it homemade.

Which brings me to... VegNews Bucket List #35: Make the VegNews Mac & Cheese.  It changes lives.  I wholeheartedly agree.

I was BLOWN AWAY by how this combination of vegetables, spices and condiments could not only look like cheese, but taste like it as well, without a smidgen of daily or even nutritional yeast (as a lot of vegan recipes are based).  I was certainly skeptical as I blended the cashews, butter and spices.  I was having trouble because the butter was pretty solid and would not blend the ingredients together.  I pretty much had a block of butter spinning around with cashew pieces stuck to the outside.  But after adding the softened vegetables and cooking water, it became this smooth, perfect yellow-orange color that tasted, in a word, cheesy.  I mixed it with the pasta, tossed in some Smart Bacon bits, and popped it in the oven.  What I like best about this recipe was that I didn't have to follow it to a T.  I guestimated on some of the condiment measurements, used more more potatoes and carrots, used ready-made breadcrumbs (because I didn't want to buy a whole loaf of bread) and added extras like bacon (next time I make this, I'm going to add peas!)

Next time I make this, I would do a few things differently.  First would be timing.  While waiting for the pasta water to boil, this is when I should have been cutting the veggies.  I waited to do this until after my pasta was cooked and then saw that I had to cook the vegetables til they were soft.  So then my pasta had to sit out.  (Yeah, yeah, I probably should have read the recipe in it's entirety and then plotted my course, but I was just so excited that I did it step by step in order.)  Next, I would actually invest in that loaf of bread because I didn't know how much breadcrumbs 4 slices a bread would yield, so I went a little overboard and my mac & cheese was breadier than I had envisioned.  Last, I want to find the quinoa pasta!  I didn't see any at the store, so I settled with whole wheat.  I chose a medium-sized shell shape.  The shape doesn't matter much, whether you use shells or spirals or elbows, but the size actually is quite important.  The smaller the better.

After making this though, I am being completely honest when I saw that if I were to see mac & cheese on a menu, it won't make me weak in the knees because I seriously found THE ONE.  It is well worth the hour in the kitchen to make something delicious (that incidentally tastes like the real thing) and compassionate.

Paws for a Cause!

This weekend, my little road warriors, Mookie & Tokki, strutted their stuff for charity!

On Saturday, we participated in the Best Friends Animal Society’s 2^nd Annual Strut Your Mutt at Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles.  They were walking for their Auntie Laura’s 501(c) non-profit organization, Animal Care for Artists.  ACAI assists low income artists, from painters to photographers to musicians, cover their vet care costs for their pet companions.  This year alone we have helped several cats and dogs get much needed surgery (one of them ate a couch!) so our resources dwindled significantly.  But through SYM, our ACAI team raised almost $2400 and Best Friends raised over $250,000!  Sure, Mookie and Tokki have no idea what they were actually doing there; they were just happy to be there sniffing other dogs and eating treats.  But all in all, they had a great time walking around the park and afterwards, we had a great post-walk party at Cat & Fiddle in West Hollywood.

We had such a great time on Saturday, so we woke up on Sunday and did it all over again.  This time, we gathered at Brookside Park at the Rose Bowl for the 13^th Annual Wiggle Waggle Walk (say that 5 times fast!) to benefit the Pasadena Humane Society.  Being a new pet parent, I didn’t know much about shelters or rescue groups.  But shortly after adopting Mookie, the Pasadena/Altadena/La Canada areas suffered huge trauma during the Station Fires in 2009.  The Pasadena Humane Society opened their doors to care for the hundreds of pets that were evacuated from their homes.  The rescued friends included “dogs and cats, rabbits, parrots, 30 doves, 6 wild ducks, guinea pigs, a turkey vulture, 2 snakes, a tarantula, box turtles, a tortoise, chinchilla and a bobcat.”  With a yearly budget of only $6 million, they also rely heavily on donations and fundraisers, and this year’s WWW raised over $260,000!

 

Mookie, Tokki and I were so happy to be part of three great causes.  And thank you to all my friends and family who donated to Mookie and Tokki’s efforts!  We truly appreciate your support!

Just call me Charlie!

Because I found the golden ticket!

I am a huge fan of Sporkfoods.  I began attending classes before they were listed in VegNews' Bucket List #77.  Ordinarily, the two sisters create original themed recipes (think Brunch foods, the County Fair, vegan Thanksgiving) that they cook in front of you & then all the participants gather around and eat the freshly prepared meal.  I love, love, LOVE the classes for many reasons.  First and foremost, the Spork sisters, Jenny and Heather are too cute for words!  I love how they call each other "Sis" and the way they can finish each other's sentences.  It's true sisterhood at its best!  Second, they welcome everyone to their table, whether they be long-time vegetarians, first-time vegans, or hard-core carnivores.  They do not judge.  They simply cook a wonderful, healthy, compassionate meal and let the food do the talking.  Third, the recipes they create are mouth-watering.  It's hard to believe they can create better-tasting food without the usual butter, cream, and meat.  Things like clam chowder, fried chicken and pot pies have all been reinvented in this kitchen.  I have certainly learned a lot about vegan substitutions because of them.

But I digress.

Last weekend, I attended a workshop that they hosted.  The workshop was conducted by premier chocolatier, Tracey Downey.  I was blown away by Tracey's energy and enthusiasm, her willingness to impart all her hard-earned knowledge and expertise.  I can't tell you how many times she said, "Send me your family favorites and I'll help you convert them" or "Let's talk first before you do that."  She had the most giving spirit.

But let's get to the real reason we were all there: the CHOCOLATE!  Tracey showed us how to make the most delicious confections!  See's Candies and Godiva Chocolates has nothing on her!  We were captivated as she created delight after delight, from English toffee to caramels to fudge.  And yup, you guessed it, we sampled as we went.  I was in pure chocolate heaven!

The English toffee had just the right amount of buttery-ness and crunch.  The toffee didn't stick to my teeth, which incidentally was a good thing because I had just come from the dentist that morning with a filling.  (The dental technician even specifically told me, "Don't eat anything sticky today. Gum. Caramel."  Was she clairvoyant?  How did she know what I was about to do?!?)

Melting chocolate over English toffee

English toffee w/ chocolate and nuts

Next, Tracey made a Butterfinger-like candy, appropriately called "Better than a Butterfinger."  Alone or dipped in chocolate, this peanutty candy was perfect!

and dipped!

Better than Butterfingers- plain

Truffles were next up.  These were special because she started with a fig base and upped the "fig-ness" by adding fig vodka.  I didn't even know such a thing existed!  The truffles were rich and creamy, truly decadent.

Dipping the truffles

Can this bottle be any cuter?

Time for caramels!  Creamy, chewy, won't-stick-to-your-teeth goodness!  The chocolate caramel with almonds really do taste EXACTLY like the almond royales from See's Candies.

Last, rich, chocolatey, fudge.  The great thing about this was that Tracey purposely made it "wrong" so that she could show us how to fix the recipe later on.  This was truly a learning experience.

I feel so lucky to have met Tracey.  And to all my friends: Guess what you're getting for Christmas?!?

I want s'more please!

I'm a sucker for s'mores.  I didn't camp much when I was younger, so I don't know where my penchant for this dessert arose, but whenever I see it on a menu, it's sooooooo hard for me to resist.  The combination of marshmallow (roasted over a fire, of course, so you can get that toasty burnt mess) and chocolate chunk (which also melts from the heat of the marshmallow), sandwiched between two cookies and it becoming an ooey-gooey mess all over?  All I can say is it's pure childhood bliss!

But, sadly, it's not appropriate to run around with chocolate and marshmallow all over your hands and face, nor is it very convenient or attractive (unless you're 3 years old), so I have created an easy, delicious, and vegan way to enjoy this classic.

Marshmallows are not vegan.  They contain gelatin (which is made from collagen from animal's skin and bones).  But Dandies makes a great substitute.  It doesn't exactly melt like a regular marshmallow (so as you're heating in the pot, it's going to take some extra arm muscle to stir it up), but it works for this recipe.

4 cups Cascadian Farms Organic Cinnamon Crunch cereal (It's nearly impossible to find a graham cracker flavored cereal that does not have honey in it, but the cinnamon-flavored cereals work great.  I like ones that are shaped like little squares, so they look like mini graham crackers.)

1- 10 oz. package Dandies air-puffed marshmallows 

2 tbsp Earth Balance butter

4 oz. Sunspire grain sweetened chocolate chips

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat.  When melted, add marshmallows.  Stir to coat the marshmallows with the butter and continue stirring until the marshmallows melt and become a single glob.  (Sorry, it's the best way I can describe this.)  Add cereal and stir to coat.

Press into 9 x 9 square pan.  Let cool to harden.

Once cooled down, cut into 1 x 1 squares (and possibly again diagonally to make triangles if you're serving more people).

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler.  Drizzle chocolate over each s'more and enjoy!

I feel a song coming on...

Kumbaya, my Lord.  Kumbaya...

Donuts! Faux-nuts!

I love donuts.  Some of my favorite memories of when I was a little girl was going to the local Winchell's with my dad and getting a sprinkle donut.  And oh what glee and excitement when they started making donut holes!  Brilliant, I tell you!

Which is why I was sad that my donut days were numbered when I became vegan.  Lucky for me that chefs nationwide created vegan donuts so us vegans no longer have to be donut-less.

These are the places that I have discovered in my recent travels.  This post will definitely be updated in the future as I find new treasures!  Just as a side note, while some of them might not be my absolute favorite, I still include them because they are still yummy and vegan and I want you to know that there are options!

~ Ronald's Donuts ~ Las Vegas ~

This is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE donut establishment.  I found it because it was included on the VegNews Bucket List #57.  There is not much more I can say that hasn't already been mentioned on the more than 200 yelp reviews, but I'll try.

This place truly rivals any Winchell's or Yum Yum Donuts.  While the other places try to make a new-fangled donut, Ronald and his wife take the classics that we all know and love and veganize them.  Sugar twists, Boston cream pie filled, bear claws, apple fritters, even a chocolate twist.  I definitely don't feel vegan here at all because for once, I'm not ordering something that looks "different" from the regular version.  And they have a normal donut price that you would expect at a donut shop (Don't quote me on the exact price because I can't really remember, but I got this box of donuts for around $7.00 and that included 3 fancies.)

I now make it a point to stop there every Sunday morning before I make the drive back to LA.  I get one donut to eat immediately, and another one for the road (okay, maybe a third to enjoy for breakfast the next day.)

~ Fonuts ~ Los Angeles ~

Last weekend, I went to the newly opened Fonuts.  I have been anxiously awaiting their grand opening ever since I noticed their storefront this summer.  I read about their baking technique that involved steam, wet heat and dry heat (whatever that meant).  The result was a "healthier" baked donut.  Unfortunately, I felt it didn't live up to the expectation and that disappointed me because I really wanted to like them.  Really.

My first critique would be the lack of selection for the vegan options.  They only had two flavors: peach and lemon.  I liked the fact that the peach donut had real chunks of peaches baked in.  The glaze was very thin on top and looked as though it had either soaked into the donut or was applied when the donut was warm so that it melted.  The lemon donut was nice and tart, but when I ate the donut part alone, it just tasted like a cinnamon cake or something plain.  It was the frosting that had all the flavor.

Second, I didn't see where they incorporated this fantastic baking technique, but I suppose that is because of the donut I got: cake vs. raised.  The regular raised donuts use a dough while the cake donuts use a batter.  Therefore, I felt like I was eating a cake that was donut-shaped.  It was very airy and fell apart easily as cakes or cupcakes do.

Last, each donut was $3.25, which seemed a bit on the high side.

~ Pepples ~ San Francisco

My sister brought these down from San Francisco on her recent visit.  She brought quite a selection with her, which we happily devoured.

I like this place because they do have a variety, but with a caveat.  They have two basic cake flavors, chocolate and vanilla.  They get their variety by making a whole host of different icings: blueberry (my favorite), strawberry, salted caramel, chocolate, chocolate with shredded coconut, etc. 

I also liked the consistency of their donut.  Unlike Fonuts, the consistency of the donut was dense and un-cake-like, if you get my drift.  It felt like I was eating a real donut.

Vegan Makeover: Trader Joe's Caramelized Onion Dip

There are onion dips and then there are onion dips.  This is the latter.

A friend told me about Trader Joe's new onion dip.  It wasn't just any old french onion dip, like the kind where you mix the powder with a tub of sour cream.  This had caramelized onions!  Oh, I could taste the sweetness already!  I just HAD to make a (better) vegan version!

The great thing about this recipe is that it's super easy to make.  Also, the measurements are easy to remember and I use whole containers for convenience (I hate when I use 3/4 of something and then have a little left over.)  Plus, then it makes it easy to double or half the recipe.

You need:
3 yellow onions
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp Earth Balance butter
(Basically 1 tbsp of oil & butter per onion)

8 oz. Tofutti cream cheese (plain)
8 oz. Vegenaise
12 oz. Tofutti sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp Frontier organic ground chipotle chili pepper


Heat oil and butter in pan on med to med high heat.  Cut onions in half and then half-circle strands, not too thick though or else it's hard to eat.  Saute the onions in the oil/butter mixture for about 40 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a bowl (or kitchenaid), beat together cream cheese, vegenaise and sour cream.  Once blended, add salt, pepper and chili powder.  Scrape down sides and then place plastic wrap on top to prevent film from forming.  Set aside in refrigerator.

When onions are cooked down, place onions in strainer to let the excess oil and butter drip out.  I like to place the strainer over a bowl and leave it in the refrigerator (because it also cools down the onions).

Once the onions are cool, pour onions into the base mixture.  Use a spatula and fold the onions in (don't use electric mixer).

The dip is best if it's allowed to sit refrigerated for a couple hours to allow the flavors to mix.  But if that's an impossible task (and believe me, once you try this, you won't be able to resist for long), you can eat it right away as well.

For extra pizzazz, sprinkle a dash of paprika on the dip.  It'll make you look like the hostess with the mostest!  Serve with chips or veggie sticks.  It goes great with both!