Sunday, May 5, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Vegan Shop-Up!
I've been planning to attend the Vegan Shop-up for the past two months but unfortunately something has always come up but this time I finally got the chance to go and now I can’t wait to attend again! It was nice to check out some local vendors and see what they have to offer and I have to admit I have fallen IN LOVE with Fine + Raw's chocolate, it was literally to die for! I didn't get a chance to buy some but I’m just dreaming of tasting and trying it again haha. They've recently opened up a cafe factory and I plan to check that out soon because the thought of going to a chocolate factory is like a crazy dream come true! Haha.
There were tons of vendors all different parts of the bar and the products ranged from cakes to vegan gyros! Bunna Cafe, which sells vegan Ethiopian food, was there and I wish I got to check them out but I was in a slight rush that day and yeah #brokecollegestudentlife. There were other food vendors like Harmony Kitchen, Heirloom Vegan Eatery and other tasty places to sample and I can’t wait to do just that next time I go! The lovely Lael was there and they had such beautiful soy free, gluten free cakes! Everything from them looked gorgeous and if I were in the process of planning a birthday/wedding anything they’d definitely be who I had in mind to do the cake! They even had vegan French macarons in their display book and when I spoke to one of the girls at the table she said the texture isn't exactly the same but they’re just as good!
You definitely need to check out O Live Brooklyn which sells premium extra virgin olive oil and vinegar and oh my I tried their 18 year + aged balsamic and it is AMAZING! I checked out their website and they have these other delicious sounding flavors like espresso, tangerine and dark chocolate and I can just imagine how great they would taste with the backdrop of that tangy, sweet balsamic flavor. Treeline Cheese was there and I've heard of this brand of vegan cheese a lot so I was looking forward to checking them out. They had four different hard cheese available; plain, mild smokey, very smoky and one with cracked black pepper. I have to say the plain was super creamy just like regular cheese but it was missing something extra, it was as if it was too plain. I also tried the very smoky and it was a little overdone I think, the smoky bit overtook any other “cheese” flavor there was to be had and it tasted a bit like the plain flavor was doused in a bottle of liquid smoke. I do compliment the texture and the creaminess and the plain is something I would try again maybe spiced up with some fresh herbs and spices.
Outside the venue, there was the ever popular Cinnamon Snail which I have yet to try but I’m sure I will soon. I did get a drink from the Green Pirate Juice Truck which was the GP Lemonade, a refreshing combo of lemons, apples and cucumbers, it was delicious and a great drink for a warm, sunny day!
I had a fun time at the Vegan Shop-Up and you should definitely check it out if you’re in the area when it rolls around next month. Great atmosphere, great food and great people!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cashew Granola Recipe!
I'm back with a recipe for this yummy, delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Cashew Granola sweetened with just a touch of agave and flavored with hints of vanilla, dates and cranberries served with unsweetened almond milk. This is a quick and easy granola when you're in the mood for something chocolaty! Another great bonus is that if you let it sit long enough it'll turn your milk into chocolate milk haha. You can also add whatever dried fruits, nuts or seeds you want into this, I just used whatever I had sitting around.
- Alexis ♥
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cashew Granola
- 2 cups oats
- 10-12 dates chopped and pitted
- ½ cup raw whole cashews, chopped
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/3 cup agave nectar
- 1/3 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/3 cup unsweetned, unsulphured cranberries (most of the ones I see have sugar but you can find some.)
- 2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (omit if you’re using pb with salt)
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 325°F.
Place the oats, chopped cashews, cranberries, dates and ground flax seeds in a bowl and mix to combine.
In a small pot, combine the peanut butter, cocoa powder and agave nectar and heat over a low flame until everything is fully incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla extract after you take it off the heat.
Pour the mixture over the oats and mix well until everything is coated.
Place everything on a parchment lined or lightly oil cookie sheet and evenly spread it out.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes until everything turns a slight golden brown and if you want it extra crunchy up the heat to 350°F and bake an extra five minutes.
Let cool completely before serving and store in an airtight container.
Enjoy! :)
Visit to Foodswings in Brooklyn, NY.
The Vegan Heart Attack Burger from Foodswings in Brooklyn, NY.
I finally got to visit Foodswings (a vegan joint hailed for epic fast food and home to purveyors of midnight munchies and a cure for morning hangovers!) and it definitely lives up to its name. I spent way too long trying to figure out what to get because I sat there and I’m like “this is the first time I’m eating at a vegan place and I’m going to get a burger?!” As a vegan or a vegetarian, you know how it is at every restaurant it’s the same thing all the time, veggie burger after endless veggie burger! Haha. Even with that in mind I decided to get the vegan heart attack because well when in Rome! It reminded me so much of something a meat eater would eat so I decided to try it plus my boyfriend (who is a meat eater) thought it sounded the best and probably thinks it’s funny to watch me eat something so reminiscent of regular burger.
The Vegan Heart Attack is a seitan burger topped with soy cheese, soy bacon, pickles, mayo, tomatoes, lettuce and onion served with a pickle and coleslaw and it is a monster! I want to like it SO MUCH and while I’m sure any other vegan would, I’m just not into the soy everything thing plus the burger was a bit on the mushy side and fell apart completely as I was eating it. It’s a great one or two time indulgence when you’re in the mood for a quick lunch or dinner but not something I could consciously eat all the time but hey it is meant to be fast food!
The Metal Fries on the other hand were soooooo good! I could eat them forever and I may sound hypocritical because there’s soy cheese on them but ugh they were so good. I’ve watched people eating cheese fries for so long in front of me that I just had to try them! The metal fries are topped with a cheese sauce, buffalo sauce and bleu cheese dressing and my boyfriend just about demolished them in seconds. If you're planning on heading over there anytime soon definitely try the metal fries!
Out of everything at Foodswings my absolute favorite buy was the Butterfinger Milkshake! Gah, I want another one just thinking about it! The first sip I took was rich, smooth, chocolaty goodness that is so reminiscent of dairy that I was slightly worried whether there was some in there! If there’s any reason to check out Foodswings it’s their milkshakes, they are to die for! I definitely plan on taking a trip back there to try another flavor or maybe rather…….every flavor! Marry me, Butterfinger Milkshake!
If you’ve been searching for a mecca of some serious vegan fast food grub bordering on the flip side of a carnivore’s heaven check out Foodswings because they’re delivering just that! Check out their website here!
See you soon, Foodswings! (I’ll definitely be back.)
Trip to Dun-Well Doughnuts in Brooklyn, NY.
Vegan Chocolate Coconut Explosion and Cherry Pie Doughnut from Dun-Well Doughnuts in Brooklyn, NY.
After checking out the Vegan Shop-Up, I decided to stop by Dun-Well Doughnuts (an all vegan shop that has not only doughnuts but ice cream and coffee as well!) because I've heard so many great things about them. First and foremost the decor is amazing! It has an industrial, old time feel to it which is even better with the quirky beat music accompanying it. They have all these cool gadgets all over the walls and the shelves from huge acorns to vintages whisks and chocolate board signs displaying different styles of typography. It's an eclectic mix of new and old and I love the old jukebox near the counter!
That's pure unadulterated love right there guys! haha (can't believe I'm posting that btw!)
All in all, Dun-Well Doughnuts is definitely worth a trip if you live in NYC or are just visiting, you have to check them out! I cant wait to go again so I can try their other flavors including their ice cream! Not going to lie, their Doughnut Sundae sounds ridiculous but it must be delicious!
Check out their website here!
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