Stuff I have Been Eating

Jenga garlic sticks via Plant Based Pizza in San Jose, CA. They were good - I liked the presentation best. It is really cool to have an all vegan pizza place. We had two pizzas and while they were okay we have high pizza standards and felt these were a step up from frozen.

More San Jose eats. Cauliflower wingz from Veggie Grill.  My first time here and sadly I am allergic to a lot of the food - even all of the salads due to my quinoa allergy. I ordered a sandwich as well but they never brought it out to me. The wingz were okay I think they need more sauce on the side. I really enjoyed the tea here and the fact they serve beer!

These Brownie Crisps from Trader Joe's are insane! Crunchy and tasty - like the crispy parts of brownies that people fight over. I bought a bag and had to go get two more in a week!

Pig-free pigs in a blanket, weenie roll ups or crescent dogs - whatever you call them. I added cheeze to mine. The sauce on top is a chipotle ranch sauce. Also plated is the roasted broccoli from Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen and Annie's new vegan mac & cheeze. The Annie's mac & cheeze was disappointing. It had 0 flavor yet tasted rancid at the same time. No thanks! 

Vegan beans and weenies - yes more comfort food!I had left over tots and naan so I added that and a side salad to round out our dinner.

Loving Hut's Crispy Rolls - big fat panko coated egg roll perfection.

Food I Made Then Ate + A New Zine

Chichi beans + basmati rice. I adapted this recipe from  Staten Italy: Nothin' but the Best Italian-American Classics, from Our Block to Yours (by the pizza cuz guys). I served it with leftover naan.

 

Southern-ish bowl: basmati rice topped with pan grilled spiced tofu, collard greens and black eyed peas. Hefty amounts of hot sauce included! I love collard greens - simply made with olive oil, lemon juice, pepper flakes. It is so comforting!

Not the best photo but whatever! Fried veggie dogs with ketchup, mustard and sauerkraut from the neighbor (the best ever!) on naan - because we love Trader Joe's naan. Fries with ketchup round out the meal.

I released the newest issue of The Stay at Home Girlfriend - #16 over the weekend, please check it out! It is full of cats, vegan recipes, music, mental health/self care, beer tastings and more!

Bowls Of Vegan Warmth & Cheeze

Gloomy cold weather has me wanting things like stew, chili and soup lately.

Yummy chili with Beyond Meat, corn, kidney beans and some soy sour cream!

Another Beyond Meat creation. A rich hearty soup with kale, garbanzo beans and tomatoes.The bread is toasted and topped with melty Chao Creamy Original cheese - yummy!

I just released issue #14 of my zine The Stay At Home Girlfriend, however these recipes will be in issue #15 for sure!

[Vegan MOFO] Mama Mia Monday - Comfort Classic & Pasta Memories

Lately Matt and I have needed some good ol' comforting. When I think of comfort food - pasta does come to mind along with chocolate and baked goods. After a crappy weekend I made Matt a simple lunch consisting of a dish we had a lot growing up.

Pasta with butter and cheese. My mom would make it with angel hair, but I like more noodle-y shaped pasta, so that is what I used. I swapped out butter for Earth Balance and nooch for cheese .I liked it growing up with something coated in bread crumbs - so I thought Matt would dig it with some Gardein strips. Don't mind the bite missing from the strip - Mar was my taste tester!

I have talked about this side dish before. My sister loved it growing up, it was her favorite. I have been thinking of my sister a lot lately so I had this dish in my mind as well.

What comfort food memories do you have when you think of family members? Do you make recipes in honor and memory of those no longer with you?

Open Faced Elvis

I was feelin' mighty sore yesterday - I think I have a pulled muscle in my shoulder or a bad nerve. I wanted comfort food - not only to heal my shoulder but to beat PMS cravings!

Enter the open faced Elvis: whole wheat toast, Earth Balance coconut peanut butter, a sliced banana, cacao nibs and a drizzle of that yummy vegan bacon syrup I posted about last week!

You might think this calls for a big mound of potato chips, not me! I did a super sized bowl of chocolate cereal with almond milk and more bananas. I also needed a bit of salt so I grabbed some sea salted almonds. Chocolate, nut butters and a touch of salt - that is how my PMS rolls!

[day 11] Cookbook Love - Yellow Rose Recipes

I have a ton of vegan cookbooks and can't wait till new ones come out. I collect everything from the big glossy books down to handmade zines. When I was at Never Felt Better in Sacramento last month I picked up Yellow Rose Recipes. I love this cookbook, the simplicity of it and the at home comfort food feel of the recipes get me in the kitchen.
Tonight I made the tamale pie and while I have no pictures I can say it reminded me of the dish my mom made me as a kid from a box. It was comforting and I was able to use canned beans and have everything in the oven with under a hour of prep! All the recipes have this ease. I have more of the recipes bookmarked but will most likely go with the spice cake next! This book is a must have for those seeking yummy vegan dishes that are comforting and stress free!