[13 Days of Halloween] Day 7 - Pumpkin Dandies Review

I finally got my paws on a bag of Pumpkin Dandies Marshmallows over the weekend. I saw them online last year and this year but never found them in store till I was in Whole Foods (Arden - Sacramento) last Saturday. My mistake was I bought one bag - I should have bought more! Hopefully I can get a few more bags because these lil fluffy sweet morsels are divine!

First up I made Matt and I each a cup of cashew milk hot cocoa topped with a fistful of Dandies - yum! It was the perfect end of the day treat. The pumpkin flavor blended well into the dark chocolate coco I served up. it was like having a coffee house treat at home. As I was making the cocoa Mady had to sample them and was purring with happiness.

I made crispy treats yesterday with them. The mini marshmallows melted perfectly (in the past the bigger sizes tended not to melt fast enough unless I cut them down into thirds). The marshmallows made the brown rice cereal I used taste like fall. Perfect! I paired a treat with a cup of tea and I was in heaven!

These are so tasty! They make pumpkin spice special. Dandies vegan marshmallows are the best thing since sliced bread! They have the ability to bring back memories and create new ones!

The Butcher's Son Berkeley, CA Review

For the last few weeks pictures rolled in on social media of The Butcher's Son. Matt and I put it on our list of must try places with each new photo that we saw. a 100% vegan deli - yes please! We got there at lunch time on a dreary Saturday and the small spot was packed. The case was pretty empty but after looking at the menu up front we saw they were not sold out yet. We got our order to go just in case a seat would not open up. We got lucky and a seat opened up though.

We both decided to try the Cotija cheeze so we bought a sample sized piece, I am not really a cheeze person but this was so good. Dry and salty and just perfect.

We both decided on the Sriracha peppersteak sandwich with potato salad as our side. We heard my name called and Matt got up to get our order only to see someone else walk off with it. After telling them what happened they made our meal again. Ughh the wait!

Photo courtesy of Matt - I was busy eating.  The sandwich is so legit. It truly tastes like a deli sandwich and not some fast food chain mumbo jumbo. Seitan based steak, peppers, veggies, sauce and crusty (not hard) bread. Every bite is an explosion of flavors. The sandwich is huge - so come hungry or split one. The sandwich + side is like $11, which is not bad. We have paid the same for a sandwich that lacked 90% of what these bad dudes pack. The potato salad is really good too, it has a savory smokey flavor and a crunch on the potatoes.

As we wrapped up our meal I saw someone with a cannoli and made Matt go get one.  Growing up these were a staple at Christmas gatherings. My grandma would make them and an assortment of other Sicilian treats. I never cared for them as a kid - maybe because I was busy with all the other food. I have been nostalgic for good Sicilian/Italian pastry forever. While the cannoli was good I do not think it was a cannoli. The shell was lacking crunch which was disappointing, it was more of a French pastry shell. Also the creamy center was missing that tang you get after the sweetness melts away. If they worked out the kinks I would eat more than one! Would it be too much to ask for a espresso machine too?

Go to The Butcher's Son and have one of the best sandwiches ever. From what I understand they are still working out hour-day kinks. Check online to see their current schedule and see what they are serving. They are located 1941 University Ave, Berkeley, Ca. 100% vegan and awesome!

I LOVE VEGAN DOUGHNUTS!!!!!! Family Donuts & Deli Carmichael CA

I was in Sacramento trying to handle personal business and feeling kinda crummy when I remembered seeing online that there was a doughnut shop nearby offering vegan doughnuts. When we plugged the address for Family Donuts & Deli into the GPA and saw we were super close. So like true vegan foodies we headed over to check them out.

 

Walking into the nondescript doughnut shop I was weary there were going to be vegan doughnuts. The guy behind the counter asked if we needed help and when I asked about vegan doughnuts he pointed to trays of vegan delights! My jaw hit the floor and my eyes glazed over. True Homer Simpson moment! We settled on chocolate stars filled with vegan custard (jelly was an option as well) and I got a cup of really good coffee with soy milk. 

Notice the look of lust in my eyes - sorry doughnut you time with me is short! Also how rockin' is the pentagram shape right?!?

After eating our doughnuts I decided my sadness needed more sugar so I got a glazed twist to split. The owners must have seen how sugar starved my spirit was so they sent over a chocolate log doughnut stuffed with chunky peanut butter. We had that after a late night screening of Strait Outta Compton in the theatre parking lot. Yum!
Family Donuts are top notch they are making delightful vegan doughnuts from scratch. Try a star doughnut filled with custard or a big as a plate apple fritter. You can find them on FaceBook or stop in on the weekend for vegan doughnuts at 9045 Fair Oaks Blvd Suite A, Carmichael, CA.