You Must Show ID To Read This - Beer Reviews

For the longest time I did not like beer. I equated all beer to be that of my teen years and cheap 40 oz. You know - not good stuff. Then on a whim I found some interesting sips and put down my margarita glass to try a few out. Here is what I like right now! 

Lagunitas Brown Sugga is a nice beer - not as sweet as I like them but it has a nice flavor and is smooth.
Stockyard Oatmeal Stout - I love this stuff. I like a lot of stouts though - they remind me of baked goods! This has a nice taste, sweet, mild and malty and well rounded. This is from Trader Joe's and a six pack runs you about $6 - wich is decent. Also Trader Joe's sells beer by the bottle/can randomly. Prices range from 50 cents to a $1 - it good for trying things out.

 

My fave beer that I have been back to more than once is the Blue Ridge Coffee Stout by Coronado Brewing Co. It has a nice complex flavor and there is a distinct coffee taste that hits you after you take a sip. Usually when beer or wine say they taste like something I never taste it and end up wondering if my taste buds are broken after to many years of hot sauce eating!

And there is always Tecate - cheap and easy to find it goes well on Friday nacho night!

If you have any favorite vegan beers please let me know! I am always searching for something new to try. Remember to drink responsibly - please do not drink and drive!

All beer was checked via Barnvivore for vegan status!

Cemeteries & Vegan Pizza

Last weekend we headed out to the Pleasenton - San Ramon area to search cemeteries, eat vegan deep dish pizza and just get away for a few hours. We spent time in both the Memorial Gardens Cemetery and CFCS St. Michael Cemetery  which are right next to each other. 

The weather has been nice and I have been digging up history (ha ha) on cemeteries in the area and playing cemetery explorer. Partly because I love cemeteries and also I am working on a zine that has been decades in the making. I am also curating and updating the lists of cemeteries via Wiki in my area.

I am always on the hunt for interesting stones. Matt also has a good eye and spotted the above stone. What stood out is the pot leaf! We have never seen anything like that. Also note the sports teams, Matt found it funny that opposing sports teams seemed to balance each other out being placed next to each other.

As the sun set I had to have Matt get a quick pick of me in. I climbed up and got dirty but that is part of being a cemetery explorer!

After a quick trip to Whole Foods and coffee-fuel we headed over to Zachary's for deep dish vegan pizza! There are two places that offer vegan deep dish in the area and I like Zachary's better. At Zachary's there is not a super long wait, the atmosphere is fun and I like the taste better. We got our vegan deep dish with jalapenos (of course) and drinks on the side (I got a bottle of Angry Orchard Apple Cider - super good!).

Cemeteries and pizza - what a perfect day time date-getaway! As always thank you Matt for taking me and sharing these adventures with me. Also if you are curious about my upcoming zine project please keep an eye out. Check out my Instagram account in the links to the side for more cemetery photos and of course photos of random stuff I post.

Miyoko's Creamery Aged English Smoked Farmhouse Review

I got to finally try this much talked about product. I usually feel pretty bad when I drop $10 on a luxury product but had a gift card for Whole Foods and treated myself!

I crumbled half the wedge, almond milk and some pepper for a pasta sauce and mixed in some conchelie pasta. It was tasty and rich. I paired it with balsamic tofu and oven white beans, broccoli and baby zucchini in a olive oil, lemon, nooch and pepper marinade. This might be as fancy as I get guys!

I like the cheeze on it's own, nibbling on it delicately. It is also really good on whole grain crackers. I shared some with my neighbor who was impressed as well. I will have to try more flavors. I should note I never had fancy cheese growing up, I cannot compare it to non-dairy cheese of the past. I know tthough I just really like it! So far it has been in every Northern CA Whole Foods we have been too. Some locations have more flavors than others.

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!

Headless In Old City Cemetery - Sacramento, CA

This is a photo I took last weekend at Old City Cemetery (Sacramento, CA). This is the second time Matt and I have been here. This time we entered at the newer cemetery section and crossed over starting from the back. I spotted the above image pretty quickly, it is so awesome, a true cemetery find in uniqueness.

And because I always have to snap a photo of myself in each cemetery I go to here I am surrounded by some old stones.

This cemetery is really nice. It is spacious and very nicely maintained. When we were there a handful of groundskeepers were on site keeping things clean. In the summer you can see animals frolic around and fruit on trees. Check out the site for tours and other info.

El Papagayo - Best Vegan Mexican Food!

I have labeled myself a vegan Mexican food snob and have taken Matt along on the ride. We grew up within miles of each other, had the same taco truck experiences and remember certain foods. We want those memories in our mouth just veganized with love!
When we talk to others about vegan Mexican food we ask them what their fave place is and often a certain northern CA location often comes up. At this point Matt and I look at each other and inwardly roll our eyes because we do not care for the place. People - El Papagayo is where it's at - you need to eat here in order to taste authentically awesome tasty Mexican food!

We plan our day around going to El Papagayo. Lately going up to Sacramento just to consume delicious food is why we are up there.

I always start off with a strawberry margarita, Matt gets a Tecate and I usually steal a sip or two. To go with our drinks we grab loads of chips and salsa from the chip station. My fave salsa is the tropical one with fruity bits and cilantro.

I have been getting the taco salad. It is a large flour tortillia that has been fried then stuffed with beans, rice, veggies, vegan cheeze and your choice of add in, my first go around was nopales.

Last time I had half tofu and half ranchero mushrooms (this is the only place I like mushrooms at!). The salad is so huge that I may need to rethink my eating game plan, almost passing out in a food coma is no fun!

There are so many vegan options that you will have a hard time choosing what to order. Everything from the tacos to the enchiladas have been legit! They even make a really tasty horchata that you must get to go!  The family that owns and runs this place is really top notch in services, kindness and cooking skills. The prices are really good, much food to money payoff! Make it a point to check out this place or I will roll my eyes at you next time we talk Mexican food!

Address: 5804 Marconi Ave Carmichael, CA 95608

Soy Curl & Chickpea Stew

 

Lately this has to be my go to comfort food meal. A big plate of Soy Curl + chickpea stew simmered with Mexican spices and served with red rice on the side.  The recipe is a modified version of the one on Low Fat Vegan and my version will be in my next zine.

The cold weather has made me feel sluggish, tired and not want to do much besides curl up in bed and read. I need a tropical climate to survive! At least with warm stews and lots of tea and coffee I am motivated to get out of bed and get things done! How are you staying warm? Any recipes warming you from the inside out?