Month: July 2014

Quinoa Protein Balls

In prepping for camping this weekend, the job I volunteered for was meal planning and prep! I was obviously excited to do this. Food for camping must be compact, with little refrigeration needed. Stay tuned for the full menu early. In the meantime, take a look and try the recipe for these compact, semi-raw, quinoa protein balls. The perfect camping snack! I just hope bears don’t like quinoa!

Quinoa Protein Balls
Makes 20 Golf-sized Balls

16 pitted Dates
3/4 cup Nut Butter (I used peanut butter for these)
1 Scoop MCT Lean Vegan Protein Blend Vanilla or Chocolate
1 cup cooked Quinoa
1 tablespoon Flaxseeds
1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
1 teaspoon Maca Powder
1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts
1 tablespoon Hemp Seed Hearts

Directions

Add dated to food processor. Pulse until chopped.
Add nut butter. Pulse until combined.
Add cooked quinoa. Pulse.
Add remainder of ingredients. Pulse until combined.
Roll into balls.
Refrigerate for 2 hours minimum. The longer the better.
Enjoy!

Vegan Protein Smoothie

Whether it is running, cycling, swimming, hiking, long walks or some mix of all or some of them.. Vinny and I keep active. Fueling and replenishing our bodies after a long bike ride or run means consuming a bit more protein. We have tried Vega and Raw Protein but our favorite protein powder is by MCT Lean. The taste is on point. We use it in shakes and smoothies as well as baked good (stay tuned for protein packed recipes). A little extra protein does the body good! The possibilities are endless with this powder. Below is our favorite smoothie recipe featuring MCT Lean Vanilla Vegan Protein Blend. The kale, ginger and banana make this protein smoothie delicious and with 27 grams of protein, filling!

Green Protein Smoothie
Serves 1

2 Scoops MCT Lean Vegan Protein Blend Vanilla
½ tablespoon MCT Oil
1 tablespoon Ground Flaxseed
1 tablespoon Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds
1 ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 medium Banana (frozen bananas work well and make the smoothie cold)
1 cup Raw Kale
1 teaspoon Ginger
½ tablespoon Chia Seeds

Directions

Add almond milk to blender. I prefer the Nutribullet. Adding the almond milk first prevents the dry ingredients from sticking to the sides of the blender.
Add all other ingredients.
Blend till smooth.
Enjoy!

Vegan University City Dining Days

It’s summer, prime time for not wanting to eat in. With outside eating areas galore and all of the many delicious eateries in Philadelphia dishing up vegan options, everyone is going out to eat. Tomorrow, July 17th, the island of University City begins its yearly Dining Days promotion. For those not familiar with the concept, participating restaurants produce a set menu with a set price ($15-$25 depending on the resturant), similar to Philadelphia Restaurant Week. This year University City boosts awesome options for us vegans, with the except of dessert… Enjoy as many nights as you can without hurting your pockets.

$15 Option	$25 Option	$35 Option
Copabanana 4000 Spruce Street Vegan Options: Copa Cantina Salad Spanish Fries Black Bean Burger – No cheese or mayo	Han Dynasty 3711 Market Street Vegan Options: Ginger String Beans Cold Sesame Noodles Dan Dan Noodles Spicy Crispy Cucumbers Garlic Sauce Style Cumin Style Water Ice	Pod 3636 Samson Street Vegan Options: Vegetable Roll Miso Soup Cauliflower Okinawa Vegetable Stir Fry
Dahlak Restarant (Etiopian) 4708 Baltimore Avenue Vegan Options: Hot/Mild Lentils Gomen Watt greens, kale, potato Beets Stew/ Okra Stew Tikil Gomen yellow cabbage, potato, carrot, peas Shuro seasoned chickpea paste Mushroom stew Spinach	World Café Live 3025 Walnut Street Vegan Options: WCL Salad Korean Tofu	Distrito 3945 Chestnut Street Vegan Options: Salsa Mexicana Chilango Chop Salad Jicama Salad Arroz con Frijoles Negros
Desi Village 4527 Baltimore Avenue Vegan Options: Veg Pakora Veg Samosa Aloo Cholley Baigan Bharta
Dock Street Brewery 701 S. 50^th Street Vegan Options: Fresh Spring Mix Salad Vegan Pizza
New Delhi 4004 Chestnut Street Vegan Options: Vegetable Samosa Bhojia Patata-wada Vegetables Malai Kofta Channa Masala
Pattaya Restaurant 4006 Chestnut Street Vegan Options: Veg Lemon Grass Soup Vegetable Pad Thai
Saigon Cuisine 4000 Chestnut Street Vegan Options: House Salad Pan Fried Veg Dumplings Vegetable Pad Thai
Vietnam Café 816 S. 47^th Street Vegan Options: Crispy Veg Spring Rolls – no sauce Tofu Rolls Veggie Noodle Soup Crispy Spring Rolls Vermicelli Tofu Curry

Vientiane Café
4728 Baltimore Avenue
Vegan Options:
Fresh Vegetarian Spring Roll
Crispy Spring Roll
– Vegetarian
Tofu Satay
Steamed Dumplings
– Vegetarian
Green Papaya Salad
Vegetarian Naam Salad
Vegetarian (Tofu) Pad Thai
Pad-Kee-Mao
Curry
Mango Sticky

*Please make sure you confirm again at each restaurant that no ingredients are making these dishes non-vegan*

Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip

As a vegan, everyone thinks you cannot eat super delicious foods. It is a common stereotype that I shoot down constantly. When invited to a party, everyone thinks you’ll bring hummus, or just vegetables, or maybe a fruit salad. Little does the typical omnivore know, vegans are capable of SO much more. They are even capable of the cream of the crop party dip. The one that is finished first. The one that is anticipated most. The great Buffalo Chicken Dip. Below you will find my adaptation of the dip… a recipe so good, even your non-vegan friends will enjoy.

Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip
Serves party of 8

Ingredients
1 package Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips – Lightly Seasoned
1 package (8 ounces) Vegan Cream Cheese (any variety works)
½ cup Hot Sauce (I use Texas Pete because of its lower, but still high, sodium content)
½ cup Ranch Dressing (see recipe below)
½ cup Daiya Shreds (either cheddar or pepper jack)

Vegan Ranch Dressing
Yields 1/2 cup

Ingredients
1/4 cup Vegan Mayo (I prefer Hampton Creek Just Mayo)
1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (I use Whole Foods 365 brand – carrageenan-free)
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients until smooth in medium baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes or until everything is melty and hot.
Serve with your favorite vegetables, crackers or my personal favorite, a sliced multi-grain french baguette. Hell! You can serve this dip with anything, it could make cardboard taste good.
Enjoy… while it lasts!

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Almond Cookies

Chocolate chunks? Raw Almonds? Cookies? Who does not love all three? After using other people’s recipes till now, I have formulated my own. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Almond Cookies
Yields 40 Mini Cookies

Ingredients
4.5 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer (found in the baking isle at Whole Foods Market)
6 tablespoons Water
½ cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
½ cup Mashed Avocado
¾ cup Vegan Cane Sugar
¾ cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/8 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/8 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 cup Dark Chocolate Baking Chunks (I use Whole Foods 365 brand)
1 cup Raw Almonds (chopped)
Olive Oil cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk or blend, Ener-g Egg Replacer and water. Set aside.
Combine Earth Balance, mashed avocado, sugars, vanilla extract and lastly Ener-g Egg Replacer mix.
Combine flours, baking soda, and sea salt.
Add flour mix to sugar mix, a little bit at a time, until all is well mixed.
Fold in almonds and chocolate chunks.
Arrange ping pong sized cookie dough balls on greased baking sheet. Press down just a bit.
Bake for 9 minutes.
Let cool on pan for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
Enjoy!