High Hopes Vegan Bakery

We loved sugar. As vegans, we are never deprived of delicious baked goods. We honestly feel vegan desserts are even better than their dairy counterparts, but that’s just us. Recently we were able to try a few items from an Etsy, online based, bakery.

High Hopes Vegan Bakery is physically located in South Carolina but ships its sweet treats anywhere, to anyone looking to satisfy their sweet tooth. This is great. Though we are lucky in Philadelphia and have easy access to vegan dessert/treats/donuts, not everyone is. Online bakeries are perfect for those not so savvy in the kitchen or those who do not have access to great vegan bakeries or simply those who like other people baking for them. High Hopes Vegan Bakery, is not only delicious and fresh upon delivery, it is adequately priced. From cinnamon buns to chocolate chip cookies, the bakery has something for everyone! So go, get your sweet tooth on and pop over to the High Hopes Vegan Bakery. You will not be disappointed!

Our favorite: Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cups. Let’s just say they give Reese’s cups a run for their money.

Miss Rachel’s Pantry

For as far as I can remember, in my vegan life, I have always wanted to try Miss Rachel’s Pantry. I had attended the Be Well Philly Boot Camp in 2013 and sat in on a cooking demo with Rachel. I became thrilled that there were vegan chefs of her “vegan cutie” caliber, in Philadelphia, catering and holding weekly dinner parties. I wanted in. Busy life took over and conflicting schedules got in the way, but finally the stars aligned and I met my Miss Rachel’s Pantry fate…

One day, last month, I received a message from Kiera Smalls of City Fit Girls asking to attend her dinner party… at… Miss Rachel’s Pantry! I jumped at the invite. The dinner would consist of 10 like-minded, vegan, health and fitness conscious, awesome, passionate girls from Philadelphia and its surrounding area. The night was perfect but I am sure everyone is more interested in the menu and food for the night.

Mini Biscuits – homemade margarine, berries, walnuts

BBQ Tempeh-Walnut Slider Trio, caramelized onions, celery slaw, mezza arugula

Savory Tofu Scramble Enchilada, bean puree, cilantro chimichurri, chipotle cream

Salt-Roasted Golden Beetroot Salad, indigo rose and other exciting heirloom tomatoes, cashew cheese, basil vinaigrette

Chill Cucumber Bisque, crushed pistachios, grilled jalapeno, avocado, coconut bacon

Creamy Elbow Mac, Smoked Seitan Roast, caramelized kale

Seared Maitakes, whipped coconut milk and horseradish butterball potatoes, garbanzo shoots, truffle jus

Key Lime Pie, whipped cream, candied lime, graham crust

Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

In conclusion, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend planning a you next dinner party at Miss Rachel’s Pantry, or considering having an event catered. The deliciousness of the food cannot be put into words. All that can be said is all 10 girls with full bellies and extremely happy mouths on Saturday.

End note: It was very lovely meeting all the girls at the dinner party! Everyone should go check out these fierce vegan woman on their social media platforms. They are all inspiring!

(Left to Right)

Bottom:

Meagan, pastry chef at the awesome Vegan Commissary, City Fit Girls ambassador and cross fit super women. Me :), office worker by day, vegan food finder and consumer by night. LJ, vegan Twitter Queen. Kiera, half of the City Fit Girls empire and boot camp babe! Joy, New Jersey loving vegan runner.

Top:

I AM TERRIBLE WITH REMEMBERING NAME (SORRY:( ), Rachel’s sous chef and creator of our sweet desserts! Lia, cyclist, runner, and iron women for the animals. Rachel, kickass Philadelphia director of the Humane League! Pam, webivore LARGELY responsible for that lovely Philly Veg Dining Guide oh and light bulb behind our dinner. Melissa, awesome holistic health counselor and donkey mom! Alli, vegan Philadelphia implant and super smart engineer chick! Takia, second half of the City Fit Girls empire and farmers market enthusiast! Rachel, thee Rachel of Miss Rachel’s Pantry and ultimate vegan cutie.

Detour: Vegan Tucson, Arizona

I love travel. There are never any vacation days left over for me and trips are planned a year before. That being said, work offered an opportunity to travel and help out a property in Tucson for their busy season. I jumped at the chance. Though there are not many, there are vegan choices in this Mexico-esque city. Here are my thoughts on my favorite places to eat in Tucson, Arizona…

Lovin’ Spoonfuls Vegetarian Restaurant
Lovin’ Spoonfuls was the most recommended stop from my Instagram crowd so it was only right that it be my first eatery to try. I arrived on a stomach full of only coffee and coconut cashews and resisted the urge to order the comfiest of comfort foods. Instead, I ordered the Hail Caesar, to fit with my health kick I was on, and Battered Beer Brats to satisfy my always lingering need for comfort food. Both were amazing and worth getting again. The brats were perfectly fried and paired with honey mustard and the salad was garnished with carrots, pine nuts and croutons. It was a pleasure as I have not had Caesar salad in sometime.

Over the span of 7 days, I went back 2 more times, mostly due to lack of other vegan options or shear love of the place. On my next visit, I indulged a bit and ordered the Route 66 Bacon Cheeseburger with a side of potato salad and chips. The burger was great, the bacon on it, however, was a bit hard to chew through making the burger very messy. But messy smessy, the meal was delicious and it was worth every single unflattering chew.

My 3rd and final visit before leaving Tucson, I went overboard. I ordered the Golden Nuggets, Shoestring Fries and Spinach Salad. Everything was perfect but I clearly ordered too much food. Food coma followed, as expected.

Urban Fresh
Sticking with the health kick, I headed to Urban Fresh for a breakfast juice. A bit of a bad experience but in no way should it effect going here. I arrive at 8:15 to find it didn’t open till 9. Yelp had incorrect hours, ugh, like come on Yelp! The juicer was to arrive in 15 minutes though!! Hooray!! 20 minutes pass… no juicer. The chef, in a means to conduct good customer service, attempts to make my Get Rooted! juice of beet, dalkon, carrot and ginger. I watched his attempt… I saw the ginger go in, a very large chunk of ginger, and cringed. Ginger totally overpowered the taste… But I cannot complain, they were trying to get me on my way and they really tried! Plus, the chef mixed up the 16 ounce and 24 ounce cups so I had a very large, ginger juice for the price of a small one.

Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue
It was free lunch Friday at work so the lunch decision had to be unanimous. As an outsider I just choose to accommodate to whatever lunch the full time staff wanted and find something on the menu. Everyone choose a Arizona favorite, Mama’s Hawaiian Barbeque. To my surprise Mama’s had Teriyaki Tofu on the menu! IT WAS AMAZING! Probably the best cooked tofu I ever had in my life.

Revolutionary Grounds
For an early riser, Tucson seems to be a ghost town on a Saturday. I stopped for breakfast before work at Revolutionary Grounds, coffee shop/bookstore, owned by a family of at home vegans. Ordered the Revolutionary Bagel which was an everything bagel, topped with avocado, basil pesto and tomato. It was AMAZING and boy it is nice to indulge in the perfect specimen that is the bagel, sometimes.

Food for Ascension Cafe
I absolutely loved this place! The atmosphere was so serene and welcoming. It was also nice to have a friendly chat with a Philadelphia native who worked there and recognized my accent… but that’s besides the point. The food, all organic and local.n Everything about this place was too good not to love. I chose a rooftop seat and the view was just perfect. The menu had tons of appealing items so it was hard to choose! I decided on Biscuits and Gravy with a side of Turmeric Potatoes. YUM. This is a MUST STOP for anyone visiting the area! I even tried to go back a second time.

Mexico in Season

I was super excited to try this place! As Tuscon was so close to Mexico, I knew the Mexican influence would be apparent in the cities food culture. Mexico in Season was a top place on Yelp, that boasted vegan Mexican options. After checking out the menu… vegan cheese CHECK, vegan sour cream CHECK. I AM THERE. I arrived for lunch to an empty quick service restaurant. Normally I see this as a bad sign but who knows, it could have been a non-peak lunch time in Tuscon even though it was 12:45. SO I ordered the burrito bowl… as I walked down the Chipotle inspired ordering counter, I ask about the vegan cheese and sour cream, they had neither. I was extremely disappointed, as I would not have went out of my way to try this place as there were other places closer to my work I could have went to and received the same meal. The food was just okay. I would call ahead for anyone planning to go here for the special vegan options in the future.

Whole Food Speedway

Whole Foods… the savior of for all vegan travelers! This was my go-to place for snacks and even two meals! The vegan options were amazing. In my time there, I tried the Vegan Potato Salad, Sesame Kale Salad, Vegan Chicken Salad Wrap, and more Sesame Kale Salad 🙂 Oh and on my final day at the office I picked up treats for the offices! Whether it be for a regular at home shopping trip or as a go to for something quick on vacation/out of town, Whole Foods is always a go to for use Philly Vegans.

Detour: Vegan Camping at French Creek State Park

Aahhh the great outdoors… hiking, campfire, bugs and nature. It is nice to unplug for the weekend, leave the hustle and bustle of the city, and take in the beauty nature has to offer. Last weekend we went with our lovely friends, Martha and Stephen, on a mini campcation to French Creek State Park, located only 52 miles outside of Philadelphia, in the Pottstown area of Pennsylvania. We kept the menu vegan-comfort-foodesque, which was only fitting for a camping trip. Between hot dogs and s’mores, pancakes to muffins, we enjoyed it all. I’ll now share my list and details of our semi-wilderness, outdoor living, semi-roughing-it adventure (I only say “semi” because the only wildlife we saw was one chipmunk and there were indoor bathrooms).

We arrived around 7 pm, just before sundown, so it was perfect. Vinny set up our tent and air mattress, I watched. The air mattress was essential as French Creek is very rocky. HIGHLY recommended for anyone planning to camp in the future. Once settled, we prepped dinner. The menu for the night: Veggie Dogs and S’Mores. Veggie Dogs & marshmallows were perfect roasted over the fire Martha and Stephen started before we arrived. We recommend bringing a fire starter kit or a long lighter (you know the one you light candles with at home) as matches did not cut it.

S’mores:
1 Graham Cracker split in half
2 Vegan marshmallows
1/2 Chocolate Square (because a whole square got a bit messy)

Note: I found the key to camp meal planning is bringing the smallest number of refrigerated items possible. No one wants to risk eating poorly stored food or have to run back to civilization to buy more ice.

We started Saturday early. Vinny woke up and went for a mountain bike ride. The trails at French Creek are amazing for it! Today was our big breakfast day(aka use what was left of the refrigerated material since the ice was melting)! We made pancakes. Be sure to prep the mix before the trip so you do not have to worry about carting excess items. Vinny picked up Oreos last minute before the trip so we got a bit creative and made Oreo Pancakes as well as banana. ::cue Jack Johnson’s – Banana Pancakes:: While I played head chef, Vinny prepped us some much needed coffee on the AeroPress, perfect for camping.

Pancakes
Serves 4 Hungry Campers

Ingredients:
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 cups nondairy Milk buy it warm
3 1/2 tablespoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Optional Ingredients:
Oreos
Chopped Banana

Options Toppings:
Maple Syrup
Earth Balance

Combine dry ingredinents.
Add milk and oil.
Cook on greased heated pan until bubbles start to form on top of pancake.
Optional Step: Add Orao crumbles or banana pieces, or BOTH. Press into the pancake.
Flip.
Cook until bottom of pancake is a light brown,
Add your favorite maple syrup, earth balance and ENJOY!!

Coffee: ReAnimator – Ethiopian Blend

Post breakfast we prepped hiking snacks… Trail Mix & Fruit. The trail mix consisted of a combination of our favorites from Trader Joe’s: Coconut Cashews, Wasabi Wow! and Go Raw Trail Mix. French Creek has a wide array of trails we just walked and walked. The skill level was low. We did 6 miles over a 2+ hour time span with the hardest segment being our walk back into the park. To see our course, go to Strava. Both Vinny and I have accounts (he does all the impressive rides).

For lunch, we ventured in the traditional route… Cookie Butter & Strawberry Fruit Spread Sandwiches. They were lovely. One was even “grilled”. We napped after enjoying some time hanging out by the fire taking soda and Chipotle.

Saturday night dinner would have to be my favorite. Veggie Dogs, Roasted Potatoes & Vegetable Skewers (and more S’mores!) We grilled everything! Hot dogs: grilled until hot. Potatoes: place in sprayed tin foil; sprinkle evenly (over all 4 packages) with salt, pepper, 2 cloves chopped garlic and half a large chopped onion; grill on low fire until soft,stirring regularly to prevent burning. Veggie Skewers: cut vegetables into large pieces; place on skewer sticks; coat with olive oil; season with BBQ seasoning; grill until hardest veggies are soft (i.e. zucchini), rotating regularly.

On our final morning we enjoyed Cinnamon Sugar Donut muffins. They were perfect. We then hiked a bit more than snack on some Quinoa Protein Bites I made in chocolate flavor for the trip!

Tent
Air Mattress + Battery Pump
Fire Starter
Long Lighter
Grill Skewers (for food roasting)
Lantern
Sleeping Bag
Pillows
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Hand Sanitizer
Chairs
Spatula
Coleman Camping Stove
Pans
Utensils
Paper Plates
Coffee Mugs
AeroPress coffee maker
Pot or Kettle for heating water
Tin Foil
Sponge/Dish Soap

Food
2 packages Veggie Dogs we used Tofu Pups
2 packages Whole Wheat Hot Dog Buns
Organic Ketchup
Organic Mustard
Dandies Vegan marshmallows
Graham Crackers any honey free crackers will do
Dark Chocolate we used Theo 85% Dark Chocolate Bar
Pre-made Pancake Mix see recipe above
Cookies Spray
Oreos* optional
Bananas
Maple Syrup
Earth Balance* optional
Coffee
1 large Zucchini
1 large Red Onion
1 package Mushroons
1 large Tomatoe
1 large Red & Green Peppers
365 Simple BBQ Seasoning
4 medium Gold Potatoes
2 cloves onion
1/2 onion
Olive Oil
Trail Mix we used a mix of Trader Joe’s Wasabi Wow!, Coconut Cashews and Go Raw Trail Mix
Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter
Trader Joe’s Strawberry Fruit Spread
Apples
Muffins
Quinoa Protein Balls

Overall, French Creek was great. It would have been better if it had a lake for swimming (which we had anticipated).

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!

Vegan Mini Taco Bowls

Like many others, I often troll Pinterest for new recipes. In that search, I often stumble upon a delicious looking picture with no link to a recipe. ANNOYING RIGHT?! I saw a similar taco bowl, clicked it, no real recipe link. WHY?! I decided, these cannot be too hard to improvise, something I would have to do anyway since the originals appeared to have beef, and went for it. ( Below is the serving size for us PhillyVegans. As a side note, Vinny eats way more than me, I ate 5 while he ate 11, so the serving size may vary.)

Mini Taco Bowls
Serves 2; 16 mini bowls

Ingredients
4 Whole Wheat Tortilla Shells cut
16 ounce Refried Beans (I used Trader Joe’s Refried Beans – Fat-free Traditional Style)
1/2 package Beyond Meat Lightly Seasoned Strips shredded
2 slices Daiya Cheddar Slice cut into 1 inch strips

Topping Ingredients
1/2 Avocado
Salsa
Toffuti Better than Sour Cream
Spinach or Lettuce chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut tortilla shells into small 3-inch circles. I used the top of a mason jar and knife for reference. A cup can also be used.
In small sauce pan cook Beyond Meat chicken strips.
Place tortilla circles in cupcake pans.
Add about a tablespoon of refried beans (no need to heat up) and a bit of shredded chicken. (Use personal preference)
Bake for 10 minutes.
Add Daiya cheese.
Bake for 5 additional minutes or until cheese melts.
Add toppings
Enjoy!