vegetarian

These are a few of my favorite things: March Edition

With the approach of spring in Philadelphia and all its wonder, I would like to take some time to point out a few of my new found favorite things popping up all over the city.

1. Miyoko’s Creamery Cheese

Miyoko’s cashew based cheeses recently entered my life when friends of mine were kind enough to pick some up while visiting Lagusta’s Luscious in New York. Until this moment, I did not know what I was missing. Since then I have tried nearly all the varieties, savoring each block then waiting for my next chance to get another. It has never been available in Philadelphia which set up a road block on my highway to vegan cheese glory.

The the road block was averted…

While shopping at Whole Food’s South Street, I nearly fainted in the dairy (free) isle. This Philadelphia location now carries Miyoko’s Double Cream Chive ($8.99) and Aged English Sharp Farmhouse ($9.99). I purchased the Double Cream Chive and now I do not know how I will live without it. It’s rich, creamy flavor fulfills any pre-vegan cheese dream I ever had. Whether you plan to throw a vegan wine and cheese party or just indulge is some cheese on toast, you will want to pick up both of these delectable cheeses.

2. Center City Soft Pretzels

Not to begin on a negative note but I have always had a bone to pick with the Philadelphia Pretzel Factory and their need to use whey in their pretzels. I not only ate one of these pretzels myself before doing my research, but I have also had to correct other people on a vegan diet of this unnecessary ingredient in the well-known Philadelphia staple. So let’s talk about a company who does not put unneeded ingredients in their pretzels: Center City Soft Pretzels.

Seeing a Center City Soft Pretzels immediately reminds me of my childhood, specifically, recess in grade school. It is funny how a pretzel could bring you back to a time when your biggest worry was finishing your homework in time to go to the playground. These three-ingredient, kosher bundles of joy are just perfect.
Since recently moving onto Richmond Street in Port Richmond, I am lucky enough to be in walking distance of the River Wards Café, an establishment serving up Center City Soft Pretzels daily. (TIP: Get there at 8:15 am and the pretzels will still be warm.) So stop by and get your carb on. The lattes are not that bad either.

Center City Soft Pretzels are also available around the city of at their factory in South Philly.

3. Origin Almond

Oh, almond milk and all this dairy-free goodness. The past two months have been very almond-y for me.

In the beginning of February, my vegan runner enthusiasm came to a screeching holt when I was unofficially diagnosed with a stress fracture. After taking a careful review of my calcium intake, I found out I needed A LOT more than I was getting. Since almond milk is a huge source of calcium for vegans, I did my research on all the commercialized milks and their calcium content. Quite frankly, I was too lazy to make my own almond milk at home. It was really hard to settle on an almond milk that was organic, non GMO, and did not contain carrageenan until Origin Almond popped in my inbox.

Origin Almond is a localish (New Jersey) company that makes 100% raw and unpasteurized almond milk. Their flavors vary from plain old almond milk to a Golden Tumeric blend. Not only do they use organic almond, they are also GMO and additive free! As if things could not get better, ONE 16 oz bottle of Origin Almond Milk contains the almond equivalent of TWO commercial cartons of almond milk. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

Origin Almond can be ordered online and delivered to your door (like the olden times) OR it can be found at Essene Market on 4th Street.

4. Dottie’s Boston Creme Donut

The wait is OVER. Dottie’s Donuts finally opened up its brick and mortar location in West Philly. On that day, the heavens opened up and sent down the Dottie’s Boston Crème Donut for all of the people of Philadelphia to enjoy. I have no further words about it. Just go. Try one for yourself. You’re welcome.

5. Front Street Cafe Kale Caesar Salad

As if Front Street Café could not get even better in my mind, THEY DID. If you have not been to Front Street Café you are missing out on a lot. The café/restaurant hosts a ton of vegan Philly favorites including Crust Vegan Bakery and Dottie’s Donuts (not so fast, you still can only get the Boston CrèmeS at THEE Dottie’s Donuts in West Philly) along with juice, smoothies and bagels. Their sit down brunch and dinner menu is on point, carrying everything from pancakes and buffalo cauliflower to their version of vegan eggs benedict. All this is great and delicious.

But then there is the Kale Caesar salad..

Skeptics out there would think “what is so great about a kale salad?” Skeptics have never tried THIS kale salad from Front Street Café.

The salad is as follows:
Kale; Walnut Picada; Roasted Tomatoes; Pickled Red Onions; Caesar Dressing
(I also added grilled tofu to my salad <3)

Again, just go. Try it. I have never tasted something so healthy yet delicious.

OH! Do not be fooled by the Front Street Café menu. Instead of placing a symbol next to vegan menu items, Front Street places symbols on items that are not vegan! So go crazy and order anything without a cow, pig, chicken or cheese wedge next to it.

❤ Erin

I trained for my first marathon… AKA I ate a lot of pizza.

This year, I decided to take my running to the next level and run my first ever marathon. As a Philadelphian, I chose the fall 2015 Philadelphia Marathon and enlisted Rita at Breakaway Bikes to provide me with the best training in the city. During my 21 weeks of extensive training, I became one hungry girl. Training for a race of this sort leaves you feeling hungry… all the time. For me, I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted and however much I wanted without feeling a shred of eaters remorse. I was a machine, specifically.. a pizza eating machine. Each week, once (or twice) a week I would find the best (and some mediocre) pizza in the city (and a few in New Jersey) and put it up to the long run fuel test.

Get ready to drool over my favorite and not so favorite vegan pizza pies…

NOTE: I stuck with primarily marinara style pizzas as this worked perfect as fuel! Also, do not be fooled, I ate the whole pizza, each time. No sharing during marathon training.

THE BEST:

Zavino – Gayborhood – 112 South 13th Street; Philadelphia, PA 19107

I had this gloriously wood fire pizza (and glass of red wine) the night before the Rock & Roll half marathon. The sauce here was perfect and the pizza itself was cooked to perfection. Zavino is quite the hot spot but definitely worth the wait. My friend and I were lucky enough to grab bar seats immediately.

2. Taconelli’s – Port Richmond – 2604 East Somerset Street; Philadelphia, PA 19134

This. Sauce. I am 100% not a fan of a ton of sauce but this is the exception. I could actually drink it.

Side Note: Dough must be ordered in advance but it is worth it. This pizza is pretty much everything and the fact that it is in, Port Richmond, the neighborhood where I grew up gives it a special place in my heart.

3. Nomad Philadelphia – 611 South 7th Street; Philadelphia, PA 19147

Nomad was my first pizza love early on. I think I told EVERYONE about how good it was. As you can see from my other pizza comments, it is all in the sauce. Nomad’s marinara was equally perfect.

4. Blackbird Pizzeria – 507 South 6th Street; Philadelphia, PA 19147

Ahhh Blackbird. The food here warms my soul therefore I had this pizza (among other things) 3 times throughout training. It was my go-to on nights when I wanted to stay in or I was too sweaty from a Friday night run to go to anywhere fancy. My recommendation, always, is to go here and try everything. The food coma is well worth it.

5. Pizzeria Vetri – Callowhill – 1939 Callowhill Street; Philadelphia, PA

Another pizza done right. Killer sauce, crisp crust, perfection. There were some very interesting pizzas on the menu here. I may go back a play around with some of the other toppings.

THE WORST:

Bufad – 1240 Spring Garden Street; Philadelphia, PA 19123

In one word, floppy. This pizza was so… floppy. It looked delicious but looks can be deceiving. Maybe if they cooked it just a tad bit more it would have been better.

2. Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar – University City – 200 South 40th Street; Philadelphia, PA 19104

Literally had the worst time here confirming the ingredients were vegan. Traditional pizza dough does not contain egg. Our waitress seemed certain it had egg. I pretty much had to walk her over to ask the kitchen if it did. As I suspected, no egg in the dough. For a restaurant that boasts a menu full of veggie and low-cal farm fresh meals, I was not happy with this experience.

The Good:

Nomad Roman – 1305 Locust Street; Philadelphia, PA 19104

If you like it thin, you’ll LOVE this pizza. For me, however, it did not fit (I am a fan of thin but more of a Neapolitan style pizza) but was still very very delicious. A bit on the spicy side but that never bothers me.

2. Taconelli’s Pizza Maple Shade – Maple Shade – 27 West Main Street; Maple Shade, NJ 08052

This Taconelli’s is owned by another member of the same family who owns the OG in Port Richmond. I might just be crazy but I do not think the sauce is AS good. Its good but not on the level of the original. On a brighter note, this NJ location contains more than just pizza and no dough pre-order required. I do not know about you, but I am a fan of the salad/pizza combo. Their menu also contains pasta dishes.

3. Jules Thin Crust – Cherry Hill – 1650 Kings Highway North; Cherry Hill, NJ

Stumbled upon this was while venturing to New Jersey and it was delightful. The crust was thin, as stated in the name, and it was perfect. The whole business has a pretty good story behind it as well.

4. Dock Street Brewery – West Philly – 701 South 50th Street; Philadelphia, PA 19143

This gem in the heart of West Philly makes a fantastic vegan pizza. If you like beer and pizza, it is worth the trek west.

5. Bricco Coal Fired Pizza – 128 Haddon Ave; Westmont, NJ 08108

During POPE weekend, I ventured to New Jersey a lot to avoid the crowds and found Briccos on Haddonfeild Road. They know what they are doing here. Their pizzas are delicious and filling.

6. Spuntino – Northern Liberties – 701 North 2nd Street; Philadelphia, PA 19123

This new wood-fire pizza joint was a treat. The pizza was cooked perfect and it came out really fast. ALSO, when you order a salad, you receive a piece of freshly baked dough. It was awesome.

The Ehhh:

1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza – Cherry Hill – 2000 Marlton Pike; West Cherry Hill, NJ

Mehhh, this pizza was fast. I had a lot of trouble with the employees not knowing the ingredients in the dough resulting in my biggest vegan conversation pet peeve…

Me: “Is the gluten free dough vegan?”
Employee: “Well yes, its gluten free.”

.. The gluten free dough ended up having egg. BUT the regular dough was vegan and they had pineapple as a topping so I was happy. They restaurant prides itself on being fast but my pizza was floppy. I am not a fan of floppy pizza.

2. Debbie’s Place – Port Richmond – 2617 East Westmoreland; Philadelphia, PA 19134

I call this the “Cardboard Pizza” or “Bar Pizza”. It is so simple, so processed, so perfect.. especially when there is nothing else around. I am sure it would be even better with toppings but I would typically eat these hours before a long run so I did not want to test the limits of my stomach with new things.

I hope this post got your hungry for some pizza and maybe motivated to marathon train. The perks are amazing. For 21 weeks I could eat everything, lose 11 lbs and better my endurance (both pizza eating and running related.) In the end, I certify pizza the #1 long run food.

These are a few of my favorite things: Cheese Edition

Let’s face it, nothing will replace the taste, texture, creamy, gooeyness of cheese. There are many equally delicious substitutes for other cruelty free items such as meat, milk and butter but cheese? Could there ever be? Will there ever be? I think at this point I have tried almost everything out there in terms of vegan mainstream supermarket cheese scene and have found some pretty wonderful replacement for my pre-vegan cheese obsession.

Best Cream Cheese:
Kite Hill Cream Cheese Style Spread

Flavors: Original and Chive
“Philadelphia cream cheese who?” This newer cream cheese alternative is a game changer when it comes to vegan cream cheese. It is almond based and has a creaminess factor that surpasses anything I enjoyed as an vegetarian or omnivore. In the past, I would tell people “Yeah vegan cream cheese is good but do not eat it alone”, Kite Hill has changed that. I would gladly eat this cream cheese with a spoon.

Best Grilled Cheese “Cheese”:
Daiya Cheese Slices

Flavors: Cheddar, Swiss and Provolone
Some cheeses just do not melt. Then there are others that overmelt. This is something every vegan has gone through. Daiya cheese slices do the perfect combination of melting and stretching which is perfect for a grilled cheese.

Pro tip: Do not overuse or there might be too much melting and stretching. Moderation with this cheese goes a long way.

Best Cheese Sandwich Cheese:
Field Roast Chao Slices

Flavors: Creamy Original, Coconut Herb and Tomato Cayenne
I sure love a good cheese sandwich, side of chips and pickles. Who doesn’t? The Chao cheese slices make vegan sandwiches perfect. Think traditional American cheese slices veganized. Throw them together with some Tofurky slices, tomato, lettuce, onion and Just Mayo, you may actually think you are mistakenly eating a non-vegan hoagie.

Best Pizza Cheese:
Daiya Shreds – Mozzarella

Not to sound redundant but these cheese just melts correctly. It is perfect for your at home, run of the mill pizza craving.

In conclusion, vegan cheese should be left to the vegans, dairy sensitive or lactose intolerant. My words to all non-vegan and not even trying to be a little bit vegan friends: do not eat vegan cheese. You will not like. It does not compare. You will probably have a rude remark about it. But hey, for us vegans this is as good as it gets and it tastes pretty great of for us. We love it and its cruelty-free nature.

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 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 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!

Disney World as a Vegan

Detour:
Walt Disney World
Orlando, Florida

Again, prior to my 9 day trip in September to the most magical place on earth, I did my research. I searched Google, I viewed hashtags on Instagram and perused Facebook pages. I took notes. I packed my own snacks. None of this fully prepared me for my foodie endeavor in the land of princesses and talking animals. While there I vowed to return home and blog about my experience to give future vegans in Disney World further reference because , believe me, the more information you have, the better.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Lunch – Counter Service
Backlot Express

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich – basil asiago artisan bread, mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, tomato, watercress and cheese with sundried tomato pesto, served with carrot sticks or french fries

VEGANIZED: Order without cheese and with the multigrain bread. I would also opt for the carrot sticks; fryers are not separate for meat products and french fries

Epcot

Lunch – Counter Service
Sunshine Seasons

ALREADY VEGAN: Orange Sesame Glazed Vegan Chick’n Chunks with Stir Fry Noodles

Dinner – Table Service
Teppan Edo – Hibachi Style Dining

Appetizer: Garden Salad – Mixed greens and seasonal vegetables with your choice of our original ginger dressing or creamy sesame dressing

VEGANIZED: Choose the ginger dressing for the salad.

Yasai – fresh seasonal vegetables
– includes seasonal vegetables with udon noodles and steamed sukiyaki beef rice

VEGANIZED: Mention to the manager, waitress and chef that you are vegan. In my case, they cooked all vegetables prior to cooking meat products. Opt out of the udon noodles and steamed sukiyaki beef rice and ask for white rice.

Snack
Food & Wine Festival

Terra

ALREADY VEGAN:
Trick’n Chick’n Curry with Basmati Rice featuring Gardein Chick’n Breast
Chili Colorado with House Made Chips & Cashew Cheese, featuring Gardein Beefless Tips
Chocolate Cake with Passion Fruit Sorbet and Coconut Foam

Scotland

Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps and Tatties-Griddled Vegetable Cake with Rutabaga and Mashed Potatoes

VEGANIZED: Opt for doubly rutabaga. The mashed potatoes are not vegan

Japan

ALREADY VEGAN: Youki Tofu topped with Miso Sauce, Edamame and Served with Grilled Vegetables

Animal Kingdom

Breakfast – Buffet
Tusker House – Donald’s Safari Breakfast

There are a handful of buffet items that can be veganized. Mention to your waiter and the hostess at check-in that you have a dietary restriction. They will send out the chef upon arrival at your table. Thankfully, one of the chefs at Tusker House was over the top helpful and took me around the entire buffet pointing out what was vegan and what could be made vegan upon request.

VEGANIZED: The chef prepared the following items special per the vegan diet.

Mickey waffles – Also gluten free
Tator Tots – Pan fried opposed to fried
Yam Casserole – without cheese.

ALREADY VEGAN: Fresh Fruit

Magic Kingdom

Lunch – Counter Service
Columbia Harbor House

ALREADY VEGAN: Vegetarian Chili

Lighthouse Sandwich – hummus with tomato & broccoli slaw on toasted multigrain bread with potato chips $9.19

VEGANIZED: Order without broccoli slaw.

Resorts

Dinner – Table Service
Contemporary – California Grill

Chefs at the California Grill, atop the Contemporary resort, opt for a four mini entree to meet the dietary needs of a vegan. I could not tell you what exactly my four mini entrees were. To the best of my knowledge they were a risotto dish, a ratatouille dish, mini flat breads and a salad. It was delicious and with each vegan this selection will change.

Downtown Disney

Snacks
BabyCakes NYC

All vegan bakery in the marketplace area of Downtown Disney with cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts, brownies and more! (I picked up snacks for the week)

All Parks

ALREADY VEGAN: Pretzels and Popcorn throughout the parks are vegan as is!

And there you have it… vegan options in Disney from my point of view. There are a few more, but these are the ones that worked best for me. For further vegan options, I would view AllEars.net.