Vegan MOFO day 14: Chia seed pudding

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Another dish I learned from the Veg world fest a few weeks ago was this chia seed pudding. Of course I still don't have all the amazing ingredients on hand- like maca powder {that stuff is pretty pricey!}I made do with what we had in our pantry for breakfast this morning along with a green smoothie. The husband loved it, its got a nice tapioca like texture with just enough sweetness. I was also out of agave and had to make do with a bit of honey, perhaps next time I may even add a teeny tiny bit of cocoa powder too just for kicks. This does take a little bit of planning ahead since you have to soak the seeds over night but folks, its totally worth it.

Chia Seed pudding

1/4 Cup chia seeds 

1 Cup rice milk {or other milk substitute}

Soak the seeds over night in an air tight container. Every once and a while I would give it a little shake to get them really coated. In the morning you will have a little bit of a gelatinous like goo but just give it a good stir and you are good to go. For add ins I used green apple, pear, banana and ground flax seeds- which I also used in our green smoothie for the morning. I also added a couple of squeezes of honey for a bit of sweetness. You could really add in anything you want, plumped up raisins, dried fruit, nuts really anything goes!

*update* after writing this I had a little left to taste test with cocoa powder. And oh yes, do try it! It really gave it a great taste with a bit of bitter meets sweet. Can't wait to give this a try again with even more add in flavors.

Vegan MOFO day 13: DONUTS!!!

image and recipe via leaves & flours

I seriously have an issue with sweets lately. The issue being I simply cannot get enough of the sugary goodness into my growing belly. And when I came across these apple cider donuts from the tasty looking Leaves & Flours you better believe I bookmarked these babies right away. I cannot wait to give them a try and judging from the recipe it doesn't look like its too difficult to pull together. The few times I've tried to make donuts it was a big fat fail taste wise...perhaps it was because I baked them instead of fried. If you are interesting in giving these delectable bits a go, head on over to Leaves & Flours for the recipe, I'm sure your taste buds will thank you! Plus creative baker and recipe maker Shannon has also been participating in VeganMOFO so there are many many great bites to give a try too.

VeganMOFO day 12: A raw tart

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One of the perks of living near the annual vegetarian society festival is getting to stop in on tons of workshops and demos. The husband and I got a chance to sit in on a raw food demo where we learned how to make a completely raw tart, something I never dreamed was so easy and tasty. In fact, it was so easy we ended up making our own version that night for a dinner party we were invited to. It came out ok, I used pineapple as the filling and well it never actually set since it was so watery, but even though it was more like a custard with crust it still tasted fantastic! To make the crust I modified the almond crust recipe from Raw Food made easy for 1 or 2 people by Jennifer Cornbleet. Again, since it was so last minute I didn't have a chance to gather all the ingredients of choice so I made do with what I could find at the grocery store under our building.

Almond Crust

2 Cups almond flour {I used a food processor to grind up raw almonds}

1 Cup dates 

To make the crust, simply put both ingredients in a food processor and process away. You don't want to over do it, just wait till it get sticky enough to be able to press into a pie tin. And you guessed it, press nice and firmly into a pie dish till it resembles a crust. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Pineapple filling

1 pineapple

dates {I used about 8}

3/4 Cup shredded coconut

In a food processor blend till creamy. Pour into crust and let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour. I chose to add fresh strawberries and bananas on top which definitely gave it a bit of a wow factor and tasted fantastic with the pineapple. 

Again, it was a little runny but it all goes down the same, nice and tasty! And with the help of the husband we were able to whip this bad boy up in really no time. Seriously, I think I maybe spent a total of 10 minutes actually making it. I even braved a slightly numb mouth to get a slice or two in, being slightly allergic to pineapple wasn't enough to stop me from giving this a try!

VeganMOFO day 11: The Red Victorian review

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Sometimes you need a sweet pick me up mid afternoon and finding a decent cup of coffee that provides anything other then soy milk {at an additional cost} for a mixed drink can be pretty tough. Luckily nestled in the heart of the Haight district is The Red Victorian, an adorable cafe and bed and breakfast that not only gives you a full menu of drinks with the option of soy or almond milk, they also have a variety of vegetarian and vegan eats. I have yet to try out their wraps though every time I visit I am always intrigued just never hungry enough. The husband and I have been known to walk all the way there from our place, which now with this big ol belly of mine takes a nice 40 minutes, but the treat at the end is always worth it. This last visit I snacked on an iced half decaf half regular almond milk latte with a vegan ginger cookie. So good! Not only is this a great place for people watching but the staff is super friendly and the atmosphere reminds me of our old stomping grounds in Venice Beach. If you are browsing in the area I would highly recommend stopping in for a cup of coffee, it beats out those large chain coffee shops any day.

VeganMOFO day 10: Underdog review

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Sometimes you just need a quick fix of something good and thankfully for me I have access to Underdog an "organic sausage joint" within walking distance from my house. With a vegetarian and vegan menu {they also have regular meat dogs so watch what you order} full of tasty things to choose from its always a fun treat to stop in. My go to dog is the Polish on a wheat bun {pictured above} while the husband always goes for the spicy smoked chipotle and a side of vegan potato salad. Made with all organic products, their vegan dogs are made with soy and wheat meat so there is a little something for everyone to try. And they don't stop at just hot dogs, you can also find fun snacks like vegan chocolate pudding, the best, and an array of quick snacks to go. Not to say these are for everyday eating, but every once and a while you've just got to have a little something bad. There were a few days at the beginning of my pregnancy that these were pretty much the only thing I could keep down, glad it was at least organic and vegan. The shop itself is super tiny- we are talking blink and you may miss it small, and only has 7 seats available but with Golden Gate Park just a block and a half away why not take it to go and have a picnic?

Note: there is also another restaurant within a few blocks with a very similar name {The taco shop at Underdogs} not the same thing and not vegan!

VeganMOFO day 9: Taquitos and kale salad

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One of my quick and go to meals has got to be a few tasty taquitos with a bit of a punch. I am a huge fan of meals that don't take too much time or effort and this sure is one of them. This particular evening I made fresh pinto beans- they take about an hour and a half to boil {you can use canned refried beans but fresh tastes oh so much better} and mixed it with soy chorizo. I get mine from Trader Joe's but you can usually find it in major grocery stores. 

To make these, simply warm up the beans and soy chorizo and wrap with a corn tortilla. Preheat the oven to 350 and line the taquitos in a small dish. Spray or drizzle the tortillas with olive oil and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they get crisp at the edges. I like to serve with either salsa or guacamole for a little added tastiness!

I also served the taquitos with a massaged raw kale salad. I just leaned how to make this and let me tell you, you will want to have this on the side at every meal. Its so good even the husband gave me a high five during dinner. To make the salad I used half a bunch of kale {about 7 leaves} and de-stemed them. I added chopped red bell pepper, a bit of sea salt, a few shakes of garlic powder, a shake of cayenne pepper and a splash of tamari. Sorry I don't have exact measurements but the woman that taught me didn't give anything exact she just kept saying add what you feel. I know, totally hippie like. With the ingredients in a large bowl I added about a teaspoon of olive oil and with clean hands began giving everything a nice massage. A few minutes later the leaves were ready to eat and I had oh so soft hands, a total win win. This is a great way to get in a bit of kale with a ton of flavor, the perfect side dish for any meal. 

VeganMOFO day 8: Snacking on kale krunch

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A few weeks ago I got my hands on a couple of bags of snacks from Alive & Radiant Foods and I am trying my darnedest to not eat the entire thing at once. Its just so hard! I had picked up this bag of Southwest Ranch Kale Krunch and the husband chose a bag of Organic Veggie Krunch in Sweet Onion at the World Veg fest and oh how I wish I grabbed a few more bags. As you can see I didn't have much left before I snapped this picture and I may or may not have licked the plate to get all the goodness {hey, don't judge!}. You can find Kale Krunch at most Whole foods as well as online here. If you are looking for something with a little kick then you have got to get your hands on a bag of this stuff, though I warn you once you start you can't stop. I'm already making out my grocery list and you better believe another bag of crunch is at the top.

Vegan MOFO day 7: Gracias Madre review

When I became vegetarian then vegan one thing that was very difficult for me to give up was my Mexican food. Being raised on this cuisine sure left a big hole in my heart... one of my first foods as a baby was a rolled up tortilla dipped in beans! But thanks to a little restaurant in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco all of my tasty dreams have come true. When the husband and I moved here you better believe it was one of the first places we stopped in at and boy was I not disappointed  I even asked to go there for my birthday dinner its that good. We have been so often I have tried almost everything on the menu, I think my favorites have got to be their tacos stuffed with sauteed greens {kale} and their nopales {cactus} plate {not sure if its just a seasonal thing- we went over the weekend and it was missing on the menu}. Oh and the beans. Pure deliciousness right there. And did I mention they hand make their own corn tortillas for all to see, so good! You really can't go wrong with anything on their menu its that good. It may be a bit on the pricier side and get ready to sit with other diners especially if you are a small party, but the food is so worth it. I would highly recommend you check out Gracias Madre for a bit of authentic tasting food filled with amazing flavor. I'm about to dig in to my leftover totopos and black beans for good measure...no shame in my preggo game.

images via gracias madre 

Vegan MOFO day 6: Vegans in hotels

Don't you just love when your routine gets all jumbled up? So you know the other day when we woke up with a waterfall in our bathroom...turns out there is way more work to be done to our little apartment that the construction crew that caused the damage put us up in a hotel for a week. While I wouldn't normally mind, I've got a million things to do and just this week have a doctor and dentist appointment. Not the best when you are living out of a suitcase. But it could always be worse. That's been my mantra. So I've been making the best of it, last night the husband and I got to visit a new to us Indian restaurant that was surprisingly delicious and had a variety of veggie options to choose from. So for the next few days I'll be blogging from that chaise in Hotel Kabuki, right in the heart of Japantown. PS, that top photo is from our wrap around balcony- something I thought I could never do since I am super afraid of heights. Lets just say I walked out, snapped the picture and ran back inside before my nerves got the best of me!

Thankfully over the weekend the husband and I attended the World Veg Festival and sat through a workshop on Optimal nourishment on the go with Raw vegan travel snacks {did you know you can open an avocado with your bare hands!? By far the funnest fact I learned all workshop}. I was able to pick up this variety  of snacks from the store a few blocks away {not pictured, rice milk and a fresh loaf of sourdough bread}. I was able to get a giant bowl of granola, rice milk and banana for breakfast and chose a few healthy snacks to hold me over between meals. Apples and celery are perfect snacking items since you can eat them as is and they both have that crunch factor that most of us crave. Plus those Orchard Bars I picked up were on sale and totally vegan! I think Uli just spotted that orange when I snapped that picture, she wont stop going over to it and giving it a sniff or two...lets be honest, I totally picked that up with her in mind. She doesn't really get the whole idea of just hanging out in a hotel room. Poor thing is so bored. 

How do you manage to get in proper nutrition while you are on the go away from your stove and beloved cooking gadgets?

images by our designed life

Vegan MOFO day 4: Judahlicious review

One of the best perks of being a vegan in San Francisco has to be all the amazing restaurants to try out. Its not everyday we vegans get to go to a restaurant and have more then one or two options so to have an entire menu to choose from can get totally overwhelming! Thankfully the husband and I have made it our goal to visit as many places as we can and as part of VeganMOFO I wanted to showcase a few of my favorite eateries. If you are in the area or are planning a trip to our foggy city, I would highly recommend trying out these wonderful places. Trust me, you won't be sorry.
First up on our whirlwind of must go to's is Judahlicious in Outter Sunset. I am lucky enough to live just 2 miles from this place and let me tell you, if I could go every week I would. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner there is a bit of something for everyone. My all time favorite breakfast meal has got to be their Jungle style Acai bowl {pictured below}. Made with blueberry, raw acai, banana, raw house made granola {featuring an array of oh so good for you seeds} and orange juice this meal truly keeps you full for hours.

This last trip the husband and I decided to throw in a few drinks for good measure and picked up a Sunset smoothie {orange juice, banana, strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, lemon and dates} and a shot of Blue green algae. Now don't get me wrong I am all for trying new things but this shot was a bit strange for me. The husband loved it and gave him a shot of energy and oh so good for you feelings but to me it just tasted like a mixture of green tea and the smell of aquarium water. Yum?

We have tried a few other lunch items as well, the homemade chili is a MUST try with its spicy goodness and I can't ever get enough of the No Shirt No Shoes plate {a large plate filled with rice, beans, veggies, bits of pineapple, hemp seeds, spicy sauces and avocado}. Every time we are in there and look around at others dishes I have such a hard time deciding on what to get, it all looks so good.

And at 5 months preggers the baby sure does love all things Judahlicious. Being able to provide my growing belly with good for you food is the best feeling in the world and throw in the fact that I don't have to cook or clean and you have yourself one seriously happy pregnant lady.

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Vegan MOFO day 3: Pineapple sweet bread

One of my favorite things growing up was the delectable sweet bread my parents used to buy for our family to snack on. Sadly becoming vegan meant no more easy trips to the store for these sweet treats. That is until this recipe. Though its not exactly as I remember, its a great dessert full of flavor and literally finger licking good. I've made this a few times both for other vegan and non vegan friends and never do I have any left over to snack on. So sad. I even took a batch to a bar for a friends birthday and they were inhaled! I would highly recommend trying this recipe out, its a little bit of work but thankfully most of the time is spent letting the dough rise.

Pineapple sweet bread

1/2 Cup rice milk

5 Tbsp. butter {I used Earth balance}

3 pieces of star anise

4 Tbsp. ground flax seed and 12 Tbsp. water

3 Cups flour

2 envelopes dry active yeast

3/4 Cup sugar + more for sprinkling

2 Tbsp. wheat germ {optional}

Pineapple {canned will work in a pinch but fresh is better}

In a small pot, combine rice milk, butter and anise and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl mix the flax seed and water, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and wheat germ. 

Remove the anise from milk/butter mixture and add to dry ingredients. Add flax seed mixture. Dough will be very sticky, add another 1 1/2 cup flour until dough is a bit more workable. 

On a floured work surface kneed the dough till it is a bit elastic like. 

Lightly grease a large bowl and place dough inside to let rise. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place.

When dough is rising, pulse pineapple with a teaspoon of sugar in a food processor till smooth.

Once dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours, pull apart and shape individual pieces. I tried for about 5-6 inch rounds rolled out slightly. 

Place a small amount of pineapple in the center of the dough and fold over pinching edges closed so the mixture stays put.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from heat and brush with orange juice. Immediately sprinkle with a little more sugar and let cool.

Serve and enjoy!

Serves 8

This recipe is also entered in the Better Recipes Mexican themed cooking contest, I sure would love it if you gave me a little vote! I promise these are super tasty and highly addictive.

images by our designed life