Green Owl Cafe Vegan Groupon!!!

The best vegan food in Madison is half-off with this Groupon deal! Click here to buy yours!

Cupcakes, Cupcakes, and More Cupcakes!

I went to visit my mother in Washington, D.C. this weekend. One of my favorite places to stop when I get there is the vegan bakery/cafe Sticky Fingers, which was actually just featured on the Food Network as they blazed through and won the Cupcake Wars, beating out non-vegan cupcake bakers and leaving them in their cruelty-free tracks! Little did I know that, while I was drooling over their counter deciding which cupcakes I wanted to try, my mother was at home, trying her hand for the first time at baking me vegan cupcakes, too! Needless to say, the house was full of these little treats when I got home!

Now, I have to give my mom props, because, for her first attempt at vegan cupcakes, they were probably the tastiest things she's ever made, and that's saying a lot considering my mom has been paid to make people's wedding cakes and other treats ever since I can remember! Amazing, light, fluffy, and oh so decadent, I felt I had to share the recipe she used here.

While at Sticky fingers, I had to try the cupcakes that won her Cupcake Wars, and those were equally as delicious! So, if you're in D.C., be sure to hit up Sticky Fingers! If you're not, then get in that kitchen and start baking this delicious recipe! I promise you won't be disappointed!!!!



The Strawberry Daquiri Cupcake which helped win Cupcake Wars filled with Kiwi....yum!!




Carmelized Banana, Chocolate Seltzer Cupcake, also a Cupcake Wars contender and equally delicious!!





But nothing beats homemade!!!!

Restaurant Review - Bloom Bake Shop

My very first Bloom Cupcake...an experience I'll never forget!



I do have a lot of recipes to share with you all, but I am still wanting to give shout outs to all the yummy vegan goodies the man and me found around and about Wisconsin this weekend with his mother. One place that we took her to has been a favorite of ours for a few months now since discovering it. A vegan bakery. Need I say more?? Well, I’m gonna, because this place is unlike any vegan bakery I’ve ever been to.


Now, coming from Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to have many vegan options surrounding me daily. From local bakeries that baked up goodies sold at our Whole Foods out there to bakeries like BabyCakes, Sprinkles, and the like…there was definitely no shortage of vegan goodies in Los Angeles. BUT...although tasty…they all felt like they were missing…something.


A year later, we discovered Bloom Bake Shop…right around the corner from where I work. I was told about this new bakery from a co-worker, excited to tell me that although they had non-vegan items, that there were vegan and gluten free features each day as well. Of course, you say cupcake to me, and I’m there. So, I headed on down, and was greeted with the friendliest staff I have ever come across. My first vegan cupcake experience was one of the most ultimate decadence…a vanilla cupcake filled with orange marmalade…topped with a dark chocolate ganache and an orange buttercream frosting flower. I bit in, and went straight to cupcake heaven! THIS cupcake HAD what all the other ones didn’t…a touch of local love.


Bloom Bake Shop is a local, sustainable, fair trade bakery. Most of her ingredients come from right in this area…from the free range hormone-free eggs in her non-vegan products to the peanut butter used in some of her decadent treats all the way to the wind that powers her light fixtures…and what isn’t local is still fair-trade, pesticide and synthetics-free. Every inch of this little bakery is blooming (pun intended…haha) with love, and you can most certainly taste that love when you bite into these delicious, moist, dense vegan cupcakes.


So head on down to Middleton, just minutes from Madison, and pick up a box of cupcakes to share with your family, friends, co-workers…or keep them all for yourself (don’t worry, I won’t judge!). But definitely give this kind local business a try! You will not be disappointed! And the man's mother was in cupcake heaven, so take your out-of-town guests here too!!


The insanely moist and delicious vegan blondie I had this weekend!


The "Be Campy" vegan s'mores cupcake...I've had this one two or three times, and it's always a winner...and pretty, too!

Restaurant Review - Monty's Blue Plate Diner

This weekend the man’s mother was in town, and we ended up eating out much more than we usually do. HOWEVER, this gives me the chance to write some reviews on the vegetarian and vegan-friendly joints in Madison for those of you who live here or who may visit in the future. Anyway, the restaurant I’m reviewing today is one that we had gone to about a year ago, loved, but for some reason, haven’t been back since. Well, let me tell you, we will NOT be going this long again without paying a visit to Monty’s Blue Plate Diner. With their plethora of vegetarian and vegan fare, it’s really hard to not leave this place super stuffed and satisfied with vegan yumminess.

Now with Monty’s you don’t want to go there super-hungry. Go there when you are sorta-kinda hungry, because whether you go first thing in the morning or in the evening, there is ALWAYS a wait. This place is hugely popular, and if you go hungry, you’ll be absolutely famished by the time you are seated. So be prepared to wait, but be prepared to be more than satisfied with your meal as well. This place is DEFINITELY worth waiting for!

Now, their menu is not all vegetarian and vegan. BUT, it’s almost 100% local food, which is neat. And although this place is also a burger and bacon-lovers’ paradise, it’s also got a HUGE vegan menu and an even bigger vegetarian menu. The servers are also very knowledgeable about what can be veganized as well. I have had a vegan entrée before, but this time, since it was an early lunch, I wanted to try one of their breakfast options, served all day. And let me tell you, this was the BEST tofu scramble I have EVER had. And this is coming from a vegan who really hates tofu! You have to REALLY know what you’re doing with tofu to make me like it, and they have definitely won me over.

So, if you’re in Madison, I HIGHLY recommend this place! Check out Monty’s Blue Plate Diner…maybe I’ll see you there!

Also, here's a link to their vegan menu!


This was my yummy vegetarian hash made with diced potatoes, veggies and smoky tempeh. Can be served with two chicken fetuses (yuck!) or tofu scramble for no extra charge. Also served with a non-vegan biscuit, but you can sub toast (I got the rye toast and it was delicious!).


This was the man's tofu scramble and fried potatoes. He had the biscuit. How awesome do these dishes look?!

Veggie Burger Mecca in...Wisconsin??

Okay, so I had to break a few of my own rules last night, but let me just say, I’m BEYOND happy that I did! First off, I ate out twice in one day. Now mind you, I know vegan food carries much fewer calories and all the bad stuff that traditional restaurant food carries, but…it still isn’t good to eat out that much. BUT…the man’s momma is in town, we had lunch with her when she got into town, and then a late dinner after seeing his show. Which brings me to the second rule I broke…I ate WAY too late at night to be healthy (10:00…my usual rule is no eating after 7:00). REGARDLESS…I’m so glad I did, because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have experienced the BEST veggie burger I think I have ever had in my entire life. Seriously, it was almost like a religious experience for me as every bite took me closer and closer to food coma nirvana. So yes, I broke some rules, but now I have a new favorite hangout.


Los Angeles is usually seen as a vegan “mecca” of sorts…vegan restaurants on every corner, health food stores up the ass, and a boatload of people who understand and respect your lifestyle. However, step foot in an LA dive bar, and you’re S.O.L. I figured it would be the same in Wisconsin, you know, with all the beef and cheese curds this state consumes singlehandedly. But oh, how wrong I was! We ended up at a cute little dive last night called the Laurel Tavern after the man’s show…complete with a cozy fireplace and a “Cheers”-like atmosphere (seriously, everyone who walked into this place seemed to know everyone else there!).



I figured I’d be lucky if their French fries were vegan, because quite frankly, this looked like the kind of place where EVERYTHING would be deep fried in pig lard. I had already accepted the fact that my dinner would more than likely consist of a glass of water, when I opened the menu and saw quite a few safe bets! Surprised, when our server came to the table, I asked if the veggie burger was vegan, and she told me that it was…the only non-vegan thing would be that they butter the bun. Relieved, I went with the veggie burger with an unbuttered bun and waited, satisfied that I would be able to go to bed with some food in my tummy.


My homemade veggie patty arrived at the table, and I immediately got nervous…it looked like beef. I cut it in half, and realized that it was in fact a veggie burger, as a load of mushrooms fell out of the patty, as well as chunks of tvp (textured vegetable protein)…a SAFE place! I made my burger happy face with tomato head, pickle eyes and a mustard smiley face before applying my butterless bun, and dug in. Then, I proceeded to melt into the booth. I have NEVER been that satisfied by a simple veggie burger in all my life. And, for five bucks for this huge burger, you really can’t go wrong! Cheap bar food at it’s finest! I will most definitely be back, and I think that if you’re in Madison, you should most definitely give this little place a try…you won’t be sorry, I promise!


So what are you waiting for?! It’s only 7 hours until happy hour…get your little vegan behinds over to the Laurel Tavern!

And by the way, head on over to Hungry Vegan Traveler’s blog to sign up for a vegan lip balm giveaway!

And for the VeganMoFo Crowd...

Went to Happy Hour on Friday to a cute little pub by my office called Byrd's Pub and Grill in Middleton. Let me just say, for a small town bar, this place has some yummy vegan options!!! I went with the Spicy Black Bean Wrap (no cheese) in the Garlic and Herb tortilla with their homemade waffle fries. Definitely not waistline friendly, but definitely delicious!! Their guacamole is superbly spicy and the black bean patty crumbled in the wrap is homemade and vegan to boot! So check this place out for great happy hour deals and for good vegan eats!! And check out some of the other yummy foods over at Vegan MoFo!!


Yummy!

Restaurant Review: Cafe Costa Rica

Yesterday was World Vegan Day, and instead of cooking a super delicious vegan meal, I carted my lazy ass to a restaurant! Okay, so I’d actually been wanting to try this place for a while, and heard they had some pretty awesome stuff, and wanted to support a local restaurant that catered to the vegan crowd. So, the man and myself travelled downtown to visit a restaurant so cute and tiny that if you blink, you just may miss…so keep your eyes peeled for this one!

It’s called the Café Costa Rica, and it’s literally in the basement of an old house with two tables outside, and three tables inside. You walk inside, and the smells are deliciously overpowering. You’re greeted by a friendly hello, and asked if you want to sit inside or outside (outside?? It’s like, 35 degrees outside! Do you real Wisconsin folk really still sit outside when it’s that cold?! Sheesh!) We took the small corner table and were handed menus that were nothing more than a piece of paper that looked like it had been laminated like, 20 years ago. The menu was entirely meat…steak, chicken, pork, veal, fish. Oh boy…maybe we went to the wrong place. Wait! At the very bottom of the menu in small print it said, “Can make any meal vegetarian/vegan. Please ask your server.” My first thought was, how the hell do you make veal vegan?! But, when our server arrived at the table, I obviously asked, how can you make these meals vegan? Our server then began to describe how they can “veganize” any option you would like. For example, they can marinate tofu steaks in the sauce the veal is made with, or use patacones in substitution for any meat on the plate (patacones are fried green plantains). As soon as our server mentioned the patacones substitution, I immediately began to salivate. I ordered the Burrito but stuffed with patacones instead of beef and no cheese. The man ordered a jerk marinated tofu steak. And we sat, anxiously awaiting our food.

Look at the SIZE of that thing!!!


His looked equally as delicious!


Hell Yes I'm in Heaven!!

To say we were please with the outcome would be an understatement. For one, my burrito was bigger than my thigh (and this chubby latina vegan has some serious thighs!) and the aromas were enough to make me sing out loud. Then, we got down to the real test…the taste. All my wildest fantasies seemed to come true in that very moment. It was honestly the best meal I have had in AGES. The man cleaned his plate. I have lunch for two days now.


Overall, I’d give this place a 9/10 (no parking makes it lose a point, which is going to be difficult for when it gets snowy!). We will definitely be back, and if you are a Dairyland Vegan like myself, I HIGHLY recommend Café Costa Rica!

Also, don't forget to check out Vegan MoFo!!

Apple Crisp and Pizza...Sounds Like Perfection to Me!

(This photo isn't mine, but I thought it was beautiful!)

This weekend was packed full of Autumn fun and adventures…from trying new restaurants to carving pumpkins to seeing the beautiful Fall Harvest at the Farmers Market…it was all amazing!

Saturday started with an early morning trip to the Farmers Market, which is my ultimate favorite way to start my Saturdays! Honestly, the fall colors on every table were enough to give me butterflies in my stomach I was so giddy! I got some incredible spaghetti squash and butternut squash. I also got some pie pumpkins and apples that looked like they were Heaven-sent! Obviously, dinner was going to be spaghetti squash, and I just KNEW I had to make an apple-something for dessert!

So, I began perusing The Kind Life forums for a good apple recipe, specifically one that I could make gluten-free, as I’m trying to see if eliminating gluten (or drastically reducing the amount I eat) will help with my thyroid issues, but I digress. I found a really yummy looking recipe posted by Tina Weiss that I had all the ingredients for and just knew I had to try. Needless to say, it was absolutely delicious! So, here is the recipe:

Autumn Harvest Apple Crisp
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour (to make gluten-free, I used rice flour)
3/4 cup oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats)
1/3 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup slivered almonds [(optional) I did not use this as I am allergic, but it was in the original recipe]
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 375. Spray 8x8 dish with cooking spray.

Spread apples and raisins (if using) in pan.

In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

Add Earth Balance, and mix with hands, rubbing together until Earth Balance is well incorporated. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender.

I served this piping hot over Rice Dream Vanilla Ice Cream – Perfecto!


Since Sunday was the beginning of World Go Vegan Week, the man and myself decided to try one of the Madison restaurants participating that we had not yet been to, to scope out the vegan options. We went to Roman Candle Pizzeria, of which they have a couple locations in the Madison area. We went to the one in Middleton, as it’s closest to where we live. I must say, for a pizza place, I was HIGHLY impressed! Our server was fabulous, and when we mentioned the Vegan Week specials ($3 off any size vegan pizza) he recommended the “Animal Lovers” pizza with no cheese. We went for it, and added some green olives (seriously, how can you eat pizza without green olives?!) and continued looking through their menu. Seriously, this place had probably near 20 different vegetables to put on a pizza as options!! Definitely not like any other pizza place I’ve been to!

Anyway, our pizza arrived, and it was beautiful!

The big fresh basil leaves, perfectly sliced thin red peppers, broccoli, and lots of other veggies tossed perfectly on a super flavorful sauce and then lightly drizzled with olive oil. The pizza literally disappeared before our eyes! Our server was also very excited to see us order something vegan, and was asking us a lot of questions. He thought our pizza looked really good, even though it didn’t have any cheese on it (he said he never sees that…of course not in Wisconsin!) and said he may try it for his lunch that day! He was also excited to hear we liked it, so he can tell other people about the vegan specials they have this week…holla veganism!! Hahaha…so yes, if you are in the Madison area, I will highly recommend Roman Candle Pizzeria if you are looking for a vegan pizza fix!

World Go Vegan Week!!!

For those of you who don’t know, next week, October 24-30 is World Vegan Week!!! I wanted to give a heads-up, because you should definitely start scoping out your areas for vegan deals! I know that, in Madison, a few bookstores are having sales on vegan cookbooks, and *drumroll* certain restaurants are giving discounts on vegan food!! Some are even donating a portion of the cost of your meal to different vegan-friendly charities and such! So get your butts on out of your house and start supporting!!! The more people that support these movements will give bigger and bigger momentum each year to continue doing these things! When companies realize how many people appreciate these things, they’ll be more apt to put vegan items on their menu or stock more vegan cookbooks, or even begin to educate themselves on the vegan lifestyle. So rock on with your bad-ass vegan self and support World Vegan Week in your area!!!

Now, if you’re in my hood (I’ve been in Madison almost a year now, so I think I can start calling it that…haha), here are some of the restaurants that are offering specials next week:

The Green Owl Café: If you read my blog, you’ll know that I have reviewed this restaurant a handful of times, just because it is absolutely my favorite place to eat in Madison! If you mention “World Go Vegan Week” when you order, you will get 50% off a dessert with a meal purchase here!!! Hell yes! Their desserts seriously make life worth living!

Bunky’s Café: Order a vegan entrée (make sure you mention World Go Vegan Week) and receive a complimentary vegan Mediterranean Appetizer Platter!!! Also, 10% of the cost of your meal will be donated to the Madison chapter of Alliance for Animals.

The Roman Candle Pizzeria: Mention World Go Vegan Week and take $3.00 off the purchase of their “Animal Lovers Pizza” – Any size! Just make sure to ask for it without cheese!

As of now, these are the only places I’ve heard of that are participating in Madison, as well as Borders Bookshop having a large display/sale on vegan cookbooks in the store entrance, but I’ll try and update this weekend if I hear of any other places getting involved! Is there anything going on in YOUR town for World Go Vegan Week?!

For more information, jump over to http://www.worldgoveganweek.org/


You'd be downright silly to pass up half-off on the amazing vegan desserts at the Green Owl!!!

Vegan Jambalaya on World Vegetarian Day

Yesterday was World Vegetarian Day, and let me just say that I stimulated the crap out of the vegetarian economy, that's for sure!! I got not one but TWO new pairs of super cute vegan shoes from ShoeDazzle, got some vegan cupcakes for the office at Bloom Bake Shop, which were a hit, as always, and then when I got home from work, I wanted to go to my favorite vegan restaurant, the Green Owl Cafe. Now, I've eaten at a lot of really good vegan restaurants. Julian and I would go to them all the time in Los Angeles, but none of them can hold a candle to Green Owl, in my opinion! Their servers are always the absolute sweetest, their foods are unique and filling, and don't even get me started on their amazing desserts!!!

So we headed to Green Owl last night, and I was determined to try something different, while Julian was already content with the fact that he would be getting the exact same thing he always does, but he was really looking forward to their apple crisp, which is one of his favorites.

We get there and are seated in the back area, which is our favorite and took a look at the menu. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. A table was sat right next to us, and greeted right away. And we waited some more while all the waitstaff looked right at us and walked by. After 10 minutes, the people seated after us already had their drinks and salads, and we hadn't even been aknowledged. And I was hungry! I finally went up to the front and asked for some service, which, after a few more minutes, we finally got. Then, the special that I wanted was sold out, which made me sad, but I tried the vegan jambalaya instead, and I'm very glad I did! Every course took a very long time to receive (20 minutes for a dip platter, 40 for soup and salad, and an hour for our main course), but as always, neither of us had a single bad thing to say about the food! My jambalaya was absolutely delicious! It was so flavorful and filling, and it came with the most delicious roasted red pepper cornbread. And my Mediterranean Bean and Orzo soup was awesome as well...no suprise there. By the time dessert rolled around, we'd already been there two and a half hours now, and had missed the movie we planned on seeing, so we skipped dessert for the first time in our Green Owl history, and just went home...we figured if we stayed it may end up being another hour...hahaha!

But, although this was by far our worst service experience here, the food will no doubt keep us coming back for more...and more...and more!!


So how did you spend your World Vegetarian Day?



Honestly, how can you be upset when the food looks this good?!?!

The Taste of Madison, Vegan Approved!

This weekend was the annual “Taste of Madison”. Now, if you don’t live in Madison, this is set up just like the other “Tastes” held around the country. It’s a weekend-long event where the majority of the local restaurants will set up food tents along an area in the city, and sell samplings of their foods for super cheap. Everything at the Taste of Madison is between 1-4 bucks and over 200 restaurants participated this year. I was a little apprehensive, because I assumed that this was going to be a meat and cheese lover’s haven (it is Wisconsin, after all!), but I was pleasantly surprised!

The very first booth that we walked up to was a southern-style catering company that had their food items listed and the first thing on their menu were *Vegan* Red Beans and Rice (and yes, vegan was highlighted!). Hell yeah! Of course, I jumped on this opportunity, because I was still unsure of what else I’d be able to have. And they were honestly the best red beans and rice I have ever had! And a massive cup full for $2…you can’t beat it!

Don't they look delicious?!

Our next stop was at a Saloon’s tent, where they were advertising their Fried Pickles. Now, I know it isn’t exactly diet food, but I asked what they were cooked in and what they were breaded in. They assured me they were vegan (I even watched them cook some…totally safe!), and of course, I had to try those, too! I mean honestly, what’s better than deep fried pickles?! Nothing! They drizzled them in Hot Sauce, and I was in heaven!

As soon as I finished my 3 massive fried pickles ($3 bucks, folks!), we ended up at a tent for a Santa Fe-style restaurant. On their sign, next to a few items, they had these little leaves. At the bottom, the sign said that the leaves signified items that could be made vegan…hallelujah! I tried the vegan style gazpacho, and Julian got the vegan bean tostada and we shared…both were amazing, but the gazpacho was second to none! Seriously delish!

Now, you’re probably thinking that I couldn’t possibly shove any more food down my tubby tummy, but you’d be wrong!! Julian and I both got these delicious spritzers from a company that specializes in specialty oils, vinegars, and spices. Mine was a Pineapple-Mango-Peppermint-Oregano (don’t knock it til’ you try it…it was seriously amazing!) and Julian’s was a cranberry-lingonberry blend. Now, we were planning on hitting up some of the dessert tents now, but then we came across an Italian place that was serving Eggplant Fries drizzled in a paprika-garlic olive oil…now seriously, for $3, how can you pass that up?! They’re usually $12 at this restaurant, so I wasn’t going to say no! And I’m glad I didn’t, because they were superb!

For dessert, I had a mango Italian Ice, which was absolutely perfect. Not super sugary and clearly made with real mango and not that syrupy crap. Delicious ending! After listening to a couple of the bands on the various stages, we headed home, with full bellies and not an ounce of disappointment!

Julian enjoying his tiramisu (not vegan). I'm not a fan of this stuff, but he sure enjoyed it!

All in all, I have to give the Taste of Madison high rankings, because it did NOT disappoint in the least! I’m already looking forward to next year!

Vegan-Friendly Airports

First off, I want to say thank you for all of the support with my beloved dog passing this past week. It was a really hard thing to go through, and receiving the support that I did from all over really helped. So, thank you all so much for your words of kindness.

I travelled from Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. this weekend to spend some much needed time with my mom, where we shared many happy memories of the friend we had to say goodbye to. This was also the first time that I have travelled via airplane since going vegan (I like to drive wherever I go since flying is rarely a positive experience for me…I’ve even driven cross-country to avoid airports!) and needless to say, I was quite nervous about what my food options would be. So, I have put together a little rating system, if you will, for the airports that I travelled through:
Milwaukee, WI: F
Detroit, MI: A+++
Washington, Dulles: D-
Minneapolis/St. Paul: A

I left from the Milwaukee, WI airport, and let me tell you, they FAIL the vegan ratings. I found one place in the entire airport that sold a “veggie southwestern salad”. This salad’s description listed cheese, but I tried ordering it without the cheese. The guy then proceeds to tell me that all of the salads are pre-made and that they actually have chicken on them, too, because “nobody wants a salad without chicken.” Ummm…really?! I asked if he could make me one, and he said that they don’t stock the ingredients. So, starving Danielle had to wait, and pray that I’d have better luck during my layover in Detroit.

Let me just say, I left work that day at noon, was not able to grab lunch before driving the 90 minutes to Milwaukee (we were going to grab food before the boy dropped me off, but a bad traffic jam caused us to run a bit late), and so I had only had a small bowl of oatmeal the entire day. It was now around 5:30 when I arrived in Detroit, and I honestly thought I just might pass out (my own fault for not packing snacks, I know…but my head was in outer space when I prepared for this quick trip). I walked off the airplane, and knew that I had entered the Vegan “Oz” of airports…there was literally restaurant after restaurant, more than I had ever seen in an airport, and as I read every menu hanging outside, I realized that every single one not only offered vegan and vegetarian options, but clearly labeled them as such as well!! I was literally drooling after about ten restaurants, and since I had a few hours, I decided on the Mediterranean Grill located at gate A54 (if I recall!). I was sat quickly, greeted quickly, and since I had looked at the menu posted outside, I knew what I was going to order and quickly ordered the falafel pita platter with dolmas (stuffed grape leaves). My food was out in record time, and I quickly dug in. The super spicy falafel was like heaven in my mouth. Tucked away in a perfectly toasted pita, and stuffed with hummus, tomato and lettuce, and of course, plenty of falafel. And to top it all off, I had four massive dolmas awaiting my stomach. Even with how famished I was, I could hardly manage to finish ¾ of my meal so I went ahead and took the bill…$8.49?!?! This couldn’t possibly be right. A nice, sit-down restaurant in an airport I already knew was going to set me back around $15-20. But, I managed to sit down, have a beautiful meal presented to me for less than ten bucks!! I was so happy, and am actually looking forward to the next time I get to travel through Detroit, as there were so many delicious looking places that I cannot wait to try!

Mediterranean Grill, Detroit Metro Airport

On my way back, I left from the Washington D.C./Dulles airport. I honestly thought I’d be all set here, because, well, it’s a huge city, a massive airport, and I truly thought I would at least be able to find SOMETHING. Well, I was clearly mistaken. The ONLY think I was able to find was a mini carton of Silk Chocolate SoyMilk. I found this at a little coffee shop where I tried to get a plain bagel. The man at the counter asked what kind of spread I wanted on it, and I said I didn’t want any. He told me that the price includes it, and I said I don’t mind paying full price, but I don’t want any spread. I was told they couldn’t do this…what?! What kind of crazy rule is that?! So, after standing in line, I at least wanted something, so I picked up a carton of soymilk and bought that. Not too tasty (I hate anything with a milky texture, real milk or not), but it was something in my tummy until I got to my next destination.

I arrived in Minneapolis and was at first disappointed, as the only options I saw right away were the standard Burger King, McDonalds, and Starbucks. However, the closer I got to my next gate, the more options started popping up. I ended up eating at a little place directly at my gate called the French Meadow Bistro, as their foldout sign clearly exclaimed that their soup of the day was a Vegan Black Bean Chili. Obviously excited by the fact that they were so proud of their “vegan” chili, I stopped in. I took a look at their menu, and they had a plethora of vegan options, which were all organic as well. Yay! I ended up just getting an order of the chili, which came with a side of vegan sourdough and every single bite was a perfect little taste explosion in my mouth. Perfect. And at $4.95 for a cup and bread, it didn’t totally break the bank either.

French Meadow Bistro, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport


So, these were my experiences at these four particular airports. Has anyone else had good/bad experiences at any other airports? Would love to hear suggestions!

Vegan Doughnuts...Oh...My...God!!!!

Doughnuts. Quite possibly one of the worst/greatest things to ever happen to America. On one hand, they’re deep-fried sugar that thicken waistlines and clog arteries with every sweet bite. On the other hand, they’re just so damn good! Now, up until this weekend, the last time I had a doughnut was almost two years ago, so I am pretty sure that having a couple this weekend was okay. And my goodness were they ever tasty!!

My amazing cousin Candi sent me a package of delicious VEGAN doughnuts from halfway across the country for my birthday! They were from this amazing place in Portland, Oregon called Voodoo Doughnuts, and I highly suggest stopping in if you are ever in the PDX area! Vegan or not, they have quite the array of doughnuts on their menu, and the overall vibe seems pretty badass! And unlike the few places I have seen that offer vegan doughnuts that usually have only one type, and aren’t very good, this place definitely delivers! My package had nine vacuum-sealed doughnuts in it (excellent shipping work, Candi!), and picking which one to eat first was HARD! I ended up going with a cinnamon-sugar doughnut, which was soft, moist, and super sweet! After that, I ate half of a coconut one, and had to stop myself right then and there, otherwise I knew I’d eat all of them! The next day, I allowed myself a chocolate one covered in crushed peanuts…and I absolutely could not believe that the frosting and everything is vegan!!

I can't believe it's vegan!!!

I have since placed the rest of the sinful little buggers in the freezer, and they will be my “milestone” treats on my trek to lose weight…cuz we all need rewards every once an d a while! I will not eat another one until I’m down 15 more pounds, but the way that my new Wii Game is kicking my ass, that might be sooner rather than later!

But seriously folks, you gotta stop by this freaking rad doughnut shop in Portland…the amount of vegan goodies they have is enough to make any veg-head fall to their knees in sweet heaven!!

Dane County Farmer's Market

Photos:


What a weekend! It started off with Tornado Watches (something that we definitely didn’t have in Los Angeles!) and ended with beautiful sunshine! Not to mention, I got to head down to the Dane County Farmer’s Market, which is one of the largest ones in the country, apparently! This market was absolutely incredible!! What excites me is the fact that I know each week that we go, there will be so many different things to choose from, as more and more plants become in season!

My first stop was at a little stand that caught my eye with its “Vegan Pastries” sign. It was a small local bakery and so many things looked so delicious. I left with a Strawberry/Rhubarb safflower and sunflower seed pastry for a dollar, which was almost sinful! I didn’t get too much this time, as I had just gone on a trip to the grocery store and had some produce (plus there really isn’t too much produce this time of year…lots of plants and herbs and such, but not a lot of fruits and veggies ready to be sold), but did leave with some awesome pickled vegetables, some hot pepper vinaigrette fresh from the farm, and more tomatoes than I know what to do with!


I couldn’t help myself; they were the size of grapefruits and smelled so good! We got four pounds of these delicious tomatoes, and with my pastry and my man’s scone and all our other purchases, we didn’t even spend $10! And people say that eating healthy is expensive?!?! I beg to differ!
Beautiful Capital Building the Market Surrounds
Afterwards, we ventured over to the restaurant that is reviewed in my previous post, The Green Owl Café, and had an amazing lunch. I got the BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich (which honestly tasted just like pulled pork!) with the Kale Chips, and Julian got the “Crab Cake” Po’boy Sandwich with Kale Chips, which is his favorite meal on the menu. We ended up halving our sandwiches so we could each have half of the others, and both were so delicious. The meal was topped off with vegan, gluten-free Coconut Cream Pie for Julian and vegan Marshmallow Mud Pie for me. What a perfect meal!


I made some super yummy meals with our Farmer’s Market picks, so stay tuned throughout the week for the recipes!

Restaurant Review: The Green Owl Cafe

So being fairly new to Madison, I have discovered that this city has a great love for good food and eclectic restaurants. Even before I went vegan, Julian and my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles were all vegan places, and there was literally one on every corner of that city! Now, there are restaurants on every corner (I read somewhere that Madison has the largest restaurant:people ratio in the country!), but not very many strictly vegan/vegetarian ones. In fact, the only one we have come across thus far is called The Green Owl. That’s not to say that it’s the only place in town I can get a good vegan meal, because there are TONS of places that I have had amazing dishes at, but this place is unique in the city for being the only meat-free zone in Madison! I discovered this place as I was looking through Yelp for any vegan bakeries or restaurants, just to scope out my options here. The place had amazing reviews, was apparently very new (only opened a month before we moved here!), and the menu looked amazing. It also looked like someplace that a meat-eater could go and be perfectly satisfied as well. So, on a bitter cold Friday night, we ventured in to this adorable little nook in the heart of town.


I must say, I was pleasantly surprised when we walked in. There was not an empty table in the place, and it smelled delicious!! Clearly, business was good! And the only way a restaurant has good business is if the food is good! We waited about 15 minutes for a table (we could have sat at the bar, but it was right next to the door, and it had just begun to snow, so it didn’t seem like the best idea!) and were greeted by the sweetest server! She fully explained everything on the menu, and we both ordered a beer and started with their Mediterranean Platter, which was a gigantic platter of warm soft pita, vegetables, and four different dips ranging from hummus to muhumarra. Every single bite was incredible! Then, our main courses came out. We decided to just get sandwiches, because we wanted to save room for dessert. I got an “Italian Beef” Sandwich, and Julian got the “Crab cake” po’ boy. We tried a little off of each others, and both of our plates were cleaned off pretty quickly! Julian loved his crab cakes made of tofu (even though he insists he hates the stuff…hahaha), and my seitan beef with delicious pickled veggies was definitely something to write home about. Well, it came time for dessert. Of course, we had to try the nightly special, which was a vegan grasshopper cheesecake, complete with whipped ‘cream’ topping and all! With every bite, I melted a little more into my seat as the smooth creamy cheesecake literally melted away in my mouth with just the perfect amount of minty-ness.


Amazing food, amazing service, great atmosphere, what’s not to love about this place?!?! I’m writing because I am hoping that maybe at least a few people from Madison will read this (I’m sure all my followers are not from Wisconsin), and that they will have an opportunity to experience this absolutely amazing restaurant. Please support this local gem, let’s hope it lasts. This city needs amazing and unique food that the Green Owl brings!! Check it Out!!!!


Delicious-looking Empanadas:


Mouth-watering Gyros:


Vegan Lava Cake I'd do illegal things for:


Vegan Marshmallow Mud Pie...yum!:


Credit:
All photos used are from the Green Owl Facebook Fan Page