A {Vegan} Love Letter to LA in Two Parts (Continued)

This is a continuation from a previous post, wherein I heralded LA's amazing weather and several of the fantastic restaurants that we visited while traveling there. Here, I'll discuss a few more vegan restaurants, and another one of my favorite things about California: The desert...

| The Food |

\\ SunCafe //

Before going on any kind of trip, I always feel compelled to compile a list of restaurants, coffee shops, and bars to use as a reference during our frolic. In California, SunCafe's Studio City location made it onto said list. That's because it’s an entirely organic, vegan restaurant that offers fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, and several raw, and/or gluten-free options (if you’re so inclined).    

On our visit we began with the raw Lettuce Leaf Tacos, which consisted of romaine lettuce leaves filled with “sun chorizo,” cashew cheese, and pico de gallo, plus a drizzle of avocado and basil ranch dressing.

A {Vegan} Love Letter to LA in Two Parts

As a New Yorker it’s become apparent that I’m not supposed to fall in love with, or even really like, Los Angeles. Bestowing any type of warmth on LA beyond a stoic eye-roll is tantamount to declaring a fatwa on the crowded, filthy, noisy city that I call home. I mean, there’s a reason why the East Coast/West Coast Biggie/2Pac feud raged so hard during my youth, right? Even Chloe Sevigny agrees.

Nonetheless, at the risk of sounding like I’m betraying The City of Dreams, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and declare that I love Los Angeles. Like, seriously, LOVE it. Not enough to consider leaving NYC, mind you (even after being hit by a car!), but enough to wax poetic about it for at least two very long blog posts…

Buckle up.

Super-Simple Sweet Potato Soup

I'm what you might call a bit of a "late bloomer" when it comes to soup. Growing up, I ate three kinds, and three kinds only: chili (fits in the soup category, right?); my mom's homemade tortellini soup; and Dinty Moore Stew (my dad liked it, so, naturally, I did, too).

French Onion? An abomination. Cream-of-Anything? Not a chance. Tomato soup with grilled cheese? Don't even think about it. 

Which is why it's patently weird that I'm so in love with soup now... 

Secretly Vegan: Waffle & Wolf {Brooklyn}

buckwheat waffle with arugula, avocado, tomatoes, & basil oil

You know what makes me really happy?  (Besides my Vitamix, I mean.)

RESTAURANTS THAT ARE SECRETLY VEGAN (friendly)!  Did I just shout that?  Oops.

Thing is, living in NYC, I'm often asked for vegan restaurant recommendations, which I'm more than happy to share.  (And by "more than happy," I mean "elated.")  Sometimes, however, I'm even more excited to suggest places that are secretly vegan.

While I wholeheartedly support entirely veg restaurants (I'm looking at you, Sun in Bloom!), I also think it's important to frequent restaurants that are vegan-friendly.  Not only does doing so raise awareness about veganism, but it also encourages restaurant owners to offer their customers even more veg items (we can vote with our dollars, as they say).  Another upside is that non-vegans/vegetarians will be exposed to (and possibly consider) meat-free options, simply because their "regular" places offer them.

On that note, I'd like to share one of my favorite secretly vegan places with you: Waffle & Wolf.  This little gem is located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (AKA the place people visit in order to become hipsters).  And it specializes in - you guessed it - waffles!

But probably not the kind you're thinking of...

Super-Quick Black Beans & Rice w/ Avocado + Lime

I'm not what one might refer to as "pleasant" company when I'm really hungry.  Apparently this is an inherited trait.

Honestly, sometimes I get so wrapped up in whatever I'm doing that hours (and hours!) go by before I've eaten a single, solitary thing.  Then, suddenly, I'm famished.  Like so famished that I start picturing myself in one of those insanely guilt-inducing commercials about starving children in Africa.  You know the ones - where those doe-eyed children get like 10 grains of rice a day and have flies buzzing around their heads?  Flies!

Not good.  Which is why I thought I'd share my go-to solution for situations such as these, as a Public Service Announcement of sorts.  Ironically, the recipe involves rice.  It also involves canned beans, avocado, lime, and scallions.  What could be simpler?

Hopefully this will carry you straight past that dreaded hungry-angry phase with minimal effort.  And, if you're the kind of person whose temper isn't connected to his/her stomach, well...

Lemon + Cranberry Kale Salad

I'm feeling a little sheepish about this recipe.

You see, I recently declared my borderline obsession with kale, which means I'm probably crossing the line by revisiting the topic again so soon.  (Also, who am I to force yet another 'effin kale salad upon the internet?)

Furthermore, publishing a "recipe" for something void of any actual measurements makes me feel like I'm copping out somehow.  (I mean, what makes a recipe a recipe?  Are ingredient amounts clearly one of those non-negotiable prerequisites?  Is "to taste" an antiquated term?  Does Ryan Gosling even bother reading recipes this simple?)  

Instead of succumbing to pangs of self-doubt, I'm choosing to share this with you.  It's my favorite kale salad - a stunningly simple combination of sweet and bitter flavors, elegantly disguised as health food.

So, go ahead and roll your eyes about my kale overload/recipe rule infractions.  Just do it while shoving this glorious salad into your mouth.

{VeganMoFo} A Trip to Farm Sanctuary

I've longed to visit Farm Sanctuary since I first read about it six or seven years ago.  The amazing part was discovering that a place like Farm Sanctuary - where rescued farm animals would be treated with the kindness and compassion they were completely denied their entire lives - even existed.  The not-so-amazing part was that the nearest Farm Sanctuary was 700 miles away from where I lived at the time.

So, when we made the move to NYC a little over a year ago, visiting Farm Sanctuary quickly shot to the top of my priorities list.  And, I'm happy to say, CH and I took a road trip to the inspiring Watkins Glen, NY farm just a week ago.    

{VeganMoFo} Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

There's a distinct possibility that I'm sitting on my kitchen floor, eating these pumpkin muffins in the dark right now, seeking cover from the "Frankenstorm" that's likely to hit NYC.  If so, thank heavens for auto-posting, otherwise I might not have been able to hold up my end of the MoFo bargain.  My fingers are crossed that that's not the case, but if so, let's just say these muffins are so amazing, they'll even get you through a hurricane.

 

Oh, pumpkin!  Why must you entice me so?

I mean, I know it's that time of year and everything, but seriously - pumpkin's in the air, and in our food, in a major way right now.  According to New York Magazine (my source for all important information), pumpkin drink offerings, alone, have increased 400% during the past 5 years.  Talk about an upswing!

The odd part is, many of the so-called "pumpkin" items on offer at restaurants and in coffee shops don't even contain actual pumpkin.  The secret of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, for example, is that it's "just a latte spruced up with pumpkin-flavored syrup - connoisseurs cite cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove" as integral flavors, per NY Mag.

{VeganMoFo} Silent Saturday: Halloween PJ's + Dessert

{VeganMoFo} Kale Chips + a Brief Kale Primer

kale chips w/ nutritional yeast

 

It's official: Kale is finally getting its due.

These days, you can find kale salads in restaurants all over the country, kale in juices at gas stations/convenience stores, and even kale chips on the store shelves of non-health food stores (see:  Trader Joe's).

In fact, it has become so popular - so ubiquitous - that I'd be surprised if a backlash weren't a' brewing.  Soon enough, poor kale will be languishing on the "Not List," having been upstaged by some other food that vegans have been obsessing over for ages...

Regardless, its myriad health benefits (and fantastic, though some would call "acquired," taste) always keep me coming back for more.

{VeganMoFo} Restaurant Reviews: Dos Toros Taqueria

It's no secret that New York City isn't exactly a Mexican food haven, which is a bit tough, since I love Mexican food. That's why I was completely ecstatic to discover Dos Toros Taqueria, a fast-casual, Mission-style burrito place with three locations in NYC.

Now, before I go any further with this review, let me be clear:  Dos Toros doesn't exactly have a veg-friendly reputation.  Not only did they get into a bit of hot water back in 2010 (before I'd heard of them) for neglecting to note that their "Basic (No Meat)" burrito contained rice made with animal-based stock, but most people don't even realize that one of their locations has vegan options.

I'm hoping that this post will help change all of that.

So, wanna know which Dos Toros location is vegan friendly, and what I like to order there?  I bet you do.

{VeganMoFo} Apple Chowder with Maple Cashew Butter

JD and CH are currently on vacation in the Finger Lakes region of New York - sampling lovely vegan food, visiting adorable animals at Farm Sanctuary, and enjoying the wine trails at Seneca Lake (with limited internet access).  As a result, this Monday's VeganMoFo breakfast post will revisit an oldie, but goodie:  Apple Chowder with Maple Cashew Butter (now including the recipe!).

Dear reader, let me introduce you to the most fabulous breakfast that you'll ever meet. His name is Apple Chowder, and I have no doubt that once you see him in person, it'll be love at first sight.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"I worked so hard to snag Mr. Popularity (aka: "Johnny Cereal"), and now that our "routine" is down to just 5 mins, why in God's name would I wanna leave him?"

or

"But Old Reliable (aka: "Oatie Oatmeal") and I have been kickin' it since the days of middle school, and he's always been so good to my heart - I'm not taking a chance on someone who might break it!"

Don't worry, I completely understand. You and your breakfast already have a great relationship going, right? I mean, it's not like you get hungry before noon is it? And you're certainly not getting tired of having the same thing over and over again, are you?

{VeganMoFo} Silent Saturday: Pasta, Up Close & Personal

{VeganMoFo} Raw Zucchini Pasta w/ Creamy Avocado Sauce

I know, I know, I just did a post about a raw zucchini pasta two weeks ago.  But come on!  That was fourteen whole days ago!  And it's not like you can ever have too many zucchini pasta recipes... right?

Also:  CH and I are headed off on a mini-vacation today (we're going to upstate New York to visit Farm Sanctuary and hit the wine trail, if you must know).  As a result, I'm gonna keep this post short and sweet.

{VeganMoFo} Restaurant Review: Sun in Bloom

chocolate chip cookie sandwich (gluten-free)

Sun in Bloom is an adorable little vegan restaurant, nestled in the heart of Park Slope, Brooklyn.  CH and I first dined there when we were scouting out Brooklyn neighborhoods to relocate to from the Chicago suburbs.

While waiting for our check, I remember fantasizing about living nearby - imagining that I'd visit at least once a week, laptop or Kindle in tow, seeking refuge from my busy New York life at a place that makes food so delicious I could weep.

{VeganMoFo} Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seed pudding.  The quintessential vegan food.  It sounds healthy, looks weird, and seems vaguely edible.

  

Fortunately, only one (well, okay, two) of those descriptors is correct...

{VeganMoFo} Silent Saturday: My Vegan Tattoo (w/ Vegan Ink!)

{VeganMoFo} Raw Taco Salad

This raw taco salad is something of a revelation.

In it, crisp lettuce marries with seasoned taco meat and tangy cashew cheese to form the main components of the most coveted raw recipe in my arsenal.  The trick is to throw in just a few of the usual taco suspects:  tomatoes, scallions, olives, and cilantro, and to top the whole thing off with nothing more than a bit of freshly squeezed lime juice, which allows every flavor to shine through brilliantly.

Yes, there's a little advanced prep work here.  Yes, it's totally worth it.

This is pretty much heaven in a bowl.

{VeganMoFo} Restaurant Review: Peacefood Cafe

fluffy quinoa salad w/ baby greens, sprouts, avocado, sweet peppers, onions, corn, & creamy lime mustard vinaigrette 

Peacefood Cafe is not only one of the first vegan restaurants I visited when I moved to NYC, but it's also one of my favorite restaurants in all of NYC, period.

Why?

Not because it's 100% vegan, so you don't have to ask questions about a single, solitary, ingredient.  Not because of the atmosphere, which is the perfect combination of sexy and cute.  Not because of the bakery case, which beckons you like a siren song with its decadent desserts.  And, certainly not because I once saw Sam Waterston (of "Law and Order" fame) dining there.

{VeganMoFo} The Perfect Bowl of Oatmeal

Blueberry, Walnut, Cinnamon Oatmeal

I'm a sucker for a good bowl of oatmeal.  Always have been, always will be.

And although I do have a bit of nostalgia for the old days - when making "oatmeal" meant tearing open a packet of instant Quaker Oats (maple 'n' brown sugar, represent!) - I'm quite enamored with the weekend ritual of preparing oatmeal from scratch.  The slow-cooking, don't-walk-away-or-the-pan-will-overflow cadence of breakfast preparation kinda feels good.  In my soul.