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.

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...

{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} 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} 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} 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.

{VeganMoFo} Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins

Bananas are a staple in our house (ahem... very small apartment).  If we don't have them, it's a pretty safe bet that something crazy has happened.  Yet, because they're always around, they sometimes get passed by for more novel fruit, which means that overly-ripe bananas occasionally plague my kitchen counter.

Whenever I notice said offender(s), my mind instantly flashes to an episode of 'The Simpsons,' where Marge says to Lisa, "We have black bananas, and you know what that means!"  To which Lisa gleefully shouts, "Banana bread!"

DIY: The Perfect Iced Coffee (+ Coffee Ice Cubes)

I've become quite enamored with money-saving DIY projects as of late.  From homemade toothpaste and clarifying shampoo, to body lotion and laundry detergent, I can't seem to stop myself.  Of course, all of this do-it-yourself-ness has spilled over into the kitchen, as well, which is what brings me to this post.

All summer long, CH and I have been basking in the glow of refreshing iced coffee. Pitcher after pitcher disappears, yet I never tire of it.  One of the best parts is the serious savings that accompany the DIY aspect of making iced coffee, especially when compared to what you'd pay for it at Starbucks, or, say, Cafe Grumpy.  There's also something kinda magical about the way that two simple ingredients (plus one night's worth of sleep) can turn into sheer deliciousness.

When making cold-brewed iced coffee, feel free to use any brand or roast that you like.  Even flavored coffee is great, especially if you drink yours black (or with just a splash of soy milk) as I do.  Just make sure to start with fresh, whole beans - grind 'em yourself - and a French press (or a large container, a fine mesh sieve, and a cheesecloth), and you're good to go.

Now, even though CH informed me that once he learns how to make perfect iced coffee, he won't need me any more (ouch!), I'm gonna go out on a limb and share my method here.  I'm also including a quick primer on coffee ice cubes.  As if you'll have any coffee left over.  Right.

The Best in NYC: Dun-Well Doughnuts

coconut + vanilla w/ sprinkles

You know what I kinda hate? When I haven't posted in eons, and I (like so many other bloggers) feel compelled to apologize profusely before even attempting to get back into the game. 

Yea, it kinda sucks...

So, let's just skip over that whole thing, shall we?

On to the sweet stuff: Dessert at the famed Dun-Well Doughnuts. (Well, technically it's breakfast, but we all know that isn't quite true...)

Blizzard-Style Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Here, as was the case in much of the Midwest, blizzard conditions have created an almost unprecedented amount of snow, wind, and even thunder and lightning. (Umm... "thunder snow" anyone?)

As a result, nearly every single business, school, courthouse, library, and grocery store is closed.   

VeganMoFo: This is What Love Looks Like

You might not know it, but this is what love looks like: churros from Rick Bayless' restaurant, XOCO.

Please, allow me to explain.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from CH. We discussed how both of our days were going, and of course, what each of us had eaten for lunch.

It went a little something like this:

Perfect Potato Pancakes

Potato pancakes (aka: potato latkes) have held a special place in my heart ever since I first discovered them in a book my grandma gave to me when I was around 10 years old. Oddly enough, the recipe came from a food-based science experiment book, although I just preferred to think of it as a really fun cookbook.

Smoothies 101

This post is lovingly dedicated to my dad, who hasn't stopped asking me smoothie-related questions for approximately 6 months. Dad, if the recipe isn't provided here/your query isn't answered in this post... well then, God love ya!

It's that time of year again: the sun is starting to shine and the heat is picking up a bit (every few days, anyway!), which means that cool, fruit- and veggie-filled smoothies are cropping up almost everywhere.

So, what's a thirsty guy/girl to do? Should you succumb to the temptation of Jamba Juice, or even Dunkin' Donuts? Should you give that old 7-11 gas station "smoothie" a try? Should you buy one of those instant-smoothie mixes from your local grocery store? Or, should you take a chance and try making a scrumptious, healthy drink all by yourself?

Portland: Part Deux

CH and I recently got back from Portland, OR (it was our second trip there in less than a year!), and I'm pretty sure that Portlanders are doing just about everything right. They have good food, delicious coffee, nice weather, beautiful scenery, laid-back attitudes...

I could go on and on.

However, since my love affair with Portland isn't likely to end anytime soon, I suppose the least I can do is try to share it with all of you!

Happy Obama Day!

This is what Barack and I ate for breakfast this morning. (He stopped by for a small pep talk regarding that under-the-radar speech he gave today.)

It was no biggie - I typically "pal around" with awesome dudes.

This one just happens to be our President.

And I just happen to have a renewed sense of faith in our country today!

Apple Chowder with Maple Cashew Butter

JD (of Veggie Terrain) and CH will be on vacation in Portland, OR for the next week. Their flight leaves early tomorrow AM, so they'll be out of touch for a bit. However, they will be sampling lots of beer and veggie meals - and are planning to share the tasty details (and visit your blogs!) when they return.
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?

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Oatmeal

I don't know about you, but all of this "wind chill" action has really been cramping my style lately. It takes so long to scrape the ice off of my car and get it warmed up in the AM that I'm starting to become concerned about the safety of my alarm clock. Seriously - if my 7:05am wake-up time has to be compromised solely so I can freeze to death, that little clock just might have to take a trip to "the farm."

As you can probably tell, I've been feeling a bit of hostility toward the cold weather lately. So, to counteract the situation, I've decided to start making oatmeal again. It's warm, filling, and so simple and comforting that it helps to calm me down in the morning.

This oatmeal is particularly delicious - especially because it happens to taste a lot like an oatmeal raisin cookie (which hopefully explains the redundancy in my "Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Oatmeal" title). I like making it for CH and myself on Saturday mornings, but it's quick enough that you could prepare it before work or school during the week as well.

So, enjoy - and stay warm (to hell with the wind chill)!

Maple Corn Fritters

It's true - I've decided to try and get a little bit more organized for the new year. However, this "organization" - which despite taking place at the beginning of the year, and despite being something of a promise to myself - is NOT a resolution.

(You see, JD and resolutions don't get along all that well...)

So, whatever it's called, my goal includes:

1. Cleaning up the study
• (AKA: small room that CH and I delusionally call "The Study" to make our apartment sound bigger)
2. Recycling my growing collection of magazines/newspapers
• Of course, this includes saving/filing the good articles/recipes, too
  
3. Organizing my blog postings
• So far, this means instituting a weekly Saturday post for recipes that I've tried from other people's blogs
4. Instituting my own "Pantry Challenge"
• In other words: grocery shopping less/not at all for a period of time, yet to be determined

There you have it.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I bake things when I'm stressed, that's just the way it goes. For some reason, the scientific, uber-exactness that's typically involved with baking helps calm my nerves.

The truth is, it actually gives me something different to focus on - somewhere else to direct my energy - as opposed to focusing on whatever happens to be bothering me at the moment.

Green Drink

That's right, I TiVo Oprah everyday. So sue me.

Thanks to her show, I've become acquainted with my favorite Doctor in the world - Dr. Oz (whom I don't, in fact, actually know). Anyway, I really like Dr. Oz because he practices both Western and Eastern medicine, which means that he promotes yoga, meditation, and even (gasp!) improving one's health through a diet rich in fruit and veg. Thus, he recently shared the following recipe to encourage people to incorporate healthy smoothies and juices into their daily lives. As for me, I'm pretty adept at blending up the former, but when it comes to the later, uh...notsomuch.

Actually, the meager breadth of my "juicing" experience extends only to squeezing the juice out of lemons, limes, and oranges for various recipes. If that's not bad enough, I don't even have a juicer. And my blender has been decidedly uncooperative lately, resulting in this being a much more time-consuming recipe than it should've been.