Vegan in Vegas!!! 2.0

For those of you that read last years Vegas post, you will be pleased to see that everywhere I went this trip was completely different than the last. That's right... brand new west coast food porn to feast your eyes on! Like my last trip, I was lucky enough to be invited to stay at the Bellagio while my mom was there on a business trip. I'll start out with my favorite... room service.

I will say last year was much easier in coordinating with the room service chef. This year took a little more persistence. While technically the only thing vegan on the breakfast menu is fruit and oatmeal, you can call and speak to the chef to see if he can whip up something a little more exciting.

Again, I couldn't resist their sugar-glazed ruby red grapefruit...

(and I can't totally knock the oatmeal, because it's pretty good with some brown sugar and berries)

The chef sent up this tofu and veggies concoction one morning with a fruit plate. Really dealicious!

There were many non-food related highlights of the trip that I also wanted to share. Like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time!!! We even went on the Sky Walk! And it was completely terrifying!

One of the less expensive places I ate was at the Bellagio Cafe. I had the grilled Portobello burger, minus the cheese, plus avocado. The fries were awesome.

Then we tried cocktails at the Bellagio's new bar and lounge, Lily. I had their signature drink, "The Lily", which had lime juice, blood orange juice and ground cloves. The flower was even edible (though probably not vegan)!

I tried some take-out from Noodles in the hotel (if you haven't noticed, I didn't really leave the hotel).

Agedashi Tofu, Hot and Sour Cold Cucumber Salad (YUM!), Kake Soba Soup, and Spring Rolls....

I was in a bind one day and needed to get something last minute when I discovered this vegan Sesame Noodle bistro box from Starbucks. Did you guys already know about this? It's a complete little vegan meal. It comes with cold sesame noodles, tofu cubes, cucumber and carrot salad, sesame coated nuts, and even a dark chocolate square for dessert. And it honestly wasn't bad at all

One place you have to check out if you go to Vegas is The Neon Boneyard Park. It's a lot full of donated signs from Las Vegas. They do a tour and give you a little history about the signs. It was really cool and great for taking pictures.

The best meal I had in Vegas was at Michael Mina in the Bellagio. All you do is tell your server that you're vegan and the chef will prepare something especially for you.

I had a lightly dressed spring salad with apple slices to start

My entree was awesome. I'm not sure exactly what it was so I'll try and guess... fried tofu with what I think was fried ginger on top. It was served with pickled cucumbers, crispy baby bok choy, bamboo rice (the flavors in the rice were incredible and I'm still not sure how to describe it), tempura mushrooms, and some mystery vegetable I never figured out. This seriously tasted like what I imagine a top chef meal would taste like. At first I was surprised it didn't come with some sort of sauce, but everything tasted so good that I didn't even care.

For dessert they sent a trio of sorbets... Coconut Lime, Cranberry, and Passion Fruit

And there you have it! It was fun but exhausting...

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Lazy Pizza Quesadilla

Level of Difficulty: you cant mess this up
Pots/Pans Used: 1

Ingredients

flour tortillas
Mozzarella Daiya cheese
tomato sauce of your choice
crushed red pepper (optional)
s&p

I know this is an incredibly simple recipe, but I figured I would share. For some reason, I had never thought to attempt this before. Essentially, this is the result of me only having mozzarella Daiya in the house but craving a quesadilla (like most people, I usually use cheddar). Obviously, you can get creative if you want and add veggies, this is just my lazy, "I dont really feel like cooking" version. Pretty much 1/4 of the way through eating this I thought, "This is amazing and I am making a second one right after I finish this!". So there ya go!... A quick snack that will have you thinking about getting seconds before you've even finished eating!



Just put a tortilla in a skillet over medium heat. Spread out tomato sauce, sprinkle cheese, a bit of salt & pepper, and maybe some crushed red pepper for heat. Then top with another quesadilla and flip until crispy and melty. Slice and enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Brownie Fudge

Level of Difficulty: just stir
Pots/Pans Used: 1

Ingredients

1 can pumpkin puree
1 box vegan fudge brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
2 TBL chocolate syrup
2 TBL peanut butter

After seeing this recipe on the food network and realizing it was vegan, I decided to give it a whirl. Given that I haven't had fudge in three years, I was pretty excited. That being said, this definitely isn't the exact same as fudge. It's somewhere in between a really moist, dense brownie and fudge. At first I wasn't sure about it, but I think the trick is to let it sit a while after it's set before trying it. It ended up growing on me and became my go-to semi-healthy, not too sweet, after dinner treat.

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, stir together dry brownie mix and the pumpkin. It's going to seem like the ratios are off, but just keep stirring until it gets smooth. Then, mix in the chocolate syrup. The batter will be very thick. Spray a square baking pan with non-stick spray and pour batter into it, leveling out the top. Microwave your peanut butter for about 20 seconds so that it gets soft. Spread it over top in lines and then drag a knife through to get a fancy design like so:





Pop then in the oven for 35 minutes. The batter might look undercooked, but it's okay! Let them cool and then refrigerate them for 2 hours. After refrigerating, I let mine sit at room temperature. Like I said, I found that the longer they sat, they better they tasted. Just be patient! :)

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What I Made Over The Holidays...

So you may or may not have noticed that I took a bit of an impromptu blog break over the holidays. The holidays can be tough as a veggie, so I hope you all made it out alive and well. Personally, I had a great break, which I spent eating awesome veg food with family and friends. The highlight of my break was finally getting to meet my lil' baby cousin, Charlie. Isn't she cute!?

To make up for lost time, here are a few recipes that I created over the break that I hope you all enjoy.

Sugar Cookies



Ingredients

Cookies:

2 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup apple sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vegan Earth Balance, softened

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp almond extract

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp peppermint extract, according to taste (or any flavored extract)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 TBL almond milk (as needed until you get the consistency you want)
Food coloring optional

Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean you can't make these awesome sugar cookies. In fact, if you have some heart-shaped cookie cutters, these would be perfect for Valentines Day. Bake em' up for your sweetie (or yourself if you don't have a sweetie) cause they're yummy AND CUTE!

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. Combine flour and baking powder in one bowl. Cream together Earth Balance and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in vanilla & almond extracts, and apple sauce until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet and beat until soft dough forms. Divide dough into two balls. Roll out on floured surface about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes and repeat until all douhg is gone. I got about 30-35 cookies with one batch. Transfer onto baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes (or until lightly browned around edges). Let then cool and then transfer to a wire rack.

For the icing, I used peppermint extract for the holidays but you might want to try something different, or nothing at all. With whatever flavoring you use (ESPECIALLY peppermint), add the TINIEST bit at a time cause it can very easily overpower the icing. Add the almond milk into the powdered sugar until it is the desired texture and then add the flavoring. Finally, decorate!

Second, I offer up this awesome pairing of Bruschetta and Olive Tapenade...

Ingredients

french bread

Bruschetta:

tomatoes, diced

garlic, minced

fresh basil, chopped

balsamic vinegar (drizzle)

daiya (optional)

Olive Tapenade:

artichoke hearts, chopped

jalapeno-stuffed olives (or regular), diced

capers

lemon juice

olive oil

black pepper

vegan cream cheese

Everyone LOVED these when I made them over the holidays, especially the olive tapenade so I highly recommend making it.

Both preparations are really simple. I didn't really measure, so you're gunna have to try and go with your gut. You're going to want to start by slicing your bread, brushing some olive oil on it, and then popping it in an oven at 350 until it gets toasty.

For the bruschetta, just combine tomato, garlic, and fresh basil in a bowl. The garlic and basil should just be accents to the tomato, so don't go overboard. Then, scoop it on top of the toast and (if you want) sprinkle some Vegan Mozzarella Daiya Cheese on top and stick them under the broiler until it melts. Then drizzle some balsamic vinegar over top.

For the tapenade, I recommend having 1/2 artichoke to 1/4 capers to 1/4 olives. But you can obviously play with the measurements. Combine in a bowl and sprinkle some lemon juice and black pepper on top. You probably wont need to add any more oil to it, but if it's looking dry, add a drizzle. Spoon them over toasts that you have spread cream cheese on and voila!

Third, my new favorite way to eat Salad

Ingredients

arugula

Gardein "Chik'n" Scallopini

sliced Hearts of Palm

nutritional yeast

Dressing:

olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper

It's so simple, many of you are probably already doing it. But my Aunt taught me her way of preparing salad over the holidays that was so yummy, I haven't stopped eating it since. Basically it's just a salad of Arugula (my new favorite thing), that you dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon, drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkling of salt & pepper. It's so easy, so fresh, so bright... i love it. She makes it with shaved parmesan over top so sometimes I'll sprinkle some nutritional yeast over top instead. As you can see, I have jazzed it up with some sauteed vegan chicken and pan-seared hearts of palm.

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Vegan Seafood

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: one

Ingredients

Sohpie's Kitchen Vegan Squid Rings
Worthington Vegetable Skallops
Ener G Egg Replaser
soy milk
panko bread crumbs
olive oil
s&p



I used to LOVE fried calamari. I mean, it seriously might be my most missed non-vegan dish. Needless to say, I was really excited to see they sold Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Squid Rings in the frozen section of my Whole Foods. In my opinion, they tasted a lot like calamari... which really just means that they were super chewy. Another new discovery was Worthington's canned Skallops (which I had to get at a health food store). I wouldn't say I was a huge fan of scallops before, but these didn't really taste much like scallops to me anyways. That being said, they were delicious. Not at all fishy or too chewy... just all around good.

My friend came up with a pretty simple method of frying them. First, dredge them in a bowl with combined Ener G Egg Replacer, a bit of soymilk (about 2 TBL), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then dip them in a bowl of panko and fry em' up in a frying pan with hot oil until golden. Let the oil drain by placing them on a paper towel. Serve with marinara sauce and a lemon wedge, over pasta, or even with a homemade tartar sauce. Yum!

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Breakfast Burritos

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: 2

If you're vegan, you've probably got a tofu scramble recipe down pat. But this is just a fun way to jazz up your breakfast routine. All you have to do is fill a flour tortilla with tofu scramble, (veggie bacon, sausage, and/or hash browns are always welcomed additions) and top with my go-to cream sauce and a dash of paprika. I always make my scramble a little different, but essentially it's some combination of veggies, tofu, seasonings, Earth Balance, and lots and LOTS of nutritional yeast.

As for the cream sauce...

2 TBL Earth Balance
1 TBL flour
3/4 cup unsweetened almond/soy milk
2 TBL nutritional yeast
pinch s&p

Melt 2 TBL Earth Balance in a sauce pan over medium high heat and then whisk in the flour. whisk in the milk a little bit at a time as it thickens up into a nice sauce. Add the nutritional yeast and s&p to taste.

Assemble your burritos and top with a pinch of paprika. I served mine with some sauteed kale and fruit salad on the side.
Best. Breakfast. Ever. :)

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A THANKSGIVING FEAST!!!

Being a vegan on holidays isn't always the easiest. Luckily, I have a very accomodating family that makes sure I'm always well taken care of at the dinner table. However, if you're the only vegan at the table, don't settle for just bread and grilled veggies... cook your own dishes and show everyone just how decadent being a vegan can be! These are a couple of recipes I whipped up that are sure to please both vegans and omnivores alike...

Green Bean Casserole PIZZA


Level of Difficulty: time management required!
Pots/Pans Used: 3!

Ingredients

pizza dough
3 pieces chopped Smart Bacon
1 heaping cup chopped fresh green beans
8 0z sliced mushrooms
2 TBL white wine
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBL fresh chopped sage leaves
1 TBL Earth Balance
panko bread crumbs
french fried onions
pinch salt, pepper, & thyme

Sauce:
2 TBL Earth Balance
1 TBL flour
3/4 cup unsweetened almond/soy milk
2 TBL nutritional yeast
pinch s&p

Originally this was going to be a traditional green bean casserole and then I realized... why not put it on a pizza? I couldn't come up with a good enough reason to not try it, so I went for it. And I am sincerely glad i did. Unfortunately, for a lot of vegans, Thanksgiving dinner just means eating a hodgepodge of various sides, but this is a great way to turn a side into something more substantial and filling.



Preheat oven to 450. Roll out your dough and place it on either a pizza crisper (ideal) or a well greased baking sheet. Precook the dough in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until golden. Then take it out. Meanwhile, start out by melting the Earth Balance in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the smart bacon and shallots. Let them cook a couple minutes and then add the garlic, sage, salt, pepper, thyme, and mushrooms. Once the mushrooms begin to sear and release their liquids, add the white wine and cook another couple minutes. Meanwhile, toss your green beans into a pot of boiling water and cook for 6 minutes. Drain them and run a little cold water over them so that they stop cooking. Add the green beans into the skillet with the rest of the vegetables and lower the heat while you make the sauce. Melt 2 TBL Earth Balance in a sauce pan over medium high heat and then whisk in the flour. whisk in the milk a little bit at a time as it thickens up into a nice sauce. Add the nutritional yeast and s&p to taste. Pour over the vegetables and stir well. Spread the mixture onto the precooked pizza crust and then top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, panko, and french fried onions. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

per usual...


Cornbread Stuffing



Level of Difficulty: simple!
Pots/Pans Used: 2ish!

Ingredients

2 cups dry cornbread cubes
2 tbl fresh chopped sage leaves
2 tsp thyme
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBL nutritional yeast
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup warm water + 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
olive oil

As a result of being the only vegan at the thanksgiving table, I usually end up making single servings of sides for myself so this is a relatively small batch of stuffing. It should easily feed three people, but if you're feeding a large vegan group (which is GREAT!), I recommend doubling or even tripling it. Okay, full disclosure... I've never really been a stuffing girl. But after making it, and possibly really trying it for the first time, I don't know what was wrong to me. It's so comforting and homey... I finally understand why it's a classic. I bet this recipe would also be great with some diced apples tossed in.



Preheat oven to 350. You're going to want to make your cornbread a day ahead of time so that it gets a chance to dry out a bit. I went the easy route and used a package of Betty Crocker's Cornbread & Muffin Mix, but it shouldn't be too difficult to make from scratch either. Put your dried cranberries into a cup of warm water and set aside to soak. Dice up the cornbread into bite sized pieces. Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook for five minutes and then add the garlic, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Cook another few minutes until fragrant. Add the cranberries (with the water), and cornbread. Gradually mix in the veggie broth. Transfer the stuffing into a greased baking dish. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until golden on top.

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cheesecake



Level of Difficulty: requires self control
Pots/Pans Used: 1 blender

Ingredients

2 8oz cartons of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/4 almond/soy milk
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla
2 TBL cornstarch
1 9" precooked pie crust

Cinnamon swirl:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice

I got an email from a VP reader who specially requested a pumpkin cheesecake. So Gincy, I hope you and your family enjoy this as much as Oliver and I did! I think it came out pretty awesome if I do say so myself.



Preheat oven to 350. Combine cream cheese, pumpkin, milk, agave, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and then blend in the cornstarch. Pour batter into the pie crust, leaving about 1/2 cup in the blender. Blend 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp allspice into the remaining batter. Pour into the rest of the batter and quickly swirl it throughout with a spoon. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Once golden brown, take it out to cool completely. Then transfer it to the fridge to sit for at least an hour... or until you just can't stand it anymore :)



Well, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope with these recipes you can show off how tasty cruelty-free food can really be!

Post a comment below about what your menu is going to be this year, or better yet, post a picture of your creations on our facebook page.

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Sweet Potato & Oatmeal Casserole

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: one!



My friend, Blake (of Blake Bakes), made me this seriously fantastic breakfast casserole for one of our potluck brunches. It was so good that I decided to make it myself. I modified the recipe slightly by using coconut milk instead of soy/almond milk, and walnuts instead of pistachios. I also reccomend doubling the topping because it's definitely the best part! This recipe is sure to be a big hit and a great option for Thanksgiving day morning! You can find the recipe here.

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Halloween Snack

Ingredients

1 bag of popcorn
vegan chocolate chips
Allspice



If your Halloween is anything like mine, you'll be spending the night in, eating junk food, and having a scary movie marathon with your dog. I offer up this perfect snack to complement your festive night in.

All you have to do is mix some chocolate chips in with your hot popcorn and sprinkle some allspice on top! I don't think you'll find an easier recipe... so get to it!


AaAaAhHhHhHh!

What's your favorite vegan popcorn?

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