Almost Vegan

At my family’s summer events they like to barbecue so I decided to join them in a hot dog. I would seem very all American eating a hot dog with them, not “weirdo vegan” as they usually see me.

So I tried these Tofu Pups, quickly slipping them out of the package and passing them to the cook to grill for me –> Yuck!

Then I noticed these Smart Dogs and thought that the “Smart” meant they had figured out how to simulate a hot dog –> Blaaagh!

I hope I am missing something and am not just incredibly hot dog picky because I am originally from Chicago. I like other vegan “meat” products. Now, I am on the lookout for a good vegan hot dog. (Not one with eggs in them!)

If anybody knows of a good vegan hot dog, please tell me.

Sorry about this entry Lightlife, I do like many of your other products. (Steak/Chick’n strips are great)

I had this Zatarain’s Black Beans and Rice for the first time last night. Yum!

Boy is this good, and it is vegan. Zatarain’s Red Beans and Rice is vegan too, and I bet it is just as tasty. You can buy it right from the Zatarain’s website if you can’t find it at your local grocery store.

They have a number of tasty looking products, but unfortunately no ingredient lists on their website.

But you can legally jazz up your vegan dinner tonight with their black/red beans and rice mixes. Thanks Zatarain’s!

*Note

A comment from another vegan, Carmen, suggests adding fresh or frozen veggies to the mix to make a meal. She said she loves the Black-Eyed Peas & Rice Mix so I assume that one is vegan too, but read the box to make sure.

I just went to another market today and found a few more Zatarain’s rice dishes so I can assure you that the Jambalaya Mix, Dirty Rice Mix, and Spanish Rice Mix are all vegan.

*Unfortunately the Long Grain & Wild Rice, Rice Pilaf, and French Market Vegetables & Rice Mix have chicken in them.

[UPDATE 2023] – I cannot find Soymage Vegan Parmesan Alternative any more. There are number of alternatives to it now. This Go Veggie Foods brand seems popular.

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Well, I am still eating spinach pesto sauce, but it is not as good the second day so I would suggest making just about as much as you need.

This Soymage Vegan Parmesan Alternative [no longer available] is the secret to completely vegan pesto sauce. There is an almost vegan Parmesan cheese I like and I will put it on the blog as soon as I go to the store (about 45 miles from me) that carries it and pick some up.

But in the meantime, make yourself some spinach pesto if you have some basil, spinach, olive oil, vegan Parmesan, garlic, a blender, food processor, or a mortar and pestle for you purists out there.

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I really like pasta, and tonight I had pasta that was a little different — gnocchi.

I spotted this package of multi-colored gnocchi, (which means multi-flavored: plain, spinach and tomato) at an upscale supermarket not far from my health food store.

Gnocchi is naturally vegan. I served it with a vegan spinach pesto sauce. I got a bit of basil at a farmer’s market today, but not enough to make straight pesto so I made spinach pesto instead, because I did have a lot of fresh spinach.

 
The pesto turned out good. I’ll post the vegan spinach pesto recipe tomorrow seeing as I made so much that I will be eating it for days.

Thai Kitchen has a most beautiful website, and I love their instant rice noodle soup.

They make a number of different vegan products. I am very intrigued with the thought of their coconut milk for use in recipes, so I’ll look for some next time I go to my local health food store. Even though they do sell their wares on their website, it was quite a bit more expensive there — $3.50 for 4 packets of soup and I bought one elsewhere for 55 cents.

My favorite soup is Bangkok Curry, nice and spicy. They also have Garlic & Vegetable, Thai Ginger, Spring Onion, and Lemongrass & Chili.

These single packs of soup are great for a lite lunch or a snack. Completely vegan because they use coconut milk instead of cow’s.

I love these MI-Del Chocolate Snaps. They are a quick, small, taste treat and not anywhere near as loaded with calories as The Best Cookies in the Galaxy.

At 130 calories for 5 cookies and only 45 calories from fat they are a lot less decadent, but do the trick when you are looking for something vegan, sweet and crunchy.

Find these Chocolate Snaps, and they also make Lemon Snaps, Ginger Snaps, Vanilla Snaps, at good health food stores.

Danielle, a regular comment contributor to Almost Vegan, left another tip on my Taco Bell post. She asked if I had a Baja Fresh near me.

She explained how Baja Fresh was incredibly vegan friendly and also had a very clean, nice environment. Judging from their website, I think she is right, unfortunately there’s not one within 100 miles of me.

You know, I am so happy people come to my blog and are nice enough to leave comments, but the downside is I hear about living real close to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, and now this Baja Fresh place. (sigh) I actually walk my dog every day on a sandy-dirt road surrounded my woods and a couple of small lakes. I “shop” at farms where they just picked the fruits and/or vegetables I am buying… but God I miss big cities. I really do.

Oh boy, I’ve done it this time. I have made some of the best minestrone soup I have ever tasted, and it is because I just used the ingredients I had in the house. I usually put mushrooms in it, because I love mushrooms, but the ones I had-had gone south.

So, I only used some fresh zucchini, yellow squash, onion, garlic and then canned stewed tomatoes, (stewed are perfect for minestrone) garbanzo beans, and great northern beans. I actually liked it better without the mushrooms.

More of a purist’s minestrone.

The secret vegan ingredients are Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon and Soymage Vegan Parmesan Alternative.

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A very old family recipe – veganized. Every year, when the blueberries come off the bushes, we take out this pan (9×13) and make a blueberry coffee cake. This is the most simple, but the best thing to eat in the world. It’s also blue food, so no matter how sweet and decadent, it’s good for you.

You’ll need 2 pints of blueberries, a (flour) sifter (very important), 1 cup vegan margarine, Egg Replacer, soy milk, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, for the most amazing vegan taste treat!

The ultimate blueberry coffee cake and it is completely vegan.

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