Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta

This pasta dish is one of my new fave meals to make at home. As I've mentioned in the past, I hate to cook. HATE IT! But, I'm really trying to stay away from processed foods and the evils of spending boatloads of money on take out. Thus, my search for fast, healthy meals that I can make at home on a modest budget (I have a bad habit of spending mucho dinero on food). This pesto literally takes 5 minutes to make. You can't beat that.

Most of these ingredients already lurk in my kitchen, so any time I'm too lazy to run to the store, or I have last minute visitors, I throw this together. It's always a hit! What's great about this meal is that you can serve it over any type of pasta, and it's great hot or cold. Perfect for picnics, summer BBQs, or romantic dinners for two at home.

What you need (serves 6):

1 lb pasta of your choice (I've had it over whole wheat spaghetti, penne, those corkscrew lookin' noodles, etc.)

1 bunch basil leaves (about 2.5ou)

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 ripe avocados, pitted & peeled

2tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes to throw over the top (the pesto tastes great if you add them directly into the food processor w/everything else, but make sure you then cut back on the olive oil, or it turns out really oily)

Directions:

Cook pasta per package instructions. Once you throw the pasta into boiling water, mix everything else into a food processor and blend. Toss pesto w/hot pasta. If you're feeling fancy, add a basil leaf and the chopped sun dried tomatoes for garnish.

For more delish dishes, check out: http://vegnews.com

Bottomless Vegan Brunch

My new favorite place to get brunch, lunch, dinner, and/or dessert is the Sugar Plum Cafe in Midtown (Sacramento). Boasting a completely vegan menu, Sugar Plum uses organic, mostly local produce and products which I love. I'm always in favor of supporting local farmers, businesses, etc. This quaint little cafe is tucked into an adorable Victorian house with lovely outdoor seating in the front yard. The laid back staff, cozily worn furniture, and interesting artwork throughout create an extremely relaxed environment that has one forgetting that they aren't casually hanging out at a friends house.

Every time I go into Sugar Plum, I agonize over the menu. Everything from the Portobello Street Tacos (served on fresh corn tortillas with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro) to the delectable raspberry and mango cupcakes, look and sound mouth-wateringly delightful. I've personally tried the award winning tuna melt (trust me, get the fries on the side! Yum!!), the above mentioned cupcake, the bacon cheeseburger (which is my favorite so far), and just about everything offered in their all-you-can-eat brunch. Unfortunately, it doesn't start until 11:00am (contrary to the 10:00am time listed on their website). But believe me, the jalapeno cheddar biscuits and country gravy, breakfast potatoes, tofu frittata, cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes (they like to change it up!), french toast, etc. are worth getting up a little late on a Saturday or Sunday morning! I will say this, they ran out of syrup and french toast last time I was there, and they did not mention it prior to my paying the $12. So check out the buffet-style brunch for your favorites before paying! The donuts and muffins (not offered in the brunch) are scrumptious as well if you want a snack while waiting for brunch to begin. You can view most of the menu online, but they are always featuring new goodies, so scour the menu of the day when you walk in as well (it's usually on the counter next to the register). 

Sugar Plum also offers a large selection of gluten and soy free foods, treats for those with allergies or currently on a raw diet, full service catering, wedding and party menus, and they sell their goodies at the local farmers market. They have a shop next door with clothing, accessories, etc., but it's been closed the last few times I've stopped by the cafe, so I can't give you much info on that end of the business. I truly love this little midtown gem, and even my meat and dairy eating friends enjoy the food! So stop by the Sugar Plum Cafe after work with friends for a casual dinner and dessert before walking across the street for a drink at The Golden Bear or drop by on a lazy weekend and start your day out with a filling, healthy, great tasting meal.

Sugar Plum Cafe, 2315 K Street, Sacramento, 916.706.3302

Hours: Closed Mon, Tue-Thu 10a-7p, Fri-Sat 10a-9p, Sun 10a-3p.

http://sugarplumvegan.com/Sacrament_Vegan_Bakery_Cafe.html

Photo from: http://sugarplumvegan.wordpress.com/

I'm baaaacccckkkk!!!!

Ok. Several of you are wondering why I dropped off the face of the Earth. Honestly, I wasn't sure if anyone was even reading this. So, after NUMEROUS requests, I am going to get back to blogging about delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes, restaurants, meal plans, book reviews, etc.

First, I should let you all know that I am eating 100% vegan now. No more vegan Mon-Thu w/vegetarian weekends. Like I always tell all of you: Being vegan doesn't mean giving up your fave foods... It just means adopting an animal/health friendly way of cooking it, or you cut back on how often you consume it. For example, I've been craving crab cakes for about 2 months now. So, next time I vacation on the coast, if I still have the urge to eat them, I'll eat them. 

I've been trying out some new vegan recipes, foods, cafes, etc. so I'll start jotting things down ASAP. Also, I've been trying to eat more raw foods for a healthier lifestyle. More on that as well.

To all of you that have been bugging me about getting back into this... Thanks. It's nice to know you're reading this, and that you are trying to improve your health, our planet, etc. And I love knowing that you are contributing to a more compassionate future for our animals!

Jamba Juice

This morning, I ran out the door w/out breakfast or lunch. I had to stop & get gas on my way back to work, so I decided to run into the Jamba Juice next door to see what they had to offer for vegans. I was pleasantly surprised! Although their traditional smoothies have dairy in the sherbet, they can make them w/out it. They also have quite a few all fruit smoothies to choose from as well. The oatmeal is made w/soymilk, but make sure to order it w/the brown sugar on top! It has butter in it :( I chose the Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, which was really good! Minus the brown sugar, it's only 250 calories! They also have Blueberry & Blackberry, Fresh Banana, and Plain Oatmeal. I also ordered one of the newer tea infusions, Passion Fruit. Delicious! Only 150 calories. Total for my entire breakfast: $4.88! On a side note, a lot of Jamba Juices offer delicious vegan & vegetarian wraps & salads also, but it varies upon location. Find out more about Jamba Juice, & locations near you at: http://www.jambajuice.com/

Vegan Sack Lunch

My favorite sack lunch:

1/2 a vegan sandwich: vegenaisse, spicy brown mustard, lettuce, tomato, avocado, sprouts, pickles, and sliced bell peppers on wheat bread (just check the ingredients for dairy & honey!).

1/2 salad: mixed greens, avocado, tomato, diced bell peppers, green onions, sprouts, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, chopped apple, sunflower nuts, cilantro, and your choice of vegan dressing (see a previous post for an easy, 10minute recipe for the best ranch EVER!), or a simple mixture of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, & a dash of seasoning.

Fruit (today I had strawberries and apple slices)

Mid-afternoon snack: Slice of vegan carrot bread from Whole Foods

Don't forget to drink lotsa water!!!

Great Greek Dining: Petra

First of all, I wanted to apologize for my absence over the last few weeks... I just started school back up after the holidays, and work has been crazy-busy! 

Second, I wanted to announce that I was one of the winners of 3 boxes of Primal Strips vegan jerky from Primal Spirit Foods (http://www.primalspiritfoods.com/) in the contest I mentioned from an earlier post that I entered through the folks at Vegan Backpackers (http://veganbackpacker.com/). I'll post a review after I try 'em out!

Third, I want to mention my new favorite place to snag a delicious pita. Petra in downtown Sacramento is to-die for! Serving the best Greek food that I've ever had, this is a must for both meat eaters, as well as vegetarians and vegans! My favorite is the Vegi Souvlaki Pita with seasoned vegetables (the mushrooms were mouth-watering!) on scrumptious pita bread and filled with tomatoes, parsley, onions, and tzatziki sauce (or, as a friend pointed out, you can turn it vegan by replacing the sauce with hummus). Get this, they also put french fries in the pita! French fries! So good! Petra uses traditional family recipes, so you are getting a great taste of authentic Greek food at a great price.

They also have a tasty selection of appetizers: grilled haloumi, hummus, dips such as Tyrokafteri/Fiery Feta (this spicy feta cheese dip is next on my list to try!), etc.,  burgers (I know a few meat-eaters that would love the Grecian Burger: 1/3lb beef & pork, charbroiled with Kasseri cheese on a bun with tomato, lettuce, & onion), a la carte items such as Vegetable Souvlaki (seasoned fresh veggies skewered on a stick, charbroiled, and served with a pita), Spanakopita (Spinach pie with feta cheese & wrapped in phylo dough), lamb chops for your meat eating friends and family, a long list of plates (vegetarian/vegan options are on the menu as well), soups, salads, and much more! 

After a night out on the town, skip your usual Taco Bell and Jack in the Box! Petra is open until 3:00am Wednesday through Saturday!! Leave the bar a coupla minutes before last call to beat the crowd at Petra, as the line goes out the door! They also serve wine and draft beer :) Check out their website for more info! http://www.petragreek.com/

Petra: 1122 16th St., Sacramento 916.443.1993

To read another review of Petra, as well as a few other midtown vegan locations, check out the latest article in "Sac Midtown" by Danielle Carlson: http://www.sacmidtown.com/2011/01/2014/ 

Beef jerky for vegans

I used to love beef jerky (or any type of jerky, actually). It was a great snack to have on long road trips, plane rides, hiking, etc. Well, I just discovered a vegan alternative in Primal Strips. I haven't tried it yet, but the Vegan Backpackers (mentioned in a previous post), have a free 24 piece variety pack giveaway to three lucky winners in the US. With flavors such as Texas BBQ, Teriyaki, Hot & Spicy (it has shiitake mushrooms! Yum!), and Thai Peanut, you're bound to discover a few that will quickly become a favorite on your next travel excursion! Follow the below link to enter today! And even if you don't win, definitely check out the Vegan Backpackers site, and try Primal Strips! I know I will :)

http://veganbackpacker.com/blog/primal-strips-giveaway/