Vegan Rocker Girl’s Nacho Cheese

My Verdict: Yummy!

So, you probably can tell by now that I LOVE convenient, yummy foods. And this is absolutely a must if you’re like me. It was incredibly fast to make (about 4 minutes) and it’s an easy way to get your vitamin b-12 in! I had them with trader joe’s multigrain tortilla chips (yum!) and before I knew it, this is what happened…

I love vegan rocker girl’s blog! Not only because my hubby is also from wisconsin, but she really has awesome recipes and style! I highly recommend you check her out. This is the recipe for this amazing vegan nacho recipe:

Sweet-Spot Vegan Nachos
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
¼ cup flour
1 cup water
2 tblsp. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I added this…it can be omitted it you’re not into spicy)
½ lime’s worth of juice (I added this too for more of a Mexicali flavor…it can also be omitted)
1 can of RoTel Diced Tomatoes and green chiles, drained or ½ cup of your favorite salsa)

Put nutritional yeast, flour, salt, garlic, and pepper in a saucepan. Add in water and stir constantly over medium heat until mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add vegan butter. Stir until melted. Add tomatoes/salsa and lime juice and return to heat, stirring until tomatoes are warm.

Brought to you by Vegan Rocker Girl at

http://veganrockergirl.blogspot.com/2010/08/ooey-gooey-cheesy-vegan-nachos.html

Thank you Rocker Girl! You ‘Rock’! (no pun intended)  

What's your verdict? Choose your reaction below:

Vegan Pandamonium’s Recipe: Argentine Milanesa

Verdict: Yummy

Recipe:  from VeganPandamonium.com
 

1 pkg of 4 Gardein chick’n filets
3 TBL water
1/4 cup lemon juice ( plus a lemon for garnish)
1/4 tsp oregano
whole wheat bread crumbs
flour
3 TBL oilve oil
pinch of salt

In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, water and oregano. Take each chicken breast and dredge it in flour, then the lemon juice mixture and then coat it in bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry each chick’n breast a couple minutes on either side until golden brown. Place the breast on a paper towel to let the oil drain. Sprinkle the chick’n with a pinch of salt. Serve with your favorite veggies and slices of lemon.

It was great tasting (and easy to make) …however, I highly recommend you douse it with lemon cuz that made the dish! It was crispy on the outside yet tender in the inside! I made fried brown rice and broccoli as sides, which hit the spot.

This is my second recipe I’ve made from VeganPandamonium and I have to say, she is quickly becoming one of my favorite vegan websites. Her recipes are so simple to make and they are so tasty!
VeganPanda Recipe #3…Bring it on!

Have you made this yet? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below:

Nutrilicious Glazed Donutholes

Verdict: Somewhere between ‘meh’ and ‘yummy’

The reason for this see-saw verdict is because if you like ‘cakey’ doughnuts, then yes, it is yummy. But if you’re expecting soft and fluffy donuts, then its just ‘meh’. (my husband likes the ‘krispy kreme’ soft kind…so he wasn’t impressed)

These Nutrilicious Donuts really did taste good with my coffee and the sweetness factor was just right. I would buy them again, although, the package was nearly $5. You can share these and it’ll be gone within 10 minutes. But, yes, I liked them enough to buy them again. I think you can normally buy them at Whole Foods. That’s where I got mine.

I’m very curious to try their other products!

Have you tried these?? What's YOUR verdict?? Choose your reaction below:

Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo

My Verdict: Yummy (but with disclaimer)

Ok, so, I made this for our taco dinner the other night and it was really good. But, i did cook it with olive oil, onions, garlic, and oregano. I think that’s what made it taste so good. If it didn’t have all that stuff, i would just give it an ‘meh’. I used half the package to make a ton of tacos for me and luke. So, this little package can go pretty far for dinners.

The next day, I made a puttanesca pasta with the other half of chorizo and MAN, it was freakin amazing!

Here’s the simple recipe:

 

Whole wheat penne pasta

red onion

garlic cloves

olive oil

Tjoe’s soy chorizo

Tjoe’s vegan chunky marinara sauce

oregano

nutritional yeast (for garnish)

While the pasta is cooking, lightly coat a pan with olive oil and saute the onions and garlic. Add the soy chorizo crumbles and stir. Add the marinara sauce and oregano. By then, the pasta should be done.  Strain the pasta and add it to the pan. Stir together. Once the plates are served, add nutritional yeast on top! Yumm-o. It’s super easy and super good.

This can easily become a staple in our Tjoes grocery shopping.

Have you tried this? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below:

Rice Dream’s Mint Pie

My Verdict: Meh…

Now, you would think by this description: Mint Rice Dream Ice Cream sandwiched within 2 oatmeal cookies and dipped in chocolate, you would say, “YUMMYyyyyyy!”. And that’s what I expected when Alicia recommended it in her book. But, surprisingly, it was just ok.

I have another one in the freezer, so lukey and I will probably finish it off. But, will I buy it again?? Probably not.

Not to mention it has a whopping 19 grams of fat per serving! Yikes.

I’d say pass on this one. There are way better mint chocolate frozen desserts out there.

Have you tried this dessert? What's YOUR verdict?

The Kind Diet’s Tuna Salad (kind-of)

My Verdict: Yummy!!

I’ve never had a sandwich like this! It was amazing. It didn’t taste like tuna at all, but i honestly like this better! It was so hearty and filled with good-for-you veggies. I absolutely LOVE capers and pickles so that was a plus. And best of all, its macrobiotic! Woo woo. I tried it as a wrap and as a sandwich and i like both.

Seriously, you’ve got to make this.

From The Kind Diet Book:

1 8-ounce package of tempeh
1 red onion, minced
1/4 cup umeboshi vinegar
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels
1/3 cup fresh or frozen and thawed peas
1/2 small cucumber, chopped (peel only if the cucumber is not organic)
1/4 cup chopped kosher dill pickles
1 tablespoon Veganaise
1/2 tablespoon Dijon or stone-ground mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

STEPS
Bring water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer basket.
Cut the tempeh in half, and place in the steamer basket.
Steam for 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
Add the onion, and boil for 10 to 15 seconds (if you dig raw onion, you can skip this step)
Use a strainer or slotted spoon to transfer the onion to a mixing bowl.
Keep the water boiling in the pot on the stove.
Add the vinegar to the onions, stir well, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
While the onion marinates, blanch the celery, carrots, corn, and peas in the reserved boiling water for 10 seconds each, scooping them into a mixing bowl as each vegetable is done.
Set aside to cool.
Drain the marinate onions through a sieve, and rinse quickly under running water.
Squeeze the excess liquid from the onions, and add to the bowl with the vegetables.
Cut the cooled tempeh into small cubes, and add to the bowl along with the cucumber, pickles, Veganaise, mustard, lemon juice, and dill.
Stir well to combine.
Serve topped with capers and parsley.

You can find the recipe at Alicia’s book: The Kind Diet


Have you tried this recipe? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

Cruzer’s Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

My Verdict: InSANE!


Oh man, this was an INSANE sandwich. First bite was pure bliss and it only got better after that. I couldn’t even believe it was vegan. It was soooo delicioso! If you’re ever in Los Angeles or Glendale, I highly suggest you go here and grab one of these. It’s a bit garlicy, with some other herbs I can’t quite point out, wonderful, melty daiya cheese, mushrooms, and much love I’m sure.

It’s served with some steamed veggies (which i didn’t care for) and potato chips (which i thought they could have been a bit more inventive like sweet potato fries or something). However, I wonder if any side would take away from the star, being the Philly Cheesesteak. Cuz let me tell you, it WAS a star.

I’ll for sure be going back there for seconds.

I kinda wish i can share their recipe with youz who are far, far away from Los Angeles but…sadly, I have no idea how they make this sandwich. But, if i find out, I’ll be sure to post it STAT.

And for those who DO live in LA, see you at Cruzer’s ! Woo Woo!


Have YOU been to Cruzer's? What's your verdict on this sandwich? Choose your reaction below...

Trio Bars

My Verdict: Yummy!!

Ok. So. I normally don’t like packaged ‘bars’, but this one won my heart. I was going to the movies with my hubby and I wanted to get a treat to take with me. (As u may know, not alot of healthy treats at the concession stand…) So, I decided to look for (at the grocery store) for either a luna bar or a lara bar. And just as I go to reach a lara bar, right below it… “Oh, what’s this? Just 3 nuts, 3 fruits, 3 seeds? And it has sesame seeds? I LOVE sesame seeds!”

So, I bought it.

And it has easily become one of my favorite on-the-run treats! They taste sooo good and they’re not overly sweet.

I highly recommend you take one with you next time you go to the movies!


What's YOUR verdict?

Jamba Juice Greens and Grains Wrap & Prickly Pear Tea

My Verdict: Yummy!

As i was hanging out at the lovely Americana Mall, I surge of hunger roared through me. I wondered if Jamba Juice had any good vegan options and to my surprise i found this…

Greens and Grains Wrap and the Prickly Pear Iced Tea.

Both were absolutely refreshing,yummy, and compliment each other. The wrap comes with a mango salsa that really works well with the wrap. The tea is just right in the sweetness factor.  I loved this meal. So, if you’re ever in the mall or near a jamba juice, I highly recommend you grab this vegan meal! It rocks!

Note: Also, if you go to their website: jambajuice.com and click on Menu: Special Diets: Vegan… they have a list of all their vegan options! Gotta love that!  

 What's YOUR verdict? Have you tried this wrap? Choose your action below...

Babycakes Red Velvet Cupcake

My verdict: Meh

From the look of this lovely cupcake, you would think, "MAN! This is going to dance in my mouth!"

But, I have to say, it was a tad 'not great'. I wasn't crazy about it and I'm crazy about Babycakes. I'm just so sad about this cupcake.

Maybe it was a fluke:

Prove me wrong babycakes!! ;)

Have YOU tried their red velvet cupcake?? What's your verdict?Choose your reaction below...


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Vegan Pandamonium’s Kale Chips Recipe

My Verdict: Yu….MMY!

I have to stretch out the word yummy cuz seriously…it was sooo yummy!  I didn’t expect it to taste so good. I mean, come on… Kale? But, I actually like them better than Baked Lays and such. It was super dooper easy to make and one stalk of kale made a decent amount of chips.

Thank you so so so much Vegan Pandamonium! What an amazing blog you got there. That’s one blog I’ll be visiting very, VERY often!

Here is her amazing recipe…

Ingredients

1 bushel of kale
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and dry the kale well. Then rip up the kale into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, massage the olive oil and salt into the kale. You may want to add or use less salt depending on your taste level. First time I made this recipe I used 1 tsp salt and it was a bit of a salty overload. 1/2 tsp was about right for me. Spread the kale on a baking sheet so that none of the pieces are on top of each other. Bake for about 18 minutes until really crispy.

Stay posted for more reviews on her other recipes.

Now.. go to the store, buy some kale, and make these tonite!

One of the best healthy, green treats out there. Period.

What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

EatPastry Cookie Dough (Chocolate Chunk)

My Verdict: Meh

So, I was really excited to buy this. Blogger EcoVeganGal.com recommended it so needless to say, I was intrigued.

I thought it was decently priced at $5 a container as I can see myself make a few batches from it. I first decided to taste it raw and it was not that bad. It tasted like the real thing. Then I cooked it for 12 minutes at 340 degrees and I think i should’ve cooked it a bit longer because my hubby said they tasted a bit like pancakes. haha.

I disagree. Though they actually did taste like cookies… good cookies. I thought they would be better.
So, here’s what I’m going to do.

Im going to bake another batch for 15-16minutes and see what happens…

Next day.

15 minutes in the oven…

My Verdict: Oh wow…Yummy!

Ok folks. You have got to cook it long enough or else, as my husband said,
it tastes somewhat of pancake form.

But at 15 minutes cooked…its sooo yum! Highly recommended chocolate chip cookie.
Might be even tested for ‘Best in Show’ against some other amazing cookies like Uncle Eddies..

Stay posted.

Have you tried these cookies? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

Follow Your Heart Mozzarella Cheese

My Verdict: Meh…

Sorry Follow Your Heart. Though I truly love your company, I just wasn’t impressed with this cheese.
Daiya Cheese won this race by a mile.

The cheese was tough to melt, it definitely tasted like non-cheese and it didn’t make me want to finish my pizza.

I’ll try another flavor and see if there’s a better tasting follow your heart. Better luck next time.

Keeping you posted…

Have you tried this cheese? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

HappyHerbivore.com Recipe Vegan Alfredo Pasta

My Verdict: Yucky!

As much as I love Happy Herbivore Recipes, I have to say… I was very disappointed in this particular recipe. Not sure what it was, but it sooo did not taste like the yummy alfredo I usually love. Maybe it was the tofu, maybe it was the wrong brand of nutritional yeast. I remember her saying once that she only likes Red Star’s Nutritional Yeast so that could very well be it. (I used Bragg’s)

What Im probably going to do is try this recipe one more time with Red Star yeast and if THAT doesn’t work, I’ll test another vegan alfredo recipe.

Major bummer cuz I definitely thought this was going to be a winner. It was simple to make and relatively quick.

Here’s to hoping Take 2 is a winner!

Have you tried this recipe?? What's your verdict? Choose your reaction below...

Purely Decadent’s Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Cookie Dough Flavor)

My Verdict: Yummy!!

Oh heavens to Betsy! (wonder who betsy is and how did that catchphrase come about) But, anyways… oh heavens to Betsy!

This ice cream is unbelievable! Its creamy, slight coconut flavor, rich, indulgent, and chunky. The cookie dough is just right, the chocolate chips are just right, and most importantly, the ‘ice cream’ is just right.

I give this a Huge ‘Yummy’ verdict.

Great job Purely Decadent!

What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

Daiya Cheese

My Verdict: Yummy!


Beyond yummy…It’s (so far) ‘Best in Show’ cheese at Vegan Verdict.
It melts, it tastes good on crackers, it can make a MEAN grilled cheese, and of course, its unbelievable on pizza.

So, yes… it made ‘Best in Show’ Cheese.

But let me preface… there are not a lot of good tasting veggie cheeses out there.

Its actually quite tricky to make vegan cheeses that taste good. You actually have to be careful as many veggie cheeses are made with casein (dairy product). Making a ‘vegan’ cheese is tough. Make a ‘vegan’ cheese that tastes good? Tougher…

So, Let that be a dare to all you vegan cheese companies. Go ahead and give me what you got. Can you beat Daiya?

What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

Morningstar Farms’ Vegan Grillers Burger

My Verdict: Yummy!

This burger is unbelievable! It’s smokey and it has a great texture. My non-vegan hubby LOVES these burgers. You almost have to take a double-bite to make sure it really isn’t meat! How do they do that?

Anyhoo… I’ve tried other burgers like gardenburger and other earthy flavored burgers, but they just don’t cut it.

This is an awesome burger and truly tough to beat.

What's YOUR verdict on this burger? Choose your reaction below...

So Delicious® Coconut Milk Creamer

My Verdict: Yummy

When I get a chance, I usually choose coconut or almond milk over soy. I like the taste better. More ‘milky’. So, when I walked through the Whole Foods aisle and saw this product, I was sooo excited! It’s about time someone competes against the popular SilkSoy creamer. And, let me tell you,  this creamer is Awesome.

It’s smooth, creamy, sweet, and I think tastes better than Silk Soy.

2 thumbs up for this one.

Have you tried it? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

The Kind Diet’s Peanut Butter Cups

My Verdict: inSANE!!

These were so easy to make and soooo good. My hubby actually couldn’t tell they were vegan. I think the graham cracker crumbs makes a really nice touch and the sweet factor is just perfect. It is a bit heavy so I could only eat half at one sitting, but still worth it.

Thumbs up, Alicia! You can find this recipe at her book: The Kind Diet


Have you tried this recipe? What's YOUR verdict? Choose your reaction below...

Tony’s Darts Away in Burbank

My Verdict: InSANE!

That’s right! There’s a whole new verdict in the house. I had to create a new verdict just for sweet ol’ Tony’s because their food was beyond yummy…it was inSANE! A friend of mine at Yelp briefly mentioned this joint and when he said, ‘Vegan Brat’, needless to say, I was intrigued. My husband is from Wisconsin which is known for amazing brats. So, after hoaxing Luke to come with me for lunch to give a test… we arrived.

When we got there, we were greeted by an awesome bartender named Dave. Honestly, he was such a delight. So savvy of every possible beer out there and he knew exactly what our taste buds would love after a quick briefing with us. Ask for Dave, he’s awesome! :)




Luke had the Eel River Organic Amber. Totally awesome beer. It was smooth and had a fruity finish–not too wheaty. (i dont like wheaty beers) And of course, it went really well with the vegan kielbasa Luke had.




Ok. Their wine. Oh man, their wine. Eco-green peeps would go crazy for this wine. It’s 100% bottle- cork- and cardboard-free and pretty local: from Santa Barbara County. There wine are in kegs and it goes straight from the winery’s stainless steel tanks to these lovely quarter liter bottles. Great medium bodied wine with a clean finish. Loved it.




Luke had the Kielbasa and though it wasn’t as sweet as mine, it was so tangy and hearty. He actually thought it tasted better than the real thing! One point for the vegan team. Woohoo!




And mine, was the beer brat. I got it with creole ketchup, vegan aioli, grilled onions, and kraut. I kinda wish i videocammed my first bite impression cuz it was priceless. After that first bite, i paused, looked at luke, and we both went… Holy cow. That’s one amazing brat. :)




And these sweet potato fries were without a doubt THE BEST sweet potato fries I’ve ever had. The sprinkled almonds on top gave it a great crunchy touch. No doubt these had some type of illegal drug that kept us wanting more. haha. Just kidding. No, but seriously, so so good.



This is what was left of luke’s brat… notice not a crumb was left behind. Yeah. That’s a good sign.



And you gotta love that their togo boxes are made of recycled paper and not (like many restaurants have… styrofoam or plastic). Oh Tony, you know how to do it right!



Thanks so much Tony! You have made a true believer of luke and I and you’ll be sure to see us there again soon. (What time is it? I wonder if Tony’s deliver…)


Have you been to Tony's? What's YOUR Verdict?? Choose your reaction below...

Pure Organic Bars

My Verdict: InSANE!!

Ok. Ok. Now, I normally don’t like ‘bars’ per say. As most tend to taste ‘processed’ to me. But, let me just say that when I went shopping at TJoes with my hubby, i actually was captivated by the packaging! I saw… ‘pure’… ‘organic’… ‘cocoa’.. ‘omega 3s’… ‘antioxidants’… Dang! They had me at cocoa! ;)

So we bought it.

And let me just tell you that it was sooo good. After one bite, I actually had to re-read the packaging to make sure there wasn’t anything ‘non-healthy’ in it. haha. But, there wasn’t. It really was ALL pure.

Run and get these! They are so good. And this one in particular tasted JUST like a brownie! woot, woot! :)

This is their site, in case you were wondering: www.thepurebar.com

Have you tried it?? What's YOUR verdict? Click on your reaction below...

Field Roast Apple Sage Sausage

My Verdict: InSANE!!

Seriously. When you try this sausage, you will second guess it being vegan. I couldn’t believe how wonderful it tasted. Don’t get me wrong. There are a ton of awesome tasting vegan foods, i just didn’t expect meat analogs to actually taste good. They rarely do. But Field Roasts? You are now a staple in our household. I thank thee. :)

I highly recommend you try Apple Sage Sausage like this:

Buy some whole grain buns. (I like alvarado bakery’s) Cook the sausages over medium heat with olive oil. (only takes a few minutes). Add the sausage to the bun with ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut! YUMMY! Its amazing. Trust me.

I’ll add a picture soon of my sandwich… i just always want to eat so fast, i can’t put it down to grab the camera. LOL.

If you've tried this, What's your verdict? Click on your reaction below...