I came across this recipe from A Beautiful Mess and the rosemary lemonade recipe is very simple and easy to follow. They taste almost similar to what I had at Jaleo Las Vegas, but a bit tart. I added more sprigs and doubled the sugar for the right flavor and sweetness.

Pictured above, these are the Bormioli Rocco Aquaria Water Jugs. They are BPA-free, made in Italy, come in 41-ounces and dishwasher-safe. Perfect for two servings of juices.

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I’m sure that many of you can admit that making a perfect vegan macaroni and “cheeze” is difficult. My ideal vegan version of macaroni and “cheeze” has to be creamy, gooey and cheesy, something that I would eat as a comfort food. I had encountered and tried few vegan mac and cheese recipes. Some of them lack flavor, or the creamy and /or cheesy elements. In the end, I realize it is hard to create the cheesy-like elements in a vegan macaroni and “cheeze”, unless you add some vegan cheese products to it (i.e., Daiya, GoVeggie!, etc).

The recipe is adapted from Susan Voisin at FatFree Vegan Kitchen. She has a collection of over 1,400 low-fat vegan recipes sent in by hundreds of people, which is great for anyone who wishes to eat healthy and low-fat vegan cuisine.

I wanted to give her Easy Vegan Macaroni + Cheeze recipe a try.

The only major change I made to the recipe is that I baked it with panko and Parmela vegan parmesan for more texture and flavor. Her recipe is low-fat, low-sodium and almost oil-free if you omit the tahini. I cannot omit the tahini, because the macaroni and cheeze won’t be creamier. In reality, it will taste bland (as stated in her post) and it will not be your ideal, perfect vegan creamy and cheesy macaroni and cheeze dish. It is perfect for anyone who does not mind the flavor of the dish, but wishes to keep it low-fat and low-sodium.

So I tried her recipe and indeed it was pretty bland and lacking flavors. It is a dish I wouldn’t make again, but it is a potential dish I strive to slightly improve with flavors.

If you are more about the flavor and extra creaminess, I suggest you read further. I have slightly modified her recipe. I omitted the cayenne powder, dry mustard and turmeric. Turmeric is unnecessary because the nutritional yeast adds a bit of yellow color and already has slightly cheesy flavor. I replaced the omitted ingredients with yellow mustard and vegan margarine. I added a bit more black pepper, white miso, lemon juice and potato starch. I used unsweetened coconut milk instead of soy milk.

If you want the cheesy elements, add vegan cheese products to it and broil in the oven until melted. I personally like the Daiya cheddar wedge (or slices), and Go Veggie! Mexican style shreds, they produce the best cheesy results. The panko and Parmela vegan parmesan (or any parmesan) was pretty tasty with any baked macaroni and cheeze dishes. Place the al dente macaroni pasta and the sauce in the oven at 350 degrees F for at least 15 minutes using a roast method. Season with panko and Parmela (about 1/4 cup each).

The post Baked Easy Vegan Macaroni + Cheeze appeared first on vegan miam.

When we were living abroad for a few months, potatoes became our favorite staple and comfort food: it’s cheap, easy, and hearty. We would boil the cubed potatoes (skins off), fry them until all sides are browned up and season them with salt and chili powder. In South America, we would eat them with ají casero (spicy Colombian sauce) or chimichurri. In western Europe, we would eat them with curry ketchup while in Asia, we would eat them on its own or with an imported HP sauce or plain ketchup.

After watching one of our favorite cooking shows, America’s Test Kitchen, Doni came across this video about making the perfect diner-style home fries and these are the best and tasty home fries we’ve ever had. They aren’t greasy, undercooked nor bland. These home fries have crispy and golden brown crust with tender, moist interior. We made our perfect home fries once every other week and it is total miam!

We also made our perfect home fries with Viana’s veggie bratwurst, which works well in the oven with slight browning. Their German veggie sausages are pretty tasty and 100% vegan.

about

Founded in 1988 in Cologne, Viana is a traditional brand of the company Tofutown.com GmbH. Viana products use “wheat, soybeans and fresh organic vegetables into delicious meat alternatives, tofu products, soy and rice drinks and fine soy creams” (Viana Biography). These products are also found “throughout Europe and even in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and now in North America.”

where to buy

They are available at VeganEssentials.com online. Look for the term “Viana.”

Viana veggie bratwursts are made in Germany, certified organic and non-GMO Project Verified. They are easy to prepare, just heat and serve. These need to be refrigerated. You can enjoy them fried for 5 minutes or grilled for 2 1/2 minutes with your favorite condiments or with sauerkraut & mustard in a bun. We prefer our bratwursts chopped into smaller pieces, fried on both sides.

Ingredients
Tofu (soybeans, water, nigari), water, organic wheat protein, sunflower oil, organic almond flour, organic spices, sea salt, raw cane sugar, locust bean gum, onions, celeriac

Contains: almonds, soy and wheat.

Net Wt: 10.58 oz (300 g), 3 pieces

Now back to this amazing recipe for our Veggie Bratwurst + Our Perfect Home Fries.

For potatoes, I would recommend the russet potatoes, which have high-starch content. According to America’s Test Kitchen, their high-starch content helps create a substantial golden-brown crust.  The ingredient, baking soda has pH 8.1, which makes the exteriors of the potatoes soft and the interiors raw after boiling for 2 minutes in the pot, but makes the potatoes more crisped on the outside and roasted inside.  It is optional to add the veggie bratwurst for a bit of protein, I like the home fries on its own. Our perfect home fries pair well with our two medium spicy condiments (one of them is a local brand in Oregon):

We added a small jalapeño for mild heat in the recipe slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. You can omit jalapeño and replace them with green bell peppers. The home fries are perfect with or without jalapeño and/or green bell peppers.

The post Veggie Bratwurst + Our Perfect Home Fries appeared first on vegan miam.

The dish, Carrot Gnocchi with Roasted Pepper Alfredo Sauce consists of 18 oz. Victoria Vegan Roasted Pepper Alfredo, sautéed shiitake mushrooms and shallot, chopped fresh parsley, and homemade carrot gnocchi (view recipe). I would recommend making the potato gnocchi from the recipe, frying them (See method), and then mix them with the Victoria Vegan roasted pepper alfredo sauce until hot to eat.

Victoria Vegan pasta sauces are certified vegan, Non-GMO Project verified and gluten-free.

where to buy

Victoria Fine Foods’ vegan sauces are available mostly in smaller natural stores and at their e-store victoriafinefoods.com. All of their vegan sauces are certified vegan, Non-GMO Project verified and gluten-free. Ingredients are all natural. As of January 2013, there are currently ten vegan sauces made by Victoria Fine Foods.

ingredients

Cashew cream (water, cashews), roasted red peppers (peppers, water, citric acid), tomato paste, fresh garlic, salt, black pepper, non-dairy lactic acid, rosemary, raw sugar, natural cocoa butter flavor, corn starch, xanthan gum.

Contains: Tree nuts.

verdict

With the Victoria Vegan’s Vegan Roasted Pepper Alfredo sauce, you could taste the sweetness from the roasted red peppers and the creaminess from the cashew cream. It has a beautiful orange color. It is not spicy, but sweet. For the sauce, I would go with something salty or spicy. We made homemade carrot gnocchi with sautéed shallots and shiitake mushrooms, which was a bit too sweet with the sauce. I imagine the vegan roasted pepper Alfredo sauce would go well with any pasta other than carrot gnocchi, perhaps with vegan Parmesan, baked or roasted vegetables such as broccoli for texture.

For other dishes using other Victoria Vegan sauces, view more:

• Panko-Crusted Rigatoni Casserole with Victoria Vegan Vodka Sauce + Basil
• Shells with French Green Beans & Victoria Vegan Arugula Pesto Alfredo
• Fusilli with Victoria Vegan White Bean Marinara and Crushed Red Peppers
• Victoria Vegan Alfredo and Veggies Pizza
• Victoria Vegan Alfredo and Asparagus Pizza
• Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Noodles and Smoked Veggie Frankfurters

DISCLAIMER
This item(s) was kindly sent to me to review by Victoria Fine Foods. All products that are mentioned and reviewed here on my vegan blog are of my own personal opinions and I am not being compensated to review them, only just to share my thoughts. If I receive a product complimentary of the company, it will be stated so in the post, otherwise, all products are purchased myself for my own personal use.

The post Carrot Gnocchi with Roasted Pepper Alfredo Sauce appeared first on vegan miam.

All city photographs are taken by my partner Doni.

I have created a quick guide on my favorite vegan eats in Portland. Please note, I spent most of my late teens in Portland. I visit Portland about 2-5 times a year for special occasions. So information & menu may vary over time. Always contact the restaurants in advance when you inquire about vegan options.

favorite vegan eats

Be sure to check out my vegan eats in Portland on my blog as well. Most restaurants I’ve listed below have exclusive vegan options, except for the two that are 100% vegan (Blossoming Lotus & Homegrown Smoker Food Cart). Restaurants in Portland are very vegan-friendly.

1. Departure Restaurant + Lounge, Downtown Portland (view vegan menu) The restaurant is located on the top floor of the Nines Hotel. Modern Asian Cuisine, ask for the vegan menu.

View my review: Vegan at Departure Restaurant & Lounge

2. Andina Restaurant, Pearl District (view vegetarian menu and let them know that you are vegan, they are very good about it.) They make amazing vegan Peruvian cuisine. You will need to make a reservation to save your spot and that you are a vegan. It gets busy on most evenings especially weekend lunches.

View my review: Vegan at Andina Restaurant

3. Bamboo Sushi, SE and NW Portland (View menu) There are two locations: in SE Portland and NW Portland. Just let the servers know that you are vegan, and they will take a good care of you. They have a very interesting selection of vegan sushi, you can view my review here. For dessert, they have a Vegan Coconut Panna Cotta.

View my review: Portland: Bamboo Sushi

4. Higgins Restaurant & Bar, SW Portland, Downtown (View menu) This is your local, classic restaurant in Portland with amazing vegan options. The menu items are subject to change daily. The staff at Higgins Restaurant & Bar are very aware of our vegan dietary needs.

View my review: Portland: Higgins Restaurant & Bar

5. Masu Sushi, Downtown Portland (View menu) They make the best mojitos and vegan sushi selections. You must try their signature vegan sushi, the Green Machine Maki (marinated ota tofu tempura, asparagus and red pepper topped with avocado, micro greens and shiitake glaze). Please note on weekends, they open at 4pm.

6. Blossoming Lotus, NE Portland (View menu) Blossoming Lotus serves organic, freshly made, world vegan fusion cuisine with delicious cooked and live food options. It is a 100% vegan restaurant.

View my review: Portland: Blossoming Lotus

7. Homegrown Smoker Food Cart, North Portland, Mississippi Marketplace (View menu) You’ve got to try their Loafaroni, a Smoked Meatloaf on a grilled bun with Mac-NoCheese, BBQ & NoCheese Sauces.

View my review: Portland: Homegrown Smoker

other vegan eats to try:

There are some that I have been to, but haven’t posted about them yet.

• Dove Vivi (view website)
• Sweet Lemon Vegan Bistro (view website), 100% VEGAN
• Los Gorditos (view website | view my review)
• Natural Selection (view website)
• Pok Pok PDX (View website)
• Veggie Grill (view website | view review), 100% VEGAN, it is a Los Angeles–based chain with many locations.

I guess for the next upcoming post I will share my favorite vegan bakeries and sweets in Portland, so stay tuned. While in Portland, get your local vegan donuts at VooDoo Doughnuts and some of their yummy coconut cream pie at Back to Eden Bakery Boutique, and do not forget to drop by the Food Fight! Grocery in SE Portland to pick up some unique local vegan goodies.

special post of the day: juicing

Do you like to juice? I love to juice and organize my bottles. You may have seen them on my Instagram and Twitter.

Pictured above, these are the Bormioli Rocco Aquaria Water Jugs. They are BPA-free, made in Italy, come in 41-ounces and dishwasher-safe. Perfect for two servings of juices.

I also used Aquasana water bottles for 16-ounces servings. These are dishwasher-safe glass bottles with BPA-free plastic lids.

The post Best Vegan Eats in Portland appeared first on vegan miam.

Sign up now here: www.vegancuts.com/subscription and receive your yummy vegan goodies at your door!

Vegan Cuts Snack Box delivers vegan goodies to your door every month for just $19.95/mo through USA (free shipping), Canada for $8 shipping and International for $15 shipping.

You can check out my verdict and review for Vegan Cuts Snack Box here.

Snippet of my Vegan Cuts Snack Box verdict:

Vegan Cuts Snack Box contained a variety of sweet and savory snacks, samples and full-size products. Everything from bite sizes to whole grains. Some of the brands we were familiar, while others were completely new to us! It is simple to end up in a routine at the grocery store and only purchase what you know or need, so this is a convenient way to get new and different products whilst not breaking your budget.

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