Category Archives: Pasta

Pumpkin Recipe Round Up

Posted in Baked Goods, Breakfast, Dessert, Ice Cream, Main DIsh, Pasta, Recipe, Sides, Snacks by

Fall is upon us which means it is officially the season for all things pumpkin!!!! This means pumpkin patches, pumpkin pies, babies in pumpkin costumes… you get the picture.

In honor of this pumpkin filled time of year I am bringing you the most drool worthy vegan pumpkin recipes from around the web!

Isa Chandra from Post Punk Kithcen’s Pumpkin French Toast

Allyson from Manifest Vegan’s ridiculous looking gluten-free Pumpkin Swirl Bread

Kathy from Lunch Box Bunch’s Starbucks inspired Pumpkin Spice Latte

Angela from Oh She Glows’ Pumpkin Pie Brownie Cupcakes

Book Of Yum’s gluten-free homemade Pumpkin Ravioli

Meet The Shannon’s Mini Pumpkin Spiced Donuts with Apple Glaze

Ashley and Stephen from (Never Home)Maker’s Pumpkin Cornbread

Kathy from Lunch Box Bunch’s Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Layer Cake

Have Cake, Will Travel’s Pumpkin Bagels

Elena from Elana’s Pantry’s Pumpkin Custard

Emily from Feel Good Food’s gluten-free Pumpkin Buckwheat Pancakes

Janel from Eat Well With Janel’s Pumpkin Alfredo

Chef Chole’s Holiday-Spiced Vegan Creme Brulee

Christina of Christina Cook’s Pumpkin Gnocchi with Basil Olive Oil

C’est La Vegan’s Easy Refrigerator Pumpkin Cheesecake

Hannah from Bitter Sweet’s adorable Pumpkin Cake

AND her Cheesy Fried Pumpkin Balls

Ricki from Diet Dessert and Dogs’ Chocolate Pumpkin Pots De Creme

Jennifer from It Ain’t Meat Babe’s Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies (best blog name ever)

Branny from Branny Boils Over’s super inventive Vegan Pumpkin Lasagna

Averie from Love Veggies And Yoga’s Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Spabettie’s adorable Rice Crispy Treat Pupmkin Patch

The end!!

Hope everyone enjoys these mouth-watering pumpkin goodies as much as I do. I plan to make a bunch of these this Fall and can’t wait to come up with some pumpkin recipes of my own! Happy eating!

 

 

xoxo

Your Vegan Girlfriend

My Favorite Gluten Free Products

Happy weekend everyone! So sorry I have been MIA on the posts this week. A lot of life stuff has been going on for me so priority wise the bog got demoted a bit. Have no fear though … treats are on their way.

I got such a great response to my favorite dairy substitutes post I thought I would follow it up with a fav Gluten Free products list. Even if you are not celiac, I highly recommend eating gluten-free. Gluten is a protein that our body is unable to digest and can leave you feeling bloated and heavy. Eliminating gluten grains is so simple and with these easy product switches you won’t feel like you are giving anything up. I LOVE carbs so fear not bread enthusiasts … help is on the way.

 

1. Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta

This is the only gf vegan pasta I like. A lot of gluten free pastas come out mushy and gross, but all of the pastas in the Tinkyada brand aren’t mushy and taste exactly like regular pasta. I always cook gf pasta a few minutes less than it says on the package to ensure that al dente taste. No excuse to eat regular processed pasta again.

2. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

For all muh bakers out there – recipes calling for flour can now be subbed with this wonder product. It’s a blend of garbanzo flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, and fava flour, and it does an excellent job in smaller baked goods like cookies, scones, muffins, and quick breads. Bob’s also has an entire line of gluten free products and I love and use almost all of them.

 

3. Mary’s Gone Crackers

Mary’s has a whole line of gf products but their signature product is their crackers. A delish mix of organic brown rice, organic flax seed, organic quinoa and organic sesame seeds, these cracks come in five tasty flavors: Original, Caraway, Herb, Black Pepper, and Onion. I enjoy them all but am partial to Original, especially with a healthy dollop of peanut butter spread on top. Mmmm peanut butter – wait what were we talking about?

 

4. Food For Life Brown Rice Tortillas

Food For Life’s unique wheat and gluten free tortillas are shockingly moist, delicious and easy to use. There are six tortillas in a resealable package and are only 130 calories a pop. I use these for wraps and when I want to make quesidillas or any other Mexican inspired dish and am never let down. High quality and highly delicious.

 

5. Multi Grain Puffins

I’ve already dedicated an entire post about my love for this cereal, but it seemed wrong not to include it in my favorites list. This gluten-free, multi-grain cereal is made of corn, brown rice and whole oats, and is free of artificial flavors, preservatives and additives. The crunchy squares are slightly sweet and hold their shape and texture in almond or rice milk. I go through a box every few days… whoops.

6. Van’s Gluten Free Waffles

I don’t have a waffle maker at home so eating vegan and gluten free waffles used to be but a dream. That was til I discovered this line of amazing vegan and gluten free waffles that will make you leggo your eggo addiction. They offer a variety of flavors such as natural, blueberry, apple cinnamon, buckwheat, flax and even come in minis!

 

7. Coconut Aminos

This soy free and wheat free soy sauce alternative is completely raw and MSG free. This is a rather new discovery for me and I’ve been using it up the wazoo lately. This product also contains 17 amino acids which are the building blocks of all proteins making this a much healthier soy sauce alternative on all fronts. Coconut Aminos have a salty flavor with a slightly, just barely, sweet aftertaste. Yum.

 

8. S’moreables Graham Crackers

These tasty little grahams are like a cross between cookies and graham crackers.  They are indeed, S’moreable (adorable and devourable).  Nice branding guys. One amazing thing about them is that they are a little tougher than the “real” thing and they don’t crumble when you press a hot vegan marshmallow down on the chocolate whilst making a vegan smore.  Me likey.

9. Amy’s Rice Pasta Mac N Cheese

Made with daiya, this mac n cheese is seriously better than the real thing. In addition to being vegan and gluten free, it’s also soy free so even the most intensely allergy prone peeps out there can enjoy their cheesy fix. Garsh I love this. No longer have the blue box blues….

 

10. Amy’s Rice Crust Spinach Pizza

Amy’s rice crust spinach pizza includes mozzarella and ricotta-style soy “cheeze,” along with a crust based on organic sweet rice flour, organic potatoes and organic tapioca. I love this when I’m craving pizza and too lazy to whip up my own crust with Bob’s Red Mill packaged crust mix, or drive to Z Pizza or Fresh Brothers for a vegan gluten free alternative.

 

So lovely readers, with these easy swaps for your typical gluten containing products, you too can transition to a more gluten free lifestyle. I promise you will notice the benefits and nevah go back to eating wheat again.

Is there anything you miss since going gluten free? Anything you feel like you couldn’t live without that’s keeping you from making the switch? Let me know!

 

xoxo

Your Vegan Girlfriend

Ordering vegan at non-vegan restaurants

Posted in Italian, Pasta, Restaurants, Salad by

Today my little cousins were in a dance recital and I had the pleasure of seeing them point, tap, plie, leap and shake their little hearts out. It was fantastic. It was adorable. It was also three and a half hours long. With the stellar combo of my raging ADD and the fact that they were in 5 of the 55 dance numbers (I shit you not) I was about ready to murder someone as soon as the kids took their bows.

I couldn't find a picture that had my cousins in it sadly but the girl in the glasses was def in the recital and is the cutest miniture dancer I have ever seen (other than Laila and Ella of course).

Luckily it was dinner time and because my Uncle was in town to see the girls, dinner was going to be free. Redemmmmmmmptionnnnnnnnnn song. I LOVE spending Saturdays with my family because my cousins Eric and Lisa who own the Yoga Shelter and inspired my vegan lifestyle, and their two girls Ella and Laila, are all vegan (well Laila eats parmesan cheese and ice cream so she’s technically vegetarian but she is also nine). We always go to the most amazing restaurants and we all love food so I was, of course, looking forward to our classic dinner and a movie date night.

Lisa, Eric, Ella and Laila at a yoga training :) Love my cuzzies

However, Cliff, Eric’s dad is very much not a vegan. And since it was his treat it was also his dinner choice. And so we ended up at an Italian restaurant none of us, except Cliff, were particularly thrilled about. Much to my surprise and delight we all ended up finding delicious options that were vegan and all left full and happy. Here’s the info on this super accommodating, very not vegan, Italian eatery.

Farfalla Trattoria

16403 Ventura Blvd.
Suite D
Encino, CA 91436

After we sat at a booth inside, we ordered drinks, and then were served a bread basket that we confirmed was vegan. It came with a roasted red pepper vegetable and olive oil spread, which we again confirmed was vegan.

Assorted bread basket (which I didn't eat cause I don't do gluten but my cousins enjoyed it)

Roasted veg spread - we needed multiple orders, so tasty! On my fork and straight into my mouth.

We let the waiter know we were vegan (again, minus Cliff) and were going to be ordering with some specifications and substitutions. They were very accommodating and understanding to our needs and made sure all of our entrees met our needs.

I ordered a meal sized salad and had them add broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, portobello mushrooms and tomatoes (I wanted it to be filling and since I don’t eat gluten, sadly could not order pizza or pasta). Lisa ordered pasta arrabiata with spinach and broccoli, and Eric ordered a similar spaghetti. My little cousins both had pasta, one with oil and one with marinara.

My very custom salad

My salad was above and beyond delicious! I loved the eggplant and mushrooms in it and it had both red and yellow plum tomatoes, yummmoooo! The dressing was light and lemony and it was perfectly used. I really am like Goldilocks with my dressing needs and it was, just right. It also had these little wontony thingys that were made out of polenta (?) that I didn’t care for but Laila helped me eat them :) I clearly clean plate clubbed that bitch up.

Eric and Lisa also loved their pasta and raved about the homemade sauce. I tasted the remnants of Ella’s marinara and I may or may not have licked the inside of her plate. Whatever.

Lisa's custom pasta arrabiata

Eric's custom spaghetti

Cliff ordered some stuff I don’t even want to talk about.

All and all I was very pleased with our dining experience at Farfalla. Not to say if I had my choice I would come here again, but it goes to show you really can eat vegan anywhere. Always remember to ask your waiter or waitress about the contents of the bread basket, dips, pizza dough etc you plan on ordering, which may mean explaining that means no dairy or eggs in anything, but more times than not restaurants are more than happy to help you enjoy your dining experience and eat according to your preferences and lifestyle. Do not fret, I promise you can always find something vegan that is totally suitable to enjoy at any restaurant. There is always salad and you can always ask for a side of steamed or grilled vegetables. And if you can’t find something on the menu, create your own dish :)

Does anyone have a favorite non-vegan restaurant they love for vegan dishes? Let me know! Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Have a lovely (vegan) Father’s Day!

xoxo

Your Vegan Girlfriend