Vegenista

Yakisoba - Japanese noodles stir-fried with tofu, carrots, snap...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:12:59 -0800

Yakisoba at Stone Brewing World Bistro

Yakisoba - Japanese noodles stir-fried with tofu, carrots, snap peas, mushrooms, & red onion seasoned with dark sesame oil, soy, ginger & red pepper flakes garnished with cashews

I had the absolute pleasure of having lunch at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens with my dear friend Andi this afternoon. Due to their kitchen remodel, they are operating in a smaller facility & offering a very limited menu. Sadly, that meant no “Tempeh Burger” or “Tempeh Shepard’s Pie,” but it did give me the opportunity to try something new, & as the “Yakisoba” was the only veg offering on the lunch menu, our choice was made. As everything else at Stone, it was awesome! Fried yakisoba noodles with tender veggies, fresh ginger, crunchy cashews & a savory sauce - so so yummy. The only thing that could’ve made it even better for me would’ve been a spicy side of Sriracha to spice it up even more.

Excellent food & company alike. Couldn’t have asked for a more perfect way to spend this holiday Monday.

Two Berry-licious Breakfasts

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:16:00 -0800

I spoke to my Mom this morning to make our Sunday movie date plans & she mentioned she was...

Napa Cabbage with Fennel, Blood Oranges, Pomegranate Seeds & Almonds

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:01:00 -0800

I am officially done complaining about cabbage. Every time I see cabbage on my CSA pick up letter, I...

LoveLikeBeer's "Love Affair"

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:08:00 -0800

I mentioned previously that I don’t put much weight on Valentine’s Day. That being said,...

This Week's (small) CSA Share!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:08:00 -0800

Oh Joy! More cabbage. Last week my friend Jackie over at Vegan Yack Attack suggested making a...

"Their bodies are their own; they’re not ours to use. Their babies are their own; they’re not ours to..."

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

“Their bodies are their own; they’re not ours to use. Their babies are their own; they’re not...

LOVELIKEBEER presents “Love Affair” - Valentine’s...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:59:00 -0800

LOVELIKEBEER presents “Love Affair” - Valentine’s Day Vegan Dessert & Beer Pairings

Join the LOVELIKEBEER crew for a candlelit affair at one San Diego’s new & exciting craft beer destinations, Tiger! Tiger! Tavern, whose big sister Blind Lady Ale House, hosted my absolute favorite LLB event to date. These guys know how to do it & this event is not to be missed. Here are the details, hot off the press:

When: February 14th, 2012, 5pm-11pm

Where: Tiger! Tiger! Tavern

No Advance Tickets or Prix Fixe menu (Come/Go/Order as you please)

15% of Sales Benefit Jeans 4 Justice - a local non-profit dedicated to ending sexual violence through creative awareness campaigns, college & high school campus outreach, & cutting edge education programs. J4J uses fashion, art, fitness, performance & other creative wellness outlets to engage participants & provide a creative vehicle to deliver sexual violence prevention messaging.

For those of you not into v-day, don’t let the date discourage you. This event is for couples, groups of friends, & solo celebrators alike. So come one & come all!

Want some dinner before dessert? The full Tiger!Tiger! dinner menu will be available throughout the night, so arrive early & enjoy dinner before dessert. They always have a great selection of vegan entrees. Mmmmm…veggie sliders!

Hope to see you & your loved one(s) there.

Be My Vegan Valentine...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:05:00 -0800

Oh Valentine’s Day, here you come again. Whether single or spoken for, I’ve never put...

Happy February! For me, January flew by with lightening speed...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:13:00 -0800

Happy February! For me, January flew by with lightening speed & I cannot believe we are already in the second month of 2012. I always love the start of a new month, as it is a great time to reassess, renew & recharge. I am really excited about this month for a number of reasons - there are some fun things happening in my world & around town:

February 2 - The grand opening of San Diego’s Casa de Luz. The Austin based vegan, macrobiotic restaurant & cooking school has taken roots here in the North Park neighborhood just a few blocks away from me! I’ve been waiting for this day since I heard they were coming last spring. I hope to make it there for lunch this weekend & will certainly post a full write up review. Until then, read this to learn more.

February 3 - Fiesta Friday at Aztec Brewing with San Diego Vegans. Aztec Brewing will be featuring menu items from Southern Fried Vegan including “Beer Battered Avocado Tacos” & “Red Beans N’ Quinoa.” Um…hello! Meetup members get a sandwich and 2 sides for only $10. Join San Diego Vegans here.

February 10-13 - Vegenista in the Bay Area! I’ll be traveling up north for a weekend of fun & food! First stop - San Francisco! I have dinner reservations at Millennium & hope to also check out Gracias Madre for a quick lunch. Then I’ll be heading over to Alameda (hoping to have some Bowzer’s Pizza & try the vegan pate at Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden), Berkeley (Cinnaholic, baby, here I come!), & possibly a day trip up to Napa! I’ll be sure to share my adventure!

February 11 - My friend Chef Jenn will be hosting My Vegan Valentine Cooking Class at Cups La Jolla. Chef Jenn will guide you & your sweetheart while you prepare your own 4-course gourmet meal together in this hands-on cooking class. Menu will include Arugula & Spinach Salad with Shiraz Vinaigrette, Carrot, Butternut & Vanilla Soup, Roasted & Stuffed Chiles with Walnut Sauce, & Mulled Wine Poached Pears with Coconut Whipped “Cream.”

February 14 - LOVELIKEBEER is hosting a Valentine’s Vegan Dessert & Beer Pairings at Tiger!Tiger! Tavern. Come early & check out the vegan items on their dinner menu as well. More details to come!

That’s all I’ve got on the vegan agenda this month, but will certainly share any other cool happenings I hear about with you right here! Have an awesome month!

Vegan Mac & Cheese with Arugula Pesto

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:08:00 -0800

Don’t even get me started on how amazing this little “experiment” turned out &...

If you can get past the cheesy introduction & questionable...

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:54:00 -0800

If you can get past the cheesy introduction & questionable choice of music, this video has a lot of fantastic information!

I recently discovered The Alkaline Sisters blog & instantly feel in love with both the gorgeous photos & the clean healthy recipes. Reading their thoughtful posts & viewing their delectable creations inspires me to eat better, hone in my photography skills & be more creative in the kitchen.

With so many things going on in my life right now, & with some of them having variables that are beyond my control, I’ve been yearning for control over just one thing. Something that I can take immediate control of is my health & wellbeing - through a clean healthy diet & daily yoga/exercise. Working with children exposes me to a plethora of viruses & aliments. I know that my immune system is being overloaded on a daily basis & I need to keep it strong.

I usually start my day with some sort of green smoothie variation. Typically it’s a blend of coconut water, kale, spinach, frozen mango, banana, flax & chia seeds. Sounds pretty good right? Yes, but from what I learned in the above video I can make it better, as Alkaline Sisters outline the basics of a well balanced green smoothie. I am going to try swapping out my mango for pear, & my banana for avocado, & add some ginger & herbs to my morning ritual.

Here are two of their green smoothie recipes that I will be definitely adding to my repertoire: Green Smoothie Recipe & Alkaline Green Smoothie

I also love this Green Machine Smoothie from Cookie & Kate. I made it this morning, using coconut water instead of orange juice. Good stuff! I feel cleaner & greener already!

A votre santé!

Compassion is the Fashion

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:05:00 -0800

I just ordered this & I cannot wait to receive it & wear it everyday! ...

Chopped Miso Salad with Savory Baked Tofu

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:03:00 -0800

As I sit here & eat my latest cabbage rich Heidi Swanson inspired creation (“White Beans...

This quote was exactly what I needed today. Truth be told, I am...

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:11:00 -0800

This quote was exactly what I needed today.

Truth be told, I am having a rough go of it right now. Not a great start to the year. I am doing what I can to get through it in a positive way. It doesn’t help that I’ve been ill, & therefore not being able to go to yoga, or sleep, or think clearly for that matter. I understand that I may be thinking a little more catastrophically due to said factors. Regardless, tough decisions lie ahead for me & that weighs heavy on my heart. There is no denying that, these days, many people are having a rough go of it too, & probably far worse than me. I need to remember to always count my blessings, & I have many.

Life is hard. It can be difficult to navigate through it, especially when one cannot see the light. It’s easy to lose hope & I certainly have those days. But then I have better, & I need to have faith that it will get better, eventually. Don’t give up. Look for the opportunity. It HAS to be there…

This Week's (small) CSA Share

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:26:00 -0800

Cabbage, again. Tis the season. This is the only disadvantage of being a CSA member: non-preferred...

I love your blog! Your layout is beautiful and extremely clean and your articles always have delicious pictures. I really appreciate others who promote a healthful and conscious way of life! Keep up the great work.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:03:00 -0800

Thank you so much - you really made my day! I have fallen a little behind lately & feeling a...

Kabocha Curry - Vegan & Cheater Version

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:12:00 -0800

Weeknights are often busy. Between 2 jobs, I work a long day, then come home, tend to my dog, &...

Rainbow Chard & White Bean Stew

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:24:00 -0800

Baby it’s cold outside…for Southern California, anyway. After a few weeks of warm...

Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:39:00 -0800

It seems a little late in the season to be cooking with pumpkin, I know. We often equate pumpkin...

Lotus Cafe & Juice Bar - Hillcrest

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:05:00 -0800

There is a new veg-friendly eatery open on my side of town & I could not be more...