Minnesota: Land of 10,000 Lakes and Plant-Based Options

Today's VeganMofo theme is "Sell Yourself." Oh my, as a Minnesotan, that makes me uncomfortable... we're all above average and, somehow also, no better than anyone else (at least in Minnesota, don't get me started on state rivalries.) So rather than sell myself, let me sell Minnesota. Really, this is my love letter to my home and my invitation for you to visit Minnesota and enjoy some of its splendor. Or, if you already live here, maybe discover a new reason to love to call Minnesota home.

1) Vegan Food
Herbivorous Butcher, the first vegan "butcher shop", in Minneapolis is a must-see for plant-based enthusiasts. With nearly a dozen deli meats and various sausages, steaks, ribs, cheeses and the like, there are tons of options. As they say, #AllVeganEverything. My personal favorite is their monster Italian cold cut sub featuring pastrami, capicola ham, pepperoni and mozzarella.

Lots of local restaurants incorporate HB's products, so you can make nearly every Pizza Nea menu item vegan or check out the fan-favorite J.Selby's, a plant-based eatery in St. Paul (um, they also carry amazing buffalo cauliflower "wings" and "soyclone" ice cream shakes with options like brownies or cookies and cream.)

Pizza Luce (try their vegan rinotta on a pizza) and Seward Cafe (great breakfasts) have been rocking the vegan offerings for years. The Dogg Haus (Roseville and St. Paul skyway) offers a ton of vegan hot dog options; including the quintessential chicago dog (I'm so Minnesotan I add ketchup, sorry.)

Minnesota also is home to a vibrant food scene featuring the cuisines of some of the immigrant cultures that consider Minnesota home today. Some of my favorites are Unideli and Tori Ramen's ramen soup; Quang or Jasmine's vietnamese rice noodle salads (buns), sandwiches (bahn mi) and soup (Hu Tieu Chay);  Fasika's ethiopian platters (especially, greens (gomen) and spicy lentils (misir key wot); and Himalayan's momos. I guess what I'm trying to say is you won't go hungry.

From top left: Himalayan's chili momos, Herbivorous Butcher's italian cold cut sub, Seward's red green bean earth, Unideli's tantanamen ramen soup, J.Selby's cauliflower buffalo wings, and Fasika's vegetarian platter. 

My husband and I are foodies through and through, and love to check out grocery stores to see the different offerings. If that's your kind of thing, I highly recommend checking out the myriad of food coops (Seward and the Wedge are my favorite and have lots of vegan options in their deli/desserts.) and the Whole Foods Selby Diner which now features the Beyond Meat Burger and fries ($6/Friday!).


2) Nature and Arts
I'm guilty of getting a little too excited about all the new food I get to try on a vacation and needing to build in some activities to build up an appetite. Don't worry, Minnesota has you covered. Of course, we have the Mall of America, but we also have amazing arts and natural areas to enjoy. Minnesotans value the arts and it shows with theaters, museums and concert venues galore. Minnesotans also love the Great Outdoors A LOT, especially water (not surprising for a state with 10,000+ lakes.) Minnesota has dozens of state parks and recreational areas that offer outdoor programming, camping, trails and more.

You can try the paddle share (or other rental programs) and explore the Mississippi river or Minneapolis's chain of lakes or check out the Sax Zim Bog, a birder's paradise and home to many owls, in Northern Minnesota. In the winter (and really every season), I love going to Como Conservatory (free/donation encouraged) and enjoying the humid, earthy smells of tropical ferns to cure the winter chills (and the sunken garden is a must see/photograph that changes seasonally.) Minnesota is also home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River located in Itasca State Park. I've got to stop, I could go on about the wonderful places to visit forever.

From top left: Como Conservatory Sunken Garden, Headwaters of the Mississippi and fungi at Itasca State Park, lily pads at Como Conservatory, and sunset at Gull Lake near Brainerd. 

My recommendations on the arts: Guthrie, Jungle Theater, Heart of the Beast Theater (or May Day Parade), Midway Murals project, First Ave,  Science Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Arts (especially during Art in Bloom)

From Left: Midway Murals' Story of the Coffee Tree, First Ave, Heart of the Beast Puppet at May Day Parade, and Art in Bloom at MIA. 

3) Breweries and Distilleries

If you like beer, Minnesota should be on your destination vacation list (check out what Minnesota has to offer.) Come during one of the festivals and sample the latest on tap from 50+ breweries across the state, or come any time and hit up a few tap rooms (conveniently, there is an evenings worth accessible by light rail, so you don't have to worry about drinking and driving.) Not a beer fan? Don't worry, I'm not really either...give me gin over beer any day (not every day, don't worry, mom.) There are a growing number of distilleries offering gin, vodka and other liquors to sample.

My recommendations: Schell's (New Ulm), Surly (Minneapolis), DuNord (Minneapolis), Norseman (Minneapolis.)

From Left: Schell's Beer Tour Tasting in New Ulm, Surly Brew Hall in Minneapolis.

I didn't even mention the Minnesota State Fair which is worthy of a whole blog itself.

My Secret Ingredient: Nooch-ing

I bet money my "secret" ingredient is the number one mention by VeganMOFO bloggers. It's in most stores, but if you're new to plant-based eating you probably have never given it a second thought. What is it?

It's nooch to the aficionados, and nutritional yeast on the label. This unassuming yellow flaky substance will rock your world. But, no, really, what is it?!

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast (not the stuff you use to make bread or beer) that you can usually find in the bulk or spice section (weirdly, sometimes also in the health and wellness section.) It's got a great cheesy, nutty flavor. And, it's often fortified with B12 (one of 7 vitamin that you cannot get from non-fortified plant foods.) 

Some easy noochy recipes:

• Popcorn. Make popcorn, add nooch, a little salt and earth balance margarine, coconut oil, or go oil-free. Ask anyone who knows my cat, he literally cannot help but stick his head in the bowl to lick up the cheesy goodness...after I'm done of course.
• "Parmesan" topping. If you're lazy like me, sprinkle the nooch straight on the pasta dish. You can make it more creamy and substantial with this simple recipe.
• Soups. The trick to minestrone is the parmesan rind with its salty, umami quality. Substitute in nooch and a little salt and voila! I add nooch to chili and any soup I want to have savory, mouthwatering depth.  

Have you ever tried nooch? What's your favorite recipe? 

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Impressive Plants

First, I do not engage in converting people's food choices. Food choices are personal and complex from family traditions to health needs. I know people that encourage others to be more reflective and make food choices that embody their values, and that's admirable especially when done from a place of empowering rather than guilting or converting. That said, I LOVE empowering someone who has made the choice to eat more plants by sharing my favorite recipes, restaurants, products and tips.

There are also times I want to cook for my omnivore friends whether they just became parents or I'm inviting a group over for dinner. My standard never-fail-to-impress-an-omnivore is this black bean and swiss chard enchilada casserole (recipe here.) I often make substitutions in the recipe from the type of vegan cheese used on top (my current favorite is So Delicious Dairy-Free Cheddar Jack Shreds) to the veggies (sweet potatoes, peppers, greens are all great additions.)

The casserole is made all the better by serving it with lots of mix-and-match toppings for a choose-your-own-adventure experience. Popular toppings to include: tomatoes, raw onions, cilantro, lettuce, vegan sour cream, avocado, salsa and hot sauce.

If you find yourself with someone who wants to eat more plants, but does not embrace vegetables or beans, this dish isn't going to work. In that case, I'd recommend almond ricotta stuffed shells with marinara sauce (check out Miyoko Schinner's amazing recipe here.)

Vegan Wedding Catering

We're celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary this month, so I thought it fitting to share a catering success story: our wedding!

My husband and I are foodies. When we began planning our wedding, we had the same challenge we have when we go on vacation: more food we wanted to share than meals in the day. The solution: We celebrated our wedding over a week of meals with close friends and family (some from out of town.)

We welcomed our out of town guests with Japanese sushi and grilled (robata) plates at Masu, and then whisked away the wedding party and moms for manicures at the Aveda Institute across the street.

Instead of holding a dance after the wedding, we opted to go swing dancing earlier in the week at the Wabasha Street Caves and fuel our dancing with Cambodian stir fry dishes from Cheng Heng. Their tamarind stirfry dish (chha kaim som) is my favorite with a sour, savory sauce served over peppers, onions, broccoli, pea pods, tofu and thai basil. My hubby's fave is the lemongrass and peanut stirfry (chha kroeng).

We had the wedding rehearsal dinner at our favorite date night spot, Little Szechuan, sharing green beans, spicy fried tofu, and more. We've celebrated our anniversary here ever since.

For the wedding day meal, we wanted an all vegan meal that all our friends and family would enjoy. Chowgirls Killer Catering is a local company that offers seasonal vegan friendly options. We did a taste test with my parents and a friend sampling a lot of the vegan offerings, and I'm glad we did! I was adamant pre-tasting that I didn't want a simple salad with green goddess dressing (vegans aren't rabbits!) I also thought we'd likely go with vegan versions of familiar foods like mac and cheese bites or meatless meatballs. In the end, we decided to go with classic delicious food that "wasn't too weird". Roasted veggies, dips and pates, root vegetable quinoa salad, and yes...that herbaceous, amazing green goddess dressing on a simple salad. They snuck it in our tasting, and I remember feigning displeasure at the hard sell on the salad, until I took a bite. The day after our wedding I was scraping every last drop of the leftover dressing on a salad.

Of course, what wedding is complete without the cake? We're fortunate to have an amazing baker at our local coffee shop, Groundswell, who really outdid herself with five vegan cupcakes: pumpkin with cream cheese frosting, banana with peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache, champagne with frosted cranberries, spice cake with apple compote, and chocolate with chocolate ganache and a coconut macaroon. Our local baker beat out Chicago Diner and a local coop in our cake test.

Thanks for sharing this walk down memory lane with me, and if you're local I hope you'll support some of the amazing businesses that helped make our wedding week special.

Junk Food Fave: Taco Dip and Doritos

Growing up, taco dip was a staple at family functions. It was a given Pace Medium Salsa was involved, and the family was split on whether the dip should be served with Doritos or plain tortilla chips.  Here's my veganized taco dip recipe. 

You might be thinking the vegan version can't be served with Doritos, but you'd be wrong! Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos are vegan, and work just fine with the dip. You could also try Late July's Bacon Habanero chips (yep, vegan.)

I don't know if my taste buds are mellowing out in old age, but blue and yellow corn tortilla chips are slowly becoming the standard when serving taco dip. Hope you enjoy!

Pasta, again?

I admit I get excited when the vegan option is pasta with veggies (extra credit for a decent marinara sauce.) I mean I've had worse: steamed, unseasoned frozen veggies take the cake. And, I NEVER get hummus at a restaurant if I have a choice. It's the cliche choice for the plant eaters. I mean really, which one is more common: a black bean burger or hummus? Not to mention, half the time the burger is not actually vegan or vegetarian.

So, back to the pasta....it's a pretty decent option though light on protein and high on carbs. It's also probably a staple at home recipe for a lot of people. So, how can we change it up, amp up the protein and make it special?

1) Replace the noodles.
Cutting carbs is usually a good thing, but how do you do it without feeling like you're losing out? Baby steps and find what works for you! Eating traditional pasta today? Maybe try whole wheat or a lentil or quinoa pasta first. Two of my favorites: GoGo Quinoa Macaroni and Tolerant lentil pasta.

The quinoa pasta cooks fast and can get soft and break down in wet sauces/soups, so it's best for a dry pasta dish or pasta salad. I prefer the rotini shaped lentil pasta which holds up well to hot sauces, and doesn't have too al dente of a texture (like the lentil penne can have.)

Just play around with different kinds until you find what works. Some other options I've tried: Banza chickpea shells, Tolerant black bean penne, organic edamame pasta, and  House Foods tofu shirataki noodles.)

2) Pack protein in the sauce.
Tofu or nut-based cream sauces cut fat and cholesterol from traditional alfredo sauces, and pack a lot of protein compared to a marinara or pesto sauce.

Love the marinara? No problem. Add beans (kidney or cannellini are my favorites) or a faux meat (Gardein meatless meatballs are the best!)  Or, make your own cheesy topping of nutritional yeast and nuts to sprinkle on top.

3) Make it special.
So, the noodles or sauce are covering the protein, now what can you do to make your pasta dish special? Play with the sauce: 1) mix some pesto or fresh herbs with your marinara or alfredo, 2) mix the alfredo and marinara, 3) make it spicy with crushed red pepper, or 4) skip the sauce with a light splash of good olive oil or melted earth balance and lemon juice/zest.

Challenge yourself to add more veggies. I've found adding kale (or spinach if greens are not really your thing) is a great way to increase my veggie intake ... oh, and peppers, onions, carrots, eggplant, you name it! Keep some frozen veggies on hand so it's super easy to add them in. You can even turn the vegetables into noodles. Check out this recipe for zucchini noodles with pumpkin seed pesto and peaches for a refreshing treat:

What's your pet peeve veg dish?

A Good Ribbing

I'm a sucker for popular culture. It's brain candy - wasting time, attention, etc., but somehow amusing. In most cases, it's like being an anthropologist trying to figure out why it's popular when it makes little sense to me. Enter my momentary fascination with McDonald's McRib. This thing really is disgusting when you dissect its ingredients (like a hot dog), yet it's something of legend.

McDonald McRib devotees who use "McRib tracking sites" and have launched "Save the McRib" campaigns (clever McDonald marketing.) Simpsons played the craze homage by making Homer a ribwich deadhead. But how does it stack up compared to a comparable plant-based alternative?


via GIPHY

I compared the McRib to a vegan MorningStar Farms Hickory smoked BBQ riblet on a Food for Life whole wheat burger bun. Here's how they stacked up: 

Sources: MorningStar, Food for Life, McDonalds

Fewer calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium and more protein and iron in the vegan version. The vegan version was also higher in carbs, sugar and dietary fiber. Definitely not a health food, especially if you're watching your glucose or sodium levels.