Meals for New Moms and Dads

A lot of my friends and family are embarking on parenthood. Most recently, just a couple weeks ago, my co-worker and her partner had their first child. Babies are amazing little creatures and talk about a whirlwind of a change in your life. At our office, we've taken to partnering up to provide the new parents with homemade food once a week to give them more time to bond with and learn about their baby. From what I hear, you need all the time you can get especially in the early weeks.

At our office, we used a google spreadsheet to lay claim to a week and plot out our menus to give the new parents variety. Then we write on note cards the menus and delivery dates as a gift. There are fancier websites for coordinating the meals, but we use the google platform at work so it was easiest. This week was my turn, and I made a variation of swiss chard and potato enchilada casserole (recipe here) and a variation of my Asian jicama-mango salad (recipe here.)

 Jicama, mango, radish and red cabbage with a vinaigrette provides a
refreshing and quick alternative to standard coleslaw. 

For moms who are breastfeeding, you're supposed to go light on the spiciness for the wee one's sake, so I omitted the habaneros and cut back on the chilis. I wasn't sure what else was to be avoided for the benefit of the baby, but this was a helpful resource (not only vegan.) The casserole lends itself well to freezing to give the new parents options.

Swiss Chard and Potato Enchiladas with homemade sauce
and topped with Go Veggie Mexican Blend Dairy Free Cheese

After a busy weekend, it was nice to spend some quiet time cooking and thinking about sharing food with friends. The brightly colored veggies in the pan was a kaleidoscope of positive wishes for the new family and hopefully would be a welcome break from what I can only imagine is a stressful time of learning about life with a baby.

Onions, zucchini, red bell peppers, potatoes, swiss chard stems
(greens added later) make for a colorful filling

Tea Time

There's beer, wine and coffee tastings, so why not tea? Verdant Tea in Minneapolis' Seward neighborhood offers just that and so much more in a relaxed space on Franklin Avenue.

The write ups on the artisan tea growers Verdant partners with and dozens of flavor profile overviews draw you into the world of tea.  I like tea, but I don't know that much about it, so it was a chance to learn more with a flight of hot teas. You can also get any tea flash-chilled for a made to order iced beverage.

Mrs. Li's Shi Feng Dragonwell green tea with flavor notes of sparkling, vanilla, spinach, white grape, cucumber and lychee. For more of the story on this tea, check this out.

They got me to stay by offering a myriad of refreshing and satisfying vegan food options like green tea or chai donuts; Birchwood's sandwiches, salads and soups; Sweet Science's dark chocolate and pear riesling sorbets; and a congee (quinoa & rice porridge)with a bunch of topping options. We sampled the sorbets during a tasting. The dark chocolate was rich and fudgy; while, the pear riesling was fruity and bright.

Verdant Tea is a great addition to the Minneapolis foodie scene, and a great place to explore new flavors.

Minnesota State Fair - Vegan Guide

When my fiance decided to stop eating animals and animal products (go vegan), we thought vegan pickings would be slim at the Great Minnesota Get Together (State Fair.) To our delight, blogger Midwest Vaygun had our back. She had several years of "gorging" at the state fair in the name of providing vegans a list of fair food options. Thank goodness for upstanding Minnesotans willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of our communities. :) Also, thank you to my parents, friends and fiance who helped compile the list below. With that said, please do confirm for yourselves these dishes are vegan and note this is not comprehensive (we got full.)

2013 Minnesota State Fair Food Guide for Vegans

Our Top Five:

There's a lot to do at the fair, but these are worth the $12 entrance ticket alone!

1. Corn Roast (located near the Grandstand) 

Hold the butter, enjoy nature's food on a stick in its summer glory. This is a perennial favorite of many.

2. Produce Exchange's Sweet Dreams Peach (located across the street from the International Bazaar)

Before you judge this as not adequately deep-fried or on a stick for fair food, I dare you to tell me you've had a better peach. I dream of these peaches all year...thus they are aptly named.

3. Fresh French Fries (2 locations: between Adventure land and the Mighty Midway and in front of the Senior Center (West of the Agriculture building))

 Deep-fried, crisp salty goodness in a bucket. Made with fresh potatoes...many imitators, but none compare. The owners of these stands are probably millionaires because the crowds line up for this must have for anyone who likes french fries.

4. Harry Singh's Vegetarian Roti w/ Trinidad Scorpion Pepper hot sauce (Southeast corner of the Food Building)

Mild mannered when wrapped in its warm roti shell, open this bad boy up and add a splash of the hottest hot sauce you've probably ever had to the already flavorful curried chickpeas and this is a great meal option. We liked it better than the doubles, but they're cheaper/smaller if you just want a taste.

5. MN Apples' frozen cider pop and fresh apple sauce (in the west hall of the Agriculture building)

The State Fair is one last summer party before kids head back to school and the leaves start to change. Make the transition to Fall a little more comforting with this refreshing Mr. Freeze/popsicle cider that serves as a bridge between the seasons. The apple sauce is better than anything you'll find in a jar at the store too. Perfectly portioned and priced at less than $2 each.

Honorable Mention: Farmer's Union's iced coffee w/ a splash of soy milk (near the front gate, west side of Dan Patch)

If you get to the Fair early or need a caffeine boost, the Farmer's Union booth serves J&S Bean Factory coffee which tastes great and offers Pacific Natural Foods' barista blend soy milk (my favorite non-dairy milk for coffee drinks) 

The Goods

We liked...just didn't love these options.

6. Strawberries & Creme (Randall & Underwood - near the kidway)

We couldn't believe our eyes, but staff confirmed the whipping cream is non-dairy. The strawberries were slightly tart and cool with a generous dollop of rich, sweet creme.

7. French Meadows' brown sugar scone (Carnes & Underwood)

It was more flat than the other scones - almost cookie-like. The flavor was good and made us hope they carry it in store year round. I don't suspect it will ever have the crazed following that leads to half hour lines like the cronut/doussiant, but you can people watch the line while enjoying the scone and a coffee.

8. Hamline Dining Hall's pomegranate pizzazz sorbet (near the Visitor Center on Dan Patch)

Refreshing and cool with the iconic izzy mini scoop on top. Service was inconsistent, but the sorbet was great. Izzy's is a local favorite ice cream shop which is great about offering soy ice cream and sorbet options for vegans.

9. Spring Grove Sodas' Rhu-berry soda (on Nelson near the DNR building)

We Minnesotans love our rhubarb, but this soda was a little sweeter than we hoped. Heavy Table raves about the lemon sour and thought the rhu-berry and lemon sodas were good offerings in the Heavy Table state fair food tour (warning: not vegan).

Vegan Mecca: international bazaar (located on the south side of the fairgrounds)

Like with restaurants, you're more likely to score vegan options if you check out the international bazaar at the fairgrounds. Here's a few:

10. Island Noodles (located in the last row near the stage in the bazaar)

Wok-fried soba noodles in a garlic ginger sauce with lots of veggies are a solid meal option. Major bonus points for slicing fresh veggies into each batch. Mmmm...wok-fried broccoli.

11. Cinnamon Roasted Almonds (located a few stalls down from Island Noodles)

They were handing out samples and claiming dairy and gluten free. If you're nuts for nuts, give them a try but ask about honey first.

12. St. Martin's Olives' olives on a stick (same row further from the stage)

More vegan-friendly food on a stick. They're olives. They're stuffed with garlic, peppers, onions and sun-dried tomatoes.

13. Holy land (Southeast corner (same row as above) of the bazaar)

Has a ton of options; including, falafel, tabbouli, hummus, grape leaves and veggie samosas. Solid food, very generous portions.

14. Los Ocampos' guacamole and chips (Eastern edge of the bazaar trades with Burrito Mercado for half the fair)

A generous 2/3 cup freshly made guacamole with lime, tomatoes, onions, and avocados. If you go earlier in the fair, you'll see Burrito Mercado in this spot and they offer a chili and lime dusted fresh mango on a stick. We've heard it's phenomenal.

The Fried

I am not crazy about fried foods (makes me a seeming anomaly at the fair), so a separate category to not bias the choices.

15. Preferred Pickles' Fried pickles (SW corner of Dan Patch & Liggett - near the Mighty Midway)

Cajun and perfect offerings are vegan if you hold on the ranch dipping sauce. We didn't check to see if the chocolate dipping sauce was vegan because that combo didn't sound good. The hot sauce was a tasty addition. 

16. Sonny's Spiral Spuds' Potato on a stick (Northwest corner of the Food Building)

Vegan on a stick option! Another fun way to eat a fried potato, but if you're only going to do one potato option make it the french fries. If you come with an army, get the potato tornado which is a massive amount of potatoes on a stick definitely made to share.

Others we didn't try

Even with a team of six hungry people, you're not going to get through all the fair's options.

17. Dole whip (located across the street from French Meadow)

Non-dairy softserve with fruit or a pineapple juice float.

18. Veggie Pie's frozen grapes on a stick (south wall of Food Building)

19. Fried Green Tomatoes (on Dan Patch by Crossroads/The Garden) Update: These contain whey and are not vegan.

Warning: Sonora Grill- sorry, the eggplant fries and eggplant tacos have egg in the breading.

236,197 people were at the Minnesota State Fair when we were on an absolutely gorgeous Sunday - setting a new attendance record!

Recipe: Asian Jicama-Mango Salad

Jicama (pronounced like you're mid-hiccup when you call for your ma, "hick-ah-ma") is an often overlooked vegetable (well, actually a tuber similar to a potato) that deserves your attention. It's known as a Mexican Yam or Turnip and is a refreshing raw, slightly starchy treat with subtle flavors like green beans or peas and apples. Don't worry, it tastes nothing like a raw potato/yam or turnip.

Since it's refreshing and subtle, it pairs well with bolder flavors. Enter: Habanero. I have a love-hate relationship with this chili. I love its fruity, almost sweet heat. I don't like its intense heat. It can be up to 100x as hot as Tabasco sauce! You can avoid the heat by avoiding the capsaicin which is concentrated in the seeds and the pith where the seeds are attached.

Habaneros and jicama are from Mexico, so you can imagine all the Mexican flavor combos you could add. I was feeling adventurous though, so I went with some Asian flavors of ginger and sesame oil for my salad.

Asian Jicama-Mango Salad

1 large jicama
1 mango
1 bell pepper (color is your choice, mine was red)
1/4 c cilantro
7-8 radishes
handful of chives (or green onions)

Sauce:
1 T sesame oil
2 T lime juice
1 T brown rice vinegar
2 diced itsy-bitsy habaneros
1 T grated ginger
1 T bee-free honee (or a sweetener of your choice)

Dice the veggies small (see photo) and place in a bowl. Mix the sauce ingredients in a glass measuring cup (if you're worried about the heat, try 1/2 a habanero and up it until you're comfortable.) Blend the sauce well and add to veggie bowl and toss well. Serve cold or room temperature.

Don't forget one of the best parts...eating the mango you didn't cut off the seed...mmm...mango!!

Recipe: Taco Dip

Eating out is fun, but not nearly as fun as spending time making a full out meal at home. I'm not talking about a rush job like a sandwich or stir fry. I'm talking about an entree, side dishes... maybe even an appetizer. It's rare in our house to make the time to make full out meals. We're usually running from one thing to the other, or working late. But not tonight...and tonight was good, really good.

In celebration of the 4th of July, I wanted to make a vegan version of a family favorite: taco dip. It's layered with a chili-seasoned sour cream/cream cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. This stuff is a hit at family gatherings and really easy to make vegan.

Vegan Taco Dip

1/2 tub Tofutti cream cheese (or your choice)
1/2 tub Tofutti sour cream (or your choice)
3/4 c Pace medium salsa (or your choice)
1 romaine heart
1 medium tomato
1/3 white onion
1 fresh jalapeno (optional)
1/2 T cumin (to taste)
1 T chipotle (to taste)
2 tsp ancho (to taste)
1/2 T garlic powder (to taste)
1 T lime juice (to taste)
1/2 T hot sauce (to taste

Mix cream cheese and sour cream in a small bowl until smooth. Add in spices, lime juice and hot sauce (you can skip this step by mixing in a half package of your favorite taco seasoning (check ingredients if you're making it vegan.)) Spread this mixture at the base of your dish (use a large dinner plate or you can double this recipe for a 9x11 dish). Top with the salsa and spread even (try not to mix the layers.) Dice the lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapeno and layer in that order on the salsa mixture (think you want to be able to get a good mix of this on a chip, so dice it small.) Serve with chips or fresh veggies.

That was just the appetizer! Check out this spread: homemade refried pinto beans; fajita-style peppers, onions and mushrooms; fresh guacamole; and jicama-mango salad (recipe upcoming.)

Baller Meatless Meatballs

Spaghetti is one of those comfort foods, like chili, that can be made vegan and most meat lovers won't even realize they're missing the meat. It's also pretty easy to make from scratch.  I usually just make the marinara with tomatoes, garlic, onions, red peppers, mushrooms, oregano, basil and red chili pepper flakes, but tonight I wanted to kick it up a notch and make it super hearty. 

Spaghetti marinara with Gardein meatless meatballs, parsley and faux parmesan

What's heartier than meatballs? I've tried a couple veggie meatballs and can say without a doubt that Gardein's meatless meatballs are the best. Gardein's meatballs have a great fennel flavor that reminds you of an Italian grandma's handmade with love meat-ah-ballls. The texture, when sauteed before adding to the sauce, has a great juicy, slight crumble with a browned crisp crust that rises above and beyond the usually wheat-y or rubbery consistence faux meats can have.

Yum! www.gardein.com

To Meat or Not Meat?

Recently, my fiance celebrated his 2nd anniversary of eating only plant-based foods with a reflection on what it was that convinced him after decades of eating animals to stop. It got me thinking about the people I've encountered (and the struggle I've had personally) where this idea that to stop eating animals means to somehow give something up. The reality is in the last few years there has been a tremendous move to offering plant-based alternatives to animal products. For instance, Gardein's sizzling sezchuan beefless strips with some fresh veggies stir-fried in (pictured above) makes passing on eating a cow for some beef and broccoli much easier. 

My fiance has transitioned his diet in his move away from eating animals. He eats way more veggies and much healthier than he did. As a result, he's seeing major health benefits. I haven't transitioned my diet as much in the move away from eating animals. Instead of consuming pigs and cows to eat a grilled ham and cheese, I've switched to Lightlife's baked ham style slices and Daiya's provolone slices. This week, I got a slice of cheesecake that one would be hard-pressed to tell was 100% plant-based. On my cereal, it's just as easy to use one of the countless alternatives to milk from a cow.  That's just it, you have choices - lots of them - every day in what you choose to eat. 

I still slip up and choose foods that come from animals on occasion - often thinking it'll be more convenient or comforting.  The thing is I know better and more and more that knowledge with the experience of finding tasty plant-based food that works for what I like is helping me transition away from eating animals. It isn't hard if you go at your pace and are willing to try. 

Resources for exploring eating more plant-based foods:

www.exploreveg.org - resources, recipes, Twin Cities-based activities, and more.

www.vegguide.org - searchable resource of restaurants that offer plant-based meals

www.veganmofo.org - blog list with lots of recipes, motivation and inspiration

www.vegnews.com - magazine with lots of helpful tips, recipes, reviews.

Whole Foods Market - they've got a lot of 100% plant-based options on their shelves, but so do your everyday grocery stores and Target.

Trader Joe's - convenience and they mark 100% plant-based foods with a V(vegan) for ease in shopping.