Sausage w/ Brussels Sprouts "Kraut"

It's been a long day full of excitement-- I hit 30k views!

I've been on a huge @FieldRoast kick recently. (Particularly their Apple Sage Sausage. Literally have eaten one every day for the past 2wks...) But tonight, I stepped it up a notch. I posted a picture of it on Instagram (as I do with almost everything I make/eat) and @that.fit.girl.christine was DROOLING!! :-) As promised Christine, this one is for you!  Read more

The Kentucky Derby

"There are people here who spend all year waiting for today. People who care about this day as much as anything else in the world. For us, it's about pride in where we're from, and who we are, and understanding that these two minutes... are timeless. It all started before anyone alive can remember but it's easy to see why The Derby came to be here, in Kentucky, and not anywhere else. Why it belongs here. Why it endures here.

The Bluegrass, that's actually as green as any horse could dream of grazing on. The limestone that sets the taste of bourbon apart, the instant you put it to your lips. The sense of style that dares you to be different and is always sure to welcome you in.

And that's just the start of what makes THIS day at THIS place UNLIKE anything else in the world. and why if you love racing, and you love parties... if you love the action and the energy and the soul of life itself, today feels like home.

Who's going to win? It could be anyone of them. What's going to happen? That's the point, no one knows. So welcome back to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May. Where the story of the Kentucky Derby continues with chapter 141. Around here we wait for today all year long! The race, the party and the reminder of how it feels to be part of a celebration so timeless!"

-Ashley Judd's opening for NBC's Derby Coverage. 

And for the perfect Derby Day Recipe... My Vegan Kentucky Hot Brown! Get the Recipe Here

National BLT Month

So ya'll know that I love my food holidays... just check out my twitter, facebook, and instagram! ...Well sometimes people love a particular food SO MUCH that the "celebration" lasts for an entire MONTH!! That is the case for one of my favorite sandwiches EVER! (And the fact that it is celebrated during my birth month... Coincidence?! I think NOT!!!!)

...READ MORE

Day of the Mushroom

First off... OH MY GOODNESS I JUST HIT 24K VIEWS!!!!! wowowowowow!!!! Thanks y'all!

My goal is to have 27k views in time for my 27th birthday... April 24th I know it's tight but I have faith in my readers. Look around my blog find a recipe you like and then share it with your friends! Know someone who's starting meatless Mondays, trying to eat healthier, etc? Please please PLEASE share my blog! Pin it, Tweet it, Facebook it, YouTube it, whatever you want. 

Moving on. Today's "food holiday" is "The Day of the Mushroom"... which is not to be confused with National Mushroom Day (that happens in October).  Not really sure what the difference is and, to be honest, I don't care. It's just another excuse for me to do more mushroom recipes!!! I love mushrooms. As a vegan/vegetarian, it's just a great meaty alternative in recipes/sandwiches/pasta... Anything! Oh, and don't worry... I've got something BIG planned for National Mushroom Day! Stay tuned and Stay HUNGRY :-) 

Mushrooms are really good for you! Super low in calories, no fat, no gluten, no cholesterol! They've got potassium, vitamin D and are a good source of vitamin B too! So load up your plate with mushrooms! 

This is a short post this time, as it's purpose was to be a gateway to a bunch of mushroom recipes (and recipes that have mushrooms in them) They are all Vegan (obviously), some contain nuts, some are gluten free or can easily be made gluten free and they are all TASTY! :-) 

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine

Stuffed Mushrooms

Caesar Salad with Grilled Mushrooms#

Grown-up Mac No Cheese*

Mushroom Filling for Ravioli/Tortellini*

Soy-Free Lasagna#

Lo Mein#

No-Crab Rangoon

Drunken Noodles#

Dagwood Sammies

Roasted Vegetable Bisque^

Philly Cheesesteaks

Veggie Pot Pie

Fried Rice#

Grilled Cheese Please!! (part 2)

To @gardein @Daiyafoods @WholeFoods @HamptonCreek and @Lightlife thanks for being wonderful!!

Now that we've discussed Grilled Cheese Sandwiches at length... (Very VERY long Length!!!) We can move on to some gourmet variations of the sandwich! While I do agree that cheese should be the main focus of the sandwich, I am all about some extras! Read More

Grilled Cheese Please!

Happy #NationalGrilledCheeseSandwichDay from your favorite vegan blog! @daiyafoods @gardein

Growing up, I was actually not a fan of grilled cheese sandwiches. Confession: I straight up HATED them! (yeah, yeah.. I was the weird kid that preferred steamed broccoli over a sandwich made of cheese... A vegan in the making, maybe?) But... I had a knack for making them.  True perfection. My dad still to this day asks me to make his grilled cheese sandwiches! Perfectly golden browned, melty cheese, it doesn't seem too hard BUT, I've got some tips that will make your grilled cheeses perfect every time.

*Update: I finally fell in love with grilled cheese in 2012, when I first tried Daiya's vegan cheese! Now, I make them all the time and have some special recipes at the end of this post so, GO STOCK UP ON DAIYA, not just the slices, get the wedges and some cream cheese too! Go ahead... I'll wait.... 

So, What makes the perfect grilled cheese...?  

(If you want to weigh in on future polls like this, follow me on twitter/instagram: @tastykaitis and on facebook: facebook.com/tastykaitis)

From SeriousEats

Playing on the web, I stumbled across a list that states "A grilled cheese MUST...".  While I'm not one to follow food rules, I thought that their musts were interesting and thus, wanted to share them with you. 

• First let me say in my opinion no sandwich ever needs to be closed! Open-faced or "toasts" are totally fair game! (I'm not just saying this because I have some below) Sometimes I like making sandwiches fancier by adding silverware!

• "Griddled on BOTH sides"... not a terrible idea. But it's not a MUST! 

• "Have cheese as primary ingredient. [No overwhelming extras]" Well DUHHHH! It's called a Grilled Cheese! 

• "Crust-on loaves... do not qualify."  Who died and made you in charge of grilled cheese? What if I like to extra crispy, crouton-y crunch of crust-on bread?

• "...served hot all the way through..." I feel like this is a given. Who wants pieces of un-melted cheese and or hot melty cheese on cold extras?

• "Be cooked on a flat, greased surface." I agree that it should be cooked on a stove and not baked... but we'll address my secret ingredient for a delicious, crunchy, golden grilled cheese in a minute... Pause, why can't we deep fry the grilled cheese? That. Would. Be. EPIC!!!!

I also found another website, with perhaps a little more "merit" that disagrees with a few of these points that SeriousEats.com made. Specifically the point about bread. 

From GCA

I say this site has more "merit" not because I agree with creative bread-age but... well, it's the freakin' Grilled Cheese Academy website! (note: as noted on their website, it is not an actual culinary school or "establishment of higher learning"... but it is a trademark of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board) What else do they suggest...?

Both of these tips, I definitely agree with! They also suggest pressing the sammie to ensure even cheese spreadage. But I have a way that doesn't require pressing... plus I think that pressing ruins the amount of bread to cheese ratio, UNLESS you have a lot of extras and need to smush it to fit in your mouth like Dagwood here... (Or do the "hunch" -Guy Fieri) 

So that's what the "experts" have to say... But what about you?! I asked on my Social Media platforms and got a couple "Purest" (just cheese and bread) responses:

Kevin from NC says, 

"Evenly toasted/grilled bread (+bread with flavor) for crunch, and an equally enjoyable cheese with flavor that melts smooth (texture contrast with bread). Lastly, the right ratio: not so much bread as to dwarf the taste of cheese, nor so much cheese as to be too messy or make you sick."

And his opinion on gourmet grilled cheese vs the purest?

"Generally [I'm] a purest who enjoys a nice side of soup with it, but gourmet is enjoyable if the combinations are done correctly. Too often, though, gourmet is just a slopfest of things thrown in, then the sandwich falls apart on the first bite. For example, avocado is wonderful, but if it's sliced in large chunks, those'll pop right out. Hate that. HATE."

Great feedback! Thanks Kevin! This definitely stuck in my head when I started working on some recipes!  What else?

Neil from VA agrees:

"Has to be the right cheese to bread ratio, I would say. But I've only had basic grilled cheeses"

 So... How do I make my "famous" grilled cheese sandwiches?

• Bread: Sourdough! The texture makes for a a great crunchy outside and a chewy inside that can stand up to the gooey-ness of the cheese. Regular sandwich bread is too soft and can't handle being eaten... 

• Cheese: For a standard grilled cheese, I have to go with Daiya's cheddar slices... 2 slices! And listen, your cheese doesn't necessarily have to look pretty when you lay it on your bread... it's going to melt so RIP IT UP! and make sure that every centimeter of that bread is covered! (This doesn't necessarily apply to the gourmet grilled cheeses because they have more stuff to cover the bread. 

• Butter: NO WAY!!! My secret (and don't tell my dad because he is not typically a fan of this condiment)... Mayo! Yup that's right, I'm a big fan of Hampton Creek's Just Mayo. Why? Think about French Toast... the toast is dipped in a mixture of egg, oil and some spices, and the crust that ensues is simply delectable! Same thing applies here. Even browning, super crispy and I think it's less greasy.

• Temperature and Speed: Like great BBQ, go low and slow. This allows time for your cheese to actually melt and the crust to build without burning.

• Pan: Go non-stick. A lot of people think cast iron is the way to go BUT it actually has a bigger chance of causing you trouble when it comes time to flip your sandwich. No Bueno!

2- 1/4" slices Sourdough Bread

2 slices Daiya Cheddar Slices

2 TBS Hampton Creek Just Mayo (try their garlic one!)

I'm pretty sure everyone knows how to assemble a grilled cheese sandwich... No? 

Cheese goes between the 2 slices of bread.  Slather the outside of the bread with a tablespoon of mayo. Place, mayo side down, into a nonstick pan on medium-low heat.  Spread remaining mayo onto the top of your sandwich. After about 3-5 minutes, flip the sandwich. NOTE: this is not a hamburger... You can flip it a few times to achieve the color and crust you want! 

Serve with tomato soup, my Roasted Veggie Soup, or just a side of ketchup... (I like to add some sriracha to my ketchup!)

See Grilled Cheese Please (part 2) for my Gourmet Grilled Cheeses! 

Breakfast Sammies

Breakfast.  Let's be honest... Not exactly the most vegan friendly meal to get on the go.  If you go to a typical restaurant or diner for breakfast chances are you can have toast/bagel with jam or plain, hashbrowns (if they aren't cooked in butter), fruit, and maybe oatmeal (if it's not cooked with milk).  Personally. That sounds LAME! Why can't vegans have the same REAL breakfast options with some protein or at least some substance?

How much do you love that mug!? hehe

Not to worry! I've got you covered! All this week I have been on a breakfast sandwich kick. My mornings have been so packed with protein! My carnivore friends should be jealous. Delicious sandwiches, with all (or more) protein and none of the cholesterol! Just to show you how quick and easy breakfast on the go can be, here are a few combination to make your own vegan breakfast sammies!

For All Sammies I used:

Rudi's Organic Whole Wheat English Muffins

Extra Firm Tofu (sliced 1/4"-1/8" thick and pressed between paper towels to remove moisture)

Earth Balance Soy Free Margarine

Nutritional Yeast

Salt and Pepper

Tumeric/Onion Powder/Granulated Garlic -optional

Sriracha (I love a little kick in the morning!)

For my "Meat" (pick your favorite):

gardein Breakfast Patty

Lightlife "Fakin Bacon" (tempeh bacon)

Extras (all are optional pick you favorite or a combination of the below):

Daiya Cheddar slices

Sautéed Spinach

Sautéed Mushrooms

Tomato Slices

Sautéed Onions

How much easier could this be? 

In a large pan over medium heat, put 2 tsp of canola oil on one part of the pan.  Put your breakfast patty or tempeh bacon there. 

On another part of the pan, add some Earth Balance, put your slice of tofu. Season tofu with salt and pepper and onion powder/granulated garlic and a SLIGHT SPRINKLE of tumeric--its here for it's color and is totally optional!

If you want any of the sautéed veggies, add them to the pan with a little Earth Balance and season. (1 pan meal! That's why I said a LARGE PAN!!) Flip your tempeh bacon/breakfast patty and your tofu at about the same time. 

Toast your English muffin (or toast or bagel). If you are using the Daiya, put it on the breakfast patty after you start your toast.

Once that toaster pops, you're ready to assemble.  Butter your toast, on the bottom put your "meat", top with tofu, and finally your veggies. Sprinkle your top toast with some nutritional yeast and you are set! If you're not on the run, serve with sliced tomato or avocado and a potato hash/Hashbrowns.  

Tasty Travels: Pulse Vegan

I'm so excited to be in Austin, Texas again. It is a wonderful city full of great music and delicious food! Upon arriving in Austin, we headed out to grab some lunch. (Gotta love the food truck spots... Multiple foods for any taste bud all in one place.)

I chose to grab a BBQ Seitan salad and rosemary fries from the Conscious Cravings food truck. The BBQ sauce was AWESOME! Sweetened with agave there was also a great tang and the kind of heat that doesn't necessarily burn... But it makes ya sweat! (My favorite!). The rosemary fries were so tasty! Imagine roasted potatoes with rosemary but as fried finger food. YUM!

Today, my mom, sister and I walked in and out of a bunch of shops, restaurants, and bakeries before we decided on the South First Food Court for lunch.  

We found Pulse Vegan, an all vegan food truck owned and operated by Colin Sheffield.  Relatively new to the Austin food truck scene, Pulse Vegan opened the truck's window just 5 months ago on May 29th, 2014.

 

I ordered "The Philly" and the "Sides Trio" (a sampler of the 3 sides the truck offers). According to Colin, The Philly is one of the most popular menu items, and I could definitely taste why!  The peppers and onions were cooked to the point that they were soft but still had an impactful crunch.  The tempeh (local, from The Hearty Vegan) was cooked on a flat top, making it crispy on the outside, and topped with Daiya Chedder-style "cheese".  What really made the sandwich for me was the homemade Cajun mayo.  I even got extra on the side because I wanted it on everything! The sandwich was served on a ciabatta roll which added a really great chew to the sandwich.

The "Sides Trio" was just as delicious and the perfect option to try multiple things on the menu without TOTALLY pigging out! 

The savory greens were AWESOME! They were perfectly cooked so that they were tender but yet still crisp, and... as you can see in the picture they are still actually green! They aren't that swampy mud color that comes from overcooking the greens. The did not have a greasy/slimey feel to them and the taste...?  Well, "fresh", "clean", and "savory" were the words out of my mom's and sister's mouths! It was true! Colin cooks the greens in a savory broth that contains allspice and thyme, which created a warmth but still maintained a lightness to the side dish.  (I can't believe I'm going to say this but... I may have sipped on the broth after I finished my lunch... DON'T JUDGE!!! IT WAS THAT GOOD!)  

Next up was "The Mac". Colin told me that he was very proud of his mac, and he very well should be.  It was a delightful combination of a nutritional yeast sauce and Daiya "cheddar cheese". This was also Gluten Free (all of the sides were naturally GF and everything on the menu could be made GF) What I really loved about this was that it was similar to my Mac-No-Cheese--the kid version as I call it... because it's reminiscent of the blue box Mac N Cheese kids like to eat... It had the delectable CRUNCH of the crust you get when you bake mac n cheese. It added an extra dimension that made it even more irresistible! (My non-vegan sister had ordered that for her meal but then we got the trio instead... I was only allowed 2 bites and she chowed down on the rest!) 

Last but certainly not least, the "Dill Home Fries". OH. MY. LANTA! First of all if you've read my blog you are probably aware that I LOVE POTATOES! (How appropriate that this post was written on National Potato Day! Check Twitter and Facebook for some TUBER-ler recipes! haha See what I did there?) These potatoes definitely claimed a spot in my Top Ten Homefries! Dill, garlic, salt and pepper were all that went on these pan-fried spuds... I couldn't believe they were pan-fried, by the way.  The crunch seemed too good for a pan.  I thought they had been double deep fried (French-fry style but in cube form). I even attempted to save them for last and the crunch survived the lapsed time. (HA yeah right, who am I kidding!? You know these were totally scarfed down...) Colin gave us ketchup for dipping which was delicious but I loved dipping them in the Cajun mayo too!

More about the menu:  Colin told me that he is most proud of "The Mac".  His favorite sandwiches on his menu are "The Buff Boy" and "The Frenchy".  He told me that he loves the flavor combination that exists in "The Buff Boy" and he recognizes that both are pretty unique flavors for the vegan community.  I mean YEAH! Buffalo "wings" and a "French Dip" w/ au jus?! Those are not typically foods that people would think could ever be vegan.  

Colin has a mission very similar to my own: Being vegan doesn't have to mean you're missing out! Just TASTE IT before you dismiss vegan food because of the opinion formed in your head that. Vegan food is just as delicious, filling, and nutritious as "regular" food if not more so! **More from Colin to come when TastyKaiti's reaches 20,000 pageviews.  So stick around to watch a clip of the interview when that happens! 

"Thank you Colin for an excellent lunch! And thank you for letting me interview you about yourself and the food truck! It is absolutely my pleasure to endorse your truck on my blog." ~Kaiti

Let Colin know you read about him here as we love to hear from our readers/eaters!

A Note to my Non-vegan friends: 

The great thing about food truck lots in Austin is there is something for everyone! (Vegan or Not)  And while they are certainly not afraid of vegan food anymore, my mom and sister were in the mood for a Breakfast Burrito and found a great one at Gravy, a truck that blends Mexican flavors with an old southern favorite of biscuits and gravy. We talked with the owner/operator Scott who told us that they are BRAND NEW!  Just opened THREE WEEKS ago! While he informed me that he didn't have vegan options, I did want to share with my non-vegan readers that he does have Vegetarian options on his menu.  His biscuits do not contain lard and the burrito my mom and sister split contained all vegetarian ingredients (with the exception of the bacon gravy).  So check him out at South First Food Court! Tell him I sent ya!

"BLT" Salad

(Shout out to @Organicville and @lightlife whose's products make an appearance in the #Recipe)

I love to cook for people.  Especially people who are always willing to try something new! Saturday was the perfect opportunity.  Naturally I made my Mac n(o) Cheese (it's always a huge hit for newbies!) but I needed a side dish to go with it.  Something light... But tasty--hehehe get it? TASTY Kaiti's... haha I crack myself up :-)

Anyyyyways.... Salad is always a go to for me. (I eat salad almost everyday... even did so before going vegan.) So why should this night be any different?  Since I was cooking for someone who eats meat I wanted to make sure they felt like they were eating something "normal".  So I turned one of my favorite sandwiches into our salad.  It was super yummy and definitely a salad I will make again and again... and again!  


You've gotta TASTE THIS "BLT Chopped Salad!" 
(serves 4 as a side and 2 for dinner)

For the Salad:
1 head Boston Bibb Lettuce 
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
1 package (yes package) Lightlife "Fakin' Bacon", cooked according to the package and chopped
2 green onions, chopped 
Organicville Non-Dairy Ranch Dressing 
Salt and Pepper
Sourdough Croutons (Recipes Follows)
**I also added sunflower sprouts to the salad when I made it. I love the addition of them in a salad or on a sandwich!**

For the salad:
Tear the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Top with tomatoes, green onions, and tempeh bacon pieces.

Drizzle with Organicville Non-Dairy Ranch.  Add croutons and season with salt and pepper.

For the Croutons: You've gotta have great croutons for a salad based off of a sandwich!
Sourdough Bread, sliced (you'll need 1-2 slices for this salad. I always make extra to eat as a snack)
Olive Oil
Granulated garlic

To make the croutons: Add olive oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium heat. (You need enough oil to coat the bottom of your pan.) Add the slices of sourdough, turning once immediately so both sides get coated in oil.  

Reduce heat to med-low and cook until lightly browned. Flip and cook other side until lightly browned. Remove from heat and sprinkle with granulated garlic.  And cut into crouton sized pieces.

DC Veg Fest 2014

DC Veg Fest.

@busboysandpoets @amsterdamdc @barefootbucha @therandyradish @stickyfingersdc and more!

One of the greatest days I've had in a while! I had so much fun talking with the different companies, organizations, and restaurants! I tried a bunch of products and sooo many yummy goodies! This post is a little more on the side of reviews because I want everyone to know about the Veggie goodness that the DC-metro area has to offer! 

Please check out the photos from my day.  I will post a few here but I took WAY more than a few pictures :-) 

A couple of my favorite places were at DC Veg Fest: Sticky Fingers Sweets and Eats and Busboys and Poets for example.  Sticky Fingers (which I've previously reviewed) was there with plenty of sweet treats and owner, Doron Petersan was even there giving a presentation in the Kids Tent.  She talked to the group about how to get kids to eat new things and she had the most adorable assistant helping her with her demonstration!  She suggests having kids try something 3 times before they can say that they do not like it.  And as many suggest, GET YOUR KIDS IN THE KITCHEN! Helping you make the food they are going to eat will encourage them to eat what they make!

Loved seeing all kids who love their Veggies!

  Busboys and Poets (which I haven't reviewed yet) is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the area.  Why, you ask? It is a restaurant that caters to EVERYONE!!!  I made a bunch of my friends come out to Busboys and Poets for my birthday back in April and everyone LOVED IT!  There is something on the menu for everything! BUT... What's even better... THEY HAVE VEGAN BRUNCH FOODS!!!! Breakfast and Brunch are seriously hard meals to dine out for, but not at Busboys!  With 4 locations in the DMV, you're food needs will definitely be met.  Check out their menu, and their NEW fall Vegan menu items (below)! I can't wait to try more of their menue and do a full review! French Toast PLEASE!!! 



So, next to the Sticky Fingers booth was Barefoot Bucha.  Hands down, THE BEST GINGER KOMBUCHA I'VE EVER HAD! No. Seriously.  You know how many kombuchas have that funny taste because the flavor aspect doesn't last?  Well this one DOES! If you love ginger, you would love this ginger Kombucha.  They have other flavors too: Cherry Root, CranGinger, Elderflower, Hint of Mint, Plumblossom, Kombuchai, and Classic.  (Ginger was the best choice for me today because A- I love ginger and B-...I was about to eat a ton of food and I needed something to help soothe my digestive system :-) 


With distributors in the DMV, here are a few places where you can find Barefoot Bucha!  I even got this sweet reusable cup! 

After walking around, continuing to sip on my tasty Barefoot Bucha, and taking lots of pictures, I set my eyes on my first food adventure! Amsterdam Falafelshop!  I love falafel, I haven't posted any recipes for falafel because I have yet to master it like the chefs at Amsterdam Falafelshop.  Their falafel was fried to perfection.  Crispy on the outside but soft AND MOIST on the inside.  Think about it, how often have you had falafel that is dry and leaves you reaching for any and every liquid beverage in sight?!  Not here! And their condiments (in store they have 21 toppings!!) I topped mine with Baba Ganoush, Pickled Beets, Cucumbers and Onions,  and Tahini sauce. Simple and DELICIOUS!

 After walking around and talking to a couple of people at some booths, I decided I needed to pose for a little photo op, before heading to the next spot to eat again! (Don't judge me, I specifically didn't eat before attending Veg Fest so that I could eat lots of yummy veg foods!) Anyway, here I am at the nasoya booth. What do you think? D.C.'s Top Chef? ;-) 

For my next food snack, came from the booth set up by Vegetable Garden from Silver Spring, MD.  If you've followed my blog for a while, you'll know, I cannot resist Chinese food! And that is exactly what they have to offer! They had veggie sushi rolls, General Tso's mock-chicken, and Sesame mock-Beef with Yams on the menu for Veg Fest.  I went with the sesame mock-beef with yams (mostly because I eat veggie sushi all the time and they were out of General Tso's).  It was very tasty! It came with steamed broccoli and brown rice.  I loved the addition of the yam! But, I will say that it reminded me more of like, an orange chicken.  It was sweeter than I typically like because I love spicy Chinese food best. Definitely will eat at their restaurant again... (Especially upon finding out that they are located in "Leisure World", not to far from the ballet studio that I grew up in.  I won't tell you what my mom and I used to call that area... It's hilarious but because my mom used to a comedian, some of the jokes aren't quite PC. And I don't want to offend any of my readers!) Even after chowing down of this though, my Chinese food craving wasn't satisfied.  What's a Asian style meal without a spring roll of some sort!?  Off to my next booth! 

The Loving Hut booth was my next stop! One of the closest vegan restaurants to where I live, and I'd never been!? They had a bunch of great choices but all I wanted (and could stomach... have you been keeping track of how much I've eaten so far??) was one of their "golden rolls".  Crispy and deep fried-- can it get any better than deep fried?? Filled with carrots, cabbage, taro, mushrooms, onions and bean thread noodles, it was just what I needed to cap off my Asian meal!

The sauce was yummy too. Pineapple-y and sweet.  But I was missing the tang/heat of spicy mustard or sriracha.  I'll definitely get another when I get out to the restaurant to try some more of the yummy looking things on their full menu! I really want to try their vegan Bahn Mi and their Fried Wontons... and their Sesame Eggplant Tofu! 

One of my favorite parts about Veg Fest was seeing all of the animal welfare leagues that were out in full force, and even brought some sweet canines that were available for adoption! I have to take a minute away from my food adventure to give a little plug for THE BEST WELFARE LEAGUE IN NOVA!  The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is where my family got our beloved Raleigh.  While he was with there, they called him Scott.  While that was the name of my most recent ex, we decided it needed to be changed once they approved us to take him. It was a long process, they wanted to see everyone in the family interact with the dog so that they knew he was going to a great home.  Sadly, after 12 long years of a great life, we had to put Raleigh down at the end of August.  As you can see by his picture, he was an old man.  He was the sweetest dog in the world and everyone knew him as Raleigh, the wonder dog.  We miss ya bud, but at least you're up where you're free of pain and where Benji and Rudy can't annoy you anymore! :-)


Okay, sorry... back to the food! Next up... I needed something. Something that I haven't had in a long time... Sweet... creamy... HELLOOOOOO Charm School Chocolate!! (sorry I couldn't get pics of the actual chocolate, their booth was pretty full!) 

  
Their vegan milk chocolate was soooo dreamy! They use coconut milk which adds to the texture but didn't change the flavor of the chocolate. While they don't currently sell in Virginia... They do sell their chocolates and sweets online and at the Roots Market near my grandparents! It may be time to pay them a visit, and pick up some Charm School Chocolate on my way! <3 <3 Those Toffee Almond Bites look right up my alley! 

My last stop for food was at The Randy Radish food truck.  I've seen this food truck driving around the area but was always heading in the opposite direction.  FINALLY I got to see what they are all about! The wait was a little long but it was the end of the day and I was fine with a little break to sit down and rest my hot and tired feet! The menu was full of yummy looking treats. But with summer coming to an end, and being out side at what reminded me of a summer block party, I had to go with the Jackfruit BBQ.  MAN AM I GLAD I DID!!! The spicy BBQ sauce was just the kick I'd been looking for all day! And their slaw was crisp and cool, I only wish I had more of it! 









While I love food trucks, I am excited to announce that The Randy Radish will be opening a STOREFRONT NEXT WEEK!!! In Sterling, VA!  I hope this means more of their menu choices will be available daily.  I can't wait to review more of their menu! I really want to try their Crabby Cake, Mediterranean Picnic Sandwich, Tofu Reuban, Rainbow Pad Thai and their Autumn Quinoa Salad! I will definitely keep y'all posted when the storefront is up and running. Be sure to like and follow me on Facebook and twitter to stay informed :-)

Like I said, I loved seeing all the dogs out and about at Veg Fest, but the best one I saw was Guinness, the face of Craft Kombucha! 

Guinness was the reason that I stopped to get a drink from Craft Kombucha. He was the perfect combination of my boxer, Rudy, and my sister's brindle pit-lab, Benji.  (Shout out to the two guys I met in line! Hope y'all had a great time!) I had their spicy pineapple kombucha. It was deliciously refreshing though not as spicy as I was hoping for. Wish I had had enough money to buy more flavors! I really wanted to try the grapefruit and the (I think it was..) cherry-apple cider? mmm sounded so yummyyy! Can't wait to try them again!

I was also given some Dr. Bronner's Coconut Oil to test out and write a review! I can't wait to do it! (I already made stovetop croutons and stovetop popcorn with it last night and I LOVE IT so far! I will do a separate post for that as it will include some recipes as well as the review!) Yummm

One last booth I have to talk about holds a special place in my heart.  The Natural Epicurean Academy for the Culinary Arts came to Veg Fest!! I have been absolutely obsessed with Natural Epicurean since I first found out about the school a few years ago.  I even applied and got accepted (but couldn't afford to go... still want to though!) 

I loved seeing the booth at Veg Fest and totally helped the representative tell people about the school! So naturally I have to share a few things about the school before I end this blog post!  The Natural Epicurean is a one-of-a-kind culinary school based in Austin, Texas.  This school is one-of-a-kind because it is THE ONLY ALL PLANT BASED CULINARY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY! That's right!! All vegan/vegetarian culinary school that also teaches raw, macrobiotic, and ayurvedic techniques.  How awesome is that!?  They have a NEW distance learning program so you can take classes online if Austin is too far away.  Check them out! <3 <3 


That's all for now!!! 

Tasty Travels- Sticky Fingers Sweets and Eats

If you follow my Facebook (if you don't... why not?!) you may have seen that I started a new photo album of all of the foods I've eaten when I travel.  I decided this was a good way to share not only my pictures but also to let you know of vegan places all around.  

Classic TLT

Peanut Butter Pie (mini and out of this world!)

For example, one place I frequent here in the DC area is Sticky Fingers.  They are a vegan bakery and cafe in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of DC (Literally like a block from the Columbia Heights metro on the green line) and they are the only place I have found in this area that does VEGAN DONUTS! Yup, Tuesdays and Thursdays their bakery produces a TON of donuts.  Everything from your standard Cinnamon Sugar and Vanilla Glazed to flavors like ESPRESSO GLAZED w/ chocolate (Hands down my favorite) and PB filled with Jelly and even cranberry ginger!  On top of donuts, they are also knockin out some great milkshakes, sandwiches, soups, and more! 

Here's their address in case you're in the DC area and want to visit them! 

• 1370 Park Rd NW

• Washington, District of Columbia 20010

Soup de Jour: Sweet Potato and an Asian Wrap

(I just realized I raved about the donuts and DO-NUT have any pictures of them... haha see what I did there.. I'm a dork.  Oh well just another excuse to go back and get more!)

** UPDATE I FOUND A PIC!!!**

Tiramisu Filled Donut: Chocolate filling, espresso glaze YUM!