For this Veggietorial,I’m sharing product reviews for some of my favorite products for the month of May- ChiBar,Coolhaus,Earth Balance Puffs and CocomoCorn. And I’ve got a few giveaways!
May 5, 2013
by Cobi
2 Comments
Tag Archives: vegan
Garbanzo -better than tuna- Salad Recipe
April 23, 2013 by Cobi | 5 Comments
My mother has two favorite meals that she can eat every week and never get tired of : spaghetti dinner and tuna salad sandwich. Mom is a proud creature of comfort food habit. It was easy enough to win her over with a veganized bolognese sauce, so I started making this un-tuna spread too. She loves it on toasted bread with lettuce and tomato. I prefer to surround a huge scoop of the Garbanzo Salad with spiralized watermelon radishes,micro greens and edible flowers. Double bonus: This meal is budget friendly and protein packed with 15g protein per one cup serving.
This recipe is only intended as a very loose guide since the possibilities to personalize this dish are endless. Substitute green apples, jicama or water chestnuts if you don’t care for celery (you know who you are). Choose a chickpea miso and soy-free vegan mayo if you have an aversion to soy. I used a food processor to mash the beans but the job can also be accomplished by using the back of a fork and a little brute force.
Garbanzo -better than tuna- Salad :: Vegan
by
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Keywords: uncook lunch salad sandwich dairy free gluten-free nut-free soy-free vegan vegetarian
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- 2 ribs celery,chopped
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper,chopped
- 1/4 cup onion,small diced
- 2 tablespoons parsley,finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onions,finely chopped
- 1/2 lemon,juiced
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayo
- 1 tablespoon white or yellow miso (or tahini)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 2 teaspoons celery salt
- salt & pepper
- optional-2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- optional-2 teaspoons dulse granules
- equipment: Food processor,bowl,mixing spoon, knife,cutting board
Instructions
Add garbanzo beans,vegan mayo and miso to food processor.Pulse just until the beans are still chunky.Do not turn it into hummus.Transfer to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients.Mix well.Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serve the garbanzo spread over a bed of lettuce and garnish with colorful vegetables and edible flowers.Or serve on multi-grain bread for a killer sandwich.Try it as a dip or roll it up into a wrap.
Store unused portion in refrigerated an airtight container for up to 2 days.
You’ve got mail :: What’s in a Conscious Box-April
April 16, 2013 by Cobi | 3 Comments
Wowzers,yesterday’s mail delivery was like Christmas in April! My new lighting set-up/microphone arrived from Amazon so I can finish up a new video project, I got a sample of START! Hot Sauce to review(recipe in progress) and my April Conscious Box came,woohoo!
Broccoli Crunch Salad
April 12, 2013 by Cobi | 4 Comments
I exist in a world where a large consensus of people are not used to eating a plant-based plate. So I should not be surprised when I hear people say things like “I never knew you could eat broccoli raw”. Well step right up folks and let me indulge you in the wonder that is this Broccoli Crunch Salad. It’s nothing original,you can find a version in most supermarket delis. But this one,I guarantee, is the simplest to make and you get a big flavor payout for very little effort.
This is a great vegan take along for picnics or potlucks and the omnivores will be non-the-wiser after your eating hippie granola food. A big Mahalo to Joey on Facebook for asking me about this salad and motivating me to finally type up the recipe and make a video.
Adjust the ingredient measurements to your liking. In real life, I don’t ever measure when making this salad. Just be sure you have enough dressing to coat the veggies. Add a squeeze of lemon if you prefer a tangy dressing. And if you give it a try, post a pic to Instagram and tag me in it.
Broccoli Crunch Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (4-6 servings)
- 1 medium sized head organic broccoli
- 1/4 cup(40g) chopped red onion
- 1 large carrot,grated
- 2 ribs celery,chopped (or sub diced green apple)
- 1 cup(120g) spicy pecans,chopped
- 1/2 cup(75g) dried cranberries (or raisins)
- 1/4 cup(30g) un-bacon bits
- 3/4 cup(165g) vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup (or sub maple syrup,agave,etc)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons spicy mustard
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- salt & pepper
Instructions
In a small bowl,combine vegan mayo,mustard,curry powder and brown rice syrup.Mix well, add salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces add to large mixing bowl. Toss in carrots,celery,onions,pecans,cranberries.Pour in dressing and mix until veggies are well coated. Add un-bacon bits right before serving.
Note: This salad tastes best after being refrigerated for a few hours before serving. Keep unused portion in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Best of ExpoWest 2013
April 5, 2013 by Cobi | 57 Comments
Natural Products Expo West, one of the largest trade shows featuring all the latest and greatest in the natural products industry can be seriously overwhelming. It would literally take you all three days of the show to see everything. My original strategy was foiled when I missed my flight on Friday, leaving me only a day and a half to try to hit all the vendors I wanted to see, so here is my round-up of the best vegan products that hit my radar.
There will be a chance for you to win one of four prize -packs with my favorite products at the end of this post!
Inspired :: KimChi Edamame Dumplings
March 19, 2013 by Cobi | 5 Comments
I’m allergic to malls. Time served in the conspicuous-consumer thunder domes was completed in my twenties,while working in the retail fashion industry. Since my escape,there aren’t too many occasions I find myself saying “Let’s go have lunch at the mall” but those are exactly the words that came outta my very own mouth as we headed to M.A.K.E. in Santa Monica Place,CA.
We passed the exhibition window showcasing the emerging talent from the Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy and I had a feeling we were in for a special gastronomic experience.
James Beard award winning chef and best-selling cookbook author Matthew Kenney’s raw cuisine elevates plant-based food to another level. I wanted to try as much of the menu as possible.The intelligent foodie’s approach would have to come in after 5:30pm when the market tasting menu is available. A well thought out menu teases,excites and calms the palette to best experience the next wave of flavor. Since I was on an abbreviated trip to CA,my schedule only allowed for a mid-day visit. I ordered six dishes during the lunch service and got down to business.
My inner cocktail dragon was calmed with this Lemon Kefir Bellini before we started on the first course.
A trio of tree nut cheeses, sweet & spicy mustard seeds with fennel crisps.
Kimchi Dumplings.Ginger foam.Coriander. Best.Dish.Ever.The filling is savory with a slight kick from the kimchi. Plated to perfection like the work of art these scrumptious parcels are. I was so obsessed with these dumplings,I had to create my own recipe here. My version is a fusion of M.A.K.E.’s dish and the Edamame Dumplings I had at True Food Kitchen in AZ. Continue Reading →
Arizona Vegan Food Tour
March 8, 2013 by Cobi | 6 Comments
Watch out California. Your reign as the vegan-friendly food capital of the world may be coming to an end, as Arizona is now home to some of the best vegan/vegetarian eateries I’ve tried in the past year. After my food warrior pal Ali and I returned from our weekend at the Raw Living Expo, we were ready to put on our comfy pants and start eating our way through the Grand Canyon State.
Me & Ali at Postino Wine Bar for sangria brunch with friends
I’ll get to the all-vegan eateries in a quick second, but let me tell you about Postino Wine Bar for just a moment. The ritual of Sunday brunch is my favorite way to embrace the weekend. Gathering a bunch of friends, sharing a nosh and listening to some live music feeds my soul.
Sangria brunch- Postino
There are three locations for Postino, but we love the Arcadia vibe. It’s an unpretentious mix of hipsters,lovey-dovey couples and groups celebrating birthdays/showers/what-evs.
Bruschetta- White bean w/tomato basi,white bean w/dates+pistachio,Buratta w/tomato+bacon(ordered by omni friends)
The menu is not vegan/vegetarian, but there’s an ample selection of panini,salads and bruschetta that can all be veganized. My only caveat will be to those trying to stick to a gluten-free diet, this is not your joint. Ali raved that they served the best bruschetta she’d ever had, and she wasn’t lying. Four big, crusty slices of bread with sweet or savory toppings are served on a cutting board and sliced into four smaller,pieces that can be negotiated from hand to mouth in about three bites. Try the white bean spread as a base for the toppings to keep it vegan. Check out your wine selection on Barnivore to verify that it’s vegan-friendly. The cost: Five people had two drinks each (10 adult beverages),we ordered one bruschetta board, one salad, one bowl of soup and a panini for $97+tip. I was actually shocked that our bill was less than $100 but then again, I’ve lived and eaten out in some of the most expensive cities like New York, San Francisco,Los Angeles and my hometown of Honolulu.
Aaron,me,Ali and Mike- Do you like our RHOAZ pose?
Pomegranate Cafe is everything I’d want a vegan cafe to be. An inventive mix of raw offerings,cooked comfort foods, fresh juices/elixirs and ridiculously divine desserts.
Screenshot of Pomegrante Cafe’s website. I was too concerned with ordering food to remember to take pics of the front of the cafe!
We got down to business and Ali ordered the Breakfast Chimichanga. She could barely finish this monster wrap filled with a well-seasoned tofu scramble, topped with fresh salsa and guacamole.I’ve had more breakfast burrito type things than I can count but this is the one I will remember.
Breakfast Chimichanga- Pomegranate Cafe
The New Yaw-kah in me craves a simple bagel and caw-fee.Then I spy a raw “everything” bagel on the menu and order it despite my apprehension that I’ll get a flax cracker with Tofutti cream cheese on it. I don’t know how they did it, but the texture of the bagel was moist and kinda chewy, my mouth approved. The bagel is schmeared with a flavorful vegan herbed cream cheese and piled high with a gorgeous mix of sprouts,peppers, carrots,tomato,cucumber,onions and lettuce. I demolished the whole thing, leaving only a faint trace of the red bell pepper hummus on the plate. Go here and eat this, you won’t be disappointed, especially if you’re trying to end your relationship with gluten like I am. Continue Reading →
Giveaway::3-month Subscription to Conscious Box! (Closed)
March 4, 2013 by Cobi | 25 Comments
Conscious Box has just revamped their website and to celebrate the launch, I’m partnering with them to host a giveaway for a 3-month subscription($59 value) to the vegan box. Wooooooot!!!!! I am a self-admitted product junkie and I love getting something other than bills in the mail. Gifting yourself a subscription (1-month,3-months,6-months or a full year) is a super fun way to get a variety of vegan products delivered right to your door. I’ve been subscribing for about a year now and I’m always impressed by the balance of new products to sample,along with plant-based favorites. The newest addition to the subscription box offerings is a 100% gluten-free box, hooray!
Guest Post::Jen Mathews-Top 5 Vegan Beauty Brands
February 27, 2013 by Cobi | 2 Comments
I get a lot of questions about my favorite vegan/cruelty-free beauty brands. My go-to site for all the latest and greatest beauty products is Jen Mathew’s MyBeautyBunny, so I thought I’d invite her over to share her top five vegan beauty brands.
Great vegan beauty brands used to be hard to find. We’re lucky today that there are so many new vegan brands out there to explore. Today I’m going to talk to you about my top 5 vegan beauty brands.
Beautisol
Beautisol was created by celebrity spray tan artist and aesthetician, Sinead Norenius. She is passionate about helping people achieve a healthy glow with instant tanner and anti-aging products. She saw a missing link between the availability of product education and the end consumer, so she has worked to help educate people. Her sunless tanning products are cruelty-free and vegan. They’re also streak-free, smell good (no gross DHA smell), and help you to achieve the perfect golden tan. Beautisol has specialized face self-tanners, body self-tanners, exfoliant, and anti-aging skincare products. You should definitely check out Beautisol’s new Tea Tan Glow – a rinse-off product that gives you an instant sun-kissed glow without the commitment.
DermOrganic
Professional cosmetologists are exposed to ingredients in hair products dozens of times a day. DermOrganic was created to provide both consumers and cosmetologists with healthy hair care products. They’re all vegan, contain no animal by-products, are not tested on animals, have no sulfates, salt, sodium chloride, glycols, DEA, MEA, dyes or food coloring. They are gluten-free, paraben-free, and contain no artificial preservatives. The products are made with EFA lipids and amino acids, vegetable proteins, and contain the miracle worker, argan oil. They nourish the hair without weighing it down. The must try product is the Leave in Spray Therapy treatment.
Relogy
Rebecca Brayton spent 6 years researching and developing Relogy for her daughter, who suffered from persistent acne. Relogy combines clinical acne treatments with the healing power of natural ingredients to bring you a healthier way to fight and prevent acne. These acne skin care products don’t strip your skin with harsh cleansers; instead they use natural anti-inflammatory antiseptics and balance the skin’s pH. Relogy products are vegan and cruelty-free. They contain no animal by-products of any kind. They use natural materials whenever possible and are passionate about being socially responsible. Their three-product system is meant to streamline the skincare process and cut down on the multiple products that you’re told you need. They save you time and are gentle on your skin.
Cult Nails
Maria Morrison, a nail blogger, had a dream to start a nail polish company. She would often mix colors to get exactly what she was looking for. Finally she took matters into her own hands and developed her own line with her unique interpretation of fashion trends. She wanted to have a green company, so she made sure her polish does not contain toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, or camphor. She also loves animals and made sure that her products are cruelty-free, not tested on animals, and do not use animal byproducts or ingredients that are tested on animals. She uses recycled boxes that can be reused by the consumer and utilizes cotton balls to protect her nail polish during shipping. Her polish line is constantly being updated with new, on-trend colors. There’s a shade to suit everyone’s taste.
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
OCC, as it is fondly known, was founded by David Klasfeld. It’s a clever nod towards how obsessed people can get over makeup. For David, he was obsessed with creating makeup with the finest ingredients possible. Rather than just cruelty-free, he upped the ante to create products that are vegan and never use lanolin, beeswax or carmine. He has created gorgeous Lip Tars, eyeshadows, nail polish, and airbrush foundation to suit anyone’s complexion. His products are a makeup artist’s dream because they allow for the utmost in customization. They can be mixed to produce an endless array of colors. If you’re new to makeup and not comfortable mixing your own shade, the variety offered will surely have the perfect color to suit your mood. If there’s only one product you try from OCC, it must be the Lip Tars!
From your lips to your tips and skin, we’ve got you covered with the best in vegan beauty brands. You can be beautiful and conscientious too!
Jen Mathews is the Editor-in-Chief of My Beauty Bunny, a beauty blog for stylish ladies and gents who love beauty and hate animal testing! Jen is also a social media guru and President of Top Tier Social Media, a social media and online media agency for beauty, fashion, health and lifestyle brands.
Chili-Orange Spiced Sweet Potatoes
February 19, 2013 by Cobi | 2 Comments
These baked sweet potatoes have a sweet & spicy Southwest twist that creates a flavor explosion in yo’ mouth. Blend up the margaritas and make the sweet taters as a side to my Calabacitas or Tortilla Chip Queso Casserole . Keep it simple and serve over beans and rice with a green salad for an easy weeknight meal.
I was in Bend,OR last year when I first tried this flavor combo at Barrio. Zee taste buds approved! My inner recipe detective lead me straight to Rick Bayless working it out in this version here. With a few quick nips and tucks I present my version with some very basic ingredients. Do not, I repeat ” do not” use sh*tty spices. A bold chili powder blend with complimentary spices is a must,that’s all the magic creating the complexity of this dish. If you’re mixing your own, try some ancho or chipotle powder,cumin,coriander,cocoa powder, cinnamon,nutmeg,oregano,ground ginger…go crazy with it.
Orange Chili Spiced Sweet Potatoes
by
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour (inactive)
Keywords: bake appetizer dinner lunch side dairy free gluten-free soy-free vegan vegetarian nut-free sweet potato Southwest
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes,cut into wedges
- 5 cloves roasted garlic
- 1 large orange zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder spice blend
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- optional- 1/4 cup salsa or your favorite hot sauce
- optional- 1-2 teaspoons agave nectar
- 8×8 baking dish
- vegetable oil
- aluminum foil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.Wash and scrub sweet potatoes,cut into wedges.Whisk orange juice,chili powder,roasted garlic and salt in a small bowl.Taste and adjust seasonings. If you prefer a dish with more heat, add the salsa or hot sauce.If you fancy a sweeter flavor, add the agave nectar.
Spray baking dish with vegetable oil and arrange sweet potato wedges in an even layer.Pour orange juice mixture over the sweet potatoes and cover with foil.Bake covered for 45minutes or just until the sweet potatoes can be pierced with a fork.
Remove foil and turn up the oven to 425F degrees. Braise the sweet ‘taters with the juices and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Garnish with orange zest.Serve as a side dish or over rice and beans with a green salad for a complete meal.