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International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Delicious Local Vegan Food in Ploiesti ~ Cauliflower Almond Soup

Posted on May. 2023May. 2023 by writinstuff

Hello there, my fellow vegans!

Why am I in such a good mood you ask? Well that’s simple. I finished Book 2 in my Green St. Girls Romance series and not only am I totally in love with this new story, but I’m super stoked that it’s all done.

To celebrate, the hubs and I went out to lunch at the local (mostly) vegan restaurant here in Ploiesti, Cafe Nației which in English translates to The Cafe of the Nation. Anyway I love going to this place because there’s a level of comfort in knowing that I can always get the falafel burrito wrap, but there is always an element of surprise because they have ingredients delivered fresh each day, which means the menu is never the same.

On this particular visit there was something new and it was so dang delicious that I almost didn’t want to share it with the hubs. What was it? Cauliflower and almond soup, which to non-vegans might seem a little bland but holy moly let me tell you that it thick and creamy and so flavorful that I moaned nice and loud to show off my delight.

This particular vegan soup contained cauliflower, almonds, almond cream and it was even garnished with sliced almonds so to say it was an almond-a-palooza would not be an understatement. There was also an herbed oil for garnish and that was absolutely incredible. I LOVED this!

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International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Salads, Vegan

Vegan Feta & Tomato Salad

Posted on May. 2023May. 2023 by writinstuff

You all know how much I love my vegan salad recipes so it was about time that I gave a vegan caprese salad another shot, right? I hadn’t planned on it because you might remember that I am no longer a big fan of cheese but there were these gorgeous Monterosa tomatoes at the market, fat and bright red and juicy. Usually they are too soft and too pale so I skip them but they were irresistible this day.

I love a good heirloom tomato and not just because they are so pretty. I find they are usually juicier and have a lot more flavor than Roma tomatoes or the ones that come on the vine.

The moment I weighed them I knew they were going to be the star of their own vegan salad and when I got to the vegan section in the refrigerator aisle I thanked the stock person for making sure the vegan feta cheese was newly restocked.

This is a very easy vegan salad recipe that goes great beside a bowl of soup, a sandwich or even on a big ol’ bed of lettuce. If you’re looking for a way to add more fresh veggies to your diet or you’re simply in need of some extra beta carotene, this vegan feta & tomato salad is a great—and tasty—way to do it.

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Bar Food, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Easy Vegan Lunch Recipes ~ Vegan Deli Sandwich Recipe

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

Sometimes life requires a sandwich, a deli sandwich to be exact. I saw this reel on Instagram from The Korean Vegan and it was this massive sandwich with tofu and avocado (yuck but to each vegan his/her own, right?) and it looked so good that it made me want a sandwich. Only I’m not running marathons so I thought I would make something similar, only much scaled down.

There’s just something about a good sandwich that can transport you back to anytime and even though this vegan sandwich recipe was inspired by someone else, this makes me think of the amazing subs the Hubs and I found in Boston and Los Angeles. Only they weren’t vegan and now they can be which only makes them all the more delicious.

This is a fairly easy vegan recipe because I let the oven do most of the work and all I had to do was assemble before eating it and getting back to the writing cave.

The best thing about this sandwich is that you can replace each ingredient with something else for a week, a month or even months of vegan sandwich recipes. Oh and the addition of sprouts is good for your gut health and they are high in antioxidants such as; vitamins C, K, and E, folate, and potassium.

If you’re looking for a way to stop buying fast food for lunch or just another fun sandwich to liven up your vegan diet, this smoked tofu deli sandwich is the perfect answer.

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Asian Food, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Mushroom Unagi Sushi Bowl Recipe

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

A few months back my husband made vegan sushi and it was delicious. It was smoked tofu unagi and I really enjoyed, especially as someone who had a complicated relationship with sushi before going vegan. I loved it and I’ve been wanting to have it again but—apparently—making sushi is hard work.

I grew tired of waiting for him to make it for me and decided that I would find a way to have it without doing all the fancy handwork that goes along with making sushi rolls.

I decided to make it into a bowl…and use mushrooms.

That’s right, I decided to not only turn sushi into (another) bowl, but I took out the vegan meat alternatives too in favor of portabella mushrooms. But worry not, there is a teensy bit of vegan mince elsewhere in this bowl!

It turns out great and unlike the unagi roll, I decided to add a little more to the bowl than rice. It was satisfying and flavorful and delicious and I’m not just saying that because I made it!

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oil free vegan recipes, one pot recipes, Plant Based, Potatoes, Soup, Vegan

Creamy Vegan Potato & Corn Chowder Recipe

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

The weather lately has been so sporadic that it’s hard to know what to make from one day to the next. It’s annoying but I guess it can also be seen as an adventure. If that’s your thing.

A recent run of rainy days meant that the Hubs and I were both in the mood for something warm and with fresh corn on the cob on hand I knew it was the perfect weather for creamy corn & potato chowder.

Before going vegan I wasn’t really a fan of chowder because I was never a fan of milk or anything that tasted a lot like milk so for me, chowders were never an option, not even when I lived in the northeast. But lately I’ve been looking for ways to recreate chowder without the gross milky taste.

I think this version comes pretty dang close.

What’s your favorite vegan chowder?

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Bar Food, Plant Based, Vegan, Vegan Food Products

New Vegan Food Product! ~ Garden Gourmet Sensational Burger

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

When you’re feeling lazy or hungry or if you’re just too busy to focus on something as mundane as dinner, I recommend that any good, hard-working vegan keep two things on hand: vegan burgers and vegan pizza.

No one, least of all me, is going to tout the health benefits of gorging on vegan junk food, but when you’re in a mind or stuck in your writing cave, easy to make vegan food comes in handy. When it comes to eating healthy I’ve had to work hard to find a realistic balance between eating right and focusing on my career and that means sometimes I just have to take the easy way out.

And since I only came across these vegan burger patties recently, it was the perfect time for us to try it out and report back to you.

I was born and raised in the USA and I am quite familiar with Garden Gourmet. Way back in the 90s when I first tried my hand at being a vegetarian, it was Garden Gourmet garden burgers that I turned to. They were good, when seasoned, but holy moly did they cause a lot of gas. That’s the main thing I remembered about them but then I spotted these beauties in Kaufland recently and I figured I had to try them, right?

They are an excellent source of vegan protein and most of all they don’t taste like a hockey puck. Mild praise, I know, but they really were delicious.

My one pro tip? This is not the burger you break apart to season and put back together again because it did not do well when re-formed. Luckily I had the bright idea to season each patty separately which means that only MY patty was messed up for your viewing pleasure. Season the patties well and do it before you start your prep work and you’ll find they take on flavors very well. I promise.

This is a simple vegan burger recipe so there’ not need to recreate the wheel!

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Bar Food, Sandwiches, Vegan

Vegan Sloppy Smash Joe Recipe (sort of)!

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

Another day, another sandwich.

This time I can’t blame the sandwich dinner recipe on being busy because as it turns out, I am always busy. But as these things usually happen, there was some really good looking lipie (bread) at the market and even better, it was fresh from the oven warm. Instantly I thought, sandwiches!

I know this isn’t a traditional smash burger because I didn’t smash it down and I didn’t even leave it in it’s true burger form, but it’s the style of burger I was going for in spirt and in flavor. So maybe just let me call it a smash burger because my only other choice, which my husband refused, was to call it a loose meat sandwich like the diner from the TV show, Roseanne. Anyone remember that show from the 90s?

Anyway those were my options and vegan smash burger sounded more palatable so here we are.

How do you like your vegan burgers? More importantly, what brand is your favorite?

We have Beyond burgers here so that’s my top tier, go to favorite. But Verdino and Naturli also make pretty good burgers too. So let’s get some vegan burgers on our plates, y’all!

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Asian Food, Bowls, International vegan cuisine, Noodles, Vegan

Ginger Broccoli & Vegan Beef Noodle Recipe

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

Just in case you guys thought I was joking about my noodle addiction, here is another example of one of my favorite go-to vegan lunch recipes.

I don’t post them often because they don’t photograph well, or maybe I’m still just a very average photographer, either way that’s why you hear about them more than you see them.

I use TVP, rehydrated, seasoned and cooked to mimic traditional beef and broccoli. To accomplish that I used regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, wok sauce and sesame oil. The sauce is the key here, but it’s worth the time and the effort.

At least my belly thinks so!

What is your go-to lazy vegan meal? One that you make often instead of eating out or ordering in?

Make Every Bite Count & Count Every Bite

Bar Food, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Vegan Sandwich Recipes ~ Spicy BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich Recipe

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

I’ve been really lazy in the kitchen lately and by that I mean that me and the Hubs have been living on two things: sandwiches and one pot vegan dishes. I’m trying to finish off Green St. Girls book #2—which is thisclose to being complete—and getting everything settled for a much needed break next month, and making one meal to eat for both meals is a great time saver.

But when I really need a break but not too long, sandwiches are my jam. A good vegan sandwich recipe requires some work but not the kind of work where you make a whole meal.

With a sandwich half the work is done by the bread so you just have to work in the sandwich filling, and today’s filling is spicy jackfruit.

This is an easy vegan sandwich recipe that you can fancy up or play it down, depending on how much time you want to spend in the kitchen and how many ingredients you want to use. And I find that adding a small bowl of fresh, raw veggies—also called a salad for you healthy food haters out there—can complete pretty much any meal.

You can use store bought vegan barbecue sauce or make your own with a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your cabinets.

So let’s knock this vegan sandwich recipe out so I can get back to my writing cave, shall we?

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Bar Food, International vegan cuisine, oil free vegan recipes, one pot recipes, Plant Based, Potatoes, Soup, Vegan

Irish Potato Stew with Vegan Sausage

Posted on April. 2023April. 2023 by writinstuff

I don’t know about where you are in the world but the weather here in Romania has been erratic, at best. The past week the temperature has been as high as 20 Celsius and as low as about 5 degrees, which makes it hard to plan an outing or a meal.

But when you wake up and sky is gray and releasing nothing but nonstop rain, it’s a pretty good bet that a good vegan stew will be on the menu.

I love soups and stews, the heartier the better. But I am NOT one of those people who can eat a vegan soup when it’s warm outside. My dad can do it. My husband. Many of my friends, too.

Not me.

Luckily Mother Nature is cooperating with my desire to eat more soup, though I wish she would switch so I can just eat a dry soup, also known as a delicious vegan salad.

Anyway I took advantage of the cold weather and whipped a vegan version of Irish Coddle Stew. And I say a version because there’s always that one person eager to say, “oh it’s not a true coddle if there’s no, insert animal flesh here.” Well I know that, which is why I said a VERSION of it.