Speaking Veganese on the Road

Musician Ted Leo (he's on my iPod) talks about his vegan diet, the best soy cheese and what's so great about Jameson in New York magazine this week.

Sweet Freedom Bakery

Philly readers with a sweet tooth, you may want to consider a visit to Sweet Freedom Bakery on South Street between Broad and 15th. They specialize in baked goods that are vegan (free of dairy, casein and eggs). The recipes, which are also gluten-free, avoid the use of corn, wheat, peanuts and soy. You can also rest assured that these unique sweet treats also avoid adding any chemicals. They are completely organic.

Sweet Freedom even delivers their cupcakes, cookies, cakes, muffins and loaves right to your front door. You can find them on Facebook and Twitter.

You can also find Vegenation on Facebook.

Back to Blogging: The Question of Fake Meat

The Huffington Post recently reported about trends related to vegetarian "chicken." While I know it's been awhile since the last post (I just got back from vacation) I wanted to share the story with you. It includes information about how vegan "chicken" is produced, as well as its growing appeal.

In the meantime, I also wanted to let you know about Field Roast, a new product line featuring vegan meatloaf, cutlets and other delicious dinner options. They even offer some creative recipes online.

Look for more recipes, product reviews and round ups later this week!

A Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale

Vegan activists grew a sweet tooth during dozens of bake sales around the world that seek to educate people about how good eating meat-free can really taste. Check it out.

Easy as Lunch

I tried one of Gardein's newest meals today, the Burgundy trio with beefless tips, veggies and rice. At only 230 calories for a full serving, it deserves high marks as a healthy, easy-to-prepare lunch.

The ample serving of beefless tips--which are very high in protein--have one of the best, most steak-like textures of any vegetable protein I've tasted right out of the package. My only suggestion would be to substitute the white rice with brown or multi-grain rice. I'm also hoping that Gardein packages the low-fat, cholesterol-free tips separately in family-size servings. I'd like to incorporate them into other recipes with quinoa and couscous or as vegetable kabobs (sans the rice).

Also look for the Sicilian and Thai trios at Whole Foods, Kroger and Safeway stores.

Spring Vegetable Minestrone

The spring weather definitely inspires me to head to the local market for some seasonal vegetables. Just because the temperatures are heating up doesn't mean there's anything wrong with supping on soup (it's actually a light and nutritious way to start the season). I came across a really good recipe for Spring Vegetable Minestrone and took some liberties to make it just a bit more vegetarian and (hopefully) much more tasty. The final product is a colorful and flavorful addition to any dinner table. It also stands alone as a hearty meal.

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
2 large shallots (diced)
Dry white wine
3 garlic cloves (minced)
Cayenne pepper (even a small amount provides a much-needed kick)
3 Carrots (diced)
1 large Yukon gold potato (diced)
2 turnips (diced)
4 cups vegetable broth (I prefer lower sodium options)
Fresh Italian parsley
Fresh thyme
Bay leaves
10 oz. shelled peas
4 oz. snow peas (trimmed and cut)
Fresh spinach
Tarragon

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium to high heat and add shallots. Cook until they soften. Then add the wine (a third cup), garlic and a pinch of Cayenne pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the carrots, potato and turnips and saute for about a minute before adding the broth and 5 cups of water. Add the parsley, thyme and bay leaves to the soup (you can either cook them loosely or tie them with kitchen twine--keep in mind you'll need to remove them later). Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil before reducing the heat to medium-low and cooking for at least 20 minutes. Finally, stir in the peas, snow peas and spinach and cover. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove the herbs and discard. Serve the soup in bowls and sprinkle with tarragon.

Real Simple Tacos with a Veggie Twist

Real Simple magazine recently shared a recipe for vegetarian tacos featuring tofu crumble, goat cheese and corn. While the dish is a nice addition to the magazine's ordinarily meat-heavy recipe guide, the tofu isn't as satisfying as a beef-like crumble from Morningstar Farms that can be seasoned with Mexican-style spices. The Real Simple recipe is healthier than most Mexican dishes since it doesn't call for sour cream or heavy cheese, but I'd recommend playing with creative ingredients like avocado, homemade salsa, sharp cheese and imitation fish, which is 100 percent vegan and available at Spring Garden Market (400 Spring Garden Street, 215-928-1288) to add even more flavor.

Veggie Food in Unlikely Places

It's not often that a local deli plates up veggie-friendly food that goes beyond the typical cheese hoagie...especially not in Philadelphia where the cheesesteak rules in its many greasy forms. But I recently visited Citi Marketplace (1318 Walnut St., 215-545-4085), a small grocery/deli with a hefty vegetarian and vegan menu.

The marketplace, which bills itself as an organic market and deli, offers more than a dozen meat-free meals, including veggie burgers, tofu wraps, chik'n cheesesteaks, grilled steaks, wraps, hoagies and soy cheese specialties. They also make a mean egg, cheese and vegetarian sausage sandwich, ideal for that late-night or early-morning nosh (the deli serves up food starting at 7 a.m. during the week until 11 p.m.). Citi Marketplace also offers free delivery downtown for orders equaling $10 and up, and provides catering services (there's a vegetarian sandwich tray available for less than $7 per person).

Citi Marketplace may be more grocery than gourmet, but it's a great alternative to other greasy spoons in Center City and the nearby Avenue of the Arts and Washington Square West neighborhoods. If you're willing to wait (service is on the slow side) you'll be pleasantly surprised. You can also pick up sides, snacks and other organic goodies to go.

Review: Thoreau Restaurant

I recently had dinner at a new B.Y.O.B. in Philly Thoreau (1033 Spring Garden Street, 215-232-9001) which bills itself as a "vegetarian grille." But it's really much more than its name suggests. Not only are the portions (both appetizers and entrees) very generous in size, but they are enriched with unique flavors borrowed, in part, from Latin American, Indian and French cuisines.

I started out with the sliders, which feature ratatouille in basil pumpkin seed pesto, creamy Spanish manchego cheese and red pepper aioli pressed between small buns that are topped with very crisp and very thin Belgian frites. The starter alone could substitute as an entree. The flavors are both sharp and sweet.

Other appetizers include a Buffalo blue blini with mascarpone cream and tangy carrot chile; green curry mango summer rolls with fresh mango and a curry glaze; as well as the macadamia black bean cakes and plantains serrano with tostones and avocado-red lentil roasted corn.

There are also several salads available, which tend to get overlooked given the range of more exotic dishes. Vegetarians, on the whole, end up ordering a lot of salads in restaurants when meat-free alternatives are missing. In this case, I was more interested in sampling the heavy hitters, which led me to the wild mushroom risotto as my main course.

Soaked in an ancho chile marsala broth, this hearty dish is perfect for when there's snow on the ground. It features creamy pumpkin-green apple Arborio rice risotto with basil mascarpone and wild and exotic oyster and shiitake mushrooms. Rich doesn't even begin to describe the flavor.

Meanwhile, my dinner guest opted for a special shepherd's pie (pictured above) that was like no shepherd's pie I have ever seen. It was served with creamy, whipped potatoes rising out of a green avocado and coconut milk stew of vegetables, potatoes and spices. While it didn't look anything like traditional shepherd's pie, it had an earthy taste, thanks to very fresh, thoughtful ingredients plucked from the chef's backyard garden - an interesting anecdote to most of the dishes on the menu. The ingredients are farm fresh and organic.

After such a memorable dinner, I'd be interested in trying the restaurant's more casual fare for lunch, including a Dagwood Cubano made with cucumber, roasted peppers, sharp provolone, Catalina mayo pressed between focaccia and served with baby greens in maple-mustard vinaigrette. Thoreau also serves blue corn asparagus tacos and more traditional falafel.

The only criticism I have of the restaurant is its lack of interior charm. While the decor is pure and sparse with white cloth tablecloths and napkins (a must since entrees start at $20 each), the lighting is brighter than necessary and the modern, angular art doesn't really relate to the richness and earthiness of the menu. The tables (which are very small) are also too close in proximity, making it difficult to navigate or to share a private conversation. A bright street lamp shines onto the window tables, which also detracts from any potential ambiance.

Thoreau is also presently a B.Y.O.B., but it's awaiting a liquor license that will allow wine and beer to be paired with seasonal dishes.

Overall, this creative eatery is a much-needed addition to a neighborhood struggling for an identity (Thoreau is directly across the street from the unfortunately named Spaghetti Warehouse). I'd suggest stopping into the nearby Prohibition Taproom (501 N. 13th Street, 215-238-1818) for a before or after dinner drink. The bartenders know their craft beers and classic cocktails.

Going Vegan

Paper magazine (I'd read Paper religiously--the good people at the tiny Waldenbooks shop at my local mall would special order it for me) has been posting blogs from Mickey Boardman, the pub's bespectacled editorial director, who has gone vegan the same way characters in Norman Rockwell illustrations have gone fishing. His forays into the world of veganism is pretty amusing, enlightening and, at times, challenging, especially as he embarks on a trip to Paris. Will he forgo rabbit? I intend to stay tuned whatever the decision.

Horizons in Philadelphia

Horizons is one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Philadelphia. Visit hungry because the gourmet menu is bulky, starting with the Cream of Kale and Green Chile Soup with toasted pepitas and pickled chayote and the Vietnamese Tacos with crispy lemongrass tempeh, Sriracha mayo, daikon, cilantro, carrot and chile (those are just the starters).

I always order my favorite comfort food dish of Grilled Seitan with Yukon mash, grilled spinach, horseradish cream and roasted red pepper tapenade or the Pacific Rim Grilled Tofu with spicy gochujang glaze, edamame potato puree, Japanese eggplant and pea leaf salad for the entree with a side of Wasabi Peas made with seaweed caramel and nori.

Horizons also serves vegan desserts like Chocolate Stuffed Beignets with marshmallow cocoa and Saffron Creme Brulee with pistachio biscotti, as well as adult beverages that includes an interesting beer selection.

Have a favorite vegetarian restaurant? Tell me about it.

Spicy BBQ Chik'n on a Stick

You don't have to light the backyard grill just to get a taste of summer when there's snow on the ground. It's easy to sample one of my favorite warm-weather dishes in a fry pan or counter-top grill. Spicy BBQ Chik'n on a Stick has become a favorite among family and friends (even the ones who swear they'd never sample vegan fare). You won't want to wait until the pool's open just to enjoy this simple lunch or party meal.

When I first started making these vegetarian kabobs I used a non-meat protein called Veat (which has since been discontinued). I was told by one meat eater at a party that it should be called "Cheat" because she didn't know the kabobs were meatless. She thought she was eating chicken.

Fortunately, there are plenty of meat substitutes on the market. While I favor Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips you can also use meatless and soy-free Quorn Chik'n Tenders or any veggie protein without a breaded coating.

Ingredients

2 bags of Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips

1 large red onion

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper (the colorful peppers are to create color on the kabob)

1 large container of cherry tomatoes (or two small containers)

10-12 skewers for kabobs

Extra virgin olive oil

BBQ sauce (I favor Stubb's Spicy Bar-B-Que Sauce or you can make your own using a recipe of tomato paste, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, olive oil, garlic cloves, onion, dry mustard and cayenne pepper)

Preparation

Chop the onion and peppers and place them into a very large mixing bowl. Add the Chik'n Strips and cherry tomatoes and mix with BBQ sauce. Add water to loosen thick sauce so it covers most of the ingredients. Cover bowl, place in refrigerator and let stand overnight (if you don't have time, try to allow the mix to marinade for at least a few hours. The skewers taste better that way). When you're ready to make your kabobs, add the veggie "meat" and vegetables to each skewer in a colorful way, mixing up flavors and textures. Make sure to leave about an inch or more at the top of the skewer to handle in the fry pan or on the grill. When the skewers are made, collect the excess sauce and use it to baste in the pan or on the grill. If you're cooking in the house, add a little olive oil to the pan on low-to-medium heat and place several of the kabobs in the pan (it's also best to spray the grill with oil so the kabobs don't stick). Turn the kabobs when they start to brown, basting them with the extra BBQ sauce. When they're fully cooked, serve the kabobs family-style (still on the stick) on a platter. For the ultimate picnic experience, serve with potato salad, pasta salad or your favorite sides.

Chik'n Cordon Bleu

Try Quorn's Gruyere Chik'n Cutlets for dinner (only 200 calories per cutlet!). It's easy to make Chik'n Cordon Bleu by baking each cutlet with a Smart Deli ham-style vegetarian protein slice on top.

Beefless Beef Stew

I made this dish recently and it's given me a new reason to invite friends over for dinner. Even the most finicky beef eater wouldn't guess this is actually a very hearty vegan dish.

Sweet Potato Soup

One pot meals are my favorites in the winter, particularly ones that can simmer on the stovetop long enough for seconds. Very recently, I wanted to make potato soup for a sick friend, but wanted better nutritional value than what my usual Irish potato soup recipe yields (I also wanted to avoid mucus-making dairy). So I grabbed some sweet potatoes (they're high in fiber and vitamin A, and are a great source for antioxidants) and started peeling.

The original recipe that inspired my dish suggested spicy chorizo, which I changed to Italian vegetarian "sausage." The sweet and savory tastes in this soup are terrifically well-balanced.

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced

1 large baking potato peeled and diced

4 Italian veggie "sausage" links chopped in 1/4-inch slices

2 teaspoons of vegetable base Better Than Bouillon

2 carrots diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 red onion chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil

fresh rosemary

cayenne pepper

nutmeg

1 handful of fresh spinach chopped

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often. Put sausage aside and add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes and carrots (sprinkle with cayenne pepper and nutmeg to taste) and cook until they begin to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add vegetarian broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using a hand-held mixer, mash some of the potatoes in the pot. Add browned sausage to the soup. Stir in spinach and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Welcome to Vegenation!

Another food blog? Not exactly. While Vegenation will feature plenty of food reviews and recipes, I'll also share stories, links and other anecdotes related to meatless eating. You may want to bookmark this link if you're interested in innovative content about eating healthier and more creatively, whether you're a hardcore vegan or an adventurous carnivore.

Things you should know: I am a fan of cheese (but many recipes are vegan or can be substituted with dairy-free ingredients). And I recreate lots of traditional, meat-heavy recipes into vegetarian-friendly dishes, which has become easier than ever thanks to tasty veggie proteins from Gardein, Morningstar Farms and Tofurky, three of my favorite brands.

What you won't find here: Politics on the dinner plate. I'm an animal advocate, but not a political one. I welcome meat eaters, vegans and vegetarians alike.

I also welcome comments, questions and suggestions.