Hello! How's it going? It's a beautiful sunny day here. My favorite kind of day. I just got back from a walk in the woods which was great. I sat down to share a recipe with you guys, but then something happened. I realized that today is my one year vegan anniversary. Whaaaaat!? Crazy. In July 2013 I watched Earthlings after getting my wisdom teeth removed and haven't touched meat since. Then I began my slow transition into veganism and here we are 365 days later. Wow! It has been a life changing year for me and I'm so glad to be where I'm at now. After realizing that today is special I ditched the recipe (not completely, I'll share it soon!) and decided to go in the veganniversary route. I was talking to my friend the other day about veganism and he mentioned that a lot of people think that vegans "can't eat anything" which inspired me to share some of my favorite vegan foods that I've had over the past year. Now let's see if I can put this together without taking a impulse trip to the kitchen to create one of these goodies...
Oatmeal... Oh man. I had an oatmeal affair for a very long time. It never gets boring! You can literally top it with anything and it will be wonderful.
Brownie Ice Cream Explosion anyone?! When I released this recipe I had tons of people saying that they couldn't believe that it was vegan. Well it is and it's delicious. Give it a try!
Another favorite recipe of mine is Chocolate Almond Butter Cups. I looove these! They're so rich and heavenly. I actually think I'm going to make some of these tomorrow as a little celebration. Who wants to come over and join me!?
I was searching for photos to share and I was getting very nostalgic about the NYC photos. I love NYC so much and each time I leave I can't wait to go back. But anyways, I fell in love with Juice Press last year. The variety that they have is awesome!
Okay, things have just gotten serious. If you know me or follow me on social media then you're aware of my strong love towards Pure Food and Wine. It's hands down my favorite restaurant on this planet. (and I've been to a lot of restaurants) But seriously, Pure Food blows my mind with their dishes. Last year during my yoga training I was there almost every weekend. Totally worth every penny spent. I mean look at these tacos and chocolate peanut butter cheesecake! Perfection.
You're probably tired of me talking about Pure Food and Wine and ready to move on. Well, not yet! One Lucky Duck is the takeaway and juice bar of Pure Food and I would live there if possible. I am in a relationship with their Caesar Salad. If I could eat this salad everyday, I would. I used to eat them for breakfast every Sunday. Was there a better way to start the day? Absolutely not.
Vegan sushi. My opinion on it is a bit biased because I've never had "real sushi." But I can still say that Beyond Sushi is good sushi. So good that I've gotten takeout there a few times (okay, a lot).
I have to tell you, ice cream is the thing that I miss the most. I don't have any access to vegan ice cream where I live and it's rough. Lula's Sweet Apothecary in NYC is what keeps me going though. Even though it's 5 hours away, just knowing that it's out there is enough. Lula's is ridiculous, in a great way. They have such a wide variety of flavors, toppings, etc. and it's all vegan!!
I'm in the "eat as many potatoes as possible" fan club. If you're not a member, then what are you doing!? You must join. I love how versatile potatoes are. You can do basically anything with them and they are basically guaranteed to be delicious. Mmm. Above is potatoes, edamame, sprouts, pumpkin seed parmesan, and One Lucky Duck Caesar dressing. Make it, love it!
So we talked about NYC restaurants and I ranted and raved about Pure Food and Wine. Well guess what! It's time to do the same with Pittsburgh. I'm sure you all know what I'm taking about... Eden. I love Eden so much. I take everyone there, even my omnivore friends! If you're looking for awesome vegan food, go to Eden. I've tried almost everything on their menu for the past year and haven't had a bad experience. Above is the Jackfruit Carnitas from their Spring menu. True love.
PIZZA. Vegan pizza to be exact. A lot of people tell me that they couldn't go vegan because, pizza! Well I have gotten tons of pizza all over the eastern US and it's all been vegan. Vegan and delicious. I eat the whole pizza in one meal and love it all. Vegans eat pizza, and they love it. Right?!
Amazing Cafe in Pittsburgh is fairly new. I found it last year after it first opened. I didn't know that I'd be getting myself into another (healthy!) obsession. This place rules! They change up their menu and always keep things interesting and delicious. The portobello burger (above) is my favorite thing currently. I never liked "real burgers" but I'm almost certain that this burger beats any other burger around! Plus it comes with some really tasty sides too. YUM.
Yummy For Every Tummy is a local vegan bakery with gluten free options. My kind of bakery!! Vegan cupcakes are my absolute favorite thing. Love, love, love. I ate all of these in the car on the way home, whoops. Treat yourself! These were unique flavors and I wish that I could remember them. I just remember the middle one was a tropical and fabulous. You can't just eat one cupcake though!
I saved this blueberry mango banana ice cream for last. Just look at it! This was a meal one day. Before I was vegan I never would have imagined having something like this for a meal. But it's awesome. So abundant and so delicious!
Vegan food is so far from boring. Plus there's alternatives for everything you're looking for. I actually feel as if it's opened up food options more than ever! It's so important to be aware of the corporations that you're supporting and stick up for what you believe in. Go vegan!!