Strawberry Shortcake is my all time FAVORITE summer treat. As a vegan, the question becomes what do you put those sweet red berries on that will taste as good as angel food cake? In case you were not aware - angel food cake is packed with lots, and lots of eggs!
Before you get the cupcakes started, wash and cut your strawberries then sprinkle 1-2 TBSP of sugar over the top. Put these in the refrigerator and let the magic begin. I added some vanilla soy ice cream on the side of my dessert for the perfect addition!
Also, we have a new Des Moines area veg-friendly Facebook group, Des Veg Life. Vegetarian meet up plans in the works and much more!! (as soon as I figure out how to put a facebook link button on here I will.)
Also, as an update to the Des Moines food list you need to try:
Tacopacolypse - http://www.tacopocalypse.com They feature a vegan chorizo taco - get one this weekend at the Farmer's Market!
This Easter my sister found a really yummy bread pudding recipe. The challenge was how to make it vegan? Vegan baking is an art. If you live in Iowa and you want to see this art in action, visit Fairgrounds Coffee House in Iowa City, www.fairgroundscoffeehouse.com. I worked at this coffee shop for a summer a few years back. They have a full line of vegan bakery items. While helping to bake bread, muffins and cupcakes each day, I learned to look at the baking process differently.
The question comes up a lot from people. “How in the world do you bake without eggs?” The answer is “I substitute the egg for something healthier!”
The first thing to know about baking without eggs, is how the egg is acting or reacting in a recipe. So when you go to substitute an egg you want to make sure you use an egg substitute that will react similarly in a recipe. For example, when baking light items like cookies and muffins, substitute ¼ cup of soft silken tofu. I like using ground flaxseed with water in brownies…because then I can pretend like the brownies are really healthy. The flaxseed acts as a binding agent and helps give rise to the batter.
A great resource for anyone baking without eggs or dairy is a book by Celine Steen & Joni Marie Newman: The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions – Veganize it! Foolproof Methods for Transforming Any Dish into a Delicious New Vegan Favorite. This book has non-vegan recipes where the authors have highlighted the eggs, dairy, yogurt, etc. and wrote in the vegan substitutions you can use to make it healthier! The book also goes into how to make recipes that are soy free, gluten free, etc. A must have to any cookbook collection!
For your reference here are some common egg substitutions:
Ener-G Egg Replacer
Tofu
Applesauce
Ripe Bananas
Ground Flaxseed
Vinegar
Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer
Coconut Milk
Okay – now onto the good stuff! The recipe below originally called for 4 cups heavy whipping cream and 4 eggs. I think my recipe is MUCH healthier…and it came out tasting divine! (We didn’t want to stop eating it!)
Spring Bread Pudding
1 Package Soft Silken Tofu
1 largeor 2 smallRipe Banana (brown bananas are best for baking!)
2 Cups Sugar
1 tspVanilla
2 tspBaking Powder
2 CupsFresh or frozen blueberries
1 CupChocolate chips (dairy free)
1 loafFrench Bread
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9X13 baking dish with oil or non-stick cooking spray.
2.In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer or blender to whip the first four ingredients until smooth and thoroughly blended. Add baking powder and mix well.
3.Stir in the blueberries and chocolate chips
4.Cut or tear French bread into small 1 inch pieces and add to wet ingredients (my 4 year old nephew loved tearing the bread apart with me!) Let French bread sit in wet ingredients for 5-10 minutes to become saturated.
5.Pour pudding mixture into oiled baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean. (if you can find a spot that does not have a wet chocolate chip!)
After the dish cools you can add vegan whipped cream to the top and it tastes extra yummy. It is good with or without a topping!
My territory for work takes me across 67 counties in Iowa and up into a small part of South Dakota. In a state where hogs out number people, you sometimes get weird looks for asking what is vegetarian or vegan on a menu in the middle of no-where Iowa. I have some suggestions for your car and for fast food eating. Here are some road-tested rules for traveling.
Rule #1 – Plan ahead and Pack your Car!
Small healthy snacks for your car are essential. Don’t be tempted by the overpriced sugar filled snacks at the convenience stores. As you will see from the list below – there is always food in my car. No one goes hungry when traveling with me!
Take care of yourself before hunger ever strikes. Ideas for snacks that travel well include:
Peanut Butter (This is a necessity just in case – see rule #4)
Refillable water bottles – fill them before you leave home
Larabars or granola bars – perfect size to fit a few in your glove box!
Apples or pears
Banana chips & apple chips (kids of all ages LOVE these!)
Nuts
Carrots
Celery
Rule #2 - Know your fast food menus.
Unfortunately, you can’t walk into a fast food venue and see items marked as vegan or vegetarian. However, most fast food places have their menu, and nutrition information, including ingredients, posted on their website. The thing about Iowa and Fast food – is that the small towns all seem to have the same exact fast food restaurants. There is not a lot of variety.
Panera – Thank goodness for the black bean soup. This is my staple on the road!
Also vegan at Panera: Sourdough bread, low-fat Vegetarian Garden Soup, salads with no cheese or meat. I am not sure why – but it is really hard to get them to change up the sandwiches and make them to order. I usually stick to the soup!
Taco Bell – The Fresco Burrito has no cheese! If the Taco Bell you visit has no Fresco menu, my all time favorite is a bean burrito, no cheese, plus rice.
Taco Johns – In rural Iowa Taco Johns seem to be much more prevalent than the Bell. Unfortunately, the soft tortillas are not vegan. Go for a bean taco, no meat, no cheese. The secret here is ALWAYS look at your taco before eating. I am not sure why, but they always mess this up. The upside, is that if you are frugal like me, you take back the first taco they messed up, ask for another and get a coupon for free food the next time you visit! (If you go into a situation knowing it will be messed up – there is always a bright side to look forward to!)
Subway – You can rely on almost all of the small towns in Iowa having a Subway. There is not a lot for protein, but you can make a salad to order at Subway or get a veggie sub. The breads that are vegan include: Hearty Italian, Ciabatta, Roasted Garlic and Italian (white). The wheat and honey oat breads have honey in them.
Rule #3 – Research the Community Before You Leave Home
With so many small towns in rural Iowa we are fairly limited on our expansion of fast food variety. Many small towns have a Chinese, Japanese, Thai, or Mexican restaurant that will offer some variety if you are traveling. Although, these small places don’t always have websites to check for nutrition information ahead of time. If you are traveling wider than Iowa – some great sites to check out include:
www.happycow.comHappy Cow is a great resource for travelers and has a list of tried and true vegetarian, vegan and vegan friendly places to eat and shop in cities around the world. If I find a vegan friendly place to eat that is not listed on Happy Cow, I suggest to the owners or managers to add their restaurant as a resource for other travelers.
www.veganeatingout.com This is a helpful resource listing common fast food places and what exactly can be found vegan on their menus.
Rule #4 – If all else fails Rely on the Peanut Butter you packed in Rule #1
If you have a jar of peanut butter or nuts in your car – you have protein to get through the day. If all else fails, I dip my apples, banana chips, carrots and sometimes my fingers into the creamy goodness of peanut butter!
Here is my favorite soup recipe, Corn Chowder! For soup this recipe is fairly quick.
I made corn chowder a few times with soy milk and I ended up with those funny curdles in my soup. Nothing looks appetizing with curdles of milk in it! A friend of mine who runs a vegan restaurant suggested using coconut milk. It is now my favorite ingredient in any “creamy” based soup. This soup does not come out tasting like coconut at all. It is just wholesome and tasty. Also, a note for vegetable bouillon cubes. The low sodium cubes have really good flavor and a lot less salt!
Corn Chowder
6-10 Potatoes (I add LOTS of potatoes! You cant go wrong by adding more)
1 medium Onion chopped
2 Vegetable Boullion Cubes
4 Cups Water
1 tsp Salt
1 package Frozen corn
1 can Coconut Milk
Chop potatoes and onions into small cubes. Cook potatoes and onions in vegetable broth for 15-20 minutes. Add coconut milk and frozen corn. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to mash soup – not too much – just enough to help thicken. Eat and enjoy!
If you like really thick corn chowder, you can let sit for a couple of hours or cover, refrigerate and heat up again the next evening. The soup thickens the longer it sits.
I’ve been cooking up lots of comfort food lately. Food that makes you feel safe, secure and remind you of better days. For me comfort foods include soups, stroganoff, brownies and cheesecake. Thankfully, I have found a vegan alternative to ALL of my favorite comfort foods.
There are fabulous recipes for brownies and cheesecake in Sinfully Vegan by Lois Dieterly. Try the “I can’t believe their not Sinful Brownies”
My mom was the inspiration for the Vegan Stroganoff recipe below.
Craving Stroganoff? Try this! Quick, easy and delicious! 1 Package Boca Crumbles 1 Vegetable Bouillon Cube 1 Cup Water 2 TBSP Corn Starch 1 TBSP Soy Sauce 1 tsp Garlic Salt 1 Cup Soy Sour Cream 1 PKG Favorite noodles
Heat first six ingredients on low until sauce thickens then add sour cream and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste.
As a recent transplant to Des Moines, a new adventure in searching for places to eat and things to enjoy has begun!
My stomach misses Iowa City – home of all things good and vegan in Iowa. However, Des Moines has quite a few “Vegan Friendly” restaurants that I have come to enjoy.
Cool Basil - 8801 University Ave, Clive Iowa (50325); Great selection of Thai food and good vegetarian sushi!
A-Dong Restaurant – 1511 High Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-3109; Really fresh Vietnamese food, with a separate vegetarian menu!
Bandit Burrito – 5340 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, IA 50322; Bandit has a “Soy-Chorizo” you can add to your veggie burrito and fabulous guacamole.
PF Changs – 110 South Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266-8141; Located next to Jordon Creek Mall, Changs has a small vegetarian menu, as well as a Gluten Free menu!
Ritual Café - 1301 Locust St Ste D, Des Moines Iowa (50309) (at Grand); Small menu with some great veggie selections!
Groceries – There are a few markets in town outside of Hy-Vee’s small health food section. These are the places I found that actually have good organic produce. I still travel up to Ames or back to Iowa City to hit the Co-ops and stock up on my bulk food items!
Trader Joes - 6305 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines Iowa (50266) (at S 64th St)
New City Market – 4721 University Ave, Des Moines Iowa (50314)
Gateway Market - 2002 Woodland Ave, Des Moines Iowa (50312)
Campbells Nutrition – When I arrived in Des Moines, everyone raved about Campbells. Unfortunately, it is not worth raving about if you have ever been to a co-op. The prices are high and the selection is small. I was very unimpressed, and in fact a little depressed when I first entered the store. (I think my expectations were a little too high!)
Strawberry Shortcake is my all time FAVORITE summer treat. As a vegan, the question becomes what do you put those sweet red berries on that will taste as good as angel food cake? In case you were not aware - angel food cake is packed with lots, and lots of eggs!
