NYC or Bust (your pants from all the eating)

This blog's grand adventure was a another big fat vegan roadtrip! We had the incredible luck of travelling just days before Hurricane Sandy hit. When writing this, I still can barely believe the destruction and devastation that's happen in the short time since we've been there.

Since April 2011, I've been living the nerdy dream by working my way through Vegnew's "99 things you must do: A vegan bucket list". Given my love for trying new things, eating, travel and checking things off lists-I couldn't love this challenge any more. So far, I've done 45 of 99 and travelling to NYC would let me get multiple checks into one trip! Woot!

My journey began with a very long drive. Technically it started before the really long drive with a rental car who's alarm was broken. Do you know what's awesome? Driving 20 minutes through town with your alarm going off! After a switch, I was now one person driving a big mini van over 7 hours!Environmentalist fail. First stop was Strong Hearts Cafe, a vegan cafe tucked away in a historic building in Syracuse, NY that came highly recommended. To be totally honest, my "chicken" Caesar was pretty meh but I took a menu and planned to visit on my return anyways-they had freakin cupcakes *and* milkshakes.

Here begins the portion of this journey that I call "4 hours in hell". Original plan was as such: Drive rental to airport. Park at airport, public transport into and around city. Easy right? Yuhuh. So my gas light goes on about 40 minutes from the airport. I figured there would be gas stations right on the road further into the city, and didn't want to risk getting lost. Ha. So I get to the bridge that goes over to the airport, and the sign tells me 60 minutes of traffic until I get there! As I'm sitting in the middle of 8 lanes of gridlock traffic- the last exit before the bridge 100 metres from my vehicle. AHH! After numerous middle fingers, I was off the road and in the Bronx. Isn't this where drive bys happen? *small city girl in a rental minivan hyperventilating*. From here, my GPS kept taking me in the same loop for an hour. FML. With our dinner reservations looming closer, and her flight having arrived three hours prior, Kristi (who you might recognize from our previous adventures in Las Angeles and Las Vegas) suggested I meet her at the hotel. Perfect. Well, except that it was in Manhattan, three blocks from Times Square at Friday rush hour. I've got this. Except I didn't, and almost imploded from stress. Once I finally arrived (shaking and nauseous), it was a failed subway attempt (times two) and we were *finally* eating at Blossom Cafe. Bucket list check one. My dinner was amazing,

Vegetable crepes with a bunch of fancy delicious accroudements.

But by far the winner was Butterfinger milkshakes for dessert. ZOMG.

Get used to my crazy dessert face, you're going to see it a lot.

The other great thing we got there was insider info on the best places to visit on an NYC vegan pilgrimage. Score! Our first stop the next morning was the highly recommended Champs Cafe in Brooklyn.

Scones.Scones.Scones.

It was hipster heaven with tattooed servers, interesting crap on the walls,

That's what she said.

A whole case of baked heaven, and VEGAN EGGS BENEDICT. Ahhhh, delicious!

I wish we lived in the future, where I'm sure we'll have the technology for you to be able to taste this on the screen.
 Pictures don't adequately capture it's heart stopping deliciousness.

 1.5 hours into the day and I was already overloaded with happiness. A few cake pops for the journey and we were off.

Flags! People! Buildings! Adventure!

We explored some funk-tastic vintage stores, people watched, and took lame pictures wherever we could.

Anyone that says vegans are unattractive, or don't wear aviator sunglasses clearly hasn't seen this photo.

I also happened to find more Vegan baked goods. How does this always happen to me? Most likely  because I never stop thinking about them.

This is my red velvet crazy face.

We also spent a good portion of time trying to find parking in Chinatown. $46 later, it was getting close to dinner at Candle 79! Number 21 on Vegnews bucket list "Dine at Candle 79 in New York. Go with people whom you truly adore, and feast on appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts." My pen was freakin ready to check this one off. And my tummy was ready for it's endurance test. First, we had to get ready for our big night out, which also included a trip to Pine Box Rock Shop-vegan bars don't just happen every day for this girl!

Vintage shop find. "Oh this old thing?"

Dinner was amazing, and we were so absorbed in great conversation, ambiance and wine that it's hard to recall exactly what we ate. Most like because it was one of those fancy meals that has 20 different elaborate sauces and frou frou names for things.

I know somewhere in there were glazed brussel sprouts, pomegranate seeds, sweet potato gratin and seitan something or other. It was amaaaazing. The rest of the night whizzed by in a blur of fancy drinks at a vegan bar that had both a Big Shot hunter game (oooh the irony) and Jamaican jerk Empanadas, late night subway rides, and an $84 trip through the Times Scare haunted house (perfect idea at 2 am).

The next morning didn't hurt as much as it could have, so we got up and went to foodie heaven. a.k.a. A Food Tuck rally. For those of you that don't know about Food Trucks other than ones that sell french fries; food trucks are making a comeback as gourmet eateries on wheels. In large centers like NYC, Las Angeles and others, food trucks have devoted followers who follow them from location to location with tips from facebook and twitter. My big fat hairy dream is to one day have my own mobile gourmet restaurant! A food truck rally is when many get together to set up food courts on wheels! Our choices were curried shitake Empanadas (you know it's a great trip when it's all Empanadas all the time), Kimchi Tacos made with falafel (Sounds totally weird, and it is! Pickled cabbage, spicy sauce and falafel. Weirdly delicious that is.)

Sesame noodle salad with dumplings and a carrot cake ice cream sandwich with lychee champagne sorbet in the middle. All from different trucks! *siiiiiigh* It was awesome.

This is my ice cream sandwich happiness face.

After this, our whirlwind trip wrapped up so Kristi could return to LaLaland, and I could return to the great white(or in this case multicoloured fall splendor) North. I got lost no less than 7 different times trying to leave the city and the state. Once I got to Pennsylvania, I had to pull over to sleep so my soul didn't cave in on itself. In short, travelling to NYC is a grand adventure, but for the love of yourself, do NOT drive there. I'm sure you could have told me that, just as everyone else has. Though if you *really* know me, you'll know I like to learn things the way that teaches the most concrete lesson and tells the best story. Check. Mark.



Have muscles, will travel.

So this week in the world of "what the hell does a vegan eat", we add another challenge! What does a vegan eat on an athletic adventure in another city? This weekend was training to become an instructor for a barbell weightlifting class(Bodypump) in Burlington, On. Training requires you to do 5 classes and then another super challenge-lift 50-150% of the weight you normally do! No big deal right? So on top of just doing it, I had to find a way to keep my body fueled for two days of intense physical activity. This road trip required epic planning! Here is what my food pile looked like before I walked out the door.

Bananas, orange, apple, avocado, 7 lbs of almonds, walnuts with chocolate chips, 5 pb and j sanwiches and
vegan power muffins.

So for your eating pleasure, I'm posting the recipe for Sweet Potato Date muffins which I make for nearly every road trip I've ever been on. They contain only good things and offer outstanding sustained energy, whole food nutrition and packability. They have gone with me to Toronto, Las Vegas, New York and anywhere else my little wandering feet take me. I even contacted the author, Jae Steele, to get permission to use the recipe. Talking to her on messanger made me feel like a VIP! Make these and all will be right in your world (and intestines too). Its from "Ripe from around here" which you should go get right now! Now! One of my favorite cookbooks eva!

Sweet Potato Date Muffins

2.5 cups peeled and cubed sw. potatoes, steemed to perfection
2 cups Spelt flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup oat bran
1 Tbs baking powder
1tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup applesauce(or 2 apples blitzed in the vitamix if you forget to buy applesauce like I always do)
3/4 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup sunflower oil or coconut oil (I've only ever tried this with coconut oil)
Set your oven to 410 and get busy! Whisk together flour, bran, oats, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the dates and stir to coat. Pour in applesauce, maple syrup and oil (if using coconut oil, melt it first). Mix until just combines and stir in the sweet potatoes. Bake around 28 minutes.

So we hit the road, and started playing "what can I convince a near stranger to do just to get on my blog". The answer was, yoga poses in public! Rebecca chose to show off her mad yoga skillz in the middle of a cobblestone alley in front of our restaurant. Woot! Spirit of adventure=check!

She makes it look easy, but I dare you to try to do it right now!

As soon as we hit town we hauled ass to Kindfood, a gluten free vegan restaurant that's won best cupcake four years in a row. It was closed :( After I shed some tears and licked the door, our search continued for something delicious. Persion eatery won this round!

A beautiful night meant outdoor eating! I usually hate beer, but it said "local, microbrewery and organic" which I tend to be a sucker for.

Company was good, beer was bad. I maintain it only tastes good if it's free.

Dinner didn't meet my standards for beauty, but the service was awesome and it tasted wonderful!

The next day brought hard core training and a quick lunch break that meant speeding across town to get in some vegan eats. Kindfood, finally you're mine! R and I both got the intensely awesome "Gene Baur" green smoothie and $20 worth of cupcakes LOL! Fitness inspiration right there folks.

Kindfood was filled with all of the things that make for a Christina happy place. Vegans, cupcakes, vitamixes, and signs that say things to make me smile.

Check.

This is what $20 worth of cupcakes looks like.

From top left, mint chocolate, dulce de leche, pina colada and cookies and creme.

After our day ended, down time meant wandering around industrial Burlington. It was highway-arific. Hidden among industrial supply buildings and freeways, I found a field of wildflowers. Happiness! So, I "bought" myself some flowers. First because I just finished something really challenging and second because I'm worth it damn it.

Worth it!

Then it was time for  my sub par food court dinner. Just so you know, cute takeaway boxes does not equal culinary magic. Though to be fair, my mom is a Thai food rockstar so my standards are pretty high.

Dinner sucked but dessert was awesome! Four cupcakes. That's right, four.

Here's Rebecca, enjoying her Kindfood brownie after our intense day 2. She'll most likely hate me forever for posting this photo, but I feel it captures the essence of brownie bliss perfectly. She's a doctor, so you can pretty much take that as medical advice to eat brownies as recovery food ha!

That's about it. It was a pretty awesome trip, filled with my favorite things-sweating, new friends, yummy vegan food, cupcakes AND muffins, and accomplishment! Huzzah!

Adventures in rolling (sushi that is)

So first off, I must apologize for my epic fail in blog updates. Turns out that people were actually reading my musings and missed me-so I'm back, with 17 albums of backlogged food porn! Today sushi, tomorrow cupcakes, the next day the world. I could blame it on real life, trips to the motherland (Canada represent!), general computer lameness or rampant venereal disease- but they are all just excuses for being lazy. So here I am, back with a dream in my heart and some wine in my hand. Today's blog brings you my first guest chef-Frank! Frank has been a very dear friend of mine for quite some time. We met through La Leche League and hypnobirthing classes and have seen each other almost weekly for going on years. While we let our kids rip the house apart and sword fight with plastic golf clubs, we often manage to accomplish both dinner and tete a tetes. On the menu tonight-vegan sushi! People often assume vegetarians eat fish, because fish are plants right? I can't think of many upsides, but recent activity in the Gulf of Mexico has made it easier for people to understand why one would want to abstain from eating oceanic life. In light of that, the menu was carrot, avocado (top 5 favorite food eva) and cucumber sushi.

Having never made sushi before, I never realized what a pain in the ass it is to slice vegetables paper thin. In that moment, I was filled with nothing but regret over trading my fancy veggie slicer for a bag of used cloth diapers (if that's not hippie, I don't know what is :D). After slicing the world's thinnest veggies, we added secret recipe sushi rice and rolled those bitches in nori. The results were epic yum. We served 'em up with garlic tamari green beans and kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage heaven).

Thank you Frank for passing on your ancient Japanese-ish wisdom, and for being such a special person in my life.