Chow Vegan

10 Years of Blogging

February 7, 2018 By chow 6 Comments

10 Years of Blogging | Chow Vegan

10 years. Can you believe it’s been 10 years since my first blog post went up? My, how time flies, seems like just yesterday. I’m not normally one to celebrate a blogiversary but 10 years is a bit of a milestone. I can’t thank you all enough for reading my little ol’ blog.

In the past decade, so many new things have come onto the vegan scene from the many wonderful cookbooks to delicious new products to amazing cooking techniques. Who would have guessed the incredible power of chickpea brine (aquafaba)? Never has there been a better time to be or go vegan.

Sadly, in that same time frame, some beloved vegan eateries have come and gone as well as some favorite bloggers. I know I haven’t been the best at keeping up the blog lately. Work is seriously cutting into my leisure time. I won’t promise I’ll be any better in the new year, but rest assured I’ll still be here puttering away whenever I can. For now, let’s reminisce over the years.

CHOW VEGAN TOP 10 POSTS OF ALL TIME

Baked Falafel

2. Crispy Baked Tofu

3. BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

4. Homestyle Vegan Meatloaf

5. Buffalo Style Roasted Tofu

6. Baked Banana Tempura

7. Super Easy DIY Pockets

8. Roasted Vegetable with Crispy Rice Cake

9. Roasted Tofu with Leeks and Black Bean Sauce

10. Crispy Baked Spicy Pumpkin Wontons

Vegan Birthday Freebies 2017

December 30, 2017 By chow 5 Comments

Starbucks Salad | Chow Vegan

Just like that, another year has flown by. In this time-crunched, fast-paced world, it behooves us all to stop and smell the roses occasionally. Or at least stop and enjoy a few vegan birthday freebies on your yearly special day, week, month.

Since the Starbucks birthday reward is only good for a couple of days around your b-day, I got that first. Lentils and Vegetable Protein Bowl with Brown Rice, my favorite item from Starbucks, pictured above.

Ike's Place Vegan Tom Brady Sandwich | Chow Vegan

From Ike’s Place, a Vegan Tom Brady – vegan breaded chicken, garlic, mushrooms, herb sauce, avocado, cheddar, tomatoes and lettuce on Dutch Crunch bread. Always such a mess to eat an Ike’s sandwich but it’s so good I’ll put up with the sauce dribbling down my chin.

Veggie Grill Lone Star Burger | Chow Vegan

At Veggie Grill, I tried the new Lucky Star Burger with grilled Beyond Burger, smoked gouda “cheese”, balsamic onions, blue cheese sauce, arugula, Sriracha ketchup on a pretzel bun with fries. I was so looking forward to trying the Beyond Burger but I thought it was just okay.

On their website, it looked like it would be amazing. But they left off the onions. I liked the pretzel bun and that the patty was the perfect size for the bun, so nothing squished out. Sadly, the birthday freebie is now only five bucks off their core or seasonal items. Despite this, I still love going to Veggie Grill. Birthday coupon is good for about two weeks.

Sprinkles Vegan Red Velvet Cupcake | Chow Vegan

There’s still just one vegan cupcake at Sprinkles, the vegan red velvet. I keep hoping they’ll make other vegan flavors. You have a month to redeem your free cupcake.

Pressed Juicery Freeze | Chow Vegan

And my favorite b-day freebie of all time, Pressed Juicery Freeze, cold-pressed juice frozen like soft serve. I went with Chocolate and Matcha with blueberries, strawberries and granola toppings. Stop by during your birthday month to get it.

Once again, I didn’t make it to every place that offered me a birthday freebie. But to all the places I did stop by, a huge thank you for generously making my b-day extra special. Sign up at least 30 days before your birthday to get your rewards on time.

Vegan Birthday Freebies

Starbucks, one free drink or food
Ike’s Place, one free sandwich
Veggie Grill, $5 off core or seasonal items
Sprinkles, one free cupcake
Pressed Juicery, free juice or freeze
Pieology, bogo pizza
Jamba Juice, free smoothie or juice
Rubio’s, a free entrée

Roasted Tofu with Miso Cauliflower Gravy

December 23, 2017 By chow 6 Comments

‘Twas the season of comfort food, with Roasted Tofu with Miso Cauliflower Gravy over rice, topped with fried onion pieces for one and all. Inspired by the food truck, It’s All Gravy, purveyor of gravy covered comfort food. I love their miso tofu bowl and thought a homemade version would hit the spot.

Since the gravy is made of cauliflower, you’re now free to put as much as your heart desires without feeling the least bit guilty about it. Pictured above is the “refrained” version with a reasonable amount of gravy.

Not pictured is my actual plate with the rice and tofu drowning in a sea of gravy. Not pretty, not pretty at all but mighty tasty. Served with baby broccoli, also swimming in gravy.

Roasted Tofu with Miso Cauliflower Gravy

1 14-ounce block of extra-firm tofu
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

As the rice takes the longest to cook, get that going in the rice cooker first. Next, make the tofu.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the oil, salt and paprika. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Place each tofu cube in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 15 minutes on one side, flip over to the other side and roast for another 15 minutes for a total of 30 minutes. While the tofu is roasting, make the gravy.

Miso Cauliflower Gravy
1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
3 cups cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon miso
1 garlic clove

In a pot, add the cauliflower and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce down to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft. Carefully transfer cauliflower and some of the broth to a high-speed blender. Add the miso and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, thin with a little bit of the leftover broth. Depending on your desired gravy thickness only add the liquid a little at a time. (It’s much easier to thin out the gravy than it is to thicken it. I ended up with a little less than a 1/4 cup broth left over. Just save it for another use.)

Garnishes
Fresh parsley sprigs, chopped
Fried onion pieces

To serve, place the tofu cubes on top of the rice and cover with gravy. Garnish with the parsley and fried onions. Eat immediately.