Chow Vegan

Go Umami Tofu Bar

January 15, 2017 By chow 4 Comments

Go Umami Tofu Bar

While grocery shopping at the local Asian supermarket, I came upon a new product, House Foods Go Umami tofu bar. Basically an 1-ounce strip of baked tofu in a ready to eat package.

Despite seeing House Foods water-packed tofu around, it’s constantly overlooked for the Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s brand of tofu. Until I picked up a 4-pack of the House Foods Organic Firm Tofu at Costco. Totally fine, no idea why I never tried their tofu before.

Seeing a now familiar brand, I confidently dropped a couple of Go Umami tofu bars into my basket. Sometimes trying new food stuff from the Asian supermarket can be sketchy experience due to the limited English on some packaging. I’m happy to report more familiar and organic brands popping up at the store lately.

Go Umami Tofu Bar

Out of three flavors, only two were in stock at the store for .89 each. The Hickory Smoke has a strong smoky taste if you like that sort of thing. The Savory flavored one is much milder which I actually prefer. The Orange Teriyaki flavor was out of stock so I didn’t get to try that one. The texture and color is just like what you would expect from baked tofu.

Go Umami Tofu Bar

A bit of a downside is the tofu bars do need to be refrigerated. On the upside, it means no preservatives. For on the go snacking, it’s fine if you have a cooler handy or if you eat it shortly after purchasing. I can see pairing a Go Umami tofu bar with a Starbucks salad for extra protein while traveling. Otherwise, I might as well just make a batch of Chinese 5-spice Baked Tofu at home and throw it into the cooler to take with.

Vegan Birthday Freebies 2016 Edition

December 30, 2016 By chow 7 Comments

Pressed Juicery Freeze | Chow Vegan

Here we are, another year gone by. Definitely older, not sure I’m any the wiser.

Of the many free vegan birthday food available, I only managed to get to a few of them in 2016. Like last year, the best is Pressed Juicery Freeze (cold-pressed juice frozen so it’s like soft serve).

I got half Greens and half Chocolate with blueberries, raspberries and granola toppings. Never got any toppings before, I’m happy to report they’re very generous with it. To get a free juice or freeze for your b-day, sign up for their loyalty program in-store.

Veggie Grill Seoul Bowl | Chow Vegan

Can’t miss a visit to the Veggie Grill, their birthday reward is a buy one, get one free. I tried the Seoul Bowl with tofu, supergrain mix and Gochujang sauce on the side. It’s quite the explosion of flavors with crisp, firm tofu and spicy sauce.

Veggie Grill Bad Boy Burger | Chow Vegan

Also sampled the Bad Boy Burger with yukon fries and it is indeed a bad boy. The quinoa-kale-mushroom patty is at least 3/4-inch at its thickest in the middle and topped with Chao cheese. Although the lettuce could have been a bit fresher. Sign up for Veggie Grill Rewards to get the birthday offer, it’s valid for 14 days from receipt of the email.

Starbucks Hearty Veggie Salad Bowl | Chow Vegan

From Starbucks, the Hearty Veggie & Brown Rice Salad Bowl. My favorite food item there, it has saved my butt many a time when traveling. It’s quick, pretty healthy and filling. The only downside is you never know when a particular store may be out of it.

Starbucks Hearty Veggie Salad Bowl | Chow Vegan

Doesn’t seem like it’s all that much food when it’s packed into its container. But on a plate, you can see how much was actually in the box, plus the dressing.

I’m bummed on the changes Starbucks made to the birthday reward though. Now, you have only 3 days to use the reward after you get the birthday email. I actually missed it as I thought I had more time based on previous years. Silly me. The change is buried at the bottom in tiny type.

Sprinkles Vegan Red Velvet Cupcake | Chow Vegan

Still just the one vegan red velvet cupcake at Sprinkles. Sign up for Sprinkles Perks, after receiving the birthday email, you have about 10 days to redeem it.

Below is a list of the places that I didn’t get to this year. With the birthday rewards available only in a short time frame, I must plan better next year (I can’t believe I missed the pizzas). Sign up at least 30 days before your birthday to get your rewards on time.

Vegan Birthday Freebies

Ike’s Place, one free sandwich
Pizza Studio, one free pizza
Pieology, bogo pizza
Jamba Juice, free smoothie or juice
Rubio’s, a free entrée

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet

December 19, 2016 By chow 2 Comments

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet Asian Pasta Salad

Feeling a tad guilty about loading up on all those carbs during the holidays? Don’t be. In for review from the publisher is the newest book from Dr. John McDougall and Mary McDougall, The Healthiest Diet on the Planet: Why the Foods You Love – Pizza, Pancakes, Potatoes, Pasta, and More – Are the Solution to Preventing Disease and Looking and Feeling Your Best.

Basically the doctor makes the case for a diet that is mostly starches, some non-starchy vegetables and a little fruit. No meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy or vegetable oils. Somehow I always knew carbs weren’t as bad as some people make out – calories from complex carbohydrates provides fuel for the body. I’m definitely a starchivore (never heard of the term before reading the book) but that’s what I am, an eater of starches.

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet starts out with background information about health and diets. Including Dr. McDougall’s own story, which was a fascinating read. Had no idea his own mother called him fat in his younger days, or how his experience as a practicing physician shaped and developed his career as a world renowned expert on plant-based nutrition.

Next is a stop light style guide with red, yellow and green light to easily see which foods to eat and which ones to avoid. Interestingly, on the do not eat list is vegan butter spread, fake meats and cheeses since most are made from isolated proteins and chemicals. I admit I have and will eat those kinds of things on occasion. In the be-careful yellow zone, there’s tofu, avocados, nuts and seeds because they’re high in fat. The healthiest diet is not only plant-based but low fat too.

Lastly, the recipe section. I made Asian Pasta Salad, page 161, pictured above. I love these types of salads but usually they’re pretty oily. It’s definitely lighter without and I’m happy to say I didn’t miss the oil at all.

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet Farmhouse Bread Stew

Farmhouse Bread Stew, page 207, a nice hearty warmup for the freezing cold lately. And an excellent use for leftover, slightly stale bread, they add heft and texture to the stew. I sub in kidney beans for the red beans. The recipe notes that other small beans can be used, but large ones like kidney beans work just as well.

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet Soba Miso Soup

Soba Miso Soup, page 155. Yes, another soup. I like eating noodle soup especially when it’s cold out. I’ve made it quite a few times now, it’s super easy and quick for a weekday meal. Nowhere nearly as salty as the miso soup in restaurants. I change it up by adding fresh shiitake mushrooms and sub in braised tofu instead of silken tofu. I’ve also added in seaweed and other veggies like baby bok choy and kale. To give it a whirl yourself, the publisher has generously provided the recipe below.

That’s all I’ve managed to make so far, other recipes I’m hoping to try sometime soon: Homemade Pizza, Banana Pancakes and Almond French Toast. Bring on the carbs.

Soba Miso Soup

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4

6 cups water
1/3 cup white miso
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (12.3-ounce) package firm silken tofu, cubed
12 ounces cooked buckwheat soba noodles (see hints below)
1 cup packed baby spinach
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Place the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Remove about 3/4 cup of the water and place in a bowl with the miso. Whisk until very smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and add the remaining ingredients. Heat through for 1 to 2 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover, and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Hints: Using cooked buckwheat soba noodles, which are available in some markets, saves a bit of preparation time. If you cannot find precooked soba noodles, use about 4 ounces of dried soba noodles and cook according to package directions before using in this recipe.

Adapted from The Healthiest Diet on the Planet: Why the Foods You Love – Pizza, Pancakes, Potatoes, Pasta, and More – Are the Solution to Preventing Disease and Looking and Feeling Your Best. Copyright ©2016 by Dr. John McDougall & Mary McDougall. Published by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Disclosure: I received the book free of charge from the publisher to review. The opinions and experience with the book expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

This post also contains Amazon links, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on any of the links and make a purchase of anything.

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