Vegan Sausage and Peppers

I like to make food from scratch as much as possible, but with a recent move I didn’t have much time to cook (or blog, sorry guys!). Things are finally settling down, and I’m getting organized in my new kitchen. Sometimes when life is hectic you just need a quick dinner that’s still yummy and satisfying. This one fits the bill!

In this recipe, I used Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage vegan sausages. Field Roast also has Italian and Mexican Chipotle vegan sausages which you could try as well, but the Smoked Apple Sage ones are my favorite. Of course you could also make your own vegan sausages if you have a recipe you like and plenty of time to spare! This is a quick and easy vegan version of an old classic.

Ingredients:

4 Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage vegan sausages
1 green pepper
1/4 red onion
4 – 5 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
small handful of fresh basil
4 – 5 rolls

Directions:

Slice the sausages into bite size pieces. Chop the pepper and thinly slice the red onion.

Saute the sausages, pepper, and onion until the edges of the sausage are golden and a little crispy and the onions are translucent.

Press or mince the garlic and add it to the pan to saute.

Thinly slice the basil. Add the basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Saute for another minute for the basil to wilt slightly, then remove from heat.

Slice the rolls and fill them with the sausage and pepper mixture. Top with mustard, ketchup, or your favorite topping and enjoy!

Vegan Eating in Southern California

I’m sorry my posts have been infrequent lately. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had a lot of time to try out new recipes and put together new posts. But, I had a half day at work today, since we’re coming up on a three day weekend. It’s nice to have a little break, and a chance to do a new post.

I was in LA a week ago for work, and while I was there, I tried out a vegan restaurant in Ventura. It was called Mary’s Secret Garden. It was a cute little place! It was nice out, so we decided to eat outside.

Their specials included a coconut cauliflower soup that had a curry flavor as well. It was really yummy, though I didn’t get a photo.

For the main courses we ordered the Syrian Falafel Wrap and the Tofu Pad Thai with a side of grilled pita, and a pot of tea. Everything was really tasty! I would definitely recommend this place if you find yourself in Ventura.

Most of the trip I was in Pasadena, which seems to have a lot of vegan/vegan friendly restaurants. Unfortunately I didn’t get photos of the food I ate at other places, but they’re all worth mentioning in case anyone finds themselves in Pasadena.

One place I tried was called Tender Greens. They are mostly not vegan, but they have a vegan salad which is actually really yummy. I ended up getting it twice during my trip. It has farro wheat, cranberry and hazelnut quinoa, cucumber, green hummus tabbouleh, and greens. I like that they put some thought into their vegan salad and took the time to make it yummy.

I also tried out the Himalayan Cafe, which also isn’t all vegan, but they have vegan options. They were really friendly there, and the food was really yummy. The chef even came out to ask us how everything was and seemed proud of his food and happy that we were enjoying it. We had vegetable momos, which are like gingery dumplings – very yummy! We also had Aaloo Kauli, which is a cauliflower and pototo dish, and Aaloo Paratha, which is thin bread stuffed with mashed potato and served with a mango chutney.

It’s not always easy to find vegan food when you travel, but in Pasadena and California in general, I usually find plenty of yummy food to choose from!

On a completely different topic, before I wrap this up, I’d like to make a recommendation to anyone planning a barbeque over Labor Day weekend. If you’re looking for a vegan hot dog that is actually good, try Field Roast Vegan Frankfurters. They are so much better than any other vegan hot dog I’ve ever tried.

Other brands are okay, but usually a bit rubbery. These taste much better and have a better texture than any other brand I’ve tried. They’re really good when you saute them in a little olive oil because the outside get’s crispy. They say they can be grilled too, though I haven’t tried it myself. I bet they would be really good right off the grill though! Hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend!

Vegan Thanksgiving Ideas – Turkey Replacements

With Thanksgiving only a week away it’s time for vegan Thanksgiving recipes! Thanksgiving can be a tricky holiday for vegans. I’m lucky to have a vegan friendly family and most of the food we make for the holiday is vegan. But more traditional Thanksgiving dinners aren’t usually particularly vegan friendly.

Leading up to the holiday, I’m going to dedicate my next few blog posts to sharing some of my ideas about how to have a vegan Thanksgiving. If you need to bring a dish with you to a family dinner or if your relatives are asking what they can make you for Thanksgiving, try out some of these suggestions. Or, if you’re not vegan, but need to feed a vegan on Thanksgiving, you’ll know just what to make! I’m curious to hear about your Thanksgiving ideas and traditions as well. How do you celebrate a vegan Thanksgiving?

Okay, let’s start with the Turkey. I don’t think you necessarily have to have a fake meat replacement for the turkey. It’s not my favorite part of the meal, and I wouldn’t miss it. But if you or your family want to have a vegan alternative to turkey, I would suggest the Celebration Roast by Field Roast.

The Celebration Roast has a layer of vegan roast/meat with stuffing in the middle made with butternut squash, apples, and mushrooms. All you have to do is slice and pan fry it with a little bit of oil so it’s gets a little crispy. They also have Original Field Roast loaves in various flavors, which I haven’t tried, but are essentially the roast without the stuffing. You can pick up Field Roast products at Whole Foods.

I have also tried Tofurky Thanksgiving roasts, but I don’t think they’re as good as the Field Roast brand. They also have a vegan roast/meat exterior with stuffing in the middle. It’s not as convenient to cook. You have to baste it and it cooks in the oven for 1 hour and 35 minutes thawed, or 2 hours and 35 minutes frozen. I don’t think the taste and texture are as good as the Celebration Roast, and the Celebration Roast only takes 10 minutes at most to slice and cook.

Try out the Celebration Roast for yourself! It’s a tasty vegan alternative to turkey and not much hassle to prepare. And check back for more vegan Thanksgiving ideas over the next week. Up next is Cranberry Citrus Wild Rice. Yum!