Hilary's Eat Well Salad Dressings

New from Hilary's Eat Well is their line of Vegan Salad Dressings. I've been eating more salads lately, so I'm excited to try something new. The tasty line-up includes Ranch Chia, Apple Fennel, Balsamic Thyme and Creamy Remoulade. The Ranch and Remoulade are even suggested as dips, so get your veggies ready! Hilary's Eat Well was nice enough to send me all four flavors, but you can also find them at Whole Foods or Vegan Essentials.

Out of the four, I have to say Ranch Chia is my favorite. It's probably because I have always loved ranch. While it's not the most traditional Vegan ranch I've ever tasted, it definitely has some great zing. I could see it being a pretty good dip. Apple Fennel was my second favorite. Very comparable to a vinaigrette, I really enjoyed the sweetness of the apple. My next favorite, Balsamic Thyme, activated my love of balsamic vinegar. Tangy and good. Last but not least, the Creamy Remoulade. It was definitely creamy, but the lemon flavor didn't do too much for me.

All in all, it's nice to have four new Vegan dressing out there in the marketplace. If you eat a lot of salad, give Hilary's Eat Well Dressings a shot!

Sophie's Kitchen Sea Salt Vegan Toona

I'm always excited to see another Vegan Tuna on the market! I loved real tuna back in the day and I've been hopeful that there would a perfect Vegan analog. Sea Salt Vegan Toona from Sophie's Kitchen is the newbie and I scooped up a can from Vegan Essentials asap. I wish I could stop this review right now and tell you Vegan Toona is awesome and you should buy it. Unfortunately, I cannot...

My first red flag was the smell. It had a beefy aroma which was off-putting to me. But you know, once you mix it with Vegan mayo it should be fine, right? No, not really. Still smelled. The Toona looks like cat food, dark and unappetizing. The taste was kinda' indescribable. Sulfur-like with a beefy taste. I'd like to believe I got a bad can, but I don't think so. Maybe Sophie's Kitchen has a different idea of what canned tuna tastes like? I took one bite and had to throw it all away. I'm a cheap bastard and never toss stuff, but I had to do it.

In closing, if you've had Vegan Toona and you love it, please make your voice heard. I hated it, but maybe I'm in the minority. This review has been harsh, but I stand by my opinion. What makes it hard is Sophie's received another negative review from me over their Vegan Breaded Shrimp. I have no problem with Sophie's Kitchen, in fact, I wish I could support their all-Vegan line of seafood analogs. I hope the next thing I try from them is a home run.

Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Squares

One of this years most anticipated Vegan products has finally landed at my local Whole Foods. Yes, Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Squares are out and about in the world. The Vegan version of Cheez-its has Vegans losing their minds. Earth Balance has been on a streak lately, releasing anticipated products like Sour Cream and Onion Kettle Chips, Cheddar Puffs and P.B. Popps. I've been excited to try the Cheddar Squares from a blogging perspective, but growing up I was definitely more of a Ritz cracker person. So, do the Vegan Cheddar Squares warrant the hype?

The answer is absolutely yes! These are the real deal. The flavor is everything you could want from a Cheez-it type cracker. Strong "cheddar" flavor in a little bite size cracker. And these really are bite sized! No dipping them in your homemade Vegan dips but they would be great to crush up over your salad. My only complaint is that there is a bit of an aftertaste, but it's not unpleasant, just noticeable. So go get a box and let me know what you think (some of you already have on Facebook.) Find them at your local Whole Foods or online at Rabbit Food Grocery and Vegan Essentials.

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Ginny Messina

Ginny Messina is a registered dietitian and is the creator of the website, The Vegan R.D., where she talks about Veganism and how it relates to your health. She is also an author, co-authoring the books Vegan For Life, Vegan For Her and Never Too Late To Go Vegan. I've followed her on Twitter for a while and I like that's she very informative and knows her stuff but still knows how to party. Also, Ginny is a cat lover and volunteers at her local animal shelter and is involved in feral/spay/neutering programs.

So I've always been curious about what kind of Vegan goodies Ginny likes. And now we finally get to know!    

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
I just tried the Gardein sliders (chicken variety) and they are pretty great. But my favorite vegan meat is actually a sausage product—Field Roast Apple and Sage Sausage.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
Tofurky Chik’n Pot Pies. Comfort food at its best!

What is your favorite ice cream?
I’ve been a Tofutti Cutie fan for a long time and I especially love the mint chocolate chip variety. I like that they are mini ice cream sandwiches, so I can have one for a treat without too much guilt. And they are really good!

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips. Talk about hyper-palatability. I can’t have them around but buy them once or twice a year for parties.

What is your favorite cereal?
I’ve never been a fan of cold cereals, although I occasionally eat them as a snack—never for breakfast. I do eat rolled oats in soy yogurt every day, so guess that’s my current favorite.

What is your favorite candy?
Go Max Go brand Mahalo bars. A decadent, but compassionate alternative to Almond Joy.

What is your favorite cookie?
I love the accidently-vegan Maple Leaf Cookies from Trader Joe’s.

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?

Tasty Bite brand Chunky Chickpeas (I buy them at Costco); Trader Joe’s Rice Medley, made with brown rice, red rice, and black barley, and cooks up in 3 minutes in the microwave; Peanut Butter and Company’s Dark Chocolate Dreams.

Name a product you would like Veganized?
It’s been wonderful to see the selection of vegan cheeses growing and improving, through both commercial products and great recipes. But we still don’t have a good vegan brie. I can’t say I actually ate brie that much in my pre-vegan days, so it’s not as though I especially miss it. But it would be great to serve one up for omnivores at a party.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
My local food co-op has a reasonable selection of vegan foods even though their philosophy tends toward the “happy meat” perspective. I also find good vegan choices at the local Safeway and at Costco and Trader Joe’s. For harder to find items, I am very grateful for online vegan stores like Pangea and Vegan Essentials.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Ginny!

Meatless Select Fishless Tuna

I've had this Meatless Select Fishless Tuna from Atlantic Natural Foods on my radar for awhile now, but I was having trouble finding it. I ended up getting a can from Vegan Essentials, but it looks like it is also available from other online and brick & mortar retailers. Tuna was one of the last things I gave up before going Vegetarian and it was one of my favorite meals, totally easy to make and super convenient. So I'm pretty much destined to try faux tuna!

Opening and draining the can definitely brought back memories. It even had a bit of that fishy smell that would cause your cats to go nuts. I drained the liquid out of the can and then mixed the tuna in a bowl with some Vegenaise. Then I lightly toasted some bread, cut some lettuce and put it all together.

So, let's start with the good. Texture-wise, I thought it was similar to real tuna. Perhaps not as dense, but close enough for me. Taste-wise, I thought it was lacking in the tuna tasting department. It needed some brininess, or something to tart it up a bit. Some spices or oil might have helped, but right out of the can it just wasn't the best. I still think it's worth trying, just have your expectations in check.

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Danielle Konya

Danielle Konya is the founder and owner of Pennsylvania-based baked-goods empire, Vegan Treats. Founded in 1998 and located in Bethlehem (cue Billy Joel's Allentown), Vegan Treats is one of the top Vegan bakeries in the world. From cookies, cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, rolls, CANNOLI, pies, cheesecake and recently, ice cream, Vegan Treats does it all. Danielle loves animals, (especially great apes like orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees!) and has dedicated her life to help people switch to a Vegan lifestyle. There's no better way than to make amazing Vegan desserts!
  
One of the first times I went to New York, I had a Vegan Treats Red Velvet Cake from Atlas Cafe and thought it was amazing! Ever since then, I've always been on the lookout for anything from Vegan Treats. Unfortunately, Omaha is out reach for most things (except for the Vegan Cannoli that can be shipped right to your house for Thanksgiving!!!) so I have to live vicariously through the Vegan Treats Facebook page. Now, the question that everyone wants to know is, what kinda of pre-packaged cookie does Danielle like?

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
I REALLY like Gardein Sliders. I bring those to the bakery for a fast lunch on occasion! Now they came out with new “chicken” ones, mmmm…. SO GOOD!

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
Tofutti Pizza Pizazz. I’ve been enjoying these on occasion for over a decade.

What is your favorite ice cream?
So Delicious Turtle Trails! Caramel and chocolate, need I say more.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Baked Ruffles, I’m addicted. What’s up with the new, small bags?

What is your favorite cereal?
I will eat one cereal for six months straight before moving on to a new cereal (for another six months). Right now, it’s 365 Frosted Wheat Squares. They’re delicious! In another month or so I’ll have to pick a new one, I guess. haha.

What is your favorite candy?
Thumbs Up (vegan Butterfinger bar) by Go Max Go Foods. I love all of their candy bars. They’re also my favorite airplane and movie snack.

What is your favorite cookie?
Uncle Eddies. It’s a toss up between Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. It’s such a rare occasion that I find them, though. The scarcity makes them taste even better!

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
Obsessive Confection Disorder Caramels! Wow, so good. If you haven’t tried them yet, you absolutely need to. I had those sea salt caramels in my pocket while trekking for orangutans in Indonesia, that’s how much I like them. Baked Ruffles, I wasn’t kidding when I said I was addicted. Australian vegan nougat made by the Australian Nougat Company. I think you can buy it on Vegan Essentials- you need some!

Name a product you would like Veganized?
The child in me really wants Lucky Charms! Those fruity freeze-dried marshmallows are a fond memory of my childhood and I crave them every time I’m looking for my new favorite cereal.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products? Pangea, Obsessive Confection Disorder and Vegan Essentials.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Danielle!

Go Max Go Thumbs Up Candy Bar

Every year there are a couple Vegan products that I eagerly anticipate. Obviously, candy is going to be high on my list of must-haves. Because if you can have excellent Vegan candy, it's just a matter of time before the world turns Vegan. Last year I went gaga over the Go Max Go Foods Cleo's and Snap! Bars, which are the Vegan versions of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Nestle Crunch. And earlier this year I heard rumblings of a Vegan Butterfinger and I've kept my eyes peeled ever since. Well, just the other day, Vegan Essentials finally put them up for sale and I bought 100 (not really). So, what do I think?  

As you can see, the Thumbs Up is round like a cigar (or a thumb!) It definitely has the "Butterfinger crunch" that you remember. You know, the peanut buttery part that gets stuck to your back teeth? It has been reproduced faithfully. What I noticed taste-wise was the strong peanut butter flavor and a resounding sweetness. I personally would have liked it a little less sweet. I never thought I would say this, but it seems the excessive sugar takes away from the chocolate. I also would have liked to see a thicker chocolate coating.

Overall I enjoyed the Thumbs Up Candy Bar. It seems a little too sweet for me but I love how crunchy it is and the rounded shape is cute. If you miss Butterfingers, you should definitely give it a try. Now do Go Max Go a favor and tell them in the comments what candy you would like to see them Veganize next! Vegan Kit Kat anyone?

Dr. Cow Aged Cashew and Macadamia Nut Cheese

Earlier this year, I had Dr. Cow Aged Cashew Cheese for the first time. I'm not much of a hard cheese connoisseur, but I was seriously blown away! The Aged Cashew Cheese is so delicious, I knew I had to buy some more so I could blog about it. To up the ante, I also purchased some Dr. Cow Macadamia Nut Cheese to compare. Dr. Cow promotes their cheese as Tree Nut Cheese, which is a cute way of saying it's Vegan without scaring off non-Vegans. Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheese is also organic, raw, unpasteurized and gluten-free.  

I could probably eat the cheese by itself very easily, but I decided to pair it with some Late July Classic Rich Crackers. Classic Rich Crackers are very buttery, just like Ritz. A great organic cracker that I find myself buying all the time.

The Aged Cashew Cheese has some salty ranch notes. I can taste the cashew flavor, but it's so refined, you might not notice. Comparing it to real cheese, I would say it has a smoked Swiss flavor. I'm in love with Aged Cashew and will go on the record as saying it's (presently) my favorite cheese. Aged Macadamia Cheese has some fruity notes. I got a strong macadaminan flavor. Very tangy and a little mustardy. I found it a little softer than the Cashew Cheese, which isn't a bad thing.

So if you love hard cheese or cracker cheese, I think you'll really enjoy Dr. Cow. I can recommend the Cashew and Macadamia for sure, and I hope to try the other varieties soon! If you can't find it in your area, Vegan Essentials is having a 10% off sale for the entire month of October, using coupon code "mofo!"

Vegan Beef Jerky

Vegan beef jerky is alive and well. In this blog post alone there are 4 different brands and I'm sure there are many more. What is your favorite and which ones did I miss?

Stonewall Jerquee is personally my favorite. I like how small and chewable they are. Some have called it dogfood (Katie) but it tastes delicious to me. Let's put it this way, I bought the 5lb Original Mild bulk bag from Vegan Essentials, TWICE! The eight available flavors are Original Mild, Teriyaki "Beef", Tandoori "Chicken", Original Wild, Spicy "Chicken", Peppy "Pepperoni", Hot "Pastrami" and Cajun "Bacon".

Primal Sticks are good if you like sausage style beef jerky, ala Slim Jims. They are long ropes of jerky goodness. The two available flavors are Hickory and Smoked.

Primal Strips are pretty much the complete opposite of Primal Sticks. Juicy, flat and soft. And they are a little easier to fit in your back pocket. The six available flavors are Hot & Spicy, Teriyaki, Texas BBQ, Mesquite Lime, Thai Peanut and Hickory Smoked.

Vegan Dream Jerky is like old school thin jerky that is hard to tear. I happen to like this style of jerky. I haven't seen it in the stores anywhere so you'll probably have to order it. The four available flavors are Hickory Pepper, Cowgirl, Chili Pepper and Teriyaki.

So no matter what kind of jerky you like, there's something for everyone in this jerky world!

*UPDATED 10/18/2014* It would be a crime not to mention Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. as it is my new favorite Jerky!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Quarrygirl

Quarrygirl is the creator of the recently retired Quarrygirl.com. QG provided an amazing blog and restaurant guide for the Los Angeles area and beyond. When I started having the idea for Vegan Omaha, Quarrygirl.com was a huge inspiration. While QG is no longer actively blogging, the blog archives can be found here. Also, she's still spreading the good word via Twitter.

So pour a lil' almond milk to the ground for Quarrygirl and check out her favorite Vegan convenience foods!

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
I really don't do veggie burgers at home very often, but when I do, I'm all about the original vegan Boca Burgers in bulk from Costco. They're super cheap, they taste decent, they're easy to make, and they only have like 100 calories in them? How is that even possible?

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
Pretty much anything made by Amy's. My all time favorite is actually a breakfast---does that count? It's the Tofu Scramble with Hash Browns and Vegetables.

What is your favorite ice cream?
Lula's in NYC, no question. But if it must be store bought, better pecan by Tofutti! I'm old school.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Jalapeno Heat Dirty Chips. I got introduced to these at Ike's Place in San Francisco, and I haven't tried anything better since.

What is your favorite cereal?
I honestly haven't eaten cereal in years, and I don't have a favorite. I prefer my breakfasts heated!

What is your favorite candy?
For chocolate based candy, Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. For non chocolate, Gummy Summer Peaches by Goody Good Stuff!

What is your favorite cookie?
Alternative Baking Company. Any flavor, any day of the week.

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
Can we pretend I have hot water or a microwave on the island? McDougall Chicken Flavor Ramen---I could eat that forever and never get sick of it. I'd also take some Secret Aardvark habanero sauce because I'm a capsicum addict. And of course, my favorite vegan product, Food For Lovers queso to drink by the jar…and pour into my ramen.

Name a product you would like Veganized?
You know that pancake stuff at the supermarket that comes in a spray can? I want them to veganize THAT. When that gets veganized, I know we've arrived.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
In LA, I love Locali and Figueroa Produce. Online, I'm all about Food Fight and Vegan Essentials.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Quarrygirl!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Laura Beck

Laura Beck is the spitfire behind Vegansaurus, the Bay Area based Vegan super blog. When she's not running the streets with the magical pink dinosaur, Laura also writes for VegNews, The Huffington Post and SF Weekly. I was honored to meet Laura last month at Vida Vegan Con where she gave the opening address. It goes without saying that she is super nice in person and I can't wait to visit her the next time I go to see my beloved Oakland A's. So now I bring you the one and only Laura Beck!

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
Boca burgers are pretty much my first, my last, my everything. The new Gardein burger tastes JUST like a bb, it's true.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
Amy's frozen breakfast burrito topped with guacamole and salsa.

What is your favorite ice cream?
So Delicious Coconut Turtle Trails.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Kettle Brand Tias in Salsa Picante. They're vegan Doritos!!

What is your favorite cereal?
Kix and/or Wheatabix. I say and/or because they're really good mixed up with some frozen berries and almond milk. I'm fancy.

What is your favorite candy?
I'm recently into Sjaak's Eli bars. HOLY CRAP, they are magical. They taste like good quality versions of delicious junky candy bars. Also, I love those boom CHOCO boom rice milk bars
because they taste like really cheap waxy milk chocolate, and I used to love that stuff. Screw Godiva, get me a Palmer's Chocolate Easter Bunny and I'm in heaven. If someone makes a vegan version of that, I will buy a million. Or at least ten.

What is your favorite cookie?
I love Liz Lovely everything, because you're eating cookie dough but it's in cookie form! Genius! I also love Eat Pastry cookie dough in all flavors, and the vegan chocolate chip cookies at Trader Joe's. I think they're actually Uncle Eddie's maybe?? Anyway, they taste like chewy Chips Ahoy. So good!

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
It really depends on where the island is and if they have fruit bearing trees and kale sprouting from the sand and shit. Okay, probably not. If I could REALLY choose, I'd take veganized Twinkies, Ho Ho's, and Ding Dong's. I am not going down skinny! Since that's probably cheating, I'll say Follow Your Heart Mozzarella (I really like that stuff, not to melt, but to cut up and eat on crackers, so good!), Uh, I guess crackers then, probably Dr. Krackers, and... Nacheez. It's my current infatuation.

Name a product you would like Veganized?
I'd love to be able to go to Denny's and get pie. Preferably Coconut Cream or Lemon Meringue, but I'd be happy with pretty much any kind... just to have pie availability at 3 a.m. would be the best ever.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
Rainbow Grocery, Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods, Food Fight Grocery, and Vegan Essentials. And Natural Candy Store! CANDY.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Laura!

Smooze Fruit Ice

This summer was a hot one! I know that's kinda of a given here in Nebraska but I don't know if you ever get used to it. For me, the best way to combat the heat is air conditioning, shorts and popsicles! Earlier this summer I spotted these Smooze Fruit Ice Pops at Vegan Essentials. Not really knowing what to expect, I got two flavors, Pink Guava and Pineapple.

What's great about these Smooze Fruit Ices is that they are coconut milk/fruit juice based instead of water. So they are creamier than your run of the mill popcicle. They come in a little triangle that you freeze and then cut the top off to eat. 10 in a pack, they actually lasted me a while.

My favorite of the two was the Pink Guava. The flavor is amazing! If you've had guava juice before, you know what you are in for. If I had to describe it, I guess I would say it has a peachy-like floral taste. The pineapple on the other hand wasn't tasty to me. I just wasn't feeling the pineapple and coconut milk mix. Oh well, finding the Pink Guava more than made up for it. I'm hoping to try the other two flavors, Mango and Passion Fruit soon. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Sara Sohn

Sara Sohn is the genius behind the Vegan marshmallow company Sweet & Sara. She has been making Vegans happy since 2005 with some of the most delicious and decadent desserts out there, from her peanut butter smore to her rice crispy treat. Vegan since 13, Sara set out to fill the Vegan marshmallow void. Taking over a year to get the perfect recipe, she unleashed her marshmallows unto the public. Now Sara shares with us her favorite Vegan goodies (besides her own of course!). It is with extreme pleasure that I bring you Sara Sohn!

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
Not into veggie burgers too much but if Boca is grilled right it can be pretty darn good. I'm more of Chik'n burger kinda gal – the Boca Chik'n patties are awesome.

What is your favorite frozen dinner?
I used to live on Celentano Eggplant Rollettes but I think those don’t exist anymore but who cares because Tofurky Pizza is where it’s at. I cried when I first had one. Mmm

What is your favorite ice cream?
There’s nothing like Lula’s. I've trekked through blizzards, braved horrendous rainstorms, and endured blistering heat waves just to get my ice cream fix, no joke – it’s one of the happiest places on Earth. I'm there every Friday – see you there? When I cant get to Lula’s, I go for Purely Decadent coconut based Vanilla or Turtle Trails – near perfection.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Oh man, I'm a sucker for chips. Wanna be my bestie? Get me a bag of Lays BBQ chips or Tings. EcoPlanet “cheddar” crackers are crazy dangerous, I've eaten an entire box in one sitting and then eyed the other one.

What is your favorite cereal?
Peanut Butter Panda Puffs + Gorilla Munch + almond milk =breakfast of chimpions. I mean champions.

What is your favorite candy?
Besides Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallow goodness? Go Max’s Peanut Butter Cleos, Eli’s butterfingers, and Skittles, now that they’re gelatin free!

What is your favorite cookie?
Not too exciting but I think Whole Foods makes the best chocolate chip cookie ever. And Im obsessed with the Q-bel chocolate hazelnut wafer cookies.

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
Alright, here we go. Guacamole. Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut butter. Tofurky’s Hickory Smoked Turkey Deli Slices.

Name a product you would like Veganized?
Spam – I know, so nasty but I loved spam! I miss omelettes too. I also haven’t had a good white chocolate bar.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
Food Fight Grocery, Vegan Essentials, Cosmos Vegan Shoppe, and Pangea for online shopping and Lifethyme + Whole Foods for local shopping.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Sara!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Melisser Elliott

This month's Laziest Vegans Top Ten shines the spotlight on Vegan luminary Melisser Elliott. Melisser is the author of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life, creator of the blog The Urban Housewife and the face behind the website Cruelty Free Face. Recently she even found the time to create a Twitter account specifically for Vegan questions called Vegan Answers. And last but not least, Melisser is from the Bay Area and her Dad loves the Oakland A's. Oh, and she worships Morrissey. Now that's my kind of bio! Without further ado...I present you Melisser Elliott.

What is your favorite veggie burger?
I'm not much of a veggie burger gal, although the new Gardein burger is good. I'd rather eat the Crispy Tenders! I was a tester for Joni Marie Newman's "The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet", so that ruined most store bought options.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
I can get down with an Amy's Tamale Pie.. but I suppose the answer would be Gardein Crispy Tenders with some dipping sauce like spicy mustard.

What is your favorite ice cream?
Anything from Lula's Sweet Apothecary, Tempt Vanilla Bean, Temptation Cookie Dough, or Limetta Eis from Tanne B in Berlin. Ice cream is my favorite food.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Mr. Krispers Sea Salt and Pepper Rice Crisps, they're always gone in one sitting. Trader Joe's Wheat Crisps and EcoPlanet Vegan Cheddar Crackers are great as well.

What is your favorite cereal?
Flax Plus, I know, not that exciting, but I miss it here in Europe. We do have vegan Cinnamon Toast Crunch though, called CinnaMinis, no added D3!

What is your favorite candy?
Manner Schnitten!! I can DEVOUR these. I'm also not afraid to throw down on a Go Max Go Jokerz bar!

What is your favorite cookie?
I think I'm going to have to go Uncle Eddie's Chocolate Chip, if I have to pick one, or maybe, Candy Cane Joe Joe's. I prefer to make my own!

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
Tortillas, Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus, and Pineapple Salsa; to eat together, of course! Can I have some fire to warm it up too?

Name a product you would like Veganized?
I would say Peeps, but Dandies made that happen! How about Angel Food Cake, the gnarly kind you buy at the supermarket that sticks to the sides of the plastic tub.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
Veganz supermarket in Berlin is the mecca of all things vegan and delicious. Online, I appreciate that Vegan Essentials ships overseas. My fave American shops are Food Fight and Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe though!

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Melisser!

Vegan Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that can make you feel like a million bucks or a sad sack. I've been on both sides of the coin, currently on the million bucks side. But best believe I respect not being in love and not being in a relationship. So whether you have a sweetie or not, this blog post is for you! Here are some goodies from Natural Candy Store and Vegan Essentials that are Vegan and delicious!

Organic Chocolate Go Vegan Hearts from Boardwalk Chocolates

Sara delivers another classic! Sweet & Sara's Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Mallows

Now how adorable is this? The 9 Piece Vegan Chocolate Assortment from Rose City Chocolatier

Allergy-Friendly Dark Chocolate Heart Lollipop from Indie Candy

Nomz! Crystal Clear Heart & Hot Lips Cinnamon Lolly pops from Strawberry Hill

Hearts of Cherry Valentine Truffle Box from Sjaak's

Pig-out and help Animal Rescue Groups at the same time! Wild At Heart Raspberry Truffles by Rescue Chocolate

Sweet & Sara Marshmallows

The first time I ever had something from Sweet & Sara was in February 2009. I was in Milwaukee for a Cradle of Filth/ Satyricon concert and I was lucky enough to visit the Vegan Essentials warehouse. Once inside, I bought every single Vegan item I've always wanted, like Supermarket Sweepstakes. I spotted some Sweet & Sara Smores in a refrigerator. I'd heard about Sweet & Sara goodies but there was no place in Omaha to purchase them (still isn't!) and I was always reluctant about ordering temperature sensitive food. I remember when I opened up the smore and sank my teeth in...whoa! So decadent and so good. Long story short, I always have that memory when I talk about Sweet & Sara. My second encounter with Sweet & Sara was in Hawaii where I got the Toasted Coconut Marshmallows. Delicious! That box was gone in like a hour. Anyways, I really love Sweet & Sara and I hope the Whole Foods in Omaha wakes up and starts carrying her stuff.

The Sweet & Sara Peanut Butter Smore. I think if the world knew being Vegan doesn't limit you from eating something like this, we'd have it made. Yummy chocolate covered graham cookie with a peanut butter and marshmallow filling. Dear lord.

Sweet & Sara's Mini Marshmallows. They taste super close to the ones I ate as a kid and tiny enough for a warm mug of cocoa!

Sweet & Sara's Strawberry Marshmallows. A gourmet marshmallow that has real strawberries. Very strawberrish and very good! I've heard a rumor of them being seasonal but as of January 9th, I can find them all over online.

The Sweet & Sara Variety Sampler. In the sampler you get Vanilla, Roasted Coconut, Cinnamon Pecan and Strawberry. These are really nice if you can't commit to just one flavor. Out of the four, I'm gonna have to say the Cinnamon Pecan was my favorite. It could be because I've never had it before, or it was just that good.

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Kelly Peloza

This is a new segment I'm calling The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. This is where I get to ask a prominent Vegan what their favorite pre-packaged convenience foods are. Today's guest is Kelly Peloza, author of The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur. This first time author is originally from Chicago, IL and is currently in Milwaukee, WI as a Photography Major at MIAD. Kelly can also be found at her blog Seitan Beats Your Meat. So let's get started!

What is your favorite veggie burger?
I love any kind of black bean burger, and Boca vegan burgers are pretty good.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
I'll probably get an F on being a real college student but I don't really ever have frozen dinners.

What is your favorite ice cream?
Temptation from Chicago Soydairy

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Whole Foods Rosemary Crackers

What is your favorite cereal?
Peanut Butter Panda Puffs

What is your favorite candy?
Sour Patch Kids and Go Max Go Bars

What is your favorite cookie?
ABC Cookies or Candy Cane Jo-Jo's. Or any kind of Oreo-type cookie, really

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
Sabra Pine Nut Hummus, Ricemellow Fluff and Peppermint Chocolate Soy Milk

Name a product you would like Veganized?
A really good vegan salami. I used to have it all the time as a kid, so it's more of a nostalgia thing that a craving. This may or may not be too gross to include in the post, but I'd eat it with chocolate, all in one bite

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
Riverwest Co-op, Beans and Barley and Vegan Essentials (online AND local!)

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Kelly!

Moo Free Vegan Advent Calendar

Happy December everyone! Can you believe how quickly this year has gone by? Pretty insane. I'm going to take this month to remember and reflect on the crazy year that was 2010. So much has happened in the last 11 months that it's hard to wrap my head around it. Anyways, lets talk about this cool Advent Calendar I got!

When I was growing up we always had an Advent Calendar for Christmas. Advent Calendars have a tiny door for each day in December leading up to Christmas. When you open one of the days you get a chocolate. My brother and I shared, one of us would get odd days and the other would get even days. I thought it was one of the neatest parts of the holiday (well except for the gifts). At some point last month I decided I would seek out a Vegan Advent Calendar to help me not feel so grinchy about Christmas (don't get me started).

Luckily Vegan Essentials got these Moo Free Advent Calendars in stock a week before Thanksgiving. I think they are really cute and perfect for a Vegan or dairy intolerant person.

December 1st is here!

Even your parents will appreciate these. Today's chocolate appears to be an ornament, and it tastes silky smooth! Only 23 more chocolates to go!

Vegan Essentials Rocks!

As I've said before, I'm kind of a Vega fiend. About once a month I order a couple jugs of Vega from Vegan Essentials. This month I also tacked on some food items for my MoFo posts. Guess what one of the things I ordered was? You guessed it, Liz Lovely cookies. I've never eaten a Liz Lovely cookie in my life so I wanted to order some and do a blog post about it. Well, as it turns out 3 out of the 5 cookies I ordered were recalled for non-Vegan chocolate. Luckily I hadn't received them in the mail yet or I might have already ate 'em. I contacted Vegan Essentials right away and they promptly refunded me for the 3 cookies, no questions asked. Thank you Vegan Essentials! Also thank you to Liz Lovely for doing the voluntary recall. When the cookies I ordered are back in stock, I will definitely review them. Ok, on to the other items I purchased!

This Cinnamon Roll from Heart Bodies is a decent Vegan version of the beloved pastry. It doesn't compare to a fresh roll by any means but it's definitely worth trying. It's moist with a great cinnamon flavor. A minor gripe is that I wish it had a bit more frosting. Still, I'd get one again!

You don't see Vegan Graham Crackers everyday, so I jumped at the chance to eat some Grateful Grahams. They taste delish! Honestly, they are closer to being a cookie than a cracker but don't let that dissuade you. The cracker/cookie is super moist and chewy, topped with organic cinnamon and turbinado sugar. Get some if you so desire!

I Can't Say It's Cheese

Another order from Vegan Essentials, this time I got a couple of cheese alternatives. Yeah we all know about Daiya, Teese and Follow Your Heart but do you know about Parmazano and We Can't Say It's Cheese? Both of these are hard to get in Omaha as of now but so were Daiya and Teese. It's just a matter of time...

I've had the Hickory Smoked Cheddar flavor of We Can't Say It's Cheese from Wayfare before in Portland and it was pretty damn good. The texture is creamy and spreadable. The neat thing is that it's made from oats but you would never guess that. Honestly it tastes like it shouldn't be Vegan, almost bacony. It's great on crackers and even veggie burgers!

This is Parmazano, which was imported from the U.K. This is some good stuff! In the last couple days I've had it on pizza and lasagna. Someone mentioned it tastes real aged cheese and I have to agree. If you miss your old green shaker parmesan cheese give Parmazano a try.