Vegan Snacks, Vegan Cheese, Vegan Soup, Vegan Pizza Pods!

A little bit of a shorter post today.  Not because I don't have more to blog about but because I'm rather short on time.  I'll mostly be blogging about vegan food today!  I'm kicking things off with a photo of these Cinnamon & Sugar Pop Popcorn Mini Cakes.  They were YUMMY!

I recently came across this Spicy Blanco from Siete and enjoyed it much more than the cheddar flavor I tried a while back.  Not that I didn't like the flavor of the other one BUT I found it to be a bit runny and thin.  This was thicker and the consistency was much better - especially for dipping!  The taste was better, too!

I found that our local Tops had a bunch of stuff on their discontinued shelf.  I'm not sure if they are eliminating them to downsize that section (I hope not) or just trying to make room for NEW products!  Here is one of the items I found that they are discontinuing!  I had not tried this one from Amy's yet so I thought I should grab it before it was gone!  It was pretty good!

And here is the meal I had the last time I was in Buffalo (which was a few weekends ago)!  We went to one of my favorite places...The Pizza Plant!  They have many vegan options there including their famous PODS!  I was able to build my own and went for the vegan cheese and artichokes!  YUM!

New-To-Me Vegan Finds & Booch Results!

BOOCH!

Here is some of the finished product from the 1st batch of Kombucha that my Dad and I did.  We just went with the 1st brew and flavored with slices of oranges in the middle one and whole blueberries on the two on the left.  The one on the right is my Dad's experiment with ginger and cinnamon.  The blueberry was ok...next time I think I will blend the blueberries and then add it to the booch.  Altho I haven't finished the orange one (I have only sipped at little) I am totally LOVING the orange one!  We had to pitch one of the smaller batches due to mold but the large 2 quart and a smaller mason jar worked well...we even grew 2 baby SCOBY'S!  We started another small batch and in about a week and a half or so I want to try for the 2nd brew and carbonation!

I waited for as long as I could but had to break down and go shopping the weekend before last.  I stopped at Whole Foods Co-Op in Erie and they had a bunch of new products and a slew of sales...FIGURES...I didn't have a lot of money to go on a spree...but I did find some new-to-me items including these bagels!

And Miyoko's!  I think it was $2 off!  I know I have had some of her other vegan cheese - like the pub cheeses - and flavored cream cheeses - but this might have been the first time I have tried the 'straight up' plain vegan cream cheese.  And let me tell you...I LOVED IT!

Target in Erie expanded their vegan offerings, too, including a pumped up Sweet Earth section!  I already ate these Aloha BBQ Quesadillas.  They were ok but I don't think I would buy them again unless they were on sale.  They really didn't look anything like the photo.  The vegan cheese was near non-existent, I couldn't really taste the pineapple either.  They didn't taste bad but I I was thinking they would have layer upon layer of flavor but they really didn't.  They are good if you are in a hurry, however.

Another Sweet Earth meal I found was this.  Again...if you can find them on sale they are worth a taste.  With this I did appreciate that the cauliflower was actually roasted.  It was literally a little bit of mac with cauliflower on top.  There wasn't much vegan cheese sauce at all.  Luckily I had some of my Vegan Alfredo left over from a previous meal that I added on top and mixed it.  The flavor was good but it really could use more sauce!

Check these 'bad boys' out!  Daiya came out with some vegan yogurts.  But not just ANY vegan yogurt...CRUMBLE Yogurts!  As I type this I am eating the Key Lime one now and the taste is certainly a flavor EXPLOSION!  This Key Lime is right up there with the Lemon Cashewgurt for me - and that is saying a lot!

I haven't tried this one yet but if it's anything like the Key Lime one I know I will be a fan!  These are NICELY done.  Word to the wise...be sure to stir these well!  They are VERY thick!  That in itself puts it in the WIN category for me because many of the vegan yogurts I have had up to this point have been runny and/or thin.  

And finally, Kite Hill Ricotta!  It's the first time I have seen it locally and that was at my local Tops.  However, it was EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, but I felt like I had to buy some to support the addition of a new product at that store so I did.  Of course, I really enjoyed it and can't wait to get more, so I hope they have it on sale VERY SOON!

3 Vegan Store Bought Nice Cream Finds!

I'm still trying to catch up on blog posts so I decided to do a post highlighting 3 Vegan Ice Cream Alternative I have found over the last 3 months. 

I'm starting with my most recent find first but it's totally worth it!  When I did eat dairy one of my favorites was B&J's, Cherry Garcia.  So when I recently found the vegan version I was thrilled!

I was able to find this one at my local Tops Market.

I can't remember if I found this next one at my local tops a couple of months ago or if it was somewhere else but I totally forgot to blog about it. 

B&J's P.B. & Cookies!  The Peanut Butter was stellar!  The cookies were a nice added treat, too!  I remember not being able to overeat either one of these which might be a good thing in more ways than one.  They were both VERY filling!

Not all of the vegan ice cream alternatives are Ben & Jerry's on this list...I also had an amazing one from So Delicious!  This normally isn't one I would reach for first because I'm not much of a salt person but I'm glad I grabbed in 3 (or more) months ago when I saw it at Wegman's in Lakewood.  It was wonderfully tasty!  The sweet and salty - yin and yang - were perfectly done. 

All 3 of these I would buy again!  I know they aren't really new offerings but they were new finds for me.

Thrown Together Vegan Pizzas!

Another busy week is to blame for my lack of posts but I do have some things to share with you - I'm just a bit behind - that's all!

Last week I found this pizza crust at my local Tops Market that just happened to be VEGAN.  It's also Non-GMO and Organic, too!  They are long and rectangular and they come in two packs!

I was super stoked about these!  I'm NOT a baker - it doesn't matter if it's sweets or bakey type things like crusts - I screw it up EVERY TIME...guaranteed!  So finding these was like the sky parting and the heavens singing!  Even better I was able to use what I had on hand to make the pizzas!  Take a look at the additional photos below!

Starting with the first one...plan and simple...Vegan Cheese Pizza!  Yup!  That's shredded Daiya you are seeing!  I used a simple pizza sauce that was also vegan.  I liked that it only had just a couple ingredients in there, too!  I probably put these in the oven about 2 minutes too long.  They were really crunchy but that's ok because I like them that way.
Oddly - the leftover the 2nd day were even better and actually not as crunchy!

This was the 2nd pizza I did!  I threw leftover spinach, corn, and 2 Daiya Cheeses on there.  You can't really see the last bit of Jack Shreds I used but they are in there.  I was going for more of a Mexican Pizza here and you will see in the next photo how I topped it off!  I also sprinkled some minced garlic over top of this one, too!  It was totally YUMMY!  I enjoyed both but have to say I think this 2nd one was my favorite of the two!

All cut up and ready to eat!  Yup!  That is vegan sour cream you see there!  It was SUPER YUMMY with the Vegan Mexican Pizza!  And the corn really gave it that extra sweetness, too!  I think next time I am going to add some Chipotle Ranch from Wildtree to the Vegan Sour Cream.  I bet that would kick it up a notch, too!

So...what do you think about my thrown together - while using mostly leftovers - Vegan Pizzas - with new-to-me vegan crusts?

I was pretty giddy over all of this to me honest!  It was a nice treat and I was able to eat it for a few meals!

2 Items I Didn't NEED...But BOUGHT Anyways!

Before I get to the 2 items I didn't NEED but bought anyways...I thought I would show you my BRUNCH today!  It's Sweet Earth's Kyoto Stir Fry Bowl.  It's something I picked up about a month ago while on our regional shopping spree.  I found it at the Erie Target.  It had some heat to it and I liked it!  I don't eat enough Edamame mostly because it's not often readily available where I live.  As are many things, I suppose.  But I still make do with what I have.  Don't we all?

On to the FIRST of TWO items I didn't NEED but bought anyways!  I found this 'bad boy' at my local Tops!  I was just strolling thru the aisles and saw it.  I swear the sky opened up and the angels sang!  Garlic Tahini?  All in one tub?  AWESOME!  I know I am probably LATE TO THE PARTY here and this may not be a NEW item or a NEW brand to many/all of you but it is me!  I haven't seen the Sesame King brand here so I was pretty stoked!

Come to find out they have other FLAVORS of Tahini, too!  They have Light Roast, Roasted, Honey, Chocolate, Garlic, Olive Oil, Cajun, and Tomato Basil!  Out of all of them I have to say I am the most excited about the Tomato Basil and the Cajun!  Other than the Garlic I bought, of course!  Too bad my local Tops only sells the Garlic.  I totally understand why they only carry that one, tho!  It's a new product and an alternative product and not many people around here would be looking for it in an aisle!

The other item I bought this past week but didn't really NEED to was Mikoyo's Sundried Tomato Garlic!  I was in Erie on Saturday and stopped by the Whole Foods Co-Op and found it on sale again!  $2 off!  How could I resist!?  So this was $7.99 and the Tahini was $4.99.  That's already $13 for those 2 items so eventho I won't be doing that much more shopping this week I did splurge a bit on those TWO items!  I realized I haven't shared with you pics from the meal I had with my parents/sister over the weekend - hopefully tomorrow!

But for today I will leave you with another furkid foto!  Here is Paco and Cricket from the other night.  I think Paco was just as surprised as I was that Cricket took time out of her busy schedule to plop right down next to him and take a nap on the sofa!  It's nearly spring and that means that Paco's eyes will be watery and staining.  It's time for me to do a natural and gentle pet friendly eye wash SOON!  It will go on the fur NOT the eye, of course!

MidWeek Munchies & $5 Lunch

Sorry this is so late in the week!  MidWeek Munchies is BELOW and I would LOVE for you to join!  Remember you can link up ANYTHING Vegan!

For this first photo - I went to our newly transformed grocery store this past week and found these few items that I was thrilled with!  This is the ONLY place in our region that carries Sour Supreme and it was on sale 2 for $5.  I grabbed an Amy's Kitchen convenience meal the other night because I needed something quick!  I got some organic carrots as you can see and then there is this new-to-me bread which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!  All Vegan, YES!  These 5 items I was able to purchase for about $11 and because I spent over $10 in organic items (on the 3 items other than the Tofutti) I received a $2 off coupon!  WOOT!

I went back there today for my lunch.  I didn't want to spend a lot but my lunches haven't been very balanced as of late.  I am working on it.  Today I spent $5 on the photo above.  Seems like a lot but you can't buy a meal here for $5...it's usually closer to $10...so with that in mind I was happy about this purchase.  It's the first time I have tried the Blueberry Yogurt and I have to say I am a fan!  I think it was $1.29 on its own so it was certainly a treat I will only do once in a blue moon!

TWO MORE THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION...that I don't have photos for...a while back I found 6 quarts of Almond Milk at Sam's Club for $10 and some change and that will last me a while.  Another thing I bought locally by the case was JUST MAYO.  My local herb store was able to order 6 of them for me direct.  I think I paid $33 for 6 of them.  This was about 40 cents per bottle cheap than anywhere else I could find them...since my local Walmart hasn't been carrying them consistently as of late.  So YES I was pretty thrilled with my purchases this week!

What did you find?

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