Skippy Natural Peanut Butter Spread with Dark Chocolate

As many of you probably know, Nutella is made with hazelnuts, skim milk, and coco. In fact if you have ever seen their commercial you probably know that. 

The problem with that of course is the skim milk. That is the one ingredient that makes Nutella a no-no for vegans. 

Tonight I'm going to share with you my favorite vegan alternative. 

This is the Skippy Natural Peanut Butter Spread with Dark Chocolate. I love hazelnuts, but I was never a fan of Nutella. To me, this spread is much better & I love the peanut butter taste. 

The only ingredients are peanut butter, sugar, dark chocolate, and cocoa. 

It's got 60% less sugar per serving then Nutella, it only has 200 calories per serving, and 6 grams of protein. 

I love to eat this with fruit, especially apple slices and straw berries. It also goes great with graham crackers or on toast. 

Try it out for yourself!

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Cheeseburger Macaroni gone Vegan!

Tonight’s recipe will be the first one in my New Year’s series, where I will aim to show you how to make your favorite recipes vegan.

This recipe idea comes from a busy mom who wants to be able to feed her family healthier food, but struggles to be able to find the time. Balancing the families’ schedule, ensuring that each of her children is fed, and chauffeuring them around; it can all add up to quite a busy schedule.

She noted that because boxed meals are quick and easy they eat them several days a week. She noted that her kids go nuts for Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper.

Even if you use a low fat grade of ground beef, this meal still has quite a bit of calories and an astronomical amount of sodium, 740 mg in a cup!

In honor of her family and their busy schedule, this recipe is for her.

Let's get started!

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Vegan Cheeseburger Macaroni!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup of macaroni noodles

½ bag of Boca crumbles

1 serving of cheese sauce

1 packet of seasoning

The Seasoning Packet:

Mix together the following ingredients.

 

1 tbs of cornstarch

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

The seasoning packet! 

HINT: You can make these season packets up several at a time & keep them in cupboard for an even quicker meal.

The “Cheese” Sauce:

¾ c soy milk

6 tbs nutritional yeast

1 tbs butter

1 tbs flour

2 tbs mustard

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

1 tsp soy sauce

Here’s how to make the sauce:

1. In a saucepan melt the butter.

2. Wisk together the flour and milk and when the butter is melted, pour in the milk and flour mixture. Switch the pan over to medium heat.

3. Add in the mustard, garlic, onion, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast.

4. Stir for 5 minutes or until thick.

Now let’s get to the rest of it! (:

Directions:

1. Brown the Boca meat in a deep saucepan.

2. Add ½ cup of water, ½ cup of milk, pasta, and your sauce packet.

3. Cover and bring to a boil for 12 minutes or until pasta is soft.

HINT: Keep and eye on the mixture, because I had to keep adding water to mine so that it wouldn’t dry out.

4. Mix in your cheese sauce.

5. Let stand for about 5 minutes to give it time to thicken. 

Serve and enjoy! 

This meal is quick, easy, and YES it's Vegan. :) 

Give it a try and let me know what you think! 

If you want to see the vegan alternatives to your favorite recopies, don't forget to send them to andyesitsvegan@gmail.com! Check out this post for more information.

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Meatless Monday: Quick & Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

Tonight it is cold, very cold.

In fact it is so cold that schools here are already delayed in the morning, due to the expected low temperatures tonight and tomorrow morning.

I thought that I would make something warm for dinner tonight.

So, I made soup. 

Not just any soup, Campbell's  Tomato Soup. 

I mean seriously, it's an iconic soup and it's vegan. 

What more could you really want from soup? 

Here is my secret for great tasting soup! 

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You will need: 

1 can of Campbell's Tomato Soup

Your favorite milk substitute, I'm using soy milk

Water

Directions:

1. Open the can and pour into a sauce pan or microwave safe bowl. 

2. Fill the can half-way with soy milk (or the milk substitute of your choice). 

3. Fill the rest of the can with water. 

4. Pour into the container of your choice, stir, and cook following the directions on the can. 

Enjoy this delicious soup! Adding the milk gives it a creamy texture and makes it just a little bit thicker.

I'm enjoying my soup with a handful of Stacy's Pita Chips. 

This is a delicious combination & it makes a great meal to curl up with, watch the National Championship, and try to stay warm!

I hope you are all having a warm and wonderful Meatless Monday! 

Vegan Cheese & Veggie Quesadilla

Tonight I’m sharing with you one of my favorite meals! In fact I’ve always loved Mexican food, but finding good vegan friendly food at any restaurant near me is hard. So, I ventured to make my own. (:

This recipe actually comes to you straight from my dad, who has become quite the vegan chef over the past few years.

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Vegan Cheese & Veggie Quesadilla

You Will Need:

Flour tortillas

Salsa (I’m using mild, but you can use which ever one you prefer.)

Onions, finely chopped  

Black beans

Vegan cheese

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Sauté the onions in olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste.

2. Drain and rinse the beans, adding them into the pan with onions.

3. Add in the desired amount of salsa and a handful of shredded vegan cheese.

4. Stir this mixture and let it simmer for about two minutes.

5.  Brush both sides of a tortilla with olive oil.

6. Then put your mixture onto half of the tortilla and put the tortilla into a frying pan.

7. Cook until golden brown, then flip and repeat on the other side. 

Seriously, how delicious does this look?! 

Give it a try and let me know what you think! 

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A Vegan Review: Outback Steakhouse

A vegan walks into a steakhouse….

That is not a joke ladies and gentleman. Tonight I joined my parents for dinner at Outback Steakhouse.

Tonight, with every purchase you could get a Bloomin Onion in honor of the LSU victory in the Outback Bowl.

Unfortunately, Outback uses beef grease in their fryers. This means that nothing cooked in a fryer, rather it be the Bloomin Onion or plain ol’ french fries, is vegetarian let alone vegan.

Here is my order: 

A house salad, hold the cheese and the croutons. I asked for a side of slivered almonds as well. I choose oil and vinegar as my dressing this evening, but the Tangy Tomato dressing is also vegan (it's the Outback version of french dressing). 

A plain baked potato, with nothing on it. 

I bring a small little container of my vegan butter with me, so that I have more options as to what I can order. I've never had anyone say anything to me and I never feel weird about bringing outside food in, because it is a condiment and like I said it only gives me more options. 

So there you have it, my delicious & vegan meal from Outback Steakhouse. 

Enjoy! 

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Vegan-ize My Recipe Challenge!

I was thinking about what I wanted to share with all of you this evening and came up with a slightly different idea. I want you all to share your recipes with me.

Now you may be thinking that this idea seems a little strange, but just bare with me for a moment.

I’ve seen countless facebook posts about people wanting to get healthier and resolving to eat better in 2014. This gave me an idea.

The recipes that I want you to send to me are you favorite non-vegan recipes from anywhere. I’m going to choose one ever week and recreate it in a healthier vegan friendly way & share it with everyone.

Together, we can inspire each other and of course, eat really delicious food!

You can submit your recipes to me by email at: 

andYESitsVegan@gmail.com

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My 13 Favorite Vegan Products of 2013!!

It’s time to ring in a new year, which means that it’s time to look back on 2013. In celebration of this, it is time to review the things that helped make 2013 so great!!  So in no particular order, here they are!

My 13 Favorite Vegan Products of 2013!!

1.  Amy's Kitchen Light and Lean Sweet & Sour Asian Noodle Bowl.

2. Anything from Taco Bell. Check out my reviews of their taco salad and taco.

3.  Mellow Mushroom

4. This vegan alternative to pot pie! 

5. Dinner at Olive Garden. 

6.  These blueberry muffins. 

7.  Vegan Green Bean Casserole

8.  This awesome vegan potato soup recipe. 

9. Oreos.

10.  Thanksgiving Stuffing gone vegan.

11. This chili, baked potato, and 'bacon' bits combo. 

12.  Making pancakes with my favorite kiddos. 

13. Vegan 4 Bean Soup!

What was your favorite vegan product of 2013? 

A Vegan Review: Amy's Light & Lean Sweet & Sour Asian Noodle Bowl

Check out this awesome new frozen dinner from Amy’s that I just recently discovered at my grocery store! 

This bowl is filled with various peppers, green beans, broccoli, carrots, tofu, and rice noodles. IT IS DELICIOUS! 

Seriously though, look how amazing that looks! The sauce it the perfect combination of sweet & sour, a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet. 

I think you have to go try this, like immediately. It really is that good. 

Give it a try & let me know what you think!

No Bake Snack Mix Cookies!

Today marks day two of my Christmas baking which is an adventure in and of itself, to say the very least. In my house, every year, my Mom and I make literally everything. I’m talking fudge, chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, nuts, white trash, sugar cookies, and that’s just to name a few.

In honor of this, I’m going to share with you one of my favorite treats. I made these yesterday, in day one of my baking.

These delicious chocolate covers morsels are delicious and super easy to make. In fact, you can make these candies in three simple steps.

You Will Need:

½ cup of salted peanuts

½ cup of broken pretzel pieces

½ cup plain cheerios

½ cup of rice chex

1 12oz bag of Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet morsels

Directions:

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Melt the chocolate and pour it over the mixture of dry ingredients. 

3. Mix the chocolate throughout, until all the pieces are thoroughly covered, and spoon small clusters on to wax paper.

Allow several hours for it to dry and then enjoy!

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies!!

For those fans of the & YES, it's Vegan! facebook page, you may remember this picture...

Yes, I was teasing you will these delicious looking, fresh out of the oven, ginger bread cookies. 

They tasted just as amazing as they looked and tonight I am going to share this super quick and easy recipe  with you. 



I started with this limited Holiday edition Betty Crocker bag of cookie mix and followed the direction of the bag, using Ener-G Egg Replacer to replace the eggs. 

See, I told you it was super easy! :) 

How To Survive a Non-Vegan Holiday!

The holidays can be a tricky time of year as they can provide lots of temptations for slipping back into old food habits and nostalgia for traditional foods. Tonight’s post is for those of you who may have just begun your journey in a new lifestyle, whether it is vegan or vegetarian.

I know, from personal experience, how hard it can be to be new at this life style and to be surrounded by familiar temptations. In fact, the first day I fully committed to a vegetarian lifestyle I was attending a college bowl game in the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium. Let me tell you, there isn’t a whole lot of vegetarian friendly tailgate or stadium food.

I’m sharing these tips with you tonight, so that together we cannot just make it through the holidays, but we can thrive this holiday season.

Let’s get started!

1. When you are faced with temptation, remind yourself exactly why you wanted to cut animal products out of your diet and if need be turn it into your personal mantra.

My main reason for adopting a vegetarian lifestyle was for health reasons. I wanted to cut the crap out of my diet, and so I would constantly remind myself of all of the fat, cholesterol, and hormones present in meat and then opt for vegetables.

Later, when I made the switch to vegan it was more for animal rights. So when I was faced with temptation, I would remind my self of the way animals are treated and how milk and eggs are made.

2.  When you are seeing friends and family for the first time after making the switch, it is normal for them to have a ton of questions. If they are anything like my extended my family, they may also have a bunch of criticisms.

You should answer their questions as thoroughly and politely as possible, after all it is human nature to be curious.

If you come across someone who wants to criticize your choices, you should respond to them as nicely as you can. After all, you can catch more flies with honey then vinegar. (:

3. To avoid temptation and to help quell any criticisms, I always like to bring something with me to share. That way, I have something to eat & something to offer other guests who may have questions about what you can eat.

I’d recommend making something that is a traditional food for you and yours. For example, my family always does Christmas cookies and every year I make ices sugar cookies of my own, that way I don’t miss out on anything.

With these tips, I’m confidant that you can be successful this holiday season. The most important thing to remember is to love yourself. If you slip up, it is important to forgive yourself and remember that (not to sound to cheesy) it’s a journey.

Join the conversation on facebook for support this holiday! :)  

5 Great Gift Ideas for the Vegan on your Christmas list!

Today marks exactly one week from Christmas and I don’t know about you, but I’m not even close to done with my shopping.

In fact, I haven't even figured out what I'm getting for half of the people on my list. So in case you, like myself, are a horrible procrastinator or you can't come up with any good ideas, I've complied the following list. 

5 Great Gift Ideas for the Vegan on your Christmas list! 

1. Kitchen Accessories

If they, like myself, are into cooking and baking, you can not go wrong with kitchen tools and utensils! 

Ceramic knives, like this one, are always a safe bet. I mean, who couldn't use more knives in their kitchen?! I'd recommend going with a pairing knife perfect for cutting up fruits and peeling vegetables. 

You can never go wrong with cute little animals, I mean how could anyone not like these adorable animal salt and pepper shakers?!

2. Cookbooks

A book full of new and exciting recipes to try? Yes please! 

I would recommend either PETA's College Cookbook or this book from the Post Punk Kitchen. 

3. Gift Cards

I know this seems like an obvious choice, but a gift card to your vegan's favorite restaurant, local famers market, or even a specialty grocery store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

4. A Charitable Donation

If the vegan on your list is really passionate about animal rights, a donation to an animal rights group on their behalf makes a great gift. 

I would recommend the ASPCA, Humane Society, or you can always find a local shelter here. 

5. Go Vegan!

If you are looking for something really special, a pledge to go vegan or vegetarian. Even if it is only for one day a week for the next year! 

If you are open to trying new things with the person you love, you give them the opportunity to share something they are truly passionate about. What could be better then to explore new things with someone special?!

A Vegan Review: Mellow Mushroom

Last week my boyfriend and I celebrated an anniversary at the restaurant of my choosing. This year, I chose what I thought was a new local restaurant. As it turns out, I was mistaken and this new restaurant is a national chain.

I’m talking about Mellow Mushroom, a delightful pizza restaurant with a psychedelic flair.

I mean, how cute is this mushroom? This little guy is smiling right on the front of every to-go box and he perfectly matches the decor. 

For those of you who live in Richmond, this new location is on Carry Street in the heart of Carrytown. For those of you who live elsewhere, check the Mellow Mushroom website for a location near you. (:

They have quite an extensive menu, which at my location includes Daiya vegan cheese. 

I ordered a small pizza, which is 4 slices & perfect for one or two. The crust is normally brushed with a butter and a garlic sauce, both of which are not vegan. I asked for these sauces to be left off, but the gluten-free crust is also vegan. 

While any vegetables can be added to a pie, I chose to only add mushrooms and to only add them to half of my pie. 

Here is a slice, from the half with cheese. This oven baked deliciousness was the perfect combination of bread, tomato, and cheesy goodness. 

Add some mushrooms and red pepper flakes.... and BAM! This pizza goes one step further then amazing. 

A good vegan pizza is hard to find, especially on that tastes like pizza. On top of serving good pizza, they also have a great bar, and like I mentioned earlier the atmosphere was awesome. 

While we did have to wait close to thirty minutes for a table, I could totally see this being a great place to grab a bite to eat & a drink with friends after work or school; but I also saw lots of families eating a casual friday night dinner. 

If you find that there is a Mellow Mushroom near you, I definitely think that you should give it a try and of course let me know what you think! (: 

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