Vegan@Trader Joe's

I am so thankful that we have Trader Joe's near by. Without them, it won't be this easy for me to being Vegan at all.

These are some of things I buy from them...

I don't use "meat like product" often, but if I do I usually get them from here or frozen section. Needless to say, these are very good quality tofu! Their Vegan cheese is okay. At least, it doesn't contain "casein"(milk protein) but not the best vegan cheese.

I hated Tofu when I was growing up! However, this is one of our favorite dish these day!!

Vegan cream cheese and onion dip mix. 

This Vegan Cream Cheese is very useful! I mix it with their onion dip mix with a splash of almond milk to make a spread. I baked up savory pastries and my boys loved them. I rolled them up with baby spinach in crescent rolls and baked them for lunch today. 

Along with my chia seed pudding with cranberry sauce and some salad. 

I hated avocado when I was growing up as well. Now I cannot live without them. I remember first time I even tasted this green weirdo at my grand mom's house....with soy sauce and wasabi! Now that's one of my favorite too! Avocado used to be a fancy FRUIT back then and could not believe she dipped with SOY  SAUCE!! Well, what can I say... she was very different. I miss her!!

Anyhow.... get back to the topic. Trader Joe's chia seeds and coconuts oil are really good price for those quality products.

I found a few chia seed pudding recipes with different ratios. 2/3 cup (or little less) chia seeds, 2 cups of nuts milk and a little bit of agave. Mix well occasionally and refrigerate it until it gets firm.  I like it with some fruits or 'nata de coco!'

Haven't seen this cashew pieces for a while, but it is the best deal for raw cashew. Now they have cashew meal (powdered cashew nuts) they might not carry this kind any more...

I make Vegan alfred pasta, creamy soup or nacho cheese with it.

Alfred pasta

I add garlic and nutritional yeast, very similar recipe is on here. This dish is our family favorite instead of mac n' cheese. ;) 

Soup

Can't add a photo of my vegan nacho grande but it's on my Instagram page, http://instagram.com/p/dQlsniwiLd/ check this out. :) 

These refrigerated jumbo cinnamon rolls and crescent rolls are vegan. :)

Sorry for this disturbing portion of this photo!

Speaking of sweet vegan dreams this Brown Rice Marshmallow Treat is a real treat!! It's a completely vegan too. :)

On the left hand corner. Only a few box left! 

Have not seen this Meatless Meatball for a while and they told me that they are working on making improvement so it might take a little while until it gets back on the shelf but if you find them, I recommend you to pick them up! These little balls are amazingly good. I used it for my vegan lasagna and everyone loved it. Their mandarin chick'n and chickenless strips are pretty good. I use chicken less chicken strips for sandwich sometimes and boys really like them. We also like Vegetable Masala burger. Pizza flavor one is vegetarian and we didn't really care for other veggie burger...

I've grabbed two more bags of Turkeyless Turkey after the sample turkey dinner the other night, I figured we'll need more. 

This picture showing only half of one piece. I cut one piece into four pieces, this bag contains two pieces. It also comes with the delicious gravy and it is enough amount to go with my own mashed potatoes. Can't wait for Thanksgiving dinner already! 

This gluten free and Vegan pancake is our boys favorite for special breakfast for weekdays. The pumpkin butter uses honey but I allow myself to have a little bit of honey. I found a new word from a book to describe me as "beegan" ha!

These are something I look forward to, in the morning. This cinnamon sugar grinder is crazy good. So watch out, if you are trying to cut down sugar!!

These cookie butter items are dangerously good as well....One with cocoa swirl got hazel nuts in it. That kind of remind me of Nutella and and it might be even better....but not nutrition wise. It said on its label "contain wheat, soy & coconut" and also said "may contain traces of tree nuts, milk and eggs." I spotted emulsifier (addictive; might be made out of egg yolk or animal source) this may not be vegan from the start... :( 

This Fried Onion has a big V sign, I had to get it this afternoon and this rosemary cracker that I found on Instagram is Vegan as well. I cannot wait to try it!!

I love Trader Joe's not just because people are so friendly, their store and packages are so cute, they have plenty vegan stuff, they are affordable or small enough to get in and out in 15 mins. On top with all that I love them because their products do not use GMOs. I am completely against GMO products so I don't have to feel suspicious while I shop there. Thanks Trader Joe's!! 

Very Vegan Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

It's the time of a year for pumpkin everything. I started baking pumpkin muffins and I finally got satisfaction with my recipe to share with you all. 

Very Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Makes regular size 12 muffins

Start preheating oven, set for 400F(200C)

Oil spray a muffin pan or have liners ready

-A-
1 1/4 cups  Any kind of Flour 
   ( I mix spelt sprout flour, whole wheat sprout flour or  white whole wheat) 
1/4 cup      Almond Flour 

1 cup          Turbinado (Raw)Sugar

1 tsp           Baking Powder

1 tsp           Baking Soda

1/4 tsp       Salt

2 tsp           Pumpkin Pie Spice 

 -B-

1 cup        Pumpkin Purée (NOT Pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup    Grape Seeds Oil (or any kind of oil, like canola oil works well)

1/4 cup    Apple Sauce or mashed ripped banana

1/2 cup    Almond Milk (or any kind of milk, soy, coconuts, cashews..cow?)

1 TBS       Apple Cider Vinegar 

1 tsp         Vanilla Extract 

1. Shift the ingredients under -A- together. 
    I prefer using a clean plastic bag and put all dry ingredients together and shake them up!

2. Mix all the wet ingredients under -B- together.

3. Add the entire dry ingredient from 1. to 2.

 4. Using an ice-cream scooper, transfer mixture into a prepared muffin pan about 2 scoops each and bake them ABOUT 16 minutes. I always check about 2 minutes before suggested time so I won't over bake them. Remember, every oven is different!! 

Cool them on a baking lack and enjoy!

Here is another shot of my muffins that I made for Japanese Bazaar the other day. On this picture, I used Japanese turbinado sugar that make looks rumply. If using regular turbinado sugar, all those dots won't be there.  

I wind up making about 100 of them. I also baked up Green Tea Muffins as well and I got recipe from  this site. I've received really good compliments for both of muffins. They could not believe they are vegan! Really don't need  butter or high cholesterol eggs in our yummy muffins, plus it is less work. ;) 

Go Vegan!!  

Vegan Homemade Chocolate Turnovers

I have been wanting some good sweet pastries but wasn't sure which one I can purchase at stores. I found out that Pepperidge Farm's frozen Puff Pastry sheet is a vegan! 

The useful info is from this book. 

So I figure use the pastry sheet and make it easy and probably cheaper than any store-bought vegan goods.  

It was a huge hit, and I wanted more...that's how good! or bad... in a way. ;) 

You can easily look up recipes for "chocolate turnover"...but this is what I use. 

I know being a vegan isn't mean that being healthy and it is a good or bad example.

Well, at least it doesn't contain no dairy products.

Also this item helped make this easy! Oh how I love Trader Joe's!!

When it says "May contain traces of milk" I just wish it doesn't. So it is a vegan for me!

All I did was defrost the sheet over night in the fridge. Preheat the oven 425F. Cut a sheet into 9 pieces of 3 inch square. Place a little less 1 tablespoon of  chocolate chips on the middle of this cutted small square sheet. Fold it into half, like a triangle, seal them brushing with almond milk, press it with folk from top. Brush some almond milk on these triangles and then bake them for 12-15 minutes until they are golden brown.

I had it with my usual, iced cafe almond latte.




This chocolate chips melted perfectly! It can be really hot, so please careful if you are urge to try them right after taking it out from your oven!

I do have some healthy snacks available on the table as well though. 

My younger son could not stop eating those clementines. So cute and yummy, easy to eat!  

Good for afternoon snack or let them take as part of school lunch. 

I'll talk about boys vegan school lunch next time. :) 

Have a good one, everyone! 

Vegan Cakes

We've celebrated my husband's retirement last month at Nautica downtown Norfolk.

I ALMOST ordered cupcakes from a local bakery but figure we won't be able to eat non-vegan cakes and it would cost a lot more than I invest my time and purchase own ingredients to make them.

So I searched vegan cupcake and cake recipes here and there, I don't have list of sites where I've got all the recipes from anymore...but all the cupcakes and the cake both came out pretty good!

If we don't have internet, I don't think I could become a vegan at all! That's how much I depend on internet to search everyday meal's recipe as well as special occasions.

Anyways, I made vegan yellow cake, coconuts cupcake with pina colada frosting from sticky fingers cookbook, chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting.

Coconuts cupcake's recipe was from Chef Chloe. I bake just cupcake part and it is enough yumminess and people love them! I like how fluffy the cake part comes out.

Here is the cookbook, I've got pina colada frosting recipe from. It was a huge hit!

I've noticed the other day at our local Whole Foods Market, carries her cupcakes! I should try them soon!

Virginia Beach Whole Foods Market now has 6" Vegan Oreo Cake available for $17.99 as well.

Yes, Vegan shouldn't have to be all that healthy.... lol

Okay, I made plenty cupcakes ready since we weren't really sure how many guests actually come to the reception. So I made cake part a day before....

and frost and decorate them next day which was a day before the ceremony.

This peach filling was amazing!

Voila!  with an edible sheet on top. :)

I ordered these anchors from Etsy as well.

I tasted a bit of every frosting before actually decorated them on the cupcakes. Just a little bit of each but it was enough to give me SUGAR high!

Yes, sugar (regular sugar and powder sugar) for vegan is a bit controversy...but I used it since all the vegan recipes call for 'sugar' or 'powder sugar'.  

I could tell sugar was affecting me! Even after midnight I've got going until I've got done with my own satisfaction. 

I was lucky enough to get a few hours of sleep before we left! 

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

We went to blueberry picking the other day. It was so hot and unfortunately the blueberry was not sweet as prior years. So I've made blueberry pancakes right next day but still had some leftovers.

I wanted make some kind of a quick breakfast/snack bite and searched recipe for blueberry muffins. I've tried one recipe from Bekarita.com(http://www.bakerita.com/vegan-blueberry-muffins/)but didn't turn quite right for me. I have no idea what did I do wrong, but dough was too heavy and it didn't look pretty as hers! So the second try, I've adapted her recipe but changed a little bit and it turned out very nicely. Fluffy and tangy, it represent a perfect combination of lemon and blueberries. If eggless, dairyless muffins are this good, why do I have to even think of using them? I am so happy baking vegan style! It is so much easier than dealing with eggs too. :)

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Makes regular size 12 muffins

Start pre-heating oven, set for 400F(200C)

Oil spray muffin pan or have liners ready

-A-
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

 -B-
1/2 cup Raw Sugar(I use Trader Joe's Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar)
2 TBS Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice and its peel grated
1/2 cup Almond Milk
1/3 cup Coconuts Oil
1 Ripe mashed Banana(or 1/2 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce SHOULD work as well)
1 cup Fresh Blueberry
1 TBS Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar

Directions
 1. Combine all the ingredients under -A- together. I prefer using a plastic bag and shake them up!

 2. Mix all the wet ingredients under -B- together. If coconuts oil is not liquid form, I suggest heat it with milk until WARM so that it'll mix well.

 3. Add the entire dry ingredient from 1. to 2. then add blueberries to the mixture.

 4. Using an ice-cream scooper for transferring the mixture into prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle additional 1 TBS Turbinade Raw Cane Sugar and then bake them ABOUT 18 minutes. 

I usually check them 2 minutes prior to the Direction's suggested baking time. Sometimes they are done already, sometimes not. It's varies depends on your oven and temperature of each ingredients, but it is better not over bake them. I'm pretty sure that fresh blueberries should be able to substitute with frozen blueberries but then, you should be careful how long to bake. Normally, a lot longer. I recommend if you are baking with frozen blueberries, it should be 20-25 mins.  This is very easy recipe and amazingly tasty! They banished quickly so I should be making some more. :)

Enjoy Baking!

Miso and cucumber

I love Persian cucumber. It reminds me of Japanese cucumber a lot more than any other kind. I like both English and Persian vs regular American just because thinner skin and no seeds! Persian cucumber has little more crunch to it, if compare with English one.

Having cucumber with miso paste is very simple way to have them, they compliment each other. If you don't know what to do with your miso paste, try this one. You get a bit of protein and amino acid from it. Good benefit of using soy product. :) 

Vegan Banana Muffins

I have been trying to bake Vegan Banana Muffins for three weeks in a row! Finally, I have a recipe that I can call it's the winner! (Sorry but I made better changes on Dec. 22nd, '14)

First, I've adapted recipe from Averie Cooks, I reduced oil and sugar, add more banana, switched all purpose flour to whole wheat and almond flour.

I like using almond flour (Trader Joe's works well, 1 lb about $4) because it gives more flavor and protein for vegan. :) 

Yep, I have been vegan for almost three weeks and I am enjoying it. 

Well, many people has been asking me for a recipe, so here you are. 


Vegan Banana Muffins

makes regular 12, mini muffin 30-ish

Start pre-heating oven, set for 375F

Oil spray (mini)muffin pan or have liners ready. 

<A>

1/4 cup Coconuts oil*

1/2 cup Coconuts Milk**

1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 TBS Apple cider vinegar

<B>

3 "very" ripped banana

2/3 cup sugar***

<C>
1 1/4 cups Any kind of Flour ****
1/4 cup     Almond Flour 

1 tsp Cinnamon Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

<Option 1>
1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 2 TBS of sugar

<Option 2> 
Chocolate chip*****         about 1 cup or half of 12 oz bag.
Walnuts or Pecan nuts   about 1 cup

1. Microwave coconuts oil and coconuts milk to make it "warm." DO NOT make it hot! OR let them sit on room temperature for a while. Add Apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract mixed together set it aside. 

2. On a large bowl, start smashing bananas with a whisker or folks and add sugar. Add oil and milk mixture (1.) to this banana and sugar mixture and mix until all the ingredients get well blended.

3. All the dry ingredients on <C> in a bowl or a food storage plastic bag(with air, close it and shake, the easiest method!) and mixed/shifted it together. 

4. Mix 2 and 3 together and fill the prepared (mini) muffin pan. Do not fill them up full. Leave it 2/3 or 3/4 high. Bake them till they are done. Usually it takes 16 mins (for mini, 12 mins) for me, with MY oven, but everyone's ovens are different so please check them in little after 13 mins. When you insert a tooth pick and it does not come out clean, it's not done. Leave it in the oven for a little longer. 

There you have it. I'm telling you, I was not able to stop eating them.. so watch out!!

One of the tips for baking is never over mixing the ingredients at last, and never over baking... so good luck!  


Option 1: I like the idea of dressing the muffins. I mixed 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 2 TBS of sugar in a food storage bag, after muffins are cool enough to handle, I place them gently in the bag and shake it a little. 

Option 2: Add chocolate chips and/or nuts of your choice on Step 3. 

*Any kind of milk you have in your hand is fine. Almond, Soy, Cow...

**Any kind of oil, I don't recommend EVOO on this, but canola or grape seed oil works fine. I like Trader Joe's organic coconuts oil, that is best deal that I found so far

***I used "turbinado raw cane sugar" or usually have coconut sugar on hand, but any kind of sugar works

****I mixed sprouted spelt flour, whole wheat sprouted flour, white whole wheat flour

*****Trader Joe's Chocolate chips is vegan, so as Ghirardelli semi-sweet