Taste Test: Coconut Bliss Cappuccino Ice Cream

Coconut Bliss Cappuccino Ice Cream

RATING:YYY(3 out of 5 hearts!)

I found this in the local health food store the other day and decided to check it out. I thought that So Delicious Coconut Milk was the only Coconut Milk based vegan ice cream out there but apparently not! Since I'm a huge fan of the coconut milk craze, I decided it was worth a try.

Anyway, this was pretty expensive but it is made with USDA certified organic & fair-trade ingredients, sweetened with agave syrup and it seems to be a really cool company from what I read on their site.

I got the cappuccino flavor because coffee ice cream is one of my favorite flavors and I don't come across it often. It was very smooth and creamy. It lacked that ice-y consistency that ruins many vegan brands. In addition, it doesn't melt quickly like I've seen other vegan ice creams do. Seriously, vegan ice cream makers - coconut milk is the way to go!

The coffee flavor was a little too subtle for me, I personally love and crave that dark espresso flavor, but I nonetheless enjoyed it very much.

They have some other interesting flavors I'd really like to try such as Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge (drool), Cherry Amaretto and Strawberry Lemon Love. Ha, cute.

Have you tried this ice cream? Are there other coconut milk ice creams out there? Post in the comments!

Oreo Fun Stix

Oreo Fun Stix

RATING:YY(2 out of 5 hearts!)

I was food shopping this weekend and stumbled upon Oreo Fun Stix...a new spin-off of oreos but in a 90 calorie pack form. Each pack consists of two pirouette-like cookie sticks lined, not filled, with oreo cream. This was a pretty exciting find since I love wafer sticks, they remind me of family get togethers when they would get dipped in coffee and eaten. Plus, I'm a big fan of oreos (also vegan) but try to stray away from buying them due to the calorie count. (As contrary as it seems, I do try to maintain my girlish figure somewhat!)

These were really tasty! They are light and crunchy, they really remind me of other wafer sticks I've had but with that chocolately oreo taste. It would probably taste much better if the whole stick was filled with oreo creme but I bet it wouldn't be 90 calories per 2 stick pack if that were the case. 

Have you tried these? Are there other vegan wafer sticks you know of? Post in the comments!

YUMMIEST: Place to get pancakes in NYC: Installment 4 (FINAL)

Multi-grain pancakes at Counter

PLACE:Counter

MEAL: Multi-grain Pancakes

PRICE: $10.00

RATING:YY (2 out of 5 hearts!)

Note: I have to admit that I have been pretty diligent about this brunch thing, almost to a fault. I decided to try out the pancakes at counter as my last installment (please let me know if there are any I left out that are worth trying!!) of the yummiest of the month. However, I had an awful lot to drink on Friday night. So I forced myself up after 5 hours of sleep and traveled into the city with friends. I puked on one of said friends and spent most of brunch in the bathroom, hurling. I didn’t really get to enjoy the pancakes until later that day (took them home)… so my review is slightly skewed.

These pancakes sounded pretty appealing on the menu – Multi-grain pancakes blueberry compote and fresh citrus fruit. Though I wasn’t sure how multi-grain would taste, blueberry compote sounded pretty rad.

When the pancakes came out I was interested to see how they would taste. They were very thick and I personally prefer thinner pancakes. The blueberry compote looked great but I didn’t see any citrus, there were bananas & strawberries instead, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I know this place is organic & fresh-focused so maybe this is why there was a change.

Anyway, my friend pointed out that the pancakes tasted more like donuts. This is kind of true, they were very fluffy and thick. I was actually pleasantly surprised, even though they were multi-grain pancakes these did not taste grainy like the ones at Curly’s. The blueberry compote was a really nice touch, very tasty and good consistency. All the fruit was fresh and really delicious. Especially the banana slices, they were sliced really thin vertically. However, I encountered the same issue as I have in nearly every pancake I’ve tried in this city: it was dry! If I didn’t smother this baby in tons of maple syrup (which had a strange taste), it would be totally boring.

So who won?!

My personal faves were V-spot and Organic Grill because they were moist & had a great consistency. I would choose the V-Spot over Organic Grill because the service & other brunch options were much better as well.

One other thing to note – if you are looking for a really inventive pancake I would go with Quantum Leap because they always have a great pancake or waffle special such as vanilla pear or banana pecan.

Food Porn: I forgot I had a flickr account

Babycakes Bakery, a few years ago

YAY I have food porn of my own. I used to take more pictures when I had a nicer digital camera. But forgot I uploaded them to flickr - here are some fun Food Porn pics I have.


I will update with my photos from the blog. Expect many more soon! :)

Food Porn: Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!

Peanut Butter Pillows//Credit: Isa Chandra Moskowitz

My favorite vegan cookbook is Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World... and I know this sounds crazy but I suck at cooking but rule at baking, so, therefore, it is my fave. The recipes in here are simple, don't require egg replacer or apple sauce (which NEVER works for me), and make it seem like cupcakes never meant to have dairy in the first place! They ALWAYS come out amazing.

So I totally peed my pants today when I found out that the co-authors of said book, Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero are coming out with a new cookbook - Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. I don't know when it is coming out, but there are tons of pictures & some recipes posted on flickr. The Peanut Butter Pillows are my personal fave but they all look ridiculously yummy.

In addition some recipes are posted through-out Isa's blog on the Post Punk Kitchen's (which was an awesome Brooklyn Public Access show!) website.

I am so excited. I think I might have to follow one of these recipes this weekend.

So which picture is your fave? Post in the comments!

YUMMIEST: Place to get pancakes in NYC: Installment 3

Spelt Berry Pancakes at Caravan of Dreams

PLACE: Caravan of Dreams

MEAL: Spelt Berry Pancakes

PRICE: $10.00

RATING:YYY (3 out of 5 hearts!)

I have been really into Caravan of Dreams lately. Now that they offer smaller plates that are more affordable, I want to go every day. Plus their desserts are usually on point. Anyway. Out of the various menus I have scoured, Caravan of Dreams listed the most seemingly appetizing vegan pancake:

“Two spelt-berry pancakes sandwiched around a grilled banana and garnished with chopped nuts and fresh fruit”. Salivating?

I was really in awe of the presentation of this meal. The pancakes were huge, the fruit had variety and was fresh and I loved the brown of the pancakes complimented by the light circle around the edges. This is how a pancake should look! I also liked that the pancakes were large, round and thin. I’ve noticed that some of the vegan pancakes I’ve tried are thicker which causes them to lose their fluffiness and really messes with the texture. The texture here was great and the blueberries inside of the pancake was a tasty addition. All of the food was fresh & organic even down to the maple syrup, which had a great taste.

The grilled banana in the middle was a really nice touch, though it wasn’t very sweet (it may have been a plantain), it was yummy and added a certain touch to the dish that I haven’t experienced before.

My only complaint, which I’ve repeated a few times already in my pancake quest, was that they were pretty dry. Without the fruit, nuts & syrup on top, the pancakes would taste quite bland and dry.

Overall, I was very pleased with this dish. Considering the price for such a huge, filling plate, I would definitely go back for more!

The only other places I have on my list are Candle 79 and Counter. Are they any other places in the NYC area that you suggest I check out for vegan pancakes? Post in the comments!

TASTE TEST: GonePie Gluten-Free Walnut Brownie

Gone Pie Gluten-Free Walnut Brownie

RATING:YYY(3 out of 5 hearts!)

These brownies caught my eye immediately. In the display, they reminded me of home baked brownies with their thickness and placement of walnuts. They looked simple and delicious. I decided to purchase the gluten-free brownies with walnuts because I haven’t had a plain brownie with walnuts since I’ve gone vegan.

The best thing about GonePie brownies are the texture. I’ve had other vegan brownies that taste pretty grainy or dry but these were moist, soft and chewy. I loved the added crunch of the walnut. It was a little heavy, but I suppose that is the point. I thought I would not finish the whole thing and be able to save some for later, but in moments I realized the whole thing was gone.

My only complaint was that there was some weird component of the taste that I can’t seem to put my finger on. It was like when you eat something that is sugar-free and it has a weird sucralose aftertaste. After a few bites, I got used to the taste and even enjoyed it very much… but it was slightly off-putting at first.

Overall it was very enjoyable and I was pretty impressed that they pulled off such a tasty vegan , gluten-free brownie and I’m interested in trying out some of their other products (blondies, macaroons, fruit bars).

How Sweet it is: Lula's Sweet Apothecary

Birthday Cake & Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream from Lula's Sweet Apothecary

Ok. I wish this place relocated inside of my house. This is probably one of the happiest vegan places to exist. Seriously, this is the place your mom should take you on a day that you come home from school with a face wet with tears and snot dripping onto your shirt sleeves. Ok, sorry - that was a gross visual, but, you know what I mean.

I went there last night with my boyfriend despite the fact that he was on the verge of falling into a deep sleep (he had parent-teacher conferences all day), but I knew he would instantly wake up as soon as we walked in the door. It is instantly welcoming, set up like an old ice cream parlor - jars filled with candies such a licorice, marshmallows lining the walls and metal spoons in a 50's style straw dispenser.

May I remind you this place is ENTIRELY vegan!! OMG it is heaven. The first thing my boyfriend noticed was that they now offer a New York Style Egg Cream. DAMN. They have a menu that is full of those nostalgic soda fountain goodies that we only see in movies like Grease. Last time I was there I ordered a banana split that rocked my world. The whipped cream was kind of liquid-y though so I would not recommend using that as a topping.

I learned yesterday that all the ice creams are made in-house. Two of the 10 flavors were soy-based and the rest were nut-based. Which was great for my boyfriend since he is allergic to soy and often gets the itchy throat when we get ice cream. (I know, what luck, I’m allergic to oats & he’s allergic to soy). This week the nut-based ice creams were made with cashews! COOL. I love how nuts make things creamy. Anyway, this store is so cute. I can’t emphasize it enough. Our server was very sweet and answered all our questions and let us sample everything with adorable little spoons!! They had a whole new set of flavors from last time I was there which made me realize, I can NEVER get tired of this place. Haha! So I tried the avocado ice cream (fancy!) which was kind of weird but probably a great summer treat. The peanut butter fudge was ridiculous, very thick, not ice-y at all. Heavy peanut-butter taste. The espresso was very true to the taste too! Not watered down at all. My eyes opened a little wider after I tried that one.

OK. This made me squeal with joy. They had a flavor with sprinkles already on it… I eyed it suspiciously. I thought, could it be? No… Could it? YES! It was birthday cake flavor! I miss funfetti cake and birthday cake cream ices, haven’t been able to find anything vegan like it. This ice cream ruled my world. It was the greatest taste in my mouth. I want more. Right now.

They also have some other great things. Gone-pie gluten-free brownies (I bought one so will update with a taste-test soon), Red Mango baked goods (Brooklyn made muffins, cookies and cupcakes), and Chicago Soy Dairy Soft Serve.

So, this is how I imagine my summer going. Waking up. Hopping on my bike. Over the Manhattan bridge we go and to Lula’s Sweet Apothecary. Something to look forward to on this first day of spring….

Here are my only complaints, though hardly complaints, this is seriously the greatest place. It’s cash only (I never carry cash because I tend to spend impulsively) and it’s kind of out of the way (on E 6th street between A & B), but totally worth the trek!

Have you been to Lula’s? Don’t live in NYC but have a similar place in your town? Post in the comments!

Most Random Place to Find Vegan Sweets: Sunrise Mart

Sunrise Mart on Broome St. in SoHo

Nearly a year ago, I started working in SoHo. One of the first thing I noticed was that my lunchtime options were limited. I stumbled upon Sunrise Mart one day while strolling down Broome St. I decided to stop in with hopes that there would be an avocado roll or something along those lines. Boy, was I surprised to find this place sold Earth Balance, Tempeh, Vegan Mayo, Vegan Curry and best of all, plenty of Vegan Sweets.

A huge part of their ice cream freezer is vegan, with Rice Dream and Tofutti selections. In addition, the refrigerated section has zen soy pudding, silk chocolate soy milk to-go, and so delicious coconut yogurt. The best part is that the goods here are priced very reasonably. And you can pick up some interesting Japanese fruit while you're at it!

Every once in a while they will have other random vegan sweets, such as chocolate covered almonds, that are clearly labeled.

I'm not quite sure why they are so vegan friendly because there is nothing of this sort in the nieghborhood but I am very happy for it. There is also a Sunrise Mart in the East Village above St. Marks bookstore but I have never been. If you have been, fill me in on if it carries vegan sweets & other staples as well!!

YUMMIEST: Place to get pancakes in NYC: Installment 2

Vegan Pancakes at Curly's Vegetarian Lunch

PLACE: Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch
MEAL: Vegan Pancakes
PRICE: $7.95
RATING:Y (1 out of 5 hearts)

I go to Curly’s every so often because it’s in a convenient location (Union Square/East Village) and it has great comfort foods on the menu. However, every time I go the food seems to disappoint. Once again, it under-delivered, this time with their pancakes. Though they had potential – 3 stacked flax and kamut pancakes topped with fresh fruit sounded delicious.

When the food arrived, it did look delicious… however, there was only about 1 strawberry cut up and 2 small pineapple pieces on top of the pancakes. I was expecting more quantity and selection of fruit. In addition, I was not served any soy butter… this had to be requested.

The pancakes themselves were hard to get onto my fork, they kept falling apart into little pieces. They were very dry and grainy. I kind of felt like I was eating mushy bread or something. They were not fluffy at all. They were definitely edible, but given the large selection of vegan pancakes in New York city, and given the price, I would not recommend going here for a fill.

PLACE: The Organic Grill
MEAL: Vegan Wheat-free Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
PRICE: $8.00
RATING:YYYY (4 out of 5 hearts!)

The Organic Grill is not completely vegetarian, therefore, this is not a place I would expect to go for a vegan brunch unless I was going with non-vegan friends. However, I was pleasantly surprised with their blueberry pancakes and would love to go back for more!

The pancakes came out looking very appetizing. You could see the blueberries inside of the pancakes and they looked very moist.

These were devoured rather fast. They were soooo yummy! The blueberries were fresh and perfectly melted into the pancakes. The consistency was perfect – moist & fluffy. They weren’t heavy or grainy at all. I think these were buckwheat pancakes which might be the best bet when going for a wheat-free vegan pancake. I also liked that more than just pancakes were served with the plate, they also came with a delicious side of tempeh bacon. Considering this was only 5 cents more than Curly’s, I feel like I got my money’s worth with this dish for sure.

Overall, I was very pleased and if I wanted to go out specifically for pancakes, this is the first place that would come to mind. My only complaint is non-pancake related. My friend’s order was all screwed up, her food was cold and not enjoyable. Plus, the service was kind of poor… boo!

TASTE TEST: Sacred Chow's Brownie Sundae

Brownie Sundae at Sacred Chow

RATING:YY(2 out of 5 hearts!)

My friend and I were meeting up for a post-work dessert and she requested that we find something warm and gooey. The Brownie Sundae at Sacred Chow in the west village looked like it could fit the bill. It consisted of a triple chocolate velvet brownie, topped with hot fudge, vanilla soy ice cream and rainbow sprinkles. Since we wanted something super gooey, we requested that the brownie be warm when served, which the waitress was more than happy to do.

The plate came out and looked adorable. I felt a little like it was my tenth birthday... but who cakes. I was a little surprised it was on a flat plate rather than in a serving dish, but I never feel like I can get the last bit of melted ice cream & fudge at the bottom of those dishes anyway.

The brownie was most certainly chocolately. If eaten alone it definitely would have been too much, but combined with some vanilla ice cream, eat bite was great. The only problem with the brownie was that it was wheat/gluten free and this made it kind of grainy. My friend even said it was more like a chocolate cornbread rather than a brownie. Though grainy, it wasn't heavy like other vegan brownies/cakes.

It was a little pricey ($9), but it most certainly hit the spot. YUM.

Stop and Shop Fudge Mint Cookies

I love these accidentally vegan cookies!

When I first went vegan, the two things that were hardest for me to say goodbye to were Cadbury Mini Eggs and Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. Though both of these treats are seasonal, I would look forward to them all year and then, in that month or so that they are around, eat more than enough to make up for the other 11 months that they are not around.

Anyway I was very sad when Girl Scout Cookie time started rolling around and happened to be shopping with my mom at Stop & Shop. I was going through all the snacks/cookies to see what "happened" to be vegan and stumbled upon Stop & Shop brand fudge mint cookie squares. But wait! I noticed that the Peanut Butter Fudge and Fudge Stripe cookies were also vegan! Of course I got all 3 but to this day the Fudge Mint is a regular staple in my cupboard.

What I love about this cookie is that I don't feel that anything is missing compared to the non-vegan alternative. It's very rich and chocolately. No weird aftertaste. Its not grainy, just smooth fudgey on the outside with a minty crunch on the inside. Aren't you salivating!

I love Stop & Shop. The one near me has a whole veg-friendly aisle with a freezer full of vegan ice creams. Though of course, I'd rather order from Cosmos or Vegan Essentials, this is a great place to run in quick and get some treats if you live close by.

Have you tried these cookies? Know of any other store-brand vegan treats? Post in the comments!!

YUMMIEST: Place to get Pancakes in NYC – installment 1

Pecan Banana Pancakes at Quantum Leap

Thanks to all the comments re: The Yummiest of the Month. I will be on the search to find the Yummiest vegan pancakes in NYC! Here is the first installment. If there is any place that you think I should include while searching this month, please post in the comments, thanks!

PLACE: Quantum Leap

MEAL: Banana Pecan Pancakes with tofu scramble & vegan sham

PRICE: $10.50

RATING:YYY (3 out of 5 hearts!)

The plate came out and my mouth began to water. I was served three hefty sized pancakes topped with bananas & pecans. I’ve had banana pancakes before, and it changes the consistency a bit due to the mushiness of the bananas. However, adding pecans to the mix changes the whole thing around. The nice thing about the pancakes were that they were thin so eat bite was awesomely crunch & mushy at the same time.

My only complaint was that they were a tad dry on the outside. I had to soak it in maple syrup to get the sweetness & moistness I was looking for. I know these were buckwheat pancakes specifically so I wonder if using buckwheat vs. whole wheat or mixed grains changes the moistness levels.

What I like about Quantum Leap though, is their level of originality. The pancakes I had this past Saturday was on their specials list. Their brunch specials are different every week and never disappoint. I had pear waffles there once and they were out of this world. They always have a pancake or waffle special, so if you go there and see it, definitely try it! Of course, unless you despise one of the main ingredients.

And though the focus is on the pancakes, it is such a great deal in terms of price because not only is it a specialty pancake, it comes with tofu scramble & sham on the site. Such a huge portion, I had to give up on finishing this meal because it was too much.

PLACE: The V-Spot

MEAL: Whole Wheat Strawberry Pancakes

PRICE: $10.00

RATING: YYYY (4 out of 5 hearts!)

Now these were whole wheat pancakes and they seemed to be much more moist to me and it wasn’t necessary to drown in maple syrup.

The plate came with 3 strawberry pancakes and a side of tempeh bacon. The pancakes were thin, soft and buttery. The strawberries were fresh which made each bite oh so sweet and wonderful. In addition, vegan pancakes tend to be really heavy and filling, but these did not have that effect. They were definitely the fluffiest ones I have had thus far.

Though simple, these pancakes were spot-on. My only problem was that they weren’t topped with strawberries or anything. I really like having fresh fruit on my pancakes. They were only inside the pancakes. I think if we had some of those fresh strawberries on top, I would have given this 5 hearts.

YUMMIEST: Place to get sweets post-drinking binge in NYC

credit: Cake Shop

I was out drinking with a gal friend on Friday night in the L.E.S. in New York City and the partying began to wind down. We were ready to sit and stuff some food down our throats so I insisted we go to Cake Shop. I have been there pretty much every night that I have spent in Manhattan in the past 3 months. It's terrible. Not only do they serve Vegan Treats cakes such as peanut butter bomb, strawberry short-cake and death by chocolate but they have a nice selection vegan cupcakes that I really like. My favorite is the chocolate chai.

So why is this place better than other late night options? Not only do they have a fully stacked bar there are also records for sale in the cafe and there's a music venue downstairs.

Any other places that you all go for late night snacks? Cake Shop: love it? hate it? Post in the comments!!

Dandies Ain't It?!

Today (or last night?) at the Natural Foods Expo West in Anaheim, Chicago Soy Dairy released a new product - Dandies. These vegan marshmallows supposedly melt in the microwave, don't need to be refrigerated AND are full of tasty goodness. I absolutely believe it since their other products - teese and temptation ice cream are two of my favorite vegan goods.

Need to get my hands on them ASAP. RT @chicagosoydairy they'll be available online very soon.

Expect a taste test in the new few weeks! I want to test out both the marshmallows alone and in recipes! yum!

OK so I'll leave you with some food porn.

3/8 - UPDATE: Dandies won the best new vegetarian product at the natural foods expo! Congrats!!

TASTE TEST: Amy's Organic Cakes (Chocolate)

RATING:YY(2 out of 5 hearts!)

Amy's Organic has released a new line of frozen cakes. There are only two flavors, chocolate & orange. Since I'm a sweet freak, I got the chocolate.

Ok so I took it out of my freezer and read the directions - it said to defrost for 2.5 hours! I was like.. what I want cake now!!!!!!!!!!! Then I put it in the fridge. Then I forgot about it. Now its two days later and I take it out of the fridge. So it says on the box that if desired it can be heated up in the microwave but it does not indicate for how long. I gave 30 seconds a shot and it came out smoking.

It looks super thick and rich so I was nervous it would be dry & heavy. When I took my first bite I was pleasantly surprised. It was very moist and light. It had a great chocolate taste that wasn't too overwhelming. Did I go back for seconds? Yes, come on look at that tiny slice I cut myself! It was not as moist & yummy un-heated but I still wolfed it down.

What I really liked was how its loaf style. It's a great serving size, I don't feel weird buying it like I would if I bought an entire peanut butter bomb cake or something. It's like a cute little loaf of chocolate cake.

Have any of you tried this or the Orange cake? Posts thoughts in comments!!

TASTE TEST: Souen Organic Ramen

Chocolate Parfait with Vanilla Tofu Cream topped with Granola (Granola not pictured)

RATING:YYY(3 out of 5 hearts!)

I went to Souen Organic Ramen tonight, which had a soft opening yesterday, March 3rd at its location in the East Village. It was a cute little place that kind of reminded me of the cabin of a swank jet from the 60's. The ramen was great, but was looking forward to their fully vegan dessert menu. It only consisted of two items. One was a vegan jello made of seaweed gelatin with fruit suspended inside and the other a chocolate parfait with vanilla tofu cream & granola.

The former reminded me a little too much of the jello they would serve in the HS cafeteria so decided to go with the latter. And what a good decision to make!

It came out in these cute serving cups (please see above) and the vanilla tofu cream and chocolate parfait were swirled perfectly. I did not get granola on mine (allergic to oats), however my friend got his with granola and it was a nice addition.

It tasted pretty heavenly. What I liked about it was that it was light & airy rather than dense and rich. After I ate it, I didn't feel overly full or like I had committed a glutinous sin. To be honest I've never had a parfait before, but I've heard they tend to be thicker. I expected it to be more like a pudding, but instead it was very creamy. It was a little off-putting at first but I liked this consistency better. I bet it would have been nice to have the added crunch of the granola.

Would I have it again? Hell yes, I don't know if I would go back for the ramen, but they should package this thing so I can eat it every night while watching Bravo.

Have you had vegan parfait before? Made it yourself? Followed a recipe? Post in the comments!

Poison soymilk in the work fridge

One of my many new years resolutions was to give up using starbucks as my morning mantra. Not only are they a terrible company to support, the strain on one's wallet is quite significant, especially given the current economic climate.

So why is it so hard for a vegan to get a sweet & cheap cup of coffee in the morning?

If ya bring Soymilk/Ricemilk into work, it mysteriously disappears

Coffee Carts/Dunkin' Donuts typically do not carry Soymilk/Ricemilk

Homemade coffee tastes like garbage and is hard to make

So what to do! How the hell can we save some dough and have awesome caffeinated goodness in the AM?

Here are my solutions!

Pour your soymilk/ricemilk into an unmarked container, put a sticker on it and write your name on it & "Do Not Throw Away". Make sure that the container is not transparent/translucent in any way. None of your co-workers are going to venture to see what mystery liquid you are keeping in there.

and ask them to carry soymilk. Include the location closest your work. Though this may not work, some have begun to include soymilk. In addition, talk to your coffee cart guy! The one outside my work now carries soymilk so you would be surprised.

Make awesome, quick coffee at home! It's easy. Get a coffee tumbler. Here's what I do: two tablespoons of Hazelnut Syrup in the tumbler, make a cup of espresso using Illy fine ground espresso, and shake up my soymilk and pour on top of the espresso in the tumbler and stir with a spoon/stirrer. It's sooo yummy!
NOTE: If you don't have a fancy espresso maker like me, go to Ikea, get a french press (its $12.99) and this is how you use it: Add about 5 tablespoons of medium ground espresso and boil 6 cups of water on the stove top and add (you can adjust these measurements to taste). Wait a few minutes (about 4) for the coffee to brew. Then press down the filter/plunger and pour! SUCCESS!!

Any other suggestions to avoid Stealbucks? Please post in the comments!!

Monthly "Yummiest" - Help me choose!!

Every month I'd like to go out and find the "yummiest" vegan version of a certain category. Help me choose what it should be!

Here are some ideas for the month of March:

Place to get Vegan Pancakes in NYC

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Vegan Coffee Ice Cream

Please leave your ideas/suggestions in the comments field and I will update with what I have chose by end of week.

I will put my tastebuds to the test, so you don't have to!

So Delicious Coconut Ice Cream rules my world!

"The verdict is in, vegans are definitely not missing out on the ice cream front." This is what my non-vegan friend tells me after he wolfed down half a pint of So Delicious Coconut Milk Cookie Dough Ice Cream. I was always a fan of Temptation ice cream, which is put out by Chicago Soydairy (makers of Teese) and thought their ice cream could not be beat out. However, after trying So Delicious Coconut Milk I will have to retract that statement. Not only is this ice cream creamy and extra sweet, it is missing that icey/watery consistency that is found in most non-dairy ice creams. On top of that, they have the best ideas for what to do with their freaking creation! Coconut Almond Bars (Chocolate covered ice cream bars with almond crunch... drool) Banana Split Sandwiches (its like a klondike bar but banana split! SO ridiculous!) OK OK I know it's cold and the last thing you want right now is ice cream, but may I mention that I had some of the vanilla bean flavor on top of a warm vegan apple pie and it was the most amazing thing ever? And check this shiz out! It's LESS fat! Usually things that taste more awesome are worse for ya, but nope, this is just the epitome of goodness. It is sweetened with agave (yes this is what makes Tequila), which makes it better from those with diabetes due to its low-glycemic content. So Delicious ice creams is made by Turtle Mountain, who also makes Soy Delicious ice creams, Purely Decadent ice creams and Sweet Nothings frozen desserts. They also make a line of yogurt made with coconut milk. Most of the vegan yogurts I have tried are ickytown with the exception being Whole Soy & Co. so I am curious to see how it tastes. Has anyone tried? I will pick one up tomorrow and lunch and report back! UHM woah, they are going crazy and also just came out with Coconut Milk Beverage. I'm guessing it will be a creamier, sweeter version of Soy Milk. Will have to try as well! This might turn out to be quite a treat when used in vegan baking recipes.