PURE SWEETS

Avocado Fruit Shake

2010-05-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

Week 2 of cleanse and I've already fallen off the wagon. After 7 days of juicing/eating raw 2 out of 3 meals, I was really hungry by Day 7. I splurged by enjoying Thai food for dinner. That and long days working at the hospital without seeing the sun made it inconvenient to eat fresh fruit and salads this past week. It sort of spiraled me into my old diet which wasn't unhealthy, but you know, I wanted to stick to the cleanse.

So, today, May 8th, I'm back on it. Hopefully, I'll make it past a week this time. Only three more weeks of my "day job"... after that I should have no problem eating fresh and raw frequently.

Besides my post-workout smoothie of banana, spinach, and unsweetened soymilk, I finally had a chance to use up my ripe avocados for a shake. I wanted to sip on something all day until our dinner party tonight. (I'm bringing supplies to make your own brownie fudge sundaes with coconut ice creams, homemade brownies & hot fudge, and my special candied walnuts.)

Here are the ingredients for my avocado shake:

1 ripe organic avocado
1 organic lime
1/2 large organic cucumber
1/2 cup frozen or fresh organic blueberries or any fruit you like

Directions:

Blend the avocado, lime juice, and cucumber (skinned, but included seeds) together until it becomes a creamy smoothie.
Add water or coconut water to desired consistency.
Pour into glass(es).
Clean out Vitamixer and add blueberries with some water or coconut water.
Add the blueberry puree to the avocado shake, and gently stir with a spoon until blueberries emerge throughout.

Need a Mother's Day Gift?

2010-05-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Found this at Essene market at 4th and Bainbridge for my mom. A potted herb plant with locally grown organic herbs. The tag says it's made by Stephen's Plants and Edible Herbs. Herbs included are basil, dill, Egyption onion, lavender, oregano, and rosemary. (Price: $25)

I want one for myself! Contact stephenpickering@comcast.net for your own herb basket.

First Attempt: Ice Cream

2010-05-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

My other favorite food group (besides dumplings and ramen) is ICE CREAM! I tried making ice cream once before and it failed miserably. It was terribly crystallized from the lack of cream. With a new Vitamixer in hand, I decided to give it another shot.

Result: a little too thick! Fearing it would be too "icey", I didn't add additional nut or coconut milk. I will next time. It could've used some because the ice cream came out a bit thick from the mix of raw cashews and coconut meat. However, It's kicking major butt as a milkshake. The flavor is perfect and it's as creamy as cream!

Ingredients:

3 cups organic raw cashews
2 cups of green tea
1 box of organic creamed coconut (Let's Do Organic makes a great version)
1 cup of organic grade B maple syrup (or preferred sweetener)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 T. organic unsweetened vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean scraped
1 T. organic peppermint extract
1.5 bars of Endangered Species Deep Forrest Mint Chocolate, finely chopped to create flecks in ice cream

Directions:

Soak raw cashews in water overnight. Enough water to barely cover cashews. (Don't let this sit for more than a day or mold will come a trampling.)
Cream cashews 1 cup at a time in Vitamixer or blender.
Add 2 cups of brewed green tea instead of water for added nutritional benefits. Liquid here helps cream the cashews to a smooth consistency. If you don't want to bother with tea, feel free to use water or milk substitute. You can't taste the green tea in the end anyway. It was just handy!
Throw a box of creamed coconut into the Vitamixer and blend until smooth.
Add sea salt, vanilla and peppermint extract. You may also use fresh mint instead, but I didn't have any on hand at the time. Plus, I prefer the taste of peppermint over regular mint for ice cream. I bet the local farmer's market has peppermint mint... will check it out.
Finely chop 1.5 bars (or more if desired) of a mint chocolate bar. I like Endangered Species because it uses unrefined beet sugar and not much sugar compared to other bars, as well as donating to wildlife. I find their chocolate less sweet in general.
Add chopped chocolate to Vitamixer and pulse a few times. Be careful not to blend all the chocolate into the cream.
Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacture's instructions.

I left this in the freezer overnight and the ice cream turned into rock. I took the ice cream container and moved it to the fridge to thaw. A day later, it was a creamy soft serve, which is my favorite form of ice cream. Wish I could make some swirls with it. It's a good start, but not perfect yet. I'll make some adjustments and try again soon.

What are your tricks to making creamy vegan ice cream?

Green Juice #2 turned into Spinach-Blackberry-Mango Smoothie

2010-04-25T10:07:00.001-07:00

Posting a week later because the masticating juicer, although magnificent, takes a bit of time to use. I'm not sure if I want to keep the machine. It seems great for fruit soft serves and making pasta, but I don't have much time to get ready in the mornings (would rather be sleeping), and the masticater doesn't deliver quick juices.

I caved yesterday and bought a Vita-Mixer at Wholefoods where the Vita-Mix guy sold me with an extended warranty and discounted dry blade, neither offered online. Not having to wait for it to be shipped didn't hurt. I already knew what this machine could do, I've been wanting one for 5 years, but couldn't justify spending that much on a blender.

Well, now I have professional reasons to invest in one. It makes creaming nuts and creating raw desserts so much easier and with consistent results. At least that's what I told myself. It will definitely make sticking to my raw/cleanse project much easier!

I started making another green juice in the masticater and it was great with the spinach leaves. I could see dry, fibrous spinach pulp coming out of one orifice and a vibrant green juice coming out of another. It clogged when I threw in juicy chunks of pineapple. Note: not good with watery fruits. I transferred the juicy mess into the Vitamixer and threw in a bunch of other random citrus and fruits leftover in the fridge. The combo of sweet fruits and tangy citrus is a match made in heaven. Love, love, love!

Ingredients:

1 cup of organic spinach
1 cup of organic pineapple
1 cup of organic frozen blackberries
1 small organic mango
6 organic key limes
3 organic Meyer lemons

Day 2 of Cleanse

2010-04-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

I must be motivated because I woke up earlier to make this drink and to post this for Day 2.

I bought greens last night for today's Green Juice #2, but not really in the mood for veggies at 8am. Decided to make another dumpster drink (whatever I could find in the fridge got thrown in).

Ingredients: (sorry, no precise measurements this morning because I'm running late for work.)

1 pint organic pink grapefruit
1 pint organic papaya
1 organic lime
1 cup of coconut water

First, pulverize the grapefruit which creates a great deal of liquid and helps blend the remaining ingredients together.
Squeeze limes into grapefruit liquid. I prefer limes over lemons for flavor and lack of seeds.
Blend the papaya. Papayas are starchy, so the smoothie becomes rather thick at this point.
Add coconut water (or filtered water) to your liking to dilute.

This tastes much better than yesterday's Green Juice. It's actually good enough to sell in a juice bar. It was like a lime-ade with papaya. Didn't even notice the grapefruit, it balanced the sweet papayas well. I love lime juice with fruit because it reminds me of Mexico. I promise to make Green Juice #2 after work and before Fusion because I want that chlorophyll. Anyone know how much chlorophyll you need to ingest/day to start making a difference?

N. 5th Street Soft Tofu

2010-04-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

My latest favorite Korean eatery is Jong Ka Jib Soft Tofu Restaurant in North Philly. The staff barely speaks English nor do you see many non-Koreans. The interiors are also wonderfully nostalgic of traditional tea houses.

The menu is rather small, which usually means authentic to me. You have a choice of soft tofu stews or korean bbq (no bbq at the table). Prices are very affordable (around $10 or less) with generous portions. The beginning array of little dishes isn't that impressive, but their mushroom tofu stew and stone bowl bibimbap are more flavorful and satisfying than Center City or South Jersey counterparts. There was a variety of Asian mushrooms: oyster, shiitake, and enoki with silken tofu. The bibimbap had a lovely mixture of dark greens, more mushrooms, pickled cucumbers, and sliced nori among other veggies. I only wish they had multi-grain rice as an option, but that's just me.

I ate here often during this past frigid winter. Thanks Jong Ka Jib for keeping my belly warm and happy.

Rickshaw Dumplings

2010-04-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows I have an obsession with dumplings. I was always thrilled to come home from school and find my mom wrapping a gazillion wontons for that evening's dinner. Images of a heaping pile of baby bok choy and a cauldron of broth waiting to bring it all together brings back warm memories. When it was almost time for dinner, my Mom would ask each of us how many we wanted. My Dad: around 50, my older brothers- not far behind, me- about 35. I also remember wanting to eat more, but controlling myself. I couldn't get out of shape for field hockey season! I was in 8th grade. That's the last time I ate my Mom's dumplings before going veg. If there's ever a vegan dumpling entry in a dumpling contest, let me know. I'm so in!

Besides my Pure Sweets project, I've dreamed of opening a DJ'd-dumpling lunch truck. Why stand in line when you can dance while you wait?! Plus, anything resembling street food is my kind of cuisine.

When I read about Rickshaw Dumplings a year ago, I was beyond ecstatic. I can see how someone else is working out a similar concept. Love their brand (and songs on the website "Close to Me" and "If I Ever Feel Better".)

A few weekends ago, I made a detour to their 61 West 23rd locale. It was pretty empty on a Saturday afternoon. The space was long, narrow, and minimalist. The staff were super sweet and accommodating. I had one option: the edamame whole-wheat dumpling. I ordered 6.

Presentation was simple and clean. Their logo is great: memorable and to the point. Only problem with the presentation was that the dumplings needed a layer of parchment or lettuce from sticking to the paper dish. I inevitably ate some cardboard or lost part of the skin to the dish.

For me, I enjoy a dumpling that's enclosed in a thin wrapper. I don't want to be reminded of what a carb-fest dumplings are, the less of a wrapper, the better. Rickshaw's whole-wheat dumpling skin had a wonderful elasticity and just the right amount of thickness.

I'm sorry Rickshaw, but the filling was a let down. I really wanted to love it, because I love what you're doing. It consisted of mashed edamame similar to hummus with a few whole pieces of edamame. Not much flavor. I look forward to some garlic, ginger, green onions, the usual suspects. A difference in texture would've been welcomed, too. I still have hope for you. Please come up with more veg varieties. (I'm also a fan of the catchy t-shirts! Got some for my family.)

In the meantime, I'll be working on my own dumpling recipes with the help of Andrea Nguyen. Her blog, Asian Dumping Tips, and gorgeous book, Asian Dumplings, is my bible for all (edible) things wrapped.

Spring Cleaning

2010-04-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

I eat what I crave, and my cravings have been leaning towards lighter foods as temperatures are warming in Philadelphia. Another reason I love spring and summer (and sunny destinations).

One of my favorite vacation spots is Tulum, Mexico where I drink fruit smoothies and coconut water by day and eat fresh veggies and legumes by night. Eating light is so easy in warm climates, the body doesn't really feel hungry in the heat (mine prefers to stay hydrated) and the last thing I want is to feel heavier in humid climates.

Back in everyday life, raw has been an elusive concept for me because let's face it, tasty and healthy vegan isn't convenient in this town, let alone raw. With the addition of long days, I'm not really in the mood to cook at 9pm. I just want to eat dinner! Until I can afford a personal chef, I need to get with the program. I know eating less starchy meals would do me so much good- been feeling weighed down by many nights of restaurant food. Time for a cleanse.

I'm starting the transition today. I have no expectations of how raw I'll go or for how long. I'll let my body decide and listen accordingly. Here's my first green juice. There are many variations; this is my mash up of what's available in the fridge today. My masticater hasn't arrived yet, so everything is going in the blender. It was still very light and refreshing. As long as I didn't use any starchy fruits, the drink came out light.

The end product looked a tad putrid in color after I added the wild blueberries. So no image of the final juice. The green from the veggies was a spectacular deep and bright green. The chlorophyll was calling my name! There are so many green juice recipes. Some add vanilla and sweeteners, which I've omitted. Personally, I like to keep sweetness to a minimum and saved only for dessert. I don't want to train my taste buds to crave sweets any more than it already does. Feel free to do as you like.

Green Juice #1

Ingredients:
8 oz organic wild frozen blueberries
5 oz organic baby spinach
3 oz organic lemon juice (used Meyer lemons today)
2 oz organic cucumber (kept the skin, removed seeds)
1 oz organic petite pak choi microgreens
2 cups of filtered water

Directions:

I blended the spinach with enough water to cover the greens. Blend in small batches and until all leaves are pulverized. I only used about 2 cups of water.
I added freshly squeezed lemon juice (seeds removed).
Cut up some cucumber, removed seeds, kept the skin, and threw it in.
Threw in the microgreens and pulsed.
Added blueberries for extra antioxidants and minimal sweetness to off-set the bitterness of the greens.
Results in about 30 oz of green juice. Enough for you and a lucky mate.

Have fun experimenting! If you have favorite combos I should try, please let me know!

Los Angeles TwentyTen

2010-03-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

Sweet T treated me to one of my favorite cities for my 32nd birthday: LA. I was able to try a few new veg-friendly places and here's the list:

Veggie Grill (El Segundo)- a quick and easy place to grab a light meal. I tried the "Carne Asada" without the bun. Portions are rather light for the price when I added on sweet potato fries, but I think this is normal for West Coast. If you want to eat a lean, light meal, you pay a premium. And many people are willing to pay. This place was packed on a Thursday afternoon.

Sprinkles Cupcakes (Beverly Hills)- had to try their new vegan version: red velvet. I can't say I'm a fan because it was rather oily as a cake and as a frosting, but the moistness was impressive. If you're not used to eating cane sugar, you might find this too sweet like I did. The "V" candy top is great touch, but it tasted rather pasty and bland. Always glad to see vegan options, thanks Sprinkles.

Seed (Venice)- organic, macro, and vegan? Sign me up. I regret not trying the burger which is what they're famed for, but they served the best sweet potato fries I've had yet. Crispy, just the right saltiness, and plentiful. Doesn't hurt that it's served in a Chinese takeout box, which I love. I had the "House Greens Salad" because it came highly recommended, but found it too light to be satisfying by itself. Eaten with the fries, it was a good meal. Seed also served water gratis that was infused with cucumber, mint, and lemons that was as refreshing as it sounds. Again, we thought the meal was rather pricey for the portion and casualness, but I think if we were used to living out here we wouldn't be sticker shocked!

(I was having so much fun I forgot to photograph meals for the next three restaurants.)

Real Food Daily (Santa Monica)- I know I was disappointed with RFD during my November trip, but I was wrong! I didn't know dinners here were so much better. The portion sizes were abundant and you could easily go home with leftovers for lunch. I loved the "Cold Noodle Salad" with perfectly chewy green soba and crunchy vegetables. Our friends had the "Gumbo" which was a huge stew with whole grains, tempeh, and a corn muffin in case that wasn't enough. I'm still not convinced of their desserts, but their meals are worth trying whether you're a veg eater or not.

Inaka (La Brea)- this was a great surprise (thanks Erik)! A macro Japanese restaurant that served up the heartiest hot pots. Definitely check it out. The decor is minimalist and the food is simple, and you won't leave feeling overly stuffed.

BCD Tofu House (Koreatown)- this was a desperate stop for dinner while stuck in traffic. I was happily surprised to find vegan tofu soon dobu filled with mushrooms and other veggies. I asked for very spicy and cried for the first time in my life from the spiciness. My mouth also went numb. Don't get cocky like me.

The Stand (Laguna Beach)- this was my favorite surprise, thanks to T. A vegan stand where the menu is so huge you get cross-eyed. If you're a soup lover, come here. They have about 10 varieties of vegan soups and let you taste test every one. I also love their soft serve fruit that is simply fruit pushed through a juicer. Think ripe bananas as soft serve ice cream.

Didn't have time to check out Gjelina (Abbot Kinney) and Interim (Santa Monica) which were also on my list... next time!

Banff Part II: The List of Restaurants

2010-02-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a list of the restaurants we tried in Banff. The only place I'd highly recommend for vegans is Masala.

Bison Restaurant is local and mostly organic, but it was extremely expensive for mediocre flavors and small portions. I had two slices of tofu, a small pile of soba noodles and a savory tofu pudding... for $28. Yikes!

Elk & Oarsmen is bar food that serves inexpensive eats. I loved the sweet potato fries which were crisp, yet barely salted, and a refreshing salad.

Timbers the only vegan item available for dinner were the best fried zucchini I've ever had, although for omnivores you're in luck with reasonable prices and solid quality of menu items.

Balkan was a fabulously fun Thursday night with belly dancing and the charming manager as MC, however vegan food was super unthrilling (white hummus, white eggplant mush, white pita) and pricey ($17 for 3 small scoops of the above).

Mik i has all you can eat sushi-tempura-teriyaki for $25. The fish isn't the highest grade as I was told, but the veg sushi was fresh with minimal rice. Just the way I like it.

Wildflour is the place to go for delicious sandwiches, soups, and freshly baked bread. The vegan desserts look like the kind of vegan stuff we had in the States 10 years ago (aka cardboardy and plain), but the sandwiches are fantastically fresh, satisfying, and made to order.

Ahhh, Masala, was the only tried and true place I could eat hearty and well. Too dark to take photos, but each of their vegetable curries were distinct and plentiful. I had to stay away from the rice glistening with ghee, however the breads were a nice contrast to the spicy flavors.

Wintery Banff Part I

2010-01-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

We traveled to Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks in Alberta and British Columbia this past winter holiday, and let me tell you, it was not easy eating vegan in bear country. For some reason, I thought National Parks = outdoorsy people = healthy eats. I'm here to tell you that they are proud of their wild west roots, so don't go in expecting West Coast flava!

That said, if you're vegetarian, you'll have no problem. The word "vegan" just hasn't caught on yet.

Not being interested in the $50/per person buffet at the hotel, we thought... where do all the Jews eat today? Of course, Chinatown! We pigged out at Silver Dragon and literally paid for it. Dim sum cost $90 for two. Yowza! The buffet would have been a better deal.

There were only two veg items on the dim sum cart: fried sesame balls filled with lotus paste and steamed bamboo skin with random Asian veggies. Verdict: the sesame balls tasted like any other place I've tried and the random veggies wrapped in wrinkly skin was gooey and bland.

Unsatisfied, I added one of my most beloved Asian greens: snow pea leaves, which I inhaled and nearly forgot to photograph. The greens were sweet and fresh. I also ordered an egg roll type thing wrapped in tofu skin which was delicious and light. The skin was nicely pan fried and filled with sweet cabbage, mushrooms, and carrots. Lastly, the shocker was the dumplings the size of fists. Filled with the usual assortment of cabbage and mushroom, similar to the previously mentioned dish, the skin was of a surprising medium thickness for such large parcels. It was mediocre at the time, but made a satisfying road snack on the way to Banff.

I always jump at the chance for dim sum, but this place was over-priced and under-delivered. Nonetheless, I look forward to spending next Christmas at another dim sum table!

AKASHA- Culver City

2009-11-30T12:15:00.000-08:00

Akasha is our last stop before jumping on the red-eye to Philly. Erik recommended this place as high-grade organic cuisine. Indeed, what you're seeing were the best sweet potato fries I've ever tried. Perfectly crisp, sweet, and salted. I'm just a bit bummed I picked the wrong item on the menu. The Thai curry noodle tasted nothing like a curry and the tofu was a bit pungent. It was originally listed with salmon and I asked them to veganize it. My mistake. The noodles were very bland, and I learned since salmon is very strong and it's often served with something very light.

The others in our party loved their dinners: the organic turkey burger and market vegetable stack. I wish we weren't in such a mad dash to the airport because they also offered a few vegan desserts. Next time...

I miss you already L.A.!

Real Food Daily- again for dessert

2009-11-30T11:31:00.000-08:00

We're looking for birthday sweets one late evening and returned to RFD in Santa Monica to see what else is available. It's slim pickings before closing time, but we found happiness with the Fauxstess Cupcake and Brownie Bowl.

The Fauxstess looked like the real thing. Pretty good imitation. My only reservations was that the cake was a bit dry and there wasn't much cream to be found. Again, maybe if we had one freshly prepared...

I loved the Brownie Bowl. I had no idea the scoops of ice cream would be so gigantic. We tried the carrot cake (recommended by waiter) which was weird and definitely didn't go with the brownie. It was sort of spicy and the consistency of the ice cream (made from rice and hemp milk) was grainy. The other ice cream flavor was mint chocolate chip which was excellent. It was refreshingly minty and creamy. We also ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream, but it was left out. Seeing how large the scoops were, we're glad they did.

The brownie was perfectly moist and fudgy and I would say made the Brownie Bowl the best vegan dessert we had in L.A.

Taco Loco- Laguna Beach

2009-11-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

My favorite Mexican food joint of all time is...<drum roll>...Taco Loco! Laguna Beach has plenty of vegetarian options, but hangs you dry when you're vegan. Taco Loco saves the day with their scrumptious blackened tofu and mushroom tacos, burgers, and salads. (They offer lots of fresh seafood as well.)

For $2.50, I ordered a blackened portabella soft taco with blue corn tortilla, a heaping mound of fresh guacamole and spicy sauce. I don't know how they make it, but it's cheap and good.

The salad you see is a half-order at $5.50. Over a bed of tortilla chips are layers of crispy romaine and blackened cubes of grilled tofu and mushroom. Again, topped with generous amounts of gauc and spicy sauce.

Fresh, light, healthy and fills my tummy. I could eat this stuff every day and never get bored.

Ice Pan- West Hollywood

2009-11-30T11:00:00.000-08:00

Our lovely new friend, Betty, recommended Ice Pan as a must-try for healthy, guilt-free ice cream. Since ice cream is my favorite food group, I had to see this for myself.

You choose your milk of choice: whole, low-fat, skim or soy. (I hope they add nut and coconut milks soon.) They use a fruit sweetener and all toppings are either fresh fruit or unsweetened additions. Not a bad concept! The most surprising part is that the soy ice cream tasted creamy. You couldn't tell it was made with soy. I felt a cold brewing which made me in the mood for green tea with lychee. It was indeed very light and not too sweet. My friend Ashley tried hers with low-fat milk and found the consistency to be icey and anything but smooth. She wished she ordered it with whole milk or soy instead. The portion was huge for a size small! I completely forgot to capture a photo of the finished product...oops.

Check out their website to see more pics. Next time, I would like to try the pistachio or red bean.

M Cafe- Culver City

2009-11-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen my freshman year roomie, Gretchen, in years. I love reuniting with Smithies because 1) they don't age (!) 2) we always pick up where we left off and 3) they're like the sisters I never had.

Gretchen has been living in LA since we graduated from Smith and she is a walking, breathing embodiment of being healthy. She likes to dine on salads for dinner and that's what you see here from the M Cafe de Chaya.

M Cafe is a macrobiotic place that is mostly vegan with a few seafood options. I wasn't feeling terribly hungry this evening, so I went for a small plate of organic brown rice sushi which was excellent, but expensive. One is topped with hijiki seaweed (a bit too fishy for me), the other has marinated shiitake which I loved, and the rolls are made with avocado and more shiitake. The sushi was delish, but at $2.50 per piece...yikes! We're talking vegan here.

For dessert we went for the most appetizing options which were the Tiramisu and chocolate layered fudge cake. The Tiramisu was pretty damn close, but the cake was crumbly and failed to melt in your mouth like the real thing. The creamy portion tasted a bit too much like soy milk and left more to be desired. The creamy filling and frosting of the chocolate cake was right on. Nothing vegan about it, but the cake was a bit dry. Maybe if it was eaten the day it was prepared it would've tasted fresher.

Overall, this place had a great menu, but what you end up getting for the price leaves you feeling hungry and broke.

Real Food Daily- Santa Monica

2009-11-30T09:41:00.001-08:00

I couldn't wait to hit up Real Food Daily, also remembered as my favorite veg spot in Los Angeles. It's been several years since I've visited, and my have things changed.

First, the prices have noticeably gone up. I remembered this place being under $10 a plate, but now most everything is above. Secondly, the food isn't as satisfying or amazing as remembered. Maybe my tastes have changed...

What you see here is the THE CLUB TRIPLE DECKER sandwich made with a seitan chicken cutlet, tempeh bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato on sourdough. The seitan tasted like bland nothingness and didn't add much to the sandwich. The tempeh bacon was made in-house, so it tasted much better than Fakin' Bacon and more like a lightly baked chip. I would've preferred a whole-grain bread over sourdough. Overall the sandwich was unsatisfying, and this used to be my favorite item on the menu. Shockingly, the salad was more filling than the sandwich. You know how I don't care for salads, but the peanut dressing was ever so light and creamy. I wish I could replicate the dressing at home. Price: $13.75

The other plate we ordered was the BASIC FOUR where you choose a protein, grain and vegetables. We went for grilled tofu, a quinoa and millet combo, and collard greens and a mixture of the veg of the day (butternut squash, brussel sprouts, etc.) This tasted as boring as it sounds. The grilled tofu had no seasoning and the vegetables were simply steamed or broiled. I suppose that's what the dressing is for, we chose the wasabi vinaigrette which wasn't enough to salvage the above. Price: $11.95

Last, but not least was dessert. We tried the three best on the menu: layered chocolate fudge cake, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie. All desserts are sweetened with maple syrup, and baked with whole wheat or unbleached white flour.

The chocolate layered cake tasted like the real thing. You could not tell it was vegan. The cake was fluffy and moist and the cream and chocolate ganache were perfectly rich and sweet. But, for $7.95 I won't be ordering that again.

The pecan pie was the table's favorite, but I couldn't tell what the mushy filling was made of so it was slightly off-putting. Price: $4.50

The pumpkin pie was most disppointing; it was overtly spicy (too much ginger) and the crust was bland. Price: $4.50

Despite the mediocre fare and high prices, the place was packed on a Monday afternoon.

Ethiopian- Little Ethiopia of LA

2009-11-30T09:22:00.000-08:00

After attending our friend's debaucherous wedding in Acapulco, I was looking forward to a good vegan meal in the City of Angels. Our gracious host, Erik, picks me up in his Prius and whisks me away to Merkato. I've had Ethiopian in D.C. and West Philly before and neither made me want to return for seconds, but this place was different.

We grabbed the spongy Teff and started scooping up the deliciousness. For a trio of vegans, this 20"+ platter was good and plenty. What you see remaining are collard greens, red lentils, ground chickpeas, cabbage with potatoes and carrots, and tomato salad. Merkato changed my feelings about Ethiopian fare. Each of these dishes had a distinct flavor, and the bread was slightly sweet which balanced the curries well. For the first time, everything didn't taste like pungent vinegar.

Thanks for changing my mind about Ethiopian, Merkato!

Even Better Korean

2009-10-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

After relying on Beowan as my usual Korean fix for years, I recently discovered Myung Ga Korean. This place is also in Cherry Hill (NJ) except this place knows how to please picky eaters with multiple restrictions. Low carb? Check. Vegan? No problem. Jain? Sure!

I tried the same dishes I order at every Korean place: tofu soon dobu (tofu stew) and dolsot bibimbap (stone rice bowl). I've tried every Korean dish that can be made vegan and these are my favorites. The dolsot bibimbap was generous with vegetables and had lightly seared cubes of tofu over multi-grain rice. It was heaven. I love purple rice and wished it was more available. The tofu soon dobu was also solid, but I prefer the kimchi over the mushroom tofu stew because of the added flavor. Next time, I'm not ordering two entrees. The dolsot will be plenty- plenty satisfying that is!

What I love most about Myung Ga is that your dietary requests are understood. No dirty looks here. The staff is incredibly hospitable and eager to please.

My non-vegan boyfriend ordrered this massive calamari udon dish that was in a platter the size of a pizza for $16. The prices here are reasonable and the food very plentiful.

Best Brunch

2009-10-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

When you go vegan, brunch pretty much goes out the window. Let's face it, who wants to eat cereal, oatmeal or fruit when you're out to eat? But, what else is there? I've tried a very hyped vegan brunch place in Philly, and it was utterly disgusting. If you want the name, email me.

Sabrina's is my #1 brunch destination in Philadelphia. It doesn't have many meat-free options, but what it does have is a winner. My ultimate fav is the Grilled Veggie Sandwich on a Sarcone's hoagie roll. I request the sandwich to be made without pesto or cheese. Trust me, you won't miss anything. It comes with a side of sweet potato fries, home fries or regular old french fries. The home fries are delicious and huge with golden crispy edges. I've never tried the french fries...why would I when there is sweet potato? I make sure mine come without the powdered sugar (so unnecessary!) and the fries pictured here were actually very crispy. I avoided the coleslaw completely because the cabbage is always raw and bitter. It's as if I could taste the methane in my mouth. Unfortunately, on this particular day they were out of Sarcone's at the Art Museum location. The sandwich isn't as good on sliced whole grain bread. I have much better luck at the original Sabrina's in the Italian Market, although I frequent both. The 9th Street location is consistent and never fails, while this spot is hit or miss...

I've also tried the tofu scramble which is what you'd expect... kinda bland and kinda soft. I'd rather stick with the perfectly grilled veggies on Sarcone's sesame seed roll. And for the rest of the world that eats everything, there are some amazingly generous and decadent choices like challah french toast, frittatas, breakfast burritos, etc.

Thanks Sabrina's for giving me brunch back! What's even better is that you can order brunch all day long.

Chinese Takout!

2009-10-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Peppy wearing her "Chinese Takeout" dog costume with dim sum on the Martha Stewart show. We were selected to be briefly (like 2 seconds worth) interviewed and met Martha and her pooches. (We're sitting in the front row, next to the blonde in the oxford blue shirt with belt.)

With the help of John G. (my friend's boyfriend) who gave me the idea of a takeout box, the costume came together over the weekend.

I was hoping to get Pure Sweets on a future of episode of Martha by meeting one of the producers. It's a long shot, but we'll see...

Show airs Monday, Oct. 26th, 2pm on NBC.

Korean Bowls

2009-10-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Beawon Korean restaurant is in the D&Q Plaza (great bike/ski/swim shop) off Rt. 70 in Cherry Hill. It is my favorite Korean restaurant in the Philly area. Why? Because they understand what vegan means. I've had so many veggie requests in Philly come back with little pieces of beef mixed in or tofu stew with clams or squid sitting at the bottom. Also, the Korean food in Philly is often too sweet or salty. They seem to junk it up like most ethnic cuisine here. No, thank you!

Beawon has a karaoke room in the back and every table can BBQ your own meat if you wish. They changed their menu last year or so which leaves us with fewer vegan options, but there are still two dishes I love.

The Korean waitresses laugh at my face when I order two entrees: as if it's not lady like to eat so much. I can't help it! It's so satisfying, why would I deprive myself? First, I order the tofu soondobu (tofu and cabbage stew) with a vegetarian broth. The waitstaff always look at me with a confused look and say, "kitchen staff don't do that". Stay strong and fight for your veggie broth because they do! They always check with the kitchen and always return with a triumphant, yes. Next, I order the stone bowl bibimbap with egg and beef on the side (for my non-vegan companions). The veggies included are cucumber, carrot, shiitake mushroom, daikon radish, radish, and another kind of mushroom I forgot the name of...

Finally, I add the stew to my bibimbap and voila! A magically delicious combination. The bibimbap is too bland without the soondobu. They instruct you to add this sweet, thick spicy sauce for the rice bowl but as always, it's too sweet, salty and junky for my taste. I prefer adding the stew.

Another bonus is the myriad of little dishes at the beginning of every Korean meal. I only included the vegetables in the photo, there are another 4-5 dishes not pictured. My favorites are the miso soup, watercress and bean sprouts.

After dinner, head to the H-Mart next door for an Asian grocery store that is organized, clean and full of options. You'll see every race in that store buying up Indian spices, Mexican ingredients, and any variety of dumplings you can imagine. Their fruits and veggies are always fresh and cheap to boot. Love it!

There are probably even better Korean places around, but have yet to try. If you know of any please comment! Next on my list is Myung Ga Korean, also in Cherry Hill. This one is slated to be even better... will let you know!

Burmese Bites

2009-10-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

We made it to Rangoon well before closing this time and enjoyed my favorite salads and curry.

People are surprised when I say "I don't care for salads." It's more like I don't enjoy typical American salads. I don't like junky, pungent dressings. I'll take Burmese salads any day! Pictured here are my favorites: the ginger and watercress salads. I order these without dried shrimp and fish sauce. The fried tofu salad is also yummy and for the adventurous, go for the tea leaf.

As the days are cooling down, I also find the split pea soup (mixed with rice) like home cooking, but it can be on the salty side at times. (Skip the spring rolls and samosas. These are not particularly worth ordering.)

Rangoon has quite a few vegan dishes. For authentic Burmese, go for the spicy potato curry pictured here and vatana beans with extra onions (not pictured). Growing up my mom would cook fried caramelized onions in huge batches. I would put those sweet crispy toppings on everything.

For non-vegans, the thousand layer bread is addictive. You'll enjoy the Burmese cold noodle and calamari salads as well.

The owners are lovely and feel like family. Have any specific dietary requests? They'll take care of it!

Love Me Some Snow Pea Leaves

2009-09-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight we were shut out at Rangoon (kitchen closed at 8:30pm instead of 9pm). Booo! Pics of my favorite Burmese eats will have to wait.

We didn't have too many options at this hour, but saw Sang Kee's sign glowing in the distance. They have one thing I truly love: doumiao (translation: snow pea leaves). When I lived in Taiwan and China I used to eat this stuff daily. Sang Kee is the only place in town serving up these greens! To compliment my sweet greens I ordered the Singapore noodles with tofu and shiitake mushrooms. It was all light and satisfying.

A pleasant surprise was that they'll make dishes without sugar and cornstarch upon request. Don't be fooled by the gooey sauces of Chinese restaurants. Chinese people don't eat like that! They think that's how white people like their food, but they're not giving you enough credit. Ask for dishes without the goop and you'll also be pleasantly surprised how healthy Chinese food can be.

Yummy in My Tummy at POD

2009-09-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

After a sweat-soaking butt-kicking workout with Juliet (Fusion Trainer Extraordinaire), my friend AC and I headed to POD in University City for some healthy, but oh-so-good grub.

The lighting in the place was extra horrible for photos, but managed one shot of the lettuce wraps...

I love the Lettuce Wrap with Tofu. They use delicate butter lettuce to complement the nicely diced tofu. I ask the tofu to be prepared with "less salt" otherwise the regular dose bloats me up the next 24 hours. I also ordered the mushroom fried rice with brown rice and without egg. I should've asked for this with less salt too, it was a tad too much. Note to restaurants: we as a country don't need any more sodium! The fried rice comes with mushroom tempura, but since the batter has eggs, they graciously put the tempura on the side for AC to enjoy.

AC had the miso soup which is always a winner and their lightly battered calamari salad.

Another great workout, another yummy meal. If you're ever in Philly, give Pod a try.

Make Your Own Pizza...at Carrabba's!

2009-09-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

Who needs cheese anymore? I definitely don't miss it! I know, I used to be a cheeseaholic and couldn't imagine life without it. Now, not only does food taste better without the overwhelming nature of dairy, I don't fall into food comas either.

One of my favorite things to eat at a place with limited vegan fare is to order a thin crust pizza with toppings of my choice. The Cheesecake Factory makes an excellent pizza crust and will saute the veggies before it heads to the oven. Gianfranco Pizza Rustica (Old City, Center City, South Philly) also makes a fantastic crust with eggplant, broccoli rabe, portobella and tomato all sans cheese (whatever you want and the small is huge). I don't do fake cheese either. Why bother when a roasted veggie pizza is so good?

Tonight my non-vegan partner and I headed to Carrabba's. He loves their calamari, mussels... and I appreciate they'll make me whatever I want! I've asked for sauteed vegetables which are done deliciously with garlic and olive oil, but my favorite is their thin crust pizza. The dough has the perfect bite and flavor. See for yourself. The pizza I devoured has sauteed spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and grilled smoked eggplant with a touch of sauce. Yippy kaye!

Raising Money for Rescues

2009-09-21T15:37:00.001-07:00

The Natural Pet Expo will take place in Northern Liberties this Sunday, September 27th. Learn about natural and holistic pet care while indulging in some Pure Sweets. We have new items you'll enjoy!

Look for our table as we try to raise money for Philly Paws and Mainline Animal Rescue!

GIMME SOME CORIANDER!

2009-09-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

In Philly, we like to head to South Jersey for real Indian food. Yes, Jersey. Philly thinks New Jersey is useless, and being from West Deptford I know the pitfalls, but watch out Philly because ethnic food across the bridge is giving you a run for your money!

Coriander in Voorhees, NJ does not serve the typical curry slop we've found in Philly proper. It's unique from other Indian dishes because it's authentic. After living in India for a month, it's the only place to get my Indian fix.

Favorite appetizers: Palak Chaat (flash-fried spinach that melts in your mouth) and Lasooni Gobi (cauliflower nuggets that are a spicy and sweet).

Entrees: you can't go wrong with any of them. I often order the okra which is nicely sauteed with caramelized onions minus the heavy sauce. (There's another okra dish under "Regional Specialties" that is fried, which is not the one pictured or the one I prefer.)

For non-veg peeps, I hear the Goan shrimp curry is straight from the motherland.

Bonus: the staff is incredibly friendly and they remember you. When I take newbies to Coriander and ask for my food to be spicy as in "5 stars", my friends/family try to talk me out of it. The wait staff stick up for me and firmly say, "No, she always gets 5 stars." Yeah!!! I love it when the restaurant knows what you like and how you like it. Don't specify any stars if you don't like your mouth and bellies to be on fire. The star system is applied above the normal spice level.

P.S. Golfland across the street has a great course for Pitch 'n' Putt. Play 18 holes on the lush greens, then enjoy some dinner.

If golf isn't your thing, there's also a ginormous movie theater that features everything from independent films to blockbusters located in the same plaza as the restaurant. It used to be owned by Landmark Theaters (Ritz franchise), but the clientele remains the same. You won't be disturbed by much riffraff or chatty Cathies in the crowd and can enjoy some espresso or Italian sodas with your movie.

HELLO

2009-05-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Pure Sweets Blog!

Hope you'll find blurbs about my favorite vegan-friendly eateries and travels helpful for your own jaunts. The most common question I hear is: What do you eat when you go out? If I can find vegan eats, while on the road and just hanging in Philly, anyone can! Wherever I go, my omnivorous pals are happily eating, too.