The HappyCow Cookbook: Recipes from Top-Rated Vegan Restaurants Around the World

One of the first websites that I found after going plant-based was HappyCow. I remember carefully selecting a restaurant to try out with my adventurous and supportive coworkers and sharing my passion for great food that is focused on keeping cows happy. And mooing. I even reached out to HappyCow to request to add my blog to their list, and upon doing so, discussed contributing a few posts to the HappyCow blog. The community there is supportive and kind, and there's always a new restaurant to be found anywhere on the globe. I also have a search on my Plant-Based Resources section that is easy to use and can query vegan and vegetarian-friendly options near you!

A couple of months ago, my dad handed me the latest issue of the The Houston Chronicle with a headline "Vegan Aloud". He saw the word vegan and immediately snagged it to show me later. When I opened up the section, I realized the article was about The Loving Hut, a vegan restaurant that I had been to a few times before. Then I squealed with joy as I realized they had been listed in The HappyCow Cookbook, which I didn't even realize was being released!

I couldn't wait to find out what amazing recipes were inside, and I received my preview copy a couple of weeks later. I was also overjoyed to see a recipe from Counter Culture, an Austin favorite of mine that I miss dearly. The cookbook includes over 80 recipes from across the globe and features interviews with the owners. It's full of beautifully photographed (and extremely yummy-looking) dishes that are approachable and easy to understand. I love that restaurants have shared their menu items for all of us to try out!

I am probably completely biased because I absolutely love dessert, but here are some of the recipes that are on my must-try list:
Chia Pudding from Luna's Living Kitchen, Charolette, NC
Chocolate Raspberry Hazelnut Cake from G-Zen, Branford, CT
Gluten-Free Coconut Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes from Chaco Canyon, Seattle, WA
Peanut Butter Blondies from Green Cuisine, Victoria, BC, Canada
Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding, Counter Culture, Austin, TX
Raw Brownie Bliss Bites from Choices Cafe, Miami, FL

WIN A COPY OF THE HAPPYCOW COOKBOOK
If you'd like a chance to win a copy of The HappyCow Cookbook, comment below with the name of your favorite restaurant and be sure to check out others on the HappyCow site.

To give you a sneak peek into the cookbook, I've included the Spicy Cha Cha from The Loving Hut here in Houston, TX below.

From Loving Hut in Houston, TX

Spicy Cha Cha

Serves 4–8

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons and 3 cups rice oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons sea salt

3 cups water

2 pounds vegan sea crescents (aka “vegan shrimp”) each sliced in half*

3 cups bread crumbs

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

½ yellow onion, diced

4 stalks green onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegan mushroom seasoning

2 teaspoons dried hot chili powder

*Can be purchased online.

Put the all-purpose flour, sugar, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon rice oil, baking soda, and a pinch of sea salt in a large bowl. Add water slowly and mix well until it becomes a thick batter.

Dip the vegan sea crescents into the flour mixture then roll the vegan sea crescents in the bread crumbs. Make sure each vegan sea crescent is fully covered with the bread crumbs.

Add 3 cups of rice oil in a deep frying pan or a medium-size pan, then turn the burner to medium heat. Place the vegan sea crescents into the pan and fry them until they become golden in color. Take the vegan sea crescents out and set aside on a plate with a paper towel to blot any excess oil.

Add 1 teaspoon of rice oil into a hot pan. Add all diced vegetables (bell peppers, celery, onions) and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the fried vegan sea crescents. Sprinkle with vegan seasoning, sea salt, and dried hot chili powder. Stir well for an additional 10 seconds. Remove from the heat and serve alone or ideally on a bed of chopped lettuce with steamed rice.

Houston Vegan Eats Review: Green Vegetarian Cuisine

After living in Houston for nearly two months, I had to find a vegan burger. I was so spoiled in Austin and could grab a vegan meal at any hour of the day there, no matter if it was a Saturday at 2 a.m. or 10 p.m. on a weeknight. I'm still exploring the city and have not found all of the vegan places just yet, but I've been finding some gems. When I found Green Vegetarian Cuisine, I was ecstatic to try out their food.

We arrived on a Sunday for an early lunch. They were PACKED. This is a good sign. We waited only a minute or so before being seated since we had just two at our table. When I looked over the menu, I began to bounce my eyes from one item to the next. Did I want the Artichoke & Portabella Quesadilla? A Falafel Burrito? Those sounded tasty, but once I ran across THE BIG NASTY BURGER, I knew that was the clear winner. A veggie patty decked with avocado, lettuce, tomato, and vegan chipotle mayo, this sucker was topped with even more goodies: melted cheddar, grilled onions, fakin’ bacon, and grilled mushrooms. YES PLEASE!!!

I did a double-take on the price ($12), but I hadn't eaten a veggie burger in over two months. This had to happen. It was happening. We ordered some fried mushrooms and my husband ordered the Cece's Stir Fry. It was settled. When the food was brought to our table, I was stunned at the magnificence of the Big Nasty Burger, in all of its glory. I polished it off so fast that this picture below is actually from my SECOND visit to Green Vegetarian Cuisine. Also not pictured: The Hostess-like creme-filled chocolate cupcake that I inhaled within a minute of receiving it. Sorry guys, but you'll just have to visit this one for yourselves to experience it.

Can't wait to go back!

Cece’s Stir Fry.

Fried mushrooms with vegan gravy.

The Big Nasty Burger.

 Locations
Green Downtown at Pearl Brewery
Full Goods Building
200 E Grayson St
Suite 120
San Antonio, TX 78215
210-320-5865

Green at Alon
10003 NW Military Suite 2115 (Corner of Wurzbach and NW Military)
San Antonio, TX 78230
210-233-1249

Green – Houston
6720 Chimney Rock, Suite Y (Corner of Chimney Rock & Bellaire)
Houston, TX 77081
(832) 649-4184

Links
Google+ | Facebook

Casa De Luz Review

Sometimes I find myself in a rut when it comes to eating vegan, but I've been so lucky to have Casa De Luz so close to our home. I've never experienced anything quite like it before, and I was impressed with the super clam atmosphere. Walking in, you instantly feel relaxed. You pay $12 per person when you walk in the door, and this covers a soup, salad, entree, and either tea or water.

Review of Vegan Food at Kerbey Lane Cafe

When I crave breakfast for any other meal than breakfast, we head straight to Kerbey Lane Cafe! As an omnivore, I enjoyed getting the Eggs Francisco, but since going vegan, I prefer the Vegan Breakfast Platter (pictured twice below). I'm the kind of person who always orders the same thing every time I visit a restaurant. I have no idea why I'm like that, but that's just the way it is.

Review of Vegan Dishes at Thai Taste

I've enjoyed living in South Austin for the last several years, and feel lucky that we have such a wide array of different culinary options within a few mile radius of our apartment. Less than a half mile away, we have Thai Taste, which never disappoints! I had never really had Thai food before, but my husband was a fan for many months before taking me there for dinner one night. There have been many nights when I would rather call in an order instead of cooking something, and they always provide large portions that can also serve as my lunch the next day.

Honest Tea: Panel of Three Gives Honest Review

At the end of January, I was contacted by Honest Tea to give an honest review of their products. They dropped off some samples on my doorstep, since they are also headquartered in Austin. I was overly excited to try them out, and had tasted their product a few months prior at an Austin Food Blogger Alliance event. When I received the email asking if I'd like to try out the samples, I was more than happy to do so. I recruited my husband and our friend Jeff to help me try them out and see what they thought about their drinks.

Before we start with the reviews, here's a quick bio for each taste tester:


Kelsey  | Founder, The Little Red Journal

Born and raised in the country, my mother would set a jar on the porch on warm sunny days with a few bags of tea, and brew us up what she simply called, "Sun Tea". We always sweetened it like crazy, but it's a taste I'll never forget.


Kendan | The Biggest Deep Blue Something fan

While Kendan prefers iced Earl Grey tea, during childhood he grew up around mostly sweet tea drinkers and likes to drink unsweetened tea. He frequently would shake his head at his wife Kelsey, as she poured sugar into her tea.

Jeff | Avid Tea Drinker Since Childhood

With Jeff's strong tea background as a child growing up in an Asian family, his knowledge of all things tea made him a perfect candidate to review Honest Tea. As the years have passed, his interest in teas has grown and his refined taste buds.

Unsweetened Passion Fruit Green Tea

Kendan: It’s not how you think sweet teas are – it’s not super sweet but I like unsweetened tea.

Jeff: It smells like fruit punch. It’s really fragrant at first when you first smell it, but the smell doesn’t exactly translate over the taste. It’s not bad, it’s just - I’m not sure if it’s the sweetener that is throwing me off, but… It has more of a flowery taste than passion fruit. I would prefer it be unsweetened. The sweetness takes away from some of that tea.

Kelsey: I like the light hint of sweetness that is in it. I have never tasted a passion fruit before!

Just Green Tea

Jeff: I'm not used to drinking green tea cold, but you can definitely taste the green tea in this.

Kendan: Yeah, I think it takes a little while to get used to it.

Jeff: It’s not brewed too strong to where it’s bitter. It’s just about right.

Kelsey: Yeah, I like sweet tea. I’m used to Texas tea, where's it's nothing but sugar.

Jeff: It’s kind of hard to screw up tea.

Just Black Tea

Kendan: I like this one the best.

Jeff: Yep, it’s pretty good. It’s just like iced tea.

Kendan: I like this one the best because it’s just black tea.

Zero Honest Ade

Jeff: It’s not overloaded with sweeteners. Whoa. What is this? There’s this different taste to it.

Kendan: [mixes lemonade with black tea] Yeah, yeah that’s pretty good. They should look into that market, as well. Mix them together.

Jeff: It’s got a nutty flavor. The lemonade is really good but what threw me off at first was the sweetener. There’s a little bit of an aftertaste, but it’s pretty good.

Kelsey: Wow, this is pretty good. There is something nutty about it.

Kendan: I would say the lemonade and black tea are the best and they should mix them!

Kelsey: Kendan, mix one for me.

[ Kendan mixes drink]

Kelsey: Oh yeah, I like that!

Jeff: For the sweetened ones, at least they are not overly sweet. The sweetness doesn’t overpower the tea.

Kendan: It’s in the background. Others are overly sweet.

Jeff: Yeah, others are like sugar water.

Thanks again to Honest Tea for the great samples that they sent me. It was fun to get together and try them out and we really made an afternoon of it. When we moved a couple of weekends ago, I found another Honest Ade in my refrigerator and shouted out to Jeff, who quickly swooped in to grab one. We enjoyed trying these out and would highly recommend them to anyone who's reaching for a tea while at the store!

Review: Everyday Happy Herbivore Cookbook

Most of you probably already know that I am a huge fan of Happy Herbivore (aka Lindsay Nixon). When I first went plant-based, I scoured the internet for recipes and advice. I stumbled upon Happy Herbivore and saw her cookbooks on the Forks Over Knives and Engine 2 Diet websites. Once I started following her on Twitter and Facebook, I quickly began to stock my bookshelf with with her cookbooks and filling my inbox with her subscribed newsletter and blog posts. 

She's been a great source of inspiration for me and her recipes are seriously easy to follow and don't require 15 different ingredients. I've now collected all three of her cookbooks including The Happy Herbivore, Everyday Happy Herbivore (affiliate link), and most recently Happy Herbivore Abroad. I highly recommend all three and they are perfect for a beginner cook or an advanced cook that doesn't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. 

I bought a signed copy of Everyday Happy Herbivore (affiliate link) and squealed with joy (probably a little too high) when I received it. It's already been well-worn and it falls open to kinds of  yummy recipes when placed on the table. As a person who is made fun of regularly by my dad that I can't even boil water, it's been a glorious accomplishment that I can proudly say I can cook everything out of this cookbook. Each cookbook is also only around $12 each, so you're getting a great deal for roughly 175 recipes. If you're looking for a simple, healthy cookbook without losing any great flavors, then consider buying one of her cookbooks today!

Some of my favorites from Everyday Happy Herbivore (aff link) are below!

Dark Chocolate Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Basic Tofu Scramble

Spinach & Artichoke Fritatta

Fruit Crisp

Carribean Sweet Potatoes

Southwest Chop Salad
Chana Saag
Lemon Basil Pasta

Chili Sweet Mango Noodles

Butter Bean Cookies

Oatmeal Chews

Enchilada Sauce

Restaurant Review: Sugar Mama's Bakeshop

After you go vegan or plant-based, one of the first cravings that you get is usually for something sweet. I hadn't even entertained the idea that there were baked goods made without animal products, and upon doing a quick search of vegan cupcakes, I found Sugar Mama's Bakeshop. Located on South 1st, their menu boasts vegan and non-vegan baked goods. I've made several visits here already, but during my last, there were several vegan options available to my delight.

This is right across the road from Bouldin Creek Cafe, and we walked to Sugar Mama's after dinner at Bouldin one night. I had never seen so many vegan options and was amazed at the choices. My husband snagged two banana split cupcakes and I bought myself one red velvet and one pumpkin cupcake. We chatted with one of the employees, who informed us that they do lots of custom orders, as well. 

The interior has a retro feel and the cases that hold the baked goods looks vintage, as well. I wish I had snapped a photo of the menu, which was written in chalk on a huge board behind the display cases. The employees have always been super friendly and more than helpful when I have a quick question about a vegan product. 

If you're looking to order a dozen custom vegan cupcakes, a pie for the holidays or have been craving a cupcake, swing by Sugar Mama's today!

Restaurant Review: Counter Culture

I can't say it enough, but I am so lucky to live in Austin, Texas. We have a super vegan-friendly city and plenty of places to dine if you're following a plant-based diet. One of many new favorites places to dine is Counter Culture! They began as a food truck in February 2009 and transitioned into a brick-and-mortar restaurant in April 2012 offering a wide range of vegan food on their menu.

Shortly after they opened, I brought a car full of non-vegans in to try out their brunch. We devoured the plates of stuffed french toast and seasonal omelets. I was worried about what my omnivore friends and family would think, but they were the first to say it tasted amazing. 

My second trip to Counter Culture was in mid-July at an ATX Vegan Drinks event where they served wine and cheeze. My coworker and I each had a cheeze plate which featured several types of cheezes made in-house and different breads to spread them on. I also had a plate of pesto rawviolis stuffed with cashew cheeze with a side of garlicky greens that was simply delectable.

In early November, Counter Culture was advertising a Thanksgiving Sandwich on their Facebook page with seitan, gravy and cranberry sauce. A couple of coworkers and I ventured out to try this that very day. The sandwiches were the perfect tip o' the hat to a traditional Thanksgiving meal. One coworker tried the Spicy Raw Pad Thai, which he said was really tasty. We also tried the Spicy Baked Artichoke Dip, a creamy spread to top the assortment of breads they provided. Since I knew I couldn't go home that night empty handed, I also ordered a Hot Apple/Pear/Cranberry Crisp to-go! 

This is some seriously good food that's approved by vegans and omnivores alike! Check out their restaurant in East Austin at 2337 East Cesar Chavez. They always have some specials that are creative and will be sure to satisfy your cravings for seasonal dishes. 

Above: Raw Pad Thai

Above: Thanksgiving Sandwich

Above: Hot Apple/Pear/Cranberry Crisp

Above: Cheeze Plate

Food Trailer Review: Schmaltz

As part of our long vegan lunch excursions, my coworker and I ventured out to the Schmaltz food trailer in East Austin. She had just chatted me before lunch and sent me a link to their Facebook page. The photos looked enticing, and I told her that I wanted to go there ASAP. The food truck, which offers both vegan and vegetarian items, was located at 913 E Cesar Chavez and tucked behind Domy Book.

We were greeted by the owner, Julia Hungerford, and after checking out the menu, I ordered the Frankenthaler Falafel. It all sounded so amazing, but I was confident in my choice. While we waited for our food, we snagged a spot in the outdoor dining area. I loved the seating and gazed up at what looked like a parachute strung above us that provided ample shade. There were even little lights hanging, which makes me want to visit one evening for the mood lighting.

Soon we received our food, and after I unwrapped my Falafel, I quickly snapped a picture and then dove right in. I only wish I had taken a picture of my coworker's Harvey P Seitan Pastrami Reuben, but we were so caught up with hunger and anticipation that I was lucky enough to get a picture of my own food! The food tasted amazing and we've already planned another trip with more coworkers. I can't wait to go back and try out some other vegan options. 

Check out Schmaltz and support this amazing establishment soon!