A Vegan in Vegas – Once a Losing Hand, Now Wynning!!

by vegan pimp on August 23, 2010

las vegasThe Way It Was – I went to Vegas a few years ago with some friends (non-vegans).  I found it difficult to have fun while starving.  There were so few options everywhere we went.  By the third day I was ready to cry in my stripped down waldorf salad (minus the blue cheese and creamy dressing).  Basically I was left with a bed of lettuce and a few paper-thin pear slices representing 1/16th of a pear at best.  WTF!?!  After days of sad, unfullfilling meals, we found a Mexican restaurant.  I was so excited because surely they would have some delicious guacamole, chips, beans, and salad.  That would be fantastic.  Turns out the beans were cooked in lard.  Seriously?

With my lack of nourishment I was even sad shopping at Anthropologie later that day, and if that can’t cheer me up, nothing can!  Anyway, I never blogged about it but I feel compelled to share my experience now as a huge beacon of light has burst through on the strip.

Oh Yeah, Vegas Baby!! – Dozens of vegan options are now available at Steve Wynn’s Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas resorts.  He recently decided that all of his Vegas properties would offer a multitude of vegan fare, including hearty entrees and luscious desserts.

Las Vegas Sun columnist John Katsilometes has been quoted saying “The places that are really vegan-friendly in Vegas are nowhere near the Strip.”

Not true anymore and hopefully Wynn’s ground-breaking decision will have a ripple affect.

Here’s the full article.  As a vegan, I read every word, overjoyed and beyond excited about the impact these kinds of changes will have.  It’s exciting because it is happening and it’s remarkable because of why it’s happening – growing awareness & perhaps even more people going veg.

Going to Vegas!! And the best part for me is that Affiliate Summit West is being held in Las Vegas next year, and at – guess which hotel – Yes, the Wynn!  Vegans are now guaranteed a winning hand in Vegas…at least in the dining area.  The craps table might still be appropriately named.

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Weight Watcher Vegans – Points Discussion

by vegan pimp on August 20, 2010

Here’s a Weight Watcher’s vegan discussion thread for people interested in losing weight, using the WW points system and searching for low point vegan eats.  Hears to a healthier high nutrition vegan diet.  My 2 cents – it’s not just about points, it’s the quality of what you’re putting into your body.  Not all vegan foods are created equal.  Over processed, high sodium/sugar vegan foods exist and it’s important to manage the frequency of consuming those products.  Mad love and best wishes to all (go for it!!) from your friendly, neighborhood Vegan Pimp.

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Peacefood Cafe – Yummie Good Times!!

by vegan pimp on August 19, 2010

Just at Peace Food Café on the upper west side in NYC.  A delightful and fun experience as always.  The employees there are so nice, warm greetings always, a little chit chat and nice to see you again.  I just love that.  Got some take out today, my usual Chickpea Fries – to die for (served with creamy dipping sauce) and Fluffy Quinoa Salad – light and delicious (beans, greens, sprouts, avocado, sweet peppers, corn & onions with a creamy lime mustard vinaigrette).  Also had their signature green lemonade which is a tart, tart, tart juice with tons of fresh leafy greens, green apple, lemon and fresh ginger.  Did I mention it’s a little tart?!  Fantastic though, I feel my system detoxing with each sip.  Serious hydration and packed with nutrients – perfect for my post kickboxing workout.   Also, don’t forget to try the ginger lemonade.  A totally different experience, sweetened to perfection with just enough agave syrup and served over ice with fresh mint!!  Totally refreshing – a beautiful thing.

The place was hopping today as it usually is.  It’s great to see a relatively new vegan restaurant thriving in the heart of this booming metropolis.

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Being Vegan Never Tasted So Sweet Thanks to Krissys Cookies

by vegan pimp on May 13, 2010

krissy's cookies veganHealthy and decadent usually don’t co-exist, but they do now with Krissys Cookies, an online bakery that delivers in more ways than one.  Krissys Cookies makes amazingly yummy and good for you healthy cookies using only a handful of pure ingredients – no refined sugar, no dairy, no wheat, and no kidding, they ARE really that outstanding and fabulous!

Here’s how it all went down for me ~ krissy's cookies

First, the anticipation – OMG, the cookies are coming, the cookies are coming!  Then, oh YES they’re here!  A lovely, natural kraft paper covered box, simply and charmingly wrapped with a string, contained the very much longed for treats.  I lifted the top off and there they were, individually wrapped and nestled in a bed of paper confetti.  How festive!!  Viva la Cookie!!  I must say, the presentation makes for a great gift for any occasion!

Sampling the Goods ~

Lavender Shortbread – At first, I’m like what?  Eating something with lavender, is that  right? then I took a bite.  A little firm and crunchy, yet breaks easily and melts in your mouth.  Phenomenal!  Perfectly paired with some tea in the middle of the day.  Talk about afternoon delight!!

Chocolate Chip – What can I say.  A classic favorite and these exceeded expectations.  Soft and chewy (and I’m generally a crispy cookie kinda girl – officially converted!)!

Double Chocolate Toasted Pecan – One of the first place winners for me.  I was blown away, yes, eyes rolling back in my head, the whole nine.  Now this is the brick house of cookies.  So substantive as it is jam packed with chocolate chips and pecans.  Where the cookie ends and chocolate chips begin is a delightful mystery I’d love to spend my days trying to figure out.

red velvet cookies vegan

Red Velvet with Vanilla Cream – How does one make vegan cream cheese frosting?  Seriously, how?  And how to make it so freakin’ ridiculously delicious!!  My non-vegan friends couldn’t tell the difference!  Reason #5,120 why you just might as well go vegan.  Seriously, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain (check out the ingredients to learn more).

Orange Creamsicle with Vanilla Cream – What!?  Are you serious?! Totally inspired!!  And totally delicious!

vegan peanut butter cookiesPeanut Butter – Classically delicious!  Reminded me of my Mom’s peanut butter kiss cookies from my childhood but I think these are actually better for me.

Please note, these are only some of the cookies.  There are many more varieties and some are seasonal.

I think that the best way to enjoy cookies is to share them with friends.  That’s why I called my peeps together for some taste testing.  Having sampled a few already, I pretty much knew what to expect.  Keep in mind, I announced they were vegan before hand.

Taste Testers’ Testimonials ~

“If I didn’t know they were vegan, I’d say these were the best cookies I’ve ever had.  Now that I know they are vegan, wow, even more impressed and I’d still say, the best cookies ever!!”

“Wow, the peanut butter is really amazing!”

“The creamsicle tastes just like a creamsicle!!”

A serious carnivore said, “I love a juicy juicy steak” (oh, oooew cringe!!) “and even I love Krissys vegan cookies.  I love ‘em!!”

A 72.5% (rough numbers of course) vegetarian weighed in with a resounding, “Wow, these are really, REALLY good!!”

I am trying to think, what’s the next occasion where I need to get a gift?  Better yet, it’s  my birthday this month.  Hmmm, perhaps I should give my friends and family some ideas about what I might like.

Sweeter than before,

Vegan Pimp

…and, all done!! …until my next order gets delivered…[sigh]

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Look to the Cookie

by vegan pimp on May 4, 2010

Mother’s Day is fast approaching. For those wishing to send Mom something sweet, I suggest you look to the cookie, that’s Krissy’s Cookie or Krissy’s Cookies as it were. While I have yet to try them, my non-vegan friends are raving about them.  Check out their Mother’s Day gift box.  The Couture Box includes, … wait for it… Red Velvet Sandwiches (w/ vanilla cream)…What!!??!!, also Orange Creamsicle Sandwiches (w/vanilla cream), Lavender Shortbread, Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate w/ Toasted Pecans, Peanut Butter, Almond Amaretto Shortbread.  P.s., not only are they vegan, also organic, wheat free, dairy free and sugar free.

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Healthy Diet Cola Heaven

by vegan pimp on May 4, 2010

Discovered Zevia today. It’s a natural diet soda made with stevia. I have tried stevia before, yet never liked it. This soda though, is spot on fantastic. I’m having the orange flavor one, bringing back memories of being on the beach with orange crush and sandy potato chips. Next flavor I’m going to try is Ginger Rootbeer. I see a vegan soy ice cream rootbeer float in my not so distant future. The pimp (that’s me), well she’s a bit of a vegan diet diva and this is a perfect addition to my summer fun snackytime. Zevia Orange Diet Soda gets 6 out of 6 tips of my pimped out pink feather hat.

Oh my goodness!  Just tried ginger rootbeer!  Off the chain my friends!! Cannot wait to try all the other flavors.  My prediction, Zevia will be taking over the world of sodas!! Thank you @Zevia

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Christmas Eve Dinner at Candle 79 Restaurant NYC

by vegan pimp on December 26, 2009

What a delicious experience, food-wise, atmosphere-wise, everything-wise… delish. The owner couldn’t have been nicer, friendlier, more fun or more accommodating. Love love love the food. My friends (one almost vegetarian and gluten-free, the other not vegetarian) and I thoroughly enjoyed everything. The place is so cozy. The circular bar is conducive to socializing. We learned that a good percentage of their clientele aren’t even vegan or vegetarian, a testament to how good this restaurant is.  Pretty amazing.  Speaking of amazing, the LIVE APPLE PARFAIT dessert (nut granola, vanilla cashew cream, apples, orange segments, huckleberry ice cream) is so SO YUM & gluten-free .

It took me almost an hour to order because, like most vegans, I am used to only having one or two items on a menu that I can eat.  Here I could have eaten everything and I plan on just doing that.  I am hoping my waistline and bank account can handle me going once a week until I’ve accomplished my mission.  About the menu, there are two actually.  One is a gluten-free.  Life made simple.  The Pimp is impressed!

Also recommended:

ANGEL’S NACHOS
corn chips, cheddar & mozzarella, tomatoes,
refried pinto beans, chili-grilled seitan, guacamole,
salsa, tofu sour cream, romaine lettuce

BUTTERNUT SQUASH &
WILD MUSHROOM-SPINACH RAVIOLI
cashew ricotta, garlic cashew cream, truffle oil,
sautéed broccoli raab, crispy capers

WILD MUSHROOM STUFFED TEMPEH
wild mushrooms, sautéed spinach, brussels sprouts,
sweet potato sauce, apple-pomegranate salad

more desserts…

(holy cannoli batman!)

CANNOLI
vanilla cream filling, vanilla chocolate chip ice cream,
chocolate drizzle

This one looked amazing but we couldn’t get to it…next time:

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER BLISS
chocolate mousse, peanut butter mousse,
chocolate shell, berry coulis

Candle 79 is on East 79th street, between Lexington and 3rd Avenue, NYC!

The price range is moderate for a nice nyc restaurant.  My friends and I each had a drink, an entree, and we shared two desserts and two sides.  The total cost per person with tip ran us about 55 bucks.

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Yummy Vegan Spice Cake Recipe!!

by vegan pimp on January 4, 2009

Yummy Vegan Spice Cake Recipe!!Ingredients:
2½ cups whole wheat flour
1½ cups sugar
2 tsp each – baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger
½ tsp salt
1½ cups soymilk (I used Silk, plain, vitamin fortified)
6 T Light buttery spread (I used Smart Balance)
1 cup whole canned cranberry sauce

Preparation:
1) Combine soymilk & melted Smart Balance
2) Stir together all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, spices & salt
3) Alternate adding the dry ingredients and cranberry sauce until everything is fully blended.
$) Pour into a well-greased 9 inch square pan (use smart balance, a light oil like canola oil, or light oil spray)

Bake on middle rack in preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Garnish with powdered sugar (put into strainer, shake it over the entire cake).
Eat warm or cold. My first piece is always warm because looks and smells so good I “need” to taste right away!

Makes 12 servings.

ENJOY!!

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Vegetarians On the Big Screen in Twilight Movie

by vegan pimp on December 28, 2008

Saw the teen sensation movie “Twilight” yesterday. I was impressed at the many ‘shout-outs’ to vegetarians (misguided as some may be).

The main character, Edward, and his family, the Cullens, view themselves as “vegetarian” vampires since they only feed on the blood of animals, not humans. Edward makes this declaration tongue and cheek (so to speak) as if the fact that the animals die as a consequence is considered, well, inconsequential. I’m vegan but I’m sorry, I had to laugh.

In describing to Bella what it’s like to forgo his carnivorous animal cravings, Edward likens it to eating tofu, “you get full but you’re never really satisfied.” Once again, I had to laugh. Vegans and vegetarians know the full spectrum of nutritious and immensely satisfying foods/dishes that make up a plant based diet and tofu is not the sole source of nutrition. The majority of the population is learning slowly. Being acknowledged at all is indeed a step in the right direction.

Is Bella a vegetarian? She eats a veggie burger in the first scene at the Fork Diner. The second diner scene she orders a spinach salad while a nameless character at the bar orders a veggie burger.

,

Vegetarianism played more than a ‘cameo’ role in this movie. It’s good to see the Veg lifestyle getting some PR in the mainstream Pop culture. Young people often want to mimic the stars they celebrate. Perhaps there’ll be more folks jumping on the veggie bandwagon. There’s certainly room for all who want to come along for the ride.

Wishing you all a very vegan new year full of love, peace, and happiness ~

~ The VeganPimp

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Vegan Pimp says Happy Good People Day!

by vegan pimp on April 3, 2008

Here’s who I honor for today, Good People Day, a day created by Gary Vaynerchuk, everybody who is kind and/or generous and/or fun and/or funny (you get the idea) and genuinely respectful and a good person.

And in little ways, good people everywhere do extraordinary things. These actions may be viewed as ordinary but I think that only comes from the “ordinary-minded” foggy goggles that all us good people may have unwittingly or unconsciously put over our eyes..

So I take this DAY to be not only a day to celebrate those that are good people but a call to action to everyone to remember to be in the moment and appreciate all the goodness that abounds.

Saying thank you to the person at Starbucks who makes your double decaf soy latte, listening to a friend, making someone laugh, etc,,. etc..

These are all positively extraordinary. Take time to appreciate all the wonderful stuff you dish out and receive in return and visa versa and around, ’round, ’round again.

“Seeing” is Believing! Believe and be on the lookout. You need not work so hard to see it and to be part of it all.

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