Tag Archives: vegan

Product Review: The Beyond Burger and the Vegan Uncanny Valley

Well, it finally happened.  I was able to sink my teeth into the newest, and possibly most anticipated vegan food item in a long time. Beyond Meat has been releasing their new product, the Beyond Burger in limited Whole Foods stores across the country (yet to be found in the PNW, sadly).

But Veggie Grill worked out a special deal with Beyond Meat and have included it in their new Winter Menu.  We made a bee line for the closest VG (downtown Portland) and raced in from the car.

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First things first, the second I walked into the place it smelled different.  Veggie Grill never really had a “smell” (Like Subway, Burger King, or Abercrombie).  But now, they did.  It literally smelled like a Burger King in there.  I wasn’t, and am still not, sure it is a good thing.

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Restaurant Review: Vtopia [Portland]

I have never liked cheese.  Only as a slice on a cheeseburger, or on a plain pizza.  All the fancy cheeses just grossed me out.  The thought of moldy, fermented cow milk was never anything I really wanted to try.

But now, as a vegan, I am really excited to try out all these new cheeses!  They are not gross at all, and, ironically I’m learning all about different cheese now that I am vegan.

What does all this have to do with Vtopia? Well, for starters, it is Portland’s first all vegan cheese shop.  For seconders (is that a thing?) they have an incredible deli that let’s you try all their cheeses in their glory.

Kristin and I pointed the Jeep at Vtopia, and headed to NW Portland for some lunch.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Highline [Seattle]

One of my favorite things when traveling for work is to hit up the ol’ Happy Cow app and see where fate and GPS lead me.  Tonight they both conspired to land me in Capitol Hill in Seattle, off bustling Broadway, and to the steps of Highline Bar.

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Restaurant Review: Lovin’ Spoonfuls [Tucson]

On a recent trip to Arizona, I checked out the Happy Cow app to help me find some local vegan restaurants and was stoked to see a place called Lovin’ Spoonfuls.  After reading a few reviews I decided to head over and check it out.

The location is simple, but nice, nestled into a strip mall off Campbell Avenue.  Parking was simple, and I found a spot right in front.  They have a nice covered outdoor seating area and on this cool evening, I decided to eat out front.

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Once inside, there is a really nice seating area with a dessert case, small retail section, and some information on animal rights and activism.

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Product Review: Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative

While roaming around our local grocery store, something caught my eye – a few Silk brand yogurts in the refrigerated case.

I have never been a huge yogurt fan, but I thought I’d give these a try.

So tonight we cracked them open and gave them a go.

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Restaurant Review: Vegan Pizza [California]

One of my favorite parts of traveling is finding new vegan places to eat.  Last night I arrived in Anaheim, California and resigned myself to a dinner at the local Taco Bell.  But I figured I should check the Happy Cow app, and sure enough, it delivered in spades!

I found a 100% vegan pizzeria about a mile from my hotel called Vegan Pizza.

I opted for the walk, to check out the place but was pleasantly surprised they also delivered.

I walked up to the little shop in the middle of a nondescript Socal strip mall.

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Vegan in Bend, Oregon

Bend is one of my favorite cities to visit.  It has the high desert weather, some amazing wilderness, amazing beers, and a pretty decent vegan scene to boot.  Also, Cline Butte OHV area has some nice options for wheeling.  Only thing is, you need to know where to go.

Hopefully this guide will help for your next trip.

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Vegan at the end of the Rubicon

**UPDATE!! As of Summer 2016, The Brewery at Lake Tahoe NO Longer offers the vegan burger.  I have updated the post below**

There are two ends of the Rubicon trail in Northern California.

Most people start on the Loon Lake end and make their way toward South Lake Tahoe on the Eastern end.  While the West end at Loon doesn’t have any amenities, the Lake Tahoe region has a ton of great, hidden vegan gems – some to hit up, and some to avoid.

I will update this little guide as my time in Tahoe expands and I am able to check out more and more places.

The Brewery at Lake Tahoe

3542 Lake Tahoe Blvd,  South Lake Tahoe, CA

The perfect spot for a post-wheeling pint.

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Product Review: Daiya Cheddar Style Cheezy Mac

I didn’t feel like dinner.  I felt like some vegan sin food.  And I was longing for those old school, bad-for-you velveeta experiences.

While roaming the aisles tonight at Food Fight, I decided to try the new Daiya Cheezy Mac and grabbed a box.

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What if I was Deserted on a Tropical Island?

When it comes to annoying questions Vegans are often pestered with, the “desert island” is probably the worst.

The question typically starts with something like this:

“So what if you were on a desert island and all there was is a cow/pig/chicken.  Would you eat it?”

And I get the allure of this question…vegans tend to be pretty militant in our commitment, so people want to test our limits.

But I want to tackle this question and put it to bed for all future vegans.

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