Minneapolis Vegan Ice Cream Crawl

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A group of us were talking at dinner a few weeks ago about how we should do a vegan ice cream crawl in Minneapolis. Sample all the vegan ice cream places in Minneapolis in one day? Could we do it? Laura and I really liked this idea, and this is the result.

Asian Noodle Waffles

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Waffles are great, but I’m not always in the mood for something sweet. I’ve been playing with making savory waffles. I had a pile of flat asian noodles; I like making them in bulk. They ended up in the waffle iron. Tasty crispiness was the result!

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

This recipe has been in the making for many months. I wanted to create a muffin that actually tastes good without using sugar or oil. The lack of refined sugar or oil makes this a healthy treat. The whole wheat flour and oatmeal will help keep you full longer. I use them for snacks on the go or a quick breakfast. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Mother Fools, Green Owl, and Pig Minds!

Last weekend we took a small road trip to Madison to attend Mad City Vegan Fest with the goal of eating as much tasty vegan food as possible. We managed to squeeze quite a bit in before and after. I also had the pleasure of showing a few of my favorites to some friends who came down with us.

Mother Fools Cafe

First up was Mother Fools for breakfast before Vegan Fest started. I was really hoping for some of their amazing cinnamon rolls. They didn’t have any, so I had an amazing apple Danish instead. Just after I finished the Danish, fresh made cinnamon rolls were delivered! Of course I had to get one! The sugar and cinnamon was caramelized on the bottom in a crunchy layer of sugary vegan goodness. I washed it all down with a vanilla chai which I seasoned with extra nutmeg and cinnamon. Sheesh, how many times can I write cinnamon in one paragraph?

Mother Fools Cafe

After vegan fest, we took a quick nap before making the hour drive south to Machesney Park, IL to visit Pig Minds Brewery. Our friends Steve and Clara joined us. We started with the very delicious pretzels and the coveted beer reduction. I am still a giant fan of the agave mustard. The pretzels were perfect. A slight crunch on the outside and soft inside. They were quickly devoured.

Pig Minds Brewery

I ordered the special: loaded tostadas. The three tostadas were loaded with a well spiced TVP, shredded lettuce, pico, and fresh cilantro. They were covered in vegan sour cream and a jalapeno aioli. So Good. Steve ordered them as well. We both really enjoyed them. The crisp crunch of the tortilla was great. They were a bit messy to eat. Totally worth it!

Pig Minds Brewery

For dessert Laura had the brownie special and I had deep fried strawberries. The strawberries were good, but the brownie was still better.

Pig Minds Brewery

While sipping our beer, some live music started. It was good background music while we played with our phones. Sad right? If the music was more engaging, we might have put our phones down. Steve and Clara being silly.

Pig Minds Brewery

The next morning we again visited Mother Fools for some chai and Danish while we waited for Green Owl to open. We also bought some snacks for the drive back. I bought an amazing olive bread which I totally forgot to take a picture of. It was loaded with kalamata olives. Delicious.

Pig Minds Brewery

We arrived at Green Owl just when they opened at 10am, and within minutes it was completely packed. The food took a while to arrive. I ordered the vegan nuevos rancheros off the brunch menu. Corn tortillas topped with black beans, tofu scramble, vegan chorizo, and teese cheese. They topped it with roasted jalapeno sauce, avocado, and pico de gallo. I really liked the jalapeno sauce as a nice change from the traditional red sauce. I would easily order it again and it rivaled my favorite vegan rancheros from Hard Times Café in Minneapolis. 

Green Owl Cafe

Mad City Vegan Fest 2015–Madison, WI

Madison Vegan Fest 2015

This past weekend we made the drive down to Madison from Minneapolis to attend the Mad City Vegan Fest 2015. I had heard it inspired our own TCVegFest, so I wanted to experience it. It was also a good excuse for a small road trip to some delicious food.