The summertime heat has hit.  Which means it’s time to stock the freezer with delicious treats.  What’s my new favorite way to cool off?  Vegan, melt in your mouth, almond butter freezer fudge with a chocolate topping–inspired by Oh She Glows’ and Detoxinista’s recipe.  The added bonus is that it’s super easy to make.

First, mix all of the almond butter base layer  ingredients together and pour into a greased loaf pan.  Place the loaf pan in the freezer for at least an hour before adding the chocolate topping.

Next, heat the coconut oil and whisk in the additional chocolate layer ingredients.

When the chocolate layer has cooled, pour on top of the frozen almond butter base.

Allow the fudge to freeze and then cut into pieces!!  I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as I have!

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Sweet Petite Confections Sign

I recently had the chance to visit Sweet Petite Confections and speak with founder, Michelle Lomelin and taste some of her amazing chocolates.  The first thing I noticed after walking through the door was the wonderful aroma of chocolate hanging in the air.  The second thing I noticed was how delicate and beautiful all of the chocolates looked.  I couldn’t wait to dive in!

Cherry Bomb Bark:

Michelle’s creations don’t just look beautiful.  They are melt in your mouth good with creative, unique ingredients.  For example, the Cherry Bomb Bark is 64% dark chocolate blended with organic freeze dried cherries and popping rocks!  For me, this chocolate brought back the nostalgia of popping rocks I enjoyed as a child with an adult twist.

Seaside Bark:

Next up, was the Seaside Bark, made with dark chocolate, crisped rice, and Hawaiian salt.  I could have eaten this for days.  The sweet and salty combination was perfectly executed.  And I loved the palm trees, shells, and starfish pattern on the chocolates!

Sunrise Bark:

Daisies happen to be my favorite flower, so I couldn’t help but be pulled to this chocolate, the Sunrise.  This chocolate has freeze dried strawberries and corn flakes mixed in.  Michelle said that her son originally came up with the combination and has been a hit ever since.

Tuscan Sun Bark:

Although I enjoyed all of the chocolate, the Tuscan Sun bark was my favorite.  Made with candied basil, sun dried tomato, Hawaiian sea salt, and toasted almonds, this bark kept my taste buds engaged.  The candied basil was aromatic and the salty flavor of the sun dried tomatoes played perfectly with the sweetness of the chocolate.  It was a savory experience that I would like to repeat!

Mint Meltaways:

If you’re looking for a tasty dessert to cap off a dinner or just a snack to get you through the day, you needn’t look further.  The Mint Meltaways are a vegan chocolate lovers dream.  Organic coconut oil and organic peppermint essential oils are wrapped up in these dark chocolates.  And as the name suggests, they really do melt in your mouth.

Sweet Petite Confections embraces holidays.  Currently, they are gearing up for Mother’s Day and graduation.  Below is a Mother’s Day lollipop that you won’t want to miss!

Sweet Petite Confections is warm and inviting.  There are plenty of options out on display and you can always taste a few to see which chocolate matches your mood!

Sweet Petite Confections also offers chocolate making classes.  This is now occupying the number one spot on my list for my next birthday activity!

3582 Mt. Acadia Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92111

858.688.0210

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And the best part is that these brownies are SO easy to make! Simply throw all of the ingredients (minus the chocolate chips) into a food processor!

Remember to blend the ingredients well to avoid lumpy brownies!

Next, it’s time to stir in the chocolate chips!  I, of course, added in a few extra because in my opinion, there’s no such thing as too much chocolate.

Then pour the batter into the greased pan

Pop the brownies into the oven and enjoy!  I can’t wait to make these again.

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The restaurant boasts a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options and an impressive array of specialty drinks.  Everything is named after an affirmation.  For example, “I am Fortified” is a delicious veggie bowl.

I’m a huge fan of Cafe Gratitude’s breakfast menu.  The “I am Open-Hearted” is two buckwheat flax pancakes served with maple syrup.  You can also add fresh fruit or cashew whipped cream.  In a breakfast world that is often dominated by omelets and cream sauces, these pancakes are like a breath of fresh air.  They are light and fluffy but won’t sit in your stomach like a ton of bricks.  I only wish I could have them for breakfast every day.

If you are not in the mood for pancakes, there is always the “I am Bonita” breakfast taco plate.  The plate has a base of sprouted probiotic brown rice or quinoa (or a mix if you want!) and is topped with black beans, salsa fresca, avocado, cashew nacho cheese, and toasted pumpkin seeds.  It is served with a side of four corn tortillas.  This is a filling and delicious option.  I’m usually stuffed by taco number three but find myself eating the fourth taco because it tastes so good!

When you’re ready to move on to a lunch or dinner entree, I recommend starting with the “I am Whole” macrobiotic bowl.  It is the first thing I ever ordered off the menu and remains my “go to” option.  Sprouted probiotic rice or quinoa is topped with braised garnet yams, adzuki beans, sea vegetables, seasonal sauteed greens, house made kim chee, black sesame seed gomasio, garlic-tahini sauce, teriyaki almonds, and sunflower sprouts.  All of the flavors and textures work together to create an irresistible bowl.   I especially love the crunch and taste of the teriyaki almonds!

One of my new favorites is the “I am Liberated” kelp noodle entree.  Heirloom cherry tomatoes, local black and green olives, wild arugula, basil hempseed pesto, cashew ricotta, and brazil nut parmesan coat marinated kelp noodles.  This is a light and fresh entree.  And the hempseed pesto, cashew ricotta, and brazil nut parmesan ensure that there is plenty of flavor.

I would be remiss, if I didn’t talk about the desserts at Cafe Gratitude.  Every time I am in the restaurant, I have to get up from the table to ogle their dessert case.  Below is the vegan and raw “I am Irresistible” chocolate coconut cream pie.  Not only does the pie look like a piece of art, it tastes exquisite.  Rich and smooth with a strong chocolate taste.  It’s the kind of dessert that makes you close your eyes while you’re eating it!

I also love the drinks at Cafe Gratitude.  It’s so much more than boring coffee and tea.  My favorite is the “I am Vibrant” Matcha Tea Latte (it is usually made with honey but you can ask for it to be left out or made with a vegan sweetener!).  The matcha tea makes this drink a bright, vibrant green.  It’s sure to take the chill out of any cold day.

My husband’s new favorite drinnk is the “I am Opulent” sparking water with essential oils.  Grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, ginger, and cinnamon oils are all added to sparkling water to create a drink that has a fun, subtle flavor.

The inside of Cafe Gratitude is beautiful.   Whether you decide to sit at the counter, at a booth inside, or at a table on the outside patio, you will enjoy bright spaces with lots of light.

Cafe Gratitude also has a whole area dedicated to “to go” orders.  It makes placing and picking up orders efficient.  It is also the place where you can examine the dessert offerings or peruse the store’s cookbook.  I hope you have a chance to enjoy this special restaurant soon!

1980 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 736-5077

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With many impressive resumes on the docket, we broke into small groups to make the magic.  My assignment:  Vegan Spring Rolls with Chocolate Balsamic Reduction.  Yes, please.

I began chopping and dicing.  Notice the small pieces of cacao that will later be wrapped into the spring rolls!  YUM!

Time to toast the sesame seeds!

Next, the chocolate balsamic reduction.  It was easier to make than I thought!  Once the ingredients were on the stove, I just had to be patient to wait for the mixture to thicken.

And what spring roll would be complete without a rice wrapper?  Traditional Vietnamese wrappers are a versatile and easy way to wrap up delicious fillings–simply soak them in water for about 10 seconds and you are ready to wrap!

Once the I mixed up the filling, I was ready!

I admit that I am not the best at wrapping up spring rolls.  But the good news is that they tasted delicious.  They were fresh and light thanks to all of the fresh veggies and the cacao within the wraps coupled with the chocolate reduction ensured that every bite had the sweet hint of chocolate.  I can’t wait to make these again!

Gina Sample, creator of the Vegan Lab, teaches a variety of classes around the county and focuses particularly on plant based nutrition for athletes.  If you have a chance to take one of her classes, I highly recommend it!

The Art Institute, home to the impressive kitchen seen in the pictures, offers a wide array of cooking classes.  Not all classes are vegan, but it’s nice they have some options!

We made so many delicious recipes in class, I couldn’t help but also share this Smokey Black Bean Chocolate Chili!  Check out the recipe below!

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The kitchen was spacious and stocked with anything a baker might need — bowls, pans, trays, ovens, sinks etc…  Liz also had set up four cake stations (we would be making coconut, chocolate, carrot, and vanilla cakes) with recipes, mixers, spoons, whisks, and ingredients.  In short, it was a baker’s paradise.

Vegan Coconut Cake:

I decided to help make the coconut cake.  This coconut cake is serious about coconut.  It’s base is made from coconut batter batter that then has shredded coconut mixed into it.  The cake is topped with coconut icing and sprinkled with toasted coconut!!

First we added the dry ingredients to a bowl.

In a separate bowl, we mixed the soy milk and the apple cider vinegar.  The apple cider vinegar curdles the soy milk, making a sort of vegan buttermilk!

We then slowly added the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and mixed in the shredded coconut.

Pour the batter (half and half) into the two pans.  Please note that the recipe below for this cake is for one 8 inch round cake.  If you want to make a double layer cake like we did in class, you will need to double the recipe.

While the cakes begin to bake in the oven, it’s time to start on the icing!

Vegan Coconut Icing:

Place the powdered sugar, non-hydrogenated shortening, and vegan butter together in a bowl.

After we mixed our icing together and added in the coconut extract, we decided to add a few tablespoons of almond milk to thin it out a little.  And because the kitchen was getting hot with cakes baking, we stored the icing in the fridge!

Coconut Topping:

Up next, was the toasted coconut topping — a simple mix of shredded coconut and powdered sugar.  After a few minutes in the oven, the coconut was toasted and smelled delicious.  It’s definitely worth sneaking a taste of this on its own!

Preparing the Cake:

Once the cake cooked and cooled (well it had sort of cooled…more on that later), it’s important to make the tops of the cakes level, so you can stack them.

It was then icing time.  Liz had an excellent tip: put some icing on the cake stand before placing the cake on the surface.  The icing will act as an anchor, so the cakes won’t move while they are being iced.

As you can probably tell from the below picture, we did not have time to let our cake fully cool before icing it.  The coconut cake (I think because of the shredded coconut), is a fairly dense cake.  So if you are making this cake, remember to allow plenty of time for it to cool!

We then added the toasted coconut to the sides of the cake.  We also borrowed some raspberry topping (from another cake recipe) to play around with marbling.  And although we did not achieve professional results, that’s why classes are fun.  There are new techniques to try and no pressure to master them!

Another bonus of the class?  Everyone got to take a piece of each cake home!

More Information About the Class:

If you think the cake class sounds fun, Liz is teaching it again on August 15.  The class is held at the Art Institute in Mission Valley and put on by their GetCreative program (the section that offers fun one time classes.)  Check out the Art Institute’s website for more information.  There are also a few other vegan offerings — think cacao as a superfood — on the list that look interesting.  Finally, there is currently a Groupon you can use for the baking class!!

Vegan Chocolate Cake and Icing:

And because I love vegan desserts, I wanted to share a second vegan cake recipe from the class — the chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  Truly decadent.

The post Coconut and Chocolate Cake from My Vegan Baking Class! appeared first on The Fussy Fork.

LITTLE ITALY.  I can’t remember the last time I ate at an Italian restaurant.  In general, Italian food just doesn’t invite vegan modifications — there are too many cream sauces, meats, and cheeses to contend with.  So when I heard that there was an Italian restaurant offering not just one vegan option, but an entire vegan menu, imagine my surprise.

We arrived and decided to start with the Mushroom “Calamari” — breaded and fried Oyster mushrooms accompanied by a side of Arrabbiata sauce.  The lightly fried exterior provided the perfect crunch and protected the delicate flavor of a quality mushroom.  And dipping these mushrooms into the (clearly) homemade tomato-based sauce was a treat.  Suffice it to say there were only crumbs left on our plate.

Next up was the Pesto Gnocchi, a plate brilliant in its simplicity.  Potato gnocchi topped with basil pesto.  I love the vibrant green of this entree.  The pesto sauce was refreshingly light, as the fresh taste of basil played the lead role and showcased the quality of the ingredients.  I also enjoyed a subtle twist on the gnocchi.  Instead of the usual rounded, pinched gnocchi, this dish featured smooth, quadratic pillows.  Delightful.  Each pillow is to be savored.

I was also very excited to sample the vegan lasagna.  It boasts seitan ragout and vegan incarnations of bechamel, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.  Each ingredient shines brightly.  The seitan ragout is delicate, the bechamel sauce creamy, and the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses provide the nostalgia (for those of who grew up on the dairy versions).  In short, it was the best vegan lasagna I’ve ever had.  And this is very hard for me to say–as I truly love the vegan lasagna created by Angela Liddon at Oh She Glows.

I love the interior of 1845 Civico.  It feels clean, fresh, and unique.  I particularly liked the wall showcasing various culinary instruments.

I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy my lunch outside on the patio.  It is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing meal.

Finally, and importantly, the staff at 1845 Civico are impressive.  Our waiter was from Naples, and the owners (including the chef) are Italian, as well.  Each individual was passionate about the restaurant, the food, and making the experience as meaningful as possible.  Raise a glass!

If you are still reading this post, I will end with the biggest surprise.  The chef is vegan.  As a result, the vegan menu will be dynamic, always changing.  I expect this will be a fun ride.

1845 India Street

San Diego, CA 92101

619.431.5990

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Did you know the average American woman uses 12 different health and beauty products before walking out of the house each day? And that cosmetics aren’t subject to the same level of scrutiny by the FDA as food and pharmaceuticals?  I encourage everyone to look at the ingredient list on their cosmetics.  Do you recognize the ingredients?  If not, do a Google search!  What are you putting on your body?  If you want an interesting starting point, check out this Bloomberg article listing the 10 Most Toxic Cosmetics as ranked by the Environmental Working Group.

I believe products we put on our skin and hair are just as important as the food we put in our body.  To this end, I have tried and enjoyed a number of natural shampoos, conditioners, and lotions.  Finding a natural deodorant that actually works, however, has eluded me.  Over the years, I’ve purchased several different brands of deodorants only to realize, each time, that . . . well . . . they did not work.  And so I continued to use the commercial deodorant, literally cringing as I put it on in the morning.  (Is aluminum a necessary ingredient?  Really?)

Love Myself Organics Deodorants:

Fast forward to me having a baby and going to a baby-and-mom workout class called Stroller Strides (which, as a side note, I highly recommend!).  At the end of a class, someone from Love Myself Organics talked a little bit about their natural deodorants and had everyone fill out raffle tickets to win a Love Myself Organics Natural Deodorant.  I have to say that I was not being the best listener as sleep deprivation and a 6 week old were wearing me out.  But as luck would have it, I won the deodorant!

At home, I looked at the ingredients: organic coconut oil, cocoa butter, arrowroot powder, baking soda, vegan candelilla wax, and essential oils.  I liked the short ingredient list and that the deodorant is organic, free from GMO’s, gluten-free, vegan, and cruelty free.  (And no aluminum, clearly.)  I decided to try it the next day.

The next morning, I put it on with a strong sense of skepticism.  A typical whirlwind day ensued.  (Typical new mom travails, nothing worthy of detail.)  It wasn’t until that night that I remembered to check in on how I smelled.  Pleasant surprise (shock, actually)–I was still smelling fresh!   I  am officially converted.  I have thrown out my commercial deodorant and won’t be experimenting with anymore natural brands.

The only decision I have left to make is what Love Myself Organics scent I like the best!

(1) Naked

I have been using the “Naked” deodorant and love it.  It has a pleasant coconut smell.

(2) Forever

I have recently been putting the “Forever” lavender scent into the rotation.  The smell is soothing and not overpowering.  I think it will provide me with a fun alternative when I feel like something different.

(3) Longtime

The final option is the Longtime Sandalwood scent.  This scent is earthier.  I find myself gravitating towards the other two Love Myself Organics scents, but I think it’s a matter of personal preference!

If you want to learn more about Love Myself Organics or their products, make sure to check out their website!

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I was flipping through the Cafe Gratitude cookbook one day (one of my favorites!) and landed on a guacamole recipe.  I realized that I had never actually made guacamole.  It seemed like a grave oversight that needed to be remedied immediately.  The recipe was simple — one I could make in less than 10 minutes.

Since that day, I have mashed avocados, chopped cilantro, squeezed lemon, chopped jalapeno peppers, and pinched salt countless times to make this guacamole.

Guacamole is as versatile as it is tasty.  It is perfect for a dinner party appetizer or to bring as a beach day snack.  I throw it on wraps, scoop it up with chips, and have been known to eat it straight out of the bowl with a spoon!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!!

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BANKER’S HILL.  Each year I get excited about San Diego restaurant week, scouring the menus in search of vegan options.  And each year, I’m disappointed.  This time around, however, someone suggested that I contact Cucina Urbana.  And I am so happy that I did.  I called and spoke with Alison, who after checking with the restaurant’s chefs, let me know they would be happy to accommodate vegan diners.  Hooray!!

We arrived hungry and excited.  The first appetizer included Brussels sprouts with house made hot sauce.  When done poorly, Brussels sprouts can drag a meal down.  When done well, however, my husband and I will often battle for the last sprout.  That’s what happened here.  Cucina Urbana’s delectable sprouts were lightly covered with oil, slightly crispy on the outside, and the hot sauce offered a fun twist.

Our other appetizer was sweet pea hummus served with crispy pita and chili.  The sweet peas gave the hummus a vibrant green color, and the slightly salty pancetta was the perfect delivery device–not too heavy, leaving room for the entrees to come.

And what would an Italian experience be without pizza?  Cucina Urbana’s chefs whipped up a vegan pizza fresh from their brick oven.  There’s no reason to miss the cheese with this dazzling array of roasted veggies and home made tomato sauce.  The mushrooms were a highlight, the type one might find at the Farmer’s Market.

The other entree was pasta with olives, vegetables and a delicious house made tomato sauce.  This dish demonstrates how simple dishes, when executed well, can stand out.  There is really no way to describe how the pasta melted in my mouth or how delicious the sauce tastes.  It makes you want to take small bites, so as to prolong the good times.

Finally, for dessert we enjoyed a home made kiwi sorbet served with blueberry compote.  I’m not always a big fan of sorbet.  It is often the default offering for those who don’t know what else to serve vegans for dessert.  But again, Cucina Urbana exceeds expectations.  The kiwi flavor of the sorbet was fun and fresh, but it was the rich blueberry compote that tickled the taste buds.

I love the interior of Cucina Urbana with its high ceilings and dramatic lighting.  My dining experience at Cucina Urbana was one of my favorite dinners in a long while.  Thank goodness for restaurant week and special occasions!

If you do want to visit Cucina Urbana, it’s easy to make reservations through OpenTable.  You can even note special dietary requests (like “I’m vegan!”) under the “add a special request” section.

505 Laurel Street

San Diego, CA 92101

619.239.2222

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