Red Velvet Stars and 4th of July Buffet!

Happy (belated) 4th of July! We had some friends over yesterday for a sunny backyard BBQ, and plenty of vegan treats. Red velvet brownies covered in vanilla icing and fruit, mini cupcakes (of course), white cheddar popcorn, salads, veggie burgers, and more!

Thai Mango, Tofu, and Green Bean Salad

I'll admit, it's a little shameful I've had a copy of Vegan Eats World on my bookshelf since January  without any use. It's not for lack of great recipes in it, I just haven't been as prolific in trying out new recipes of late. But a few weeks ago I was searching through the index for a seaweed salad recipe (more to come on that later), when I spotted the Thai Shredded Mango Salad. It was one of those "I Must Make This ASAP" moments.

Smoothietude Contest!

I love smoothies, especially when the weather starts to get warmer. They are so refreshing, and- if done right- filling, nutritious, and delicious too. Plus, they are quick and easy. I learned the great trick of using frozen banana in smoothies to help make them thick & creamy from Kathy from Healthy.Happy.Life., and when I saw her smoothietude contest, I thought I'd finally enter one of these things (especially since the prizes are awesome, including a Vitamix- I have been lusting after one for soooooo long)! The above pic is my photo entry for the contest.

I tend to keep my smoothies pretty simple, but I do love trying out new ones too. Some staples in my smoothies:

• Vega One Powders- Vanilla Chai is my fave, I think.
• Frozen banana
• Other fresh or frozen fruits
• Superfood mix-ins, such as chia seeds, maca or lucuma powder, etc... a little can really boost the nutrients you're getting!
• Almond milk &/or water for the base

The above smoothie recipe, for the contest, also uses some banana coconut "soft serve" - I simply mixed together frozen banana with some (light) coconut milk, and then re-froze it. Thawed a tiny bit, this actually makes for a surprisingly nice dessert on it's own (or even better with fresh berries!) Added to a smoothie, it adds a nice creaminess.

Wish me luck! And enjoy a smoothie ;-)

**Updates:

• I recently tried using frozen watermelon (another great recommendation from Kathy- the smoothie queen!) in my smoothies and it seriously rocks my world. My NEW fave is: frozen watermelon+coconut water+ Vega One vanilla powder (and sometimes some frozen banana too). It's incredibly delicious and so refreshing.
• I can't wait for Kathy's smoothie book:  365 Vegan Smoothies. Every smoothie of hers I've had I've loved- they are always innovative (frozen canteloupe? Yup!), delicious, and easy.
• I was nominated as a finalist for the above contest! So excited! EEK! (I would love your vote if you have a sec- trust me, I have a really, really, really good reason for needing a Vitamix- more to come on that later!!)

and PS- looking for the absolute star of my photo entry? That's my Vizsla Captain, and he has his very own blog too: It's a Vizsla Thing. He's my really, really, really ridiculously good-looking love bug ;-)

Spain Eats

I have been shamefully absent in the food-blogging world for a while now... busy with work, life, and some traveling too. I was lucky enough to have a conference in the beautiful Basque region of Spain, in a beach side town called San Sebastian. Afterwords, I did some traveling with my sister, to Barcelona and Seville, and then stopped in to the UK, where she lives. It was an amazing trip; Spain is a beautiful country!!

My favorite food item on the trip? It's a toss up between these beautiful white asparagus, which were all over the place in San Sebastian, and..... mango sorbet. Hey, I'm predictable. Gelatarias were all over the place, and when it comes to mango, I'm a sucker. But, Fruitarias - fruit & veg stands, like the one below, were also a great find. As for the rest, well.... I can't exactly say Spain was a mecca of vegetarian- let alone vegan- options. It was a challenge. Read on for more, as well as a few completely food-unrelated Spain pics.