Vegan MoFo Day 12! Replenish with Coconut Water!

Now, I know I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of coconut. For some reason I just never have and I probably never will. But, I have repeatedly heard that coconut water is good for you and helps replenish your electrolytes during and after your workouts. So, one day I finally decided to try Zico's coconut water and was surprised by the fact that it actually didn't taste that bad. The coconut flavor was very faint and thankfully didn't overpower the water. I then grabbed a bottle of Zico's chocolate flavored coconut water and was blown away. It taste just like chocolate Almond Breeze ! And again, no strong coconut flavor to scare me away. Yay! I can something other than water after my workouts. I like to put a packet of Perfect Fit Protein  in with a bottle of my ice cold chocolate zico and shake it up real good. It's a great post workout drink. :-)

Vegan MoFo Day 11! Spicy Mustard Tempeh Salad!

Spicy mustard tempeh salad is absolutely one of my favorite salads to make. It's packed full of veggies, protein, and healthy fats. I like to switch up the greens, so in this pic I used lettuce but I often use kale and or spinach. For the tempeh (you can steam it first for about 10-15 minutes for a milder flavor), I place it in a pan and season it with black pepper, garlic powder, and a little agave and let it cook until it's almost caramelized. After my veggies are chopped and the tempeh is done; I layer my salad with leafy greens, tempeh, tomatoes, red onions, avocado, chia seeds, hemp hearts, apple cider vinegar, and spicy mustard. The combination of flavors are so delicious!

Vegan MoFo Day 10! Quinoa Pancakes for breakfast!

Quinoa pancakes??? Yes, I said it. Quinoa pancakes are amazing! Talk about a protein packed breakfast. I love making these pancakes after a tough workout, because I get the protein and nutrients I need to fuel my body. I was introduced to these earlier this year by Tone It Up and SelfMagazine.com. I, of course, had to make some substitutions to the original recipe but these still came out better than expected. For some reason the link for the actual recipe isn't working so here is what I can remember from when I last made these:

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of cooked Quinoa
1/2 mashed banana
1/4 cup of ground flax seed
1/4 cup of non-dairy milk
Dash of cinnamon

Mash your banana first and then add all of your other ingredients. Mix well and form into little pancakes. Add your pancakes into a heated pan and cook until golden. Top your quinoa pancakes with sliced bananas, crumbled walnuts, and pure maple syrup. Yum!

Vegan MoFo Day 9! Raw Protein Bites!

Want a perfect pre or post workout snack? Of course you do! Try these yummy raw protein bites from Tone It Up! They're raw, vegan, and gluten free. The hubby and I love snacking on these after our afternoon workout. These little bite are perfect for when you're on the go, but don't keep them in your purse for too long, because the carob chips might melt. I'm not a big fan of coconut so that why you don't see any on the pics below. Here is the link to the recipe: http://toneitup.com/blog.php?KRAZY-KOCONUT-KAROB-SNACK-BITES-Raw-Vegan-Gluten-Free-1717.

Vegan MoFo Day 8! Babycakes Larchmont Bakery!

I finally made to the Larchmont location for Babycakes Bakery. Check out my very first visit to their New York location here: http://veganwhat-stephanie.blogspot.com/2011/08/babycakes-nyc.html. Okay okay, doughnuts are nowhere near part of a healthy balance meal, but they sure are delicious, and sometimes you just want to indulge. The location is a cute little shop on a busy street, so you might have to do some searching for parking. They do have outside seating but we just picked up goodies to go. I guess it's a good thing they don't have a closer location cuz my waistline would be in serious trouble.

Yummy doughnuts: chocolate, coffee crunch, vanilla sprinkle, chocolate crisp, cranberry bread, and vanilla frosted cupcakes. 

Red velvet & Mint chocolate cupcakes. 

Vegan MoFo Day 7! Quick Pasta & Biscuits!

Nothing like having warm biscuits fresh out of the oven. Mmm...biscuits. Did you know that bisquick is vegan? The hubby used some bisquick and made some hot biscuits to go with the quick and easy pasta dish below. I boiled some brown rice pasta. While the pasta cooked I heated up some sauce in another pot. Once the pasta was finished cooking and drained, I added some pasta sauce, steamed broccoli, and topped it with nutritional yeast. Yummity yum yum! And so quick and easy to make. You can eat your pasta dish on its own or pair with some biscuits buttered with some earth balance and enjoy.

Vegan Mofo Day 6! Lotus Vegan

Lotus Vegan is an amazing little Vegan Thai place in North Hollywood. They have a extremely large menu full of goodies but I tend to get the same thing over and over again. I can't help it. I know what I like. But, I did try one new thing on my last visit. I tried the Pad See Ew Noodles. Yum! Super Delicious! So, I guess I can a little more adventurous next time and try some more new things.They've even moved to a new bigger and better location, so I can't wait to dine at their new place and gobble up some yummy food. If you're in the area stop by there sometime.

Pad See Ew Noodles with "chick'n". Flat rice noodles with broccoli and bean sprouts .

Steamed dumplings with mixed vegetables. 

Vegetable Soup & their Fried Lemon "Shrimp"