I’m back with some scrumdiddlyumptious vegan food, baby!
I must first say that despite all of the pretty pictures and yummy foods I post, I have been dog-tired. Laying down for “five minutes” between work and school and errands turns into an hour-long power nap. I know that many of you are busy and tired, too, and if you’re anything like me, food is that sliver of peace and tranquility that we slip into each day. I look forward to eating the second I wake up!
With that in mind, please keep the less fortunate in your hearts, not just this holiday season, but year round. I know we can’t all afford to buy everyone we see on the streets a meal, but please do what you can.
A Hearty Breakfast
Not gonna lie. . . I’ve been eating out a little much. But hear me out! The dining hall on campus slowly incorporates new foods onto their menu, and they’re not always vegan. So, despite how good the veggie burger or the tenders may be, they get boring after a while.
I’m so blessed to have an income right now, and food is my way of treating myself after a long day or a rough a$$ week. I put away a good amount of savings each month, I pay my lil’ handful of bills on time – let a sis enjoy her DoorDash!
Any who, pictured here is some oatmeal with wild blueberries and brown sugar, an iced caramel macchiato with soy milk – vanilla syrup, no caramel sauce – and a cactus we named Mason! I “DoorDashed” this pretty little breakfast from Pete’s Coffee and might I say, I was not disappointed.
My Rating: 9.5/10
Oven-Baked Blessing
Okay, so this pile of heaven was eaten on a spontaneous trip back to my hometown. One of my brothers was turning two – and it ate me alive to think I was going to miss it!
During my time there, my dad pointed out to the frozen pie section of WinCo and asked if I’d eat any of them. He picked up this Marie Callender’s Dutch Apple Pie and to our surprise. . . it seemed vegan. So we bought it. Before actually eating it, though, my conscious forced me to google it and confirm the pie was actually vegan.
and thank God it was!
Maybe I can convince one of my parents to bring some more down for Thanksgiving. . .
My Rating: 9/10
Café Gratitude
My boyfriend’s family are no strangers to Santa Cruz, and were kind enough to recommend this cute little vegan spot called Café Gratitude!
With all of the salads and fancy ingredients, I didn’t think I was going to be too impressed by anything, but oh boy, was I wrong.
I ordered “Grounded – Roasted Potatoes,” described as “Garlic roasted potatoes with your choice of spicy cashew chipotle or mild almond-cashew ricotta topped with fresh herbs.”
These were so soft, with a melt-in-your-mouth feel. The “cheese” sauce was so yummy and I’m gonna figure out if I can get a jar of the stuff!!
My Rating: 9/10
The second thing I ordered was the “Thriving – Hot Soup of the Day,” which happened to be lentil soup! With a bit more salt, I was practically drinking the stuff. If you ask me, it was one of those things that tastes better the next day.
My Rating: 8/10
That picture of me is from the Boardwalk. We showed up at closing time and didn’t actually do anything there besides take pictures. Just thought I’d throw it in here.
Round 2
So, of course I had to go back to the café because they had all of these desserts I didn’t get to try the last time !!
Their desserts, which aren’t on their menu, are a bit pricey. This singular, individual, stand-alone, by its self, with no other piece attached to it pie – with tax – totaled to a little over $9.00. But ya girl was craving a treat and was willing to pay the price for it, okay. 😦
This here is their Avocado Key lime Pie. The avocado sounded sketchy to me, because I usually don’t have that in my sweets, but I personally couldn’t taste it. The pie is so RICH. There is currently still some sitting on my desk now because I’m struggling, y’all. The flavor is so bold and the pie is so creamy with this thin coconut-infused crust at the bottom. It is really good, but really bold.
My Rating: 7/10
Treacherous Trader Joe’s
Speaking of bold, after waiting in line and getting into the infamous club that is Trader Joe’s, I found these DELICIOUS popcorn puff cheese-like jalapeno things! I think they’re now my new obsession and I request these and nothing more for my birthday (<3).
I’m trying my best not to inhale them, but they’re addicting!
My Rating: 10/10
Cookies and Milk
On the left are UCSC’s oatmeal raisin cookies, and on the right are their chocolate chip ones! And yes, they’re vegan. These are super soft and some of the best cookies I’ve ever had, hands down. They’re classics and you can’t tell they’re any different from the ones your non-vegan mom/dad/brother/grandma/person makes!
My Rating: 9/10
Just kidding, it’s creamer
When I do buy milk, I usually buy this brand, but this time around, I got creamer. Last post, I showcased an oat milk one, but I’d much rather have this one; it was also a bit cheaper. The vanilla flavor is subtle and sweet, just how I like it! ❤
My Rating: 10/10
Dip into this !
Also mentioned in my last post was this cute little grocery store downtown called New Leaf. It is not entirely vegan or even vegetarian, but they have so many options! I finally, after my seemingly-endless search, found a decent vegan ranch.
It’s made with almond milk yogurt, which isn’t detectable until you get too big of a scoop. I tried this with carrots and was pretty pleased!
My Rating: 8/10
That’s All Folks
It may seem odd that there are people out there like me who like to share what they eat. My purpose is to educate people on my lifestyle, because for too many years I got teased for starving myself, “eating grass,” and was repeatedly asked “What can you eat?” Welp, here ya go!
I eat burgers, fries, and pie, just like you. I like coffee with my breakfast, I adore fruits and veggies, I enjoy soup on cold evenings, and in the summer, I would tear up some ice cream. I like chips in my sandwiches, I’m obsessed with burritos, and I smother my toast in butter.
Only difference between my diet and yours is that my food doesn’t contain animal products. I don’t push veganism on anyone, but I do strongly advocate for it by sharing it with the world. I love being vegan and haven’t had meat since middle school. Sure, I enjoyed it. I used to joke about how my fridge would be strictly cheese one day and my brother and I used to eat Hot Cheetos or McDonald’s nuggets for breakfast at one point, but I’ve found other things to enjoy. I feel healthier and I’m so much happier saying that I have made a change in my lifestyle for a cause that I’m passionate about.
I choose not to support the industries that induce animal cruelty. I am not perfect and I’ve both accidentally and purposefully, at a point in time, ate non-vegan foods. It’s not always easy, but it is always worth it.
If you have any places for me to try out in Santa Cruz, please share them with me ’cause I’m ready to explore! (safely during this pandemic).
Stay tuned for my vegan Thanksgiving feast. Dun, dun, duuuuuuun. . .
Coffee, No Cow. 