Dessertz 2015

First of all I'M A DOT COM AND IT FEELS SO GOOD. *gets down*

Also...sorry about the ads I have to post on my website...but I know you guys will forgive me soon bc I'm about to change your damn life. With...desserts!!!

Ok y'all. I'm about to lay some knowledge on you. I ate a lot of places this last year and wanted to pull the best of the best out of the foods so you get the down and dirty version of where to eat. I'll post later about general dope meals I've eaten in the last year as well...but I wanted to center this entry around my favorite food group....DESSERT!!!

Ok. So here's what you do/where ya you go:

First go to Duluth Grille (in Duluth) for their chocolate avocado ice cream (comes w/a snicker doodle cookie):

Then get your booty over to Whole Foods (downtown Mpls) and try their sorbetto:

And then! If you're still hankering', give Suzie V Homemaker a ringading and order some dessert from her. This writer is knowledgeable that Suzie V has made things like vegan Cherpumple (google it), vegan unicorn poop cookies (again, google it), and creations like this here cookie dough cupcake:

That's a wrap on 2015 desserts, y'all. Make sure you get to these desserts in your collective mouths at some point in the very very near future. 

I'm out!

MN Vegan

Yooooooo...

Wanna soak up each other's awesomeness like this?:



Of course you do (minus the shooters...and add vegan pizza)!! Also you're going to come bc you know the above movie reference, right? Right.

So come join me at this vegan meet up at Pizza Rev in Edina, MN on December 16th at 6:30pm. Sign up with your FB or google account and come eat wif meeeee. It's gonna be real real fun, I swear. We got some characters in our little Mpls vegan community. I mean that in the best way possible, of course.

JOIN ME!!!! RSVP NOW!! Or I'll be really sad, ok?

MN Vegan

MN Vegan on the FBeezy

Hey all, I'm on FB if ya didn't hear and I totally rocked it out at TC Veg Fest today.

"Like" me on my FB page for more frequent updates about what I'm putting in my mouth these days (one of these may be Glam Doll Donuts' NEW vegan cake donut!! Aaaaahhhhhh)


Yaaaaaasss!!!

MN Vegan

Holy buckets.

Lookyyy what I made!!!:

You guys, vegan meringue is officially a thing. How exciting is that?! I used to bake vegan stuff for a living and tbh hadn't done much baking in a while. That there is a dark chocolate meringue pie and its total meringue-y goodness sent me into a blissful sugar coma (that eventually induced a nightmare but whatevs I can deal) and also, it's super effing pretty, am I right? Yum.

Ok ok...so I also ate places too. I lead a Minneapolis Vegan Meetup Dine Out recently at Sen Yai Sen Lek (NE rep'in! Whaaaat) and ate these delicious thingies:

Ok so here's the thing...I love this place. They have a separate vegan/vegetarian/gluten free menu if you ask them. I got the mango curry thing and for dessert the banana coconut rice dessert thing. Everything there is pretty much stellar tho so go and gives them yer monies, yo. I would highly recommend the above dishes but I tell you...I was drooling over every body else's dish, as per usual. 

Get therrrrrrrrrrrrre. Yas.

MN Vegan

WHITE CASTLE SLIDERS NOW VEGAN

THIS IS NOT A TEST-SHIT'S FREAL THIS TIME Y'ALL.

You bet your sweet booty I was there tonight and I got three of those suckers (with the sweet Thai sauce! This is the only vegan one I think...)

Sigh...I love being vegan.

MN Vegan

I call this entry "Noms, chapter 59,386":

Yooooooooo what's good.

You KNOW WHAT LET ME ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU. But first!

Sometimes I host a Minneapolis Vegan Meet-up Dine Out. And we go to delicious places around the Mpls/StP area. And we eat food and general merriment ensues. It's a good time and you should join meeeeeeeeeeeeeee. 

So. Food and stuff. I got you. Here's some great places to get some bomb India-inspired cuisine.

I recently went to Namaste Cafe and holy crap. Just...just look at the pics ok? Pretty sure I don't have to break this down much for you:

Ok so from top to bottom, let's do this! For the appetizer, me and mother dearest shared some spicy potatoes, which are a crowd favorite-slightly crunchy and perfectly spiced. Next we got the mango coconut curry with tofu-sweet and spicy! And then last but not least, the coconut carrot creme brûlée, which is always a great way to end a meal (i.e. very full). Namaste is good for many reasons, such as: romantic place to bring a first date (twinkly lights), vegan stuff is labeled on the menu, that there coconut creme brûlée, the chai tea, etc etc. Woop!

Ok, next. Bombay Bistro has a lunch buffet that is so freaking tasty and all-you-can-eat-y, I can't even. I told that to the guy running the joint after my meal and he was all like girl, 

and then all of sudden, I could. Magic/sorcery!

Ok! 

Here's is all the tasty-looking stuff that's vegan in the buffet. There's probably more there during the lunch buffet (for less than $15 all you can eat), but I barely survived this buffet because EVERYTHING. Literally everything was on point so hard I almost stabbed myself w it. It's also pretty central in downtown Mpls-get it! Also ask the ppl there what is vegan-they're super friendly and helpful. 

Ok Fasika. I don't know how I went so long without trying your cuisine, but a couple weeks ago, I gave up the fight to resist your charms. This here is the veggie sampler (all vegan, with my friends lovely finger in the shot):

This place is in ye old StP and it is totally worth the jaunt. Some of the stuff on this plate was totally waaay spicy, like I likes it. Get this, you will not be disappointed!!

Ok guys, I'm srsly stuffed. Jk *goes to Dancing Ganesha for the gobi manchurian and stuffs face more* (also, go there bc it is bomb food too)

I'm out!!! *waddles away*

MN Vegan

THE SWAG NEVER STOPS

First order of bidness: I has an FB now. Check it here! (Clicky and uhh...likey!!)

Eyyyyy get ready for the latest and greatest (read: my faves of what I put into my mouthhole recently):

There's this place near me called Mojo Coffee Gallery (art gallery and coffee bar) and it is the jam. I love this place and I know I said this last time but it amazed me so I have to mention is again: some dude was making a huge fish out of garbage while I sat there eating my vegan veggie burger. And I kid you not, this guy was methodical and hypnotizing to watch. Also I might have been kinda tipsy. SUCH IS LIFE.

Anyways I ate there again and watched another art thingy happen, check the pics!:

That's the inside of the place. Did I mention that I'm a coffee/tea cup collector and that this place is my effing kryptonite? Everything's on sale. I literally walk up in that place holding back all demons inside myself telling me to BUY ALL THE THINGS. Yap.

 

The outside deck on a beautiful rainy day. 

The bomb cup of half-caff joe I had. Pretty sure this was a half-caff Americano technically, but it tasted very good and I don't even like espresso typically so that prob means something. Take notes.

I can't remember what this dude was making...but they have a big screen that also shows you in case you don't want to sit there slowing eating your food and zombie-ing out right in front of the artist like a creep (totally going to do that sometime FYI).

 

So they have several vegan items (including a bombass vegan burger) but this is their vegan bahn mi. I swear to all that is good and holy in the world, there's effing magic in that vegan mayo.  It's spicy af!

I don't know why I took another pic of their patio but I did. Bc it's pretty maybe? Idk.

H'okay moving on. I hosted a vegan dining meetup (check out the Minneapolis Vegan Meetup on meetup.com to hang out with cool peeps) and we all went to Agra Culture, this newer place in Uptown (bane of my existence to drive through/*throws major shade*). They have a ton of really great vegan options there and this vegan orange currant scone, though it did have the texture of a muffin, was very good! 

Le piece de la resistance (bwaaah I never know what I'm typing anymore) tho was this guy here-the agra plate. You pick what goes into it so it ends up being different every time for me. I don't know what is with their thai sauce but it must have friggin magic in it too bc I swear I could fly after eating this stuff. 

 

Good thing I didn't fly away though because I really like donuts. That last sentence made no sense. Anyhoo, my friend Karrie makes gluten free vegan donuts and sells them every Wed at the Capella Tower in downtown Mpls. GET THE MAPLE (COCONUT) BACON ONE. OR THE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE ONE. OR THE LEMON ONE. OR ALL OF THEM JUST GET ALL OF THEM. They are so so so good. Follow her stuff to see where she will be selling next-Totally Baked Donuts on FB.

Okey dokey I think I'm gonna waddle my way outta here *starts taking a food nap at her desk*

Bouncin'!

MN Vegan

Food truckin'.

This is just how we do (in freakin 95 degree weather). Tim's ass couldn't take it, so we basically ate and left. Psssh. MOVE THEN, TIM, IF YOU DON'T LIKE SUMMER.

I went to the Minnesota Food Truck Association's event at Bauhaus Brewery this last weekend in an effort to try and pin down for you guys some vegan food truck options. And boy, did I find some!
Here goes nothing (read: everything):

Vegan dog from Cafe Racer (ask about their options-nothing on the menu is explicitly vegan but they have vegan hot dogs and stuff). This had potato chips, hot peppers and mustard. Yummmmm. They also have a store front! Bomb.

Foxy Falafel has a storefront over in St Paul  that I've reviewed before (check the tags, yo). Their falafels are friggin amazing. Get some!

Stanley's in NE has a food truck and a vegan hummus wrap on their menu. I love going to the actual bar for sports games and drinking their sangria. WIN WIN.

Moral Omnivore had a curry quinoa squash thingy that was  pretty damn good AND-it's labeled on their menu. Daaaaamn check it outtttt.

And of course, I gots to get me some Fro Yo Soul vegan frozen yogurt. I topped my coconut-based softserve with cinnamon toast crunch and strawberries (naturally). Always a hit with me, know what I'm sayin?

And I didn't forget to wash it all down with some Spruce Soda. Kickass, delicious ginger beer yummm.

Google these food trucks, visit Bauhaus sometime, EAT. DRINK. PROSPER, MY DEAR READERS.

I'M OUT!

MN Vegan

Oh hell yes Duluth!

So I am now a licensed graduate social worker, just passed my licensing test nbd. To celebrate my achievements and subsequent hair loss over this whole ordeal my parents bought me a $50 dollar gift card to the Duluth Grill, a really awesome and very vegan-friendly eatery in the heart of downtown Duluth. Then the 'rents were all like "hey this giftcard is for you but also for us bc we want you to take a day trip to Duluth with us and use this...on us!!! Surprise!!!" 

Yup. They wanted me to take them out to dinner with the giftcard THEY bought me.Wth, parents. Ass backwards, that's HOW WE DO.

To my mother's and my surprise (or horror, rather bc we realized that we were about to eat A LOT of food), there are many vegan options here. Who woulda thought? The place looks like a damn Ground Round on the outside and freals if I'm being honest, the only thing that came to mind was chicken fingers (screw you Ground Round bc those were MY FREAKIN JAM-with honey mustard of course) when we rolled up.

Alas! Never fear! This place is so vegan friendly it hurts. In a good way. Yap. 

Check it out!!!:

This here is the polenta lettuce wraps that we got as an appetizer. That green sauce is...saucy. *dies laughing* No but seriously...it was some basil-y sauce or something. Good stuff. The polenta was perfectly fried and not greasy.

This was the kimchi raw-violi bites. Daaaaamn-that filling. So so good. Best appetizer, hands down. My dad even ate it but don't tell him I told you that.

  

My mom got this healthy thing pfft idk. Jk it was actually sooper good. The (not) noodles for this raw-sta (snort!) are made from zucchini, which tastes like nothing but...dat sauce tho. That sauce is heaven. Very good dish tho I did scoff at it bc: zucchini noodles.

I got the vegan omelet and it was SO GOOD. I mean...you rarely see someone attempt to make this shit. That guacamole was amazing. I got the sesame kale on the side. Perfection. 

 

I'm so glad the world didn't end before the end of this meal because this chocolate ice cream (made from avocados!) with this vegan snickerdoodle cookie would have been the perfect thing to be eating while kicking the bucket. Which reminds me-if any of you can help remind me (bc of course I'm going to opt to be senile and possibly have the worst short term memory when I'm older) that the day I die I want to go out choking on food like this. 

That is possibly the most disturbing thing I've written on this blog and I apologize (no I don't). Let's see if I can up the ante in the next entry, shall we? #goals

I'm out!!! Get to Duluth now for these tasty morsels or you'll be hearing from me and I'll probably just be whining at you to take me with anyway so just go already.

MN Vegan

Yumyumyumyum

Um, exsqueeze me?!?!

What, may I ask, IS THIS SHIT:

Anyone? 

Bueller? 

WELL I GUESS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TELL YOU. 

That, my dear readers, is a peanut butter carob cookie from French Meadow Bakery, one of my favorite places to get a treat and some delicious coffee (People's Organic whaaaat). This cookie is divine-moist and fall-apart-y, just how I likes em. Also, I love me some carob in ma cookies f'reals.

Always eat dessert first, people. ALWAYS. 

 

Next up! 

Roll call!

(JK guyz I don't know what I'm doing over here tbh)

H'okay, yucca fries, you sweet, sweet morsels of awesome...ness. I got these guys from Muddy Waters. Check out their vegan menu-it is the bomb.com. I think I've written about them a few times also so check them tags, ppl. I liken yucca to very thick, fried, french fries. These come with a pesto-y sauce that is also pretty dang tasty. 

They are SO GOOD so watch yourself- you may never go back to regular fries again. I MEAN IT, YOU BETTER WATCH YOURSELF. 

Lastly! 

(But not leastly...heh):

 

That there is the vegan platter from Groundswell in St Paul. This place has BOMB vegan food. This dish has seasoned quinoa and tempeh all topped with greens and guac. It is damn good. I love going to this place. They also have some pretty amazing coffee-I met one of my professors there for a decaf cuppa black joe and I was very pleased with the flavor of the brew. SO. FREAKIN. GOOD. 

GO. NOW. DAMMIT.

(...please)

MN Vegan

YOW

Y'all ever tried organic fro-yo and been like daaaaaaaaaamn I wish they had a vegan version of this stuff! Well look no further than Fro Yo Soul....yo. Hee.

They have a food truck (look at their website/Twitter for current locations, current vegan flavors, junk like that), and one fine day (during Art-A-Whirl bc shit was poppin) they were parked right outside my damn house! Cool beans!

I tried the mango I think and it's all self-serve. Their food truck charges by the weight so you get as many toppings as you'd like (also check the website for these bc they srsly have a whole bunch. I chose berries to top my coconut-based fro yo!)

Looky:

Ok now that you're properly in a sugar coma, why don't you drive to Edina (just a little southwest of Mpls) and check out Pizza Rev bc srsly this place is going to blow your freakin mind. It's like Chipotle for pizza and they have vegan cheese and meat! It's all personal pan sizes. You pick your crust (gluten free or regular but they taste the same-totally awesome btw) and then your sauce and toppings. They fire that shit up for probably like 5-8 minutes at most in their wood fire oven et voila!:

. 

I can't even describe the deliciousness-it seriously may have become the best pizza in the Twin Cities for me. You try it and get back to me on that tho bc f'reals...I don't even know what to say except TRY IT PEOPLE.

Okeee byeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

MN Vegan

Graduated and it feels so gooooooood!!!!!

Hey look at me I'm a graduate school graduate!!:

YOW WHAT IT IS, PEOPLE? I've been feeling good lately. Grad school is (mostly) over with, my summative thesis is almost finished. I'm about to score me a kick-booty new jawb. *kicks back* Yip, things have been awesome as heck!

Totally understandable then why I had to balance all the excitement over here..,

...WITH A SUGAR COMA (naturally)!

GET READY (or don't, up to you I guess):

Ok ok, so I've been indulging in some self care. It's been great (the massages, I mean *coughs*). Healing Elements is the place to be to munch on a delicious donut (such as this vegan gluten free chocolate coconut one here) as well as take a yoga class or get said massage. I love this place sooooo much. It is the jam. Get there and treat yo self (tm)!!

Or you could relax on a hot day with the stuff of royalty-soy ice cream from Izzy's (in Mpls or St Paul). Get the soy chocolate peanut butter soy ice cream-you will not be disappointed. That flavor is pictured here with an "izzy" of soy strawberry ice cream. BOMB.

And U KNOW when I talk about sweet treatz I gots ta mention Cupcake's cupcakes (heh. Cupcake's cupcakes. Heh heh. Fine, don't laugh whatevs). Pictured here is the vegan vanilla latte cupcake. Check all locations-there's likely one near ya.

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go take a sugar nap. See you on the flipsiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...............iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide...

MN Vegan