A Vegan Halloween Party Drink

Blue Moon Belgian White with a slice of orange. It's vegan. Happy Halloween!

A Halloween Vegan Snack: Halloween Pretzels

A Halloween Vegan Snack: Paqui Haunted Ghost Pepper Tortilla Chips

It's Halloween and I found a scary vegan product. This product had a warning on it.

Warning: The contents of this bag are extremely frightening. Paqui is not responsible for any injuries that may result from ingesting this delicious terror. The use of gloves and safety goggles is encouraged. Common side effects include addiction to burning pain, blurred vision, and unquenchable thirst. Enjoy with caution and consider yourself warned.

Of course I had to try it. I'm not scared.

The serving size is 10 chips? Really? Let me tell you. The first chip was immediately very hot. Each chip after that became exponentially hotter! I made it to 5 chips before my lips became red and swollen. I barely made it to 10 chips. I now feel like I have a stomach ulcer. My nose is running like a fountain. My whole head is hot. My tongue is simultaneously numb and throbbing with pain. My hands are contaminated with hot pepper residue. I accidentally touched my eyelid and nose, and I may have mild chemical burns. I temporarily lost the ability to concentrate and focus. I feel like I just gave myself a dose of pepper spray. If I ate 2 servings of these I'd be out of my mind with confusion and pain!

But these chips are really good! And they're addictive! The best way to eat this product is to eat just 1 or 2 chips and stop for a while. That's all it takes. These are good with hummus too, because it controls the burn. The chips have a nice crunchy texture. The powdery flavoring is made with ghost, cayenne, chipotle, and chili peppers. I recommend these chips only to the experienced pepper or hot sauce eater, because they are offensively hot.

UPDATE: I'm fine. No serious effects came with the enjoyment of this delicious product. My side effects went away after about an hour. I'm ready for more tasty pain!

Buffalo Tofu Grinder Meal at The Wild Cow Vegetarian Restaurant in Nashville TN

Here you see the delicious Buffalo Tofu Grinder with pineapple coleslaw and pinto beans. This was excellent!

The grinder included grilled tofu tossed in buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, shredder carrots, pickles, and vegan ranch on a vegan wheat hoagie. The buffalo sauce was tangy and hot, but it was a medium heat that allowed other ingredients to shine. The tofu was firm with a hint of soy sauce. The carrots had a light sweetness. The pickles had a bold, tart flavor and light snap. The vegan ranch was amazing! It really made the whole sandwich come together. The hoagie was spongy and firm.


The vegan coleslaw was cool and refreshing with a crisp texture. The sweet, tangy juice offered a hint of pineapple and the classic flavor of traditional coleslaw. By taste, an omnivore would never know it was vegan.

The beans were slightly smokey with a nice onion broth. They tasted better than average. You know, beans are beans. They weren't amazing, but it's difficult to make beans that aren't good. These had a small amount of sour creme on top.

This was as great as expected. The Wild Cow never lets me down. The food is always excellent and often amazing. The only thing about this meal or my time at The Wild Cow that I don't care for is the noise level. The restaurant has concrete surfaces. The sound has no good way to be absorbed. When a loud group or a family with children come in, the sound level is so high I must use ear plugs. The kitchen noise and music are not the primary sources. The Wild Cow is just so good it attracts large, happy crowds.

Click here for The Wild Cow Vegetarian Restaurant website

A Great Vegan Meal at Legends Steakhouse in Pulaski TN

I was nervous about stopping for lunch in Pulaski TN for a number of reasons, but my visit turned out to be very good. I went to Legends Steakhouse and discovered the salad bar. The salad bar had all the standard salad options plus some surprises. Check out the pickled okra! I chose the Catalina dressing after reading the ingredients and seeing that it was vegan. I also had some excellent sweet tea!

The service was fast, and the young lady who served me was really sweet. This Legends Steakhouse looked older and had a more casual atmosphere than the one in Shelbyville TN. It looks like it could have been an old Ruby Tuesdays before the restyling. Other vegan options included a baked potato, a sweet potato, and a side of steamed broccoli. Of course those all probably come with butter unless requested without. Free rolls come with the meal, but those are not at all vegan. Overall, this meal was very good. When I return to Pulaski, I'll know there's something good to eat at Legends Steak house.

Mexican Rice Bowl at Happy Tummy in Huntsville AL

I was at Lowe Mill in Huntsville AL again, and I figured I'd get a light lunch from Happy Tummy. I got a Mexican Rice Bowl. To make it vegan I had to leave off the cheese and sour cream. I chose to add jalapenos and a bag of Fritos.

Mexican Rice Bowl at Happy Tummy in Huntsville AL

This was a pretty good lunch! It tasted good, the portion size was right, and it was vegan! There was nothing fancy about this. It was simply white rice with black beans, corn relish, onion, guacamole, and salsa. But I like keeping it simple and knowing what I'm eating. There's no mystery sauces, no seasonings that I must question, no meat substitutes, no weird ingredients that can't be identified. What you see is what you get with this honest bowl of veggies. It's simple and I like it!

The people at Happy Tummy are familiar with the word "vegan", and they have many vegan options. When I tell them I'm a hungry vegan, they can tell me without hesitation which foods I can eat and how to order it if it isn't already vegan. They make it so easy for me. I will be back!


 Click here to see the Happy Tummy website

Luvo Mighty Masala & Greens Power Bowl

This is another vegan non-GMO product from Luvo. This tasted really fresh! I've been very impressed by the quality of this brand's vegan foods. This is another winner. I will be buying this again!

Remember, this brand does make non-vegan foods. They clearly mark each vegan and vegetarian product on the label above the flavor description.

Click here to see the Luvo website

A Side of Beans and Rice at Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill

I went to Salsarita's for a light lunch. Here you see a side of beans and rice. I put some Chili Lime Cholula sauce on top to give it some moisture and heat. I also had a large half-sweet tea. I was charged $4.55 for this meal.

The quality of this meal was excellent, however I frequently have issues when ordering at Salsarita's. This time the server keep wanting me to pay for a huge platter of food at $6.99 when I specifically asked for the small side of beans and rice at $1.99. She kept saying they only sell one size, the big bowl. After I calmly and politely read her the menu, she got the small bowl and gave me what I ordered. Maybe I'm the only one who orders reasonably sized meals that consist of only side items and it confused her. The small serving filled me up. There's no need to spend more money and walk out with 4 servings of leftover food that will sit in my car all day.

I hope Salsarita's get things straightened out. I love their vegan options, but they make it so difficult to order small healthy meals at reasonable prices.

Click here to see the Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill website

Home-made Chopped Salad

This was a fantastic meal, and I made it myself. This salad is raw except for the beans. I started with a thin bed of green leaf lettuce. Then I created straight rows of toppings. This includes black beans, avocado, red kraut, green onion, Roma tomato, more avocado, and garbanzo beans. I used a very small amount of Daiya Creamy Caesar vegan dressing (not shown) to complete the meal.

I don't know about everyone else but my body loves it when I give it this kind of nourishment. This is how I should eat everyday!

I can make 3 or more salads like this with the food I bought at $13. That's $4.34 per meal, a reasonable price considering this is real food. The prep time for this salad was about 10 minutes.

Sprouts Black Bean Hummus with Home-made Bread

Another Work Party

Yes! I can eat too! The others also got barbecued pork sandwiches with slaw, baked beans, and cake. My smaller meal was much healthier and will let me keep my accumulating sick days. Here you see oven baked corn on the cob and dry salad. It doesn't look like much, but I can at least share a meal with coworkers and be friendly like a normal team member. The others probably didn't even notice the lack of flesh on my plate. All is well!

Tempeh Sloppy Joe Lunch at Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe in Chattanooga TN

Oh boy. I have another winner for you. This was a good one! I once again made my way back to Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe in Chattanooga TN. They had an interesting special of the day, so I decided to try it. Check this out!

This Tempeh Sloppy Joe is the first Sloppy Joe I've had since the mid 1980s. I don't remember what the meat version tastes like, just to be completely fair. I can't imagine a meat product tasting as good as this. The generous pile of tempeh stuffing was a soft mass of small chunks held together with a thick tomato paste. The crisp slaw topping was fantastic and could have been a meal alone. The bun was soft and warm. This enormous sandwich filled me up. But I didn't stop there. Notice I also got a side of Chips and Cashew Cheese. That's a must-have at Cashew.

I made it a real feast by adding Mac N Cheese to the meal. This is a perfectly cooked shell pasta with thick vegan cashew cheese. I've posted on this before.

Eating the Mac N Cheese is always a moment of bliss, It was so good I licked the bowl clean like a dog. People were watching, but I did not care. It may be the best vegan Mac N Cheese on this planet.

To summarize, this meal at Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe was beyond perfection. It was the best meal I've had since the last time I was there.


Click here for the Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe website

Coconut Samoa Cake from Vegan Vee Gluten-Free Bakery in Nashville TN

This is not a great photo but I give you my word this cake was amazing! I got it from The Wild Cow Vegetarian Restaurant in Nashville TN. At the counter they have sweet treats by Vegan Vee and other local bakeries. This is a heavenly Vegan Vee creation. It's one of the best cakes I've ever had, vegan or not!

Rice Noodles with Mock Chicken and Spicy Peanut Sauce

I went to the Asian market and picked up some interesting goodies. One challenge is figuring out what all the products are. Some of them are not labelled in English. The following products were clearly labeled and appear to be vegan based on the ingredients lists. I made rice noodles with mock chicken and spicy peanut sauce. It was pretty good!

This mock chicken tastes nothing like chicken. I know an herbivore isn't the best judge on that, but you can trust me. It tasted like wheat gluten, which is exactly what it is. I like it when it has a sauce on it, but I wouldn't choose to eat it plain.

256 Nachos at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse in Huntsville AL

Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse actually has a vegan section in the menu. Can you believe a smokehouse in Alabama has a vegan menu? This is my first visit to Fire & Spice. I have a feeling I may be adding other posts about Fire & Spice sometime in the future since they do have other vegan options. This review is for the 256 Nachos. Fire & Spice also operates a well-known food truck, but this is a review of food served at the actual restaurant.

256 Nachos at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse in Huntsville AL

This massive platter of herbivore favorites was enough to feed a family of four. The 256 Nachos includes tortilla chips, pinto beans, rice, vegetable medley, spicy slaw, salsa verde, guacamole, and cilantro. I began to nibble away at this mountain of vegetation knowing that a take-out box would soon be needed.

The chips are heavier than average and easily hold the weight of whatever goodies are piled upon them. I got a hint of burnt oil in the chips, but it didn't take away from the meal. It just gave it a classic fried food flavor. The pinto beans were peppery with a very nice home-cooked bean flavor and texture. The beans were my favorite part of this meal. The bell peppers and jalapeno peppers were fresh and flavorful. Whether or not they were cooked was unclear. They still had a crisp snap when bitten. The spicy slaw was definitely spicy. It was also crisp and peppery. The salsa verde and guacamole were both refreshing and cool. The sweet tea was perfectly made.

Overall, this was a very good meal. There was just a bit of tension between the heavier chips and the fresh natural flavors of the toppings. Either a lighter chip or the addition of vegan cheese would help neutralize that tension. This meal was spicy but the cooler ingredients kept it all well balanced. The price of this meal was $16.35 plus a good tip. I don't usually spend that much on food, but it was a nice treat that ended up being 3 meals. I would buy this again if the moment was right.

The interior of Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse looks clean and smells clean. They have wooden seating, corrugated metal details, and graphics on the walls. It looks like a casual, trendy barbecue restaurant. The music during my visit was classic pop hits from the 1960s and 1970s. They have full service plus a bar with a nice selection of adult beverages. During my visit, the service was fast and friendly. Every table gets a bottle of sriracha sauce and a whole roll of paper towels. There's plenty of omnivore foods. Other vegan options include quesadillas made with vegan cheese, a veggie bowl, and vegan tacos. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes good food and has a digestive system.

UPDATE: I returned to Fire & Spice for another awesome meal. I have more details on the food. All fried foods share the same oil, so the tortilla chips and fried cauliflower may not be considered acceptable for very strict vegans. That explains why I thought the chips tasted kind of unhealthy during my first visit. The sauteed veggies are cooked on the flat top grill, but they do have a separate area for the veggies. This may still not be acceptable for strict vegans, because it is the same grill with possibilities for cross contamination. The vegan burritos and quesadillas are toasted on the same flat top grill.

On my latest visit, I had a friendly discussion with a server and a member of management just for clarity. They are very familiar with food restrictions. They went over the menu and helped me understand how things are done in the kitchen. For my recent meal they gladly made it "allergy style". They used a clean pan for the sauteed veggies and to toast my burrito. They made it their mission to make it right. The service and food were excellent. It was the best food I've had in months! I will surely return!

Click here to see the Fire & Spice website

Edward & Sons Japanese Restaurant Style Miso Cup

Edward & Sons Japanse Restaurant Style Miso Cup is one of my favorite quick meals. This is great for people who eat in a break room at work, a dorm room, or a homeless shelter. It really takes only 3 minutes to make this, and all you need is the soup kit, a mug, a spoon, and hot water.

This soup has a light soy sauce and seaweed flavor. The tiny bits of mushroom and soy bean float around in the middle. The seaweed and cabbage settle to the bottom. The tofu and green onion float to the top. I just slosh it around before each sip. This is excellent!

Instructions:
1. heat a mug of water
2. add the miso paste (small package)
3. add the chunks  (larger package)
4. stir and let the chunks absorb the water for a few seconds
5. enjoy and keep it stirred

Home-made Vegan Chili Cheese Nachos

I had some left-over home-made vegan chili. I dumped it over Late July Multigrain Sea Salt tortilla chips. I melted Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds over it. Then I added salsa and lettuce to make it pretty. Mmmmm good!

Home-made Vegan Cauliflower and Onion Soup

I made this soup with cauliflower, green onion, white onion, black pepper, parsley, diced garlic, water, and salt. I did use a blender but only because I wanted a smoother texture. This is really tasty, and it's really cheap to make.

Amy's Indian Samosa Wrap

Amy's Indian Samosa Wrap offers the delicious flavors of Indian food without the heartburn. This mild snack is like a burrito with potatoes, tomatoes, peas, and spices. Very good!

Click here to see the Amy's Kitchen website

Dr Praeger's Kale Puffs

These are pretty good. Anyone who likes tater tots will like these. They are just a bit oily though. The size and shape is perfect for kids. I think this is a great way to get kids to eat kale. Carrot flavored puffs are also available, but I like this kale flavor better.

Chocolate Caramel Coconut Doughnut from Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe in Chattanooga TN

Here's another excellent treat from Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe. This was very sweet with a cake-like texture. I prefer a firm doughnut with a tough exterior, but that's difficult to do with vegan doughnuts. That's a minor issue with a treat that tastes this good.

Click here for the Cashew Plant Based Vegan Cafe website

Vegan Hors d'Oeuvres with Capers

I used a baguette to make toast. I put Go Veggie cream cheese alternative, rosemary, and capers on top. The final product was a nice snack. I didn't share these at a party. This treat was all mine!

Gigandes in Vinaigrette

These large, cold, butter beans in Greek dressing can be found in olive bars at the major supermarkets. It doesn't take much to satisfy, so this small container will make several snacks.

Vegan Black Beans and Saffron Rice

This meal included canned black beans (drained) and Mahatma saffron rice. This was amazing!

Vegans, be careful. Many saffron rices are seasoned with chicken fat. Another similar Mahatma product is not vegan. Also, canned black beans could be seasoned with pork. Always read the ingredients.