Welcome to Monk Island, a food blog with a new perspective. This blog documents my experiences as a roaming vegan with limited time, money, and resources. I search the land for simple, plant-based meals for one person, and I share those here with you. This blog is for herbivores on the go who don't live in the kitchen, don't have a kitchen, or don't have a home. No politics or extremist rants. Just peace, respect, and veggies.
Monday, December 30, 2019
Farmwise Veggie Rings
Check this out. These look just like the picture!
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Vegan Style Broccoli "Cheese" Baked Potato
This was a simple and inexpensive meal. I bought fresh stalks of broccoli. A bag of potatoes, and some Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds. I baked a potato in aluminum foil, chopped and steamed the broccoli, and melted the "cheese" on top with the microwave oven.
Of all the foods on this blog, this is one of my favorite home-made foods. I've been wanting to share this one with you for a while.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Vegan Christmas Dinner 2019
Sunday, December 22, 2019
A Vegan Lunch At Fern in Charlotte NC
Check out this heavenly mound of plant material! This is the Buffalo Cauliflower.
Buffalo Cauliflower at Fern in Charlotte NC |
This cauliflower was battered and fried like regular chicken wings
and seasoned with a tangy Buffalo sauce. It was topped with dill
dressing and diced celery and carrots.
Before eating the food shown here, I had almost no experience with Buffalo Cauliflower. I knew it was a thing with some people, but I had never tried it. During this visit to Fern, I wanted to try something new. And when I asked the server to name the most popular dishes on the menu, this was one she recommended.
Even with this being served in a small skillet, the serving size was large. I could have shared this with 1 or 2 other people. The flavor was out of this world good. This was comfort food for the soul. I had no idea cauliflower could be so good.
Another mouth watering menu item from Fern is the Herbed Potatoes This skillet full of bliss is priced at $6. The portion size will feed 2 or 3
people. Again. this was a perfect comfort food with an awesome flavor and presentation.
Herbed Potatoes at Fern in Charlotte NC |
During this visit to Fern, the service was very friendly. The servers even seemed to enjoy their jobs and get along with each other like friends. I felt like a guest and not just another customer. The servers offer a large jug of cold fresh water, so refills are not a problem at all. I drink plenty during my meals, so this was great. The dining area is a light-filled room with rustic and modern accents. The environment was calm and peaceful at the time of my visit. The only thing that would be a downside to this visit is the parking. I had to drive around Dilworth 3 times waiting to get a spot. But it was worth the trouble.
Click here to see the Fern Website
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Marie Callender's Blueberry Pie
The instructions say to let this pie cool for 3 hours before serving. I believe I know why. If the pie is cut before it cools the filling will be very fluid. Once the pie is cool the filling becomes thicker. If you like warm pie, grab a spoon. If you like cool pie, there's no worries. Personally, I like pie any way it comes.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Lentil-Walnut Burger at Avo in Nashville TN
The Lentil-Walnut Burger is coconut muenster, lettuce, tomato, red onion, beet ketchup, chickpea mayo, sweet potato bun, and a lentil-walnut patty. This burger was amazing! This is one of the best plant-based burgers I've had. Perfect! The Mac N Cheese was good too, but the burger will be what brings me back.
Avo is a modern, 100% plant-based restaurant located in a small complex that appears to be built from cargo containers. The interior is stylish. The prices are a bit high. The food is absolutely awesome! They make real food! You should go there now. Now!
Click here to see the Avo website
Monday, December 16, 2019
Mellow Mushroom Vegan Garlic Cheese Bread
I actually wanted the garlic as it would usually have, but for some reason they
thought I wanted it without garlic. No problem. I asked for a side of
minced garlic and it was great.
Click here to see the Mellow Mushroom website
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Vegan Rob's Brussel Sprout Puffs
Monday, December 9, 2019
Boca Burrito at Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill
Boca Burrito Combo at Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill |
Click here to see the Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill website
Quorn Fishless Sticks
Also, this product is completely free of all that nasty, sticky, silvery, veiny garbage that a dead fish has in it. This product is clean.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Home-made Vegan Sushi Bowl
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Another Vegan Pizza at Pieology
While eating at my table, I saw an advertisement for their vegan "meats". I'm so glad to see that they have those! I'll try one of those next time.
Click here to see the Pieology website
Follow Your Heart Cheddar Shreds
This product seems to melt a higher temperature than real cheese. I microwaved this and watched for it to start melting. This will start bubbling up quickly once it melts, so it's best to keep a close eye on it. As you can see here, it really needed a few more seconds to get it all to melt completely.
I added sriracha sauce to make it spicy.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Vegan Thanksgiving 2019
For desert my pumpkin pie was topped with So Delicious Coco Whip. This was some awesome home-made pie! I'm not sharing the recipe. Sorry. Something this good needs to be a secret.
This is my first time trying the non-dairy Coco Whip. I had no idea it even existed until recently. It was a perfect addition to my amazingly delicious pumpkin pie. If you want to look for this whipped topping in stores, here's what the package looks like. This stuff is great!
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Ener-G Stuffing Gluten-free Traditional Stuffing
I made it mostly as directed. I went heavy on the seasonings. This was so good I forgot it was gluten-free. Most gluten-free products have a weird texture. This was just like the home-made stuffing Granny makes for Thanksgiving. And yes, this is all there was for this meal. No turkey for vegans.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Another Veggie Delight at Subway
Saturday, November 23, 2019
A Snack at Gadsden Variety and Cafe in Gadsden AL
Monday, November 18, 2019
Bagel & Lox From Hippea Camper In Huntsville AL
Bagel & Lox from Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL |
Click here to see the Hippea Camper website
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Kombucha Flight at Rosetta's Kitchen in Asheville NC
Every one of these were excellent with very noticeable individual differences. Kombucha isn't for everyone, but I like it. If you've never tried it, you should. But be prepared. It can be intense.
It pays to be kind and patient with each other. Don't be like those grumpy people. If you're in a bad mood, don't spread it around. We are all one big family. Just be nice to people. Fake a smile until it's real. Have a kombucha and chill out a while.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Tacos At Rosetta's Kitchen In Asheville NC
Vegan Rob's Cheddar Puffs
Bean Taco Minus Cheese At Taco Bell
Taco Bell does have several options for vegans, and we really do appreciate their efforts to offer us something we can eat. The food tastes pretty good, even without meat and cheese. Try the Bean Taco minus cheese, Bean Burrito minus cheese, the Spicy Tostada minus chipotle sauce and cheese, a side of Black Beans or Refried Beans, Chips and Pico De Gallo, and Cinnamon Twists. You can try to order a custom nacho plate, but that's really pushing it. At some point, changing the order that much is not even worth the effort or the price. Keep it simple at Taco Bell. They don't have time for your complicated order.
The main thing to remember is that the employees must throw this food together as quickly as possible, so the kitchen could be a mess with little bits of cheese or meat scattered across everything. You will often find cheese melted into the beans, meat stuck to the bottom of your Tostada shell or on the burrito tortilla, cheese mixed into the lettuce and pico de gallo, or worse, chunks of meat in the beans. I'm not picking on Taco Bell. All fast food is like this. But I still go to Taco Bell. I've been a regular customer for decades, and I've seen it all. I'm just giving you the truth. Vegans can enjoy food at Taco Bell, but we need to keep it very simple and inspect the food before eating.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Home-made Vegan Taco Casserole
She said this dish is good for beginner vegans to take to vegan potlucks because it's so cheap and easy to make. Everyone loves casseroles!
Monday, November 4, 2019
Veggie Wrap at Osa's Garden in Florence AL
Veggie Wrap at Osa's Garden in Florence AL |
This monster-sized wrap was perfect in every way. It was so big I had to take half with me. The ingredients were fresh and chunky. This was made with real food from the earth. Vegans don't have many choices in Florence AL, but this is an excellent one. The price almost scared me away, but this gave me 2 satisfying meals. I enjoyed every bite.
Osa's Garden is on the north side of Highway 72, just east of Florence. It's easy to miss, but it's worth finding.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
A Vegan Breakfast at Honest Coffee Roasters in Huntsville AL
Daybreak Bagel at Honest Coffee Roasters in Huntsville AL |
This was excellent! Everything about this breakfast was perfect. The Daybreak Bagel is a blueberry bagel topped with almond butter, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and chia seeds. I will definitely be back for more of this!
Click here to see the Honest Coffee Roasters website
Friday, November 1, 2019
A Vegan Lunch at BurgerFi in Montgomery AL
According to the website, the Vegan Beyond Burger and fries are the only vegan items on the menu. That is what I ordered.
The Vegan Beyond Burger came with lettuce, tomato, mustard, and ketchup. The manager said the burger is cooked separately from the meats. The burger looked and felt just like a beef burger. The taste was very mild, and it didn't really taste like beef. But that's good for me. Vegan food that tastes too much like real meat scares me. This was a pretty good plant-based burger.
The fries were nice and crisp on the outside. The serving size was larger than I expected. I was told the fries have their own frying oil, which is peanut oil.
I was pleased with my vegan meal at BurgerFi, however this meal was quite expensive. It was about $20 with a drink. While it was all very good, my opinion is that it was a bit overpriced. I would like to return, but the price will scare me away on most days. I'll reserve this for special craving days.
At BurgerFi, lacto-ovo vegetarians have the option to order the regular Beyond Burger (it comes with mayonnaise and a white bun), the VegiFi Burger (a veggie patty made with eggs and milk and served with mayonnaise), and onion rings (made with milk).
Click here to see the BurgerFi website
Fresh Gourmet Crispy Jalapenos
Fresh Gourmet Crispy Jalapenos make a good vegan snack and taste good on salads. And they're non-GMO!
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Vegan Halloween Candy: Chick-O-Stick
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Boca Original Chick'n Veggie Patties
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Dark Chocolate Peanut Clusters
These are really good. It's been so long since I've had chocolate and peanuts. Most chocolate contains milk. This product is all plant-based.
When shopping for vegan chocolate you'll need to assume almost all chocolate has milk in it, because that's a fact. Look for 100% cocoa and dark chocolate. But even those are frequently made with milk. Always read carefully.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Vegan Lunch From Steak-Out In Huntsville AL
Here's the baked potato with grilled onions and a sweet tea. It came with butter and sour cream in small take-out packages. I just gave those to an omnivore.
This lunch was very good. Every part of it was perfect. Carnivores and omnivores have plenty of options at Steak-Out, but it seems that herbivores are limited to ordering the baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, and drinks.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Lantana Yellow Lentil Hummus with Pita Bread
Peppered Tofurky Slices
This is so good I occasionally eat it straight from the package. To maximize my lunchtime pleasure, I gently place separated slices of Tofurky between toasted Dave's Killer Bread with a generous amount of Vegenaise.
With vegan sandwiches this good, there's no reason to think about animal flesh.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Banh A Long Time At Happy Tummy In Huntsville AL
Banh A Long Time at Happy Tummy in Huntsville AL |
This was a very good lunch. The jerk tofu and jalapenos really made it hot, which is what I expected. The fresh ingredients were crisp. There was a hint of exotic spices, probably from the jerk sauce. The service was great as usual, and the cafe was peaceful and quiet at the time of my visit. I will return!
Click here to see the Happy Tummy website
Lantana Black Bean Hummus
Vegan Liquid Part 2
Liquid Vegan Part 2
This blog entry highlights some of the many vegan beverage options. I just picked some of my own favorites. These drinks do not contain blood, pus, or bee vomit. Drink up!Core Hydration pH Water |
Hot Spiced Tea at P.F. Chang's |
GT's Muliti-Green Kombucha |
Alo Awaken Aloe Vera Water |
One Pure Coconut Water |
Hint Blackberry Water |
Dr Pepper with real sugar |
Tazo Jasmine Green Tea |