More Than Bread

When I was in middle school, a Panera Bread opened in town. I remember spending multiple half-days downtown, wandering in and out of shops, and most lunches were enjoyed at Panera. You could usually find me with a bacon turkey bravo sandwich, or a bread bowl filled with creamy chicken and wild rice soup. And you can’t forget about the chocolate chip bagels – I had never encountered such a treat before! It was the first place I went after I got my braces off sophomore year of high school, and where I went for lunch after getting a cast for breaking my finger. It’s a place I was very familiar with, but over the last few years, fell out of favor.

So, when I was asked if I would be interested in taking a trip to review their soups, I was more than happy to reacquaint myself with Panera. One thing I remembered, and really like, is that their soup selections change depending on the day. Since it’s listed on their website and it’s the same each week, it’s easy to keep track and visit on your favorite soup days! One of my best friends from high school was obsessed with their baked potato soup, so I remember we always had to go on Fridays so she could get it. As a serious planner, I appreciate that knowledge ahead of time!

Being new to the world of full-fledged vegetarianism, I’m always happy to see when restaurants label things as vegetarian (as well as gluten free and dairy free)… it helps make things easier. With their easy to spot labeling, I knew right away which soups I could (and couldn’t) enjoy. So I set my sights on the low-fat vegetarian black bean soup – the plump beans simmered in a mildly spicy broth was just what I needed. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my expectations weren’t high, simply because most black beans soups I’ve had while dining out have been less than fantastic… they’re usually on the watery side and far from generous when it comes to the black beans. This soup, however, was a pleasant surprise.

I paired the soup with their Mediterranean veggie sandwich (I had to go with the “You Pick Two!”), and it was a completely satisfying and delicious meal. It was just the push I needed to make my visits to Panera more frequent. I’m hooked on that black bean soup! And, the veggie sandwich was just the right amount of crisp vegetables, dressing, and feta cheese. And besides, who doesn’t love soup in a sourdough bread bowl? I can’t wait to head back to try out more soup – their creamy tomato soup and new grilled cheese is calling my name!

Have you been to Panera? What’s your favorite item?
Soup lover? Share your favorite soups!

Disclaimer: I was sent a gift card to try Panera’s soup and write about it. All thoughts & opinons are my own.

Leftoverpalooza

Thanksgiving this year was the very first time in my 26 years that I didn’t have turkey. While I was convinced the temptation would be too much and I’d cave as the bird was being carved, I managed to stay true to my new vegetarian lifestyle! I even went so far as to make my very own stuffing. The stuffing that is always made includes sausage, so I subbed the meat version for some veggie sausage, and couldn’t even tell the difference. Matter of fact, my co-workers didn’t notice either, and voted me to a 2nd place tie during our office Thanksgiving on Tuesday.

Whether you eat meat or not, I thought it would be helpful to round-up some left0ver ideas. I’m not usually one for “round-up” posts, as I find they’re boring and repetitive… but once in awhile I find one that I appreciate. Of course, in preparation for Thanksgiving there were a ton – recipe ideas, decoration tips, workouts to help you beat the bulge, etc. But what about once the guests are gone?! If you’ve ever hosted Thanksgiving, you know that aside from hosting, figuring out what to do with all the leftovers can be just as daunting of a task. I’ve hosted quite a few times, so there are a few recipes I’d like to share with you to help you clear out the fridge!

First up: Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

The great thing about this “recipe” is that you can really use whatever you have on hand. It reminds me of the infamous Thanksgiving dinner sandwich, except in casserole form. You can pile it all into a baking dish, set it in the oven, and you have yourself a hodgepodge of Thanksgiving dinner all in one happy dish. This would even be good without the turkey!

Next is Turkey Noodle Soup!

As the weather is getting cooler (kind of), who doesn’t like a good soup? Of course you could take the time to use the turkey carcass to make a soup, but after slaving in the kitchen for hours on Thanksgiving, who wants to be bothered? This is a quick and easy soup, again using ingredients you already have on hand. Pair this with some leftover dinner rolls and you’ve got yourself a solid meal!

And finally, Crunch Turkey Quesadilla .

No round-up of recipes from me would be complete without something involving a tortilla of sorts. While I don’t have a picture since it was from early in my blogging days when I didn’t understand the importance of text + pictures, I promise it’s delicious. I think cranberry sauce would be an excellent “salsa!”

So, there you have it… three of my favorite post-Thanksgiving recipes. There are so many great things you can make from leftovers, and I’m sure I will discover more this year. I hope everyone had a great day with family and friends, and if you’re shopping today, are staying sane. I’m laying low today and Turkey Trotting on Saturday!

Don’t forget to enter my Under Armour giveaway! You have until Monday 11/26.

Do you have any favorite post-Thanksgiving recipes?
Did you (or will you) turkey trot over the holiday? How’d it go?

Creamy Tomato Soup

When I was working from home because of Hurricane Sandy, I made sure to watch as much morning television as possible (you know, The Today Show, Live with Kelly & Michael, Rachael Ray, etc.). While most of the stuff wasn’t worth mentioning, they did have Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa on The Today Show one morning which immediately caught my attention. She made a few different things for the segment, but the one that really stood out was her tomato soup. I’m not typically a tomato soup fan since most of the kinds I’ve had just tasted like hot tomato juice, but I was willing to give hers a try.

Since our oven has been out of commission, everything I’ve been making has been either on the stove-top, or in the toaster oven. So this soup was perfect, and it paired amazingly with grilled cheese. But not just any grilled cheese – grilled gouda (my absolute favorite) with sautéed red onion and BBQ sauce. I wound up making quite a few modifications to the soup to fit my taste, and it was so delicious. The entire thing can be completed in one pot, in a matter of about 30 minutes. That’s pretty good for a flavorful homemade soup if you ask me! I’m definitely making this again (and the grilled cheese)!

Creamy Tomato Soup – inspired by Ina Garten’s Easy Tomato Soup
– serves about 6 –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 14 oz. cans of vegetable broth
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on your spice preference)
1 tsp dried basil
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and diced onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until they’re translucent and starting to brown. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Do you have a favorite type of soup? Or one you can’t stand?

Another Week

It’s been a week since superstorm Sandy touched down in the greater tri-state area and wreaked havoc. A week of working from home, running as much as possible, and trying to keep up with the news while simultaneously trying to keep my tears at bay. It’s hard to believe that places I grew up and know so well have been forever changed; and more importantly than that, the friends and family that have had their lives changed as well. As I mentioned last week, I was lucky enough to retain power through the storm and not to suffer any damages myself. My office, as well as my parents, however, haven’t had power since late Sunday, with reports of it not coming back until the end of this week. While it’s easy to get angry at a lack of heat and power, in the grand scheme of things, it could be much worse.

That being said, even though our oven isn’t working, I’ve been cooking up a storm. My most recent creation was vegan buffalo lasagna. All my GI woes have gotten a little better, and while going gluten-free didn’t seem to make a difference, my doctor has suggested I lay low on dairy. I’m still eating dairy, just a lot less. At my last appointment when trying to figure out why I wasn’t getting much better, I just so happened to mention that I loved cheese, and I watched my doctor immediately scribble that information on his legal pad, with exclamation points to follow the statement. Things have been going better, but I’ve also upped my medicine, so we’ll see what happens when I start to dial the medicine back. So, to cater to my new reduced dairy diet and vegetarianism, this particular recipe is dairy and meat free! You can use regular cheese and dressing (and of course add in chicken), but you should give this version a try!

Vegan Buffalo Lasagna
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1 block firm tofu
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup Frank’s red hot
1 cup vegan Ranch dressing (i.e. Follow Your Heart)
8 oz. vegan shredded mozzarella cheese (i.e. Daiya)
9 “no boil” lasagna noodles

Directions:
1. Press the tofu to get out as much water as possible.
2. Meanwhile, combine the Frank’s and ranch dressing together in a bowl.
3. In a separate large bowl, break up the tofu using a fork until it resembles ricotta cheese.
4. Add in the nutritional yeast and 1/2 cup of the dressing mixture, stirring to combine.
5. Take 4-6 tbsp of the dressing mixture to generously coat the bottom of your slow cooker.
6. Layer 3 no boil noodles, followed by 1/3 cup of the tofu mixture, and a 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat.
7. After adding the last 3 noodles, pour the remainder of the dressing mixture, being sure to coat everything. Top with the remaining cheese.
8. Cook on high in the slow cooker for 2 hours.

Modifications

On Monday, I stayed home from work like almost everyone in the Northeast due to Sandy. Even though I was working from home, I made sure to make dinner early (I’m talking before noon) just in case the power went out as the storm approached later in the day (the oven is electric). I had Namely Marley’s Lentil Sloppy Joe’s on the menu, and since there were purple turnips in our Fresh Box, I thought I’d roast them as a side dish. I was able to make the sloppy joe’s no problem, so a few hours later I turned on the oven so it could pre-heat for the turnips.

Almost immediately I heard a crackling that sounded like something was burning. To my horror I looked through the oven’s window and saw bright white light… the makings of a fire. I immediately turned off the oven and blew out the flames, and stared in disbelief. Of course I was immediately annoyed that my oven would have the nerve to break during a storm, and wasn’t sure what to make instead. Since I love when my mom makes mashed turnips for Thanksgiving, I figured I’d attempt to put my own spin on them. This version is vegan, but it would be just as good with regular milk!

I can’t have a post about a recipe I made during Sandy without speaking of the storm itself. Thankfully, my townhouse kept power during the entire storm (though it did come and go a few times). It seemed like everyone around me (including my parents) lost power, and are still in the dark. I’m surrounded by the Raritan River, but thankfully am a little higher up. So, while everything around me seems to flood and lose power often, this is the third major storm I’ve weathered here and have made it out okay. Though, being surrounded by such damage means I can’t really get anywhere – but I’m okay with that. I’m keeping everyone in my thoughts and prayers, and sending a big thank you to everyone keeping us safe (police, fire fighters, nurses, doctors, EMT, etc.)!

But back the turnips. If you’re not a coconut fan, you can definitely use some EarthBalance (or if you aren’t vegan, regular butter). The coconut adds some extra flavor notes that I enjoyed, but I know of plenty of people who are not coconut fans, so butter will work just fine!

Vegan Mashed Turnips
– makes 3 cups –

Ingredients:
3 turnips, cubed
2 tsp coconut oil
1-2 Tbsp almond/soy/coconut milk (I used unsweetend)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Boil the cubed turnips for about 25 minutes, or until they are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork.
2. Drain the turnips and return them to the pot. Add in the coconut oil, milk of choice, and spices. Using a manual masher (I have a great double masher from Crate & Barrel) or hand mixer on low, mix everything together to your preferred consistency (I like to leave a little chunk).

Quick Fried Rice

About a week ago, I mentioned on Twitter how much I love Trader Joe’s “Indian Fare” dishes. They sell them in the prepared foods aisle, and for $1.99 you can have yourself a super quick and easy meal; I’ve even blogged about my love affair with them before. The folks over at Tasty Bite saw my tweet, and offered to send me some of their own equally quick and easy Indian dishes. Always willing to try something new, I eagerly sent them my address and a few days later I had quite the variety pack on my hands!

I’ve sampled two of the three Indian dishes so far, the Chana Masala and the Jodhpur Lentils. While I’ve had Chana Masala before (it’s one of my favorite Indian dishes), I’d never tried Jodhpur Lentils. Both were really flavorful, and you can’t beat the 90 second cook time! In addition to the Indian styled dishes, I also received two kinds of rice – a package of basmati and a package of brown rice. I saved the basmati rice to pair with my last Indian dish, Punjab eggplant. At first I wasn’t sure what to do with the brown rice, but when I was trying to figure out what I could do with leftover carrots and scallions from my Fresh Box, I had a genius idea – fried rice!

At first, I didn’t think the fried rice was going to be blog worthy – I mean, it was just some brown rice mixed with a few vegetables, eggs, and some soy sauce. Sure, it’s simple, but it’s really good. I’m talking about the kind of good where you take a taste and eagerly look over at your dining partner to see their reaction. I think that’s my favorite part about cooking – seeing the reaction and getting feedback on things I’ve made. It’s always nice to hear when someone is extremely impressed with a dish you’ve made!

The beauty about this recipe is that it can really work with any type of vegetables that you deem appropriate, making it perfect for an end of the week “clean out the fridge” kind of meal. So feel free to get creative with your ingredients, and if you do, let me know what you use!

Quick Fried Rice
– Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side –

Ingredients:
1 package Tasty Bite instant brown rice (or 2-3 cups of cooked brown rice)
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 medium sized carrots, diced
2 large eggs
4 scallions, diced
¼ cup soy sauce (I used ginger soy flavored for an extra kick of flavor)
2-3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp oil of choice (olive, canola, vegetable, or sesame will work)
Sriracha or other hot sauce for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat your oil of choice in a skillet over medium-high heat, and add your diced onion and diced carrot. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to look translucent.
2. Add in your soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and mix well. Crack in your eggs and constantly whisk them – your goal is to have a scrambled egg consistency.
3. Once the onion and carrot is mixed with the egg and sauce, add in your rice and scallions, stirring to combine.
4. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to ensure everything is heated through. Enjoy with some Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce!

Disclaimer: Tasty Bite sent me these entrées at no cost to me, and required nothing of me in return. Because I enjoyed the product so much, I decided to share it with you! All opinions and the recipe are my own.

Vegetarian Flavor

When I first thought about taking the plunge into a vegetarian lifestyle, I reasoned with myself that I couldn’t do it because of all the things I’d be missing. Of course if you approach anything with the mindset of what you’re losing and not what you’re gaining, struggles are bound to happen. Thankfully when I finally decided to officially make the vegetarian plunge (almost 3 months strong now!), I approached it much differently. While I still have a pang for a cheeseburger once in a blue moon, I’ve discovered so much more in the food world, and have been able to make some pretty simple substitutions.

I abide by the rule that almost anything can be turned vegetarian. Obviously a steak can’t, but there are ways to approach meals and make them just as flavorful, if not more. So, when this week’s Fresh Box included radicchio, I went on the hunt for recipe inspiration and like most recipes I find, there was a meat component. I found a recipe from Saveur that included pancetta, and immediately decided I could easily swap that out.

For the recipe, I went with Morningstar Farm’s vegetarian styled bacon. This could easily work well with smoked tempeh, and of course, bacon or pancetta. I went with the suggested pappardelle, but if you don’t have any on hand, a fettuccine or other egg styled pasta would work well.

Smoky Pappardelle with Radicchio inspired by Sauver
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp sage
4 slices veggie styled bacon or tempeh*
1 lb. pappardelle or other egg styled flat pasta
1 head radicchio, sliced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a skillet and add onion, sage, salt and pepper over medium heat. Constantly stir for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown (it’s a pain, but I promise worth it!). Add in the veggie bacon and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the radicchio to the pan and cook until wilted, about 5 more minutes.
2. Meanwhile, boil 3-4 quarts of salted water, add the pasta and cook for about 8 minutes, drain (save about 1/4 cup of water).
3. Combine the pasta with the veggie bacon, onion, and radicchio with the 1/4 cup of pasta water; mix well.
4. Finish off with the balsamic vinegar and top with grated or shredded parmesan cheese.

*Note: You can buy “fakin’ bacon” that is already flavored tempeh, or you can buy regular tempeh and mix it with some liquid smoke for the same effect.

Chicago Marathon Recap: The Food

You didn’t think I was going to give you a Chicago Marathon recap without talking about food, did you?! I wish that I had a glowing food post for you like I did last time I was in Chicago, but unfortunately this trip was more about the race than it was the food, and I didn’t get to visit everywhere I wanted. At least that just means it’s an excuse to go back!

As I mentioned in my race recap, we were up early and off to the expo on Saturday morning, so breakfast was a stop at Starbucks next to our hotel. After the expo, though, we headed to Native Foods Café for lunch, which happened to be just around the corner from our hotel. It’s actually a chain, but only has a few locations; mostly in Chicago, California, and Colorado (guess they like C states!). I had searched for vegetarian restaurants prior to the trip, and since this was around the corner and had good reviews, I knew we had to check it out. After quickly browsing the menu, Andy ordered their Portobello “Sausage” burger with a side of seasoned fries, while I opted for the Twister Wrap [salad greens, fresh avocado and cucumber salsa, creamy chipotle sauce and your choice of crispy, blackened, or grilled Native “chicken” in an organic whole wheat wrap] with a side of kale, and we split their lavender lemonade.

The food was awesome. The Native “chicken” looked, felt, and tasted like chicken (I opted for it blackened), and they didn’t skimp on the avocado which I always appreciate. And Andy, not a vegetarian (but woefully eats as one most of the time) really enjoyed his burger, too. I would have loved to try everything on their menu, but unfortunately our trip only allowed us to visit once. I would love to have a vegetarian restaurant like that around me!

After a trip to Target and relaxing our legs for a bit, we headed off to dinner at Rosebud Theater District. Our main goal for dinner on Saturday night was very simple: pasta. So, the obvious choice was to search for a nearby Italian restaurant. Despite staying in the financial district of the city, we had a lot of options that were open on Saturday night (though there were equally as many that were closed). The restaurant had the best reviews out of every walkable place I researched, so we made a reservation prior to our trip in order to secure a spot. We started off sharing a house salad and bruschetta, which was delicious. They topped their bruschetta with fresh mozzarella, which I really enjoyed. Of course I had my fair share of the table’s bread, which they served with olive oil and parmesan cheese. I’ve never thought to mix parmesan cheese into olive oil for dipping, but you better believe I’m going to do it now! By the time we were finishing up our appetizers, dinner arrived and we dug in. I ordered the penne alla vodka and while it may not have been the safest option, it was vegetarian and I had a pretty good feeling it wouldn’t upset my stomach (thankfully I was right). I would love to go back on an evening where I could enjoy some wine!

Our final meal in the city was at Giordano’s for deep dish Chicago style pizza. I know there are a lot of different restaurants that offer deep dish pizza in the city, but we actually visited this restaurant four years ago on my first trip to Chicago. As we were being walked to our seat, we both looked at each other and at the same time echoed; “seriously? This is exactly where we sat four years ago!” I mean, what are the chances of that?! Since the pizza is made to order and we were finally gaining our hunger back post-marathon, we ordered some parmesan fries to share while waiting for our pizza. We ordered our pizza with onions, peppers, and jalapenos, and it was awesome. We even made sure to get a pizza big enough to bring some back to the hotel, since we both knew our hunger would rage late into the night; and it did. I’m a New York style pizza girl all the way, but sometimes it’s nice to change it up and do what I like to call ‘knife and forking it.’

Now, I wouldn’t typically make note of airport food. I purposely didn’t mention the food we ate at Newark Airport because it was awful. I do, however, feel the need to mention the food I had at Chicago O’Hare. Since we were flying United, we were stationed in Terminal B right next to the most delicious airport food I’ve ever experienced – Rick Bayless’ Tortas Frontera. If you are even remotely into food, and more specifically Mexican and Southwestern food, then you know the name Rick Bayless. As you all know I am obsessed with both food, and more specifically, Mexican/Southwestern food. So as soon as I saw that name attached to a sign hanging next to our gate, I insisted on getting something. I double checked Yelp an FourSquare reviews, and it was no surprise to see phenomenal reviews. After quickly doing a once-over of the menu, I ordered the rosted garlic mushroom torta which had crimini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms, chipotle garlic mojo, goat cheese, black beans, and arugula. It was heaven between two pieces of crusty bread.

Just like I can’t wait to run my next marathon, I can’t wait to head back to Chicago to enjoy the city more. Hopefully, I won’t be waiting another four years to make my return!

This Week in Yum: Wrap It Up

It’s no secret that I am in love with burritos. So, whenever I have the opportunity to include some type of wrapped deliciousness into my meal, I’m game. While burritos are my number one love, I really enjoy wraps of all forms. When looking back on the past few weeks of meals I’ve created, I realized that there have been quite a few versions of wraps – some more traditional than others, but all of them take on that tuck and roll form.

First up was using collard greens as a replacement wrapper. I’ve only ever thought of collard greens in a slow cooked format to be served with black eyed peas, but I’m happy to report collards are in fact a perfect wrapping vehicle. For this particular version, I sauteed some typical “burrito” fillers, and steamed the big collard green leaves for about 20 seconds. It was so incredibly easy that I can’t wait to get my hands on some more collard greens to try a different filling.

I’ve made “egg rolls” before, but went with either a traditional Asian theme, or a Southwestern twist. This time I was trying to use up some falafel mix I had in the pantry, and figured I would give falafel egg rolls a try. I don’t know how I thought of it (I haven’t found a recipe for it yet), but am glad I followed through on this one. All I did was prepare the falfel according to the package, except instead of shaping them into balls I formed them more like logs so they’d fit in the wrappers. I filled each wrapper with a tablespoon of hummus (supremely spicy, of course), some diced red onion, and one of the falafel logs. Baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, and I had perfection. It was so easy I didn’t think it warranted a full written recipe, but you really should make these. I’m excited to have some leftover egg roll wrappers, and I can’t wait to use them!

I also made a more traditional wrap this past weekend after my last long run before the Chicago marathon – chimichangas! I had seen online the idea of making baked chimichangas, and decided to give them a try (because I LOVE the fried version). Again, you can really put whatever you want in them (I used onion, pepper, poblano, tomato, corn, and black beans), and roll that up in a burrito sized tortilla. Then, you just need to bake them at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, sprinkle on some cheese, and cook them another 3-5 until the cheese is melted and they’re crispy. So easy. So delicious.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned with all these wrapped up foods, though, is the importance of patience. I can’t tell you how many times I burnt my tongue or the roof of my mouth – to the point where it hurt for days. Matter of fact, I’m still nursing my post-chimichanga burn, which is almost a week old! But that’s okay – it was worth the deliciousness.

Anyone else obsessed with wraps?
Have any fun wrap recipes I should try?

Shake It

If you remember not too long ago the folks at Vega sent me some of their newly launched Vega Smoothies to try. I loved the individual packets and their convenience, so when they asked if I’d be interested in trying their new Vega One French Vanilla flavor, I couldn’t resist.

It’s true that nowadays I’m a bit of a nutrient powder fiend. Since getting a bunch to try from GNC (final thoughts coming soon!), I’ve been having some type of protein powder in one form or another almost every day. This isn’t to say I am getting most of my nutrients from powders (that would be weird, and I probably wouldn’t be very healthy), but I like the ability to add to my daily intake when necessary – especially during marathon training. Since all of the powders I have are protein based, I was excited to try something that was a little more well-rounded, even if the protein count is on the lower side. These powders have 50% of your daily intake of vitamins and minerals, 15 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 1.5 grams of Omega-3, and a bunch of antioxidants, probiotics, and greens.

When it comes to shake and powder flavors, chocolate and vanilla are usually the most popular (and most people I know gravitate towards chocolate). I remember when I was younger stopping at a Friendly’s with my mom and getting milkshakes; she ordered chocolate and I ordered vanilla. I’m never going to forget her commenting about how boring it was that I ordered vanilla, and if I was going to have a shake I should have gotten chocolate (since it’s apparently much less of a boring flavor). While I love chocolate, I still to this day find myself gravitating towards vanilla flavored drinks, and so I was pumped to try Vega’s French Vanilla.

I know a lot of people try different kinds of vanilla powders and say things like “Wow! That tasted like cake batter!,” well I’m here to tell you that if you’re looking for a cake batter or super sweet flavor, this powder isn’t for you. It’s plant based and is derived from ingredients like pea protein, so it tastes much more earthy than your average instant smoothie. This isn’t to say it’s bad – I just think it is much more of an acquired taste than most would be prepared for. I’ve found that mixing it with some type of milk (regular milk, or almond/coconut/soy/hemp) is much better than just using water – the powder mixes much better with a thicker milk consistency, and the flavors meld together in a way that isn’t possible with water. Also be aware – since it’s derived from plants, when mixed it does have a greenish hue. For me, I’m not looking for a dessert flavored healthy shake – if I wanted a milkshake tasting drink, well, I’d have myself a milkshake!

That being said, I like how convenient it is; mixing some into some milk gives me way more nutrients than I would get from your average smoothie, and its filling! I prefer to have it in the early afternoon just when I’m about to hit the slump, or in the morning as a part of my breakfast.

It turns out they’re having a sale and offering 15% off until 9/30/12! So if you’re interested in giving it a try, head over to Vega.com and order yourself some!

Do you use any powders to enhance your daily nutrients?

Disclaimer: Vega sent me these protein powders to try at no cost to me, and all opinions are my own.