Carbs for One - Sad Bastards Bread

Since my dream in life is to open a vegan cafe or juice bar, I'm all about supporting anyone else (especially here in CLE) who decides to take the plunge and start their own business. On facebook, I read about Sad Bastards Bread, a vegan baking company started a couple weeks ago by a local vegan. Why's it called "Sad Bastards?" It's pretty clever, actually. Melvin the bread smith makes small loaves of bread for single people. (AKA sad bastards) Cute, right?

Since Sad Bastards Bread literally just got started, it's a work in progress. As of right now, bread and vegan cheese, hummus, desserts, and other vegan-y goodies are available at the Coit Road Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Rosemary and thyme bread and white bread

I purchased 2 loaves of bread, some chevre cheese, and the best oatmeal strawberry bars I've ever eaten. I haven't eaten the cheese yet, but the bars made it about 10 minutes after I got home. They were incredible. I also immediately ate a piece of rosemary and thyme bread. It was amazing. In my world, there are few things better than fresh bread, and this bread? Wow! Was it good! The white bread loaf was used to make garlic bread the next day and it was still great. But as with all fresh bread made without preservatives, this bread has a short shelf life, so when you go and pick up your own loaf, be sure to use it quickly.

Best wishes to Melvin and Sad Bastards Bread. If you're a carb-a-saurus like I am, check out his wares at an upcoming farmers market. 

Chloe Coscarelli's Vegan Brownie Bites

I haven't been blogging much lately because, well...I moved. I closed on the house I bought 2 weeks sooner than I thought I would, so just like 3 months ago, I had to pack up everything I own and move in about 5 days. Not fun. I know you should never say never, but I never want to move again. Or at least not anytime soon. I figured it out...in the past 3 years, I've moved 5 times. 5 times! I could say so much about that, but the only thing I think I need to say is that I love my new house and hope to live in it for as long as I can. Especially because I have no plans to move in with anyone in their house again in this lifetime.

The house I purchased is great. Roomy. Lots of storage space. And a really well designed kitchen. With appliances from 1971. That's right, folks! They're avocado green! Since I really love to cook and bake I was a little bummed to be buying a house with such an outdated kitchen, but I figure this is a good excuse for me to save up my pennies and build my dream kitchen down the road. If it were updated, I'd be more likely to just live with whatever the house came with. But since my appliances are older than me, odds are, I'm going to have to start replacing things sometime soon.

The other night, I decided to test out my stove and make some brownie bites from Chloe Coscarelli's cookbook, "Chloe's Kitchen: 125 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Making the Food You Love the Vegan Way." I'd share the recipe, but...Miss Chloe probably wouldn't like that. And I really think her cookbook is worth buying. I will say that this recipe was ridiculously easy. There were just a couple ingredients and I had almost everything I needed to make the brownie bites in my pantry already. (I normally would have had all of them...someone forgot to buy almond milk at the store last week!) In under an hour, I was able to whip up brownies from scratch (something I'd never done before) and turn them into tasty little bites. (or as I liked to call them, balls) I took them to a party my running club had last night and they were a hit - with the vegans and the non vegans!

I'm looking forward to trying out more recipes in this cookbook. There are some "old favorites" like spinach artichoke dip, broccoli soup, and macaroni and cheese, but there are also recipes for things like moo shoo vegetables with homemade Chinese pancakes. I think there's a good mix of classics that vegans and non vegans would like plus some more exotic dishes that your meat and potatoes friends might not enjoy as much. As an added bonus, Chloe offers options for making many of the recipes vegan AND gluten free. If you're looking for a last minute gift for the vegan or vegetarian in your life, I'd definitely consider picking up this cookbook.

Tasty and Unique Breakfast at Sunny Side Up Breakfast Nook in Little Italy

There are a few universal truths in my life. I've never eaten meat. (and never will) My cats mean more to me than most people do, and I really don't like breakfast foods all that much.  So when my friend was in from out of town last week and suggested that we catch up over breakfast, my heart sank a little.  I could tell you about dozens of great places in Cleveland to go for lunch or dinner, but when it comes to breakfast, I'm generally at a loss.  My standby breakfast place (when someone in my life really wants to go to breakfast) is Yours Truly, mainly because I live a stone's throw from one of their many locations. (and also because I can order "real" food when other people are ordering breakfast - this is another reason why I like Johnny Mango so much - the availability of non-breakfast foods)

 I remembered reading about Sunny Side Up Breakfast Nook and Boutique Gallery on Facebook.  And decided we should go there. 

Located in the heart of Little Italy, Sunny Side Up is more boutique than breakfast eatery, but don't let that scare you away.  When I walked in, I almost thought I was in the wrong place because there was such neat stuff everywhere - everything from artwork to jewelery to glassware and everything in between.  But no tables.  At least not inside.  There are a bunch of little bistro tables right outside, but I'm not sure what you'd do if it were raining. 

I learned from the helpful shop keep, everything in the store is made my local artists.  Cool, huh?  (It reminds me a little bit of Salty Not Sweet if you've been there)  They use local ingredients for their food and get baked goods from local bakers.  (including some vegan goodies!)  The menu isn't overly extensive.  But I'm not surprised.  Not sure how big the space is where they whip up food, but the one man working when I was there was shop keep, waiter, and food preparer, so I'm guessing the menu is intentionally simple to keep things moving. 

I ordered a peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwich.  I actually didn't realize it was a sandwich until it came out to the table.  For some reason I expected an open faced sandwich, but maybe that's just because I've never seen a pb and banana sandwich any other way.  But who cares about how it looked! It tasted great!  The bread was fresh, and so were the bananas.  I'd never thought to put honey on a sandwich, but that was a nice touch. My sandwich came with a nice side of fresh fruit, too.  Everything was so good that I gobbled down the plate before my friend even got halfway through her equally delicious egg dish. (according to my friend - I don't eat eggs)  This non-breakfast eater was mightily impressed!

Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwich

From Facebook stalking Sunny Side Up it seems like they have quite a few nighttime events featuring margaritas, theme parties, and lots of other neat sounding things.  Their selection of items in the boutique seems to always be changing, and I look forward to stopping back the next time I'm looking for a unique gift - or a unique breakfast or lunch experience. 

Surprisingly Vegan - Cupcakes from Vegan Sweet Tooth

Ok, so the title of this post might be a little misleading.  Clearly, I know that cupcakes from Vegan Sweet Tooth are vegan, but...they are so good, even your most skeptical meat eating or vegan hating friends won't be able to tell the difference.  Really!

I stopped by VST after volunteering this past Saturday, in search of some baked goodies to take with me to a party.  I know that they frequently sell out of just about everything on weekends, so when I showed up at their mall kiosk in Eton on Chagrin, I didn't have high hopes.  Thank goodness there were some mini cupcakes left, though!  But there really wasn't much else left, except a a few regular sized cupcakes, quite a few gluten free cupcakes, come cake pops (made with my nemesis - red food dye - can't wait until that trend passes or bakeries find a way to make delicious treats without tons of dye that I'm allergic to), and a raspberry cheesecake.

I could have eaten the whole box of cupcakes on my way home (the picture makes them looks bigger than they are - they're about a two bite treat), but I restrained myself and only ate a carrot cake cupcake. (after picking off the carrot - down with dye!)  And it was good!  Admittedly, not the best carrot cake cupcake I've ever eaten, but...still pretty darn good.  My favorite flavor from Vegan Sweet Tooth continues to be chocolate with peanut butter frosting.  I can't even describe how good it is.  And honestly, the chocolate cupcakes I've had from VST are some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten.  You'd never know they're dairy and animal product free.  Flavors vary, but if you stop by, I'm sure you're bound to find something that sounds delicious.

These little babies were a hit at the party!  No one could tell they were vegan!  The next time you're looking for some tasty little treats for yourself or for an event, be sure to check out Vegan Sweet Tooth!