Staying in for Brunch

The Topic: Sunday brunch, by guest blogger Brooke Still

The Dish: I hate to say it, but I am without a doubt someone who lives for the weekends. And one of my absolute favorite things to do on my favorite days of the week is go out for brunch. There's nothing quite like sitting at a table, whether it be at a crowded diner or at a sidewalk café, and feasting on delicious tofu scrambles or amazing French toast as a server endlessly fills my coffee cup. Heaven. But, living in the city, what once was a simple Sunday morning treat can easily become an entire weekend's budget. And so when my boyfriend visited this past week, it seemed like the responsible thing to do was to eat brunch at home.

At first, eating brunch at home broke my heart just a little bit. Some of our best memories take place in our college town at a little hole-in-the-wall diner, nursing our headaches from too much, um, studying the night before. But with Savvy Abby's biscuit recipe and Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan Brunch as my ammunition, I was determined to make our stay-in breakfasts just as amazing. Spoiler alert: They were. I won't give you a run-down of every single meal I prepared during my bf's stay, just the highlights. Of course, Savvy Abby's biscuits were amazing, especially mixed with chopped parsley and eaten with hot coffee right before we headed out to a San Francisco 49ers game. I also made some pumpkin mini-muffins from VegWeb that took about 30 seconds, and were absolutely delicious. But what rose to the top above any other brunch dish was Isa Chandra Moskowitz's A-MAZING East Coast Coffee Cake. This stuff literally melts in your mouth and I could not get enough. It really doesn't get any better than the buttery, crumbly, sweet coffee cake. We made ours with organic blueberries, though Isa has about 80 variations of the recipe. Isa was kind enough to share the East Coast Coffee Cake with us. Make it and you will not be sorry!

What You Need:

For the topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup canola oil, plus up to 2 tablespoons more if needed

For the cake:

3/4 cup nondairy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease an 8-inch round springform pan or 8-inch square pan (I used the square). In a small bowl, add milk for the cake and vinegar; set aside to curdle.

2. Make the topping: In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Drizzle in canola oil by the tablespoonful. Use your fingers to swish around the mixture until crumbs form. Alternate swishing and adding canola oil until all the oil is used and large crumbs have formed.

3. To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, mix together milk mixture, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until smooth.

4. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle on the topping and pat it down just a bit. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted through the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least an hour before slicing and serving.

The Final Word: I can't tell you the exact amount of money we saved not eating brunch at restaurants all week, but at meals between $20 and $25 for the two of us, it was easily more than $100. Plus, because I love to bake, I already had most of the ingredients on hand! But the best part of it all was the quality time we spent every morning, slowly sipping coffee and eating delicious, homemade vegan treats. It really doesn't get better than that!

Vegan Lunching

The Topic: Back-to-School Spirit

The Dish: Despite the fact that it has very little to do with me, I still get insanely nostalgic and excited during the back-to-school rush. Sure, I know lots of students might not agree with my happy attitude, but who can resist fresh notebooks and pens? On top of that, I loved taking my lunch—better food for less money, and I was nerdy enough to get a thrill from picking out an awesome lunch box. Today, there's an even wider range of sweet lunch carriers (including this one by PlanetBox up for grabs as this week's giveaway) that are long-lasting, eco-friendly, and, most importantly, pretty cute.

I was prompted to dig out my own while grabbing lunch to-go at a nearby café. One freaking bagel with hummus set me back almost $5—talk about a rude awakening. To think, I had just felt guilty for spending $3 on a bag of five bagels at the corner store. I don't even need to do the math for you, do I? Adding insult to injury, I'll be real with you: One bagel isn't going to fill me up. Packing my lunch means I can have a more balanced meal, and one that's actually filling.

The Final Word: Spending extra time at the store and in the kitchen will save you a major headache when blood sugar is low and you need a food fix before you Hulk out and start stealing your coworker's snacks. Need ideas? This week's VegWeb newsletter is full of them. Oh, and if heating up a vegan grilled cheese every day sounds likes heaven, don't forget to vote in the Veggie Awards—you'll be automatically entered to win a year's supply of Daiya.

Cheap Eats: Kale Chips!

The Topic: Replacing the Beloved Potato

The Dish: Lately, my savory-snacking side has trumped the usual gravitation towards sweets, sending me to the likes of my ultimate weakness, Salt & Pepper Baked Kettle Chips (a bag can be considered dinner, right?). Holy crap, those things are good. But, much like vegan cupcakes, they're neither a huge nutritional hero or very budget-friendly. The simple, tasty, two-syllable answer? Kale chips.

I don't know when I first tried a kale chip, but I know kale itself was completely foreign to me before going veg. And now, it's true love for the leafy green in all its forms. These crispy, healthier-than-potato chips are really making themselves known, from VegWeb recipes to retail launches. The VN crew saw a few varieties at Expo West (one of which may have made our list of Best of Show winners), and I loved them. However, the price for prepackaged is definitely steeper than flat-out buying a bunch or two of kale, which is almost all it takes to make your very own at home.

This crunchy, savory, satisfying recipe hails straight from VegWeb, and it just took top honors in the VegWeb Recipe Showdown, winning as the Amazing Appetizer (pick up the May+June issue of VegNews for the rest of the winners!).


Kale Chips
by yesterdaygirl

Serves 4

What You Need:
2 large bunches kale, washed and destemmed
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
Coarse salt, to taste, or seasoning blend

What You Do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop or tear kale into chip-size pieces. In a medium bowl, combine kale, apple cider vinegar, oil, and salt or seasoning. Mix to coat.

2. Onto a baking sheet, spread kale and bake for 10 minutes or until crispy. Serve immediately.

The Final Word: My advice? Take the serving size with a grain of salt. Personally, I could take down one—if not both—bunches of kale in one sitting. Again, that's dinner, right? The recipe is too simple not to make, and too freakin' tasty not to become a potato-replacing staple.

Mother's Day Gifts

The Topic: Money-Saving Gifts for Mom

The Dish: Mother's Day is almost a week away, meaning there's no time like the present to pick out the perfect gift to show you care—seriously, there's no time! I've rounded up a few ideas to get you started, whether your budget is $2 or $200.

• What do many moms want more than anything on their special day? My guess: you! If you can't afford to fly in for a face-to-face visit, make some time for a video chat (Skype is free and fantastic). She'll get to see your glowing face, and you can spend some quality time catching up. Word of warning: Video chats are even harder to end than phone calls. Schedule post-chat events accordingly.
• If you can make it home, there's always the classic gift of your chef-ly talents. Preparing a meal from scratch is always sweet, and plenty of delicious recipes are easy on the wallet, too. VegWeb has an amazing Mother's Day page full of ideas. I recommend the Best Ever French Toast.
• Cater to Mom's sweet tooth with the ridiculously decadent Sweet & Sara Marshmallow Variety Sampler. These aren't just vegan marshmallows—they're a party in your mouth. A gourmet treat, the sampler is also a steal at $6.25, and right now S&S is offering a 10-percent discount with the code "spring." You can also buy slightly imperfect sweets—but still highly tasty—at an even deeper discount.
• Vegan Etsy is a wonderful, time-sucking marketplace that's damn near guaranteed to have something Mom would like. With more than 2,000 vintage and handmade gifts, you can sort by price and keywords, making it a cinch to find the best buy. Whether it's these cute heart-shaped turquoise earrings ($5.25) or a Sailor Jerry-inspired soy wax candle ($6), you can score a one-of-a-kind bargain.
• If you want to splurge on your saintly mother but can't ignore your bargain-hunting nature, Vaute Couture is having an amazing sale right now. Its eco-friendly, high-quality, vegan winter coats are selling for 35–70 percent off the original prices. Sure, it's almost summer, but how impressed will Mom be that you're planning ahead? How grown up! And seriously, these coats are gorgeous and will last many winters, reminding her of your stylish and thoughtful self every time she wears it.
• Shameless promotion here, but did you know the VN store sells tons of delicious treats—including vegan peanut butter cups and candy bars—as well as our favorite veg books and merch? Oh, and shipping is always free, which is a big money-saver.
• I love Lush and all of its handmade, cruelty-free cosmetics. There are always new, fun products, and it has a laundry list of animal- and planet-friendly initiatives to its name. The latest offering includes the abolishment of paper gift-wrap in favor of its new Knot-Wrap. Using scarves made from either recycled materials or vintage fabric, all Lush stores will offer Knot-Wraps to secure purchases for pretty presentation. Reusable as everything from a jaunty ascot to a grocery bag, these scarves are pretty and functional, and can easily conceal the perfect Mother's Day gifts.

The Final Word: Guess what? I have one adorable Knot-Wrap filled with seven brand-new Lush products to give away, including Mint Julips Lip Scrub and Creme Anglaise Hand and Body Cream. Valued at more than $100, it's the ideal Mother's Day gift package, and one lucky commenter will win the whole shebang, because the cheapest gift is the one you get for free. Just leave a comment and let me know: What are your plans for Mother's Day? Let me know by noon on Monday for your chance to win. Go!

Mission District Deals

The Topic: Don’t Fear the Cheaper: A Mission Adventure

The Dish: When the weekend arrives, I’m usually simultaneously caught by surprise and excited—Party! Shopping! Let’s do this, San Francisco! About four minutes pass before I realize that I have neither bank funds nor credit limit to live out my luxurious lifestyle—or do I? For just $25, a jam-packed day in the City by the Bay is not only possible, but it’s fun in a guilt-free sort of way. Here’s how the low-budget lifestyle played out in the city’s Mission District.

9am: With empty cabinets and a growling stomach, I went for the quickest, cheapest, and most filling meal I know—a Super Veggie Burrito from my local taqueria. Filled with black beans, rice, guacamole, lettuce, and salsa, all wrapped up in a whole-wheat tortilla, this $5.40 investment is equivalent to at least two meals, filling me up for the majority of the day. Oh, and it also comes with chips and salsa. I brought my own bottle of Tapatio, the world’s best and surprisingly cheap hot sauce, to add a little spice. No, 9am is not too early for a burrito—they open at 8am, after all. (Remaining budget: $19.60)

10am: Finally ready to move after my monster morning meal, it’s time to hop on the Muni train ($2) and head out to enjoy the sunshine. It might sound lame, but when the weather is gorgeous, just getting in some exercise walking and people watching is delightful—and free. I usually pass at least three buskers on my journey, from bucket-drumming percussionists to blues-playing guitarists. Or, you know, a man standing on his head on top of a pint glass, singing. The city has talent, that’s all I’m saying.

I headed toward the Mission, where a slew of second-hand stores were calling my name. While many stores use the moniker “vintage” instead of “thrift,” enabling them to charge $15 for a t-shirt that would be about $2.50 at an actual thrift store, there is a secret weapon: The sale rack. Yes, even in second-hand stores. Generally, there is a $1 or $5 rack, and a little digging can lead to treasure. A cute blazer, comfy tee, and $6 later, my inner consumerist felt satisfied. ($11.60)

2pm: I need hydration. Having already emptied my water bottle brought from home, I seek out the next best thing: coconut water. At a small stand on an unassuming street corner, I score a fresh young coconut for only $2.50, cracked open on the spot. Customers get to not only drink the super delicious water, but then have the coconut chopped open, enabling them to devour the coconut inside for the best afternoon pick-me-up ever. I’ve developed a serious addiction to this stuff, be it fresh or from a can. ($9.10)

2:30pm: A girl cannot live on coconut water and clothes alone. My true obsession lies in the smell of paper, binding, and dust—better known as used bookstores. (Are you sensing a trend in my cheap ways? Peruse the used!) I spent way too long in Dog Eared Books, and while I didn’t buy anything, reading from their eclectic collection might be my favorite way to spend an afternoon.

4:30pm: Ok, I’m bored with myself. By this time of the day, it’s socially acceptable to grab a happy-hour special with friends. I met up with good friend and VegWebmistress Laura Beck at The Attic to share a round of $3 Manhattans (don’t forget to tip, even on a budget!) and a little gossip. And being a dog-friendly establishment, I also got to enjoy the company of her rescued pit bull, Hazel. ($5.10)

6:30pm: With only a few dollars to my name and tired feet, it’s time to head home. Another $2 train ride gets me to my neighborhood, and I have just enough cash left for an order of brown rice ($1.50) from my local Chinese joint. Hey, it might not be the healthiest dinner, but I’m sure there are a few kale leaves somewhere in the fridge I can throw in. ($1.60)

The Final Word: With a dollar and some change to spare, I’m ready for an evening at home with my puppy and some Netflix (already paid for, WIN!). Thanks to cheap eats, used goods, great weather, and a little homework on the destination neighborhood, a day out doesn’t have to break the bank.