Blog

01 Feb

Raw Cacao 'Date Night' Truffles - Vegan Valentine's Day Menu {oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.comValentine's Day is on its way, and I think that the perfect date night would be a relaxed one in making a healthy homemade dinner with your sweetie! My boyfriend Chris and I collaborated yet again, and put together a healthy, oil-free and easy peasy Vegan Valentine's Day Menu for you to enjoy. Even if you are stumbling across this page far our from the month of February, all of the recipes we included are must try's!Vegan Valentine's Day Menu {oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.comOur full Vegan Valentine's Day Menu {oil-free} is available on both my blog and ConsciousChris.net. You can check out all of the featured recipes below, all of these are perfect for a night in with you and your {vegan} honeee, I hope you enjoy!
14:20 / Dessert / Gluten Free / Oil Free / Raw Vegan / Valentine's Day
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30 Jan

'Hearty' Lentil Soup - Vegan Valentine's Day Menu {oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.comTo all of you lovebirds who need a cute Valentine's Day date idea, why not do a relaxed night in, making a healthy homemade dinner with your sweetie? My boyfriend Chris and I collaborated yet again, and put together a healthy, oil-free and easy peasy Vegan Valentine's Day Menu for you to enjoy. Even if you are stumbling across this page far our from the month of February, all of the recipes we included are must try's!Vegan Valentine's Day Menu {oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.comOur full Vegan Valentine's Day Menu {oil-free} is available on both my blog and ConsciousChris.net. You can check out all of the featured recipes below, all of these are perfect for a night in with you and your {vegan} honeee, I hope you enjoy!
10:38 / Appetizers and Sides / Oil Free / Soup / Valentine's Day
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27 Jan

This past weekend, Chris and I had a food adventure and visited eLOVate in Santa Monica followed by the Spontanea Pop Up Dinner in Santa Ana hosted by Hannah McNeely, Briana Maxson and Evan Oliver. These three ladies put together a vegan 5-6 course pop-up dinner each month (different every time) in order to bring together the community, share their love for plant-based foods & super delicious food that non-vegans are attracted to. The 5-6 course Spontanea pop-up dinner is only $40/person, which also includes a complimentary glass of wine or {non alcoholic} kombucha; additional glasses are available for purchase :) This month's theme was Childhood Classics Redone - Vegan!
18:59 / Lifestyle / Restaurant Review
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27 Jan

eLOVate Kitchen 1705 Ocean Ave, Ste 111 Santa Monica, CA 90401 | website This past weekend was filled with so much fun! Food adventures, the making of new friends, recipe development (oil-free fruit & nut bread to be exact), and a visit to The Gentle Barn, all in light of spreading the light and love of this beautiful plant-based movement. This lifestyle has not only allowed for me to choose health, save the animals and environment, but it has also allowed for me to broaden my perspective on life, connect with a new community (a family, actually) and create new and lasting memories and experiences that have helped me grow to be who I am now, as well as who I am meant to be.   
  Visiting eLOVate was more for me than just a simple visit to a vegan restaurant. Chef Roberto's book Vegan Cooking For Carnivores was actually the very first vegan cookbook I owned, a gift from my parents when I went vegan and one of our very first introductions to and inspirations for the vegan lifestyle. My mom was really into Ellen back then and found him on her show. To be able to meet him and try his food firsthand filled my heart with gratitude; to be doing what I do and supporting Roberto after he indirectly supported me warmed my heart. I love being a part of such a positive community, and supporting establishments just like eLOVate to aid in the exponentially growth of this beautiful plant-based movement ????❤️ Roberto was kind enough to put together an oil-free meal for Chris and I, and I must say, OOHHH MY, it was so good! Bomb food, a comforting environment, and a kind & accommodating staff, I felt like I was right at home.
15:33 / Lifestyle / Oil Free / Restaurant Review
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25 Jan

I visited the LA wholesale produce market about two weeks ago (you can see my full haul here), and I had found myself with a lot of ripe bananas that I needed to use up, and FAST. I froze a good chunk of what I had, but I wanted to also try and utilize them in various ways so I wasn't stuck with banana smoothies and banana ice creams all day. I decided I would create a comforting recipe, especially for those experiencing the colder weather during this brutal winter! There's nothing quite like a warm slice of sweet bread with a glass of almond milk to keep cozy, and if you haven't yet tried this, I promise you will love it. After making my Date-Sweetened Banana Bread (Gluten- & Oil-Free) and seeing just how much my family enjoyed it (it was gone in less than a day, I had to hide my second batch just so I could photograph it!), I wanted to create a similar recipe...but take it even further. 
12:35 / Baked Goods & Desserts / Breakfast / Gluten Free / Oil Free
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20 Jan

Plant Food and Wine - Venice, CA {Oil-Free Brunch Options} sweetsimplevegan.com

Sundays mean brunch, and what better way to do it than at Matthew Kenney's newest establishment, right by Venice Beach. I had visited this spot once before, but this was the first I had been for brunch. Let me just say, it will not be my last. Plant Food + Wine 1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd Venice, CA 90291 Plant Food + Wine is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The menu includes locally sourced and seasonal items, with a fusion of both raw & cooked vegan foods. The restaurant is somehow able to manage being minimalistic in design yet still refined and sleek in its delivery. They offer indoor and outdoor seating, and although the indoor seating should not be overlooked, if possible, I recommend requesting a seat in the outdoor patio and garden, filled with fresh produce, trees, and a comforting feeling of nature. What I loved is the fact that there were fresh herbs, greens, citrus and even a fig tree thriving on their property, from which they source ingredients for their dishes.Plant Food and Wine - Venice, CA {Oil-Free Brunch Options} sweetsimplevegan.comPlant Food + Wine also houses the Venice location of Matthew Kenney Culinary, a raw and vegan culinary school. Although I was not able to photograph the location at this particular visit, I did have the chance to do a walk through during my previous visit, and I am certain I will, someday again be able to attend the school and refine my skills in the kitchen. I actually attended two weekend intensive courses at their Santa Monica location (now closed), and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I probably have ever had. You can check out my full summary of the experience in this blog post. Not only did I learn so much from being immersed in knowledge of plant-based cooking, I was also able to connect with chefs and students of all ages and backgrounds who are pushing for the same plant-powered movement I am a part of and promote here on my page.
The restaurant was more than willing to accommodate for my oil-free preference, and I encourage you to, even if not at this restaurant, consider seeking out that option wherever you go. Although I have in fact come across a few restaurants in LA that will not accommodate, I have found that more often than not, restaurants are willing to do all that they can to satisfy and comfort their customers. For me, this brings a bit more ease and enjoyment in eating out with friends and family and I hope it will do the same for you, too!

Oil-free brunch options:

17:59 / Oil Free / Restaurant Review
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