Sweets in Chicago, a Glazed Donuts video & a Mini Foods Party!

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As I mentioned last week, Chicago has quite the selection of savory options, especially of the comfort food persuasion, but they also have a plethora of options for the sweet tooth! One such option is Smash Cake, a bakery & party spot from the minds behind the Bleeding Heart Bakery. As always with pastry chef & owner Michelle Garcia involved, the decor is fun & eclectic, the pastries are all organic & the vegan options are plentiful. We decided to go with a Blueberry Tea Cake with a delicate & delicious crumble top, a deep chocolaty Brownie flecked with Walnuts, & a towering piece of Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter frosting, that was sadly a bit dried out. That being said, Smash Cake is a nice spot to hit if your in the adorable neighborhood is resides in!

Another fun option is iCream, home of ice cream made utilizing molecular gastronomy! First, you pick a base (soy for the vegans), then a flavor, a mix-in, & a topping. They take your combination, add it to a Kitchenaid Mixer, then next thing you know fog is billowing around the mixer as the liquid nitrogen kicks in & freezes your concoction. I went for Caramel ice cream, with Bananas as a mix-in, & Chocolate sauce. One issue I ran in to was they just threw the bananas on top, so when I asked them why it was called a "mix-in" but was thrown on top, they offered to mix it in for me, which resulted in weird gummy chunks of banana & all of my chocolate sauce mixing in & ruining my caramel ice cream! Oh well, next time I'll make sure they get it right!

A new option in Chicago comes from a company called Glazed Donuts, purveyors of unique cake donuts, available in locations throughout the city. Most of the flavors are vegan & their mailing list let's you know what's in store for you weekly, so you can get your donut fix when needed. Natalie from Bake & Destroy & I had the chance to try Mexican Hot Chocolate & the Juniper Spice Cornmeal Orange at Bite Cafe, where the donuts are made. We made a video of us giving the low down on them, so check it out!



Have I mentioned here that I love potlucks? Of course I have! While I was in Chicago, one of the coolest potlucks came together, a mini food party! It's just like it sounds, everyone makes miniature versions of food for everyone to share! The culinary skills of this potluck crew was impressive & we enjoyed Reubens, BLTs, Pizza, Twice Baked Potatoes, Corn Dogs, and two of the best things I've ever eaten, vegan Chicken & Waffles, & Mexican Pizzas, ala Taco Bell, all miniature, of course! On the sweet side was mini versions of Root Beer floats with Temptation ice cream, Strawberry Shortcake Trifles, Coconut Cream Pies, Wedding Cakes, Fruit Pies, Black and White Cookies, & S'mores Pies topped with Dandies Marshmallows & toasted with a torch! One would think smaller portions would reduce your food consumption, but I can safely say everything was so amazing, it was far too easy to justify "just one more" of just about everything!

One final sweet I ate in Chicago was something I have been dreaming of for years. During the holidays, my family always buys an assortment of chocolates from See's Candies. Everyone in my family knew the Scotchmallow, a thick layer of caramel, topped with honey marshmallow, & coated in semi-sweet chocolate was MINE or I would bite your fingers off. Obviously, that hasn't been the case for quite some time, but when I mentioned this to my friend Megan, she set out to veganize this treat. JACKPOT! Using her killer caramel recipe, & Dandies marshmallows turned in to a thicker marshmallow cream, she filled cups with semi-sweet chocolate & the layers of perfection, & churned out a seriously amazing replica! It took all my power not to hoard each & everyone one & it's safe to say I ate more than my fair share of these amazing morsels!

Chicago is a fabulous city for vegans & I can't wait to get back there! If you're considering checking it out, stop resisting & go check it out!

Savory Chicago; the Land of Indulgences!

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Recently, Ryan & I took a little trip to the Windy City of Chicago. With a great group of friends there & lots of excellent dining options, I thought I would show Ryan why I enjoyed it there so much last time & try some spots I didn't make it to before!

We arrived in Chicago late evening & hungry as can be, enter Pick Me Up Cafe, the perfect place for a night time bite. While not an all vegan restaurant, you won't be short on options here! We decided to go for it & get the Jalapeno Poppers, Chili Cheese Fries, & French Toast. While the Jalapeno Poppers were less than memorable, the Chili Cheese Fries were a delicious indulgence with cumin spiced chili, & cheese sauce by Teese, & perfectly crisp fries. Although, the highlight of our dining was certainly the French Toast! Ryan is a serious French Toast lover & is rarely impressed by the offerings available, but we were both blown away by the cinnamon & nutmeg flecked coating on thick, fluffy, locally baked bread. With maple syrup, this was heaven on a plate, & we were glad we listened to the many people who recommended it to us! Rumor has it, the locals prefer the vegan version. On another late night, we popped in again for a bite & noticed dessert options such as rice krispie treats & cake, but we were looking for savory items, so we opted for the Buffalo Tofu & salads. Let me just say, stick to the French Toast, it's too good to pass up!

Chicago knows junk food & so does Veggie Bite. If you like neon cheese sauce, then you'll LOVE this spot that claims to be the first 100% vegan fast food joint. We headed here with Natalie from Bake & Destroy, plus her husband & Veggie Bite lover, Tony. She warned us it was going to be gnarly & boy, was she right! When selecting photos for this post, one thing I noticed was all the food looks the same! It's like Taco Bell, the food may have different titles, but it all has the same ingredients. We started with Chili Cheese Fries for the table, then moved on to a Chili Cheese Dog with Fries for Ryan & a Taco Salad for me. Guess what? They all had (slightly burnt) beans & neon cheese sauce with something fried! I could see this being a late night drunken dining spot, but I couldn't imagine eating here regularly, unless you enjoy having a boxing match in your stomach!

After checking out Millennum Park with Natalie & her crew, we headed to a new spot for vegans called Delicious Cafe. While it's more of a coffee shop with light food options, there's some tastiness to be had here. First of all, they have a case full of sweets, some made in-house, others made by Fritz Pastry, which included cupcakes, pie, scones, & even S'mores! On the savory side, you'll find a McMuffin-like Breakfast Sandwich, plus sandwiches like my grilled Peanut Butter & Banana. Ryan opted to make his own sandwich with Tofurky & lots of veggies, which came with a side of chips. While nothing we had was epic, it was a nice bite to eat & a great option for the neighborhood. If anything, I would go back to support this vegan owned & operated business!

You can't go to Chicago without going to The Chicago Diner. In fact, we went there twice, once before a Cubs game & once for a night out with friends & we may or may not have ordered the same thing both times. The bottom line is The Radical Reuben totally lives up to its name & even as someone who would likely not order a reuben, I just have to have this sandwich when I'm there. Perfect seitan from Upton's Naturals, tangy Sauerkraut & Thousand Island dressing, plus melted Teese, I'm powerless! I can't seem to get away without ordering the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough milkshake as well, Temptation ice cream makes a killer shake! We also had some tasty nachos, some not-so-buffalo tasting wings, & I tried a raw strawberry cheesecake that was pretty good. I think I may be a Reuben & Shake girl for life!


On sunny afternoon, we headed over to Handlebar, another vegan friendly spot in Chicago, to meet up with Leanne from Vaute Couture & have lunch. If you don't know, Leanne is the beauty & brains behind Vaute Couture, a 100% vegan, eco-conscious, fashionable line of winter coats! She also has a blog On Our Sleeve, where she writes about news regarding her line, plus her life has a vegan, model, & activist. We had a great time chatting about our lives in the fashion industry & what's coming up for us next, Leanne is an awesome gal! On the food front, Ryan had one of the staples of Handlebar, the Buffalo Chicken wrap with a side of fries. I opted for a salad version, taking the "Fried Chicken Salad" & adding buffalo sauce. It turned out to be a good call & it totally hit the spot!

I always like to try to meet up with friends & bloggers when I visit other cities & this was no exception. A group of awesome ladies including Kelly of Vegan Cookies, Julia of SnarkyVegan, & some PPKers joined me for a feast at Soul Vegetarian East. We started with a big ol' basket of fried food! Onion Rings, Cauliflower, & also the Protein Tidbits were passed around & we all filled our bellies with far too much before our entrees came out. Most of us went for the Dinner Special of Pot Roast, Red Beans & Rice, Collard Greens, & Yams. I also had to grab a piece of Cornbread, since it's a favorite of mine. Everything was well seasoned & I enjoyed it, especially the yams. For dessert, we ordered soft serve & that's when the confusion began. Our waitress just plopped all of the (tiny) servings on the table, never telling us which was Mango & which was Pineapple! You would think we could taste them & figure it out, but that wasn't the case. Needless to say, none of us were impressed. Next time, I think I'll pass!

On my final day in Chicago, I spent most of the day in a tattoo chair with Hannah Aitchison laying down a little over 6 hours of ink on my arm. All that tattooing gets a girl mighty hungry, so I met up with friends Cas, Mary, & Megan for dinner at Amitabul, home of "Healthy Korean Vegan Cuisine". Everything on the menu sounded SO good, it was hard to decide what to get, but we all started with some delicious dumplings, & I ordered the Spicy Kimchi Noodle dish as an entree. It was a HUGE plate of food that was super flavorful & spicy! Mary ordered the Dark Side of the Moon & I have to say, it was so good, I would likely order that next time! I loved the fresh vegetables & flavorful dishes at Amitabul, it really did feel healthy for restaurant fare & I hope to get back there soon!

Once again, Chicago showed me a good time on the dining front. While everything may be a bit heavier than I would normally eat, it's fun to let loose sometimes & load up on vegan cheese products & fried treats. Speaking of indulgences, next time I'll be bringing you the sweet side of Chicago! Stay tuned!

Enjoying the Sights & Bites in Stockholm!

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While I'd already had a sizable amount of adventure & certainly more than enough food, I made one final stop on my European trip. Grabbing my friend Marijke & hitting the road, we headed to Stockholm, Sweden to check out the sights, shopping, & sweets! After a nightmarish journey to our destination, we arrived at the home our awesome hosts Lauren & Tomas. All was well again, as were welcomed by a lovely basket of goodies, letting us know we were in for a great trip!

After a night of rest, we headed towards Gamla Stan to check out Hermans, the well known buffet with an amazing view. Everything at Hermans is vegetarian & the theme of the buffet changes daily. We arrived on an Indian themed day & besides some yogurt & cheese, about 90% of the selections were vegan & a staff member was happy to show us what we could eat. For around $11, I filled up my plate with a hearty selection of grain salads, potatoes, & curries, then sat at a table overlooking the water to take in the gorgeous view. While I don't think Hermans will knock your socks off, you will find a good, filling, nutritious meal there. Despite being stuffed, we grabbed a piece of the "Belgisk Choklad Kaka", which was more like a mousse than a cake with it's deep, melt in your mouth, fudgy flavor. We enjoyed the firm top with a sweet glaze & the mini nuts within this super rich confection.

Hermans is located at Fjällgatan 23B,116 28.

In the trendy Södermalm area, there's more to do than spend all your money shopping at WEEKDAY, there's also a plethora of veg options! One place you'll find is Chutney, an all vegetarian restaurant with organic & vegan options. Although they have a full menu with clearly marked vegan options, we just popped in for a piece of Apple Pie. With a thick crust, large, gooey cinnamon apples for filling, glazed top, & a side of vanilla pudding, we were in sweet sugary heaven!

Chutney is located at Katarina Bangata 19, 116 39.

More than once on our trip, we headed to Goodstore, an all vegan grocery mart! I'm always surprised we don't have something like this in San Francisco. We spent hours checking out everything from Simpsons pasta & Cheezly Feta-style to the wall of candy options & coolers full of frozen treats. In addition to the convenience of shopping without the label reading, we found a friendly staff who were cheerful & helpful every time we popped in!

Goodstore is located at Skånegatan 92, 116 37.

It's no surprise, I love bakeries & luckily organic bakeries in Europe have not yet disappointed me! Naturbageriet Sattva is yet another place to get your vegan sweets fix! Marijke & I consumed an alarming amount of Kanelsnurra, a flakier cousin to the American cinnamon roll, & we were surprised at all the other vegan options like savory olive & tofu pastries. Not everything is vegan, & some things are a bit too "70's health vegan" for my taste buds, but you'll still find some delicious treats here!

Naturbageriet Sattva is located at Krukmakargatan 27, 118 51.

While I tend to shy away from Asian restaurants heavy in mock meat, I didn't feel like I was in for something over sauced or slimy at Lao Wai. Hidden away on a side street, we had to wait for a table at this popular vegan restaurant, which luckily proved to be worth the time spent outside in the cold. The Jia Chang Dou Fu was made with smoked tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chilies, baby corn, garlic shoots, snowpeas, & black beans & the Kong Xin Cai, was a lovely dish of stir fried Water Spinach. Everything tasted fresh & nicely spiced, a great vegetable heavy meal I very much enjoyed!

Lao Wai is located at Luntmakargatan 74, 113 51.

On our final day in beautiful Stockholm, we visited another veg spot, Cafe Sodervegg. Sodervegg touts a rotating menu & an entire case of vegan sweets from cupcakes to cheesecakes to their famous princess cakes. Marijke loved her "Sojakottbullar" which was soy meat balls & beet salad on dark cracker bread. I opted for a quinoa salad with grilled vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, roasted beets, soy chicken, & a creamy dressing. After our savory items, we split a few desserts! The Berry Cheesecake had a thick, soft crust & a tangy filling, likely made from tofu, topped with glazed fruit. The "Kladd Kaka" was a dense slice of dark chocolatey "cake", topped in a hard chocolate shell & served up with vanilla ice cream. For Marijke, the highlight of the sweets was the "Bulle", a cardamom spiced roll with pearl sugar she remembers from her childhood. It was lovely to see her light up as she took a bite of the confection & declared it to be just like the ones her neighbor used to make!

Cafe Sodervegg is located at Katarina Bangata 27, 116 39.

Europe continues to amaze me with it's vegan options & Stockholm was no different! Maybe it was the good friends or the sweet treats that made me love this place, but no matter, I adore Stockholm!

Vegan in Vienna; Sweets & Mock Meats galore!

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When thinking of vegan friendly places in the world, a location in Austria likely wouldn't come to mind. To my surprise, Vienna or Wien, as it's known in Europe, is chock full of vegan eats, sweets, & treats! Of course, having a fabulous tour guide like Melanie certainly doesn't hurt when it comes to finding these treasures.

Fresh off the plane & ready to roll, we wandered around the streets of Vienna, in awe of the amazing architecture. In the 7th district, you'll find vegetarian Taiwanese spot Vegetasia, home to an all you can eat lunch buffet with everything from Miso Soup & Gyoza to Curry "Chicken" & fried selections galore. The buffet is about 85% vegan, they do use egg, honey, & have creamy dressings, but ask the staff & they'll be happy to tell you what is suitable for vegans. While the flan is not an option, the fried bananas ARE & I was sure to partake in my fair share (& possibly the share of others.)

Vegetasia is located at Kaiserstrasse 45, 1070.

While you may have thought Copenhagen was the land of vegan croissants, that's not the case after all! Organic bakeries are popping up all over Europe & Vienna has their share as well. At Bäckerei Waldherr you'll be welcomed with a hand written sign titled, "For Our Vegan Friends", letting you know what's available to you. I had to get some of the Chocolate dipped, Raspberry Jam filled Croissants & while they were a heartier wheat pastry & not all that flaky, they still hit the spot! I also acquired a Nougat Heart cookie & an Apple Pie-like pastry, neither of which were a disappointment. I went to the Bäckerei Waldherr located at Naschmarkt, an awesome outdoor market with fruit, veg, & local artisan goods like pickles & sauerkraut. You can also find some of the Bäckerei Waldherr goods in DM drugstores with snack bars called "Gesunde Pause". While you're picking out your Vegan Society labeled skincare items, you can grab a snack as well!

Bäckerei Waldherr is located at Naschmarkt 1040, Marc-Aurel-Straße 4, 1010 or at the "Gesunde Pause" in DM drugstores.

Relatively new kid on the block, Landia opened their very vegan friendly doors just months ago, but are already delighting the locals. The 100% vegetarian menu rotates daily & vegan options are clearly marked. On the night we went to Landia, they just happened to have seitan döner on the menu, which Ryan quickly snatched up! Flavorful house-made seitan, thinly sliced cucumbers, & a tangy vegan yogurt sauce in pita bread all complemented each other in this tasty treat! I went with the traditional dish Schnitzel, which is a breaded & fried cutlet that came with a generous portion of potatoes. Everything we had at Landia was delicious & I could see myself eating there time & time again.

Landia is located at Ahornergasse 4, 1070.

As a major fan of candy, I was thrilled to find out Manner Original Neopolitaner, the pride of Wien & a confection consisting of crisp wafers filled with Hazelnut Cream are vegan! I started stockpiling these babies almost instantly, then found out there was also a Lemon Creme version & a Chocolate dipped version! By the time we hit the Manner store by St. Stephen's Cathedral, I was on overload.. sugar overload, that is! While not all of the confections by Manner are vegan, many are, so check those labels. There's even a German guide to vegan Manner on their site! I've already spied a spot here in San Francisco where I can get Manner bars, so you may be able to find them locally as well.

On a sunny, but cold afternoon, we headed over to Formosa, a restaurant & vegan food shop not too far from a bustling shopping street. As we entered this small shop with two tables & floor to ceiling goods for purchase, we were greeted by the smiling faces of the ladies who work there. Trying to take a break from the mock meats & fried foods, I opted for the Tofu & Vegetables with Rice. The tofu turned out to be fried & a bit cornstarch flavored, but the vegetables & rice in a flavorful sauce were just fine. Ryan opted for a vegan Cordon Bleu, a fried cutlet filled with soy cheese & ham with a side of potato salad he declared the best he's ever had! After dining, I filled up a basket with far too many goodies like vegan gummies, biscuits, white chocolate bars, baked treats by local brand "Vegan Bakery", & No-Muh-Chäs, a vegan cheese by Vegusto. While the food at Formosa was nothing to write home about, the selection of goods was excellent & I would recommend a stop there to check it out.

Formosa is located at Barnabitengasse 6, 1060.

Of course, the best sweets out there are the home baked sort! Imagine my surprise when Melanie revealed that Chocolate Chip Scones had been baked for us to enjoy. I hate to admit it, but it was my first scone experience. Luckily, it was a great one, so I'll have to try these treats again sometime!

By the way, for more vegan Vienna options, check out Tupalo.com. I was surprised that we weren't able to hit all the spots available to vegans, so I suppose I'll have to go back sometime!

Crazy in Copenhagen & Mingling in Malmö!

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Well, I've made my way back to the United States & have had a few days to recover. While I wouldn't say the jet lag is entirely behind me, I can't let that deter me from bringing you the goods on vegan treats all over Europe! While it wasn't my first destination, I thought I would start with Copenhagen, Denmark & also cover my day trip to Malmö, Sweden.

Copenhagen is a gorgeous city full of bike riders & amazing architecture! We made the quick journey from Berlin to Copenhagen & were greeted at the train station by our hostess Ditte & Jojo, who had come from Brighton to hang out as well! Once we arrived at her flat, we were thrilled to find Ditte had made brunch for us! A spread of pancakes, fresh fruit, Alpro yogurt, jams, bread, & the infamous chocolate croissants from a local organic bakery were covering the table & we were downright thrilled! In fact, Ditte continued to be a fabulous hostess as she made us quite a few meals during our stay. How did we get so lucky?

Det Rene Brød an organic bakery with 3 locations in Copenhagen. While not everything is vegan, they have quite a few things that are, including plain or chocolate filled croissants, cinnamon rolls, traditional Danish pastries, & breads. The pastries are amazingly flaky & light, a texture not easily produced, & I found myself back in the bakery daily. The staff is helpful, although they may give you a crazy look when you come in for the 3rd time & take away another round of pastries. Just ask them what is vegan & you'll be all set. If you find yourself in Copenhagen, do not miss this place, or you'll be sorry!

Det Rene Brød is located at Elmegade 6, Rosenvængets Allé 17, & Ndr. Frihavnsgade 54.

Christiania is a neighborhood in Copenhagen built in the 1970's on a former military area. It's considered controversial as the residents built houses there without permission, are self governed, & drug use is not uncommon to see on the streets. Within this fun & quirky area, you'll find Morgenstedet, a vegetarian cafe with a daily rotating menu & many vegan options. Ryan & I opted to split the daily entree; mixed rice with a bean sauce & steamed vegetables, a bean salad, plus some carrot & leek soup with bread. Everything was hearty & filling with organic vegetables & although nothing was amazing here, it was a solid meal that really hit the spot. Known as one of the inexpensive spots in town, we were a bit surprised when this set us back $25, but quickly found out Copenhagen is a pricey city.

Morgenstedet is located at Fabriksområdet 134 in Christiania, 1440 Copenhagen.

The weather was mainly good to us, but if it began to drizzle, we would pop in to a cafe or coffeehouse from time to time. Folkets Hus, aka "house for the people" is a hub for art & culture & their Café Under Konstruktion is a great place to grab a beer, cup of coffee, or vegan hot chocolate & hang with friends until the weather clears up. While we didn't have any food here, I have heard they have vegan options for very reasonable prices. You'll also find free classes, movies, & other events in this great spot.

Folkets Hus is located at Stengade 50, 2200 Copenhagen.

About a 30 minute train ride away from Copenhagen is the Swedish city, Malmö. Not only is Malmö a beautiful, veg friendly place, it's also where we met up with the lovely Emmie of VegBitch & her fiancé Alex! While we had planned to go to Vegegården, it turned out it was closed for holiday. Additionally, a new all vegan cafe Astrid & Aporna– KÖK was opening the day AFTER we were there! No worries, though there were still many options to be found.

Kaptensbrons Kiosk is a large, unassuming box located in the middle of a square near the busy shopping area of Malmö. Hardly a place you would consider looking for vegan food, they actually have a full vegetarian menu, most of which is vegan! While Ryan went for the "Vegan Cheeseburger" with onion rings, I opted for a vegan version of a traditional Swedish dish called a'la Lindström. The dish consistent of two patties made of beets & beans & came with scoops of mashed potatoes topped with Lingonberry Jam, as well as a salad & pickles. It was almost like a Thanksgiving feast for lunch! For a quick meal in between sightseeing, this kiosk is a great option.

Kaptensbrons Kiosk is located at Lilla Nygatan, 211 38 Malmö.

After our tasty meal, we headed to Astrid and Aporna, a large vegetarian grocery store. I love to explore grocery stores, so this place was right up my alley & I found myself getting lost in the aisles for far too long. Every European veg product you could want from Cheezly to Alpro, gummy coke bottles to white chocolate bars is contained here. Each product has a guide on the label letting you know if it contains dairy, wheat, soy, or other allergens, so you need not brush up on Swedish to shop here! I snagged a bag full of goodies, including Tofuline Banana Chocolate ice cream to share with everyone & we headed out to our next destination.

Astrid and Aporna is located at Gustav Möllers gata 2, 211 51 Malmö.

A bit of rain started to fall on us, so we headed to a vegetarian cafe for warm drinks & ice cream eating. Kulturcenter Glassfabriken is a spot for local activists that holds meetings & demos, sells animal rights merchandise, & serves vegetarian / vegan food & drinks. While we stuck to our delicious ice cream & didn't partake in the food, the warm drinks hit the spot as we hid from the weather outside. The atmosphere was cozy & it was the perfect place to chat with our new found friends!

Kulturcenter Glassfabriken is located at Kristianstadsgatan 16, 21435 Malmö.

All in all, vegan dining in Copenhagen, Denmark & Malmö, Sweden is a breeze! I highly recommend visiting these beautiful cities for the architecture & culture, especially if you can score some croissants while taking it all in, yum! In addition to delicious food, you'll find fabulous people as well & I'm lucky to have spent time with some of them. Stay tuned for adventures in Berlin, Vienna, & Stockholm!