Happy Hour, Vedge-Style.

Happy Hour at my home-away-from-home, Vedge Restaurant. The happy hour menu runs from 5-6pm (the full menu is still available) from Monday through Friday and offers a generous selection of $2 beers, $5 cocktails and wines, and the curious $2 cider shot, which we promptly had to try.

As far as snacks, there are currently two options: the Korean Seitan Taco and the Smoked Portabella Taco, both priced at $4 each. The seitan taco is extremely satisfying. It silenced me for a minute. Mr. Vedge preferred the portabella. It's like we switched taste preferences for the night.

We then disappeared into Vedge's Cocktail Lounge. We were so entranced with the opening and the full dining experience at Vedge, that we hadn't "hung out" and had a casual night. A rainy Tuesday simply called for it. I could easily see us ending most nights in here, especially when we're not ready to go home yet and want one last after-dinner drink.

While getting cozy, we required some snacks, namely the Golden Beet Tartare from the Lounge Menu, along with the Crispy Cauliflower and an obligatory delicious cocktail from Bartender Dan. We ended back at the bar for a salad and some olives before putting an end to our happy hour/early dinner. 

Vedge is versatile...keep it casual or go all the way, whatever you're in the mood for. I've pretty much ordered different items every single time and varying amounts of food depending on how I feel. I love this mode of dining. Have you been to Vedge? Let me know what you're digging.

New Thanksgiving Tradition: Six Layer Vegan Carrot Cake

Thanksgiving is a heavily regarded affair for the Phillips family. This year we had a smaller guest list and with at least 7 of us opting to dine vegan, the menu evolved from the more traditional fare to include some dishes that I hope will appear in the future. Seared seitan with a mustard herb reduction (Mr. Vedge's creation was the first platter to disappear), butternut squash dumplings, a lentil salad, and a six-layer vegan carrot cake that we'll be talking about for years to come.

I could not have ended the meal happier or more satisfied, but I must argue that this cake, from this recipe, is the best carrot cake that exists.

Instant Vegan Thanksgiving.

You have until Sunday, November 20 to get your your order in for Miss Rachel's Vegan Thanksgiving. I was lucky enough to receive a Thanksgiving preview from Rachel and it was bliss. I felt like I was cheating on Thanksgiving by starting a week early and enjoying it by myself while watching trashy TV in my yoga pants while Mr. Vedge was out of town. AWESOME.

The standout here for this $22 heat-and-eat feast? You'll get leftovers out of it, which is incredibly important for traditional purposes. But I must say, the real highlight was the Green Bean Casserole, which I've never had prepared vegan before. I have no idea what's in it, but it's creamy, savory, crispy, and about a thousand other adjectives all at once.

The Turkey-style Seitan was quite different, I kept thinking of stuffing as it was bready, but very good. Less chewy in texture than regular seitan, Rachel said there was tofu involved. If this somehow finds its way onto a future sandwich...there was also mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, and stuffing to round it out.

If you already have Thanksgiving plans but want to be a cheater like me, order it for Tuesday or Wednesday and live life. Order details are here.

Vedge Restaurant Preview

Vedge is the new vegetable restaurant that will reinforce how much you actually love vegetables.

At Friends & Family night and again at last night's preview party, I felt like I was dining at a wonderful, exciting new restaurant that prepared unique vegetable dishes that anyone could salivate over, in a room full of people who simply enjoy trying food.

It's beautiful food that says, to me, "We should be eating more vegetables and why shouldn't it be stylish and provocative?"

Owners Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby did such a remarkable job working with the space at 1221 Locust, making it feel welcoming, intimate, sophisticated, and ready for the future. Between the impressive marble bar that you enter to, the cozy cocktail lounge off to the side, the two elegant dining rooms, and the relaxed vegetable bar, the adventure you choose is up to you.

I want to spend a lot more time in the lounge, shown below...

There was plenty of tofu and seitan to be had in addition to those vegetables. The grilled tofu is one of my favorites and appeared on the menu on Saturday (along with the seitan, tofu banh mi, and the steak spice seared tofu to name a few others). The portions are appropriately sized and encourage you to sample more of the menu. We did 3 appetizers, 5 bigger dishes with 2 desserts and were quite full (with some leftovers to go home with).

Opening is tonight, no liquor license yet, but complimentary wine and beer will be offered.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Book Cover Case Giveaway!

What does this giveaway have to do with the vegan lifestyle?

One of my greatest kitchen tools is my Galaxy Tab 10.1 Tablet. I stand there, in tree pose at the kitchen counter every morning, sipping my green tea almond milk latte and catching up on my email and latest tech news on my favorite app, News360. At dinnertime, I tap away at the screen pulling up vegan recipes with ease.

To protect my tablet from whatever culinary shenanigans I get up to, I wanted a case that would mold better with my tablet and not attract flour and dust as easily as my old case did. The Book Cover ($59.99) is the perfect case for me.

So I'm giving one away to a reader. The case only fits a Samsung Galaxy Tablet 10.1, of course, so if you have one or plan on getting one or know someone who has one, this would be a great gift.

To enter, follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: "Want to win a Galaxy Tab Book Cover? @onthevedge is giving 1 away at http://www.livingonthevedge.net/2011/11/samsung-galaxy-tab-101-book-cover-case.html"

Good luck!

Hello Monday Detox Pudding.

Monday. A day that is commonly the most stressful. Kick its ass with a breakfast that gets you fully charged: Detox Pudding...

I call this Detox Pudding because it cleans you out and sets you on a clear path. Chia seeds are incredibly hydrating and filling, which is why I often have chia pudding before or after a workout. The seeds are also a very rich source of Omega-3's.

While my regular chia pudding is certainly good stuff,  I wanted to make it even more nutrient dense (can you tell I read Thrive Foods over the weekend and wondered if I was getting enough micronutrients? :)

This psycho pudding is also powered with hemp protein (the only protein powder I really like for smoothies) nutrient-dense goji berries, energizing and hormone-balancing maca, and stimulating cacao. Feel free to skip your morning caffeine with this one. I mean it. You won't need it.

It checks in at just over 300 calories, 19 grams of fiber, 13 grams of protein with a serious dose of nutrition:
Vitamin A 43% 
Vitamin C 22% 
Calcium 40% 
Iron 28%

The final word? It tastes really chocolatey and fruity with the berries and you won't taste any of the powders at all. I add a chopped banana or other fruit to bulk it up even more, garnish with coconut, and it's a very generous serving. 2 tbsp of chia goes a long way when liquids are added.

Detox Pudding
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp oats 
1 tbsp goji berries 
1 tbsp Hemp Protein Powder
1 tbsp cacao powder
1/2 tbsp maca powder
2 tsp maple syrup 
1 tsp vanilla 
3/4 cup nut milk
dash of himalayan salt

Combine all ingredients, stir thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. Drizzle with extra nut milk when ready to serve.

Tempeh Reuben with Brooklyn Dressing

What elevates a simple sandwich? The pickles. For my easy tempeh reuben, we made a Russian-style dressing using our favorite house pickles, spicy whiskey brined cukes that are straight outta Brooklyn. For the kraut? We went for sauerkraut made by the very same company.

There's so much flavor in this sandwich. It reminds me of the Tempeh Club at the Royal Tavern, only less gargantuan. Though you could certainly double it up and go to town...

Royal Tavern Tempeh Club...

Tempeh Reuben with Brooklyn Dressing

1 pkg tempeh, thinly sliced width-wise.
Sauerkraut, we used Brooklyn Brine Whiskey Barrel but any kind will do
Tomato
Rye bread

Brooklyn Dressing
3 tbsp Vegenaise
2 tbsp ketchup
Homemade relish: 3-4 Brooklyn Brine Maple Bourbon Bread & Butter Pickles, minced and mixed with 2 tsp agave nectar

Stir to combine, it looks just like Thousand Island or Russian dressing. 

I use ready to eat tempeh (I like Rhapsody Teriyaki for this recipe) for extra flavor but if you can't find it, boil regular tempeh for 10 minutes, then pan fry with oil, liquid smoke, and soy sauce, and slice thinly.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Spread both sides of bread with Brooklyn Dressing. Top 1 side with tempeh, a heavy helping of sauerkraut, and thinly sliced tomato. Cook sandwich for 2-3 minutes on each side.

*Where to find my ingredients in Philadelphia? I know you can pick up Rhapsody Tempeh at Essene, as well as several types of sauerkraut, pickles, and rye bread. Brooklyn Brine Pickles are available at Williams Sonoma and Green Aisle Grocery.