Dining Out - Pret a Manger

Pret's Crunchy Wrap (Vegan) - Pret a Manger

Pret a Manger, or Pret for short, opened in Boston in November 2012. After the initial excitement and the crowds died down a bit I finally went today for lunch. Luckily I made it in and out with my lunch to-go in a couple of minutes. I've seen numerous locations throughout NYC, but this was my first time stepping foot in one. Pret is a London-Based sandwich chain that sells prepackaged sandwiches, salads, soups, and baked goods. It wins bonus points for a few reasons:

• They proudly share (it's even written on their packaging) that they donate leftover food to local charities to feed the hungry rather than sell day-old food to customers
• They use all natural ingredients and list out the ingredients and nutrition facts on each food item
• They label food items vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free

Vegan options include: Pret's Crunchy Wrap, Farmer's Market Salad, Red Wine Vinaigrette, Energy Bagel, Organic Popcorn, Winter Veggie Quinoa Salad, Oatmeal, Omega 3 Mix, Lentil & Couscous Salad Pot, Three Bean Chili Soup, Miso Soup, Moroccan Lentil Soup, Skinny Veggie Soup, and Carrot Ginger Soup - Quite the list!

Energy Bagel (Vegan) - Pret a Manger

Farmer's Market Salad (Vegan) - Pret a Manger

Pret's Crunchy Wrap - $6.25 - 370 Calories

I tried Pret's Crunchy Wrap. It was reasonably priced, albeit on the high side for being just vegetables, at $6.25, and the calorie count came in at a moderate 370. The tortilla wrap comes with avocado, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, hummus, red peppers, spinach, carrots, beets, tomatoes, and Pret's seasoning. It was fresh-tasting and satisfying. The seasoning, hummus, and avocado blended together nicely fooling you into thinking there was a cream-based dressing on it. I would definitely get it again. 

Pret a Manger

507 Bolyston Street

Boston, MA 02116

Pret a Manger Website 

Dining In - Low-Fat Veggie Muffins

Low-Fat Veggie Muffins - VegNews 

Vegan Muffin with Zucchini, Carrots & Apple

I've never been a big fan of muffins. For a breakfast food, they are surprisingly full of empty calories and fat. I would much rather indulge in a cupcake than a muffin. These muffins, on the other hand, sneak in vegetables and are low in fat! Don't expect them to taste like apple strudel, you will be disappointed. The subtle sweetness comes from apples, applesauce, maple syrup and agave, better sources than white sugar. Using flaxseed for an egg substitute, and adding in applesauce give the muffins a very moist dense texture. I ate these for a quick breakfast and a midday snack. If you choose to add walnuts, you'll get the added nutrients and protein. You can find the full recipe here on VegNews. 


1/3 hot water
1/4 ground flaxseed
1/3 cup agave syrup
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated apple
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts (for topping, if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a one-dozen muffin pan with liners or lightly grease.

In a liquid measuring cup combine hot water and flaxseed. Set aside and allow to thicken for 5 minutes. 

In a medium bowl combine agave, maple syrup, vanilla, and applesauce. Next add the grated zucchini, carrots, and apple and stir. 

Vegan Low-Fat Veggie Muffins

In a separate medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the wet ingredients and stir until combined. 

Scoop batter into the dozen muffin cups. Sprinkle walnuts on top. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

Dining In - Homemade Butterfinger Bars

Vegan Butterfinger Bars - Chocolate Covered Katie 

This was my first attempt at making a candy bar and I'm happy to report it was a success. The end result didn't last long, because it was so damn good! My boyfriend and I gobbled this right up. The inspiration was the Butterfinger candy bar, but the recipe author calls these Betterfinger bars for the cleaned up, better-for-you ingredients list. The recipe comes from a very popular dessert blog called Chocolate Covered Katie. Her recipes focus on a healthier vegan approach to incredibly delicious desserts, for instance this recipe sneaks in fiberful bran flakes. I'm now a fan. This was an easy and quick treat to pull together. I will be making this again! You can find the full recipe here on the website. 

1/4 cup agave syrup
1 tablespoon molasses (I used blackstrap)
3 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup non-dairy semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (the Trader Joe's variety is vegan!)

Prepare an 8 x 8-inch pan by lightly greasing or lining with parchment paper.

Combine agave, molasses, and sugar in a small saucepan. Boil on medium heat for about a minute, stirring the whole time. Remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl. Stir in peanut butter and salt. Next add bran cereal. Mixture will be very thick but continue to stir until cereal is coated and crushed into small pieces. 

Press mixture into pan so it's evenly distributed and flattened. Give it a few minutes to cool and then score it into small bars. Freeze for about 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate chips. Pour chocolate over cooled candy batter. Use a spatula to evenly coat. Chill again then cut into bars, using precut lines as a guide. Store in refrigerator when not eating (if that's possible!). 

Dining In - Trader Joe's Crunchy Curls

Trader Joe's Crunchy Curls

I'm a big snacker. I probably eat every hour or two, yeah it's a lot. I like to have a supply of healthy snacks stocked in my kitchen and at work. Trader Joe's is an excellent spot to shop for things like this. 

These Crunchy Curls are addicting. My boyfriend and I can't stop eating them! I consider them a healthy alternative to potato chips, not to mention they are much more fun to eat with their curly q shape. The taste and consistency remind me of an old school vending machine option - Munchos! Do you remember those? See picture below for reference. Trader Joe's has labeled them with V (for vegan) so it is an easy find. While I wish the "tasty lentil and potato snack" was more nutritious I appreciate that they are low in calories, 130 per serving. The sodium count is tad bit high, but I can live with it. Give them a try, you won't regret it!

Remember These?
Crunchy Curls are the healthier "real food" version

Dining In - Herbed Polenta Cutlets with Marsala Mushroom Ragout

Herbed Polenta Cutlets with Marsala Mushroom Ragout - Chloe's Kitchen

What I enjoyed most about this recipe was trying my hand at homemade polenta. What I did not enjoy was all the mushrooms! I mentioned previously that I'm not a fan of mushrooms, so it may seem odd that I would make a recipe that is full of them, but I've been proven wrong before and the success rate of Chloe's Kitchen recipes is pretty high. Unfortunately though, this one just didn't do it for me. I liked the taste and consistency of the polenta cutlets, but the mushroom ragout was too much. I also wish the meal had more protein to fill you up. I don't want to discourage you, give this a try and tell me what you think! Now that I know how to make polenta I might test out some other toppings. Allow plenty of prep time - the polenta needs at least 3 hours in the fridge before you can really begin the recipe. You can find this recipe and others in Chloe's Kitchen (buy your copy here).

Herbed Polenta Cutlets
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup yellow cornmeal cornmeal, plus extra for coating later
1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Marsala Mushroom Ragout
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped

8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and shopped

8 oz. crimini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

Sea salt
Ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

To prepare polenta, lightly grease an 8-inch square pan. 

In a medium saucepan boil water, then add cornmeal slowly, stirring as you add to avoid clumps. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Mixture should thicken. When done add in parsley and season with more salt and pepper if needed. 

Transfer to prepared pan, let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 or more hours. 

Once chilled, use a 2-1/2 inch cookie cutter or glass to make polenta cutlets. Using a small plate with a about 1/4 cup of cornmeal coat the cutlets. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook polenta cutlets until golden brown on each side. Remove from heat and set aside on a paper towel covered plate (to soak up excess oil).

Cook Polenta Cutlets Until Golden Brown

To prepare Marsala mushroom ragout, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add onions and mushrooms, cook until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Marsala Mushroom Ragout

Add Marsala wine and broth and heat until bubbling. Turn down heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in chopped parsley. 

For serving, top polenta cutlets with mushroom mixture. 

Dining In - Vegan Meatballs

Vegan Meatballs - VegNews

These filling no-meat-balls are a great addition to a bed of pasta or as an Italian-style sub sandwich. It's not the mock meat approach for the tasty little bites, but rather soy-free with nuts and rice and lots of seasonings instead. I will say that these took a bit longer to prepare than I would have liked, given that the pasta and sauce can be prepped in a few minutes. The longest part of the process is baking them for a half hour at the end, so wait on cooking your pasta. The recipe came from a VegNews article, "Top 12 Vegan Recipes of 2012." I am slowly, but surely making my way through the list! So far my favorite has been the Vegan Potato Pancakes.You can find this recipe here on the VegNews website. 

Note: A large food processor is essential for this recipe. 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour (I used Bob's Red Mill brand)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high, add onions and garlic. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes, while stirring occasionally. 

Cook Onions and Garlic Until Softened

In a large food processor, blend together remaining ingredients: walnuts, rice, parsley, basil, oregano, sage, chipotle powder, salt, and chickpea flour. When smooth add in onions and garlic and continue processing. Try not to overblend as the mixture will get mushy and have less texture.

Roll Mixture into Balls
Place on Parchment-Lined Baking Sheet

Scoop out about a tablespoon or more of mixture and roll into balls. Place on parchment paper and repeat. You will end up with 20-26 "meat"balls. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes.

Add to bowl of pasta with desired tomato sauce or eat in a sub roll with some melted non-dairy cheese and tomato sauce, or eat plain - it's up to you! 

Vegan Soy-Free Meatballs

Update - Now Printer-Friendly!

Hi there!

I wanted to make a quick note about a recent update to my blog. I added a button to the post footer that allows you to print. You'll find it below in the far left top corner.

You are even able to adjust the font size and remove images to reduce the number of pages.

I know how important this feature is for recipes, so enjoy! 

Thank you for your support. Happy cooking and eating!

Dining In - Veggie Pot Pie

Veggie Pot Pie - Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

I was skeptical about this recipe. Based on the ingredients list I thought this would turn out bland. There are no extra seasonings besides salt and pepper. I was wrong. Without a doubt this was the best pot pie I have ever had! It all came together so well. The sauteed vegetables made for a simple, yet delicious creamy filling with subtle sweetness from the almond milk. The flaky crust was buttery and salty, perfectly complimenting the filling. My boyfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed this for dinner, nodding in approval the whole time and eating way too much of this six-serving pie. Oh and did I forget to mention, still vegan? As if it wasn't obvious. But what may not be so obvious at first glance - it's soy-free! This is going on my "Make Again...and Again!" list. You can find this recipe and others in Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.


Shopping note: I bought all of the ingredients for this recipe at Trader Joe's, with the exception of the vegetable shortening.

Finished Product - Veggie Pot Pie

Pie Filling
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup broccoli florets (used frozen, thawed)
1 cup sweet peas (used frozen, thawed)
1/2 stick or 1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups plain almond milk

Pie Crust
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
~1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/8 cold water
3-4 tablespoons ice cold water


Start by making the pie crust in case you need to chill it, which I recommend. This pie crust recipe was included in the back of the cookbook for an apple pie recipe, but for this you simply halve it, which is why some portions aren't exact. 

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. In a liquid measuring cup add 1/8 cup cold water then add vegetable shortening to equal 1/2 cup line. Pack down the shortening with a spoon to remove air bubbles. Then scoop out shortening and add to flour mixture, discarding of the extra water (this part was confusing to me, but I tried it nonetheless). 

Using pastry cutter (or your hands if you have nothing else) quickly cut shortening into flour until you form small, crumbly dough balls. Add 3-4 tablespoons of ice cold water and mix with a spoon after each one is added. Chill the dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator. Set aside for later use. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees before starting on the filling. 

Heat grapeseed oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in broccoli and peas. Continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Onions, Carrots, Celery, Broccoli & Peas - Veggie Pot Pie Filling

Veggie Pot Pie Cream Sauce

Heat margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour slowly and stir together. Continue cooking, while stirring for about 3 minutes. Add in almond milk and stir constantly. Simmer for about 3 minutes, sauce will thicken. 

Add cooked vegetables to the sauce and stir carefully. Once combined spoon mixture into a 9-inch glass pie pan (I only had a metal one to use, as you can see from photos, but it still worked out fine). Roll dough into a ball and then flatten out into a circle a bit wider than pie pan. Lay out dough over pie. Pinch edges and use knife to slice holes into top before cooking.

Bake pie for 35-40 minutes. Serve hot. 

Veggie Pot Pie Before Adding the Pie Crust Dough

Pre-Cooked Veggie Pot Pie

Dining In - Moo Shu Vegetables with Homemade Chinese Pancakes

Moo Shu Vegetables with Homemade Chinese Pancakes - Chloe's Kitchen

One of my favorite Chinese food dishes turned vegan! Though a time consuming recipe the outcome was worth it. I fully committed to it, making the flour pancakes from scratch as instructed. The combination of marinated, salty vegetables and tofu with the sweet hoisin sauce wrapped up in a warm flour pancake was finger-licking good. My non-vegan boyfriend and I couldn't stop eating them, partially because they weren't overly filling, but I blame that on not waiting between bites and only later realizing we had overdone it with the portions. You can feel so much better about eating these than the greasy Chinese takeout version you might have had previously. I will be making these again. You can find this recipe and others in Chloe's Kitchen (buy your copy here).

Vegetable Filling
14 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
4 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 onion, thinly sliced

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

Sea salt

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

7 oz. shredded cabbage (available at Trader Joe's)

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced

Sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Pancakes
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup boiling water
Sesame oil, for cooking


Press tofu on a plate for 20 minutes using paper towels and a heavily weighted object. Afterwards, slice tofu into thin rectangles. 

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons canola oil on medium-high. Add tofu slices, pour soy sauce over the tofu. Let cook for a couple minutes and then flip. Cook until both slides are browned, remove from heat. 

Mushrooms and Onions

In the same skillet add 2 more tablespoons oil and cook mushrooms and onions (see photo) until soft. Season with salt and then add in grated ginger and garlic. Cook for another few minutes. Now add in the cabbage, carrots, and broth with another tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir together and let cook until the liquid dries up. Add in the tofu and scallions, stir again. 

To make the sauce, combine hoisin sauce and soy sauce in a small bowl and stir until combined. Set aside. 

To make the pancakes mix flour and salt together in a large bowl and then add in boiling water. Stir with a wooden spoon and then use your hands to blend. Cover bowl with a towel and let sit for 20 minutes. 

Homemade Chinese Pancakes

Roll out the dough into a log that is about a foot and half (16 in.) cut the log into 1 inch pieces. Flatten and roll out pieces into thin pancakes, about 6 in. in diameter. Brush each side of pancake with sesame oil. Place pancakes on a hot (medium-high heat) griddle or skillet and cook. Watch for bubbling and then check the first side, flip when it begins to brown. Cook on other side then remove from heat and stake on a plate (see photo). Repeat until all the dough is used. I ended up with about 13 pancakes, not 16 but for two people this was more than enough anyways. 

Dining In - Tempeh BLT Sandwich

Vegan Tempeh BLT Sandwich

Nutrition Facts - Tempeh Bacon

While I try to limit mock meat consumption and reduce the amount of processed foods I eat, sometimes you just need a little variety and a little indulgence. It was only a couple months ago that I tried fake bacon. I had ordered a "bacon" wrap at a vegan-friendly restaurant and it was delicious, so I decided to pick up a package while shopping at Whole Foods. I got the tempeh variety because it was organic, non-GMO, and the ingredients list was a little shorter than the other soy varieties. I was surprised at the nutrition content. Seven small slices of bacon is only 130 calories, 1g of fat, and 12g of protein.

I made myself a BLT sandwich with toasted whole wheat bread sprinkled with some Daiya cheese, lettuce, tomato, and vegan mayonnaise. You can also add some avocado or use it to replace the vegan mayonnaise, both add the desired creamy texture. I've also made a BLT salad using the same ingredients, minus the bread, and it was quite satisfying.

For another out-of-this-world fake bacon recipe, try this Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip.

Vegan BLT

Dining In - Fluffy Coconut Cupcakes

Fluffy Coconut Cupcakes - Chef Chloe Coscarelli

Simply put, these are heavenly cupcakes. Super moist and super sweet. I made them for my friend's birthday, but let my non-vegan boyfriend do the taste testing. He was overwhelmed by how good they were and kept begging for more! It's a simple recipe to follow and the ingredients are fairly standard and easy to find. The key is subtle coconut flavoring added throughout with coconut milk,  coconut oil, and shredded coconut for a topping if you choose. I really enjoyed the frosting because it had a thicker consistency than some I've made in the past. No big surprise the recipe is from vegan cupcake goddess Chloe Coscarelli. This one isn't in her original cookbook Chloe's Kitchen, but you can find it on her website, and something tells me she'll include it in her upcoming desserts cookbook, Chloe's Vegan Desserts. 

With Monkeys for a Little Extra Fun & Color!

Fluffy Coconut Cupcakes
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk (I used the canned Light variety available at Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Fluffy Coconut Frosting

Fluffy Coconut Frosting
1 cup coconut oil (solid, this stuff can get expensive, but I've had good luck finding it for less at Trader Joe's in the oil section)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-5 tablespoons non-dairy milk

Fluffy Coconut Topping
2 cups shredded coconut flakes
Food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake trays with paper cups, you'll end up with 14 cupcakes so you may need 2 dozen-cupcake pans.

In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt. 

In a separate medium bowl mix together coconut milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Add wet mixture to dry and stir until combined, don't over mix the batter. 

Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake in oven for 16-18 minutes, check with a toothpick. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat coconut oil with a handheld mixer until smooth. Add in powdered sugar while mixer is blending, add in vanilla, and one tablespoon of non-dairy milk at a time, until you have the desired consistency. I used 3 tablespoons of milk to get there. Frost your cupcakes!

Fluffy Coconut Cupcakes - Pre-Frosting

To make coconut garnish, mix coconut flakes with a drop or two of food coloring and stir with a spoon until color is distributed. Roll cupcakes in or sprinkle coconut onto the frosting. Take a bite, you're done!