Dining Out in New York City - Vegan Divas

Carrot Cake - Vegan Divas

I think I hit the jackpot. Walking around the Upper East Side I stumbled upon a little shop that may be the answer to my prayers. A healthy, low-calorie, all vegan bakery. How did I not know about this sooner? It's called Vegan Divas. From the looks of it, it seems to be a direct competitor to BabyCakes. Both focus on using healthier ingredients like spelt flour, maple sugar, and coconut oil to create cruelty-free baked goods. Yes, these come at a premium, but when you can have your low-calorie, wholesome, vegan cake and eat it too, it's worth it.

Mini Toasted Coconut Doughnut - Vegan Divas

It was a tough decision when making my first purchase since I was overwhelmed by my options, but I went with the Mini Toasted Coconut Doughnut and a slice of Carrot Cake. I really liked the small serving sizes for some of the desserts like the doughnuts and mousse, because it satisfies the sweet tooth without overdoing it on portions. As noted, prices can be steep, particularly on the full servings - a whole cake is $60, so the slice was plenty. Some customers complained about the taste and texture of the baked goods on Yelp, but my guess is that they are expecting it to be like what you'd find at a nearby Crumbs or Magnolia Bakery and that just isn't the case. You do have to sacrifice some taste when you reduce the fat. I still really enjoyed the treats here and would gladly return (I've got my eyes on a slice of chocolate cake). I like that they also offer gluten-free versions and share the ingredients of items online.

If someone wants to make my day, feel free to send me any of the amazing gift sets available for purchase on their website. :)

Pre-Packaged Vegan Baked Goods

Vegan Divas

1437 1st Avenue (between 74th & 75th Streets)

New York, NY 10021

Vegan Divas Website

Vegan Divas - Upper East Side

Dining Out in New York City - S'MAC

Vegan Nosh with Roasted Tomatoes, Spinach with Garlic & Broccoli 
with Gluten-Free Pasta and No Breadcrumbs - S'MAC

Before heading into my first ever juice cleanse (post on that coming soon!), I wanted to treat myself to a yummy meal without overdoing it. I've been researching vegan-friendly restaurants in my new neighborhood in NYC and found a macaroni and cheese place, yes that's right, mac 'n' cheese in as many ways as you could want it, including vegan! It's called S'MAC - stands for Sarita's Macaroni and Cheese and they have two locations in the city, one in Murray Hill and one in East Village. I saw they were also listed on Seamless, an online food delivery service. 

Vegan & Gluten-Free Menu! - S'MAC

I took a walk there and ended up ordering a vegan AND gluten-free meal - who would have thought you could have both and not sacrifice on flavor for a mac 'n' cheese dish? I ordered the smallest size called "Nosh" with three mix-ins - Roasted Tomatoes, Spinach with Garlic, and Broccoli. Instead of cheese, the sauce is made with coconut milk, rice flour, potato flour, palm oil, organic palm shortening, Marmite (not to be confused with Vegemite), and salt and pepper. I requested mine with gluten-free macaroni for an additional $1.50 and left off the breadcrumbs. I was surprised at how fast they prepared my order. It comes in a small paper bowl inside a pizza box. I took it home and devoured it :) 

Mac & Cheese Served in a Pizza Box!

For a dish like this it would take a lot more effort preparing at home - see a couple of my favorite vegan macaroni and cheese recipes - so I enjoyed not having to dirty a dish to get something similar to what I've made in the past. It didn't have a very cheesy flavor, so be warned you're not going to get a replica of a traditional mac and cheese with this. There was a slight coconut flavor, but I didn't mind it. It was creamy and filling. I liked that it was one serving versus the recipes, which make family sized meals and often result in overeating. I can see myself ordering this again online for a future weekend "takeout kind of night". There are many different mix-in combinations left to try!

S'MAC (Murray Hill)

157 E 33rd Street (between Lexington & 3rd Avenue)

New York, NY 10016

S'MAC Website

Dining In - Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip - Chloe's Kitchen

This dip used to be one of my favorite appetizers to order when dining out at restaurants. It's salty, creamy, indulgent, and always tasty. The major ingredients were certainly not vegan however, so it takes a good recipe to replicate it and still satisfy that craving. Chef Chloe Coscarelli to the rescue! Based on these ingredients, this appetizer is also gluten-free, if served with the appropriate chip or cracker.

I first made this for a company event and unfortunately I slightly overcooked it. It was still very yummy and my non-vegan coworkers enjoyed it. I made it a second time to bring to my family Christmas gathering this past year, where it would compete against cheese platters, pigs in a blanket and other heavy hors' dourves. Looks-wise, it's not the prettiest dish, as the green color browns slightly and there's no melted cheese strings to entice you. It has a kick to it, depending on how much red pepper you add. I didn't mind it, but my mom would have preferred it milder. It wouldn't be fair to taste this expecting it to match up to the same dip served at Applebee's or Chili's, but with an open mind and recognition that this is much healthier you can certainly enjoy it! You can find this recipe and others in Chloe's Kitchen (buy your copy here) and in this article on Yahoo. 



2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 oz. fresh baby spinach
14 oz. soft tofu, drained
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 oz. canned artichoke
Chips or crackers to serve with


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish. I used what I had on hand - a round cake pan. A glass loaf pan or a ceramic dish would work well, too. 

Begin the cooking process by heating the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Cook onions for about 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add in minced garlic and red pepper and cook for a few more minutes until fragrant. 

Reduce heat to low and add in spinach. Stir and cook until spinach is wilted.

In a food processor, combine tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, sea salt and black pepper until blended and smooth. Add in artichokes and the spinach/onion/garlic mixture. Pulse about 10-15 times, enough to blend together while leaving some texture. 

Transfer to your baking dish. Cook for about 30 minutes or until it starts to brown on top. Serve warm with a "dipping vessel" like pita chips!

Spinach-Artichoke Dip Right Before Going in the Oven!

Dining In - Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes

Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes - Chloe's Vegan Desserts

Given the success I've had with Chef Chloe Coscarelli's cupcake recipes, I was eager to try a new one from her dessert cookbook, Chloe's Vegan Desserts (buy your copy here). After reading this recipe I was reminded of a Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte, as it blends coffee and cinnamon flavors together. Strangely enough, if you do order this drink from Starbucks, request it without the cinnamon topping, which actually contains butter. I'm a huge fan of cinnamon, always adding it to my oatmeal and opting for cinnamon flavored cereals and baked goods, so I had a hunch that I would enjoy this.

I made these for the Super Bowl, though not your typical football-game-watching snack they were a big hit. Our friends commented that they were very moist, going against the common misconception that vegan baked goods are dry. The frosting is super sweet, as most of Chloe's recipes are, but I didn't mind it. My boyfriend brought the leftovers into his office the next day and the praise kept coming! I will be making these again for sure. Here's another link to the recipe on Parade.com.


Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk, canned version, mixed well
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

Espresso Frosting
1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Garnish
Handful of dairy-free chocolate chips, melted then cooled and chopped OR a non-dairy chocolate bar shaved using a knife
Ground cinnamon (I ran out and didn't use this)

Dry Cupcake Ingredients

To Prepare the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or if going for a more domed shape, increase to 400 degrees). Line two cupcake tins for about 14-15 cupcakes.

In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine coconut milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and instant espresso powder.

Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and stir together without over-mixing. 

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees (or higher if experimenting with the domed shape) for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I tried baking mine for 12 minutes at 375 degrees. That wasn't enough time or heat so I suggest either 400 degrees or adding a few minutes more than I did at that higher temperature.  

Cupcake Batter - Ready for the Oven!

To get a domed shape to your cupcakes,
raise the temperature and reduce the cook time!

To Prepare the Frosting:

Using a handheld or stand mixer, soften the non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening by beating on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Add vanilla extract and slowly add in powdered sugar. Alternate by adding one tablespoon at a time of the liquid espresso mixture until you reach the desired consistency of frosting. Continue mixing for an additional two minutes on medium speed.


To Prepare Finished Product:

Use a frosting knife or pastry bag to frost each cupcake, only after they've cooled completely. Add garnish of your choice using shavings from chocolate and sprinkling of ground cinnamon.

Enjoy!