Dining In - Kale Salad with Chickpeas & Spicy Tempeh Crumbles

Kale Salad with Chickpeas & Spicy Tempeh Crumbles

I was looking for a quick, healthy dinner recipe that I could make for my boyfriend and that wouldn't require buying a ton of new ingredients at the grocery store. I also wanted to find something that would fill us up with more protein than say a vegan pasta dish, that we often feel the need to eat 2-3 servings of! I found this on a list from Buzzfeed, "23 Vegan Meals With Tons Of Protein." The full recipe can be found here.

It had a few more steps involved than a regular tossed salad, but I loved the crunchy tempeh bits and the kale was very tender after being blanched in boiling water. This has a lot of fiber-filled ingredients, I mean a lot, so just a warning! :)

Serves 3-4 (or in my case 2!)


Tempeh Bits:
8 oz. package of tempeh (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Salad: 
1 pound of kale, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
15.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Dressing: 
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger


To Prepare Salad:

Boil a large pot of salted water and blanch kale for 30 seconds. Run under cold water and drain, squeeze out excess water, and set aside.

Blanched Kale

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mixed Spices for Tempeh Bits

(Optional step: To reduce bitterness of tempeh, you can steam it, by using a small pot and steamer basket for about 20 minutes, while prepping the salad). 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl for tempeh bits. Pour vegetable oil in a separate, small bowl. Cut tempeh into thin strips then dip into oil and arrange strips on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each piece with the mixed spices, flip if desired and coat both sides, though not necessary.


Bake for 20  minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Tip: check on them around 15 minutes in, I noticed some pieces started to burn. 

Baking Seasoned Tempeh Slices

In a glass jar or a bowl with a whisk, combine all dressing ingredients and blend or shake well. 

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss together. Top it with the tempeh bits broken into crumbles. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. 


Enjoy!

Dining Out in New York City - by CHLOE.

Now this is a "Happy Meal" - by CHLOE

Given my fondness for and success with Chloe Coscarelli's recipes, it's no surprise that I was anxiously awaiting the launch of her all-vegan NYC restaurant by CHLOE. I suspected this might be coming with her efforts to grow her brand by appearing on the Today Show and keeping an active social channel going (Instagram: @bychefchloe, @chefchloe) where she shared updates along the way; this was a smart move, building loyalty before opening. The location is another smart move, near the W 4th Street subway stop and right by NYU, where students can grab vegan grub until 12am most nights. The creative direction and branding is just like her, refreshing, adorable and easily likable! 

Interior Design, Complete with Wicker Chair Swings (on the other side) - by CHLOE

Love all the packaging!

I saw the announcement just yesterday that her restaurant was having its grand opening on Tuesday, July 28th and I excitedly told my boyfriend exactly what we'd be doing for dinner the next day. He's enjoyed many Chloe cookbook recipes and was happy to take me! We showed up around 7:30pm and a large, but well managed line was there. They were giving away free cookies all day and even free burgers to the first 50 customers. The website only launched today with a posting of their menu, so I scrambled to make a very hard decision. In line, Chloe herself came around with free samples of a Peanut Butter Cacao Smoothie and a Kale Smoothie. Both were very yummy! I didn't hold back and asked to take a picture with her, she is so sweet! 

Now for our taste testing in the form of a large meal: I ordered the Kale Caesar Salad, as is, with shiitake bacon, avocado, almond parmesan, maple-wheat croutons, capers, grape tomatoes, and Caesar dressing. I hate to criticize my first choice, but this was just too salty for me to order again. I finished it, of course and thought the ingredients themselves were great, but it seemed like each one got salted separately and then tossed together. Along with it, I had a small order of Mac N' Cheese, which was creamy and delicious with a slight kick of smokey spice. The sauce coating the shells was a sweet potato cheese and it was topped with another dose of crunchy shiitake bacon. 

Mac N' Cheese - by CHLOE

The Classic Burger - by CHLOE 

My non-vegan boyfriend got The Classic Burger with Air Baked French Fries. The Classic Burger is built off a super hearty patty with tempeh, lentil, chia and walnut, topped with pickles, onion, beet ketchup and served on a potato bun. I had one bite and said without much experience myself, "tastes like a real burger!" My boyfriend didn't want to share, which is a good sign. His major complaint with vegan burgers is the mistake of serving a mushy veggie-based burger on tough, dry bread so the whole thing falls apart in your hands - this burger had a soft bun and it held it all together. The fries were also very tasty and you'd have no idea they weren't actually "fried." The Beet Ketchup was hot pink and sweet, a nice upgrade. The Special Sauce was light orange and likely a cashew cream base, it was a little bland and I would have preferred more of a mayo or vegannaise flavor. 

 

Chlostess Cupcake - by CHLOE

Dessert was another full course! For my free cookie, I got the Cinnamon Espresso Cookie, compared to my experience making these from her cookbook hers were much thinner and crisp, not moist. I really liked it, its got a slight overbaked taste, but in a good way that complements the espresso flavor. My boyfriend bought for himself (thinking he wouldn't have to share!) a big square of the Banana Bread and a Chlostess Cupcake (previous blog post here). He really enjoyed the Banana Bread, stuffed with chocolate chips and walnuts. As for the Chlostess Cupcake, this was super chocolatey and velvetly smooth and rich. 

Cinnamon Espresso Cookie - by CHLOE

These Look Familiar! The Many Dessert Options - by CHLOE

The menu is lengthy, especially considering this is a brand new restaurant, so that means I will be making many return trips. Chloe is a doll and was a pleasure to talk to, so it makes it a no brainer to support her in her business endeavor! Good luck :)

by CHLOE.

185 Bleecker Street

New York, NY 10012

by Chloe Website

by CHLOE from the Outside

Dining Out in London - Food for Thought

Spinach Cauliflower Dal with Brown Rice & Potato Salad with Garden Salad
Food for Thought

Dinner Crowd at Food for Thought

I'll keep this one short and sweet, because sadly Food for Thought will be closed by the end of June after more than 40 years in business. It happened to be my favorite vegan food in London and the most conveniently located, close to both my office and my hotel, in Soho. Tucked away on a small cobblestone street, it always attracted a crowd in the early evening. People just like me enjoyed their delicious savory, hearty meals. It tasted like home cooked food and the servings were always generous. Not everything they served was vegan, but they had a few vegan entrees to choose from every night and for a combo meal adding a daily salad option was easy as all of them were vegan. 

One of my favorite entrees was the Spinach Cauliflower Dal with Brown Rice. I ordered salad to go with it and got a mix of vegan potato salad and garden salad with a yummy tomato dressing. The Dal dish was creamy, perfectly seasoned and fresh. On other visits, I also tried the Stir-Fried Vegetables with Brown Rice, the Pickled Vegetables, an Avocado, Corn and Black Bean Salad. One more stand out was the dessert I tried on my last visit. The Apple Pear Crumble was jam-packed with fruit and deliciously cinnamon-spiced. Every meal I enjoyed was takeout, but as shown in the photo they do have a few tables to dine in for a small price increase.

Stir-Fried Vegetables with Brown Rice
Food for Thought

The limited, constantly changing menu might frustrate people, especially when you find a favorite, but considering how good the various options were, I enjoyed the surprise and variety! It was cash only, but this is far more common in London than back in the states so I was used to it. If only a place like this existed in New York, where you could get a vegan meal that tastes like home and satisfies you like no other! 

Butterbean Pie - Food for Thought

Taste the Rainbow!

Food for Thought

31 Neal Street

Covent Garden

London, UK WC2H 9PR

Food for Thought Website

Dining Out in London - Tibits

A Mix of Delicious Vegan Dishes - Tibits

I learned about Tibits from Chef Chloe Coscarelli's list of "must dine at" places in London. I was out and about on the Bank Holiday (May 4) enjoying the beautiful weather when I came across the lovely alley, known as Heddon Street with a handful of restaurants that had plentiful outdoor seating. Tidbits founded by three Swiss men is a vegetarian buffet-style restaurant that is pay-by-weight. I'll admit, this turned me off a bit before going. You might assume (like I did) when the kitchen tries to create so many dishes, 40 in total, and keeps them out for everybody to pick at, that the quality suffers. It did not, let me tell you! I enjoyed my meal so much that I cleared my large plate then went back for takeout on both dinner and desserts. I think I shocked the cashier when I downed so much food! I made sure to come back for another visit later in my trip, too.

The rare find, a vegan creamy dressing!

Tibits offers a ton of vegan and gluten-free options, everything is labeled and it seemed at least 90% of the options were vegan. You'll find a mix of hot and cold sides and entrees. Some of the highlights on my plate were the Swiss Chard Lasagna, Orcchiette Pasta with Tofu, Japanese Noodle Salad, Creamy Herb Dressing, Gnocchi, Falafel, Red Pepper Hummus. For dessert I was already thrilled to have more than one vegan option so I took a whole box home with me of Sticky Toffee Pudding, Chocolate Chai Cream, Rhubarb and Apple Crumble and Victoria Sponge Cake. I also ordered a fruit juice that sounded appealing, named Tutti Frutti, with orange, kiwi, apple, pear, banana, and sea buckthorn syrup (what's this? I didn't know either, it's an herb with many health benefits including vitamin C)!

Tutti Frutti Juice - Tibits

I could eat here almost everyday, but cost-wise, it can get expensive if you're not careful, my first plate cost about $15 USD. There is so much variety, so much to choose from, and everything I tried was delicious. Buffets can be overwhelming, so given more time I would soon discover my favorite items, until next time... or maybe a trip to Switzerland?

Tibits

12-14 Heddon Street

London, England W1B 4DA

Tibits Website

Tibits on Heddon Street in London

Dining Out in Charlotte - Luna's Living Kitchen

Rawco Taco Salad - Luna's Living Kitchen

I've been frequenting Charlotte for work recently and though I don't have much free time when I'm there, I always find time for a good vegan meal! After dining at Fern on my first visit down, I went to Luna's Living Kitchen for a solo lunch on my second trip this March. My Uber driver even asked how I found out about Luna's because he takes other out-of-towners there fairly often (must mean not everyone can handle BBQ for every meal!). It's located in Charlotte's South End District at the Atherton Mill and Market, which is a very cool industrial style shopping center with retailers, a farmer's market, and quite a bit of history to it (built in 1919). The restaurant itself is bright and airy with high ceilings and lots of seating. I liked what I saw on the menu and in the Yelp photos. It's a clean, wholesome, vegan menu with lots of raw and gluten-free options and a large juice and smoothie selection. Despite it being Charlotte, this place is not cheap; prices here were in line with NYC prices. 

My first visit was dining in and I ordered the Rawco Taco Salad. It was a huge bowl of healthy ingredients: All layered on a bed of lettuce and raw crackers was avocado, pico de gallo, walnut-almond crumbles, cashew sour cream and a delicious hot sauce, served with lime wedges. This was fresh, vibrant, colorful and had the right amount of kick to it. As I sometimes find with raw meals, the walnut-almond crumble was a little bit salty, but the creamy sauce, hot sauce, and lime balanced it out. I ordered the Grey Hulk Smoothie to go, hoping it would keep well enough for breakfast the next day. Of course I sipped it my whole ride back; it was filling and not-too-sweet, though a little bit chalky and actually grey-colored! It had berries, banana, hemp milk, spiraling  mama, and hemp protein. With the spirulina and added protein I felt I was doing my body good.

Chia Breakfast Bowl - Luna's Living Kitchen

My most recent visit was a quick one, I picked up take-out to have for breakfast and lunch. To get my energy kick I ordered the Chia Breakfast Bowl, which they just packaged in a parfait cup. This sweet tapioca-like dish had chia seeds soaked in a homemade cashew milk with vanilla bean and orange zest, topped with fresh fruit and maple syrup. It was outstanding! I loved the vanilla flavor and the creaminess of the pudding. The fruit was fresh and bursting with flavor to complement the chia seed mixture. I also requested a Matcha Latte but iced and they were able to accommodate. It was the expected matcha earthiness taste with a very creamy almond milk. I could have used a tiny bit more sweetness. 

Lunch menu items are not available until 11am so I ordered the Living Bagel to save for a later lunch. It was a raw, savory bagel made with almonds, flax, zucchini and rosemary with cashew sour cream and topped with tomato, onion, avocado, basil and sprouts, jalapeños on the side. I didn't know what to expect with a raw bagel but this was really filling. The bagel held together nicely. All the toppings made this a delicious, much better-for-you bagel sandwich I could easily eat a few days a week as a full meal. It was certainly high in fat content because of the nuts and avocado, but I felt satiated right away.

Living Bagel - Luna's Living Kitchen

Needless to say I will be returning to Luna's whenever I can make it back to Charlotte!

Luna's Living Kitchen

2000 Boulevard

Charlotte, NC 28203

Luna's Living Kitchen Website

Dining Out in Brooklyn - Champs Diner

Red Velvet Pancakes - Champs Diner

This place is like a glutton's heaven; it's like waking up in a vegan food dream. So be warned, it's not for the "light" eater and you better bring your appetite... and your patience, because you will need both. Champs (or Champs Family Bakery or Champs Diner, whichever you prefer) recently moved to a new location and spruced up their decor, but kept with their retro 50's diner vibe. Even on a rainy, cold Saturday morning there was a crowd outside waiting for a table and unfortunately due to the small size, the hostess wouldn't allow people to wait inside. I came here for a birthday brunch with my best friend and was willing to wait. Instead of standing in the rain, we actually made the smart choice (thinking only with our stomachs here) to swing by Dunwell Doughnuts a couple blocks away for a pre-meal vegan doughnut (yup, talk about healthy). 

I had studied the menu a few times before coming and even ordered takeout from Champs months ago. I was second guessing the fact that everything here is vegan, because it sure doesn't sound or look like it, which makes it that much more exciting! I first tried the Buffalo Chik'n Sandwich but wasn't impressed. It was a hero sandwich made with spicy buffalo chik'n, greens, tomatoes, sauteed onions, and ranch dressing. I couldn't enjoy it because it was too spicy for my taste. I was very eager to go back for a real brunch though because they are known for their breakfast foods. Some stand-outs include the Red Velvet Pancakes (photographed above), Drunken Cowgirl Tofu Scramble, French Fries with Cheese & Bacon (yes, you read that right). My friend was in the mood for more of an "egg" savory dish and went for the Get Scrambled tofu scramble with onions, peppers and ham. I made my decision based on reading the description of Country-Fried Seitan Sandwich...or maybe it was just seeing "fried" in the name. My sandwich was incredible, not something I could eat everyday or even every week, but a scrumptious unhealthy treat nonetheless. The crispy seitan cutlet was crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, smothered in creamy ranch dressing, topped with bacon and melted cheese and a few fresh veggies - lettuce and tomato - all served on Texas toast, because why not?! Man, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I had to save room for our breakfast dessert so I brought half home and ate it only a couple hours later. For dessert, with hardly any room left in our stomachs (those doughnuts before our meal might have been a bad idea), we sunk our forks into a stack of Red Velvet Pancakes. I've never had the pleasure of enjoying red velvet in this way before! They were chewy, fluffy and moist, a well-made pancake indeed and served with a generous heap of heavy whipped cream with melting chocolate chips decorating the plate. 

Country-Fried Seitan Sandwich - Champs Diner

This whole meal left me saying "nom nom nom" and wanting to find a cozy warm corner to go lie down in for a while. There are just so many more things I need to try here. I will be back and I will wait in that line, because dammit it's worth it.

Get Scrambled - Champs Diner

Another shot of those beautiful red velvet pancakes

Champs Diner

197 Meserole Street

Brooklyn, NY 11206
Champs Diner Website