Tacos, Sushi and Cheese - All Vegan 😋

New recipes and reviews are here!

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about food, making food and eating food, much of that as part of the work that goes into writing this newsletter. If I take a step back, it’s interesting to consider that all of us, every single person on planet Earth, has to do these three things in some form, usually three times a day.

Nourishing ourselves is something we all have in common. Most of us are incredibly fortunate to have easy access to abundant choices. Eating can become almost automatic, so I’m trying to be more intentional about picking the best options for my health as well as thinking about the impact on the planet and our fellow human beings. I’m definitely not perfect. Convenience, cost and cravings can all get in the way. Small things I hope add up over time include shopping at farmers markets, buying in bulk to avoid excess packaging, growing a few things at home and figuring out ways to reduce waste.

My latest recipes are easy and flexible. You can use both of them in many different ways and adapt them with the ingredients you have on hand.

RECIPES

Use this Walnut Tomato Taco Crumble as the base for a variety of hearty savory dishes that will satisfy even hard core plant-based skeptics.

The Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce is versatile blend that you can use as a dip, salad dressing or sauce. Once you have both, you can quickly put together both Lettuce Taco Wraps and Burrito Bowl Salad, or create your own combination.

REVIEWS

I’m a big fan of vegan sushi. You may have read my previous review of Shizen in San Francisco. I recently went to Berkeley to meet my daughter, and we enjoyed a delicious meal at Tane Vegan Izakaya. Two of the original founders of Shizen started this group of plant-based sushi restaurants that include locations in Palo Alto and Honolulu as well as the zen-like oasis in Berkeley.

According to their website, “The name Tane, meaning "seed" in Japanese, embodies our commitment to sustainable and innovative dining. Chef Lui’s philosophy centers on setting a new standard for responsible food culture, one that emphasizes the importance of fresh, local produce and eco-friendly practices.”

The small space is calm and quiet with a rustic, Japanese decor. The menu includes salads and starters, ramen, shared plates, nigiri pieces, classic rolls and specialty rolls. The nigiri and rolls are all made with creative combinations and unique preparations of vegetables, fruits, tempura, tofu and seaweed which you can see spread out in a gorgeous array at the sushi counter.

We loved everything we tried including the Eggplant Tataki and the Shizen Shitake, but the specialty rolls really stand out for creativity and flavor. The Ewa Roll is made up of matcha salt seasoned enoki tempura, avocado, smoked beet aioli, yuzu seaweed pearls and truffle salt. The seasoning and meaty texture of the mushrooms combine perfectly with the sweet smoky aioli and the creamy avocado. The Kailua Roll contains ginger shoyu tomato, pickled mango, shiso, marinated shiitake, asparagus, wasabi mustard topped with rice puffs. It’s very fresh, light and slightly sweet but balanced by a slight kick from the wasabi mustard.

I definitely recommend Tane Izakaya, and I look forward to trying the Palo Alto location very soon.

In my last newsletter, I mentioned the assortment of vegan cheeses I ordered from Rebel Cheese. I am impressed by this company’s commitment to sustainability as well as quality and artisan production. In general the ingredients are very clean. The Brie is made with just cashews, water, salt and cultures! They even use a vegan “honey” for the Honey Pistachio Chevre. Some varieties are made with coconut milk and a longer list of predominantly recognizable seasonings and spice and limited additives.

I invited some friends over for a tasting and we sampled each variety: Brie, Smoked Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Tomato Herb Fromage, Honey Pistachio Chevre, and Chevre. Not everyone in the group is vegan, so I got the perspective of those who usually eat dairy cheeses.

Overall, we thought the products were good quality and great tasting. As a vegan, I really appreciate having good options to serve and enjoy on special occasions. I found the flavors and textures to be similar to real cheese and satisfying. My non-vegan guests said the Brie, while tasty, was not quite as creamy and rich as actual brie cheese. They had a similar reaction to the chevre varieties. We all agreed that our favorite is the Tomato Herb Fromage. It’s soft and spreadable with a very nice dried herb crust and a tangy, tasty burst from the tomato layer hidden inside.

CLASSES

I continue to offer small group classes in my home through The Moonlight Collective. On Sunday, March 9, I’ll be repeating Scrumptious and Healthy Raw Vegan Truffles, and there are still two open spots. Our February group had a blast making Matcha Bites, 24 Karat Truffles and Power Balls, and I look forward to hosting new guests. I’m planning to offer some new classes with dehydrator recipes in April.

I’m heading to Peru in a couple weeks and hope to have some interesting food news to share when I return.