Grilling with Lightlife and Stuffed Chili Bacon Cheese Dog Recipe!

Lightlife has always been one of my favorite companies for their vegan stuff. I have always loved their tempeh and was excited when they rolled our their tempeh bacon, which tastes absolutely amazing. They have been adding some awesome new plant-based products to their line, but I'm still so hooked on their vegan hot dogs, Smart Dogs.

Lightlife's Smart Dogs come in two sizes, their regular (7g protein) size or their jumbo (14g protein) size. These awesome veggie hot dogs are Non-GMO Project Verified, in addition to being vegan they are also Kosher, and they are a great price, usually retailing at 3 to 4 bucks at most stores.

I have been using these Smart Dogs for grilling for years now, so I wanted to share a recipe that was really fun and not just "throw the veggie dog on the grill", although that's fun too! Here I decided to stuff them with cheese using a method I thought up, that ended up working pretty perfectly. Also, some sides when grilling with these awesome Smart Dogs are grilled vegetables, like corn on the cob; that is what I enjoyed on the side with my chili bacon cheese dogs. Lightlife Smart Dogs are the perfect addition (or star, in my opinion) to any vegan cookout. Let's get to this crazy-delicious recipe!

Stuffed Chili Bacon Cheese Dogs

makes 5 servings

What you will need:

-1 package Lightlife jumbo Smart Dogs

-1 package Lightlife tempeh bacon

-about 5 vegan cheddar cheese pieces, cut into "matchsticks"

-1 cup prepared vegan chili 

-your favorite condiments or additional toppings (like ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, relish, etc.)

 -a hard plastic straw for stuffing them with cheese (a hard plastic or stainless steel smoothie straw will work great!)

-5 hot dog buns

What to do:

Carefully light and prep your grill using all the proper safety precautions for grill use. Take each Smart Dog and gently push the straw through the middle, about halfway, twist then remove. Do the same to the other side of the veggie dog. You will now have a small well; push the vegan cheese sticks into it (use the straw to help push them in if you are using softer cheese instead of hard cheese - hard cheese works best). When your grill is ready for food, place the stuffed Smart Dogs directly on the grill. Place the tempeh bacon on the top basket that you warm buns, if you don't have that, place on a spot on the grill that isn't directly near the flame and cook for less time. Grill veggie dogs and tempeh bacon for 2-4 minutes on each side, or adjust to your liking/ grill type. In a small saucepan, warm up your prepared chili then transfer to a bowl. Now it is time to construct your chili bacon cheese dogs! Place your hot dog in a bun and top with chili, then take some tempeh bacon and crumble it on top. Add additional toppings, if desired. Do the same for all five stuffed chili bacon cheese dogs.

What I love most about Lightlife Smart Dogs is that they taste just like classic, juicy hot dogs, but without the animal products or cholesterol. They are perfect for tailgating, camping, grilling, or any other recipe that calls for hot dogs.

These came out amazing! They were easy because the melted cheese is already inside the veggie dogs and it also gave you just enough cheese amount in each bite

Mouthwatering! You can follow Lightlife on social. They are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and they are always posting delicious pictures!

Big shout out to Lightlife for sending me a portable grill that doubles as a cooler, grilling tools, condiments and for sponsoring this post. You rock!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - hope your day is relaxing like a cookout day!

This blog post was sponsored by Lightlife Foods.

Recipe: Iced Postum Whiskey & a Giveaway!

It was only a matter of time before I made a naughty Postum recipe. Oh yes, I created a Postum cocktail and it is absolutely scrumptious. In fact, this iced "coffee" inspired drink is so delicious and fun that it'll make you want to day drink. Responsibly of course, obviously.

You see, Postum is a beverage alternative to coffee but as I have demonstrated with my cookie recipe, it can be used in baking and so many other recipe types, now including cocktails. Welcome to Postum happy hour! At the end of this post I'll give you all the juicy giveaway details so you can enter to win a Postum prize pack too!

Iced Postum Whiskey
makes 1 drink

Ice
2 heaping teaspoons Postum (in Natural Coffee Flavor)
6 ounces hot water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ounce whiskey
Soy creamer (to taste)
Dollop coconut whipped cream (optional)

Fill a glass with ice and set aside. In a separate mug, mix Postum and hot water (carefully), then dissolve sugar in. Allow to cool. Add whiskey. Pour drink into glass with ice and add creamer to taste. If desired, dollop with coconut or other vegan whipped cream of choice. Enjoy!

What I really love about this coffee-flavored whiskey drink is that you don't get the caffeine side effects that you would if you used coffee. Postum is perfect in coffee-flavored cocktails!

If you'd like to try Postum for yourself, be sure to enter to win a prize pack that will include both flavors and fancy iced cups so you will be prepared to make iced Postum this season! All you have to do to enter to win is RT my giveaway tweet - that's it! To be eligible to win, you must be following both myself and Postum on Twitter. The winner will be randomly chosen on Friday,  April 28th, 2017 and will be announced after that. Good luck!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

The New and Improved Zevia!

I didn't think it was possible to get any better than Zevia has always been, but they managed to outdo even themselves, now making them arguably the best soda on the market...period.

No GMO! They are officially Non-GMO Project Verified!

No caramel color! They are clear in fact!

Stevia and monk fruit sweetened, making Zevia a healthy soda that is also waistline-friendly!

Wearing my Zevia tank top! Had it for a while now and it is still my favorite.

I have always adored Zevia, but began to love them even more when I found out that they were also fans of mine! These days, with their new formula and look, I am quite smitten in deed, some would say head over heels even.

Some of my favorite flavors that are pictured at the top of the page, are:

ginger root beer - so good, you'll never want another root beer again unless it is a Zevia!

caffeine-free cola - when you've had WAY too much caffeine for one day, but would really enjoy the taste of a nice cold cola.

ginger ale - my go-to whenever my tummy is not feeling great... and it always does the trick!

cola - you will become addicted to this cola... plus it has just enough caffeine zip to give me a kick in the ass, but without the jitters.

grape - finally a grape soda that I don't have to feel guilty about after drinking it! No harmful dyes and sans a week's worth of sugar. Love it!

cream soda - tastes like it is straight from the 1950's soda pop shop... if I were actually alive in the 50's and had ever been to a pop shop. However, this is what I imagine it tasted like. Perfect for vegan ice cream floats!

dr. zevia - just call the good doctor... he or she will fix ya!

lemon lime twist - love this refreshing flavor.

cherry cola - this flavor makes it possible for vegan and natural foodies to enjoy a cherry cola that is NOT full of crapola!

black cherry - love it. Enough said.

strawberry - thank you Zevia for making it possible to enjoy a delicious a strawberry soda without junky ingredients and red dye!

Zevia...

i heart...

you! <3

Definitely liking all of the changes Zevia has made and just a huge fan of their products in general. Whether you are craving an ice cold fizzy beverage, hankering for an ice cream float, or want a natural and diet-friendly soda to use in recipes, Zevia is my go-to choice for sure! Be sure to follow the fun Zevia folks on Twitter, and also keep an eye out for my Zevia tweets! I love to show off my culinary creations in which I utilize Zevia... especially ginger root beer floats! 

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Wishing you a sunshine in your pocket kind of day! 

#CheersTo a Zevia Holiday Cocktail! Grown-up Root Beer Float!

Oh the relatives. The non-vegan, judgmental, close-minded, in yo' business, relatives. Yes, the personal question askin', intrusive, "are you married yet - why don't you have kids yet - are you pregnant right now (that explains your bloated face) - why aren't you having more kids yet - how many kids are you having in total - why are you still breastfeeding" inquiring relatives. Yep, its enough to make your let-it-snow, merrily merrily, holiday season want to come to a screeching ho-ho halt! Well, what if I were to tell you that it doesn't have to bother you? That's right, it doesn't have to bug you one bit! There is a super potion designed specifically for handling these pesky people that you have no choice but to deal with for eternity. It is called alcohol!

DASHING DISCLAIMER: Do not read this article if you are under 21 years of age! That's right kiddo! Get the heck off my website right now and go play with your Barbies before life takes a hold of you and makes you pay taxes, and bills, and makes you darn tired. Don't worry about alcohol just yet. You will have plenty of time for it when you actually will need it. You probably even still like your relatives at this point. Oh wait, life adds in in-laws too. Yeah, it gets worse.

With all this being said, you can't just drink yourself silly and drink plain alcohol all alone; that would make you an alcoholic. So, instead we cleverly disguise these wonderful elixirs with holly jolly names and themes. Without further ado, here is my first Zevia #CheersTo holiday drink for 2014! My theme will be #CheersTo tolerating our relatives this year and every year!

Grown-up Zevia Ginger Root Beer Float with Sugary Ginger Rim

Here's what you will need to create this masterpiece!

-2 tbsp colored sugar
-1/2 tsp ground ginger
-1 can of Zevia Ginger Root Beer
-1 ounce vanilla vodka
-1 heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream (I used So Delicious coconut milk ice cream in Vanilla Bean flavor)

Here's what you will need to do!

Choose your favorite cocktail glass. Mix together colored sugar (in the color of your choice - I used a sparkly green here) and ground ginger on a plate. Wet the top of the rim of your glass, then twirl the rim of it in the sugary ginger mixture. Set glass down. Fill glass with crushed ice. In a separate cocktail shaker, pour 1 can Zevia Ginger Root Beer, 1 ounce vanilla flavored vodka, then give it a gentle swirl. Carefully pour your cocktail into your sugared rim glass. Top with a heaping scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

*Please drink responsibly - don't ruin it*

Stay tuned for more #CheersTo Zevia drink recipes!

#CheersTo Zevia... the official way to make drinks and not feel like a fat ass feel guilt-free!

You've NEVER Seen Vegan Cheese Like This Before!

I am so excited to share this post with you. I recently received delicious vegan and raw cheeses from Tree Nut Cheese, Dr. Cow and let me tell you, they have completely changed the way I feel about vegan cheese. Thanks Dr. Cow, for ruining vegan cheese for me because I can no longer look at processed vegan "cheeses" the same way after enjoying your real cheese! I did a taste test with another vegan cheese, and there was no comparison after experiencing Dr. Cow's aged nut cheeses. What the other vegan cheese companies are going for, Dr. Cow actually did it; they nailed it. They achieved real vegan cheese that would fool anyone and it is mighty tasty! It is also healthy! There are just three or four ingredients in each of their products, and they are quality ingredients at that. Did I mention they are fancy shmancy?! Well they are fancy shmancy. Finally, a vegan cheese that you can put out at parties that will actually impress snobby cheese connoisseurs. Take that! Now let's look at this delicious cheese.

My cheese arrived perfectly packaged and in beautiful form. Little bundles of art. Tree Nut Cheese Dr. Cow's cheese is like a work of art. These are the aged cheeses.

This is the Cream Cashew Nut Cheese similar to cream cheese or a cheese spread but like the Upper East Side version. I actually felt weird spreading this on my bagel. Like it was too good for my crap bagel. Well, because it is. I'm not kidding this is fancy, good-quality stuff.

I enlisted the help of my husband on eating these cheeses. What we did was try a slice of each cheese by itself, then on a cracker, and eventually on other things. The cheeses have a sort of rind (which we ate and it was delicious!) but are smooth and creamy in the middle, without being overly soft. They also slice incredibly easily. Each cheese is a little different however, so I'll tell you about the ones that we tried and the different ways that they were enjoyed in our household.

The Aged Cashew Nut Cheese was one of our favorites! It is mild, scarily tasted like dairy cheese, and had a classic or original flavor. It is aged for 3 months, which is pretty darn cool. This is a sort of hard cheese but can be spreadable also (especially if you leave it out of the refrigerator for a few minutes). This cheese was great by itself. Serve this to guests to impress!

This Aged Cashew and Dulse Cheese was also aged for 3 months. The sea algae dulse gives this cheese a light ocean flavor. This cheese is perfect for cheese and crackers, or even to enjoy over a baked potato as it pairs well with vegetables. It is creamy and we really enjoyed the flavor.

The Aged Cashew and Hemp Seeds Cheese was awesome! The hemp seeds add such a rich and delicious flavor to this cheese. It is sharp like cheddar, also aged for 3 months, has a creamy yet firm texture, and has some omegas in there. This cheese can stand up to any dairy cheese and win. And where else can you find a cheese with omegas in it?

The Aged Cashew and Blue Green Algae has a fun appearance and interesting flavor. Also aged for 3 months, it is mellow but has a tangy aftertaste. And algae has such wonderful health benefits. I can't think of a better way to get your nutrition-on than by eating cheese and crackers, can you?

The Aged Cashew and Kale Cheese has a bold kale flavor. If you love kale as much as I do, you will enjoy this cheese. This cheese has also been aged for 3 months. With the strong taste combination of cheese and kale, along with it's health benefits, I really enjoyed this cheese.

Upon handling the Aged Macadamia Cheese I thought for sure it would be my favorite. It is much softer than the other aged cheeses and the appearance is rather pretty. This is very high-end, very spreadable cheese, but came along with a very strong macadamia nut flavor. But hey, it is made with macadamias. With that being said, we began to really enjoy the flavor the more we ate it. It is a fun cheese for sure that probably pairs great with wine. Another impressive cheese.

The Cream Cashew Nuts Cheese is super fun! Use it as cream cheese, sour cream, spread, you name it! This is highly spreadable and tastes just like a cream cheese complete with the tang factor. It is a small container but a little goes a long way! We've tried this on everything and we still have some left. It just really seems to last. It has such a tasty yet strong cheesy flavor that you wouldn't want or need to pile this on a bagel or sandwich. Less is more. Absolutely wonderful cheese!

I've done so much with these cheeses! Including this taste comparison on fresh bakery bread. Here is the Cream Cashew Cheese and on the top left you can see another vegan cream cheese beside it. Really no competition; Dr. Cow wins hands down. I couldn't finish the portion with the other brand's cream cheese on it. It actually tasted very different in comparison and not quite something that I would want to eat right out of the container like I can with Dr. Cow. I will save this other brand's cheese for adding creaminess to recipes or for desserts, etc. Once you've gone Dr. Cow's Tree Nut Cheeses, you can't go back.

The Cream Cashew Cheese is also great on cucumber slices and other veggies!

Here I sliced the aged cheeses and put them in my sandwich. What a treat!

I also used the cheese grater to grate, slice, and even crumble the aged cheeses! That turned out awesome! You can do anything with this cheese. Gone are the days where vegans had to settle on whatever we can get. How refreshing is it to have vegan cheese that is soy-free? I love soy and all, but a girl does need her variety! The age of vegan cheese is here, and Dr. Cow's has changed the game. What a wonderful experience! 

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Go get yourself some real vegan cheese and have a nice party, will ya'?!

Beans are the New Trail Mix!

Move over Trail Mix, there's a new healthy snack in town!

Gone are the days of boring snacking. No beans about it, I am glad that I got my hands on some goodies from The Good Bean! So here is the scoop, The Good Bean makes all natural, roasted chickpea snacks in a whole bunch of delicious flavors. Flavors like, Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper, Smoky Chili & Lime, Sweet Cinnamon, Mosquite BBQ, Thai Coconut Lemongrass, and Chocolate! Basically, any flavor that you fancy. Why snack on these chickpeas when you can get potato chips in lots of flavors, you ask? Well because just one serving of The Good Bean roasted chickpeas has as much protein as almonds, as much fiber as two cups of broccoli, and as much folate as three cups of spinach (hello prego mamas)! For just those reasons alone, makes these tiny crunch-machines superior snacks, but there is more.

Taste The Good Bean rainbow!

Not only are these portable and great for lunchboxes, briefcases, gym bags, lockers, desks, camping or hiking backpacks, you name it, the flavors are outrageous! Each flavor has a unique taste and texture also. Depending on your mood, you have flavors that range from simple to sweet to savory to complex. The Sea Salt has a smooth coating and is crunchy and smooth. Sea Salt is great for snackers who typically go for the plain or classic flavors but love the major crunch factor. For the sweet tooth there are flavors like Chocolate or Sweet Cinnamon. They remind me of healthy, candied nuts with huge flavor; what a smart way to snack when you are craving dessert. When you want savory and spicy you can choose Smoky Chili & Lime and Mosquite BBQ which are better than any potato chip that I have ever had. And as for the most complex of The Good Bean flavors, the Thai Coconut Lemongrass literally tastes like I'm eating at a Thai restaurant! It actually almost reminded me of Penang Curry Tofu!

Another great thing about these roasted chickpeas is that your jaw has to do a lot of work to eat these! You can't possibly overeat these and even if you did it is healthier than scarfing down chips. Usually with snacks I can easily eat much more than the recommended serving size, however with The Good Bean I am completely satisfied after my one ounce serving, not to mention my jaw is completely tired! These are also great for people looking to lose weight or maintain their weight and have a snack obsession like I do!

The Good Bean roasted chickpeas come in two bag sizes, a single serving bag to take on the go and a larger bag with a resealable zipper. And although snacking right from the bag is great, you can also enjoy these as salad toppers instead of croutons, in soups, mixed into vegan yogurt, over vegan ice cream (especially the chocolate - yum!), to make your own snack mixes with, or any other way that you can think of! These would also be fabulous to put in pretty dishes or bowls to offer guests during cocktail parties. These are absolutely scrumptious and are now my new go-to snack!

You can find The Good Bean at Whole Foods and other markets using their store locator or you can simply shop right on their website. The Good Bean offers FREE SHIPPING for orders amounting to $35 or more! That is easy to do when you stock up for school lunches, camping trips, road trips, college dorms or care packages, etc. 

I am so psyched about this great product and excited to make this a regular part of our family's snacking! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I hope you have a crunchy, crispy, flavorful day!

Real Cultured Almond Milk Cheese...Vegan-Friendly!

One of our vegan pals that we ran into the other day, told us about this new vegan cheese available at WholeFoods. He said that it is located in the dairy section with the other artisan cheeses and it is made using the same process as you would to make dairy cheese, except this cheese is made with vegan products. We definitely wanted to give this cheese a try; needless to say, we were quite intrigued after hearing about it.

These nut cheeses are made by a company called Kite Hill. They are artisan cheeses and are definitely pricey (about $14), but are really delicious and worth it. We tried the Truffle Dill and Chive cheese, Cassucio. My first impression of this cheese was that it reminded me of tofu, in taste and consistency. There is no tofu at all in this cheese. I had never really had artisan cheeses before. My husband on the other hand, said that this cheese reminded him of brie. I definitely enjoyed this cheese on crackers. It cuts well and easily and looks beautiful. This cheese would be great to serve to your party guests. Considering my husband has had cheeses of this caliber before, he said Kite Hill Cassucio measures up.

The chive and truffle in this cheese was very delicious. This cheese has a very light, clean, and refreshing taste. It definitely does not sit like a brick in your stomach like some other vegan cheeses seem to do. My theory is that it is because of the natural and easily digestible ingredients. I'm sure my body just knew what to do with this food and used it as fuel efficiently, which is great because I enjoyed eating it so much! 

Overall, I liked this cheese and believe that it was well worth the hefty price tag. It might not be something that we can get every single week, but it is definitely superb for celebrating, hosting, and special occasions. I would love to try the other flavors of cheese that Kite Hill has to offer!

Have you tried this cheese, and if so, what do you think of it? If not, would you try this vegan artisan cheese at $14 a pop? And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Have a vegan-cheesy day!

You'll Never Look at Chickpeas the Same!

Keeping up with the spicy theme going on this week, I decided to post this recipe. These are knock-you-out-of-your-shoes delicious! They are crunchy, salty, spicy, and just plain addicting. I actually thought of keeping a sandwich bag full of these in my purse for those snacky moments or even to bring to the movie theater instead of that nasty popcorn that they serve. And we cannot overlook how completely nutritious this snack is! These come out like a corn nut, in a way, and are more crunchy the longer you bake them and the more space you give them on the baking sheet. These are great to serve at parties, to put on salads, or for take-along snacks. Don't say I didn't warn you about the addictive-factor of these...

Buffalo Roasted Chickpeas

What you will need:

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp vegan butter, melted

4.5 tsp hot sauce

sea salt to taste

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss all of the ingredients together. Line a baking pan with foil then spread the chickpeas evenly in pan. Bake for 40 minutes or longer depending on how crunchy you want your chickpeas. Stir them occasionally during baking and sprinkle with sea salt afterwards. Enjoy!

Being Vegan at the Melting Pot Restaurant (Fondue Me!)

It really takes my mother thinking I was dead because I wasn't blogging regularly, to be the push I needed to get back in the game. I thought, gees if this is what my mother thinks, imagine my poor readers! Ha!

Without further adieu, Happy New Year! This is what my New Year's Eve partying consisted of...

So, based on the title of this post, you are probably thinking, "Dirty Vegan, why must you tease us about vegans being able to tango at the fondue restaurant?"...well tease I don't. When the Dirty Vegan dines, she receives plentiful amounts of delicious vegan eatables, and the Melting Pot in Providence, RI was just the place to wine and dine this Naughty lady! Check out the multi-course vegan meal I was accommodated with!

To start, sesame crusted tofu, mandarin, and teriyaki sauce!

Some of the fine foods that I got to cook in a scrumptious vegan broth then dip in an assortment of sauces. Prior to this, I had yummy fruits and veggies to dip in a generous pot of vegan spinach and artichoke cheese fondue! Yes, the motherload!

Vegan Chocolate Fondue!!! To dip...

Fruits, cookies, cake, and my personal favorite...pieces of Go Max Go candy bars in each assortment!!!

While I cannot promise the red carpet treatment that I received dining as the Dirty Vegan (i.e. my favorite food group, Go Max Go), I can say that yes this restaurant offers vegan options, and they are amazing. I always recommend calling ahead and letting them know you are vegan when making your reservations. The Melting Pot is definitely versed on the vegan lifestyle, as their manager Tyler has experience with vegan diet, cooking and lifestyle (and is such an awesome person! Love him!). This definitely should change the minds of your friends and families who think that us vegans cannot possibly dine with the rest of society (which statistics are beginning to prove that very soon vegetarians will no longer be the minority, we'll be the majority!). The Melting Pot did such an awesome job and I left the restaurant fat and happy!

Hope you have a vegan fat kid kind of day. Oh, and stop drooling at your computer! For now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off.

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