Fast, Fun, & Delish, High Protein Snack

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are." -Adelle Davis

Here is a fun and fast snack idea that I eat all the time, especially when I know my body needs some protein. This can be a great pre or post workout snack, or just a fun way to "indulge" because these roll-ups taste seriously naughty. Have fun!

Tofurky Roll-Ups

What you will need:

5 slices of Tofurky Deli Slices (I used Hickory Smoked)

2- 4 tbsp hummus (I used garlic flavor with little bits of fresh garlic in it)

1/2 tomato, cut into 5 wedges

fresh herbs (optional)

Step 1: Lay out Tofurky slices.
Step 2: Place dollops of hummus and tomato wedges in the center of the slices.

Step 3: Roll up using hummus to stick slices together and top exposed hummus with fresh herbs. I used dill.

Cool Variations of this snack:

-Use avocado instead of tomato

-Use bell pepper instead of tomato to add some crunch to this snack

-Use different types of deli slices and hummus for some variety

Comment below or holler at me on Twitter and Facebook if you have any neat suggestions for variations of this snack. I love hearing them!

Protein Breakdown:

5 Tofurky Deli Slices - 13g

2- 4 tbsp hummus - 2 to 4g (depending on brand)

1/2 tomato - 1g (depending on size/ type)

So....

My snack that I just ate contained a total 18g of protein. Quite good for just a mid-morning snack, especially since I eat vegan protein with each meal. Feel free to share this post with anyone who thinks that plant based diets equate to lack of protein. Dirty Vegans are definitely proof that we love our food, and we don't skimp! Hope you can fit a fun roll-up into your day (or at least your week)! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off.

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Get Fit for the New Year

This is the time of year that everyone is thinking about getting healthy. The holidays are over (for the most part - hello, yummy vegan Valentine Chocolates!), and people are back at the gym in full force and wanting to eat a little healthier.

Pure Fit Nutrition Bars was kind enough to send me some of their yummy fitness bars to try and here is what I think.

I received Pure Fit Bars in the following flavors: Granola Crunch, Peanut Butter Crunch, Berry Almond Crunch, Chocolate Brownie, and Almond Crunch. The bars are vegan, gluten-free, and contain a ton of nutrition, including 20% iron and a whopping 18g of protein!

When I was in high school, I was very athletic, active, and health conscious. At that time, I was not full vegetarian yet, I ate protein bars, ran track, and went to the gym. My fitness level and figure was not near as amazing as it is today, as a Dirty Vegan. I eat pretty Naughty now, but am in the best shape of my life. Back then I was all into health and fitness, but could not attain the levels of fitness and make my body look the way it looks right now, as I live a completely Dirty Vegan lifestyle. I think that is quite funny for all those naysayers who have negative things to say about veganism.

Now, as a Dirty Vegan, I want to be back in the health freak club sometimes. I sometimes miss that whole gym-going lifestyle of grabbing a protein bar that had that specific taste, and going to the gym. Just the act of it, for me is nostalgic to my teenage years. Even though I wasn't at peek fitness level (or what I would even consider acceptable by my current standards) back then, it was the motivation that I held and having these supplements and products behind me was important.

So when I took one bite of the Pure Fit Berry Almond Crunch bar, I felt like I just took a bite of my adolescence. I felt the sudden urge to hit the gym (which you all know is very unusual for me). To have a vegan bar like Pure Fit that contains a great amount of protein and nutrients, be gluten-free, and be extremely competitive to the non-vegan bars out there, is really cool to me. Most of the competition is junk - Pure Fit is like winning the vegan health lottery.

So if you are looking for a product to help you reach your 2012 fitness and health goals, I would definitely recomend these bars.

Peanut Butter Crunch are my favorite flavor from the line! Yum!

So what are your New Year's fitness plans? What is your resolution this year? Are you sticking to it so far?

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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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Down Home Tofu Stir Fry? What!?

I love to veganize Southern cooking, and vegetables such as okra or bell peppers are just plain comforting. I also like Asian, Indian, and Thai cuisine. Well, put some of these elements all together and you get yourself one really crazy meal that is totally deeelish!

Get Your Vegan Boots on, We're About to Make This Here 'Southern Tofu Stir Fry with Peanut Curry Sauce'

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 cups okra, sliced

2 cups bell peppers, any color or combination

1 block tofu, drained and cut into chunks

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce (or Aminos, or Tamari, or Shoyu)

1 tsp curry powder

sprinkle garlic powder

black pepper to taste

Heat coconut oil on medium heat in wok. Add vegetables and coat them with oil. Stir fry on high for a few moments, add tofu, then let simmer on low heat while you prepare sauce. In a bowl combine peanut butter, soy sauce, curry powder, garlic powder, and black pepper and add this sauce into your wok. Coat stir fry with sauce and stiry fry for about 3- 5 minutes on medium/ high heat. Serve over rice, over noodles, or with a piece on naan or corn bread on the side. Enjoy!

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Tangy Dressing or Dip to the Rescue!

Did you ever make a wonderful salad to find that as you reach for the finishing touch, you are all out of salad dressing or oil? How about wanting to dip something in, and having absolutely nothing that will satisfy your craving for tang? Here is how you can improvise with three simple ingredients that are commonly found in an average person's refrigerator!

Dirty Vegan to the Rescue with a 'Creamy Dijon Tangy Dressing or Dip' Recipe!

2 tbsp vegan mayo

1 tsp dijon mustard

sprinkle (or two) of Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce/ tamari/ shoyu) to taste

Mix all three ingredients and enjoy as a yummy dressing or dip with the tangy-factor!

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Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

Do you know someone who is considered a "Meat and Potatoes" person? Perhaps you know someone who could NEVER even consider a vegan meal. If you would like to change that person's mind, this just might be the recipe for you. So filling, rich and savory, but also super quick and easy of a meal to prepare and make. Give it a try!

Fool Em' With This 'Naughty Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie' Recipe

2 large sweet potatoes, cubed and boiled until tender (about 10- 15 minutes)

4 tbsp vegan butter, divided (I used Earth Balance Soy Free)

1/8 cup vegan milk (I used Original Unsweetened almond milk)

sea salt & pepper to taste

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz mixed vegetables

12 oz vegan ground "beef" (I used Lightlife Smart Ground Original)

Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce) to taste

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Once your sweet potatoes are boiled to perfection, drain water and mash them with a potato masher or fork. Mix 2 tbsp vegan butter, 1/8 vegan milk, salt and pepper, into the mashed potatoes. Set aside. In a casserole dish, combine onion, garlic, mixed vegetables, vegan grounds, and sprinkle some Aminos or soy sauce. When that is thoroughly mixed, spread that out evenly. *Time Saver Tip: I did this part during the potato boiling, then made the mashed potato mixture afterwards, to save time* Spread mashed sweet potatoes evenly on top in casserole dish. Bake covered for 30- 40 minutes, with the last few minutes uncovered so that the top can brown some. Let settle for a few moments before cutting into squares or scooping into bowls. Enjoy!

I can't decide what my favorite part is, the sweet potato mash on top, or the delicious "meaty" mixture on bottom. Such a yummy meal!

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Veggie Squid Stir Fry

Are you looking for something different to make for dinner? Well Veggie Squid is certainly not of the ordinary, at least not for me. Dirty Vegan Foods did the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival and came across some dehydrated vegan "meats" sold by a company from New York. It was insane what they had. I opted for things that looked less like real meat, and more like dehydrated veggie protein. We got a few packages of different items, but one thing that was out of the ordinary, was the veggie "squid". What you must do to prepare it is soak it in water, and the "squid" plumps right up, just like dehydrated mushrooms do. I really enjoyed the flavor in this yummy recipe. If you can't get your hands on some of this stuff, you can substitute a similar vegan protein, but try China Town for some good veggie "seafood".

Fake It With My 'Veggie "Squid" Stir Fry' Recipe

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups broccoli florets

1 package veggie "squid" strips, soaked in 1/4 cup water for 20- 30 minutes

1/8 cup vegetable broth

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp shoyu (or soy sauce/ tamari/ Liquid Aminos)

black pepper to taste

Heat wok or skillet on medium high heat. Add oil and saute garlic in coconut oil for a moment. Add broccoli and stir fry for 3 minutes; add "squid" strips. In a bowl, whisk broth, olive oil, shoyu, and pepper to make a sauce. Pour sauce over stir fry and cook for a few moments more. Serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!

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