Smoky Pumpkin Pasta

There’s something about the weather turning cold and rainy that makes me crave macaroni and cheese. I’ve tried dozens of vegan mac and cheese dishes at restaurants and at home — some better than others. This doesn’t really pretend to be mac and cheese but it fulfills that same creamy comfort food craving — featuring […]

Barbecue Jackfruit Sliders

I don’t know about you, but my southern relatives eat “barbecue.” And when they say barbecue, they mean “pulled pork,” usually in sandwich form. Growing up in “The North” (i.e., Pennsylvania), this always confused me since people in Pittsburgh would talk about having “a barbecue,” which could mean eating any number of things. Nope. Where my Virginia […]

Pumpkin Pancakes

When I was a kid, my mom used to make this amazing pumpkin cake. It was moist, pumpkiny and nicely accented with fall spices. I’ve been craving pancakes lately, hence the recent savory zucchini pancakes, followed by the zucchini bread pancakes. Are we seeing a pattern here? Uh oh. I’ve also been reminiscing about that pumpkin cake and thought I should […]

Zucchini Bread Pancakes

Just in time for the weekend, here’s a recipe for a great Saturday morning breakfast or brunch. Not to be mistaken for the savory zucchini pancakes from last week, these are breakfast pancakes that taste just like zucchini bread.  I’ve been daydreaming about these for a while now, imagining what they might taste like and […]

Curried Pumpkin Soup

I’m finally ready to admit it’s fall. The leaves are officially changing and dropping to the ground. The weather has turned and the days are getting shorter. I’ve pulled out my fall coat and scarves from the closet. For me, this soup epitomizes fall. It’s pumpkin — one of the stars of autumn produce — and […]

Savory Zucchini Pancakes with Homemade Applesauce

What should you make when the end of zucchini season runs into apple season? Zucchini pancakes topped with fresh homemade applesauce, of course! I’ve always been a fan of latkes (a traditional Jewish potato pancake dish) and I’ve always loved them topped with both applesauce and sour cream. This recipe is reminiscent of that. I used some […]

San Francisco Breakfast Burrito (The Grind Cafe)

On the day I was heading home to Seattle, Tish and Jason and I went to breakfast at The Grind Café. They have quite a few vegan options (all of their scrambles can be made with tofu instead of eggs). Tish and I both got the breakfast burrito made vegan. I have to say it was one of the nicest breakfast […]

The Little Chihuahua (San Francisco Mexican Eats)

I just got back from a whirlwind trip to San Francisco after my Pittsburgh travels. I stayed with my good friend Tish and her partner, Jason. They were wonderful hosts and live in a beautiful apartment in the Lower Haight. Everything is in walking distance — lots of amazing food, groceries, Golden Gate Park, etc. A […]

Last of the Heirloom Tomatoes

There are still a few heirloom tomatoes at the farmers markets in Seattle. I’m not letting go of summer completely until the heirlooms are gone. In these last days of summer tomatoes, I’ve been enjoying them more and more simply. Here are few ideas that require little to no preparation: Sliced and plain, these ripe tomatoes […]

Spak Brothers — Pittsburgh Hoagies, Vegan Style

One of the things I miss about not living in Pittsburgh is being able to eat delicious hoagies. When I went vegan, I came to terms with the fact that hoagies were off the list. A lot of classic Pittsburgh foods, in fact, were off the list. But we won’t dwell on that. As you can […]