Vegan in Amsterdam

Hello fellow vegan travelers,

Who knew being Vegan in Amsterdam was so easy? I just spent a week and a half touring my fair share of the Netherlands—even making a quick excursion to Ghent, Belgium. I was pleasantly surprised by how vegan-friendly most restaurants were, plus there were many vegan or vegetarian specific eateries AND vegan dominos. Yeah, that’s right. Vegan dominos. Boom.

It was a bit more difficult to find vegan milk alternatives when I ventured away from the major cities, but even then, the espresso is so good in Europe there is no need to drink anything else. It’s almost criminal how much worse espresso is at most coffee shops in the US. Honestly.

Zaanse SchansZaanse Schans 1Zaanse Schans 2Zaanse Schans 3Zaanse Schans 4

On one of our day excursions to Zaanse Schans, we stumbled into In de Gecroonde Duyvekater (a bakery & museum) located in an adorable 1658 home in the windmill village. Can you believe I found a vegan apple hand pie and vegan pizza bread?! I was stunned, and didn’t hesitate before purchasing both. They hand pie was warm and soft,  and the pizza bread was surprisingly fluffy!

I’m having a hard time picking out my favorite vegan excursion from this trip, but I will say, you do NOT want to miss the vegan cheese at Mr. & Mrs. Watson. They serve almond and cashew cheese, and both are phenomenal. I also thought the breakfast and coffee at Koffie ende Koecke was spectacular. I had oat pancakes with fresh jam that was like nothing I’ve experienced before. Check out my mouthwatering photos from a variety of visit worthy restaurants across the Netherlands below.

So tell me, where are your favorite places to travel while vegan?

Cheers and happy traveling!

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own!

 

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Paprika-Spiced Sauteed Chick Peas

Hello everyone,

I love chick peas. I love them on salad. I love them straight out of the can. I love them coated in oil and still sorta good for you … And really, who doesn’t love a good snack? I’m certainly a sucker for them! I finally put two and two together and spawned a new favorite recipe for Paprika-Spiced Sauteed Chick Peas

This recipe is incredibly quick and easy. It’s the type of “thrown together” dish that will shock your tastebuds and your friends! This recipe calls for just four needed ingredients (but you can add others) and takes under 20 minutes to make. Plus, sauteed chick peas are a protein-packed, healthy-ish snack that’s perfect for your next potluck! The texture is a little crunchy, a bit chewy, and it’s chock full of flavor.If you happen to have a lodge cast iron skillet it will give the outer shell that extra crispy layer. I can’t recommend this recipe enough. Go on and give it a try!

Happy snacking!

Jocelyn

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own!


Sauteed Chick Peas

Paprika-Spiced Sauteed Chick Peas

***Please feel free to share widely, just give me some credit or a link back

  • Prep Time: ~2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups
  • Supplies: cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 can chick peas, thoroughly drained (do not remove the skins!)
  • 1 tbs, olive oil
  • 2 tsp, pimenton/ paprika
  • 1 tsp, harissa powder
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Place the drained canned chick peas on a paper towel and pat them down to remove excess moisture.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until simmering.
  3. While the oil is heating up, mix the spices together and toss them with the chick peas until well-coated.
  4. Place the chick peas in the skillet. Toss the chick peas occasionally until they become brown and the outer shell looks crisp. This should take about 15 minutes.
  5. Enjoy while warm!

 

Game Day Treats: Vegan Pigs in a Blanket & more

Hello everyone!

Whether or not you like football, you probably like getting together with friends to snack and halfheartedly watch the halftime show. Or maybe you just watch it for the ads. Either way, if you’re hosting a party for the big day, you’re probably already thinking about what to serve your guests. Is it an all vegan crowd? Do you need to please vegans and omnivores alike? Looking for an easy meal or appetizer to satisfy everyone on Superbowl Sunday? Don’t want to make something homemade? Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. Today I’m bringing you Game Day Treats: Vegan Pigs in a Blanket & more! 

If you read my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls post, you know that I’ve been coming up with some unique uses for the Pillsbury® Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet. I found the perfect game day, two-ingredient recipe—Vegan Pigs in a Blanket. Anyone could make this recipe. It’s simply foolproof, but it doesn’t taste like it! It’s the perfect party food, clocking in at just 15 minutes of cook time, and easily customizable from the size of the serving to the taste. If you want something delicious that will satisfy your craving plus make you reminisce about childhood, check out my complete recipe below!

Okay, maybe you’re looking also for some “just buy it and you’re done” items? I’ve got you covered on those, too. How about getting a few packs of Louisville Vegan Jerky to display in a serving dish? This jerky packs a punch with flavors ranging from Smoked Black Pepper to Smokey Carolina BBQ or my favorited Smoke Chipotle.

Your friends like cheese doodles or cheetos? Well, why not get some Hippeas for them to enjoy? These cheesy puffs are derived from chick peas, but they sure don’t taste like it!

Want to throw in some healthy snacks? You can’t go wrong with a crudité platter with cauliflower, baby carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, red pepper slices, hummus, and some Just Ranch, too!

Or check out other party-ready recipes from one of my all-time favorite vegan cookbooks, “Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give a F*ck.”

Check out my Vegan Pigs in a Blanket recipe below! Let me know what you’re making for game day in the comments.

Happy eating!

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

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Recipe: Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Hello friends,

Happy New Year! What better way to ring in 2018 than with a super simple recipe for Vegan Cinnamon Rolls. I just love taking a somewhat complicated dessert and making it under an hour. For years, I’ve wanted to make vegan cinnamon rolls, but honestly, the dessert intimidated me. This holiday season I purchased several Pillsbury seamless dough sheets to play with. It’s the perfect way to take this dessert from a bit of a hassle to one of the quickest and easiest dishes to make!

These vegan cinnamon rolls will make your home smell like a Cinnabon location. They are light, airy, have just the right level of sweetness. The secret is using pumpkin puree to help get the right level of gooey sweet goodness. So why not take it easy today. Go get a cup of coffee and enjoy making these quick and easy vegan cinnamon rolls with your loved ones!

Happy eating!

Jocelyn

PS – Like this recipe? Check out my recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Roll.

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

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Simple Homemade Crusty Bread

Hello everyone,

My partner has been trying out different bread recipes for sometime now. I’m excited to say, he thinks he finally found “the one.” Cory stumbled on this Youtube video from Tasty and decided to give it a try. He ended up making a few changes, including proofing the dough twice instead of once and using a little more water. The result was an amazing—a simple homemade crusty bread with a soft center! I think the result is partially due to the new Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven 5-Qt that we picked up last month.

Side note: I did not want this dutch oven as my kitchen is quite small and it takes up some space, BUT it is so versatile and makes everything taste great—really, anything from sauteed peppers and onions to this bread recipe!

This recipe + Lodge dutch oven made the tastiest homemade bread with just the right outer shell crunch and soft, fluffy center. This bread is perfect for soups, sandwiches or even bread pudding! It’s visually pleasing with a nice golden color and the taste is perfectly yeasty! Watch the video and give our adapted version of the recipe a try!

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Cheers and happy eating!

Jocelyn

PS —Like this recipe? Check out my post on homemade pita bread, too!

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

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