Shout Out to Red Robin! | Vegan While Out

Red Robin is pretty darn vegan friendly. I know this may sound crazy being that they cater to meat lovers, but they also offer vegan burgers. Yes, vegan burgers!

Elijah approves! We have this agreement that the boys can eat whatever they want when we dine out.  It's funny because I didn't mention anything about the food and he ordered the vegan patty on his own! Leading by example works every time.

I love how their kids' menu offers a lot of fruit and veggies as side items.... 

Have you tried the vegan burgers at Red Robin? What did you think? 

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Vegan Soups At Panera Bread

I remember when eating out was overwhelming and uncomfortable. I hated the limited options (or the fact that I convinced myself that it was limited) and that people always suggested that I "just eat a salad." 

Sometimes I still get frustrated, but the more I do it, the better it gets.

Overall, Panera Bread's food is just okay to me, but their black bean soup is delicious!

I had a large cup with a baguette (which is naturally vegan woohoo!) and took advantage of their free Wi-Fi.

Panera's description of the soup: Plump black beans simmered in a spicy vegetarian broth with onion, red bell pepper, garlic and cumin

I will have to recreate this one very soon!

Panera's vegetarian vegetable soup can be made vegan, too. Just ask them to leave out the pesto (which contains cheese).

 

Do you struggle with eating out or do you just avoid it?

Where's the Food? Vegan While Out

Hey! I hope you're having a great week.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Eatonsville restaurant to hang with Rosetta and 50 other women for her happy hour event. Social events usually give me a lot of anxiety (even family stuff), so I'm learning to put myself out there more to move past those feelings.

I was elated to see my boo, Lisa! She's one of the most positive and beautiful women I know. I can't wait to do more vegan cooking (and wine drinking) with her.  We did videos together here and here.

I also saw my girl, Ronnet, who inspired my in person cooking classes when she emailed and requested it last year. :-) 

I knew there would be complimentary food at the event, but I wasn't sure whether or not there would be vegan options.

I arrived about 40 minutes early and went across the street to Busboys & Poets and shared a plate of vegan nachos with Eric.  

Black-eyed peas on nachos? Yes! I will have to recreate this one! So delicious :-) 

Once at the event, I did spot a fruit and cracker tray. I don't see crackers and fruit as a meal but sometimes that's the only option available. I've been to places where it's much less than that. lol

I had such an amazing time! Rosetta did a speed date type set up, where we discussed our dreams and goals with complete strangers. lol It was sooo out of my comfort zone, but I'm glad I did it because I actually found the editor for my upcoming vegan guide!

Afterwards, I met back up with Eric and we shared a veggie burger and fries for a late night date.

This burger wasn't very good and actually tasted like raisins. Ummm, I like raisins but not in a burger. No thanks! 

Anywho, Eric and I laughed a lot, chatted about the event, and even had our own dream session. Good times!

A couple of vegan tips for your next social event:

*Change your mindset-I know we're conditioned to see social events as an opportunity to eat lots of food, but try to see as a way to make genuine connections.

*Eat before and after you attend the event. :-)

The hardest part of being a vegan is usually the planning. Once you have that part down, things usually become a lot easier.

Thanks for reading!

Eat Vegan in A Hotel Room?

For me, going on vacation means exploring the new city and using happycow.net to find all the local vegan-friendly restaurants.  

I was on The Healthy Voyager's website and came across a video of her offering tips to save money and your waistline while on vacation.

Some of the tips are too extreme for me (using the iron to make a panini??) but overall this information is helpful.

Tips from video:

*Bring a small blender and blend fresh produce wherever you are

*The coffee filter basket is an easy way to steam fresh vegetables

*Use the coffee carafe to warm soups and beans (I really like this one!)

*The ice bucket is handy for tossing salads

*Bring along food grade peroxide to sanitize all the items

Do you usually find ways to cook in your hotel room on vacation or seek out local restaurants?

Vegan While Out: Indian Guru

Eric and I have been searching for authentic Indian food and we stumbled on a new small restaurant with service and food that didn't disappoint.

The menu clearly marked all the vegan options and the cover even boasted about catering to a vegetarian lifestyle. Woohoo! Intimate ambience and inexpensive food? Sign me up!

Instead of ordering from the menu, we opted for the lunch buffet that featured several of the same dishes. The server pointed out 3 vegan entrees on the buffet and I piled my plate up with them.

Vegetable samosa, mixed vegetables, chana marsala & basmati rice-I promise it tasted better than this picture looks. So flavorful!

Tips on choosing vegan Indian dishes while dining out-

Fortunately, plenty of Indian dishes are already vegetarian or vegan.

*Check out the menu online before leaving to get an idea of what options are available.

*Vegetable curry, samosas, pakoras, dhal and papadums tend to be vegan

*Be sure to inquire about the ingredients in the sauces to ensure there's no butter or other animal byproducts.

Most importantly, politely ask your server for assistance. :-)

Theo photo bombing my random restaurant shots.....

lol

I came across a vegan Indian cookbook at the library the other day.  I can't wait to experiment with some of the recipes. 

I hope you had a great weekend!