Archives for December 2018

There are a lot of vegan cheeses to choose from on the market these days – which is an incredible dilemma to have. But if you have never heard of Spero Foods before, this is a bandwagon you will likely want to jump on. You already know that we are fans of their vegan egg and of their healthy and sustainable philosophy. On top of that, they are plant based, made from totally clean ingredients, without unhealthy preservatives that you probably can’t pronounce (and free from soy, gluten and nuts!). They are also an impressive nine times more sustainable than dairy cheeses. 

Aside from all of that, these cheeses are AMAZING. If I haven’t stressed it enough, you will undoubtedly want to bookmark this company in the back of your mind. We shared our provisions with our extended family and they were completely stunned. Everyone’s favorite, hands down, was the “Goaty Chèvre” which was remarkably similar to the real thing. I am still amazed by the flavor and the fact that everything used to concoct this masterpiece of a non-dairy cheese was made from entirely clean ingredients. 

The different flavors of chèvre that we enjoyed were Sun Dried Tomato, Smokey Chipotle, Goat and Herbacious. I am really looking forward to trying their new Camembert, as well. These cheeses can be used on a platter, in or on pasta, soups or in any recipe that calls for a gourmet cheese.  

And the icing on top is this gorgeous Whipped Cinnamon Cheesecake. It is as beautiful, rich and delectable as it looks. 

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Spero Foods is absolutely changing the face of veganism and sustainable living and I am so glad that they exist. Vegans can undoubtedly rejoice in a delicious cheese plate again. You can wow your dinner guests with something impressively vegan, or enjoy it as a delightfully rich and gourmet snack by yourself. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for this great company. 

**I received product in exchange for my honest feedback and opinion. I only share products that I absolutely love and believe in.

It’s the most beautiful time of the year at Disneyland…and let me tell you: they did not skimp on their gifts to vegans this holiday season! This season has by far had the most vegan friendly offerings of any Disney special event. If you were contemplating going, now is the time. On top of all the new delicious seasonal additions, there are a handful of new vegan items that are a permanent fixture on their menu as well. This comes right after releasing an entirely plant-based menu for World Vegan Day. The progression is amazing and is so appreciated. Thank you, Disneyland. Our vegan kids appreciate it more than you can imagine!

Here are some of the holiday options that we thoroughly enjoyed. Scroll all the way down to see what my very favorite was!

Chana Masala and Pomegranate lemonade, Festival of Holidays Winter Wonders Booth; California Adventure

This was the husbands favorite dish of the day. It was deliciously loaded with flavor and we were so excited to have vegan naan.  The pomegranate lemonade was a huge family favorite. It was so loved that we went back for another round of refreshing seconds.

 

Pumpkin Soup, Festival of Holidays Winter Wonders Booth; California Adventure

This pumpkin soup was packed with holiday flavor and a delicious addition to their vegan menu.

 

Vanilla and Cranberry Trifle, Festival of Holidays Winter Wonders Booth; California Adventure

This dessert was the most anticipated from our trip. The two words vegan and dessert do not usually go hand in hand at Disneyland. We are lucky to have a few miniscule options, but nothing as loaded as this tangy deliciousness. We’re crossing our fingers that Disneyland continues with the vegan dessert offerings.. because what is a trip to Disney without a lot little bit of sugar.

 

Plant–etarium Street Tacos, Studio Catering Co.; California Adventure

As an avid and self-proclaimed taco connoisseur, these were by the far most interesting tacos I have ever tasted. I intentionally didn’t read anything about them beforehand and was totally surprised by the fresh pomegranates. They were an interesting addition and completely lended to the holiday flavor.

 

Vegan Chile Rellano, Paradise Garden Grill; California Adventure

My absolute favorite dish of all of the holiday offerings was this gorgeous chile rellano! A roasted poblano stuffed with veggie stew and served with spanish rice and beans.  It was literally stuffed with a multitude of flavors, that all complemented each other so well. The most amazing part is that as a vegan or vegetarian, it is so rare to be able to eat spanish rice, since it’s traditionally flavored with chicken broth. So anytime I can order it vegan, I appreciate it so much more than I ever have.

 

 

And while not a holiday offering, but a permanent menu fixture, Hungry Bear Restaurant in Disneyland, has now added the Beyond Burger! You can grab this “Messy Melvin’s Vegan Specialty Burger” in Critter Country. Disneyland now has a decent selection of veggie burger, as this joins their house made patty and the Impossible Burger, which is a secret menu item at Lamplight Lounge in DCA.

 

 

 

Here’s one of our happy vegan kiddos, thoroughly enjoying all of Disneyland’s vegan gifts to us this holiday season. We are incredibly hopeful that this is just a taste of more awesome vegan things to come!