The Vegan Weekender: Our First Freezing Weekend of Spring Fun

So, we had a pretty good weekend.  Friday afternoon, my three year old boyfriend and I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars of Power.  They were really just the vanilla power bar recipe with chocolate chips and about 2-4 tablespoons of slivered almonds.  OMG were they good.  Tasted like cookie dough, but made from cashews, dates, and protein powder! Oh, I added 1/4 tsp of almond extract, too, maybe that was the kicker.  That's my son's step stool so he can reach the counter to cook :-)

Got take-out on Friday night from an Italian place that is normally great, and they totally messed up my dinner (was literally pizza sauce and veggie pizza toppings on some pasta, gross).  However, Saturday night made up for it.  We ordered from a local Korean restaurant and they were totally into doing things vegan-special.  We got sweet potato & zucchini glass noodles, tofu "steaks," a nice, spicy rice "cake" dish which was really awesome (we asked for no fish sauce, they are great with requests) and fried veggie dumplings (SO good, not just cabbage). They also added (not sure if it came with it or if they were being nice) full, separate sides of sauteed mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini & a side of kimchi. WOAH. 


Here's a picture of the spicy rice-sticks thingy.  It was really, really good (and spicy!).  We ate the dinner as a freezing cold picnic at a park, so I didn't get pics of everything else. Sorry! Next time.

Saturday during the day, we visited a big Amish market in Gloucester County.  Here's some of the things we saw:

Big ol' window sign. 

Not for vegans! Quarts & pints of pig? Just weird. 

Best pretzels in the world.   

Produce. 

Melons.

Then, on to a local nursery to check out the plants and make a welfare vegan visit to the little animal farm they maintain.

Seedlings finding their way to the light. 

Flox.  Lot's o' flox.

And our welfare visit to the animals. We go there to pet them and play with them. They seem to like our visits.

Friendliest goat ever.  Loves to be scratched.

Lastly, another Trader Joe's run.  More excellent vegan plunder:

Somebody was very excited to see all the fun food we got piled up on the dining room table. 

 Isn't he cute? Like a cabbage patch doll's head sticking out of the garden.

P.S. Trader Joe's laundry detergent is plant-based and not tested on animals. AND it is awesome and has a great, lavender smell.  It's my favorite detergent. 

 My son picked out those baked onion rings, and guess what? Vegan, baby.

 TJ's marinara sauce? Vegan, baby!

Soy creamer? Vegan. 

 Love to see that little V.

Vegan treat tower.  Move over Mordor. 

 Smart dogs? Vegan (of course!)

Strawberry smoothie? Vegan. 

And last but never least, my delicious lunch today, a vegan grilled cheese with: Daiya mozzerella, fresh organic basil (TJ's) grilled & sliced Delightsoy vegetarian soy patty, organic roma tomatoes (TJ's) a little nooch, oregano, salt & pepper on TJ's sourdough bread.  Yeah, baby:

Hope you guys all had a great weekend.  What did you do for your first weekend of spring?