Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

If you are looking for an appetizer that’s tasty and different, you will love this creamy Vegan Whipped Feta with Balsamic Strawberries Dip. The combination of vegan feta cheese with fresh herbs, balsamic glaze, and strawberries is to die for. 

I started making this vegan feta dip a few months ago after seeing a non-vegan version on Instagram. By making slight changes to veganize it, I landed a totally irresistible dip that’s ideal for dipping, spreading, or dressing salads, served with pita bread or toast. It also goes very well with vegetables and can be used as a sauce for pasta. 

The making of: Vegan Whipped Feta with Balsamic Strawberries Dip

We’re living in amazing times where there’s essentially a vegan version of everything. That is the case for feta cheese which is traditionally made from sheep’s milk, now there are so many vegan options!

Although you can make your own, for this recipe a store-bought block of vegan feta works best. My preferred one is Violife and it works great! However, if you can’t find vegan feta cheese, any other soft vegan salty cheese should work. 

To make this recipe, first, you’ll need to roast the strawberries with a mixture of balsamic glaze and maple syrup. This process really brings out their sweetness. This will make them soft and juicy; a new way to enjoy this delicious fruit! 

Meanwhile, start preparing the feta dip by whipping together vegan feta, vegan sour cream, and hummus; chill in the fridge. When the strawberries are done, allow them to completely cool down before adding them on top of the dip. Serve the dip on a serving plate or bowl, and top with strawberries, toasted almonds, and mint. If desired drizzle with olive oil for an extra flavor kick. 

You can use this dip in a myriad of ways. As I mentioned before, this dip can also double as a spread on a sandwich, a salad dressing, and a pasta sauce (minus the strawberries). But my favorite way is still as a dip! Serve with toasted bread, pita, and/or veggies.

As you see above, this Vegan Whipped Feta with Balsamic Strawberries Dip is the perfect recipe for when you have guests, because it is prepared in a few minutes with very few ingredients. You can also prepare it ahead of time and keep it well covered in the refrigerator until serving time.

How does it sound? It’s so easy that you don’t even need an excuse to make it! Just do it!

Strawberry Variations:

• Any other berry
• Roasted cherry tomatoes
• Roasted dates
• Artichokes
• Pesto
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Garlic confit

Notes:

• For the feta cheese, I’m using the Violife feta block. 
• If you’re making this recipe for an event, you can make the vegan feta dip and strawberries a couple of hours in advance; just make sure to keep them in separate containers until serving time.
• Leftovers? Store dip in an airtight container in your fridge for up to a week.

Pin Print

Vegan Whipped Feta with Balsamic Strawberries Dip

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 2-4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

Roasted Strawberries

• 2 lbs fresh strawberries
• 2 Tbsp balsamic glaze (or vinegar)
• 2 tsp maple syrup

Whipped Feta Dip:

• 200g block of vegan feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Serve With:

• Toasted bread (like sourdough or baguette)
• Fresh mint
• Roasted almonds
• Drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. To a large bowl, add all whipped feta ingredients and whip using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until completely smooth and creamy; scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 30-60 minutes. 
3. While the dip gets chilled, prepare the strawberries. Wash them and remove the stems. Depending on size, slice each strawberry in half or quarters. Pat dry with a paper towel and place on a paper-lined baking sheet.
4. Drizzle the balsamic glaze and maple syrup on top of the strawberries, and toss until combined. Then transfer to the oven and roast for about 30-35 minutes. 
5. When strawberries are done roasting, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer them to a container (with all the juices!) and chill in the fridge.
6. When you're ready to serve this recipe, spoon the whipped vegan feta dip into a large shallow bowl; use your spoon to swirl and spread it around. Top with the roasted strawberries.
7. Garnish with roasted almonds, fresh mint, a drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil, and a sprinkle of black pepper.
8. Serve with toasted bread or chips for dipping. ENJOY!

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Vegan | Soy-free

Baking season is upon us and that can only mean one thing: delicious oven-baked goods! Fall head-over-heels with these vegan Salted Pecan Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies. When you try these cookies, you will not be able to eat just one, they are truly exquisite!

The star flavor in this recipe is pecans, which are used in the form of pecan butter. On another hand, the vanilla extract, lava salt, and, if feeling adventurous, whiskey make for a fragrant cookie that is balanced in flavor and aroma. The end result? Buttery and caramely cookies, with crisp edges and rich-chewy centers. If a chocolate pecan pie were to turn itself into a cookie, this is exactly what it would taste like!

Salted Pecan Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies 

This recipe is a variation of my previous cookies, so you’ll see many of the usual ingredients. What are you going to need to make these cookies? The usual suspects: vegan butter, salt, flour, and vanilla extract. But also a few other ingredients that give this recipe it’s distinctive flavor, like pecan butter, black lava salt, and burbon whiskey. Although, you can totally leave the whiskey out if you wish. 

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• A decadent adaptation of my chocolate chip cookies
• Simple to make with only 13 ingredients
• Not overly sweet
• Incredible soft and chewy texture

Pin Print

Salted Pecan Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 16-20 Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• ½ cup non-dairy butter, melted
• ¾ cup pecan butter, softened
• ⅔  cup dark brown sugar
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 2 Tbsp water, allow to sit a couple minutes)
• 2 tbsp plant-based milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Dash of cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
2. To a mixing bowl, add melted butter & whisk in the sugar. Then mix in the pecan butter, flax egg, vanilla extract, dash of cinnamon & salt.
3. Add in the flour & baking powder. Mix well until combined and a dough is formed.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips, make sure it’s all combined.
5. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
6. Scoop out small, tablespoon size amounts of dough, then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, leave an inch or two between each cookie. Note: For large cookies, flatten the dough a bit with fingers.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Immediately after baking the cookies, place in a cooling rack.
8. Enjoy!

Did You Make This Recipe?

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When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below!

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All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this blog post, please link back to this post. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may make a small commission if you decide to purchase something through one of my links. It’s important to mention that I will never recommend anything that I don’t use myself or strongly believe in. Don’t worry, you get the same price! This will help pay for web hosting, email delivery, domain registration, and other various fees that help keep VeggieJeva operational. I appreciate your support!

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Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

What better way to take advantage of the approaching cool months, than to create special moments with our loved ones, preparing a delicious meal. Although summer is not over yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious creamy soup. 

It’s only a matter of time until our kitchens and our ingredients are permeated with the shades of autumn and invite us to prepare delicious recipes with them. Among all the shades of color this upcoming season brings, orange stands out the most. Probably because many of the produce available this season are related to pumpkin! 

That’s why I’m kicking September with a Vegan Cheesy Squash and Beer Soup.

The recipe- Vegan Cheesy Squash and Beer Soup: 

Traditionally a Cheesy Beer Soup is done with pumpkin and cheese. However, I decided to create my own version with butternut squash and completely vegan; if you don’t have butternut squash, go ahead and make it with pumpkin. I always like to add coconut milk because it gives it a unique creaminess and flavor, but you can customize it with the ingredients you like the most.

The star of this recipe is truly BEER! I’ve always loved experimenting with beer in the kitchen. I just keep getting impressed with how the flavor lingers in dishes like stews, rice and soups, even after it’s been cooked down. For this recipe, make sure to pair it with an ale like pumpkin ale, or a lager like a pale lager. 

This Vegan Cheesy Squash and Beer Soup is ideal as a light lunch or dinner and can be served with any side dish. It can be prepared in less than 45 minutes with ingredients that you can find in any supermarket. However, if you want to take this recipe to a whole other level, make sure to add a few drops of black truffle oil to enhance the earthy flavors and aroma.

Intrigued yet? Let’s get to it!

Essential tips for this recipe:

• Roast the butternut squash in the oven instead of boiling, to notably reduce its water content and get a truly concentrated flavor and sweetness.
• Aromatic herbs like rosemary, thyme, & tarragon added to the butternut squash before roasting, will give a fresh touch to the final result.
• For the beer, go for an ale or a lager.
• If you desire to serve the soup using butternut squash as a bowl, cut the bottom of squash away from the neck of it and clean the insides. Use the remaining butternut squash pieces in this recipe or freeze them for another recipe. Drizzle avocado oil and sprinkle some salt. Bake along with the rest of the ingredients.  

Pin Print

Vegan Cheesy Squash and Beer Soup

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 2-3 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (2-lb.) butternut squash, cubed
• ½ yellow onion, sliced
• ¾  cup carrots, chopped
• 2-4 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup cashews
• Fresh rosemary sprig
• Avocado oil
• 12oz ale beer
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt & black pepper, to taste
• dash cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup vegetable broth (plus more if needed)
• ¼ cups coconut milk cream
• Optional: ½ tsp truffle oil

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper. 
2. To a pan add the cubed butternut squash, onion, carrots, garlic cloves, rosemary sprig, and cashews. Drizzle avocado oil on top and sprinkle salt & pepper. Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender. 
3. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool down. 
4. To a small saucepan, add beer, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes to cook down the alcohol. Set aside to cool down.
5. Blender: Add all ingredients, including beer and remaining ingredients to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
6. Immersive Blender: Add all ingredients and remaining ingredients to the beer. Puree with the immersive blender until completely smooth. 
7. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve as desired, and ENJOY!

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When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below!

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All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this blog post, please link back to this post. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may make a small commission if you decide to purchase something through one of my links. It’s important to mention that I will never recommend anything that I don’t use myself or strongly believe in. Don’t worry, you get the same price! This will help pay for web hosting, email delivery, domain registration, and other various fees that help keep VeggieJeva operational. I appreciate your support!

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Ever since I can remember, I’ve been an active participant in charities and non-profit organizations. I did Relay for Life, Red Cross (not anymore, they’re problematic), MedLife, Toms, Inicitativa Comunitaria (local non-profit), and many many more. My parents did a really good job in involving me in these, and I’m proud to have grown to continue with those practices. 

Growing up I found it odd that some people didn’t participate in any charitable event or were even interested in donating small amounts, and some people just downright don’t want to give anything without receiving something back. Now I understand that participating in charities and non-profits requires a lot; time, money, energy, physical function, and/or emotional availability. Fortunately, times have changed. Long gone are the days where you have to spend 24hrs relaying for a charity. Today donating or being an active participant of a charity can be done by purchasing a product and/or service. Thanks to the internet, there are seemingly endless opportunities to do just this and support charities and non-profits all year long!

I’ve personally become a fan of this method. Many of the companies that I purchase from on the regular offer what I like to call “givebacks”. That’s when the consumer purchases a product they need and the company offers a giveback in the form of a percentage of the sale to a charity/non-profit or in equal amount of product to a person or charity in need. 

VeggieJeva has given me the opportunity to become an affiliate with many brands, some of which offer givebacks in their own way. Bellow, I’ll share my top 10 brands that give back in one way or another. Make your priority today and every day to support charities and non-profits through your regular purchases!

How To Support Charities and Non-profits Through Purchases:

Organi Cup

I purchased my first Organi Cup in January 2019 and have never looked back. Not only is their focus on positive environmental impact, but also on cultural and social scales. Their recent initiatives include a period education program, donation of cups to sex workers, and partnering with projects like WoMena, Freedom 4 Girls, and Freedom Link. So far they’ve donated 15k menstrual cups. If you’ve been wanting to take the leap into using menstrual cups as a sustainable and affordable way to have periods, this is your sign!

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Pura Vida

I learned about Pura Vida back in 2017 through Hailey Miller, and I’ve been a fan ever since! Giving back is the core of Pura Vida, as they’ve been providing sustainable employment to artisan communities in Central America since the very beginning. Today they’ve expanded to so much more. Not only are artisan communities benefiting, but also many charities like Rainforest Trust, WWF, One Tree Planted, Project Cat, National Parks Conservation Association, NAACP Legal Defense Fund,  Mental Health America, and  Anxiety & Depression Association of America. This is the chance to purchase jewelry that you know exactly where it comes from. 

20% off code: KARLAALVERIO20

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Goli Nutrition

I started working with Goli from the very beginning! In fact, they were the first company to make me an affiliate! They’re an affordable way to get your daily dose of B12 while also tasting amazing! This is one of the companies that offer to donate equal to or more than the amount of product you purchase. For every purchase made, Goli provides a child in need with a 6-month supply of vitamins through their partnership with Vitamin Angels.

10% off code: VEGGIEJEVA

Simply Straws

Straws for a Cause is Simply Straw’s way to participate in 1% for the Planet. They contribute by donating a minimum of 1% of their gross income to the benefiting organizations like 5Gyers, BCorp, Keep a Breast, Non-Toxic Revolution, Plastic Pollution Coalition, and Protect Our Winters. Your purchase encourages the work of so many inspiring activists and groups, to continue educating the public on the hazard of plastic in our world.

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Earthlove

Earthlove aims to bring more nature into your life by curating a subscription box filled with botanicals and nature-inspired goods. A portion of each purchase gets donated to a different nature-based cause each season so you can give back to our ecosystem.They’ve partnered with Nature Bridge, One Tree Planted, Boreal Songbird Initiative, The Xerces Society, and the Coral Reef Alliance. Each season you can enjoy up to 10 carefully hand-selected environmentally friendly products to help you live better for less.

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Osea Malibu

Osea Malibu focuses on providing clean beauty by making products 100% free of any animal-derived ingredients, like lanolin, beeswax, carmine, and more. But here not only do animal rights matter, but they also have a commitment towards sustainability, renewable energy, and are climate-neutral certified. Your purchase helps support organizations like Kiss the Ground, A Sense of Home, Surfrider Foundation, Mission Blue, and Cancer Schmancer. 

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Dr. Brite

Dr. Brite is a woman-led health and wellness brand that produces safe and effective solutions for the entire family (yes, pets included!). Their products are free of toxic chemicals, naturally derived, and plant-based, without animal testing or wasteful packaging. Dr. Brite donates 5% of their revenue in the form of product or cash donations to non-profits like Breast Cancer Fund and Jamboree Housing Corporation. This includes large donations of oral care products to people and pets in need, and they also arrange paid volunteer days!

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Coala Tree

Coalatree designs eco-minded outdoor gear and apparel for adventurers. When were founded in 2010, one of their goals was to give back to the environment and community. They’ve been successfully doing so by partnering with organizations like Adopt-a-Native-Elder, Blankets For The Homeless, Caring For Our Canyons, Outsiders Ball, And Supporting At-risk Youth In The Wilderness. 

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Borboleta

Borboleta is a handbag brand started in 2012 that creates cruelty-free, vegan, and ethically-produced bags. For me, this is one of the most affordable vegan bag brands out there because they have a direct-to-consumer strategy, where they remove middleman fees and offer fair pricing, without sacrificing quality. For every bag purchased, Borboleta donates to breakfast and educational programs of The Ocean of Wisdom Foundation. They’ve also donated thousands of books for the library, medical supplies, bicycles, art supplies, science supplies for 2,000 students across 16 rural schools in Thailand.

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Rice Love

Rice Love is a brand that creates products for people who love the planet. They design tote bags and backpacks utilizing eco-friendly, cruelty-free materials. For every item Rice Love sells, they give a kilo of rice to a family in need. And they’re committed to showing you the proof since every item comes with a unique tag number that can be used to find the photo and story of the family that YOU have fed! 

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Please spread the word today about International Day of Charity. You can find more information on all of these brands on each of their website; as for the charities they support, take a look at their website or call them directly for further details. Whether you buy the products or not, remember that this type of initiative should be seen as a bonus, and not a substitute for making a contribution, whether that’s time, money, or online activism.

Let’s make better brand choices every day that give back! Support charities and non-profits through your regular purchases.

If you found this post helpful, let me know in the comments below. And share it with your friends and family on social media; don’t forget to tag me @veggiejeva!

If you have Pinterest, you can find me here and Pin the following picture, if you like.

All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this blog post, please link back to this post. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may make a small commission if you decide to purchase something through one of my links. It’s important to mention that I will never recommend anything that I don’t use myself or strongly believe in. Don’t worry, you get the same price! This will help pay for web hosting, email delivery, domain registration, and other various fees that help keep VeggieJeva operational. I appreciate your support!

The post Supporting Charities and Non-profits Through Purchases appeared first on VeggieJeva.

Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

If you’ve been here for a while, you probably know that I LOVE smoothies. I literally have them for breakfast every day! But, for some reason, I haven’t really shared many smoothie recipes on here. If you follow me on Instagram, you see the Peanut Butter & Berry Smoothie in my stories ALL the time, and it’s because I legit have it almost every day.

Smoothies are fruit or veggie shakes to which an infinite variety of ingredients can be added. With the right combo, you can make a super energetic and restorative mix!

Today’s smoothie is nutritious and delicious, thanks to the great contribution of vitamins and minerals that blueberries, blackberries, and bananas have. In addition, not only does this smoothie tastes amazing, but can also aid with skin thanks to the antioxidants that protect you from external aging agents, as well as providing anti-inflammatories and polyphenols, which may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.

On another hand, this can be a protein-packed smoothie thanks to the amazing Four Sigmatic Peanut Butter Protein Powder, which I love using as an extra nutritional boost.

Feel free to truly make this smoothie your own! Here are a few extra ingredients suggestions for this Peanut Butter & Berry Smoothie:

• Cacao Powder
• Almond Butter
• Chia Seeds
• Acaí
• Coconut Yogurt
• Oats
• Dates
• Coconut water

Get 10% in any Four Sigmatic purchase, when you use the code: VEGGIEJEVA

Pin Print

Recipe: Peanut Butter & Berry Smoothie

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups frozen blueberries
• 2 frozen bananas (medium size)
• 1 ½  tbsp Four Sigmatic Peanut Butter Protein Powder, or 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds
• Optional: ¼  tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup plant-based milk of choice (+ more if necessary) or water

Procedure

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend until reached the desired consistency and all the ingredients are well combined. 
3. Pour into 2 glasses, serve, and ENJOY!

Did You Make This Recipe?

How you went with my recipes? Tag me on Instagram at @veggiejeva

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below!

If you have Pinterest, you can find me here and Pin the following picture, if you like!

All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this blog post, please link back to this post. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may make a small commission if you decide to purchase something through one of my links. It’s important to mention that I will never recommend anything that I don’t use myself or strongly believe in. Don’t worry, you get the same price! This will help pay for web hosting, email delivery, domain registration, and other various fees that help keep VeggieJeva operational. I appreciate your support!

The post Protein-Packed Peanut Butter & Berry Smoothies appeared first on VeggieJeva.

Never did it cross my mind that I would go back to Iceland as soon as I did. The last time I was there (December 2019-January 2020) a pandemic was breaking loose and somehow I knew that traveling was not going to be in the cards for a while. A year and a half later the opportunity presented itself, we took it and we got to do the most epic road-trip around Iceland with lots of vegan foods inloved!

For a brief moment, Iceland seemed like the great escape, where only vaccinated people could go and COVID was essentially nonexistent, and it was for the people who managed to get there during the first 3 weeks of July. A couple of days after we left, the virus started spreading again and restrictions were put in place. I want to make a small disclaimer before I continue with the post: out of respect for the country that you’re traveling to, only travel if vaccinated and take the necessary precautions (get tested, follow restrictions, etc.) before, during, and after your trip. In my opinion, traveling unvaccinated is big Christopher Columbus energy and we ain’t about that life here.

So just like last time I have to mention that, to the surprise of no one, Iceland is insanely expensive. A plate of food can go anywhere from $15-$30+, and this goes all throughout the island. Also, there aren’t many vegan restaurants in Iceland, in fact, I believe that there are only 3 and one of them is currently closed. However, most restaurants are vegan-friendly or accommodating. Something else that I want to point out is that Iceland is an extremely beautiful place, yet they’re not particularly known for their cuisine; so you’ll run into a lot of burgers, pizzas, fries, and hot dogs. 

Luckily for you, I’ve done the research and been there twice now, so I know the BEST places for you to get vegan food around Iceland. I’ve prepared a comprehensive guide for you along with pictures so you’ll know what you’ll get. You’ll notice that I didn’t get to visit some of the places that I did last time, that because many things have changed during the pandemic; lots of restaurants closed (rip Veganæs) and some changed their management hence their menus.

Are you ready to see all the vegan food you can find in Iceland? Take notes!

(in order of visits, except Reykjavik)

Reykjavik

Being Reykjavik the Capital of Iceland, finding vegan food is much more easier here!

Restaurants

Dominos Pizza

Trust me, this was not my first choice. But when you arrive to your airbnb at 10pm after 14hrs of traveling, and decide that it’s the perfect time to take a stroll around the city, next thing you know it’s 2am and Dominos is open to save you. They have several vegan pizzas available.

Pho Vietnam Restaurant

This place was such a nice throwback!

Laundromat Café

Fuego

So good we went there twice, and that second time was worth almost missing our bus to the airport. Their Oyster Mushrom Tacos were the bomb!

World Vegan Peace

Another one that’s so good that we went there twice! Would’ve gone there 4 times if I knew that if existed before! This is a relatively new restaurant in Iceland, and it’s fully vegan. They have a HUGE Asian vegan menu, and we loved everything we tried!

Dürüm

BioBorgari

When I found out that a Puertorican co-owned this place, and that their vegan burger was awarded Reykjavik’s Best Vegan Burger in 2020, I HAD TO GO.

Reykjavik Chips

Bars

Bastards Brew

Literally our first stop straight out of the airbnb!

Bryggjan Brugghús

Although they still have some vegan items on the menu, we were super disappointed to find out that they changed management and their menu. This was the home of THE BEST risotto I’ve ever had, now it offers burgers; they have one vegan burger and cauli-wings. We stuck with the beers!

Einstök Bar

Right in the middle of downtown Reykjavik you can find a bar fully dedicated to Einstök!

Kofinn

This place was our go-to when we wanted a beer or to rest after walking a lot. I’ve never seen it closed, so maybe it operates 24/7. It’s a great place to listen to latinx music and feel a little bit at home.

Hús máls og menningar

Book store/library/coffee shop by day, disco by night! Need I say more???

Dessert

Valdís

Omnom

From Reykjavik to Blonduós

This is the beginning of our 10 day road-trip around Iceland; here are my vegan finds!

Restaurants

Kaffi 59 (on our way)

After exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, this was a great stop with a vegan burger.

N1 Gas Station

Okay so, it was never our plan to eat at a gas station, but sometimes things don’t go as plan and google tells you the wrong closing time for all the restaurants in the middle of nowhere Iceland. Luckily this gas station saved the day with a couple of vegan options. I went for a cheeseless pizza. 

From Blonduós to Akureyri

Restaurants

Café Berlin

This place takes the award for the most expensive avocado toast I’ve ever had… really good coffee tho and plenty of other vegan options available.

Bjórböðin-Beer Spa (Collab)

This was the first collaboration on our trip! After an amazing visit to their beer spa, we opted to have dinner there and it did not disappoint! Cauliflower wings?? Cauli-tacos??? Amazing!

Bars

Einstök Tasting Room

Y’all we were the first Puertoricans to put a pin on their map! Talk about wins!

From Akureyri to East Fjords

Restaurants

Daddis Pizza (on our way)

After hiking to the Krafla Crater this place was the perfect stop with vegan pizza and GARLIC INFUSED olive oil!!!

Salt Café & Bistro

This place has one of the most ample menus that I ran into in Iceland; never did I thought that a non-vegan restaurants would have SO many vegan options. They had pizzas, burgers, wraps, tacos, soups, salads, nachos, etc. I went for their falafel wrap.

From East Fjords to Hoffell

Funny thing about Hoffell and Höfn, if there are 20 restaurants there, 17 of them serve only langostine dishes. The two places below where literally lifesavers.

Restaurants

Úps

This place was recommended by the lovely people at Glacier Adventure. They had many vegan options. Their jackfruit tacos were amazing!

Hafnarbuðin

Dinner/fast food vibes. Good place for a vegan black bean burger and fries!

Homemade Meals

From Hoffell to Vik

After a couple of days on the road, arriving to Vik was heaven! As amazing as the rest of the island was, it was great arriving somewhere we already knew. We loved Vik so much the last time, that we stayed there for 4 days! 

I’m 99.99% sure that there are only 3 restaurants in Vik, and we only love 2 of them, so we alternated those between the 4 days. The rest of our meals we made them ourselves. 

Restaurants

Systrakaffi (on our way)

The Soup Company

I can’t believe we missed out big time on this place the last time, because the soup here is bomb! Plus all you can eat bread!!!

Smidjan Brugghus

The vegan burger here is TOP TIER! It was just like I remember and their beers are SO good as well. They also have cauliflower wings available!

Homemade Meals

From Vik to Reykjavik

Fridheimar (Collab)

The moment I had been waiting for during the entire trip… An experience you can’t miss out on! Truly my favorite restaurant in Iceland, and this time they had even more vegan options; they completely revamped their menu, but the most important part remained the same: Tomato Soup! Don’t miss out on the tomato beers, their new tomato-apple crumble pie dessert and to ask for vegan butter & sour cream for your soup.

Ölverk Pizza & Brewery

We could not end our road-trip without stopping here. Amazing creative pizza and good beers!

Breakfasts

You’ll notice that there aren’t many breakfast spots on the above list, that’s because, just like the last time, we opted for making our own breakfasts. Eating out every single meal can add up to a lot of money, luckily groceries like fruits, veggies, oats, bread and nuts are not expensive at all, and, if you’re creative, they can make a plethora of breakfasts. Of course, this is only possible when staying in airbnbs with kitchens or in guesthouses that offer breakfast. 

Here are some of the breakfasts that we made:

Breakfasts at the Guesthouse we stayed at in Hoffell:

Airplane Food

On our way to Iceland I prepared before hand 2 meals for us each. Our flight was pretty early (2am), so I knew we were going to be hungry during our layover and during our second flight. I made overnight oats (not pictured) and a veggie sandwich with vegan salami and cheese.

Going back home, we didn’t have the opportunity to prepare 2 meals for our flights. We still made sure to have lots of snacks and a bowls of potatoes and carrots (not pictured) just incase. When we got on our flight we realized that they had a vegan soup available, and that’s what I had.

Would you like another post about the details of the entire trip? Let me know in the comments below!

If you found this post helpful, let me know in the comments below. And share it with your friends and family on social media; don’t forget to tag me @veggiejeva!

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Disclosure: This post contains 3 exchange collaborations, which means that I was given a free experience It’s important to mention that I will never recommend anything that I don’t use myself or strongly believe in. Don’t worry, you get the same price! This will help pay for web hosting, email delivery, domain registration, and other various fees that help keep VeggieJeva operational. I appreciate your support!

The post Complete Iceland Vegan Food Guide (2021) appeared first on VeggieJeva.

Just like my 25th birthday, this year’s birthday celebration looks different than what it usually does. Ever since going vegan, my family takes me to a vegan restaurant to celebrate. This year I decided to amp it up a bit and get more creative with decoration, as well as bringing the restaurant experience home.

So much happened on my 25th year on this planet, but I’ll spare you the boring details and go right towards thanking you for being here! Even if you just got here, thank you for being here. 

Take A Look Into My Vegan-friendly Birthday:

My grandmother and step-grandad woke me up at the crack of dawn, but it was worth it because they gave me the most beautiful yellow roses! Then I made myself a smoothie as per usual and proceeded to clean my room because I made a mess unpacking from my trip. My family gave me gifts which included avocados, jewelry and two soy eucalyptus candles which I absolutely love! (I’m seriously obsessed with eucalyptus candles)

Then I got dressed and headed to pick up my birthday cake from Earthy Choice. This year I chose to go with a carrot cake, because it’s literally my favorite cake (yes, even over chocolate) and up until this year no one here made vegan carrot cakes for selling outside of restaurants.

Picked up lunch: beer battered tofu strips, fries and a chipotle sour cream dipping sauce.

Went back home to finish cleaning and to set up the decoration. This year’s decoration is brought to you by KK Teepees PR. This company provides unique decorations to make any event more fun! You can rent their teepees and picnic setups as a sustainable option for decorating your party. Here’s how my setup turned out:

Then it was time to party!

Since we’re still going through a pandemic, I kept my birthday limited to my close circle. Better be safe than sorry!

My mom prepared a vegan charcuterie board with my favorite cheeses and cold cuts. 

The food was provided by Orgánico Bistro, a local vegan friendly restaurant in my hometown. Together we decided the menu for my birthday: Veggie Rice, Cauliflower Au Gratin, Salad with a Coconut Dressing. All vegan of course!

A while after my family sang me happy birthday, we ate the most delicious cake that I’ve had in a while! Seriously, check out Earthy Choice; Thais makes vegan pastries, cookies, cakes and more!

That’s it, thank you so much for being here. I hope I can keep you for the years to come. 

Here are the brands:

KK Teepees

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A post shared by KK Teepees PR, LLC (@kkteepeespr)

Earthy Choice

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A post shared by Plant Based Pastries (@earthychoice)

Orgánico Bistro

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A post shared by Orgánico Bistro (@organicobistro)

If you found this post helpful, let me know in the comments below. And share it with your friends and family on social media; don’t forget to tag me @veggiejeva!

If you have Pinterest, you can find me here and Pin the following picture, if you like.

All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this blog post, please link back to this post. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This post contains an exchange collaboration, however all opinions are my own.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may make a small commission if you decide to purchase something through one of my links. It’s important to mention that I will never recommend anything that I don’t use myself or strongly believe in. Don’t worry, you get the same price! This will help pay for web hosting, email delivery, domain registration, and other various fees that help keep VeggieJeva operational. I appreciate your support!

The post Take A Look Into My Vegan-friendly Birthday appeared first on VeggieJeva.

This creamy and delicious Mango Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for summer. The coconut-mango combo creates a smooth mousse-like texture and an intense mango flavor, that takes you straight to the Caribbean. 

Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

Like I mentioned in one of my previous posts, it’s mango season in Puerto Rico and a few weeks back we had more mangoes than we could handle. So, naturally, I frantically started making everything that I could with mangoes, until I gave up and froze the remainder of them. Now I have 3 bags of frozen mango pulp in the freezer. One of the recipes that came out of that, is today’s no-bake Mango Cheesecake recipe.

I wanted something super simple but beautiful, and that didn’t require me to spend hours in the kitchen or turn on the oven (it’s hot as hell lately). You’ll find that this mango cheesecake recipe is very different from the other ones out there. For starters, most mango cheesecake recipes I’ve come across are really pale; I have no idea how that happens, mangoes are literally bright yellow. It’s also completely vegan and no-bake, with no artificial flavors and colors. 

How is it made?

If you don’t live anywhere near the Caribbean or the tropics, and, like most of the world, you’re still stuck inside due to COVID-19, the combination of mango and coconut within this recipe will take you straight to the Caribbean. The crust is made from pecans, oats, chia seeds, and coconut. While the filling is made from raw cashews blended with mango and coconut milk. Making this summery dessert vegan, gluten-free, perfectly sweet, flavourful, and creamy.

Highlight Ingredient: Coconut Condensed Milk

I always keep some Coconut Condensed Milk in stock because you can make so many recipes with it; like one of my most famous recipes, Vegan Traditional Coquito. Even though you can sweeten today’s recipe with maple syrup, I highly suggest you give coconut condensed milk a try, because the flavor it gives this recipe is insane. 

I live in Puerto Rico, and it can be tricky to find around, so I always get a six-pack of it from Amazon. 

Recipe: Vegan No-Bake Mango Cheesecake

Ingredients

Pecan & Coconut Crust:

• 1 cup raw pecans (*see notes)
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ⅔ cup shredded coconut
• 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp chia seeds

Cheesecake Filling:

• 1 ⅓ cup cashews soaked (*see notes)
• 1 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk (*see notes)
• Pulp of 3-4 ripe mangoes
• ¼ cup coconut condensed milk, or maple syrup
• ½ tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Optional: 1 tsp ground turmeric + ¼ tsp black pepper

Procedure

1. Line an 8-Inch round springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Put all ingredients for the pecan & coconut crust into a food processor and process until a sticky mixture is formed. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Then place it in the freezer to set while you make the filling.
3. Drain the soaked cashews* and add them to the food processor along with the coconut milk; blend until completely smooth. Afterwards, blend in the mango pulp until incorporated. 
4. Then add the remainder of the ingredients to the food processor. Since mangoes can already be sweet, I suggest adding the coconut condensed milk gradually, to avoid the cheesecake turning really sweet.  
5. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust. Garnish as desired; I drizzled more coconut condensed milk on top and sprinkled coconut flakes on it as well. Then place the cake back to the freezer and allow it to solidify for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Remove the cheesecake approx. 15 minutes before serving it. Serve & ENJOY!

Notes

• You can substitute the pecans for walnuts. 
• Soaking cashews may seem like a bore, but the ultra-creamy results are totally worth it. Make sure to soak the cashews in water for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
• I highly recommend the use of full-fat coconut milk; any other milk will not give you creamy results. 
• Leftovers? The cheesecake can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Here are my other vegan cheesecake recipes:

• Vanilla & Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake
• Cookie Dough Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

If you have Pinterest, you can find me here and Pin the following picture, if you like!

All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links that may earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the recipes coming!

The post Mango Cheesecake (Vegan & No-Bake) appeared first on VeggieJeva.

(Of course this is vegan)

“And on the 8th day, God created the undeniably necessary combination of peanut butter and chocolate.”… or something like that.

-VeggieJeva

Let’s celebrate Peanut Butter & Chocolate Day!

These no-bake Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars require a few simple ingredients that you might already have in your pantry, and can be made in minutes – the perfect and easy dessert for chocolate and peanut butter lovers!

The best part? You don’t even have to turn on the oven to make them!

Recipe: No Bake Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars

Ingredients

Base:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• ½  cup maple syrup
• Optional: ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache:

• ½ cup vegan dark chocolate (70%-85%)
• ¼  cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil (melted)
• Optional: ¼ cup maple syrup

Procedure:

1. Cover an 8×8 inch baking pan, with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. To a medium size mixing bowl, add the 1 cup of softened peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract until evenly combined and smooth.
3. Sift in the coconut flour, garbanzo bean flour and flaxseed and mix evenly; the dough will get thick and difficult to stir with a spatula so you might have to use your hands to knead the dough and form a ball.
4. Evenly press the dough all over the pan and smooth the top of the dough layer using the back of a spoon.
5. Place in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate ganache.
6. In a small mixing bowl, add the vegan dark chocolate, melted coconut oil, peanut butter and maple syrup.
7. To melt and combine evenly, you can either do so using the bain-marie method or in the microwave for 30-45 seconds; in the end, all the chocolate should be melted, and have a smooth texture.
8. Pour the chocolate ganache over the peanut butter layer, and spread evenly with a spatula.
9. Return the pan to the fridge for 15-20 minutes or until the chocolate ganache is set.
10. Slice, sprinkle some sea salt on top, serve and ENJOY!

Notes:

• You can substitute coconut flour for almond flour. 
• If you’re not a fan of dark chocolate, consider adding the optional portion of maple syrup as well as adding 1-2 tbsp of plant-based milk.
• Store the bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for one week or freeze them. 

Here are my other quick recipes:

• Vegan Mayo-Ketchup
• Easy Pizza Dough
• Vegan Spinach Pesto
• Quick Recipe: Mango Sunrise Smoothie

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

If you have Pinterest, you can find me here and Pin the following picture, if you like!

All images & content are protected. Please do not use my images or content prior to permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you for supporting VeggieJeva!

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the recipes coming!

The post Quick Recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars appeared first on VeggieJeva.

Vegan | Gluten-free

#VeganizedPuertoRican is BACK! In the USA, people usually slater buffalo sauce in their chicken dip and call it a day. We don’t do that here, in Puerto Rico is all about the herbs & spices. I grew up seeing this dip at family gatherings, parties, school/university activities, beach days & work events. I used to love it so much that when I went vegan, my mom made a version with soy ground. Little did we know, that jackfruit would do the trick to make it fully authentic. This Vegan Chicken Dip is nothing but delicious1

This appetizer is traditionally made with chicken (obvs!), cream cheese, garlic, onion, parsley & red bell pepper. With only two ingredients being non-vegan, it ended up being super easy to veganize.

Just swap out the chicken for jackfruit & the cream cheese for vegan cream cheese!

Here’s how I make the Vegan Chicken Dip:

This is a video done in collaboration with 623 Foodie Studio, see it here.

Pin Print

Vegan Chicken Dip

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can or 2 cups of jackfruit, drained & rinsed
• ¾  cup vegan cream cheese, softened
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup white or red onion, chopped
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Splash of white vinegar (or ½ lemon juice)
• A handful of parsley flakes

Procedure

1. Drain jackfruit, rinse well & place in water for about 20 minutes. This allows the jackfruit to soften up & release any brine that’s left from the can.
2. Drain jackfruit, and remove seeds. Set jackfruit aside.
3. To a food processor, add the vegan cream cheese, red bell pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and salt & pepper. Blend until the bell pepper is completely combined.
4. Blend in the jackfruit, chopped onion & parsley.
5. Serve with multi-grain chips, carrot, or celery sticks, and ENJOY!

Did You Make This Recipe?

How you went with my recipes? Tag me on Instagram at @veggiejeva

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

The post Vegan Chicken Dip appeared first on VeggieJeva.