Avocado Pesto Linguine

So, it's that wonderful time of the year again-- summer, but even better, its avocado season! It seems as though everyone in South Florida has an avocado tree nearby. As such, we were lucky enough to get a box full of organic avocados sent up from Miami.

This recipe was taken from VegWeb and slightly adapted. We used a blend of avocados, fresh basil from the garden, lime juice, garlic, olive oil and spices, and tossed it over quinoa linguini, then topped it with hemp seeds.

Avocados work very well in a variety of recipes. I've even seen it in dessert recipes, such as chocolate avocado mousse. If it tastes as good as it did in this pasta recipe, I don't think this box is going to last very long...

Take out review: Reggae Shack Cafe, Gainesville, FL

You can't be a vegan in Gainesville without having some kind of mention of Reggae Shack Cafe come up. A few months ago, they had a billboard off the interstate advertising their restaurant, and their vegan food in particular.

Their menu has a plethora of vegan options, and I was happy to see all of them clearly defined amongst their other offerings. We decided to get a Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Sandwich and a Curry Tempeh plate.

This sandwich was great. Amazing taste, the tempeh cooked to perfection.

The curried tempeh was very good, although sweeter some of the other curries I've had some of the Indian places around town. This is completely understandable, as Reggae Shack is an authentic this Caribbean restaurant. As such, the meal came with my favorite side dish, FRIED PLAINTAINS!!

This meal from Reggae Shack Cafe really hit the spot.



Reggae Shack Cafe
619 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 377-5464

Vegan re-affirmation: 25% of meat sampled infected with drug-resistant Staph

So, this report from the Translational Genomics Research Institute pretty much answers the question I get asked when people discover I don't eat meat.

I think The Smiths said it best: Meat is murder. But it seems as though meat is both ethically and physically tainted nowadays.

Rinsed beans

Vegan Dinner from a Book: Appetite for Reduction

Might as well start this blog off with a recipe from the (hereby christened) Queen of Vegans herself, Isa Chandra Moskowitz. This recipe, Potato-Spinach Curry, off her latest release, is a simple and incredibly tasty take on an Indian delight. It's been one of our go-to recipes lately.

Spices, lined up and ready for action

Whole organic mustard seeds, purchased at the bulk spice bins at Ward's Supermarket in Gainesville.

Right about here is when your whole apartment (or cabin, yurt, what have you) begins to take on the smell of the mustard seeds. There is no escape.

I've used a variety of greens in this dish and they've all worked quite well. I happened to have some kale that I got from the farmer's market, so I used that.

Overall, I think this recipe rocks