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If you ask me about one of my favorite vegan/vegetarian restaurants in Chicago, I would hands down name Majani as one of my top five faves. Majani was founded and owned by husband and wife duo Tsadakeeyah and Nasya Emmanuel and officially opened in their first South Shore location in May 2017. The couple, who are also residents of South Shore, had spent years catering vegetarian food and decided to open up a vegan/vegetarian restaurant in their own backyard. On their website, they stated that they grew tired of having to leave their community in order to enjoy a healthy meal which is why they wanted to open the restaurant in the location. 




In an interview with DNA Info, Tsadakeeyah, who grew up in a vegetarian diet based home due to religious beliefs, stated that he had dreams of owning his own restaurant since 2006. He and his wife even hope to expand to Englewood and to the West Side. The food is a mix of soul food, African, and Caribbean influences with a vegan/vegetarian twist and there are even a few gluten free options too. The restaurant still offers their catering services as well.

Majani is absolutely lovely inside although the space is a bit small. The place is adorned with modern, industrial design with an exposed brick wall, African printed decoration pieces, including an African print column adjacent to the window, and gorgeous wood tables. There's even a display case full of sweet treats for your post dinner dessert under a chalk board menu.



I started off with a salad (with the restaurant's house made dressing), vegetable soup, and cornbread. And my GAWD. The cornbread was absolutely scrumptious. Since I've gone vegan and gluten free, it's been hard finding soul food style cornbread. It's gluten free and dairy free of course, and tastes just like good ol' Southern hot water cornbread. Honestly, I think this was my absolute favorite dish from the restaurant so far.



For the main course, I feasted on the Eggplant Parmesan dinner (made with cashew cheese if my memory serves me correctly). This meal came with a side of mixed veggies and string beans. On the side. As a side dish, I had the sweet potatoes which came with the restaurant's homemade bbq sauce. A mixture and tangy and sweet and could give Open Pit a run for their money.

The most unique part of the dinner was the vegan hot wings, which is made out of cauliflower. I had always wanted to try these because I've heard many wonderful reviews about this dish. Also smothered in Majani's bbq sauce, I made the decision that this was my next favorite after the cornbread.


It's always a pleasure at Majani. I think Majani is an amazing addition to the South Shore neighborhood so that residents will have better access to healthier options. I'm hoping and praying the couple decides to expand in other underserved areas in the city. Much success and blessings to the Emmanuel family.

Majani is located at 7167 S Exchange Ave, Chicago, IL 60649




Since switching to the plant based and holistic lifestyle, I've always heard about sea moss and it was immediately placed on my "to try" list. When I visited St. Kitts, I finally got the chance to try a sea moss drink from the Life Span vegan food truck (the owner gave it to me for the free-free because I came there regularly) and I tried another drink at Pinney's Beach in Nevis. Both were A-1 and I had to have more.

First off, let's get into the details.

What Is Sea Moss?

Sea moss, or Irish Moss as it's called in some parts of the Caribbean, is a type of red algae that grows in the rocky parts of the Atlantic areas of North America. It's popularly been used in the West Indies for centuries and has currently gotten more well known in the U.S., especially in health conscious communities. The late herbalist teacher affectionately known as Dr. Sebi discussed sea moss and its benefits plentiful during his lifetime.

Benefits of Sea Moss

Sea moss contains 92 of the 102 essential minerals that make up our bodies. It's used for everything from reproductive support to aiding in thyroid health. It can be used both internally and topically.

-Digestion
-Rich in Iron
-Immunity Boosting
-Helps with joint pain
-Decreases inflammation
-Energy Boost
-Increases Sexual Performance
-High in Iodine
-Anti-Viral
-Appetizer Suppressant
-Aids in Weight Loss
-Supports Reproductive Health & Fertility
-Great for both Mental & Emotional Well-Being
-Can be used for Skincare and Hair care


I purchased a 12oz bottle of sea moss gel from TNT Sea Moss Man. Great quality, lovely packaging, arrived super fast. Seriously, no complaints over here. I'm about ready to order my next batch.



How To Use It

Sea Moss is caught in the sea of course and it is usually sold in its raw form. It's also popularly sold as a gel and sometimes as a powder. Based on my research, making the gel is super easy as well. Sea moss is usually paired with the bladderwrack herb, but it's not 100% necessary.

The moss is used in smoothies, drinks, and in food dishes too. It doesn't have a strong taste or smell so it's perfect to add into your healthy plant based meals.


I used it in a plant based brownie ball dish I made (I'll give the recipe deets soon) and I added a scoop in a kale banana smoothie.

I also added a bit into my weekly clay mask.

As sea moss is getting more known, there's a lot of fake sea moss a foot. Sea moss should be wild crafted, not pool crafted. I prefer to get mine from the Caribbean or from a person with a direct Caribbean connect whether they're from there, have family from there or if they get it directly from there. TNT Sea Moss man gets his from Trinidad so that's a-okay with me. Please do your own thorough research and speak with your doctor or physician if need be before using sea moss.

I'm so excited on this sea moss journey and I can't wait to create more recipes with it! Next superfood will be sour sop.

Sources:

11 Sea Moss Benefits that will Change Your Life!
Chondrus crispus


Stay tuned for more of my delicious recipes!

 

It’s been such a long time since we’ve been on our blog! Hope everyone has been doing well. 2022 has been a heck of a year but it’s still many blessings and gratitude over here! With that said, let’s dive into our newest recipe! 

Pancakes are a big favorite over here at The Flyest Vegan and we love to remix different recipes all the time. This time we tried adding in bananas, peaches, walnuts and coconut! If you’re a lover of tropical fruits, then this recipe is definitely for you! 

My Ingredient List:


-Arrowhead Mills Organic Spelt Flour (or any flour of your choice) 
-365 Brand Organic Coconut Milk
-Cinnamon
-Nutmeg
-1 peach peeled & sliced (or use canned peaches) 
-1 banana cut in half
-Grapeseed oil
-Coconut flakes 

-Handful of walnuts 

-Maple syrup 


Time:

10 Minutes

Let's Get It:

1. As you all know, I’m not really a measurement person when I cook and bake and most of the time I’m cooking for myself or an extra. However, I’ll add suggested measurements for the sake of this recipe. In a bowl, start off with 11/2-2 cups of spelt flour (or any flour of your choice). 

2. Cut a banana in half and place one half in the bowl. The banana is used as an egg replacement. Yes, that’s right! If you didn’t know, banana is a great replacement for eggs, especially when baking and making sweet treats. Keep the other half for later. 

3. Add in 1-11/2 cup of coconut milk. Again, I do not measure. Be sure to keep a look out on the consistency of the batter once it’s being mixed. 

4. Begin mixing the concoction together until blended well. Next add in the grapeseed oil, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of coconut flakes. Mix it all together. 

5. Heat a pan on the stove and add some oil on it. Add batter onto hot pan and flip both sides until browned as usual. 

6. Once you’re ready to serve, cut up the other half of the banana into slices as well as the sliced peach. Add them on top of your pancakes and sprinkle some coconut flakes and walnuts on top. 

And you’re all done! Add some maple syrup on top and BOOM. A delicious, tasty tropical twist on pancakes! 



The holiday season is officially here! No matter your age, there’s nothing more fulfilling and magical than this time of year. One of my abs many other peoples favorite things to do is of course eat delectable seasonal treats. I’m talking gingerbread, hot chocolate, candy canes, you name it. A famous holiday sweet drink however is the beloved eggnog. 

Eggnog is a drink consumed during the holiday season in the United States and parts of Europe and Canada. It’s also known as “milk punch” and can be mixed with alcohol. Prior to my life as a plant based vegan, I only had it once many years ago and I was not a fan. While shopping at my local Whole Fooda Market I noticed the SoDelicious brand had packages on sale. To get more into the holiday spirit, I decided to try some. 

This coconut based eggnog is a dairy free twist on the holiday traditional favorite. I sipped mine with a few vegan cookies from the market too and I was throughly satisfied. 



There’s a thinner consistency that isn’t like your old fashioned based nog, so don’t expect it to be the kind your grandma made. It’s pretty sweet and doesn’t have an overwhelming taste like, in my opinion, the original kind. My next task is to try it with a few drops of bourbon for some extra holiday cheer. 

Overall, I think this SoDelicious coconut based eggnog is a winner if you’re either a vegan like me, on the dairy free tip or just looking to try something new. 

Happy holidays y’all!




 

One of the best things about being vegan is traveling is hands down trying new restaurants! As a Chicagoan, we are super serious about our food because I mean, we have the best damn cuisine in the country! So it’s always a treat to discover new places and even dishes you’ve never tried before, it’s especially exciting to try these foods in plant based vegan! 

On my first trip to Miami I stumbled on a restaurant called SoBe Vegan in Miami Beach. I didn’t get a chance to dine in, only ate via UberEats but I told myself during my next trip to the MIA I would have a sit down and smash. I did exactly that on my most recent trip! 

I had a cute brunch from their Breakfast menu, which happens to be an all day thing that I love! I got the Avocado Toast, Bacon Egg & Cheese Sandwich, Tater Tots, and the Chocolate Milkshake. I sat outside at a quaint table with pink pillows that was utterly divine. 






Loved everything about SoBe Vegan. Pleasant staff, great location and atmosphere, and delicious food. I miss having a complete breakfast from my pre-vegan days so this was truly a treat. Can’t wait to visit again and try more treats on their menu. 

SoBe Vegan is located at 110 Washington Ave # Cu-3, Miami Beach, FL 33139






Being in social isolation has given me so much more time to cook in the kitchen and I'm loving it! I absolutely love breakfast and I love pancakes even more! So I decided to whip up some banana, chocolate chip pancakes, vegan style!


These pancakes will definitely hit your sweet tooth, but they're also healthy af too! Here's the break down on what I used to make these delicious flap jacks:

My Ingredient List:

-Bob's Red Mill Millet Flour (or any other flour)
-365 Brand Organic Coconut Milk
-Manitoba Hemp Seeds
-Cinnamon
-Ginger
-Organic Maca Root Powder (optional)
-1 banana cut in half
-Grapeseed oil
-Artisan Kettle Organic Chocolate Chips

Time:

10 Minutes

Let's Get It:

I am not the measuring type, but I would recommend starting out with 1-2 cups of flour in a bowl depending on how many pancakes you're making. To make these four pancakes for my greedy self, I used about 1.5 cups. I use millet flour because I love the consistency and it's gluten free.

Next add in about 34-1 cup of coconut milk into the flour. You can use any vegan, dairy free milk you want, coconut happens to be my fave. Next add in half the banana, a few hemp seeds, a dash of ginger, cinnamon, tablespoon of maca powder, a handful of the chocolate chips and about 2 teaspoons of grapeseed oil.

The great thing about the banana in this recipe is that it's not only tasty, but it also works as a vegan substitute for an egg!

Mix all the ingredients together creating a medium consistency, fire up your pan, coat it with grapeseed oil (my favorite oil to cook with) and get to flippin'!


Pour some maple syrup on top and you're all set for breakfast. If you want to be fancy, you can do what I did a slice up the rest of your banana and use it as a topping sprinkled with extra chocolate chips.


Stay tuned for more of my delicious recipes brought to you by my new ya dig "The Flyest Vegan"!

One thing I've missed about my non-vegan life is soul food! There was nothing like going to Priscilla's Soul Food Restaurant or eating mom's macaroni and cheese, greens, hot water cornbread and more during the holidays. I'm not that much of a vegan to admit I still reminisce on those days! However, the great thing about soul food is that a lot of it is plant based! And if it's not plant based, you can make it plant based. The sheer creativity of creating vegan food leaves the possibilities endless.

With the holidays coming up, this is a great way to still enjoy the soulfulness of soul food in a plant based way,


Here's what was on the menu:

Vegan Fried Chicken (Oyster Mushrooms)
Greens 
Okra
Sweet Potatoes
Vegan Macaroni and Cheese 
Black Eyed Peas
Peach Cobbler


Soul Food is the term for Black American cuisine traditionally based in the South of the United States. Origins of the food is a mix of Native American, West African, and European meals. The official terms was coined in the 1960's and 1970's despite popular dishes like hush puppies, black eyed peas, fried chicken, and more being cooked and eaten for decades.


Contrary to some popular belief, soul food is not as unhealthy as people make it seem to be, it's all about how it's cooked and what ingredients are used. 


 Tis the season for all things pumpkin spiced and everything nice! This time, it's in vegan! A few years ago, my family and I made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and boy they were delicious. This time, I wanted to make them plant based to celebrate the season of autumn. 

Pumpkin is thee premier vegetable for fall harvest season. It's packed with vitamin A, fiber, helps your immune system, and even helps with improving skin. So not only are these cookies tasty, but they're also healthy. Let's get into the recipe. 






Ingredients:

-1 cup of buckwheat flour (or any flour of your choice

-1 tablespoon of baking powder

-1 teaspoon of baking soda

-2/3 cup of pumpkin puree

-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 

-2 teaspoons of cinnamon 

-1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice

-1 teaspoon of nutmeg

-1/2 cup of maple syrup (oe any sweetner of your choice)

-1/4 cup of coconut sugar (or any sweetner of your choice)

-1 teaspoon of salt

-1/2 cup of vegan chocolate chips

-1/2 up of vegetable oil







Steps:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. Mix the pumpkin puree, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil in a bowl. 

3. Add in the flour, two sweetners, baking powder, and baking soda and vegan chocolate chips. 

4. Scoop batter into cookie circles onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I lightly coated mine with oil for a little extra razzle dazzle. 

5. Bake cookies for 20 minutes. Take out and cool. 

These cookies are super chunky and can even work well with extras like nuts, hemp seeds, or chia seeds if you want to take them to an even healthier level. Enjoy and stay pumpkinful!














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It's your girl Dro! Welcome to my wonderful world of plant based vegan.

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