It’s that time of year again. For all things pumpkin spice, apple cider scented, cinnamon topped, and harvest full! It’s fall, y’all! Let’s dig into what Whole Foods has to offer, but in vegan. 

Produce

Fall squashes, pumpkins, and of course apples are plentiful. Oranges have also made their way into the fall must haves category. 

 

 

The Chicago Diner is located at 3411 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60657 in Lakeview open from 11am-10pm from Mondays to Thursdays, 11am-11pm on Fridays, 10am-11pm on Saturday, and 10am-10pm on Sundays, 773-935-6695

The Chicago Diner is located at 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 in Logan Square open from 11am-10pm from Mondays to Thursdays, 11am-11pm on Fridays, 10am-11pm on Saturday, and 10am-10pm on Sundays, 773-252-3211

 It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The holiday season may bring a lot of stress and business, but there’s nothing like doing some baking. It’s what I’ve always enjoyed about the winter and Christmastime. Nothing like creating a warm, hearty, sweet and decadent treat when the weather is cold outside while playing Christmas music in the kitchen. 

Would you believe this Vegan Chocolate Pecan Pie was my first pie I have made? Not to toot my own horn, but it also came out scrumptiously too! I always enjoyed pecan pie, but there’s something about nuts and chocolate together that makes a dessert even more richer. With some effort, time and research, I constructed a lovely pie that’s dairy, egg, and soy free.

Ingredients:

-pie crust

-bag of pecans 

-sweetener of your choice

-vanilla extract 

-cocoa powder 

-cinnamon 

-arrowroot powder 

-vegan butter 

-nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Mix 3 tablespoons of arrowroot powder and 1/4 cup of water together.

2. Boil 3/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of maple syrup together in a pot.

3. Chop up 1 cup of pecans.

4. Add the arrowroot powder mix into the water-syrup mix and stir until thick while heat is still going. The mixture should be boiling.

5. Turn off the heat and add the remainder of the ingredients into the mix: 

1 tbs vegan butter

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 cup cocoa powder 

1 cup chopped pecans 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

6. Add mix into the pie crust.

7. Place whole pecans on top then bake for 50 minutes to an hour.

8. Let the pie cool off for 2 hours, then place in refrigerator for 2 more hours. 

After that you’re all done! Enjoy with a glass of dairy free eggnog and whipped cream on top of your slice. 

Need a visual? Here’s a video on how to make this  pie! 

@theflyestvegan So I made a vegan chocolate pecan pie for the first time last year and it was so fun, but most importantly it came out GREAT! 🥧 Get into our recipe for the holidays! #theflyestvegan🌱 • • • • • #fyp #fypシ゚ #foryourpage #pecanpie #veganpie #pie #pierecipe #veganbaking #vegandessert #vegandesserts #chocolate #veganchocolate #christmasdessert #holidaydessert #winterbaking #veganholiday #vegandessert ♬ Soul Holidays - Sounds Of Blackness

 

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

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"!