Hacking Plum

I’ve never been to Capitol Hill’s Plum Bistro, one of Seattle’s bastions of vegan cuisine.

I hope to someday, but I need someone willing to drop more than a little cash at a nice vegan restaurant with me.

But I do go to Plum Pantry, one of the franchise’s outposts, at the Seattle Center. I go there during my lunch break sometimes as a treat. It’s freaking bomb. Just last week I had the baked tempeh chipotle sandwich. There’s also their reuben, banh mi, yam and jerk tofu sandwich … NOM.

Anyway, my parents gave me the Plum cookbook for Christmas last year, and even though I salivated over the lovely photos, I hadn’t made anything from the book yet. Most of the recipes seemed more involved, costly and contained several ingredients I don’t keep around in my pantry.

But upon taking a fresh look through the book recently, I found a few that seemed do-able.

This califlower bisque, topped with tofu bits and fresh fennel, is homey and comforting. Will definitely make again in the winter.

And the raw kale salad with seaweed, topped with soft tofu. I’ve crumbled dried seaweed into salads since. Delightful flavor.

I love the charred quality of this broccolini with red bell peppers. Topped with lemon juice and red pepper flakes, this flavor profile is my jam. Even though the recipe called for blackening tricks on a gas stove, I put a grill pan on my electric burner and still achieved a tangy char.

The epic mac! I think I’ll make it with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce worked in next time to lend it heat and cut through the decadence. This mac tasted perfect with Sriracha or Frank’s Red Hot.

I pretty much read food articles during my lunch break

Recently in pertinent food news:

26 films every food activist must watch

Talking cows take on factory farms “Matrix” style

Norway’s military does meatless Mondays for the climate

Fruit juice vs. soda: Both beverages pack in sugar and health risk

James Cameron-backed school to terminate meat and dairy

Not vegan but Maya Angelou is a goddess and my heroine: Recalling Maya Angelou’s love of cooking

Another plug for the Seattle Cookie Counter

Is this a health tax? What say you? Tax proposal draws protest from Capitol Hill gyms, yoga studios

A meat giant gobbles up another meat giant

I LOVE FOOD AND MAPS

Support vegan ice cream in Seattle!

Gee golly has it been a long time since I’ve posted here. I have tons of posts in the queue, but work and life have been crazy. You know how that goes.

Now even though I have plant-based adventures to share with you, this piece is time sensitive and I should have posted it sooner!

Last week I found out about Seattle Cookie Counter – a vegan ice cream sandwich project that will travel throughout Seattle in a VW bus selling ice cream sandwiches to the masses.

It’s raising money on Kickstarter until 11:59 p.m. tomorrow and you should pitch in! It only requires a $1 minimum donation.

Now I didn’t really have enough dough to donate as much as I wanted until today and fortunately, it has already surpassed its minimum goal of $18,000. Hooray! This is now a reality!

But I think local, vegan small businesses are peachy keen and wanted to pitch in, anyway. And cash in on an awesome little reward for donating.

Plus their video on their Kickstarter page made me drool. I lurrrve sorbets and stuff, but their ice cream looks like the rich, creamy stuff I have honestly missed since going plant-based. Now I want it in my tummy!

Here’s what they promise if they exceed their goal:

-A permanent curb space in the U-District
-Wholesale sammies at small, local businesses
-A private ice cream sammie party for all the backers

Support them now.