Vietnam Part 3

Plate 22 Mini Cha Gio Chay

(Veggie Spring Rolls)

Plate 23 More Cha Gio Chay and Goi Cuon Bi Chay

(More Veggie Spring Rolls and Shredded Tofu Summer Rolls) 

Plate 24 "Thit" Quay Chay

(Five Spice Veggie Pork)

Plate 25 Com Chien Chay

(Veggie Fried Rice)

Plate 26 Com Ca Dua Leo Chay

(Steamed rice with cucumber and tomato)

What's not shown is the delicious vinegar soy sauce!

Plate 27 Lau Thai Chay

(Veggie Hot Pot)

More Lau

Plate 28 Squash blossoms and greens for the Lau

More greens

Plate 29 Coconut Noodles with Veggies and Herbs

Plate (Bowl) 30 Nuoc Mam Chay

(Vegan Fish Sauce-Grandma Style=Yum)

Plate 31 Pho Chay

(Veggie Beef Noodle Soup)

Vietnam Part 2

Plate 18: Xui Mai Chay

(Steamed Veggie Meatballs)

More Xui Mai

Served with Fresh Baguette Rolls

Plate 19: Banh Beo Tom Chay

(Steamed Round Rice Mung Bean Cakes)

Plate 20: Hu Tieu Chay

(Dried Noodles with Yuba)

Plate 21: Bun Nuoc Leo Chay

(Rice Vermicelli Soup in a Savory Broth)

Cilantro/Scallion broth served with the Hu Tieu

Vietnam Part 1

Plate 13: Bun Bo Hue Chay

(Vietnamese Spicy Noodle Soup)

Plate 14: Bun Rieu Chay

(Traditional Vietnamese Tomato Tofu Rice Vermicelli Soup)

Plate 15: Goi Cuon Chay

(Summer Rolls-Rice paper with shredded tofu, lettuce, and fresh mint)

Plate 16: Pho Chay

(Rice noodle soup)

Plate 17: Cha Gio Chay

(Mini-Vegetarian Spring Rolls)

Thailand Part 2

Best Thai Food in Town

Hands down my favorite place in Thailand.  The food was soooooo good that I came back again, and again, and again.  I even ordered take-out for my return flight back to the U.S.  The owners are a husband and wife team and they were very helpful in ordering from the menu.  They made sure to cook without egg and fish sauce and made everything to order.  These photos take me back....mmmmm now I want those noodles!  I can still taste the kaffir lime, veggies, ground peanuts, and coconut milk flavor. 

Delicious!

Plate 4: Pad Thai (No Egg, No fish Sauce)

Plate 5: Veggie Curry with Greens

Plate 6: Side of Coconut Rice

Went back to Jasmine for dinner.

Plate 7: Green Curry

Spring rolls from the hotel restaurant.

Plate 8: Vegetable Spring Rolls

Dinner at Sawadee Restaurant.

Plate 9: Sweet and Sour Vegetables

Plate 10: Vegetable Stew

Back to my favorite place for some take-out.

Plate 11: More Pad Thai (You have no idea how good this was!!!)

Plate 12: Vegetable Fried Rice

Next up.....Vietnam.

Around the World in 80 Plates

Have you ever watched this show on Bravo? Well, it's a culinary competition where 12 chefs travel around the globe to take on challenges to recreate different types of food.

Now...I thought I would try my own installment here, but instead of taking on challenges to recreate food, I'm going to show you foods from around the world in 80 vegan plates.


I'll take you on a trip around some of the places I've traveled; Thailand, Vietnam, Europe, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. (Hawaii in particular).  

The journey begins with Thailand!

About a 45 minute ferry ride from Phuket, Thailand,  there is place called Koh Phi Phi.   Phi Phi is a tropical paradise!  It is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world...Maya Bay.  This Bay has gained a lot of popularity from the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  The beach is a bit overcrowded, therefore, I would suggest going early, or visiting some of the other beaches. My favorite, Pileh Bay:) 

Pileh, Phi Phi

Pileh Bay

Maya Bay, Krabi Thailand

I could show more pictures of the trip, but....ok...all right, back to the food.  That night, I went to Jasmine restaurant near the hotel.  On the way there, you could smell the flavors of basil, ginger, and garlic as you walk along the beach.  Once I arrived, the place was happening.  Music playing, waves crashing, people dining, it was the place to be.

Plates 1 and 2: Thai Curry Vegetables and Pad See Ew

Close Up

   Dinner was delicious.  It was so good, I went back again the next day for lunch and dinner!

Plate 3: Fried Bananas

After dinner, I still had room for dessert.  Sitting on the beach at night with the wind blowing from the waves prompted me to order this dessert.   It was served with honey on the side, which you can see in the background, but I opted to eat them plain. Somehow, they were all gone by the time the bill came!  Next up...more dishes from Thailand.

Jasmine Restaurant

On the Beach

Ko Phi Phi Don

Thailand

Soy and Sake West Village

 Soy and Sake is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.  When I first discovered this place, I was in love (see related post here)! The staff is quite friendly and the manager always welcomes you with a bright smile.  Their menu is pretty heavy in the mock meat category.  If you're a fan of veggie meats, try the Crispy Chicken Nuggets, Grilled Chicken Salad, Thai Grilled Chicken, Ying Yang Noodles, Bento Boxes, or try their specialty Sushi Rolls.   However, if you're not a fan, no fear, there are plenty of non-mock meat dishes such as a variety of salads (house, seaweed, avocado), vegetable entrees, and sides. They also have a great lunch special too!  See the latest lunch visit below. 

Green Salad with Ginger Dressing

Soy Chicken Teriyaki Skewer

Vegan Chicken Pad Thai

Vegan Sweet and Sour Chicken

Spicy Soy Tuna Cucumber, Kampyo Sushi, and Spicy Soy Tuna Avocado

Sushi Roll Close up

My love affair with Soy and Sake has slowly faded, but I always know where to go for a good Vegan Bento Box or Sushi Roll.  Btw...they serve Vegan Treats for dessert! 

Homemade Granola

Hmmmm....I thought.   What can I snack on other than potato chips (my first love)?  GRANOLA!  Here is the recipe that I used.  I modified the recipe to make it vegan friendly.  

Ingredients (Adapted from here)

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ flax seeds
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Earth Balance Margarine
• 2/3 cup honey agave
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter (vegan margarine)  an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the flax seeds.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the margarine, agave, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the raisins and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

The granola turned out great (after 3 attempts).   They make great gifts too.  I made these for a few friends who were traveling to London.  Apparently, the granola was gone before they arrived:)

Caramelized Tofu and Snap Peas

Caramelized Tofu with Red Onions

A couple weeks ago, I was craving Dau Hu Kho (Braised tofu).  Pair it with snap peas and steamed rice, and you have yourself a satisfying Vietnamese meal.  Enjoy!

Sugar Snap Peas with Garlic