Tomato Joe’s: Valencia, CA

I have to admit…after eating PIzza in Napoli, Italy this summer, it’s pretty difficult to find a pizza that comes close to the masterpiece Italy has created. I recently ventured about 30 minutes from Hollywood to meet a friend for lunch in Valencia. Being vegan I always “google” for places with vegan choices before I head out! My friend isn’t vegan but is gluten free and wanted some pizza…SO there it was… Must find a *Vegan* *Gluten Free* *Pizza Place* that is actually tasty…in…..Valencia... mission impossible?

Sure, If it had been MISSION: Vegan Pizza in Hollywood- easy cheesy..but Valencia? As difficult as I thought it would be to find such a specific place- after just a few minutes of searching Tomato Joe’s popped up!

Now, Tomato Joe’s isn’t 100% vegan but it offers something for everyone! Whole Wheat, Gluten Free, Vegan, Beer Batter Crust, Traditional, Thin, New York style….and that is just the crust! They have every topping from Vegan Italian Sausage, Vegan Pepperoni, Vegan Chicken, Vegan Chorizo, Veggies, Vegan Mozzarella! They also have numerous vegan sauces for your pizza to choose from! Tomato Joe’s also offers fresh organic salads to go with your delicious pizza!

My friend and I decided on a 14″ Pizza (Chipotle Pesto Sauce, Vegan Chorizo, Pineapple, and Onion) $11.89 … AMAZING- they make it fresh while you wait, so it takes a few minutes but it comes out hot and delicious. The Chipotle Pesto Sauce contains: Smoked Mild Jalapenos & Pesto. The Vegan Chorizo was crisp and tasty paired perfectly with the fresh Pineapple and Onion.. I really can’t describe how good this pizza was! I was pleasantly surprised!

Tomato Joe’s is a must if you’re ever in the Valencia area- and if you aren’t make a trip out! Whether you stay in for a pizza or have one delivered (within a 3 mile radius)..you won’t be sorry!

Tomato Joe’s:

27732 McBean Pkwy

Valencia, CA

(661) 263-8646

Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am- 9pm / Fri & Sat 11am- 10pm 

I’ve died and gone to FROYO Heaven!

Milky's!

I don’t know about you guys but I am a HUGE fan of FROYO ( vegan of course). There is something about the texture and creaminess that just tickles my fancy;) I can remember last winter in the city (NYC that is- my part time home) when I would walk around the city with a cup of vegan frozen yogurt in about oh -5 degrees. My love is that deep. Being this lover of froyo- I was ALL over a new vegan place that opened up in Hollywood not to long ago. “Milky’s”  is a self serve Frozen Yogurt shop that offers 4 VEGAN flavorseach week, along with a lovely topping bar!  I was totally ecstatic to check this place out today! My parents and I had a lovely vegan lunch and decided to head on over!

Heaven!

It’s a quaint and cozy little FROYO place with a few tables/chairs to sit and- and that lovely soft serve… The vegan flavors today were “Chocolate”, “Vanilla”, “Strawberry”, and “Pumpkin” (which was not quite ready yet). It is $.49/c per ounce (a nice sized cup was about $4.50) . This stuff is incredible! The creaminess, the deep rich flavor, OH SO DELISH! My parents were also quite impressed with the tasty flavors! Let me just say, Milky’s you are amazing– NEVER leave! The topping bar is also full of goodies! Carob Chips, Granola, Fresh Fruit.. I could go on but honestly you should just get yourself to Milky’s for a cup of Heaven!  Eat Clean and creamy!!

Peace, Love, and Vegan FROYO,

Kris

Milky’s Frozen Yogurt:

1429 S. Robertson Blvd

Los Angeles, CA.

424.354.3197

Pasta for Breakfast? why not!

Pasta !

I think people have the connotation that ‘vegans’ aren’t very adventurous when it comes to our food choices. In my opinion it’s quite the contrary. With so many fresh food options, and different “vegan versions” of food we have plenty of crazy dishes to try and Im honestly never bored with my food:) I always love when I give something vegan to a ‘non vegan’ and they adore it, just proves my above point:). Hugo’sis one of the *best* places in Hollywood to grab breakfast served most of the day, a great lunch or something a little different that

MHM

surprises the palate. When my mom is in LA, we go to Hugo’s at least twice a week. This particular morning we both decided to try a little something different for breakfast. My mom went for the “Pasta Emilia”($12.50) Fresh Pasta scrambled with Tofu, Garlic, Parsley, Avocado, Tomato, Cilantro, and Hugo’s  Special Seasoning. Seriously, how creative are they?! Im not really an ‘in the box’ person when it comes to what I will eat (vegan wise mind you) for breakfast. I meanif breakfast for dinner why not dinner for

Stir Fry!

breakfast? This dish was really good- I really enjoyed it, my mom is more of a “pancakes or oatmeal for breakfast type” so while she thought the dish was yummy she would have probably enjoyed it better for lunch. I however thought it was great! Totally something if your willing to step out of the box for breakfast:) I decided to try one of their main Entree dishes “Asian Stir Fry” ($14.00) Marinated Organic Tofu, Snow Peas, Fresh Tomatoes, Broccolini, Mushrooms, Jicama, Green Onions, Cilantro, and  a Mild Sesame-Chili Sauce Served over Quinoa. The thing I love about Hugo’s is that they are so detailed with each ingredient. You can taste every flavor they incorporate in the dish and it just brings it to that perfect food level. The stir fry was full of flavors and fresh veggies cushioned with fluffy quinoa. What a fabulous out of box breakfast experience at Hugo’s.  You know i’ll be back;) . Eat Clean and out of the box!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

Hugo’s:

8401 Santa Monica Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 90069

(323) 654-3993

 

 

 

*New* location at the Farmers Market:)

Nachos!

WELL new as of about May, but I just got myself over there to check it out! Im a frequent diner at The Veggie Grill on Sunset and they have numerous other locations in Ca. I am always at the Farmers Market so this location is perfect for me!! They have a fabulous menu full of lovely salads, delicious kale dishes, wraps, sandwiches, a cute kids menu, fabulous appetizers, and dessert! They even host “Veggie Virgin Night” occasionally which is where they “de virginize” people for free! My mom and I went in one afternoon for lunch and

Buffalo Wings!

tried a few new things so here goes! To try a couple of new things we got 2 appetizers. The “Uptown Nachos” ($4.95) Tortilla Chips, Chili, VG- Cheese, Corn Salsa, Avocado, Soy Cream, and Jalapenos. Spectacular, oozing with soy cream and fresh avocado and the chili you cant touch. so so good! We also split the “Buffalo Wings” ($6.25) Fresh VG Chikin with a Spicey Buffalo Sauce, served with Celery Sticks and Ranch!! LOVE! This is one of my favorite appetizers at VG. I normally get the ‘Chill out Wings’ which are similar without the spice, but these

All American Stack

things were some kind of wonderful’:):) They have an extensive sandwich menu at VG but my mom decided on one of their popular sandwiches the “All-American Stack” ($8.95) Grilled Veggie-Steak, Thousand Island Dressing, Pickles, Lettuce, Tomato, topped with Crispy Onion Rings served with Chili. The description is overwhelmingly lovely and the taste is even better! This sandwich has the perfect amount of veggie, ‘meat’, and crunch! The chili we had eaten before and it is some of the best in town!:) I decided to get me one of their

All Hail Kale Salad!

tasty salads the ” All Hail Kale with Blackened ‘Chikin’” ($7.95 + $2.50) Marinated Kale & Red Cabbage, Roasted Corn Salsa, Agave-Roasted Walnuts ( I opted out) with a Ginger-Papaya Vinaigrette with Blackened ‘Chikin’. Most of the time I get kale, it is a little bland..good but bland; but honestly you could not tell that this was kale – it was the best kale salad I’ve ever eaten. Seriously, fresh, flavorful, healthy, with lovely fruity flavors and a nice blackened chikin. MHM  Something I will definitely be ordering again!! LOVE me some Veggie Grill and you should to, so check out the new Farmers Market Location!! Eat Green and Clean!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

The Veggie Grill:

110 S. Fairfax Ave.

Los Angeles, CA.

(323) 933-3997

“Where great food comes naturally..”

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I’ll start of by saying that Laguna Beach is gorgeous in it’s own right..I mean what could make the beautiful beach, the clean streets, and the fresh air even better? I will tell you… The Stand on Thalia St. This 100% Vegan joint is one of the most amazing eateries I’ve experienced in all of my culinary adventures. I’ll admit that I didn’t find this place on a whim, being the vegan blog junkie I am I searched for a great lunch place before my mom and I headed down. We could not have asked for a better lunch while in Laguna!  They have a crazy HUGE menu- I mean seriously it took us about 10 minutes to decided and I still wasn’t sure.. EVERYTHING sounds amazing! They have sandwiches, wraps, veggie bowls with different ingredients, tamales, burritos, salads, tons of soups, desserts, smoothies, fresh juices, and amazing fresh fruit soft serve! Overwhelmingly amazing! My mom and I decided to get a few different dishes to split/try.. ( LOVE having mom here to split things with woohoo!) So let’s begin! We started off with the “Bean Pate and Tortilla Chips”($2.25) Homemade Bean Pate mixed with a fresh Homemade Salsa,and seasoned to perfection.  I have got to be honest, being that it was basically just a small bean dish I wasn’t expecting to much…but this was SO GOOD, It tasted so fresh and yummy. You can tell the beans had been made in house! We then decided to get two cups of soup the “Tortilla Soup” ($2.50) Homemade Tortilla Soup. & “Cauliflower Soup” ($2.50) Homemade Cauliflower Soup. They were so sweet and gave us samples of both of these and we couldn’t get enough!! These were hot and thick and just amazing!! Some of the tastiest soup ever! MHM Great way to start the meal right there!! The next dish was the “Special Tamale and Guacamole Plate” ($8.50)  Vegetable Tamale covered with Tamale Sauce, with Beans, Guacamole, Mild Salsa, and Cabbage Salad with Sweet & Sour Dressing.. KILLER TAMALE PLATE, I normally don’t get tamales but this called to me and it was just decadent! It was all so flavorful and cooked so perfectly!! LOVED IT! The dressing on the cabbage salad was so tasty!! Since that plate had so many side items and was so big we also got the “Potato and Guacamole Burrito” ($6.95) Potato Mix, Guacamole, Beans, Romaine Lettuce, Chiles, and Salsa in a Whole Wheat Tortilla. Another home run dish! Succulent, flavorful, and just simply delicious! It was super unique to put potatoes in their, gave it an extra somethin’ somethin’ ;)! SO as you can tell our main lunch dishes were spectacular..NOW onto dessert! The Stand has this really healthy, interesting dessert type dish (if you can call it dessert) its a fresh fruit soft serve, and it really is just fruit smoothed into ‘soft serve’ they have a lot of different fruit flavors and toppings all vegan and no sugar, salt or ANYTHING ELSE! We got the “Banana, Strawberry (with Cocoa Powder topping $.50 Extra), and Pineapple” ($1.25 sm. & $2.50 med). I am in love with this stuff ! It was creamy and sweet just like soft serve except it was just fruit!! How can you go wrong??? Perfect for a day at the beach! We also took two cookies with us to try. The “Peanut Butter and The Oatmeal Raisin Cookies” ($3.00) Both of them were very good! Freshly baked, plump raisins in the oatmeal cookie and fresh chunky peanuts in the peanut butter. woah yum!  The Stand is a must if your in Laguna Beach...Total bliss!:) Eat Clean and healthy and at the beach;)

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

The Stand:

238 Thalia St.

Laguna Beach, CA.

(949) 494.8101

some of the most amazing food ever!

pure Heaven 🙂

I’ve blogged  about Native Foods a few times on VeganScraps because I adore their food! They have crazy good and unique salads, sandwiches, appetizers, soups, and desserts! The chef is always

🙂

adding different/new dishes to the menu and they never disappoint! Today we my momma and I went to Westwood for a meal at Native Foods and were blown away! We started off with the

fabulous kale!

“Native Nachos“($7.95) Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips covered in Black Beans, Native Taco Meat, Native Chipotle Crema, Native Cheese, Salsa Fresca, and Guacamole. Topped with Corn, Green Onions, and Cilantro. Wooh! Did you get all that?? These were divine, I mean really some of the tastiest nachos you will ever eat, as my mom said “they are in a class of their own”. This dish is an absolute *must* have, and so inexpensive for all that you get! For my mom’s entree she chose the “Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger” ($9.95) Thinly Sliced Native Original Seitan, Melted Cheddar, Caramelized Onions, and Crispy Native Bacon on a Bun slathered with BBQ Sauce and Ranch Dressing, Romaine, Carrots, Onions, and Tomato. Topped with Crunchy Battered Dill Pickle Chips. Another home run on Native Foods part. This Sandwich is HUGE- so fresh and delicious, and those ‘fried pickles’ are amazzzing!! YUMMY! For my entree I decided on the “Spring Kale Salad with Seitan”($8.95) Raw Crunchy Kale, Shredded Cabbage, Apples & Avocado tossed with a Maple Orange Dressing. Topped with Currants, Almonds, and Creamy Tahini Drizzle. I’ve been on a kale kick for the past few days and this salad was one of the best! SO healthy and had so many different ingredients to make it just perfect! Native Foods is a gem in LA! A personal favorite of mine, so be sure to check it out.. Healthy and delicious!!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

Native Foods:

 

1110 1/2 Gayley Ave.

Los Angeles, CA.

310.209.1055

RFD:) Santa Monica:)

EL Coyote Fajitas!

Real Food Daily offers up some amazing healthy food dishes! They have different specials every month, a great list of salads, sandwiches, classic meals like a tv dinner, some fantastic mexican food, and tasty desserts! I’ve been there a few times before and the food is always great! I normally go to the one in West Hollywood but today my mom and I ventured to Santa Monicato try

Basic Two! Flavors were def. not basic!

that RFD out 🙂 I got one of my favorite menu items at RFD the caesar salad which has already been reviewed on the blog but we did have a couple of new items to blog about! My mom ordered the special this month the ” El Coyote Fajitas” ($15.95) Seasoned Seitan, Onions, Peppers, Pinto Beans, Green Rice, Guacamole, Pico De Gallo, Tofu Sour Cream, and Soft Corn

Parfait

Tortillas. I will start by saying that she wiped her plate clean, with a *little* help from me ;). These fajitas were some of the best I’ve had! Great portion of grilled seitan with fresh veggies to stack on the warm tortilla! The rice was exceptionally yummy to!! Nothing bad to say about this dish, you must try it!! We also got the “Basic Two (Salisbury Seitan & Pressed Salad) ($7.95)

YUM!

Fresh Squares of Salisbury Seitan & Shredded Cabbage with a Vinegar Dressing. Moist and “meaty” pieces of very flavorful seitan which were perfect, and a crunchy tasty pressed salad.. nothing better!! For dessert we decided to try something we hadn’t had before the “Parfait” ($3.95) Layers of Chocolate Mousse, a Whip Topping, and Chocolate Cake made into a lovely Parfait. This was moist, fluffy, and scrumptious simply put. RFD has some really great desserts!! I am a big fan of RFD, some may argue the prices are a bit steep on some things and thats probably true but one bite and suddenly you forget the price on the menu;) Eat Clean and yummy!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

Real Food Daily:

514-516 Santa Monica Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA.

310.451.7544

&

414 N. La Cienega Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA.

310.289.9910

healthy and delicious!

Big Macro= Big Flavor!

I have to say that I am a huge supporter of M Cafe on Melrose and have reviewed them several times here. They have such a diverse and healthy menu that you can eat there daily and never get bored! Today my mom and I went in around lunch time to get some goodies and we certainly did! My mom had her eye on the “Big Macro“($9.95) Whole

mhm

Grain Brown Rice & Vegetable Burger, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Soy Mozzarella, Tomato, Pickles, Onion, and Sprouts on a House- Baked Whole Wheat Bun served with Coleslaw.  This is one of their most popular menu items and I can totally see why! The burger was moist and healthy tasting, and that special sauce just knocked it out of the park!! I’ve had

Fresh and Healthy!

the coleslaw in the past and it is killer, never disappointing!! All in all a GREAT burger, totally recommend it! We also split the “2 Signature Salad Combo“($7.45) Beet Quinoa Salad and Peanut Kale Salad. So fresh, so healthy and so tasty! The kale was absolutely breath taking!! Kale is so healthy for you to! The Quinoa was just as delicious as could be.

scrumptious!

YUM, love me some healthy salads! We could not leave without having one of their amazing desserts! The “Chocolate Fudge Cake” ($6.25) Fresh Layers of Rich Dark Chocolate and a rich creamy Chocolate center. Mouth watering fabulous. Creamy, chocolaty, the best! YUMMY! You have to check out M Cafe, yummy breakfast, yummy lunch, and fantastic dessert!!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

M Cafe:

 

7119 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles, CA.

323.525.0588

Breakfast when you want it:) !

BBQ Salad

Hugo’s is one of the best places to grab a bite to eat here in Hollywood! If its breakfast you want, you can have it all day long- and it is the best breakfast in LA! They also have a HUGE lunch menu with fantastic healthy, fresh choices. They have everything from homemade pasta, veggie meatballs, salads, mexican dishes, a million different teas, and like I said lots of breakfast! They also have different specials for each month, and they are always amazing! I’ve reviewed them a couple of times which you can check out here. Today my mom and I went in mid morning and I opted for one of their salad specials and she went with a tasty breakfast item! I ordered the “BBQ Salad with

MHM!

Grilled Tofu“ ($14.00) Chopped Romaine Lettuce tossed with Grilled Mixed Marinated Vegetables ( red & green peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, potatoes, corn, and mushrooms), Black Beans, Diced Avocado in a Tangy BBQ Dressing. Topped with Crispy Tortilla Strips & Pico De Gallo. This salad was full of delicious ingredients and flavor, as you can tell. It was so fresh and healthy tasting!! Hugo’s always has the best tasting vegetables in all of their dishes! MHM! My mom was in a breakfast mood and decided to order the ” Roasted Pineapple-Coconut Pancakes”(Gluten Free) (10.65) Pancakes infused with Roasted Sweet Pineapple, Toasted Coconut and Ground Almonds. Topped with Sliced Bananas, Toasted Slivered Almonds and Coconut. Served with a Coconut Agave Syrup. OH MY WORD- out of this world delicious! As if the name isn’t enough to make these pancakes delish the flavors were simple to much for words. All of that on a fork just melts in your mouth. Light and Fluffy full of pineapple and coconut.. I really cannot say enough good things about these. My mom was in high pancake heaven! The Syrup served with it was absolutely mouth watering. Im pretty sure I could have just poured myself a cup of that for a drink;). Hugo’s NEVER disappoints, so whether your in the mood for breakfast or lunch stop in for one of the best meals you’ll ever eat!!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

Hugo’s:

8401 Santa Monica Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA.

323.654.3993

 

 

 

 

Vegan Frappuccinos? HECK YES!

Delish!

SO for the longest time I have been craving a vegan type frapp.. I always assumed that Starbucks wouldn’t be able to make me a vegan one, but today I was proven wrong! Starbucks offers hot and cold drinks with soy milk substitute available for us vegans, and now they have vegan frappuccino syrups! wahoo!! Today I went to the Starbucks at The Grove here in Hollywood (the one inside of Barnes and Noble) and they were super helpful and made a delicious drink! I decided to order a “Venti Sugar Free Cinnamon Dulce Frappuccino” ($4.45) Soy Milk blended with fresh Shots of Expresso and Sugar Free Cinnamon Dulce Syrup. YUMMY! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this drink!! It was perfectly blended and tasty with a lovely hit of expresso in there.! Just what I needed! SO excited that I can get my Vegan Frapp Fix!! Thanks Starbucks! Drink Clean!

Peace, Love, and Vegan Food,

Kris

Starbucks:

189 Grove Drive (Suite K 30)

Los Angeles CA.

323.525.0270