Veg SF

The adventures of a lacto ovo vegetarian in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Oat Bran vs Oatmeal February 15, 2010

Filed under: Grocery, Veg Musings, Vegetarian — vegsf @ 3:23 pm
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I had a friend ask me (paraphrasing), what’s with the oat bran and how is it different than oatmeal? Aren’t they pretty much the same thing? That my friend, is an excellent question. Why am I such a crazy fan of the oat bran and haven’t once mentioned the oatmeal?  Here are my reasons…

  • Nutritional Benefits: Oat Bran and Oatmeal are very similar with their health benefits, but oat bran is a little better nutritionally comparing 1/3 cup. Though oat bran is a little bit higher calorie and fat (slightly – not excessive in my opinion), it also has a lot more fiber, protein, and iron. For me, the vegetarian, the last two are even more important. Check out the stat comparison (M=oatMeal, B=oatBran). Calories: M=100, B=130. Fat: M=2g, B=3g. Carb: M=19g, B=24g. Fiber: M=3g, B=6g. Protein: M=4g, B=7g. Iron: M=6%, B=14%
  • Filling: Even though the nutritional data is a wee bit higher for the oat bran, I find it to be a million times more filling than oatmeal. For some reason I can eat oatmeal and be hungry about 2 hrs later. With oat bran, I’m full for about 4 hrs. (no kidding!) This is rare for me since I usually eat about every 3 hrs as a general rule.
  • Texture: With oatmeal (non instant), you typically have to “chew”, but Oat Bran goes down more like cream of wheat. It’s much more mushy and creamy. While “chewy” oatmeal has it’s place (I haven’t completely abandoned the oatmeal altogether), there’s just something sort of comforting about the softer texture, for me.
  • Flavor: I really see no difference here. The flavor is very much the same as oatmeal. They both need to be “doctored up” (in my opinion) with some sweetener, maybe some sugar, cinnamon, etc.
  • Convenience: I, personally, try to avoid the instant oatmeal because of the extra preservatives and sugars. The problem is the length of time it takes to make real oatmeal in the morning is a bit too long for on-the-go breakfasts. With the Oat Bran, I can make my own preservative-free and sugar-free “instant oatmeal” in under 2 mins at the office. Plus, it tastes fabulous. I can even mock some of my favorite instant flavors (i.e, strawberries & cream or brown sugar & maple) in my oat bran. And that makes me smile.

Hope this helps resolve the question in your mind, “Why is is the vegsf gal so crazy for oat bran? Wouldn’t oatmeal do the trick?”

Try the oat bran. I dare ya!

 

The Wonderous Oat Bran – 2 ways February 12, 2010

Filed under: Angela Concoction, Breakfast, Fruit, Grocery, High Fiber, High Protein, Low Calorie, Lowfat — vegsf @ 9:44 am
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Holy Addiction!

I was introduced to Oat Bran by my friend and fellow food blogger, Faith of I Pray to Gouda. Without making myself like a mad woman, I’ll say it simply – I’m addicted. This stuff is so good and you can do all kinds of things with it making it taste all kinds of goodness. Ahhh… So so yummy. You really do need to try it. (See? Now I’m a oat bran ‘pusher’!) Plus, it’s so easy, you have no excuses.

I can whip up a quick oat bran breakfast for myself in about 3 mins, so it’s a great on the go meal. It also works well to bring to work with me because I can throw the oat bran, sweetener and cinnamon in a tupperwear container and just add the water and microwave it there. Easy, peasy!

And in honor of Valentine’s Day, here are a pair of  MY favorite ways to make oat bran. (FYI – I used two mini bowls and half the recipe for each for presentation purposes, but you’ll want to use bigger bowls)

Step 1: Assemble Ingredients.

  • 1/4 cup Oat Bran (I use Toasted Oat Bran from Trader Joe’s)
  • 3/4 cup Water
  • Dash of salt
  • Sweetener of your choosing, to taste (Agave Nectar, Sugar, Stevia, Splenda, etc)

Strawberries n Cream:

  • Freeze dried , unsweetened strawberries (Trader Joe’s them and I’m ashamed to admit I have found yet another addiction. These little guys are awesome morsels of crunchy “yum”. They also have freeze dried mango, blueberries and banana chips – all unsweetened. You MUST try them!)
  • 1/8 c (2 Tbsp) Nonfat, plain greek yogurt (I use 0% Fage that I buy in bulk at Costco)

Banana Cinnamon:

  • Cinnamon (I like a lot. I usually use 1 t. or more)
  • 1/2 of a ripe banana, sliced and warmed in the microwaved for about 30 seconds to make it warm, gooshy and caramelized

Step 2: Cook Oat Bran.

In a microwave safe bowl with some extra room for boiling up (so it doesn’t run over), stir together the oat bran, water, salt and sweetener. Microwave for 1 minute. Take out and stir.

For Strawberries n Cream: Add your strawberries at this time and stir.

Microwave for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until it just begins to boil. Watching CAREFULLY (aka – do not take your eyes off the bowl. The moment you do, it WILL boil over and create a mess. You don’t want that to happen. And don’t say I didn’t warn you… ha!). Stir again and continue microwaving for 15 seconds at a time until your preferred consistency is reached.

Step 3: Add the Fixin’s.

For Strawberries n Cream: Add greek yogurt and mix together well. Top with a few more strawberries if you feel fancy.

For Banana Cinnamon: Add cinnamon and mix together well. Top with warmed bananas.

Step 4: Eat.

‘Nuff said.

 

Spread the Restaurant Review September 3, 2009

Filed under: Restaurants, Uncategorized — vegsf @ 12:06 pm
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Whenever I travel for business, I try to go to a vegetarian restaurant every time. I like to find unique and local vegetarian cuisine. This time, I selected Spread in San Diego, California. I’ve categorized my feedback into chucks for you…

FOOD:
All their food is from local farmers markets and such, much of which is organic. love the concept and idea that everything is local/organic/etc. And I love that the menu changes with the seasons.  They had a reasonable selection of both vegetarian and vegan options. (more…)

 

Extraordinary Desserts Review September 3, 2009

Filed under: Dessert, Restaurants — vegsf @ 11:12 am
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Extraordinary Desserts

If you’ve never been to San Diego, California,  you need to plan a trip – stat. If for no other reason than to visit this darling dessert shop.  They have two locations in the San Diego area. I visited the one on 5th Street, right next to Balboa Park and right next to Nature-Express, a fascinating little vegetarian restaurant. (Unfortunately, I didn’t get to eat there since I had just come from another veg place across town. Had I known, I would have planned that one a little better).

Located in a cute cottage style house with both indoor and outdoor seating, this place is a little taste of heaven. I think I committed every single one of the 7 deadly sins just walking in and eating here!

(more…)

 

My review of Texas Roadhouse June 15, 2009

Filed under: Restaurants, Vegetarian — vegsf @ 4:53 pm
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There’s a new Texas Roadhouse in a neighboring town and my husband (meat eater) really wanted to check it out. I normally don’t have a problem with steak houses in general since I am usually happy to have a baked potato and side salad and call it a night.  So, I went along with it.

Overall, the service was good, atmosphere fun and lively. But for a vegetarian? Not good. I just have to spread the news to all my vegetarian friends…

VEGETARIANS BEWARE!!! I was excited that they had a “country veg plate” (where you get a choice of 4 sides) that I was thinking would be perfect for me, the vegetarian. I assumed the green beans would probably be cooked in bacon, so I thought I’d ask just to make find out for sure what was vegetarian and what was not. So, I asked the waitress if any of the sides had meat products in them.

Thankfully, our waitress was very honest (not all would be so honest, I doubt). She informed me that almost all of their veggie dishes have meat products in them!!!

  • Mashed potatoes and seasoned rice are both cooked in chicken broth.
  • Baked sweet potatoes are rolled in bacon grease.
  • Baked white potatoes are rolled in bacon grease.
  • Green beans have bacon.
  • Baked beans have ham.

That leaves just the house salad, mixed vegetables and apple sauce as meat free options (I’m not sure about the steak fries – I didn’t ask).  Even the house salad has eggs and cheese on it (which you can request to leave off if you don’t eat those products) and the vegetables have butter (which you can request to leave off, also). There were no other options for vegetarians, except maybe mac and cheese on the kids’ menu, but who knows… That might have bacon or ham in it, too.

I was HIGHLY disappointed – especially since I was so starving.

 

(My) Kitchenaid Juicer April 10, 2009

Filed under: Kitchen — vegsf @ 7:13 am

Friends gave me about 15 lemons from their uncle’s tree.
I juiced them on a borrowed Kitchenaid Juicer attachment.
(Thanks, sis!)

In no time, I had 2 full cups of beautiful, fresh juice.
Which I promptly put in muffin tins to freeze.
(I don’t have cube trays)

I LOVE the attachment.
I might need to keep it for myself so I can have fresh citrus all the time.

 

Trader Joe’s Peach Mango Gel Cups March 2, 2009

Filed under: Alternatives, Grocery — vegsf @ 6:46 pm

I miss Jello… I don’t know what it is about the gelatin0-filled product, but I just miss having a little sweet gel snacks on occasion. Finding gelatin-free products has always been a challenge, but there are a few alternatives out there, but nothing that really “works”, if you know what I mean.

Until now! I just found my favorite Trader Joe’s is now selling Gel Cups made with carrageenan, a gelatinous algea extract. I picked up the Peach Mango flavor. They actually taste pretty good. They’re a bit puckery sweet, but they still make a pretty decent snack! I think they also have a Strawberry flavor. That’s next on my list. You should try it.

 

A proud moment… February 5, 2009

Filed under: Veg Musings — vegsf @ 11:43 pm

I just found out today that my Valentine’s Day red velvet kisses were were mentioned at Apartment Therapy The Kitchn. I’m so proud.

Check it out

 

Onion Goggles January 28, 2009

Filed under: Kitchen, Veg Musings — vegsf @ 11:56 pm
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I cry like a baby every time I start cutting onions. Some are more potent than others, but almost all of them make me cry to a certain degree. I’m lucky if I can roughly chop them much less ‘mince’ or do whatever else my recipes call for.

My sis and I discovered Onion Goggles when we were at a kitchen store the other day. For a whopping $20, we thought it was a bit outrageous just to prevent some tears while chopping. Especially when we had the idea that all you really need is some sort of sealing eyewear. Most likely you have something in your home already and don’t realize it.

Swim goggles!

You can usually pick up a really cheap pair somewhere like target or a multi-pack at Costco. I tried it a week ago with the goggles I had stashed with all my other swim stuff. Works like a charm!  I now have those goggles stashed with my kitchen tools.

 

Tagged December 27, 2008

Filed under: Veg Musings — vegsf @ 7:46 pm

I was tagged by Paper Envy, so I’ll play along… :)

The rules:

  1. Link to the person that tagged you
  2. Post the rules on your blog
  3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
  4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
  5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
  6. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

6 things about myself:

  1. I wish I loved tofu more than I do. It has to be made “just right” for me to truly enjoy and like it.
  2. Aside for my picky-ness with tofu, there aren’t many foods I don’t like (with the exception of meat, of course). But one of them is rice. Pretty bad for someone married to a Filipino!
  3. My husband is not vegetarian and doesn’t like veggies, which makes for interesting meals around our house! I do all my food experiments on my sister.
  4. I think my sister is a better cake/cookie/cupcake decorator than me.
  5. I secretly wish I was a gourmet vegetarian cook and baker who had her own shop. Maybe some day…

I’m not going to tag anyone, but if you want to play along, jump on in!