Mile High Vegan Eats: The Bucksnort Saloon

This place was so much fun! A biker bar located in Sphinx Park (near Pine), The Bucksnort Saloon is the perfect destination for a cold beer and some vegan snacks after hiking the brand new Staunton State Park! At least, that was how I experienced it, ha ha.

It’s built in a series of old-timey log cabins alongside a narrow dirt road and has a reputation as not only a biker bar, but a fun stop for all sorts of people out for their “Sunday drives”. Seriously, look how many people brought their bikes out – and this was right at noon when they first opened. There was another parking lot full of cars (and more bikes) too.

The inside of the bar is probably what you’d expect from the outside… dark and rustic… but very cool. People write their names on dollar bills and pin them to the walls and ceiling.

While their menu does appear to be crafted with your average meat-eating biker dude in mind, rest assured that your vegan appetite can also be satisfied. They have a vegetable burrito (no cheese or sour cream, obvs) that when combined with refried beans (vegetarian!) was very filling. The ‘Climbers Special’ is also vegan if you sub guacamole for the cream cheese. And then of course there’s the guac, salsa and chips… although the guac isn’t made in-house, and let’s just say you wouldn’t drive all the way out there for it…

But the beer is cold! And if you’re lucky you’ll get a seat on the back patio overlooking the water.

And if you’re planning to down more than a couple brewskis while you’re here, I recommend waiting as long as you can to <ahem> break the seal… you’re not going to want to make too many trips to the ladies room, if you know what I mean. Just sayin’.

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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Korean BBQ & Kimchi Pizza

Remember my Kimchi Fried Rice? Well I had leftover kimchi and leftover Korean BBQ sauce, so I pulled some seitan out of the freezer and made bulgogi, then combined those with a little vegan mozzarella and green onions and voila! Kimchi Pizza!

I used the same BBQ sauce as pizza sauce, so there were literally only 6 ingredients (pizza crust, cheese, seitan, bbq sauce, kimchi, green onions). Easy as (Korean pizza) pie!

Korean BBQ and Kimchi Pizza (makes one 14″ pizza)

Ingredients:

Pizza dough of your choice, rolled out
I batch seitan bulgogi, chopped (alternatively you could just marinate seitan in Korean BBQ sauce, if you want to cheat a little. I wont tell anyone!)
3/4 cup Korean BBQ sauce
3/4 cup (or more!) kimchi
Vegan mozzarella (I used Daiya)
Green onions for sprinkling

Directions:

Spread the BBQ sauce evenly over your pizza dough, then top evenly with the bulgogi and the kimchi. Cover with as much mozzarella as you’d normally put on your pizza then bake for 12-14 minutes at 425 (on a pizza stone!). When done, sprinkle with green onions.

Enjoy!

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Dinosaur Tracks? Dinosaur Tracks!!

Here’s a riddle for ya: What’s 150 million years old and takes 10 miles of hiking along the Purgatoire River to see?

Here’s a hint…

Yep, that’s right, Dinosaur tracks! Jamie and I trekked down to SE Colorado a few weeks ago to visit Picket Wire Canyon in the Comanche National Grasslands with the sole purpose of seeing dino tracks.

Most of the tracks we saw (there are about 1,300 total preserved in the stone) were from Brontosaurus and Allosaurus, although there are tracks from a few other types as well.

The hike itself was interesting. It’s an in-and-back hike, meaning you see and do everything twice. Mostly that’s okay, except for when it means you have to do Hell Hill™ twice. Hell Hill™ was the worst. You lose/gain 250′ of elevation in less than a quarter mile, so it’s quite steep, and even worse it’s very loose sand and stone. Imagine having just hiked 10 miles… your legs are sore, your feet hurt, your camelbak is empty, your scalp is sunburned and all you want is a cold G&T…

And then you have to climb/scramble back up Hell Hill™ with your feet slipping out from underneath you. There are 4 or 5 switchbacks, so you think you’re to the top, but you’re not. You start to whine and Jamie tells you to “vegan up”. Your sesamoid bone feels like it’s about to shatter and you keep sucking at that camelbak hoping the G&T fairy has maybe filled it up for you with the most refreshing beverage ever, but no such luck.

THEN you come to a very sad and misguided family who thought it was a good idea to take 4 children under the age of 8 (and their bikes/trikes/strollers) down Hell Hill™ and you realize that some people ~~are even crazier~~ have it worse than you so you help carry the bikes back up the hill. Finally you make it to the top and collapse.

Of course, this was just our experience… I’m not trying to scare potential hikers away, I swear

Okay, enough complaining, here are some pics!

Me, doing my best dino impression in some Bronto tracks:

Jamie, showing off her “Dino-myte” legs, haha!

The area is managed by the National Forest Service and there are a ton of informational signs all around.

The Bronto tracks we were posing in above were huge, but there were some smaller ones too…

The best part was that because we got an early start we were the only ones on the trail for most of the way. At one point we stopped to look at some pretty cool petroglyphs and another group started to catch up with us, but as soon as I pointed out the carvings to them, they stopped to look and we were able to get away. We were also the only ones at the track site! That was amazing. We had a full half hour to check them out in total silence before we decided to have lunch and head back. While we were eating a couple of the other groups showed up.

Because this is a food blog, I have to show what we had for lunch!

That’s sweet potato hummus, tofurky and daiya cheese with spinach wrapped up in a spinach tortilla! Yum!

On the way back we stopped at a really old cemetery, and it was the first time either of us had seen a sign like this…

Don’t think you can handle Hell Hill™? They have auto tours too!

Finally, here are a couple shots of the petroglyphs:

And I promise I’m almost done, but I wanted to share a couple shots taken at the beginning/end, at the top of the canyon:

So Beautiful!

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Vegan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

These Vegan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas are my idea of the perfect snack for watching a movie or sharing a cold beer with a friend… and they’re so easy! You already know that that buffalo sauce goes wonderfully with all sorts of vegan proteins (tofu, seitan, soy curls). I decided to stick with soy curls this time, just cuz I love them so much.

These are delicious, spicy and really easy to make!

Vegan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas (makes 2 quesadillas)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry soy curls
1 small carrot, sliced into thin circles (you could also add celery if you want)
1/3 cup Franks buffalo wing sauce
4 large tortillas
1 cup shredded vegan cheese
vegan ranch, sour cream or whatever you like for dipping!

Directions:

Place your soy curls into warm water for 10 minutes to hydrate.
Water saute your carrots just for a couple minutes, then set aside.
Squeeze all the water out of the soy curls, then add the wing sauce. Stir in the carrots and make sure everything is coated.
Lay 2 tortillas out over medium heat and layer in the cheese and soy curl mixture. Cook until the tortillas brown and the cheese is melted, flipping once.

Enjoy!

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Enchilada Pasta Casserole

It’s no secret how I feel about casseroles – I love ‘em! Here are just a few of my favorites…

And to add to that list, I now present my Enchilada Pasta Casserole with sweet potatoes and black beans!

It’s a little spicy and a little sweet, and very filling! This would be perfect to put together on a Sunday afternoon when you have a little time, then throw it into the oven to heat up one night after work (when you don’t have a little time, ha ha).

Enchilada Pasta Casserole (makes 6 servings)

Adapted from non-vegan/vegetarian recipe

Ingredients:

13oz box whole wheat shells
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
4 oz cream cheese
10 oz red enchilada sauce
1/3 cup vegan sour cream
1/2 cup shredded vegan cheddar (I used Daiya)
1/8 cup shredded vegan mozzarella (Daiya again!)
4 oz chopped green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup fire roasted tomatoes
1 can black beans
More cheese for sprinkling
Crushed red pepper flakes
Diced green onions

Directions:

Place the pasta shells in boiling water, cooking for about 3/4 the recommended time. When there’s 2 minutes left, add the chopped sweet potatoes. Drain when finished, reserving a half cup of the water. With the pasta and potatoes still in the warm pan, stir in the cream cheese until melted.
In a bowl combine the enchilada sauce, sour cream, both cheeses, green chilies, corn, tomatoes and beans. Add the pasta mix. If it needs more moisture, add some of the cooking water.
Transfer to baking dish, and top with additional cheese and bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes until all the cheese is melted, then top with the crushed red pepper and green onions.

Enjoy!

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Mile High Vegan Eats: Marg’s Taco Bistro

Reia has been telling me about Marg’s Taco Bistro (and their yummy vegan options) forever, but I just never got around to trying it… until now! I’ve actually been there twice in the past month and could kick myself for waiting so long!

They have an amazing list of margaritas to choose from, as well as wines and other cocktails. You’re gonna want to start with one of those, and an order of guacamole…

Mile High Vegan Eats: Marg's Taco Bistro

Don’t eat the flour tortillas, they have lard!

Their menu is great for vegans and omnivores alike, especially since you can sub tofu into any taco you want! Just be careful, as their flour tortillas (which they also bring along with chips and salsa or guacamole) are made with lard. Vegans can get their tacos in either corn tortillas, or lettuce. You’ll also want to ask for your beans sans cheese.

The Ninja with tofu and a lettuce wrap

The Belle (top) and the Korean (with tofu)

My two favorite tacos are the Belle (made with marinated portabello mushrooms, slaw and guac) and the Korean (tofu, pickled cucumbers, sriracha and a Korean BBQ sauce).

My favorite margarita is the Strawbanero… which is exactly what it sounds like: Strawberries and habaneros. Each sip starts sweet and ends really, really hot…

Marg’s has 3 locations: Cherry Creek, LoDo and Uptown. I’ve been to the Cherry Creek and Uptown locations, both are great for people watching while you eat and drink! I went with my friend Justin and we had a great time just sitting in the sun, drinking and talking!

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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Old Friends

Just a quickie post today, and a reminder… don’t forget to enter for a FREE copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad! The contest ends tonight at midnight.

A couple weeks ago my friends Justin and Jonathan were visiting from LA and I had the best time catching up with them!

Me and Justin

Jonathan (who didn’t want his picture taken)

When I lived in LA I was friends with this whole group of guys, a couple of whom lived in my same building. Jonathan was actually just a few doors down from me. We were all in our early 20′s and only Justin had kids, so it was a really simple and fun time in our lives, which means that when we get together now there’s LOTS to laugh and reminisce about. They all still live in and around LA and are all still besties, which makes me a bit jealous.

I realized during this visit that those really were “the good ol’ days”… I just wish I had realized that while I was still living in them!

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Happy Herbivore Abroad (Review and Giveaway!)

This contest is now closed and the lucky winner is… Shannon, who is already vegan and has started cutting out processed foods and making her own granola… way to go! ~~Nancy! She recently switched from vegetarian to vegan (yay!) and saw a huge difference. Way to go Nancy!~~ FYI- the original winner never responded to my email, so I ran the random number generator a second time.

I’m a huge fan of Happy Herbivore and all of Lindsay’s cookbooks, but I have to say this is my favorite by far. All of her recipes are simple, easy, delicious and HEALTHY! I’m not always a low-fat or oil-free vegan but I definitely try to eat like that sometimes, and her cookbooks are my go-to when I want a yummy-yet-healthy meal.

One of the cool things about this cookbook is how it’s separated into different regions of the world so you can always find something that appeals to you, no matter what kind of mood you’re in. A great example is her Gazpacho, recipe below:

Gazpacho, reprinted with permission

Here are a couple of my favorites:

No-meat “meatballs” over whole wheat spaghetti (page 181)

These little balls held together really well and were very flavorful. They’d also be wonderful in a “meatball” sub or on pizza! (Note to self: Make a “meatball” pizza…)

Lentil taco “meat” (page 43)

I’m quite in love with this lentil taco meat. It’s super quick and easy to make in the food processor and has so many potential uses. It’s the perfect (healthier) alternative to those “hamburger crumble” type mock meats.

I’ve tried a few other recipes that I didn’t photograph, including Thai noodle soup and Pineapple rice and loved them all. Bottom line, this recipe is full of recipes that will appeal to all types of eaters, both vegan and omnivore (and everyone in between!).

Here’s the recipe I promised, scroll down for the giveaway deets!

(reprinted with permission from Happy Herbivore Abroad)

Gazpacho

Gazpacho originates from Andalusia, my favorite part of Spain, and it’s traditionally vegan. The first time I ever had gazpacho was actually in Andalusia, back in 2007. Scott and I had just arrived in Seville (pronounced like “sa-vee-ya”) and dipped into the first cafe we saw hoping to find a quick bite to eat. It was fairly late in the afternoon, just after siesta, and the restaurant wasn’t yet serving its dinner menu (Spaniards eat dinner rather late at night by American standards — after 9:00 p.m.), but the waiter offered to bring us two bowls of gazpacho leftover from lunch.

The idea of a cold soup initially sounded strange to me, but I was so hungry and melting under the fierce Andalusian sun that I was willing to try anything that was cold and nourishing. After a few spoonfuls, I felt shameful for being so pessimistic—gazpacho is deliciously light and refreshing! Now I look forward to having a bowl every time I visit Spain, and it’s one of my favorite recipes to make in the summer when tomatoes are in season and overflowing in my garden.

Serves 2

1 slice stale or toasted bread
3 plum tomatoes
6” cucumber
1-2 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper, seeded
2-3 green onions
hot sauce (optional)
red wine vinegar (optional)
water

Chef’s Note: For a cool and refreshing soup, store your veggies in the fridge before use. You can also add an ice cube to the mix, if necessary.

Chef’s Note: The heel of the bread is best in this recipe. Finally a use for the heel!

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulverize into a soup, adding ice cold water as necessary to achieve the right smoothness and soup consistency. If you do not have a strong blender, you may need to chop your vegetables up beforehand. Taste, adding hot sauce or red wine vinegar to taste, if desired. In Spain, gazpacho is topped with chunks of raw vegetables like Spanish onions, green bell peppers, and celery.

Per serving: Calories 118, Total Fat 1.2g, Carbohydrates 24.1g, Dietary Fiber 5.3g, Sugars 12.5g, Protein 5.7g

The Giveaway:

~~One lucky reader will receive a copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad!~~

The contest is open until Midnight (Mountain time), Monday 6/3. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced the following day. To Enter: All you gotta do is leave a comment below telling us what changes you’ve made to your diet to make it healthier. Did you give up oil? Cut back on nut butters? We want to hear!

Contest is limited to US and Canada only. Good luck!!

*The publishers provided me with free product to review, but the opinions are 100% mine!

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Hummus & Veggie Melts

Quick post today, still recovering from the weekend, ha ha! It was full of old friends, margaritas, the most delicious drink ever called a Shanghai Mule, late-night bike rides, beer and hiking. As soon as I download my pics, I promise to share, but for now you’ll just have to make due with these Hummus and Veggie Melts.

They’re so quick and easy, perfect for dinner (or lunch!) when you have no idea what to make and much healthier than take out. They’re simply english muffins, hummus, veggies and a dab of vegan cheese.

Toast your english muffins, then slather them with your favorite hummus. While they’re toasting, water saute a handful of vegetables with a sprinkle of powdered garlic (I used kale and orange bell peppers). You don’t need to cook them all the way, just soften them up. Add them to your muffins and top with some vegan cheese and stick under the broiler until the cheese melts. That’s it!

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Mile High Vegan Eats: Root Down

Since moving to Denver I’ve felt lucky to be surrounded by so many vegan dining options. Some are hidden gems, and some, like Root Down, are pretty well known within the vegan community. And why wouldn’t it be? Just look at that menu, plenty of “vegan by request” options on there. And really, doesn’t seeing the word “vegan” on a menu just make you all squishy inside?

Root Down has been on my dining wishlist for nearly 2 years, I just never quite made it there… Until now. I went with a small group and although I was the only vegan, everyone was more than happy to eat plant-based with me, and (most importantly) to let me eat off their plates

Before we get to the food though, let’s just talk about the restaurant itself. It resides in what used to be a service station, and has a really great vibe. A little trendy, a little industrial, and very comfortable and inviting.

Garage doors from when the building was a service station

And now, the food. First up was the Sweet Potato “Falafel”, topped with an Israeli salad, sesame seeds and chile oil:

They were crispy, and the sweetness of the potatoes went perfectly with the chile oil. I could’ve eaten 3 more, honestly.

Next we tried the Veggie Burger Sliders:

You see that red sauce in the background? Jalapeno jam, thankyouverymuch! I dipped everything in that sauce, the sliders, the sweet potato fries and possibly even my spoon, ha ha. The sliders themselves were tasty and perfectly cooked. If only all restaurants served handmade veggie burgers like this!

I also sampled the Stir Fry Tofu which was served over this mushroom risotto cake that I’m not sure I can even accurately describe:

It was literally a cake of risotto, all crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy on the inside. I don’t know if they fried it or baked it or how exactly they got it that way, but it was divine! There were also tons of veggies including carrots, eggplant, anaheim peppers and garlic, and it was all topped off with a coconut cream and spicy date sauce. This was seriously delicious. The tofu itself was cooked the way it was meant to be (in my opinion), it was crispy on the outside and soft, almost flaky on the inside. In a way it reminded me of breaded fish, although it tasted nothing like that of course.

And finally, there was dessert….

Confession time… I don’t really remember exactly what this was. It was strawberry sorbet with oats and sweet celery. I think maybe it was deconstructed apple pie, but I might be wrong. I didn’t take notes because I rely on the menu to help prompt me, but it was a special that night and so it’s not listed. All I can say for certain is that it was delicious, hope that helps, ha ha.

Okay, so now we’re going to switch gears and talk about the bathrooms. You might think it’s a strange thing to talk about during a food review, but the bathrooms were just so cool that I can’t not mention them!

What makes a bathroom cool? Smart sinks!

Did that make sense? Or do you need something a little more visual?

Yes, that’s a sink above the toilet! You wash your hands, and then the next time someone flushes, the toilet refills with my used sink water. Brilliant!

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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That Was Vegan?

Recipes so delicious you'll never think twice!

Mile High Vegan Eats: The Bucksnort Saloon

Korean BBQ & Kimchi Pizza

Dinosaur Tracks? Dinosaur Tracks!!

Vegan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Enchilada Pasta Casserole

Mile High Vegan Eats: Marg’s Taco Bistro

Old Friends

Happy Herbivore Abroad (Review and Giveaway!)

The Giveaway:

Hummus & Veggie Melts

Mile High Vegan Eats: Root Down