5 Vegan Swaps that "Taste the Same"

Hello everyone, happy Friday! 

So, again, I love food. Fridays, in my humble opinion, are for eating out for lunch, maybe eating out for dinner, and also eating out at happy hour.

I chose to switch to a plant-based diet in January. At first I thought this meant I was going to have to cut out a lot of the things that I love- breakfast sandwiches (brunch in general), burgers, hot dogs, burritos. But I've been pleasantly surprised! Not only are more and more restaurants offering vegan/plant-based options, but it's becoming increasingly possible to make these same things at home.

So whether you're considering going plant-based, looking to cut down on meat or dairy, or just looking for some healthier alternatives to try out, I present to you, in no particular order, my five favorite vegan swaps- things that I swear taste the same (and that I even trick my fiancee with sometimes). 

1) JUST Egg- Big shout-out to my friend Yuliya (who is flexitarian/ not vegan) who asked me if I'd had JUST Egg before, because she loves it. I had seen it once at Vons (and then never again), but that text was the push I needed to run to Sprouts that very weekend, and my life has been forever changed. I think I've cooked with it every single day since. Ignoring the fact that it literally makes for decadent, tasty (honestly, kind of cheesy tasting?) scrambled eggs, it is just aggressively convenient. Needs eggs for baking? Done. Just don't want to crack an egg? Done. Breakfast sandwiches with avocado and Cholula on accidentally vegan Pillsbury biscuits? Done :)

2) Earth Balance Butter- (Or really any vegan butter I've tried so far.) My personal favorite are the sticks, but I always have a tub of the margarine too. They both taste exactly like butter, I kid you not. So much so that I once heard Jordan telling his friends (over video games) that it tastes the same, and it doesn't get any more real than that. It's perfect for baking, for greasing pans/woks, on toast, or in just about any capacity.

3) Impossible (or Beyond) Ground Beef- I know there's some great debate between the two, but I like them both! With the rise of Impossible Whoppers and Beyond Breakfast sandwiches, I know everyone is realizing that these plant-based meats taste pretty dang real (short of maybe a side by side taste test). But if you are one of those few (or someone in your household is) that swears they can taste the difference, I promise you when these plant-based meats are added in lasagna, bolognese, or some other dish that has other flavors to blend with, they'll never know the difference. It's gotten to the point where if I cook with this stuff Jordan doesn't even cook an additional meat, he just goes with it (victory!). Disney Food and Wine Festival Impossible Meatball Sub, I'm coming for you next.

4) Swerve Zero Calorie Sweetener-  I actually discovered this sweetener when I was actively in Weight Watchers (Lifetime now!) as a sugar alternative. I absolutely hate the taste of artificial sweeteners like Splenda, but I legitimately can't taste the difference with Swerve, even if I'm having it sprinkled (okay poured) over fruit. It also measures cup for cup with sugar, making it a super easy swap for baking and cooking. Not into artificial sweeteners? Another super easy swap is to switch to organic sugar! While I can't speak for all brands, I do know the Sprouts sugar and the Kirkland organic sugar are not bleached with bone char (blech), so you'll be safe there! 

5) Trader Joe's Marshmallows- I am that weird person that loves marshmallows. I love them melted in hot chocolate, I love them as Peeps at Easter. I love them straight from the bag and I especially love them when I'm sick (no idea why). But I hate that they're made with gelatin. Thankfully, the marshmallows at Trader Joe's are 100% vegan- and they are AMAZING. I can and will eat a full bag in a sitting. One of these little pillow-y babies and you will wonder (as I did) why in the world anyone would ever make marshmallows in any other way. Make it make sense. The bummer is they aren't always carried at every Trader Joe's and I'm pretty sure they're seasonal (mini in the winter and big in the summer)- so when you see them, stock up! 

So there you have it, my favorite swaps! It's amazing to eat unprocessed, whole foods when you can, but sometimes you just want those decadent, fatty cheat meals, and that's okay! 

If you haven't tried these swaps yet (if you haven't braved an Impossible burger) I challenge you to try one! You may find you like the way they taste as much as the way they make you feel.

And more importantly, if anyone has a good dupe for a perfect, runny yolk, definitely send it my way.

All my best (with mini marshmallows), 

Whitney (@whitnibble)

Sustainable Engagement Rings

Hello everyone!

Two posts in a week, I'm definitely on fire! I'm very hopeful that this will be my posting schedule- Thursdays and Sundays :)

One of the most exciting things that's happened to me over the last few months (years) is that I got engaged. When my now-fiancee, Jordan, and I first started talking about getting engaged (yes, I wanted to be on the whole thing from the get-go) I knew I wanted a sustainable engagement ring. 

There are a definitely a few sustainability issues associated with "traditional" engagement rings. The actual mining of the diamonds is difficult on the Earth- ie., soil erosion, deforestation, air and water pollution, to name a few. I've even read that some communities have been forced to relocate because of the impact the diamond industry has had on their local ecosystem. Additionally, there is a huge presence of child labor and slave labor in the diamond mining industry- numbers have said around 16% of workers in that industry are underage. Lastly, a ton of resources go into the mass manufacturing of rings that we see in big box jewelry stores- from the actual manufacturing of them, to the cross-country transport and delivery.

The good news is, there's quite a few ways you can shop sustainably, while also finding something you'll love seeing on your finger forever. These are some of the options I explored when I was looking for my ring! 

Option 1: Buying second-hand. A grand total of 0 resources go into manufacturing something second-hand- because it already exists (see what I did there?). Pawn shops carry tons of second-hand, unique, vintage jewelry pieces- talk about the ultimate thrifting find! Even just for the sake of exploring different cuts, I couldn't think of anything more fun than going to a pawn shop with your fiancee-to-be or your friends and seeing (and trying on) a few different styles to see what you like (post-COVID, of course.)

Option 2: Buying a lab-made diamond. As much as I love thrifting, I wanted a new ring. Personally, I liked the idea of something that was just mine, for all of time. Lab-made diamonds are not mined from the Earth and are completely synthetic- but they look like the real thing. They have the same optical, chemical, and physical properties as a diamond, but often times for less. There are a ton of different retailers that carry lab-made diamonds- I even saw you can buy some from jewelers like Kay. Brilliant Earth is another  well-known one! But I got mine from Diamond Nexus and I couldn't love it more. It was extremely affordable (less than $1,000) and (in my opinion) is stunning in every way. Many of these retailers operate online only, so again, I can't recommend enough exploring different cuts in person as much as you can (even trying them on, if you can do so safely) to ensure you like what you're ordering before you pull the trigger.

 

Option 3: Purchase from a small business (such as an Etsy shop). A quick Etsy search will pull up thousands and thousands of stunning engagement rings (again, often for significantly less). While you can't guarantee the sustainability of the materials used, you can rest easy knowing that your ring is not being mass produced, likely is handmade, AND you're supporting a small business while getting a great deal. Your ring may also be one of a kind- and who doesn't want that? :) I'm considering doing this for my wedding band- I have seen some gorgeous ones. 

All in all, choosing an engagement ring (assuming you have a choice) is about picking something you love and that fits within your values and budget. And never forget- there's always that option of upgrading as your relationship progresses! 

Next for me is trying to create some sustainable bridesmaids gifts (plastic-free) and planning a low-waste wedding as much as possible. Not gonna lie, the small, intimate quarantine weddings are really appealing to me. Any other quarantine brides/ bride-to-be's out there? What did you do? :)

Well until next week, I hope you all have a great Sunday! And huge thank you to Katherine Grace Photography in San Diego for our stunning engagement photo shoot (and our best man Eric for being there at the actual proposal). I'll talk to you soon!

- Whitney