“There is Nothing Like A Dream to Create the Future” – Victor Hugo. I think that’s so true. What we dream of, and what we think, absolutely sculpt our reality. I could get really deep with that whole thing, but I know you’re just really wanting to know if those are real, vegan, gluten free, Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls in the picture above, and I am happy to say, YES, they are!! As if vegan, gluten free chocolate cinnamon rolls aren’t enough, these babies actually have mini chocolate chips rolled into them, and they are glazed with a Chocolate Gourmet Espresso Glaze!! The rolls are great, but the glaze really takes these to the next level! So, these are pretty much proving that quote right… I have been dreaming of cinnamon rolls ever since I went gluten free about 5 years ago, and that time I saw a photo of cinnamon rolls baked in a cast iron skillet, I knew that must be in my future! So let’s talk about how to get these fluffy, chocolate COFFEE cinnamon rolls into your future….
Easy Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Hi everyone! Today’s recipe is Easy Vegan ‘Chicken’ Noodle Soup! It’s yummy, super easy, and it’s every bit as comforting as the one you grew up on, but so much healthier! It has loads of veggies, it’s cholesterol free, low in fat, and instead of chicken, you can use tofu or your fav vegan chicken substitute (recommendations coming). My whole family loves this soup, and my oldest son has even been known to request it for his birthday… in August!! It’s really that good. The recipe is definitely family sized, it makes almost 6 Qts., but I find that it never lasts more than 2 days with our family of 4! You can reduce the size if needed or you can even freeze the leftovers. The best part is that this hearty, healthy soup is really easy to make. I promise it will become a favorite with your family too!…
Vegan Turkey Roll
Whaaat?! Yeah, you read that right… this is a Vegan Turkey Roll, and it’s gluten free too! This is one of my absolute favorite recipes, and I’ve been making this Vegan Turkey Roll for my family, friends, students, and clients for over 20 years! Many people prefer this to store bought tofu or seitan ‘turkey’, as the texture is more pleasing (it’s not chewy or spongy). When I went gluten-free in 2012, I filled this with gluten free stuffing, and it’s still just as good (no one even noticed!) If you aren’t gluten free, you can stuff this with any vegan stuffing. So what is this? What we’re talking about here is well seasoned, firm tofu rolled around stuffing (gluten free if needed), baked till firm, sliced and served with gravy. This vegan turkey roll makes a beautiful centerpiece for a main course, and no one will miss the bird! You can also make this in advance and refrigerate or even freeze it and just warm it up when it’s time. It’s a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike, and it is the prefect main course for any holiday meal! Just in case you are looking for the Best Vegan Gravy Ever, I have you covered! Click here for the must have recipe for the Best Vegan Gravy Ever (with gluten free option), to serve with this Vegan Turkey Roll. It’s a match made in heaven!…
Easy Dairy-Free Coleslaw
Super Easy Non-Dairy Coleslaw (and Bon Jovi!)
Hi guys! How is summer treating you so far? I hope you are having tons of fun! My boys are keeping me busy with swimming, sleep overs, parades, trips to the beach and the water park, and movies! It’s been so much fun so far! Last week we went out to go shopping (Target, Whole Foods, etc) and the most wonderful thing happened! (Well, I guess spontaneous world peace, or winning the lottery, might be the MOST wonderful thing, but this was regular day most wonderful…) When we were leaving Target, we heard Bon Jovi music, and as we listened closer, we discovered that it sounded live, and that it was coming from a small park next to the parking area. So we went over there, and they were having a concert in the park! Not the real Bon Jovi, but a cover band that LOOKED and SOUNDED just like Bon Jovi! They were really, really good! I have to say that the teenager in me was pretty darn happy. We stayed to watch them and had so.much.fun! Speaking for myself anyway.. I think the kids were like, ‘can we leave now?!’, but when they saw the huge smile on my face, they settled in. 😉 Little kids were running around, people were eating and drinking, playing with beach balls, women were taking selfies with the band in the background, and lots of people were dancing. When they started into “It’s My Life”, a beautiful 60 something woman went dancing by, and it just filled my heart with joy. It was a really awesome, summer fun scene! I’ve been a fan since I was 10 years old, so I was really happy to be there. It was the BEST shopping trip ever. And that’s just one of the reasons that summer is so awesome. Everyone is out and about, and everyone is ready to have some fun. BTW – the band was “Wanted” and they play all over the U.S., so you might be able to catch them somewhere if you love Bon Jovi too! Anyone else?
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Classic Chili (Veganized!)
What comes to mind when you think of Chili? Comfort Food, right? Chili has that wonderful, comfort food ability to make you feel that all is right with the world! It’s warm, it’s filling, and most of us grew up eating it, so there’s that home cooked meal – memory thing built into your thoughts on chili! That’s why, when I decided to make a post about chili, I decided to do a classic chili. Sure, we could get fancy and add all kind of new fangled chili ingredients, like lentils, and mangos or something, but when it comes to chili, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Am I right? Let’s go with yes, at least for the duration of this post… 🙂 This recipe is not spicy either, so you can add your own heat when you’re cooking it, or if you have kiddos at the table, you can let each person spice it to their liking. I like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce with mine, and the hubby goes Tabasco or some kind of local, artisan hot sauce, he’s a bit of a connoisseur of hot hot sauces! My boys like it just as is. Another great thing about chili is that it is so versatile. I’m talking in a bowl, on top of chips with melted cheese, on a baked potato, on a veggie dog, you know where I’m going with this right? Yes! Tell me what you like to eat chili on or with, so we can all get inspired together!!
As you can see from the photos, I made some yummy (vegan/GF) cornbread with this batch! Recipe here! It takes just a few minutes to whip up, and you will be so glad you did!
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Hearty Broccoli Soup in an Instant (Pot)
It’s January and it’s cold. Even in Southern California, it’s been coldish. I’m talking days in the 60’s (don’t hate…for us, that’s cold!) and for once, lots of rain! Time to break out the InstantPot and make a big batch of comfort, I mean, soup! Broccoli soup is oh so good when it’s cold outside, and this recipe is hearty enough to call a meal. It’s healthy too! Most broccoli soups call for heavy cream, chicken stock and cheese to make them creamy. My recipe is creamy because I puree lots of veggies! We’re talking onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, and a Japanese yam (or a potato) and then we add brown rice, and vegan chicken, and it’s all cooked to perfection in a broth. The chicken and rice are optional, but they really make this soup into a hearty meal. Better yet, it’s really quick and easy to make. You can make this soup on the stove top, or if you prefer, you can add the ingredients to the instant pot and go do something else while it cooks! 
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BBQ Tofu and Braised Garlic Kale Bowl with 5-Minute Ranch
BBQ Tofu and Braised Garlic Kale Bowl with Ranch Dressing and a Pomegranate KeVita!
I’m so excited about today’s post! I’m having a bit of a moment with this recipe right now. I got the inspiration for this recipe from a restaurant that we went to on our recent cross country trip. Have you ever eaten something so yummy, so satisfying, and so beautiful that you just. can’t. stop. thinking about it? I guess that’s what they call a ‘foodie crush’, right? So, this happened to me, when I went to the Wild Cow Café in Nashville, TN. (Nashville is the town seen in the photo in the last post…did you guess?) I love country music, and so of course, Nashville is a pretty awesome place to visit! We camped at a beautiful lake. We went to the Johnny Cash Museum – is there anyone cooler than Johnny Cash?!! We ate at the Wild Cow Café, and the Hard Rock Café, both of which made super yummy vegan food for us. And I took LOTS of photos (do I even need to say that? It’s what I DO!), and while I was taking photos, in downtown Nashville, great music was pouring out of every neon lit bar and restaurant up and down the street. Seriously. How could I even leave this place? Music + Photography + Great Food = Lovin’ me some Nashville!!
Downtown Nashville
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Angel McNall is the author and photographer of High Vibe Lifestyle. For over 20 years, Angel has been teaching people how to live more vibrantly by eating a plant based diet, and using plant based medicine. 
