Mill City Vegan

3rd Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off

2012-02-25T12:53:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the late notice, but this is happening at the Seward Cafe at 7:30 TONIGHT!
http://www.exploreveg.org/events/3rd-annual-vegan-chili-cook-off

Holy Land

2012-02-18T21:35:00.000-06:00

I enjoyed the huge falafel sandwich at Holy Land's location at the Midtown Global Market.

One Year Anniversary of Mill City Vegan!

2012-02-11T20:38:00.000-06:00

I started Mill City Vegan one year ago. Over the course of the past year:
- Number of blog posts: 63
- Number of blog page views: 2,172, not including the Facebook page
- The post that has been viewed more than any other: Vegan Shoes at Journeys
- Other than the United States, the three countries where most Mill City Vegan blog viewers reside: United Kingdom, Indonesia, Russia
- The type of food I've written about the most: Probably pizza (Pizza Luce, ZPizza, Mesa Pizza, Whole Foods Market). Somehow I haven't written about the pizza at Galactic Pizza and I still haven't tried the vegan pizza at Psycho Suzi's or May Day Cafe. I'm sure there are others. I'll try to cover those by this time in 2013!

Ginger Hop

2012-01-29T09:30:00.000-06:00

We made our first trip to Ginger Hop, choosing the Steve Segal Burger and the Yellow Curry. The burger comes with a choice of sweet potato fries, wonton chips or a side salad. Vegan items are clearly labeled on the menu. Will return!

Steven Segal Burger with sweet potato fries. Ginger Hop.

Yellow Curry. Ginger Hop.

Vegan Valentine's Day - A Benefit for Boneshaker Books

2012-01-21T09:59:00.001-06:00

Looking for a very vegan Valentine's Day? On February 14th you can enjoy a gourmet, four-course vegan dinner that will benefit Minneapolis' Boneshaker Books. This will take place at the Seward Cafe and will be prepared by vegan chef Joshua Ploeg. Choose from 7:00 or 8:30 p.m. Check out this link for the menu and for information about Boneshaker Books. Reserve in advance. Enjoy!

Cupcake

2012-01-21T09:34:00.000-06:00

I finally made my first visit to Cupcake, located in the Prospect Park neighborhood. I enjoyed the tofu scramble with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. The chocolate cupcake was also great. It's worth a visit from local vegans, for sure. Keep this place in mind for large cupcake orders. Their vegan cupcake is a Double Chocolate Delight.

Triple Rock Social Club

2012-01-16T20:17:00.000-06:00

After countless trips to the Triple Rock throughout the years, I finally ordered the Mother Biker during the weekend brunch. It's a plate full of tofu scramble, home fries and vegan cheese. Toast on the side. Good stuff.

Evergreen Chinese Restaurant

2012-01-06T21:56:00.000-06:00

Rather than ordering one of my usual items at Evergreen, I went with the Pepper Fried Mock Pork. A little spicy, very vegan, and quite delicious.

Mesa Pizza - Uptown

2011-12-17T18:57:00.000-06:00

I'm happy to report that Mesa Pizza recently opened in an additional Minneapolis location. This one is located on W. Lake Street in Uptown. Vegan pizza by the slice!

Vegan slice at Mesa Pizza

Peoples Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe

2011-12-10T16:32:00.000-06:00

I wrote about the Hearty Vegan Burger back in July when I last visited Peoples Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe. I couldn't resist ordering it again. But my wife asked them to veganize the breakfast burrito using tofu scramble. It was delicious. They also serve tofu scramble at any time, which a friend ordered. It looked pretty tasty to me.

Breakfast burrito...veganized

Gorkha Palace

2011-11-30T19:24:00.001-06:00

We tried Gorkha Palace for the first time. This is an excellent choice for Nepali, Tibetan and Indian food. The numerous vegan dishes are clearly marked as such. I had the Aaloo Katahar, which is a jackfuit and potato dish and my wife had the Tofu Aaloo. We'll definitely return again.

Aaloo Katahar

Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck

2011-11-19T18:06:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the late notice, but tomorrow (11/20/11) is an annual vegan Thanksgiving potluck sponsored by ARC and EarthSave Twin Cities. It takes place from 6:00 to 8:00 at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church, located in Minneapolis. More info is available on the ARC web site.

The Bad Waitress

2011-11-10T21:40:00.000-06:00

The Bad Waitress, with its updated menu, has become one of my Minneapolis favorites. This time I tried the Vegan Faux Sloppy Joe. It's quite sloppy and really tasty. We also had the Vegan Vanilla Shake, which is also excellent.

Vegan Faux Sloppy Joe. The Bad Waitress.

Vegan Vanilla Shake. The Bad Waitress.

Vegucated - Minneapolis premiere

2011-11-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

Vegucated, a new documentary film, will be shown at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis on Monday (11-7-11). You can apparently obtain advance tickets here.

Breadsmith

2011-10-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

If you haven't gone to Breadsmith to indulge in the Chocolate Babka, do yourself a favor and go there soon for this vegan treat. This kosher bakery has three three Twin Cities locations: Edina (50th & France), St. Paul and Minnetonka. Depending on the day, you can buy Chocolate Babka rolls or go for a whole loaf. They have at least a couple of other vegan items; just ask.

Chocolate Babka

ZPIZZA

2011-10-09T22:04:00.000-05:00

I can't help but be impressed by zpizza. They make a point of highlighting their vegan selections on their web site. And at the very beginning of the FAQ section, they address a number of vegan-related questions about their food, including a comprehensive listing of all of their vegan ingredients.

We enjoyed the Berkeley Vegan from their one Twin Cities-area restaurant, which is located in Roseville. (There is also a location Rochester, MN.) Yes, they use Daiya vegan cheese!

Berkeley Vegan at ZPIZZA in Roseville, MN

KARE 11 - No dairy or meat, but all delicious: Big Vegan by Robin Asbell

2011-10-08T16:47:00.000-05:00

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/941652/59/No-dairy-or-meat-but-all-delicious-Big-Vegan-by-Robin-Asbell

The Bad Waitress

2011-10-05T22:43:00.000-05:00

This was my first visit to The Bad Waitress since they've updated their menu and added more vegan items. I really enjoyed the veggie burger, which they say includes a blend of 10 ingredients. I had them include Daiya vegan cheese on the burger. It's big and it's a winner!

Vegan Cookbook Event Today - 10-1-11

2011-10-01T09:14:00.000-05:00

Robin Asbell will be discussing (and signing) her new cookbook, Big Vegan, and offering samples of vegan dishes. The event is TODAY, from 11-2, at the Linden Hills Co-op.

Vegan Meal Swap: 10-1-11

2011-09-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

There might still be time to sign up for the vegan meal swap at Ethique Nouveau. The swap takes place Saturday, October 1st.

Rice Paper

2011-09-15T22:16:00.000-05:00

Three of us enjoyed a night at Rice Paper, located in Edina, in the 50th & France area. We ordered both the tofu puffs and spring rolls for appetizers. Then each of us enjoyed a curry dish that I don't see on their online menu. It's quite spicy. Ask for the vegan menu when you arrive. You'll spend more than you're accustomed to spending on dinner, but it's worth checking out!

Tofu puffs at Rice Paper

Vegan curry dish at Rice Paper

SHE Royal Food Truck

2011-09-02T18:28:00.000-05:00

SHE Royal Food Truck

See my earlier post about the City Hall Cafe, which is operated by the same people who run the SHE Royal Food Truck. The food truck craze has hit downtown Minneapolis in a big way, but most of the trucks don't seem to be vegan-friendly. I'm hooked on the veggie sampler (sometimes called the Ethiopian veggie on their menu), which typically includes one or two lentil dishes and either collard greens or beets, all for $7. They don't always have injera bread at the food truck, so you'll have to settle for rice in those instances. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter to find out where they'll be each day. They're usually at 10th & Nicollet or on Marquette between 5th and 6th. I often sit down to eat my veggie sampler at Peavey Plaza or the Crystal Court. Otherwise you can also get the veggie sampler at the City Hall Cafe over the lunch hour on Wednesdays and Fridays. I think you actually get a little bit bigger serving size at the City Hall Cafe.

Highland Grill - special vegan dinner event

2011-08-20T16:53:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendars. On Monday, August 29th, The Highland Grill in St. Paul is going experiment with a one-night vegan dinner. If it proves to be popular, it could lead to the restaurant--and other Twin Cities restaurants owned by the same company--adding vegan options on a permanent basis.

Highland Grill
Monday, August 29th, 5-9 p.m.
Menu:
Tomato and Grilled Tofu Salad, followed by Farro Risotto with
Grilled Mushrooms, Snap Peas & Eggplant
The two courses will be paired with two different vegan wines.
The price for the dinner and wine is $15.95

Pizza Luce

2011-08-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

The vegan Lil' Gracie at Pizza Luce on Franklin Avenue.

The Lil' Gracie, Pizza Luce

Pizza a Whole Foods

2011-08-14T14:02:00.000-05:00

I stopped by the Minneapolis Whole Foods for a slice of vegan pizza, which has a nice mix of spinach, artichokes, onions, mushrooms, peppers, and olives.

Vegan pizza at Whole Foods

Mill City Vegan Visits Chicago

2011-08-10T22:33:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love making regular trips to Chicago. Here are the vegan highlights from our recent trip to this wonderful city.

The Chicago Diner. A long-time favorite. No trip to Chicago is complete without a trip to this place. This time, I had the Majestic Burrito and my wife had the Country Fried Steak. The burrito was honestly one of the best I've ever had. The steak was a super seitan goodness.

Majestic Burrito - Chicago Diner

Country Fried "Steak" - Chicago Diner

Our kids couldn't wait to go to iCream after seeing a feature on some cable tv food channel a year or two ago. Using liquid nitrogen, this place makes your ice cream creation--including soy ice cream--right before your eyes. They have a great variety of flavors.

Raspberry Lime Soy Ice Cream - iCream - Chicago

We were fortunate enough to be in Chicago on the day that Native Foods opened their Wicker Park location. I had read about this California-based chain. Now I'm REALLY hoping that they consider expanding to Minneapolis. Fast, creative, and healthy food. Just fantastic! We had the Baja Surf Tacos (with a side of steamed kale) and the Ensalada Azteca Salad. I also ordered the strawberry parfait. I can't wait to return. They're opening other Chicago locations shortly.

Ensalada Azteca Salad - Native Foods - Chicago

Baja Surf Tacos - Native Foods - Chicago

Wedge Natural Foods Co-op - August/September Newsletter

2011-08-04T21:14:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to an article in the current (Aug./Sept 2011) newsletter published by the Wedge Natural Foods Co-op. The article, Vegan Diets: Sorting Through the Myths, was written by By Virginia Messina, MPH, RD

http://www.wedge.coop/newsletter/august-september-2011/vegan-diets

Kinsen Noodles and Bar

2011-07-24T16:48:00.000-05:00

Saturday night we went to Kinsen Noodles and Bar, a new Asian fusion restaurant at 1300 Lagoon. The menu clearly identifies which items can be made vegan. Their noodle dishes are half price during their grand opening week, so I ordered the Pad Kee Mao and my wife ordered the Pad Thai. Both were quite good. The menu warns that the Pad Kee Mao is "very spicy," so I asked them to reduce the spice level a bit. The result was fine; definitely not too spicy. It includes rice noodles, broccoli, and red peppers. I ordered mine with tofu and my wife went with mock duck. It's nice to have another vegan-friendly option in the heart of Minneapolis' Uptown area. I'm not certain when their grand opening week ends, so I'd recommend going there immediately!

Pad Kee Mao with Tofu

City Hall Cafe

2011-07-23T10:21:00.000-05:00

Veggie sampler

On Wednesdays and Fridays, the City Hall Cafe has a veggie sampler as a daily special. You'll typically get one or two different lentil dishes and either beets or greens. It comes with your choice of injera bread or rice. Love it. Yes, as the name implies, the cafe is located within Minneapolis City Hall. It's near the center of the building, at the 4th Street ground level. So, if you enter at 5th Street, go down a level. There are a handful of tables. Open weekdays during lunch only. The owner also operates the She-Royal food truck. I think their location has varied this year, but if you can find the food truck they serve the veggie sampler every day. Their Facebook updates appear to be sporadic. It's worth searching for.

Peoples Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe

2011-07-18T22:41:00.000-05:00

I made another trip to Peoples Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe, located in Edina's Galleria. During my last visit I only had time to order a cup of chili. Their menu appears to be slightly different than the online menu. I ordered one of their two vegan burgers; I think it was called the Hearty Vegan Burger. It was fantastic!

Hearty Vegan Burger

Wally's Falafel and Hummus

2011-07-16T17:42:00.000-05:00

As fate would have it, the person right in front of me at Mesa Pizza ordered the very last slice of vegan pizza. So I walked around the corner to another vegan-friendly establishment in Dinkytown: Wally's Falafel and Hummus. You can get a decent falafel sandwich with fries and a drink for six bucks and some change.

Adelita's

2011-07-10T17:37:00.001-05:00

It seems relatively rare to find an authentic Mexican restaurant that includes a vegetarian section on their menu. Adelita's, located on Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis, does just that. We went there last night and each ordered the vegetarian burrito. Specify that you do not want cheese or sour cream. During dinner, it comes with sides of rice, beans and lettuce. Delicious and filling!

Vegetarian burrito

Vegan at Target Field - Part 2

2011-07-04T10:21:00.000-05:00

Another trip to Target Field for a Twins game. This time I asked the folks at Senor Smokes to veganize a veggie burrito. Rice, beans, lettuce, salsa. Not bad. It was more enjoyable than the 9th inning, when the Brewers scored four runs to win the game on Saturday. Here, once again, is a link to veggie items at the ballpark.

Veggie burrito

Modern Times

2011-06-27T23:13:00.000-05:00

Modern Times is perhaps the newest addition to the vegan-friendly dining scene in Minneapolis. We enjoyed a Sunday afternoon visit. I had the vegan seitan melt and my wife had the TLT (tempeh, lettuce, tomato) sandwich. We added a side of garlic fries. Everything was great!

Seitan melt

TLT

The menu clearly identifies the items that can be made vegan. They had Joy Division emanating from the stereo speakers the whole time we were there. Modern Times is located at 32nd and Chicago. You can't miss the bright colors and the cool, retro sign.

Modern Times

Hard Times Cafe

2011-06-17T22:47:00.000-05:00

We had dinner at the Hard Times Cafe tonight. We don't make it to this Minneapolis West Bank establishment often enough. I chose the seitan gyro. It was so messy and impossible to eat that I decided to unfold it and essentially turn it into a seitan salad on top of pita bread. Either way, it was quite delicious. It's served with a side of tahini and chips.

Seitan gyro

My wife had the Vegan Helter Skelter Breakfast, which she enjoyed. It's a nice mix of potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower. We had a side of chips and salsa. Be warned: it seems like they practically give you a whole bag of chips and a whole jar of salsa!

Vegan Helter Skelter Breakfast

Vegan at Target Field

2011-06-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

I admit to being a big baseball fan. I went to the Twins game last night and I hadn't eaten dinner. Fortunately, a vegan can eat pretty well at Target Field. While one has to search a little bit for the vegan stuff, the team's web site makes the search easier by dedicating a page to listing many of the vegetarian (as well as gluten free) options. I started out the night with a veggie burger. During last year's baseball season I confirmed with the staff that the burger has no eggs or dairy products. (I'm not certain which brand they use.) Without reading the ingredients yourself, you have to realize that you're putting a little bit of faith in concession stand workers who might not get questions from vegans on a regular basis. They did confirm for me that the veggie dogs are not vegan. They contain egg whites.

Veggie burger at Target Field

Later in the game I went with perhaps my favorite Target Field item: veggie kabobs. You get two sticks with a variety of skewered veggies, cooked over a flame. They're really simple, tasty and healthy. You might consider asking that they hold the onions...I was still tasting them today! Also let them know that you don't need the container of ranch dressing. These take a few minutes because they make them when you order them. In other words, they don't just make a bunch of them and let the kabobs sit there until someone orders them. That's a good thing.

Veggie kabobs at Target Field

Finally, just to fill in the gaps, I ordered a banana from the "farm stand" that offers fresh fruit near the right field/plaza entrance.

It's certainly not cheap to eat at professional sports venues, but it sure is nice to find vegan options. As a bonus for eco-conscious vegans, Target Field may be the most transit- and bicycle-friendly ballpark in the country. On average, there are apparently more than 300 bikes locked up around Target Field during a typical game, with significantly more than that during weekend day games.

Although the Twins have struggled mightily during the 2011 season, I happened to witness a ninth-inning Twins victory over the Rangers on this particular evening.

Open Streets Minneapolis

2011-06-07T20:45:00.001-05:00

Open Streets Minneapolis, taking place this Sunday, June 12th, will offer an opportunity for bicyclists (and walkers, skaters, etc.) to roam free on a large segment of Lyndale Avenue. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the street will be turned over to self-propelled transportation between 22nd Street and 42nd Street. With events like this one, perhaps Minneapolis will once again be named the country's most bicycle-friendly large city by Bicycling magazine.

Why do I mention this on Mill City Vegan? Well, Lyndale Avenue is probably Minneapolis' most vegan-friendly street. This seems like a fantastic opportunity to bike to at least a few establishments for an extended Sunday brunch. Here, from north to south, are the places that immediately come to mind:

- I would normally recommend the Wedge, located on Lyndale between Franklin and 22nd. However, their newsletter recently included a really lame, anti-vegan opinion piece. Understandably, some local vegans are suggesting that you consider shopping elsewhere. So let's move on to some places that you shouldn't miss.
- Ecopolitan is located just south of 24th Street. All vegan. All raw.
- The French Meadow Bakery and Cafe is located just south of 26th Street. Stop in for a vegan meal and/or baked goods.
- Galactic Pizza is located between the Midtown Greenway and Lake Street. A vegan-friendly pizza place with awesome delivery guys in little electric cars! You can usually get vegan cheesecake as well.
- At Caffrey's Deli, located just south of Lake Street, you can order a vegan version of their Three Pepper Chicken sub. I posted about this recently.
- Pizza Luce. Last but certainly not least, this is a long-time favorite with delicious pizza and sandwiches, located at 32nd Street.

Let me know if I missed any. If you don't want to bring your own bike, there are Nice Ride shared bike kiosks along Lyndale Avenue. I'll see you on Lyndale this Sunday!

Evergreen Chinese Restaurant

2011-06-05T21:08:00.000-05:00

We can't go very long without a trip to Evergreen. We typically find ourselves ordering one of several different dishes over and over again. This time we both decided to try something off of the menu that we've never ordered before. I had the Fried Tofu with Crispy Soy Bean Flakes. My wife had the Mock Chicken with Cashew Nuts. No regrets. Mine had a unique taste and was pretty spicy. The mock chicken dish was pretty darn good as well. I'm not sure whether either dish will make it into our regular Evergreen rotation, but it's nice to try something new at this vegan-friendly establishment.

Fried Tofu with Crispy Soy Bean Flakes

Mock Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge

2011-06-01T22:21:00.000-05:00

Black bean chili

When Psycho Suzi's announced that they were moving to a bigger location and that they planned to overhaul their menu a bit, I was hopeful that more vegan options would be added. It didn't happen. The new location, with its huge patio right next to the river, is really cool. However, the vegan options are quite limited. I did enjoy the vegetarian black bean chili. The waitress was very thoughtful and asked whether I wanted to hold the sour cream and cheese before I even had a chance to ask. I shared tater tots with my co-workers. Psycho Suzi's does have soy cheese for their pizzas, but I assume that they still use the stuff that has casein. I haven't asked. When I go there for pizza in the future, I'll be sure to double-check. In the meantime, if you're in the mood for quality chili in a fun setting; this is your place.

"Welcome to Paradise"

Caffrey's Deli

2011-05-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

I just had the vegan version of the Three Pepper Chicken sub at Caffrey's Deli. They'll put hummus on the sub in place of the mayo. Good stuff. Caffrey's is located at 3008 Lyndale Ave. S.

Vegan Three Pepper Chicken Sub

Mesa Pizza

2011-05-21T19:40:00.002-05:00

After spending a bit of time at Art-A-Whirl, we stopped at Mesa Pizza, a popular establishment selling pizza by the slice in Dinkytown. I absolutely love the vegan slice. There are a number of fine pizza places around town these days, but I'm not aware of another in Minneapolis that sells vegan pizza by the slice. They don't have vegan cheese, but this pizza is completely satisfying without the cheese. They load it up with roasted peppers, artichokes, spinach, carrots, and onions. The crust and sauce are great. The prices are reasonable. For people who are younger than me, they have late-night hours!

Vegan slice at Mesa Pizza

Vegan Waffles & Vegan University

2011-05-21T14:29:00.002-05:00

If you're sticking around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for at least part of your Memorial Day weekend, here are a couple of events on Saturday:

Vegan Waffle Party! Saturday, May 28 at the Fuller Park Building at 48th Street and Grand Avenue South in Minneapolis from 10am to Noon for a deliciously fun vegan wafflepalooza! Bring the kids, bring some toppings to share, and bring a BIG plate to fit all the vegan waffle goodness you can. Please be sure to bring vegan items if you wish to share them (no meat, no dairy, no eggs, no honey, no animal by-products).

And...

Vegan University. Are you vegan-curious? A new vegan? Someone who just simply loves kale? Well then May 28th is your lucky day. Come on out to the Vegan University workshop at Ethique Nouveau and get your vegan on! Vegan extraordinaires Dallas Rising and Al Nowatzki will be on hand to answer any and all questions you have about going - and staying - vegan. From shopping tips and Thanksgiving dinner to moral arguments and shoes, they’ve got you covered. After the workshop, you’ll have the chance to get set up with one of our many helpful vegan mentors. This event is from 1-3 at Ethique Nouveau, 317 W. 48th St.

Vegan University: It’s like college, but without finals and all the debt. And it’s vegan.

Forks Over Knives - My Reaction

2011-05-17T22:03:00.002-05:00

I attended an advance screening of Forks Over Knives last night. Even prior to its release, the documentary film has been called "vegan propaganda" by some who insist that people should eat animals and their secretions. So I went into this movie with a big question on my mind: "Will non-vegans who watch this movie simply conclude that it's nothing more than shallow propaganda?" After seeing the film, my conclusion is that anyone with a little bit of an open mind will find the movie to be very compelling. At the very least, I think that most people who see the Forks Over Knives are going to walk away convinced that there are health benefits to cutting back on the intake of animal-based products. The film combines exhaustive research and powerful personal stories to demonstrate the devastating results of diets centered around meat, dairy, and eggs. Eating fewer of these products means less obesity, less diabetes, less cancer, less heart disease...the list goes on.

I was impressed by Forks Over Knives. It's an important and powerful film and I certainly plan on recommending it to friends, family and co-workers who I think are able to walk into the theater with an open mind. It certainly reminded me that there is more I can and should do with my diet, like eating more whole foods and fewer processed foods. For those in the Minneapolis area, the movie opens at the Lagoon Cinema this week. See my previous posts and the film's web site for more information.

Seward Cafe and Franklin Freeze

2011-05-15T20:58:00.001-05:00

Green Bean Earth Breakfast at the Seward Cafe

I spent part of this beautiful Sunday at two Franklin Avenue establishments in the Seward neighborhood. I had lunch at the Seward Cafe. This place has been serving veg-friendly food since 1974. The Seward has always been one of those places where you feel confident that they aren't confused about the meaning of the word "vegan." Today I enjoyed a half order of the Green Bean Earth Breakfast, in which they substitute pinto beans for eggs in the dish that also includes hashbrowns and broccoli. I also sprinkle a generous amount of nutritional yeast on top. It comes with a side of toast and you can help yourself to excellent jam. My wife seems to order this dish every couple of weeks, and I'm now hooked as well.

Following our lunch at the Seward Cafe, we traveled a couple of blocks east on Franklin Avenue to Franklin Freeze. I found out late last summer that this place has vegan soft serve ice cream. I only made it there one time before they closed for the season. May 7th was the first day of business this year. The ice cream is my personal favorite: Temptation by Chicago Soydairy. And Franklin Freeze has 24 flavors that they'll add to the ice cream!!! You can choose from three sizes and they'll mix two flavors in a single serving. I had a combination of raspberry and banana. My wife ordered German chocolate. Loved it! I'm pretty sure I'll be a regular here over the course of the summer. Franklin Freeze is just one more reason why Seward is probably Minneapolis' most vegan-friendly neighborhood.

Vegan soft serve ice cream!!!

Franklin Freeze

Poly Styrene - I LUV UR SNEAKERS

2011-05-13T23:41:00.001-05:00

I ordered Poly Styrene's new cd, Generation Indigo, the day it was released in the U.S. Checking out the new release, I was so thrilled to see the lyrics to the first song, I LUV UR SNEAKERS. Any song that includes references to vegan shoes is an instant hit with me:

the canvas

the color

the rubber toe

no animal died

or lost its soul

in the production of

your beautiful sneakers

I'm still mourning Poly's recent death. Ever since hearing an X-Ray Spex song on a local independent radio station when I was about 16 or 17, I've been enthralled with that band and Poly's work. From her solo record Gods and Goddesses, here is another vegetarian reference that Poly included in her music:

Talk about religion
I say don't do no thing no harm-no no
Talk about religion
I say I'm vegetarian

She'll be missed.

Brunch at the Triple Rock

2011-05-08T20:48:00.001-05:00

Vegan french toast

Tofu scramble with home fries and toast

We had a great Mother's Day brunch at the Triple Rock today. The rest of the family ordered vegan french toast and I ordered the tofu scramble. While I'm not certain the Triple Rock has the best tofu scramble in town (maybe a three or four-way tie for first?), their vegan french toast is absolutely fantastic. Combine it with the home fries and you'll definitely go home full and satisfied, without spending a fortune.

Forks Over Knives - Complimentary Passes to May 16th Screening

2011-05-08T20:23:00.001-05:00

After my last post I was contacted by a representative from Paramount Pictures authorizing me to offer free passes to anyone who would like to check out a screening of Forks Over Knives at Minneapolis' Lagoon Cinema at 7:30 on May 16th. Note that this will require that you create a gofobo account, which takes 5-10 minutes. Here, loyal readers of Mill City Vegan, are your instructions:

To obtain your tickets please follow the steps below:

1. Go to: http://www.gofobo.com/screenings/forks_over_knives/767439?pc=VDJBMFk5NkQ%3D

2. Enter RSVP code= T2A0Y96D

3. Print passes

Forks Over Knives

2011-05-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

The Minneapolis premiere of the movie Forks Over Knives will take place on May 18th at the Lagoon Cinema. A book signing will happen at Whole Foods Market from 3:30 to 4:30. The 7:00 p.m. screening of the film will include a panel discussion. According to the online synopsis of the film, "Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the so-called "diseases of affluence" that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering yet under-appreciated researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn."

Those names are familiar to anyone who has read (or listened to, as I did) The China Study. Tickets to the screening and panel discussion are apparently available now at Whole Foods in Minneapolis. Regular screenings of the film will start May 20th at the Lagoon, according to the Forks Over Knives web site.

Living Green Expo

2011-05-04T20:48:00.001-05:00

Check out the annual Living Green Expo this weekend, May 7th and 8th, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Among the many exhibitors, ARC will have a booth and Dallas Rising will present "Veganism 201" at 2:00 on Sunday.

"No thanks" to the circus; yes to growing food

2011-04-30T00:13:00.001-05:00

In case you missed them, here are two stories that should be of interest to Minneapolis vegans.

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale

2011-04-21T19:38:00.001-05:00

Check out the annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. The only participating Minnesota event will be at Ethique Nouveau this Sunday, April 24th, from 1-4. Elsewhere in the world, follow the link to find events taking place from April 23rd through May 1st.

Wayfare Cheddar Spread

2011-04-19T19:08:00.000-05:00

I REALLY enjoy finding new vegan products on grocery store shelves. Here is a discovery I made at the Linden Hills Co-op. It's a cheddar-flavored spread by a company called Wayfare. The product is called "We Can't Say It's Cheese." I can confirm that the packaging is correct in claiming that the product melts. In fact, it seems to have a more robust flavor when you melt it on chips or crackers. I paid $3.49 for the 8 oz. container. The list of ingredients is pretty impressive (i.e., not bad for you). While I'm not sure this product will take the vegan world by storm, it's pretty tasty and I'll certainly buy it again some time.

Peoples Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe

2011-04-16T10:17:00.000-05:00

I made my first trip to Peoples Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe last night. Owned by those responsible for the French Meadow, this is a "stylish" place located in Edina's Galleria. Because we were on our our way to a movie that was scheduled to start in less than an hour, and I was the only one in the group who hadn't already eaten dinner, I ordered a cup of chili and a raspberry bar in order to make it a quick trip. They indicated that a veggie burger would take about 20 minutes. Really good chili and a decent bar. Looking forward to a veggie burger next time.

Mill City Vegan Visits Boston

2011-04-14T22:50:00.000-05:00

I've been fortunate to have traveled to Boston four times since the late 1990s. Three visits have been for conferences related to my profession, and a family vacation accounted for the other trip. Each visit to this wonderfully walkable city has resulted in new vegan discoveries.

My flight arrived on a Friday night. After checking into my Back Bay hotel, I headed straight for The Other Side Cafe, located a short walk from the Sheraton. I had enjoyed this place during a previous visit, so a return trip was in order. I indulged in the vegan burrito, which is quite possibly the world's perfect food. This vegan gem is stuffed full of all of the things that one should hope for in a burrito. I also like that it includes brown rice. The Other Side is a pretty loud and happening place on a Friday night.

I didn't have a lot of time to go out for breakfast during my time in Boston, so I usually found myself walking over to a nearby Whole Foods Market for vegan muffins and juice prior to heading to my conference each day.

Saturday morning I found one of my most anticipated destinations of the trip: an all-vegan shoe store called Sudo Shoes. After a five-minute walk from the Porter T station in Cambridge, I arrived shortly after the 10:00 a.m. opening time. I settled on a pair of $116 work shoes made by Vegetarian Shoes. Because my carry-on bag was already going to be stuffed full for the flight home, I asked them if they could ship the shoes to my home. They happily obliged for an additional $14 shipping fee. I could have spent A LOT more money at this place had I not exercised a bit of restraint. This is the kind of place that I wish would be located in every major city. But we're not all that fortunate.

Sudo Shoes

Inside Sudo Shoes

We had lunch at My Thai Vegan Cafe that afternoon. Located on the edge of Chinatown, you're rewarded with a really great vegan meal after braving their scary entryway to get up to the second-floor. The mock beef with mixed vegetables is definitely a winner.

Mock beef and mixed veggies at My Thai

Later that night, we hopped on the Green Line out to Allston, where we LOVED the pizza at another all-vegan establishment, Peace o' Pie Gourmet Vegan Pizza. I'm a pizza fanatic. This place certainly didn't disappoint.

Peace o' Pie

I headed back to The Other Side Cafe for lunch on Sunday. This time I ordered the vegan BLT, which was stacked super high with vegan bacon, among the other good stuff found on your typical BLT, including vegan mayo.

For our final dining out experience in Boston, we were looking for something reasonably close to the hotel. The destination: Mumbai Chopstix, located on Newbury Street. Indian/Asian fusion with at least a few dishes on the menu that appeared to be vegan. Mine was a mix of tofu, eggplant and spinach, all in a tangy garlic sauce. This turned out to be a nice find.

One of the many things I love about traveling is the adventure of seeking out vegan food and vegan-friendly businesses. Given that I'm also quite fond of enjoying urban places and getting around on public transportation while seeking out great those vegan-friendly establishments, Boston has definitely become one of my favorite places to visit.

This visit was certainly made easier by the consulting Vegguide.org, which is my favorite online source for tracking down vegan food.

Trieste Cafe

2011-04-06T22:05:00.000-05:00

The Trieste Cafe is a downtown lunch spot that should not be overlooked. This is a small Greek cafe in the historic Lumber Exchange Building, located at 5th and Hennepin. Every time I've gone there I've ordered the hummus & veggie pita. These guys do not skimp on the hummus or the veggies. For seven bucks, including tax, they fill it up with a generous amount of hummus as well as peppers, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes. You'll need at least one napkin! The pita bread is appropriately soft rather than the difficult-to-bite stuff that you get at some establishments. They also give you a bag of chips with your order.

One person takes your order while the other slices the veggies right before your eyes. Friendly people providing fresh and delicious food. In addition to the pita sandwiches, some day I'll convince myself to order falafel or a wrap. There are about a dozen tables packed into the space and you can watch light rail trains glide by out the window while you enjoy your sandwich.

I think they're only open on weekdays and they close at 3:00 p.m.

ARC and Ethique Nouveau Events April 2nd

2011-03-28T23:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday, April 2nd, will be an action-packed day for Ethique Nouveau and the Animal Rights Coalition. They'll start things off at noon with Cupcakes For Their Sake. Vegan cupcakes for $3 each. Peanut Butter Cup and Cookie Dough. I think it's too late to pre-order at this point, but show up early and hope for the best! Also check out the ARC web site or facebook page for other events that day, including an author reading and signing, a vegan clothing swap, and a circus protest at the state fairgrounds.

Mill City Vegan Visits Milwaukee

2011-03-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

Mill City Vegan has just returned from a few days in Milwaukee. We've enjoyed a number of visits to the Brew City over the past decade or so, and we've seen this city become more vegan-friendly all the time. Here's a rundown of our vegan experiences on this trip.

Shortly after checking in at the downtown Hilton and visiting the Domes on Thursday afternoon, we made our way to The Classic Slice in the Bay View neighborhood. We visited this place on our last trip to Milwaukee and found it to be worth a return trip. Of the three speciality vegan pizzas listed on the menu, we chose the Mediterranean, which includes olive tapenade, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and vegan sausage. Yes, they have vegan cheese! After finishing the 16-inch "medium" pizza, we felt like we might not eat for another week (or that we should head straight to the health club next-door).

The Mediterranean at The Classic Slice

Friday morning we decided to go with some simple baked goods for breakfast. We headed back to Bay View, which seems to have become the center of vegan culture in Milwaukee. Sven's Cafe had a few vegan baked items, which I think are from East Side Ovens. More on East Side Ovens in a bit. Sven's is nice, but head elsewhere if you're looking for a full vegan breakfast.

Friday afternoon we went to the Comet Cafe on the East Side. This place always seems to be very busy, but it's worth waiting a bit for a table, in my opinion. My personal favorite is the vegan gyro. After a single bite I realized it would be far too messy to eat with my hands and proceeded with fork and knife in-hand. It's a great mix of seitan, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber dill sauce.

We returned to the East Side for dinner at Beans & Barley, which is both a restaurant and natural foods grocery store. While they don't have a huge number of vegan options, my wife and I both really enjoyed a vegan black bean burritos. We like stocking up on a few goodies at the adjacent grocery store when we eat here.

Saturday morning we once again decided to skip a full breakfast. We had good reason this time. On Saturday mornings the wholesale bakery East Side Ovens (again in Bay View) opens their doors to the public. We went crazy here and spent 25 bucks on baked goods. We should have enough baked goods for the week. It's hard to control oneself at a completely vegan bakery. Let's see if I can remember most of what we picked up...cinnamon rolls, cookies, pie, carrot cake, and some dinner rolls! Everything we've made it through so far has been fantastic.

Before visiting Milwaukee, you must check out Vegan Milwaukee for a wide variety online resources, including a great list of vegan-friendly restaurants. And be sure to like them on facebook. While in Milwaukee I received a facebook update from Vegan Milwaukee that identified where and when to catch up with the all-vegan food truck that made the trip up from Chicago for the day. We caught it at its first stop at Kinnickinnic and California. There were at least a dozen people who lined up in the cold at the first stop. I got the Chicago Cheesesteak and my wife ordered the Carolina BBQ. Both were hot and delicious and a great way to wrap up our trip before heading back across the state. I'm already looking forward to the next visit!

Vegan food truck!

Cake Eater Bakery

2011-03-20T11:14:00.000-05:00

I stopped by Cake Eater Bakery yesterday. They had no vegan cupcakes on this particular day, so I settled for a strawberry chocolate scone. Not bad. They also had maple pecan brownies that were vegan.

Cake Eater often posts some of their daily featured items on their web site and/or their facebook page.

Mock Muffeleta at Pizza Luce

2011-03-12T21:39:00.000-06:00

Dinner with the family on a Friday night. Where better to go than Pizza Luce? I've really been hooked on the Mock Muffeleta lately. I've only recently started to enjoy barbecue sauce, so this fine hoagie has overtaken the Mock Sausage Parmigiana as my favorite non-pizza menu item at this veg-friendly establishment. It's filled with mock duck, olives, peppers, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and rinotta vegan cheese. It's messy and extremely tasty!

Pizza Luce's menu includes clearly labeled vegan items as well as indicating which items may be veganized upon request.

The Depot Tavern

2011-03-06T21:35:00.000-06:00

My sense is that The Depot Tavern might still be flying under the radar screens of most Minneapolis-area vegans since opening within the past year. Within the same building as the legendary First Avenue & 7th Street Entry, this is a great choice for a bite to eat when you're downtown. (If you work downtown, this is a good lunch spot.) I can only imagine how many hours I've spent in this building. I don't make it here for music very often these days, but The Depot's food is going to keep me coming back.

There are several items on the menu that are marked as vegan. And one or two of the vegetarian items can be made vegan. I usually don't eat meals late at night, but I found myself there at 11:00 last night, indulging in the Three Grilled Portabello Sliders. They're small. They're square. They're delicious. You've got to order them without the aioli sauce to veganize 'em. I also love their Three Vegan Duck Tacos and V.B.L.T. I should also note that I've found the staff to be friendly and helpful during each visit.

Check out out the variety of photos of live music on the walls. When a show is happening next door, they apparently show it live on one of their tv screens here. Otherwise, it seems that you'll typically find things like sports or the History Channel playing on the numerous screens throughout the place. As an added bonus, you can purchase tickets to upcoming First Avenue shows while you're here.

As many of you are probably aware, this establishment's name is derived from the fact that the building was originally a Greyhound bus depot.

Saturday at Ethique Nouveau

2011-03-03T20:04:00.000-06:00

Head over to Ethique Nouveau this Saturday, March 5th, from noon to 3pm. What's the occasion, you ask? The Gourmet Vegan Heat and Eat Smorgasbord. Just a few of the sure-to-be-delicious items to bring home for dinner or freeze for another day:

Ciree Linsenman's Hazelnut Watercress Pesto, Black Shiso Pesto, and Red Pepper Cheddar Dip.
Megan Duke's Sweet Potato Chili.
Sarah Slather's Vanilla Orange Cupcakes.

Fifteen percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Animal Rights Coalition's animal advocacy programs. Ethique Nouveau is located in Minneapolis at 317 W. 48th St. (48th & Grand).

Hurry for discounted vegan books at Borders

2011-02-27T09:53:00.000-06:00

As you've likely read, Borders has filed for bankruptcy. They'll be closing nearly half of their stores nationwide, including four of their seven Twin Cities-area stores (Richfield, Minnetonka, Maple Grove, St. Paul). For you, a book-loving vegan, that means clearance sales! I stoppped into the Richfield (494 & Lyndale) location yesterday. There are a couple of shelves of vegan and vegetarian books and cookbooks. Everything in the store is discounted at least 20 percent right now. They'll certainly have bigger discounts in the coming weeks, but with a diminished selection. In addition to the cooking section, check-out the general "diet" section for the Skinny Bitch books by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

This is only my fourth blog post and it is the second one that includes a photo of books on a shelf. Fascinating photography on this blog, I tell ya!

Vegan shoes at Journeys

2011-02-20T10:26:00.000-06:00

I love shoes. I have far more pairs of shoes than I actually need. I can't help myself. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go to a place that has a large selection of vegan shoes. (I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go to a candy store, but that can be a topic for a future post.)

While it's easy to criticize the Mall of America as a monument to consumerism, everyone needs shoes, right?! Journeys, a shoe store at the Mall of America, has a great selection of casual, vegan shoes. On their web site I see that they have a number of mall locations in Minnesota, but I've only been to the Mall of America location. It's located on the first floor, at the northeast corner of the mall, near Sears. While a person can find a massive variety of vegan shoes online, it sure is nice to have the ability to try them on before buying. Plus, you avoid the cost of shipping. And Minnesota has no sales tax on clothing.

In two different display areas, I counted approximately 30 styles of Macbeth brand shoes during my last visit! Most of those, but not all, are vegan. The Macbeth web site has a couple of sections that highlight their vegan products. During this particular visit, a few of the Macbeth styles were on sale for $29.99.

In addition to Macbeth vegan shoes, the store has canvas Vans and Converse. And I also saw two kinds of hemp Nike shoes as well as a very cool pair of rubber Pumas. I somehow made it out of the store without buying anything this time, for better or for worse. I'm pretty sure I'll be walking out with a new pair during my next visit.

Hop on a couple of rides at Nickelodeon Universe while you're there! Want to reduce your carbon footprint while making your way to the MoA? Take the Hiawatha LRT line if it's a convenient option for you. Route 5 from Minneapolis and Route 54 from St. Paul also serve the MoA, in addition to various suburban routes.

Evergreen Chinese Restaurant

2011-02-14T22:08:00.000-06:00

My wife and I had a night out for Valentine's Day the night before the actual holiday. We ended up at one of our long-time favorites. Admittedly, it would be challenging to find a less romantic setting than Evergreen Chinese Restaurant. Most local vegans are undoubtedly familiar with this establishment. Located on Eat Street, at 2424 Nicollet Avenue, we've been eating here regularly since the place opened in 2003.

Located in a stark lower level of a multi-tenant commercial building, this place has always reminded me of a cafeteria. But the food is fantastic! There are a variety of vegan options, including a range of mock meats. As far as I can recall, every time we've asked about each of the mock meats we've been told that they're vegan. They also make a point of noting that vegetarian and vegan items are prepared using separate cutting boards and woks from the meat items. Love that!

This time I ordered the five spice dried tofu with bell peppers (foreground) and my sweetheart ordered mock chicken with mixed vegetables in garlic sauce (background).

That particular mock chicken dish isn't actually on the menu. She just asked them one time if they could make it and she's ordered it regularly ever since. Each time she orders it they sort of think about it for a moment, as if to say, "I can't think of which menu item that is, but I guess we can make it." Her dish had a little more spice than usual. We were both in need of quick water refills, but the meals were delicious, as usual.

I don't remember them having a web site previously, but I guess they have one now: Evergreen

My fortune for the evening: Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Welcome to Mill City Vegan

2011-02-10T20:30:00.000-06:00

I've contemplated starting a vegan blog for a couple of years. Now I've finally taken the time to get this thing going. I stopped eating animals in 1988 and became vegan in the early 1990s. Veganism is a big part of my life. My hope is that I'll have some fun advocating for animals and sharing thoughts with others who are interested in the topic. Hopefully you'll find some value in the words that appear in future posts. I published a fanzine in the early 1990s and found it to be a tremendous outlet in spite of the fact that the size of the circulation was very modest. It's time for me to try the 21st Century, electronic version of the 'zine.

While I'm not certain of the future direction of this blog, look for a mix of Minneapolis-focused vegan stuff as well as plenty of posts that have nothing to do with a particular geographic area. Check back regularly! Enjoy! Offer your comments!

I've been inspired by some of the books on this particular shelf...