Product Review: Califia Farms Iced Coffee - Mocha

I love this brand of premade iced coffee, but this flavor was not my favorite. The cafe latte and double espresso varieties have a rich, strong coffee flavor. The mocha does not. It has a chocolately, sweet taste, more like a chocolate almond milk. They also make a caramel version, but I've only seen it in the individual size. 

Review: Califia Farms Iced Coffee - Mocha

First impressions: "Hmm... not what I was expecting"
Taste: Too sweet, you can't really taste the coffee
Texture: Similar to other almond milk iced coffees - thick and creamy.
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes. It tastes like chocolate milk with a vegan aftertaste.
Better than other vegan versions? No. I think the best mocha iced coffee is Almond Breeze.
Worth buying again? No, I would buy another flavor instead.
Overall: 3/5

Roasted Gold Potatoes

I love just about any kind of potatoes, but there's something special about the Yukon Gold variety. They're golden in color, hence the name, and they also have an almost buttery flavor to them. 

For this recipe I cooked the potatoes twice - first in the microwave and then in the oven. This makes them soft and fluffy on the inside, but crunchy on the outside. 

I got this recipe from one of my college friends. Her mom made them one night and I was instantly hooked. Whenever I make them I always make extra to have as leftovers, but still end up eating them all right away.

Roasted Gold Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Yukon Gold potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Oregano

Directions:

1. Place washed, unpeeled potatoes on microwave safe plate. Poke holes in the potatoes and microwave on high for 20 minutes.
2. Peel the potatoes. I used a fork, but they are easy to peel by hand if you can wait for them to cool.
3. Place peeled potatoes in an oven safe dish and add seasonings and olive oil. Stir until the potatoes are evenly covered with oil. 
4. Bake 20-30 minutes, stirring half way in between. The potatoes are already cooked, so you are just getting them crispy in the oven. If it is taking too long, you can use the broiler. If you do use the broiler, be very careful to set a timer or keep an eye on them - it is really easy to accidentally burn food under the broiler!

Product Review: Almond Breeze Iced Coffee - Vanilla

Earlier we tried the mocha flavor of Almond Breeze premade iced coffee. This time we tried the vanilla. It also comes it caramel macchiato. I liked the mocha better because it tastes like chocolate milk, which I love. The amount of coffee flavor in the vanilla was similar to the mocha - not very strong. So far I would recommend this line of vegan premade iced coffees to people who are not die hard coffee fans. It's great if you just want a hint of coffee flavor. This makes me think of people who take a little coffee with their milk and sugar. 

Review: Almond Breeze Iced Coffee - Vanilla

First Impressions: "This is ok."
Taste: Kind of sweet, the coffee flavor is subtle. You can taste the vanilla more than the coffee.
Texture: Thick and creamy like the other almond milk iced coffees.
Worth buying again? Yes, especially because it goes on sale more often than the other brands (at my store at least).
Better than non-vegan version? Not really, there is not a strong coffee flavor.
Better than other vegan versions? No, Califia Farms is the best brand we have tried so far.
Overall: 3 out of 5

Mushroom Goulash

Goulash is a Hungarian tomato and meat stew served over pasta. I used mushrooms instead to make a vegan goulash. This can also be made into a more soup-like consistency by thinning it out with vegetable broth. 

I'm still learning how to make the most out of my spice rack. For this recipe I used paprika, cumin, and oregano. I would say the paprika is really important here. But if you are out of cumin or oregano, you don't need to run to the store just for those. You could also use garlic powder if you don't have any fresh garlic.

 

 

Mushroom Goulash

Ingredients:

• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2-3 cups of baby bello or white button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 pound of pasta such as elbow macaroni or shells
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter such as Earth Balance (or olive oil)

Directions:

1. Boil water for pasta 
2. Saute vegetables and garlic until soft
3. Add tomatoes and seasonings, cover and simmer until pasta is ready
4. Drain pasta and add butter to keep noodles from sticking
5. Serve goulash over pasta