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Summer, means fresh homegrown tomatoes and fresh tomatoes mean that it's time for a BLT!  It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many alternative options on the vegan market!  I've really been having a craving for BLT's lately and I blame it on my good lookin' tomatoes in my garden that have been staring back at me!  I came across several recipes to make "bacon" at home but I just haven't tried it out yet.  I will put that task on my "To Do" list!  However, this past weekend while my husband and I were shopping at Outpost something had caught my eye.  I was picking out some tempeh for our spicy sushi rolls that we were going to make that night and I spotted this lovely package...

Pure excitement came over me because that was the first time that I've spotted a bacon alternative in the grocery store!  I looked to my husband and said, "Look its bacon!!!!  We have to try it!!!  Can we get it?!?!"  Of course my husband couldn't say "no" to my pure joy!  I couldn't wait to try it out!
So last night we decided to have the BLT's for dinner and it was a complete success!  I had fallen in-love with my vegan BLT.  I actually finished my sandwich before my husband finished his!  To prepare the bacon all you do is fry it in a pan with a touch of oil until the edges are crispy.  This bacon is a tad sweet and a little smoky.  We both really enjoyed the flavor.  I wish that it could have been just a bit more smoky and peppery.  You could easily make it more peppery by dipping the edges in some ground black pepper and then fry it up in the pan!  It's just a personal preference of mine but I do love my pepper!  Overall, I think I would buy this product again if I don't have the time to prepare my own homemade "bacon"!  I think this bacon is a perfect option!  It's certified vegan and USDA organic.  For more product information and to find it in a store near you, please check out this link.
We kept our BLT's simple and just used veganaise, romaine lettuce, the tempeh bacon, tomatoes from our garden, and a couple of avocado slices.  It was perfect!  I served the sandwiches with fresh cucumber slices with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper on top.  Delish!
 
So, as most of you know my husband and I moved into our brand new house that we built on April 30 and this big event was followed by my major knee surgery on May 6.  We were without a fridge and a stove for several days (we did have a mini fridge with some items in it) because they were backed up for delivery and we had to get creative and think outside of the box for our meals.  So it came down to vegan fast-food, microwave convenience food, and a lot of salads!  

These were the fast-food places I went to:

McDonald's: I had a side salad with the balsamic vinaigrette dressing and unsweetened iced tea when I went here.
 
Fazoli's:  All of there noodles are vegan!  I ordered their fettuccini and topped it off with their marinara sauce and steamed broccoli.  If you get the breadsticks make sure to order them without the garlic butter on top.

Culver's:  I ordered the garden fresca salad without cheese and with the raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  

Kyoto:  Vegetarian sushi and veggie tempura.

Fujiama:  Any of their vegetarian sushi and veggie tempura.

Convenience Foods:
Trader Joe's veggie wrap sandwich (it's pre-made and in the refrigerated section)

Trader Joe's Japanese fried rice (made on the stove-top)

Trader Joe's Quinoa and Veggie mixture (microwave)

Trader Joe's Kimchi Fried Rice (microwave)

Trader Joe's Vegan Veggie Burgers (you're supposed to cook these on the stove but I microwaved ours until our stove came).

Amy's microwavable meals.  Their not all vegan but there are a lot of vegan options.  I had a Thai curry dish and veggies with brown rice.  Both were satisfying.

Van's Blueberry Waffles:  These are absolutely amazing!  I topped mine off with maple syrup and earth balance butter (yes, it's vegan!).


Other foods that I had on hand were nuts, peanut butter, vegan bread, cereal, vegan granola bars, and fruits.  It was actually a lot easier to find convenient vegan foods than I thought!  I used Google search and PETA to help me out with some of my vegan fast-food choices. 


So, if you're in a crunch or need something to eat on the go, there are always vegan options available!  You may have to
do a little research, download a vegan eating out app, and be a little creative but you will always be able to find something available!  I hope this helps!

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This is the Trader Joe's Japanese Fried Rice.  This stuff is so good!!!  I serve this on top of a bed of kale that is steamed in
a mushroom broth.

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