VegLove Special: Cooking with VegLove

With the prices of gas and food at record highs, going out to eat is becoming increasingly impractical. However, it's not the death knell for VegLove. Not only do I love eating other people's food, I love cooking my own, and this summer I have had the opportunity to experiment with a lot of different new foods. Here is a list of some of my favorites.

1. Quinoa
This grain is not only extremely versatile, it's a complete grain protein. Quinoa is similar to cous cous but has a firmer, chewier texture. Like cous cous, it can be used in savory dishes and tastes great with just a little olive oil and garlic salt. It can also be used in sweet dishes, like oatmeal, but I have yet to try it this way. Both the traditional white quinoa and the Inca red are delicious, and one package will last you a whole week.

2. Goya Sazon con Azafran
These tiny packages contain a saffron-based mixture of seasonings that make ordinary dishes remarkable. I especially like to add Sazon to black beans, which are a super cheap and satisfying staple of my diet. I recommend making black bean tacos flavored with Sazon and topped with queso fresco, avacados, and Hatch pepper salsa.

3. Nate's Crispy Taco with Artichokes and Cream Cheeses
You might be surprised to see frozen tacos on this list, and I was surprised to find a frozen product so tasty. The filling is immensely flavorful, and they make a yummy snack. They are microwavable, but if you actually want crispy tacos, use the oven. Nate's also makes really tasty vegetarian taquitos.

4. Falafel
Falafel in general is hardly new to me - it's one of my all-time favorites - but I have only recently dared to make it on my own. I have only used a package of falafel mix, so I won't claim to make it from scratch, but it has been a surprisingly successful experiment (although the first batch I fried up turned into mush). I can't get enough of the stuff, especially when paired with hummus, feta, and spinach.

5. Sabra Hummus
A package of hummus is always great to keep in the fridge as a quick snack with carrots or crackers. I was pretty satisfied with the different types of hummus I've found in the past - it's hard to go wrong here. However, I have recently found the holy grail of store-bought hummus: Sabra. I am particularly fond of their Greek Olive style hummus. Not only is Sabra hummus super creamy, all of the different flavors are topped with a generous helping of their featured ingredients (e.g., olives, pine nuts, jalapenos).

6. Woodchuck Cider
I hate beer. But there a lot of situations in which my beloved wine is simply not an option. Although I love Lindemans Framboise as a beer-alternative, it's usually quite a bit pricier. However, I recently discovered Woodchuck Cider, which looks like a beer, is sold at beer-selling establishments, but is actually something I enjoy drinking. It's perfect for summer - refreshing and light, and is my new fake beer of choice.

That's it for now. If you've been looking for ways to still have exciting, interesting food at home I recommend trying all of these products. You can still approximate a restaurant-quality meal without wasting gas.