Vibrant Bites

Vegan travel – Big Island, Hawaii

Last we week, Marcus, Luca and I traveled to the Big Island for the first time, and we spent a few days on the Kona side of the island. We both had been to Hawaii, but it was our first time on the Big Island and our first time traveling to Hawaii with baby Luca…

appetizer

Truffle beet hummus

I recently hosted my first plant-based potluck of 2019, an event I’m hoping to do once a month with friends and family, and this truffle beet hummus was a hit. The surprising trick to this hummus is the beet flavor is actually from organic beet powder (vs. roasted beets) so you can make this really quickly. …

appetizer

Creamy Basil Cashew Dip / Sauce

My husband has been growing some fresh basil in whisky barrel planters he made, and the abundant basil that was ready to use inspired this recipe. I have made raw vegan cashew dips before, but almost always made either a classic garlic or red pepper version and this was my first time experimenting with an…

travelandrestaurantreviews

SoCal Organic farmstay at Morning Song Farms

My husband and I have always loved staying on farms, meeting farmers, enjoying a slower pace and savoring farm fresh food. We’ve camped at the amazing Full Belly Farm annual Hoes Down, stayed on an incredible family owned Alpaca farm / Airbnb in Paso Robles and most recently had the pleasure of staying at the…

healthypregnancy

Birth Experience + Life as a New Mom

Incredibly our baby boy Luca is already 6 weeks old! Will share a bit about my birth story, life as a new mom and some things that have helped me so far in this special adventure, and then get back to some recipes (once I find time!). Birth Experience As a first time mom, I…

HealthLifestyleTips

Healthy Pregnancy Tips

I have taken a long hiatus from posting during my pregnancy (though I have stayed active on Instagram – check out @vibrant_veg) but as I’m due very soon (this Friday!) with a baby boy, I thought I would share some things/ tips that have helped me through my first pregnancy. I am grateful that to…

appetizer

High Protein Chickpea Pasta & Vegan Pesto

Inspiration can come from anywhere, and the inspiration for this particular simple dish came from a delicious sample I tried yesterday at Costco. This was my first time trying Banza pasta, and I really liked both the taste and the fact that each serving has 25 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber! As a…

travelandrestaurantreviews

Vegetarian Tips for Portugal Travel

A week ago, my husband and I were blessed to spend a week and half traveling in Portugal. We stayed in Lisbon, Sintra, Porto and Algarve (about 2 days in each), and along the way we tried a few vegetarian restaurants. At most Portuguese restaurants that aren’t specifically vegetarian/ vegan, there aren’t that many veggie…

Recipes

Bliss Balls with a Ginger Twist

While I was recently traveling in Portugal with my husband, our dear friends, Sugar and Shwa were house sitting for us and caring of our garden, and not only did they take amazing care of our home, but upon returning I was gifted a massive bag of homemade crystallized ginger. Sugar, also known as Ilana,…

Recipes

Scoping out the Veggie scene in Encinitas

This past weekend my hubby and I went on a quick jaunt to Encinitas for the inaugural half marathon and in gearing up for the race, we fueled up with so much delicious vegan food. For those who will be in the Encinitas area looking for vegan meals and treats, here are a few of…