veg eats at the ballpark

With the baseball season coming to a close in Colorado, Pop and I finally made the time to enjoy a Rockies game together this past weekend. The seats were great, and the company was even better- too bad the Rockies couldn't pull it together for a win against the Giants. *Sad trombone*

When going out to eat somewhere as meat-centric as a baseball stadium, it's always a challenge to find something vegetarian or vegan. When you think about a sports area, don't you always think of hot dogs, burgers, and nachos? I certainly do. Surprisingly enough, Coors Field has some meat-free options- yayy! In fact, Coors Field was named one of PETA's Top 10 Most Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks in the country!

I personally think the selection of meat-free foods has decreased since last year, but hey, as long as I can find something tasty to accompany my beer, I'm happy. This weekend, Dad and I found Garden burgers and veggie dogs over at section 134. Not the best I've had, but definitely not the worst. In these situations, the key is loading it up with anything you can get your hands on- ketchup, mustard, onions, relish, sauerkraut, veggies, you name it! Drink 2 more big beers, and I promise it will taste pretty damn good :)

According to the Rockies website, you can also find veggie paninis, pizzas, burritos, and wraps around the ballpark. Whether these options will be well-crafted vegetarian fare is another thing, but hey, I'm not too picky. I just like the fact that in such a testosterone-pumping-beer-guzzling-sports-watching-area, that there are meat free options at all. Big kudos to you Coors Field. Go Rocks! :)

hot dogs, cocktails & dessert in a cup

I love summer weekends. The weather is beautiful, and there's so much to do! The last few days I found myself pouring beers at a bluegrass festival, grabbing meals with friends, seeing a few movies, enjoying jazz in the park, and continuing my search for an edible and delicious vegetarian hot dog.

Today my hangover brought me to Biker Jim's where I ordered up a basket of fries and one "Vegans gotta eat too" dog. I slathered it with ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions, and dug in. I would say that it's probably the best vegetarian hot dog that I've sampled, but so far, that's not saying much. The texture was pretty good- a little thick, but that's okay- and the flavor wasn't vomit-inducing like so many other meatless hot dogs. Definitely not as good as the real deal, but I'm just pumped that a place with veal and reindeer on the menu, would also have a vegan option. Kudos to you Biker Jim!

After hot dogs, frozen yogurt, and some Target binge-shopping, it was time for some jazz in the park. Everyone brought a little something to share- cheese, wine, bread, and fruits, so Michael and I contributed some boozy Arnold Palmers and strawberry shortcakes in a cup. Fun fact: Everything tastes better in a cup.
For the Boozy Palmers, we poured equal parts iced tea and lemonade into a carafe, added vodka, and shook well. As Michael would say, they were delightfully refreshing! For our sweets in a solo cup, we put a layer of angel food cake in the bottom, and topped it with strawberries and whipped cream. It was the perfect, light, summery dessert- and a huge hit!

It was a beautiful night with good music, tasty treats, and great friends. Here's to a wonderful summer weekend, and many more to come. Cheers! :)

a good vegetarian hot dog

My friends occasionally ask me if I miss burgers and other meat products considering that I've been meat free for over a year now. I must say, a beef burger is happily replaced with a veggie patty or portobello, and I've really liked all the fake chicken that I've tried. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for hot dogs. I love hot dogs, and sadly, have not found a suitable vegetarian version.

Today, Dad and I went to the store during one of our hot dog cravings, and picked up some Tofurky kielbasa for lunch. Add some BBQ chips, carrots, and all the necessary toppings, and it looks pretty tasty, right?

Lies. Another failed hot dog attempt. I'm probably biased, since I hate the taste of most Tofurky products, but seriously, the kielbasa was not what I wanted at all. It was dense, tasted terrible, and not all the ketchup and mustard in the world could help make that edible. I actually ate half and gave the rest to my dog.

I'm sure with a little seasoning, this could be chopped up and put in a scramble or soup or something, but as a hot dog? Absolutely not. I will check that one off the list, and continue on in my vegetarian hot dog quest.