Naturally Vegan

In one of my travels to Miami, I was fortunate enough to stay at Hotel Urbano, which I must say is my favorite boutique hotel. It’s artsy, colorful, modern, cozy, clean and the bathrooms smell really good. But what makes it even better, are the employees… super welcoming!

It got even better after my third visit when they found out I was vegan and going elsewhere to find my food. Meaning, making a trip to Whole Foods and taking it back to Bistro Urbano while eating it with a fabulous Mojito at the bar. This is when Chef Anthony comes in and was nice enough to accommodate me with vegan meals throughout the duration of my stay. Yeah, I’m special! I enjoyed delicious french toast stuffed with caramelized bananas for breakfast and my all time favorite mushroom tofu burger… the reason for this post. 

Now, check out Chef Anthony’s delicious “secret recipe” and make sure to give it a try. 

BTW, this is my tofu burger creation so definitely doable and delish! 

Ingredients: 

• 6oz. Tofu Blackened
• 1 ½ oz Avocado Mousse
• 2 oz. Sautéed Shitake Mushrooms
• 1 ea. Large Slice Heirloom Tomato 

Directions: 

1. Sear seasoned tofu on flat top with the burger bun. When seared on both sides place the tofu in the oven to continue cooking
2. Dress both sides of the burger bun with avocado mousse
3. Place the warm blackened tofu patty on the bottom half
4. Top with warm sautéed mushrooms that have been deglazed with a light amount of sherry vinegar
5. Then top with a lightly seasoned heirloom tomato slice and add top of burger bun
6. Serve with side of fries or fruit

Avocado Mousse

• 6 ea. Hass avocadoes (green but not unripe)
• 4 oz. Lime Juice
• 1 ea. Roasted jalapeno 
• ½ Bunch Cilantro (chopped)
• 1oz. Vegan Cream

Directions: 

1. Remove seeds from avocados and use a spoon to remove the “meat” and place in blender with lime juice
2. Blend on low to incorporate lime juice/ prevent coloring
3. Add remaining items and blend on high till nice and smooth, working fast to prevent the heat of the blade causing color change. Season accordingly. 

Meet the Chef

Raised in Orange County, California, Chef Anthony brings his passion for seasonal and refined cuisine to Hotel Urbano.

After excelling in his class at the premier Culinary Institute of America in New York, Chef Anthony then proceeded to hone his skill within the prestigious kitchens of such luminaries as Chef Joachim Splichal, Kerry Simon, and most influential, Chef Alessandro Stratta at the much recognized Restaurant Alex in the Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas.

From his memories as a child growing up amidst California’s bounty to his travels around the globe, Chef Anthony is an ardent believer that a great ingredient is made in nature- it is his responsibility to heighten, rather than mask, its’ flavors with only a deft, sometimes ‘playful’, touch.

“While I have found it to be true that the company may “make the feast”, great food is always a strong catalyst to an enjoyable evening. At Urbano, I want to set everyone up so that the following day and the following week they will still be thinking about what a great time they had.”

Thanks Anthony, Cheers! - Naturally Vegan 

On domestic Sunday, I bought some kale and decided to create my very own kale and mushroom soup. Surprisingly, it came out delish…  a definite must try!

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 cup sodium-free vegetable stock
• 1 small white onion, cut in half
• 1  pepper; seeds removed and whole
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pieces of celery; cut in half
• 1/2 tomato diced
• 1 cup chickpeas 
• 1 cup of brown rice
• 1/2 packet of baby bella mushrooms; chopped
• ½ tsp of fresh ground pepper
• ½ tsp of sea salt
• 1 cube of veggie knorr (or other seasoning)
• 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
• Lime, for serving

Directions:

1. Add veggie stock, onion, pepper, celery and chickpeas in pot of water and bring to a boil. 
2. On a pan, add extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, chopped tomato and sauté brown rice until slightly brown.
3. Mix in sautéed brown rice into pot and let it do it’s thing for the next 45 minutes.
4. Add chopped baby bella mushrooms and kale into pot.
5. Season with ground pepper, sea salt and veggie knorr to taste and let it sit.

Addictive! 

Okay, I thought the same thing that you are thinking… Vegan Wine? really?!

Let me begin by saying that I love red wine, I really do. Because of this reason I had to do some research on what’s really in my wine. I mean I can’t stop drinking it so might as well look into it. Turns out that it is common to use animal-derived ingredients in the winemaking process, crazy! 

According to ecovinewine, the most common animal ingredients used in wine making are isinglass (a very pure form of gelatine from sturgeon fish bladders), gelatine (extract from boiled cow’s or pig’s hooves and sinews), egg whites (or albumin) and caseins (a protein from milk). Very occasionally blood has been used as an additive - “sangre de toro” means “bulls blood” - but rarely literally any more. This ingredient was declared illegal for use in European wines in the aftermath of the outbreak of BSE (mad cow disease). 

Are you wondering what makes wine vegan? 

Well, as stated by French Wine Online, the fining agents used to process Vegan Wines are typically organic, plant or mineral-based material such as bentonite clay, kaolin, carbon or diatomaceous earth (rock made from pulverized algae).

Your next question might be… where can I find this vegan wine, right? 

There are certainly not many places that offer vegan wine and bottles are not typically labeled as such, however, you can find vegan-friendly wines at Barnivore website. 

Salute!