Focaccia Bread

When I was a kid we ate Wonder bread or Roman Meal ‘wheat’ bread which are very soft and, honestly, very bland. Kiki and like focaccia bread. It’s great for sandwiches or heated up and served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We buy ours at Trader Joe’s, though you can sometimes find a good loaf at Safeway. Well, at least at the Safeways in the Northern California Bay area. It might be a little rustic for PB&J sandwiches, but I’ve spread some strawberry preserves on it for breakfast and it was great.

Aloe Vera Juice

My brother Stephan told me about aloe vera juice several years ago. I add about 2-3 oz to my juice each morning. I’ve been doing this for a few years now. I imagine my immune system is a little healthier as a result.

I also gargle with it twice a day. It’s a great natural mouth wash and promotes healthy gums.

Kitchen Cabinet Spices and Sauces

Here are some ingredients and brands we like. Cholula hot sauce for tortilla wraps and pizza, balsamic vinegar and olive oil for focccia bread. Well, the olive oil goes into nearly everything. Chili oil for pad thai. Many of these come from Trader Joe’s, a great place to get good, healthy food at good prices.

TJ’s Pizza

A perfect snack to add to the picnic basket. Nice paired with a Cabernet. Kiki and I like to add generous doses of Cholula hot sauce. When I started going vegan, I thought I’d miss having cheese on a pizza, but this is so good I don’t even think about it.

Amy’s or Trader Joe’s

We figured out that Safeway and Trader Joe’s carry the same pizza. The difference in price is about $3 or $4.

If TJ’s wasn’t alway so busy, I’d say ‘TJ’s…why go anywhere else?’

Pizza

Trader Joe’s has a ready made crust which makes it easy to make your own pizza. I prefer to use the herb crust for more flavor.

The dough is pretty easy to spread out on your pizza pan, but make sure to use flour when shaping and stretching it, it does gets sticky.

I like to top it with a pizza sauce and add garlic, onions, and fresh basil. 

Perfect with served with any red wine of your choice.

Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce

Adds flavor to many dishes including phad thai, rice dishes and gyozas.

Seasoning

I couldn’t possibly live without these guys. I use them in virtually all my dishes.

They are salt free and add flavor to any savory meal.  Keep an extra bottle as back up … you’ll need it.

Annie Chun’s Vegan Miso Soup

I haven’t tried her soups yet, but Michael seems to like them.  He says they’re good in a pinch for a quick lunch or snack. The noodles are packed in an air-tight package which keeps them moist—unlike the dry noodles you find in most instant soups. As a bonus, the bowl is made of an Earth-friendly, biodegradable material. Hats off to Annie Chun.