quarrygirl

VIDEO: quarrygirl presents veggie grill + a GIVEAWAY

we have been long time fans of the hearty comfort food at veggie grill, and now it looks like the rest of the nation is catching on as well. the entirely vegan fast-casual chain was recently named in forbes’ list of “15 explosively growing companies to watch”, and currently has 20 locations across 3 states with plans to open several more this year. we caught up with co-founder and “chief foodie” ray white to chat about what makes their delicious cuisine both healthy and unique. 

ALSO, we are giving away 2 $15 gift cards to the new veggie grill location in encino! so watch the video, then read below about how to win.

now! in order to win a $15 gift card to the new veggie grill location in encino, leave a comment on this blog post telling us your favorite veggie grill menu item. never been to veggie grill? that’s okay, check out the menu here and leave a comment telling us what you would order on your first visit. 2 winners will be chosen at random.

**please note, this blog theme is a little funky. if you are reading this from the homepage, you may not see the comment option below. if that’s the case, click on the date at the top of the post, then scroll down and comment using the “pick a name” option. we will contact winners using the email address they provide in the email field. get your comments in my midnight PST on sunday june 16th for a chance to win. best o luck! 

VIDEO! quarrygirl presents clara’s cakes! a teenage-run vegan bakery in LA.

you’re probably already familiar with teenage baking sensation clara polito, who owns and operates her own vegan business in los angeles called clara’s cakes…after all we’ve posted two recipe videos with her in the past. clara went vegan at the age of 12, and frustrated with the animal-free dessert options in her area, she decided to learn how to make her own treats. four years later, she’s got her own bakery with a menu that wows all kinds of eaters. in today’s video, we sat down with clara at her home in LA and learned about her most delicious creations and why she went vegan in the first place.

to learn where you can find clara’s cakes in LA, check out her website, twitter feed, and facebook page. i know that right now, you can find her cupcakes at pizzanista which happens to make the best vegan pizza in town. so go get ‘em.

VIDEO! At Home with Susan Feniger: Vegan Avocado on Toast

Time for another video in our Quarrygirl Presents: At Home with Susan Feniger series! This time we go to the famous chef’s Los Angeles pad for a simple breakfast of mashed avocado on toast. It’s so easy and the perfect way to use up avocados before they spoil! Watch as Susan shares her favorite and quickest recipe and also gives us tips on pronunciation, her favourite knife, and why buying fresh pepper is important.

VIDEO! At Home with Susan Feniger: Vegan Masoor Dal

Hey guys! What, with me moving across the world and throwing LA Vegan Beer Fest and everything, I feel like it’s been ages since I posted a Quarrygirl Presents video! Well, the wait is over. Welcome to our new series At Home With Susan Feniger, where we head to the house of one of LA’s most beloved chefs to see what she makes for breakfast. Susan is the driving force behind popular restaurants such as Border Grill, Ciudad, and of course Qurarrygirl favorite Susan Feniger’s STREET. While she isn’t a vegetarian or vegan, Susan tends to cook an eclectic vegan menu at home, much of which is inspired by her travels around Asia. In this series we explore extremely quick and easy animal-free recipes in the intimacy of Susan’s kitchen. 

First up: Masoor Dal! Watch the video above and follow along with the recipe below, and be sure to stay tuned for more vids!

Makes 7 cups

Ingredients:

2 ounces vegan butter or olive oil

2 cups diced white onion 

Sweet potato (optional)

1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds

1 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds 

1 Tablespoon Turmeric

Neem Leaves aka Curry Leaves (optional)

2 - 7 cups water, depending on desired thickness 

1 pound masoor dal (2 1/2 cups)

1 1/4 Tablespoons kosher salt

Method:

Heat the vegan butter or oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium-high heat.

Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until caramelized a rich golden brown.

Reduce the heat slightly to medium. Add the sweet potato and season with salt. Then add the dried spices: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, neem leaves.  Cook a few minutes (while stirring) until all the aromas of the spices are released.

Add the dal and stir to toast with the spices for 1 minute before adding the water or vegetable stock. Stir again & season with salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until the dal is completely soft and cooked through and has taken on the flavor of the spices. 

Stir occasionally so that the dal does not settle to the bottom of the pot and burn.

Remove from heat and serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator when cooled, until ready to use.