thehamptonsvegan

Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom Bruschetta in a New York Minute

August 30, 2017 by thehamptonsvegan

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BADA-BING-BADA-BOOM BRUSCHETTA

Simple, Simple, Simple.

garlic cloves — a little bit of or a lotta bit of) garlic

and add a little olive oil, basil, and salt… Voila! Bruschetta

Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom Bruschetta couldn’t be simpler to make. It’s the amazing burst of flavor that astonishes such a simple dish. Fresh from the garden, farmers market, or any market tomatoes are always in abundance at the mid to end of summer here on Long Island. So one of our favorite ways to enjoy them is a simple but robustly delicious bruschetta.

And there are so many ways to enhance this little gem! But I suggest you start with the basic recipe and then make it your own. It’s perfect when you have too many tomatoes and a day-old baguette. The makings of bruschetta are calling your name! So it’s a problem turned into a plan! And lemons into lemonade! You get my drift.

Bruschetta Memories

I still remember the first time I had this lovely treat. It was at my brother and sister-in-law’s house in Corning, NY.

Jackie, my sister-in-law, took out a container of bruschetta from her fridge. Then she toasted up the baguette and spooned on the bright red mixture. The aroma from the oven was heavenly. Soon, after the first bite, my Mom and I and our family were blown away. And how had we never had this amazing taste creation? It was difficult to modestly eat one or two. Because we seriously could have polished off the entire baguette of blissfulness.

We talked about it on the drive back to Mom’s house in Binghamton, that night. And we knew this new-found food would definitely be added to our menu rotations. We laughed about how we would’ve eaten it with a spoon straight out of the bowl but didn’t want to shock my dear sister-in-law, Jackie 🙂

How do I love thee, let me count the ways…

Our bruschetta love continues. Ans although our first encounter was fifteen or twenty years ago, it is still enjoyed here at our Hamptons Vegan home. I make it for Sunday football games and whenever we want an appetizer. Also good for book clubs, or when the kids had sleepovers. And make it for a light lunch, New Year’s Eve, summer picnics, parties, and potlucks, too.

And, I incorporate it into my Magnificent Marinara Sauce, as well! It’s fantastic and we love it so much. So, thank you, Jackie! And, thank you Italy, the original creator! Also, one more muchas gracias to a restaurant in Varadero, Cuba (the restaurant name escapes me, I’ll keep thinking and let you know!) Because they had one of the best bruschetta appetizers I’ve ever eaten. So good in fact that I made it my dinner entrée that night!

Also, for a creamy cheesiness add some Violife Feta on top! AAHHHmazing!

More Italian love

So Italian food is a favorite around here! Therefore, we have some other good specialties we think you’ll like as well!

Try our Lovely, Luscious Vegan Lasagna for an easy but filling comfort food dish.

Another good Italian classic is our Elegant Eggplant Parmesan

vegan eggplant parmesan with bruschetta — Elegant Eggplant Parmesan made vegan with bruschetta

And for cheesy additions to compliment your Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom Bruschetta,

make our Perfect Parmesan, our Posh Pesto, and our Ricotta Replica to top it all off!

Vegan ricotta — Ricotta Replica Really Rocks!

And that’s Amore!

thehamptonsvegan

Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom Bruschetta in a New York Minute

A simple recipe that’s bursting with flavor.

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Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings: 2 cups

Course: appetizers, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Italian, vegan

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

5-6 tomatoes diced I usually use plum tomatoes but any type will do.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
6-8 fresh basil leaves chopped chiffonade style (rolled together into log, then thinly sliced from one end to the other)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano optional
pepper to taste optional

Method

Mix together all ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl and let marinate for 1-2 hours for the best flavor.

Notes

To serve on a baguette, slice the baguette into 1/2-inch slices and toast in the oven until golden. Remove from oven, brush a little olive oil on one side of the bread slices, and then top with spoonfuls of bruschetta. Add a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, Violife feta, or black olives to garnish if desired.

Enjoy a beautiful day on Main Street Westhampton Beach

August 25, 2017 by thehamptonsvegan

But where in the world is Main Street Westhampton Beach, NY?

First of all, let’s get this out of the way. Westhampton Beach is a part of the Hamptons community of villages and hamlets. No question about that.

There are those that like to try to change that reality by saying the Hamptons don’t begin until after the Shinnecock Canal. But just saying it, doesn’t make it so! If you don’t want to take my word for it, how about the NY times, Wikipedia, Business Insider, USA Today, Foder’s, and a Google map of “The Hamptons.”

Not being confrontational, just setting the record straight. You can quote me.

Map of The Hamptons, NY — Google Map of the Hamptons

And where is”The Hamptons”?

All kidding aside, a funny article in the local Dan’s Paper asserts that actually there really isn’t an official area named “The Hamptons,” and they’re right. It’s very confusing when out-of-towners try to locate the area by GPS or maps.

True story:

When I had an Airbnb, one renter coming out via NYC, but from France, texted that they were arriving shortly by train at the Westhampton station. I had offered to give them a lift back to our place.

After arriving at the Westhampton station, I received a text. They said they were nearing the Southampton train station. Now, this would be a 30-minute drive on a quiet day in the winter. But now, it’s more like 50 minutes on the weekend in the summer. If I’m lucky.

The area is confusing.

So I told them I’d be there as soon as possible. I set out to take on the bumper-to-bumper drive. And then I arrived at the Southampton station. So I texted them to find out where they were waiting. And they said they were in Westhampton Beach.

What???

I actually thought I might be on an episode of What would you do?, or maybe Ashton Kutcher returned with Punk’d or, going way back, The Candid Camera Show.

But they were victims of the”the Hamptons”quirky definition problem and I’m sure they weren’t the first. The “Hamptons” are not all in one nice compact defined place.

So I told them it would probably be quicker to take a taxi to my house and I would arrive later. And my son was able to let them in before I got home. Phew!

Then they came over with a bottle of wine. So, a sweet and happy ending after all.

Let’s put a pin in it… a pin on the map, that is, in Westhampton Beach, NY

So, specifically, Westhampton Beach is a village within the Town of Southampton. There is also a Southampton village within the Town of Southampton.

And there are two Towns in”The Hamptons.” The Town of Southampton and the Town of East Hampton. There is also an East Hampton village within the Town of East Hampton.

So many other villages and hamlets (Quogue, East Quogue, Hampton Bays, Watermill, Amagansett, Sagaponack, etc.) coexist within the Town of Southampton and the Town of East Hampton. Both Towns are within Suffolk County. Suffolk County is part of the East End of Long Island, NY.

Still with me?

Westhampton is also not the same as Westhampton Beach. It has a different zip code and a different post office. But it, too, is part of The Hamptons, as are its neighbors to the west, Speonk, and Remsenburg.

It’s all good. But if you hear a snarky remark from someone about Westhampton Beach not being considered part of “the Hamptons”, you know the real deal.

Now that we’ve cleared the logistics, let’s stroll down Main Street Westhampton Beach!

A walk down Main Street Westhampton Beach.

If you want a village that has all the feel of a bygone era but possesses a current, trendy sense, you’ve come to the right place.

First, our walk down Main Street Westhampton Beach begins at the village gazebo. Concerts are held on the lawn on Thursday evenings throughout the summer. This is the meeting ground central for high school prom pictures, wedding pictures, the annual Easter egg hunt, and the Christmas tree/Menorah lighting.

Now, cross the street past a drug store and a restaurant and you come to Library Avenue. Here, you will notice to your left, the new and improved, state-of-the-art, Westhampton Beach Free Library.

It is here that the Hamptons Vegan sponsored several vegan potluck dinners and a movie to connect with other like-minded souls. Good people, good food, and good times!

vegan potluck, WHB — Library Vegan Potluck, near Main Street Westhampton Beach

vegan sugar cookies/potluck at library/Main Street Westhampton Beach — vegan sugar cookies for the Hamptons Vegan potluck

The journey continues.

A little further down Main Street, past gift shops, real estate, and clothing shops, you will soon come to Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop. Three cheers for their growing choice of non-dairy desserts. They can make non-dairy milkshakes, too! The joys of summer.

non dairy ice cream display at Ben and Jerrys — Vegan nondairy ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s WHB

One of the very coolest shops ever, not just for Westhampton Beach, but anywhere, is Hope around the World. This awesome store sells charity-related merchandise. Vegan, fair trade, and incredible charities.

They have Mat and Nat bags (I’m saving for mine!), 4ocean bracelets (I’ve got mine!), Conscious Step socks, Pura Vida bracelets, and a lot more.

I shouldn’t pick favorites with the Main Street Westhampton Beach Merchants, but I must. This is my favorite store. You can buy quality items and your purchases help others. What’s not to love about that?

Hope store on Main Street Westhampton Beach — Hope around the world – shop for charity

items for sale to help charities at Hope in WHB — Hope merchandise for good causes

Hope merchandise — merchandise at Hope in WHB

shop at Hope in WHB — Beautiful items at Hope in WHB

WHB shopping at Hope — Shop at Hope and help a good cause in WHB

Main Street Westhampton Beachh — Gorgeous items at Hope in WHB

Getting hungry?

Stop in at Mambo Cafe and feel the Aloha spirit! Have lunch with their hummus avocado wrap. You won’t go away hungry.

inside Mambo Cafe WHB — Mambo Cafe /Main Street Westhampton Beach

Mambo Cafe Main Street WHB — Come on into the Mambo Cafe – Main Street Westhampton Beach

So you want dinner or a cocktail? No problem! Stop at Margarita Grille for their Boca burger, guacamole, and chips, or ask them to hold the meat and cheese in a fajita, burrito, or taco! Also, you must have their margarita, too!

Almost ready to open for the day at Margarita Grille WHB

Feeling more like a little sushi? Then stop in to eat at Tony’s Fusion West just off Main Street on Sunset Avenue.

Tonys Asian Fusion, WHB — Tony’s Asian Fusion off Main Street Westhampton Beach

Time for water activities!

A couple of steps more along Sunset Avenue is a must-stop at Island Surf. The owner is super cool and will take care of all your surfing needs They have boards, wetsuits, apparel, sunscreen, and other gear you don’t even know you need yet! He’s got it or can get it! And he can hook you up with surfing lessons and board rentals too!

Surf Shop WHB — Island Surf Shop, Westhampton Beach, NY

Rest stop

Now head back to Main Street Westhampton Beach, make a left from Sunset Avenue, and go past the PAC otherwise known as the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Unless there’s a show going on. Then you should stop in, for sure!

The PAC in WHB — Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center

Then keep heading left, back towards the gazebo, until you get to the Beach Bakery. This is an all-vegetarian restaurant and bakery. So close, but not vegan. You can still enjoy some of their bagels. And their coffee with non-dairy creamers or their oatmeal and breakfast sides.

This is a great place to stop, relax, people-watch, read the paper, or meet up with friends. You can begin and end your day on Main Street Westhampton Beach.

beach bakery whb — Beach Bakery Cafe in WHB

That day went by fast!

Guess it’s time to head home until the next tour of the Hamptons. We haven’t even scratched the surface yet!

“There’s so much to do and only so little time in a day!”-Billy Joel was right!-

And I still want to see him in concert! Clearly, I’m breaking a sacred law that every card-carrying Long Islander is required to attend a Billy Joel concert or risk the consequences. I’m working on it, I’m working on it!!

Anyway, Main Street Westhampton Beach still has plenty more places to explore. So we’ll be back again. Until then, rest up and let us know where you’d like to see the next Hamptons Vegan tour take place!

Finally, sign up with your email for our upcoming posts and you won’t miss a thing. No FOMO for you!

’til then,

Peace and Love

P.S. How about making one of these great recipes until next time?!

Make these bakery-quality cookies if Beach Bakery doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth! – Happy half-moon cookies

chocolate and vanilla frosted half moon cookies — half moon cookies
aka black and whites

Or how about a filling casserole like Lovely, luscious vegan lasagna after riding the waves on your Island Surf surfboard?

vegan lasagnwith a salada — Lovely Luscious Vegan Lasagna

Experiencing queso envy after a stop at Margarita Grille? We can fix that with our Quicky Quality Queso dip! It’s quintessential 🙂

queso dip for chips — perfect cheesy dip for vegans and everyone!

Come Out And Enjoy An Adventurous Relaxing day

August 25, 2017 by thehamptonsvegan

In the summer of 2018

Hampton Bays, NY — Shinnecock Bay view from The Inn Spot on the Bay

How about joining us for an adventurous relaxing day?! This summer, the Hamptons Vegan is promoting an event at The Inn Spot On The Bay in Hampton Bays. Every Wednesday is a kick-back kind of adventure all in one! (And so much fun!)

How can it be both, adventurous and relaxing, you ask? Let me explain!

The Adventure of an adventurous relaxing day

Come out to The Inn Spot On The Bay, (in Hampton Bays near the foot of the Ponquogue Bridge across from the Coast Guard station) for the start of the adventurous relaxing day. They host a fun Summer event every Wednesday featuring Adventure Paddleboards. But no need to lug a bunch of humongous equipment around with you! (Those paddle boards are big)!

Adventure Paddleboards has everything you need right there behind The Inn Spot. It’s an exciting time on the water! Also, their prices are reasonable.

Cherryl and her crew will set you up for SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding). If paddleboards aren’t your thing, they have kayaks, too! So, a day out on the bay with a paddle board or kayak will be as adventurous as you want. But that’s not all there is to do!

The Chill of an adventurous relaxing day

After a long, busy day, you just want to unwind a bit. Come out to relax! The Inn Spot On The Bay has a gorgeous view from their backyard. It’s absolutely stunning. So kick back and enjoy the peaceful ambiance with a cocktail and appetizer at a table or in one of their Adirondack chairs. Also, enjoy the refreshing bay breezes free of charge!

Since it is so beautiful there, you’re probably going to want to have a camera handy. Because you’ll be sorry if you don’t take a few (or many) selfies and panoramas.

Adventurous relaxing day at the Inn Spot — sunset at The Inn Spot on the Bay, Hampton Bays, NY

Wait, there’s more!

If that adventurous relaxing day isn’t enough for you, how about a little music to set the tone? And in addition to paddle boards and cocktail sipping, they have musicians, too. Finally, the Food Truck serves tasty treats including (trumpet sounds…DAT DA DAT DAH!) vegan food! Woo-Hoo! So thank you, Cheffe Colette and your lovely staff, for providing the goods.

The Hamptons Vegan hopes to see you there!

Now it’s time for you to come on out and have an adventurous time. Then afterward, finish with a relaxing break by the bay!

Mostly, so you can seize the day! But also to say hello. (We try to make it out there as much as possible.) Because we’d love to meet you!

All the best!

The Hamptons Vegan xoxo

P.S. If you can’t make it to our Wednesday event but still would like to enjoy a delicious vegan taste treat, no problem! How about our photo-ready Scrumptious Strawberry Pie?

strawberry pie — so good, so good, so good!

Or make our Summer Sunflower chocolate cupcakes. They’re ready for their close-up!

summer sunflower chocolate cupcakessummer sunflower chocolate cupcakes — a bouquet of summer dessert flowers

This Vegan Parmesan is Quick, Easy, and Perfect

August 24, 2017 by thehamptonsvegan

The Perfect Parmesan-Vegan Style!

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Hey, You know what? The Perfect Vegan Parmesan is the perfect condiment for anybody’s style!

And you don’t have to be vegan, of course! If you have a blender or food processor, you can whip this up in under a minute and then store it in the fridge to add to soups, casseroles, tofu scrambles, pasta, pizza and so much more.

Because it’s made with just a few ingredients, it couldn’t be easier. It’s great to have such a big, bold flavor-enhancing product. And it’s so simple!

So, this easy recipe is found all over the web and in vegan cookbooks, blogs, and on Pinterest. And I’ve seen it made with various kinds of nuts and seeds and a host of various herbs and spices. It’s a common, useful recipe, shared by many. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should give it a try. Because it will spice up your dishes.

Perfect Vegan Parmesan For All Our Favorite Italian Recipes

Italian restaurants don’t hold the same draw they once did since going vegan. When you take the cheese from the equation, nothing’s left but mostly just spaghetti IF the sauce wasn’t made with meat.

So what do you do? Two choices: Buy a Parmesan alternative cheese like Go Veggie or make your own vegan versions like our perfect parmesan, that’s what! Now I no longer miss lasagna, stuffed shells, or eggplant parmesan thanks to all the creative ways to simulate ingredients like meat and dairy. We just make our own.

Now one of my favorite recipes that utilizes the Perfect Parmesan-vegan style creation is our Elegant Eggplant entrée. It’s delicious, and light but still filling, with a lot of flavors and great presentation. So if you want a great recipe to start using your Parmesan-like condiment, this is one I’d recommend.

But don’t stop there! I like a great big sprinkle of perfect parmesan on our Goulash. And it tops our Garlic Aioli like a champ. Our Killer Kale Salad would be sad without it, as well. It just compliments so many dishes!

Need no stinkin’ dairy parmesan cheese, now!

Nope. We have our vegan variations that are healthy, tasty, and satisfying.

So you can use this recipe for all your Parmesan needs and you won’t miss the dairy stuff. (The cows say thank you!)

Now, moooove over dairy Parmesan, there’s a new cheesy taste creation in town. Healthier and so quick to make, too!

More, vegan parmesan, please.

Yep, no problem! How about using the Perfect Parmesan-vegan style in our Lovely Luscious Vegan Lasagna?!

It also works on our

“Extra Sloppy For Ya’s” Sloppy Joes!

“extra sloppy for yas” sloppy joe sandwich

Try it, you’ll like it!

This is the brand of nutritional yeast I usually use- Bragg’s

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thehamptonsvegan

Perfect Vegan Parmesan

A vegan parmesan made with simple ingredients that accentuates any dish in need of a little cheesy flavor.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings: 1 cup

Course: condiments

Cuisine: vegan

Ingredients Method Notes