Vancouver Plant Based Bowls Challange - Part 1 of 2

Thanks Vanfoodster for setting up this challenge. I have already used this blog space to advocate for a vegetarian diet as being the single most significant thing that you can do for the environment, not to mention your health and pocket book. I have declared myself to be a "week day vegetarian"albeit a pretty non religious one. So of course, I  am in favor of the attention that this challenge brings to the subject. However, know this; I am not in the pro organic, pro superfood, anti gmo camp! If you are, I suggest that you do a bit of a deep dive into some peer reviewed science (we all have learned what that means lately). Don't accept as fact what you are reading in pay for publish magazines that you find in your health food store, or listening to your trend following friends, or hear on the Dr Oz show, for God's sake! It is all more marketing to get your dollars. Follow the money! Organic does not mean local small farms, it is a huge industry! And sorry but, practically everything you eat is genetically modified and you still seem pretty normal...at least to me! But lets get on to the food!
This beautiful Saturday, a week before the beginning of spring, my partner and I sought out the first of the bowl challenge entrants. To find Rolling Cashew, we paid a $3.00 cover and took a rather surreal stroll through the East Side Flea Market (anyone need crystals or a mediocre, luke warm Americano?)

Finally, at the back of this warren, we found the little food truck which thankfully, did not assault us with the organic, super foods rhetoric. Their Challenge offering was "Thai Cashew Vegan Wings, I can't believe its not chicken!". Well, I could believe it was not chicken but this was a very tasty dish! Cauliflower nuggets are battered with flour and spices (not buffalo exactly) and fried! Served on rice (white rice, at that!) with Thai Cashew Sauce and garnished with sesame seeds, seaweed and chipotle cashew sauce. We loved this! It was satisfying and did what you want a good plant based dish to do, namely: make you not miss meat!

Thai Cashew Vegan Wings

We also enjoyed a  very good sandwich from these friendly folks. An excellent mushroom pate on home made foccacia with garlic cashew cheese, roasted veges and greens. The foccacia was fragrant with rosemary.Very Good!

Mushroom Pate on Rosemary Foccacia

We wish these folks continued success.

Our next stop on the Plant Based Bowl Challenge took us to the North Shore and Tao Organics and Cafe. One thing that they definitely have going for them is a nice little outdoor eating area for this beautiful day.

Their Challenge offering was Falafel Mango Salsa Vegetabowl and let me start by saying that chunks of mango and cherry tomatoes while being tasty, are not salsa.

Falafel Mango Salsa Vegetabowl

It was a sprouted quinoa bowl with few lonely pea sprouts. There were a few falafel balls but they were not amazing.The macadamia dill cream cheese was tasty. Maybe just a little too much like what I might eat at home. We had the small size so I think we paid about $11 for it but it will not be winning any challenges.

Butternut Squash Wrap

We also tried a Butternut Squash Wrap and the wrap itself (the source of the squash) was quite good. Inside were kelp noodles (these got my attention), miso-tahini spread, a wee bit of avocado and some misc peppers and such. Could have used a bit more spread. Still not blowing my mind here but not too expensive at $6.40. The folks behind the counter were friendly enough but not exactly speedy. Service is counter order and pickup. I will never pay $8.60 for any of their cold pressed juices but obviously some people do. Tao Organics and Cafe is probably the greatest place in the world to some people just not my partner and I. 

Part Two of the Plant Based Bowls Challenge will follow in a week.