Chocolate and waffles and fries, oh
my! Sorry for the corny intro, but that was my first reaction when I
went to Bruges, Belgium this weekend. While the scenery was as
beautiful as the land of Oz, vegan food was almost as elusive as the
Wizard himself. Luckily, I found my Emerald City in Royal Frituur &
Veggie Eetboetiek. This was a tiny, but amazing, vegan restaurant
with a hazelnut burger that was heel-click worthy. Topped with apple
slices, lettuce, and tomato, this burger was the foodie highlight of
the trip.
Even as it was delicious, the hazelnut
burger was obviously processed, as is most Belgian food. For some
reason, the Belgians have an ongoing love affair with the deep fryer.
So Belgium may not be the best country for traveling vegans, but I'm
determined that you can replicate all of its delicacies in a healthy
and vegan way. The hazelnut burger can easily be made much healthier with this recipe.
Of course, another Belgian staple, the
waffle, can be made vegan and healthy as well. This recipe is packed
with whole grains and natural sweetness.
I always thought that french fries,
although unhealthy, were at least vegan. However, in Belgium, most
are made with animal fat. I humbly offer a healthier and happier alternative.
(And if you're lucky enough to live in California and still have
access to avocados, avocado fries are a must.)
Finally, if Belgium is known for
anything, it's chocolate. Obviously, because of chocolate's milk
content, we vegans need to find another way to get our fix. As with
many cocoa related recipes, it's Chocolate Covered Katie to the
rescue. If you're not into baking, there are tons of vegan chocolate suppliers and
products.
Although my trip to Belgium was
amazing, when it comes to vegan food—sometimes there really is no
place like home.
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