To Live and Eat in L.A. – A Vegan Food Photo Blog

I didn’t want to leave you all weekend looking at something ugly like that last Anthony Bourdain post, so I will leave you with something much prettier, and I’ll bet, much tastier too.

This is the garbanzo bean (chickpea) salad sandwich at Pure Luck, which I think might have a fancier official name to it but I don’t have the menu in front of me. In all of it’s straightforward simplicity, I’d have to say it was an outstanding sandwich. It’s like a really good chicken or tuna salad sandwich, minus the animal bits and mayo (they use Vegenaise). The texture of the beans is thick and chunky, with some celery in there too I believe… it really does have a nice meaty bite to it that is neither pasty or mushy. They’ve come up with the perfect combo of seasonings to where it’s just right, truly a delicious sandwich that leaves you licking your fingers after each bite. I always love their bread here too and this lightly toasted and tasty bun was no exception. Don’t get me started on tasty buns.

This sandwich is usually served with fries or their yummy vegan Cesar salad but they were happy to oblige my request for the Potato Pals instead (fried gnocchi). The garbanzo salad can also be ordered as part of a larger salad, a full meal in it’s own right. This sandwich is a newer addition to the Pure Luck menu, and like everything else I’ve had there, it surely did not disappoint.

When making food for myself, the simpler the better. Here’s a few recent meals…

This was an easy salad I put together of shredded purple cabbage, garbanzo beans, red grapes, fake bacon bits and Bragg’s vinaigrette dressing. Good stuff I tell ya.

This was two firsts in one. My first time making the ‘Vegetarian Nature’s Burger’ by Fantastic Foods and my first time using my new cast iron grill. The veggie burger mix comes in a box and you just add boiling water, then cook ‘em up. I’ve been wanting to try my hand at the chickpea cutlets from Veganomicon that everyone is raving about, but I don’t have the book yet (it’s on the way!) and this was the closest thing I had going on in my pantry that would satisfy the craving in the meantime.

Once I concocted the mixture I could tell it didn’t smell all that flavorful, so I added in some chopped fresh garlic and ginger as well as about a tablespoon of the FYH ‘Unforgettable Balsamic BBQ Sauce’. The grill worked out really nice and the burgers were quite good for something out of a box as well, though I’m glad I added the embellishments as without them they would have tasted quite plain.

This was a quick saute of broccolini, bell pepper, shitake mushroom and baked tofu in a little bit of fresh garlic and ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili flakes and a dash of nutritional yeast and gamasio to seal the deal.

Todays was a simple lunch at home as I didn’t have time to go out. You’ll probably see more homecooked meals for a while as I attempt to indulge a little bit less.

Here we have tasty couscous with currants, topped with a garbanzo salad mixed with a bit of tahini, eggplant salad with cucumbers & sundried tomatoes and grilled seitan (from Whole Foods). Yummy, nutritious and simple.