Forking Up

 

One of the best things I've done for myself in the past year is to get a Six Flags Membership. This is different than the Season Pass, as you pay monthly instead of upfront. Yes, it does come out to a bit more $$ overall, but my Millennial budget is much more able to pay the equivalent of a Netflix subscription monthly for all the benefits the pass offers.

The one wrinkle?--my newfound vegetarian lifestyle. Can you be vegetarian at Six Flags Magic Mountain? When one drives nearly two hours to the middle of nowhere to ride rollercoasters, you can't be too picky on what to eat. And who wants to interrupt their day of thrills with a looong walk to the car for a packed lunch?

So, I took a chance and got a meal plan. Now that I've been to Six Flags about 10 times (!!) I have tasted nearly every meat free option in the park. AND I HAVE OPINIONS. Read on for my tips and tricks for the best vegetarian options at Six Flags Magic Mountain (as of 2021/2022).

Click here to see a full list of dining options at Six Flags Magic Mountain

Burgers

The easiest way to keep a vegetarian diet at Six Flags Magic Mountain is to make your way to a burger place, as they all offer meatless burgers.

Johnny Rockets - Johnny Rockets recently introduced an Impossible Burger option nationwide, and the Magic Mountain location is no exception. I was able to order this tasty burger on the app and pick it up no problem.

Full Throttle Sports Bar - If you prefer Beyond as your fake meat of choice, head over to Full Throttle Sports Bar. Bonus: you can grab a beer while you wait and catch up on your sports.

Big Belly Burger - Fake meat not your thing? Big Belly Burger offers a bean burger instead. I found this one a little dry, but definitely flavorful as I tasted some taco seasoning in the mix.

Pizza & Subs

Strangely not as popular as burgers in the park, but a solid option to go meatless.

Carlini's Pizza - Pretty standard amusement park fare: cheese pizza and two garlic knots. You get one slice with the meal plan, but can upgrade in-person (not on app) for a bit more. They also have salad options.

Twisted 'Wiches - This is probably my favorite option in the park: a meatless meatball sub! My omnivore friends actually ordered this too and said it tasted just like the real thing. It's not huge by any means, but a solid meal to fuel you up for more adventure.

Other

Outside of typical amusement park food, Six Flags Magic Mountain has some other assorted options of interest.

Max'd Out Mac & Screaming Spuds - Yes, the menu shows these delicious carbs topped with a pile of meat. But you CAN get them without (hint: try the kids meal) and it's more than decent. The "holiday special" was a potato stuffed with mac and cheese. It sounds weird, but it was delicious. I hope it ends up making a comeback to the full time menu.

Tofu Veggie at Chop Six - Full disclosure: I haven't tried this yet, but the smells coming from this dining location have my interest piqued. The portions look generous and seem to be what you'd expect from a a counter service Asian-inspired restaurant. I will report back!

Cheese Quesadilla at Food Etc. - Simple, tasty, filling. So much cheese. 

Plaza Cafe - Another one I haven't tried yet, mostly because the lines are often long (it's the first food stand in the park). However, those who are gluten free will be happy to know that the menu is mostly made up of gluten free pastas! There are a variety of meatless pasta options, as well as the only place in the park to get coffee.

Snacks

In the meal plan, you get a "snack" which can be anything from a bag of chips to a full on sundae. I suggest skipping the chips and getting more bang for your buck with the following.

Dole Soft Serv Float - Six Flag's response to another amusement park favorite, this decadent dessert is included as a "snack" in the meal plan and is always my go-to on a hot day. So refreshing! You can find it in Food Etc.

Giant Pretzel - If you want to maximize your food volume on your snack option, the pretzel is where it's at. Huge soft pretzel with a side of nacho cheese.

Churros - Not the most cost-effective option, but the churros are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and a delicious treat to pick up on your way out of the park.

Vegan? 

I'm not vegan, so I haven't investigated this too much, but here is what I noticed during my many trips to the park.

Tofu Veggie and steamed rice and veggies at Chop Six - Again, I haven't been here but looking at the menu this seems like one of the best options for a vegan at Six Flags.

Burgers no cheese - Any of the burger spots that offer a meatless burger will gladly make it sans-cheese if you don't do the dairy.

Vegetable roll at Sushi in Food Etc. - Amusement park sushi? Sounds like an oxymoron. But the fish-free option of the vegetable roll is a safe bet for those staying totally animal-free.

Acai Bowl at Food Etc. - A great snack option (though the pretzel and churro are also vegan) if you want a cool treat that's vegan-friendly, this is the best one.

Things to Keep in Mind About the Meal Plan

As I mentioned before, my friends and I all purchased the meal plan that allows two meals and a snack. Here are some things we've discovered.

• In previous years you were limited to certain times a day to get your "lunch" and "dinner" meals, but this is no longer the case. You do need to wait 1-2 hours between meals though, or your card will not process.
  
  
• Take advantage of online ordering on the app! On a busy day, it can cut your wait time down significantly, giving you more time to ride those rides!
  
  
• That said, while most counter-services places will let you edit your meals (for example, ordering a plain baked potato at Screamin' Spuds) the app does NOT. This is something to consider, as many counter service stations are going app-only during busy times.
  
  
• Portions are NOT huge. While it's more than enough for me, a moderately active 30-something female, one of my Six Flags buddies is a large man with a healthy appetite and he ends up scooping up the rest of our leftovers as he's still hungry afterwards.
  
  
• The meal plan does NOT include drinks. I suggest that you either bring your own water, or invest in a daily or season long drink cup. The cups range in price from $20-$30 but are a solid deal for people who visit often. The day cup will give you unlimited refills the day of purchase, but for the rest of the year you'll get refills for only $1 (and, if the counter staff isn't paying close enough attention, you may get some free refills regardless... it's happened to me a few times!). The season long drink cup is unlimited refills all season. Typically, we'll bring water and all share the season bottle at mealtimes. It definitely has saved us a bundle and kept us happily hydrated!

So, Is the meal plan worth it for a vegetarian? - In my opinion, yes. For a little over $20/month I can go to Six Flags and get two meals and a snack while I'm there. And as anyone who frequents amusement parks knows, meals can add up quickly. There are certainly enough meat free options to make it worth it, and the pass pays for itself with just one trip a month. I typically visit twice a month, so it's already paid for itself many times over. I would caution vegans against purchasing however, since the options are extremely limited and require a bit of configuration on the order, which is impossible in the app.

Do you frequent your local Six Flags? Do you have a meal plan? Let me know what you think in the comments!

The Newly Vegetarian Survival Guide and Lentil “Beef” Recipe

A few years ago I did something kind of crazy, especially for a self-described foodie and food blogger--I stopped eating land animals. Do y’all remember the Great Straw Debacle of 2017? When everyone stopped using plastic straws? I researched it a bit, and discovered individuals using straws didn’t make a huge impact on the environment, as our plastic problem is a bit more intense than that. So, what could a single person do to reduce their carbon footprint?

The answer is simple--just reduce the amount of meat you eat. 

I didn’t even mean to stop eating meat entirely. It started with Meatless Monday. Easy enough to accomplish, simply don’t eat meat once a week. And something cool started to happen: I got excited about cooking again. Suddenly I was looking forward to Monday all week.

Yes, this is all 100% animal free!

Meatless Monday soon became Meatless Weekdays, and eventually I just didn’t have an appetite for meat at all anymore. I still will have the occasional fish, and when I travel I give myself some room to try the local cuisine, but overall I don’t keep meat in my house and I opt for meat free options when at a restaurant. Is this a slow trek to being fully vegan? Maybe! But it'll be quite slow if that's the case.

Don't worry, I don't press this on anyone nor do I think it's the ideal diet for everyone. But, if you want to make some positive environmental impact, I encourage you to check it out!

However, sometimes you just need a burger. What is the best meat-free burger that actually tastes meaty? Over the past few years I’ve collected my favorite meat-free alternatives and wanted to share them with anyone who wants to help the environment (and our furry friends!) but feel like they “just can’t” give up something tasty. These truly are the best meatless alternatives for new vegetarians!

Fully vegetarian tacos from Rascal's in Santa Barbara

Read on for my New Vegetarian Survival Guide and the best meat free alternatives! I’ve even included a recipe for my homemade meat-free alternative.

Please note: this is NOT SPONSORED, just simply a roundup of my favorite meatless meats!

Beef & Burgers - Impossible Burger

I don’t know how to describe the first experience with Impossible. It’s a bit weird, a bit scary, and definitely delicious. I know it’s the most common plant based burger out there right now, but trust me when I say it’s truly the best if you’re looking for a real meaty tasting burger. It even BLEEDS. And it’s not just burgers, you can use it any place you would ground beef. I’ve even made a killer meatloaf that fooled my carnivore friends. Plus, it’s gone down significantly in price since its debut. Definitely top of the list to try!

Hot Dogs - Field Roast Ballpark

Hot dogs were always my favorite cookout treat. Tofu dogs… not so much. Somehow that salty, squelchy, mystery meat-y flavor profile that hot dogs have just seemed to not be able to be replicated by plants. While Field Roast’s Ballparks aren’t perfect, they certainly scratch the itch in a way other plant based meat tubes can’t. It’s my favorite replacement so far, especially charred to the dickens on a grill.

Chicken Patty/Tenders/Nuggets - Gardein Ultimate

I know that Gardein is the entry level fake meat, but trust me when I say that you will never know you’re eating plant protein and not pink sludge (gross...) when you bite into a juicy, crispy piece of Gardein Ultimate. I keep one of each in my freezer and have made copycat chicken sandwiches with spicy mayo that do the trick when I’m craving my favorite fast food fix (Popeye’s, it’s Popeyes). I know that chicken nuggets/patties are pretty easy to do sufficiently in plant based protein, but somehow Gardein hits it out of the park with this particular line.

Hooray Foods - Bacon

This is the hardest animal product to replicate, and I’ve had my heart broken multiple times by lesser plant bacon. But in came Hooray foods and saved the day. I always liked my bacon only slightly crispy, with a bit more chew, and fake bacons always just tasted like pure carbon. Hooray Foods uses tapioca starch to get that same texture and doesn’t go overboard with the liquid smoke. It’s only found at Whole Foods (and more recently Imperfect Produce), but you better believe I make a monthly trek to pick up a package of it to get my BLT cravings on.

And now, onto the recipe! When I don’t want to use an overly processed, store-bought plant-based ground beef, I pull out some lentils and make this Lentil Ground Beef Alternative instead. It’s protein rich and packed with flavor. You won’t even miss the moo, I promise!

Lentil Ground Beef Alternative

• 1 cup cooked lentils (pro-tip: cook them in a savory veggie stock!)
• 1 cup mushrooms, diced small
• ¼ cup diced mushrooms
• ¼ cup red wine
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp butter (omit if vegan) + 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp liquid smoke

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil. Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic, and saute until the onion is translucent. 

Pour in the red wine and let reduce a bit, then add the rest of the ingredients.

Use the back of a spoon to crush the lentils a bit, mixing well into the rest of the ingredients.

Remove from heat and use anywhere you’d use ground beef--I like using it in a shepherd’s pie, or adding taco seasoning for tacos!

If you want to use it in place of a burger: add the mix to a bowl and add either breadcrumbs (about ⅓ cup) or cooked quinoa (½ cup) with an egg or egg replacement. Mix until a dough-like texture forms. Form into patties and refrigerate until ready to use. 

First ever totally meatless Thanksgiving!

Friends, what do you think? Have you tried going meatless? Let me know in the comments!

 Hi, Friends. Dang, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?

2020 was a year that seemed like a decade. You would think all the time inside would give me ample time to develop recipes… right?

Well, to put it simply, my photographer quit both the gig and our marriage. Naturally, this led to me not having much energy for anything, and my lack of photography skills kept me from really documenting the few things I managed to eat. And a breakup wasn't even the worst thing to happen to me in 2020! A host of deaths, drama, health issues, and more piled on me. I was in a depression hole, digging itself deeper into the rocky Texas ground.

...Until I decided the best way to catapult myself out of my depression would be to totally shake up my life and create a situation where I could focus on nothing but the adventure at hand.

So, I packed up my life and moved to the place that has always called to me from across the country--California. It’s me, two cats, and my amazing dog, and so far I’ve just been adjusting to this totally new existence in Santa Barbara.

Guess what, guys: this place has incredible food and even better wine. It might be a bit harder to find the foodie hotspots than Austin, but with the backdrop of the California coastline on one side and the gorgeous mountains on the other, you can definitely find something tasty.

I’ve decided it’s time to revive this blog. It may be mostly pictures taken with my iPhone, but at least it’ll be alive again. At this time, it’ll probably be heavier on the restaurant reviews, but knowing me a recipe or two will probably find its way into the mix.

Oh, side note: I haven’t eaten a land animal since 2019! So this blog will be shifting a bit of focus to include vegetarian (and sometimes pescatarian) content. 

If you’d like more regular content, please follow my Instagram and Facebook.

See y’all real soon, and thanks for continuing to read!

--Ashley

 

These waffle things are all over Pinterest. I know.

But they were too good NOT to try myself. And the pictures came out decent, so on the off chance someone hasn't tried these yet and needs some MORE convincing, here. Let me try to convince you.
Tiny, crispy potato waffles, with melted cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives. Delicious. The perfect party app.

Then I got cocky--If I could do this with regular potatoes, IMAGINE what sweet potatoes would be like! I started fantasizing about the paleo-friendly treats I would soon create.


...Sweet potatoes = messy waffle iron, and burnt mush. Oh well. Can't win them all.

Loaded Potato Waffle Bites

• 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (or 1-2 cooked, mashed potatoes with added milk, butter, and salt and pepper)
• 2 tsp smashed garlic
• 1 egg
• 1 handful cheese
• 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 3 tbs sour cream

-Preheat oven to 350, and warm up your waffle iron to high.

-In a small dish, mis together the mashed potatoes, garlic, and egg until well combined.

-Drop by the over-flowing spoonful (ideally, a couple tablespoons) into the waffle iron.

-Cook on high until browned on both sides.

-Place on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with cheese and bacon. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melty.

-Top with sour cream and chives, serve.

Though my can't-skip-it morning coffee is a recent development of my working life, I can't remember a time when I didn't love coffee. I can recall making my parents breakfast in bed, and mixing coffee crystals into tap water that was as hot I could get it and pouring a heavily sugared version for myself probably at age 6 or so.



Little did 6-year-old Ashley know that there was a bigger, better world of coffee waiting. Lately I've been somewhat of a coffee snob, though I still enjoy a good instant from time to time! And what better pairing for a high quality brew than a coffee cake donut?





I made these gorgeous Coffee Cake Donuts. They really are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of joe. I've always wondered--why doesn't coffee cake contain actual coffee? I felt the need to rectify this by drizzling them with espresso glaze.

I daresay it's perfetto itself ;)


Coffee Cake Donuts with Espresso Glaze

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp butter, melted

Espresso Glaze

• 1/4 cup brewed espresso
• 1 cup powdered sugar

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a donut baking pan and set aside*

-Sift together all dry cake ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. Be sure the butter is melted but not piping hot, and add to wet ingredients SLOWLY so as not to cook the egg.

-Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, whisking to get rid of clumps. Pour batter evenly in donut wells.

-In a separate bowl, mix together the crumble topping ingredients. The topping should stick together lightly, making large crumbs. If mixture is too wet, alternatively add more sugar and flour until desired consistency is reached.

-Sprinkle topping generously over donut wells. The cakes will rise and separate, so more is better for a full coating.

-Bake for about 20 minutes, until cake is spongy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature.

-Mix together the glaze until it is about the consistency of glue. It should be thick, but fall off the spoon. Drizzle over cooled donuts and let the glaze set.

-Serve with your favorite Lavazza coffee!


*Alternatively, you can use a muffin tin, this will make about 8 cakes.

Y'all, I am the basic bitch of Quarantine. If there is a stuck-inside-foodie-trend, I am ON IT. So far I've made that fancy coffee, endless cookies and breads, and even HOMEMADE BUTTER!

I'm feeling pretty accomplished.

But we all know the most popular trend going right now is SOURDOUGH BREAD. Why is sourdough so popular? Well, if you've been to the grocery store lately you may have noticed that yeast is one of those coveted, hard-to-find items. Sourdough requires no yeast, you literally grow your own in a jar!

I've never been much of a baker, so my go-to easy bread has always been this recipe, which I actually re-posted from my old blog since I thought people could benefit from a no-fail bread.

Two popular recipes I've seen floating around have been this Simple Crusty Bread from the New York Times, and the ONLY "Easy" Sourdough recipe I've EVER found called Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread from An Oregon Cottage. My first time attempting sourdough was that recipe and it was PERFECT. Both of these recipes are great, so I thought I'd compare the two, so y'all know what you're getting into!

Simple Crusty Bread


Is it truly easy?: Yes! It's a bit time consuming, but most of that time is simply waiting for the dough to rise. Everything comes together rather quickly and requires NO kneading. Simply mix the ingredients, let rise, shape, and bake! It even gives you the option to save some dough in the fridge for a future recipe.

Ingredients and equipment: Requires yeast, which is hard to come by right now, but other than a bowl, spoon, and oven, you truly don't need much else!

Crust: Wonderful! A bit floury, but that's probably moreso my fault than the recipe's. It crackled and cracked perfectly.

Crumb: A soft interior with a light crumb. I was really impressed with how it came out!

Taste: This is the one place it didn't thrill me. It tasted like NOTHING. I mean, bread is supposed to just be a vehicle for other things, but it really had no flavor at all.

Tips: While the recipe says to use a pizza stone, I used the Dutch oven method and it came out wonderfully--heat the Dutch oven (covered) in your oven for 20-40 minutes, then place the dough inside and bake, covered, for the first 20 minutes. Take the cover off for the remainder of the bake.

Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread
(I use this recipe for the starter)

Is it truly easy?: A bit more hands-on than the no-knead, but if you use a dough hook you really don't need to knead it at all. It takes more rising time, and during the rise you need to fold in the corners of the dough and turn it over. But it is pretty simple!

Ingredients and Equipment: No yeast! You will need a starter, but using the link above you should be able to grow one in a week or so. Takes some planning ahead but it's worth it! You'll also need a Dutch oven, or a covered baking dish, to bake this bread.

Crust: Softer than the no-knead but the moisture in the Dutch oven probably contributed. Still tasty!

Crumb: Denser than I would like, but not too bad. Still some good holes and fermentation.
Taste: SO GOOD! The slight sour taste that is typical of a sourdough really stands out. This is a bread I could really just eat plain with butter. It's also a bit more sturdy, so would work great for sandwiches.

OVERALL: I liked the crust on the "Easy Crusty Bread" better, but the FLAVOR of the sourdough just can't be beat.

What bread recipes have you baked while in quarantine? What should I try next?