None of this really has anything to do with today’s post, except for the title.
Summer is still a far-off glimmer in the future. We haven’t even gotten through the “in like a lion” part of March yet. But the past two months have treated Dallas to a few days where it felt like summer. I took full advantage of the fleeting warmth to whip up some summery meals. What comes to mind for you when you think of “summer food”? Personally, I think of coleslaw, beans, and fresh fruit– true barbecue food (minus the yucky Texas brisket). So, on the warmest day we’ve had so far this year (it actually reached 80 at one point!), I made myself a Sumptuous Summer Feast:
Bush’s chili beans, crisp kale chips, a Rudi’s English Muffin with a little vegan butter spread on (then I drizzle the muffin with a little water to get it soggy and I melt the whole thing in the microwave, which makes the muffin all mushy and gooey), fresh cantaloupe, and the pièce de résistance: quickie coleslaw (purple cabbage mixed with vegan mayo, such as Nayonaise, then left in the fridge to marinate for a few hours).
For the vegan mayo, I used Nasoya Nayonaise. Adding a little to veggies, or even grains, lends a subtle tangy flavor (not to mention a creaminess). I really like this stuff! But I never liked real mayo, so don’t take my word that Nayo is a good vegan substitute for mayo; all I can say is that it’s a fun condiment in its own right.
I threw together the coleslaw at the last minute, but I ended up liking it so much that I’ve since revisited the side dish numerous times. Some highlights:
Quickie coleslaw, plump green peas (Steamfresh Singles), baked tofu (in a soy-sauce marinade), and savory oatmeal
More coleslaw, more pleasantly-plump peas (don’t call us fat!), a peachy-keen (in keeping with the Grease-theme) peach, Rudi’s whole wheat bread with a bit of melted vegan butter, and a small bowl of Amy’s curried red lentil dahl (This dahl was ok, but it lacked flavor; in the future I’m going to stick to homemade dahl. The rest of the meal, however, was fantastic!)
Coleslaw again, but this time he’s hanging out with a different crowd: a juicy orange, Steamfresh Singles brussels sprouts, blended splt pilaf, and a homemade Biggie Black Bean Burger (recipe coming soon… I need to perfect it first!)
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{ 136 comments… read them below or add one }
for summer food i always think of hot dogs on the grill (vegan, of course), watermelon, baked beans, coleslaw…ahhh, summer…it can’t get here soon enough!!
Summer lovin’, happened so fa-ast…Summer lovin’, had me a bla-ast…
I love your love of mushy foods! So beautiful and tasty. I adore baked beans.
mmm i’ll be sure to let you know when i’ve blended up a big batch of blended barley (whoo alliteration!). summertime in california (home sweet home) always reminds me of fresh fruit – cherries, peaches, watermelon, frosty grapes, mmm… in the summertime i want to eat nothing but fresh fruit, and guacamole made from fresh avocados picked from the backyard with a drizzle of lime juice.
can’t wait!
xoxo
Thanks for the earworm!
I love Grease
Now the songs will be stuck in my head.
Yay for summer food! I lived in Wichita Falls for the summer in 2005 and visited Dallas a few times. I love Texas but don’t like certain things about it. I hate Texan drivers. Just about everyone had a lifted truck and thought they owned the road and I had a tiny little car and just tried to not get squashed. Also the barbeque…. I wasn’t veg then but barbeque is always gross. Anyway, your post reminded me of my 6 months in Wichita Falls. I can’t wait for summer to be here!
I loved Grease! Watched over and over and knew every lyric to every song…except for We Go Together- couldn’t quite get all those verses straight in my head.
Love the cabbage slaw Katie. Coleslaw is one of my favorite summertime foods. I’ll have to try this – the purple cabbage looks beautiful on all your plates.
Everything looks good except the soggy muffin! Well, it looks good, but I don’t think I like soggy muffins. I do LOVE coleslaw though. Summer is a great time for food.
happened so fast
i want my summer fruits back…
i LOVE all of your eats
so colorful too.
haha i love your title. I think we all went through the Grease phase. too bad the second movie was horrible :\
Grease brings back skating memories….oh Grease. I was so good at the hand jive when I was little
That is the song that is the ring tone when my husband calls. We love Grease and I played Sandy in my 8th grade play.
You have me craving barbecue!
So how long did it take you to eat those peas with chopsticks?
Haha I loved Grease with my cousin when I was about 9 too! I <3 how you spread out you meals, but do you ever cook one-bowl kinda stuff? :0
I love grease. I’m envious you played Sandra D!
Did you watch the reality show where they placed Sandy and Danny a few years ago? 
(oops did I just admit to that?).. thanks for making me think of it. I’m going to add some Grease Tunes to my ipod for the gym!
Ahh your post makes me long for summer even more than I already do. And i love the kale chips and english muffin, and purple cabbage!
And believe it or not, I had the SAME obsession with grease when I was little! I, too, watched it every day and dressed up as sandy, etc., etc.
Mr. Coleslaw is in great company at all times! Rubbing elbows with the Cool Kale Chips Gang and Miss Peachy-Keen Peach.
I love that song, Travolta sounds like he inhaled helium!
Love the movie, love all the purple cabbage, and I LOVE Texas winters!
We used to watch Grease every day too! Were you Danny or Sandy? What? You mean not everyone acts/dances/sings along with the movie?
So when do we get to see your performance on Youtube?
As soon as I read “Summer Lovin,” I sang, “…happened so fast.”
What are you doing to that poor English muffin? The Queen is hanging her head in shame.
You know I’m going to try it now
I used to be OBSESSED with that movie!!! I still know all the words =)
Ooo, I’m so jealous of the weather…and the yummy eats!
Ha, I love grease! Now that song will be stuck in my head all day.
When I think of summer foods, I think of watermelon, grapes, and corn on the cobs. Barbeques too, but those aren’t really veggie friendly. Have a great day!
I am soooo jealous of your warm weather! Ha, and I was all excited last week when it was like 50 in Boston. For some reason (maybe because I am in this frozen wonderland) I am more excited than normal for summer to be here this year! And summer food is the best!!
Sounds like a great way to celebrate summer–but over here, 80 degrees IS summer!!
Haha, I was a huge Grease fan too when I was younger! I always made my little sis play the boy when we did stuff like that! Haha!
mmm~ summer food…I just LOVE all the thought of fresh berries and peaches and cherries. I miss summer fruits.
Mmmm…I could go for some summer comfort food too! If only it would make warm weather come faster! The slaw looks especially good
I totally watched that movie almost everyday too. The kids that I used to babysit ALWAYS wanted to watch it. And of course we had to sing all the good songs (but that meant fast forwarding through the slow song where Sandy sings by the kiddie pool outside Frenchy’s house).
Loving the red cabbage… I’ve got half a head leaf in my fridge, so I’m gonna have to make some cole slaw!
Love Grease and Cabbage! haha that sounds kinda funny. Anyway, thanks a bunch for checking out my blog! I know my food is a little x-rated for a vegan.
~Justine
After looking at those eats, summer doesn’t seem quite so far away:)
I look forward to the sangria of summer time
i LOVE LOVE LOVE grease! one of my favorite musicals of all times! the food looks good.. although… i do have to admit- i would take the texas brisket! ; )
MMMMmmmm coleslaw. I can’t wait until Memorial Day, when grillin’ season starts and we can all sit outside with margaritas and grilled tofu burgers with baked beans. Oh CCV, you’re such a tease.
I know what you mean! Texas has been treating us to some pretty nice weather lately! Great EATS!
You're so cute. I loved that movie too growing up. I always wanted the red & black cha cha dress from the dance off scene! Love the summer eats
My summer food is always grilled portabellas and veggie kabobs with grilled peaches for dessert!
Maybepigscanfly—
Aww, Hopelessly Devoted (the slow song) was one of my fave songs; that kid didn’t know what he was missing!
GREASE! Ahh totes up there w/ Harriet the Spy + Matilda! Back-to-Back
I like theFF Vegan Mayo too… Hav you ever tried the others? I heard they're better. Probs haha
<3 you twizzle!
when grease went through the theatres again in the 90′s, everybody from work went and it was great. everybody sang all the songs. too funny!
Oooooh, summer = zucchini, tomatoes, corn & peaches. Can't wait!
mmm, my favorite way to eat mayonnaise is on a veggie sandwich with buffalo hot sauce. It tastes sooo good
I almost always buy NASOYA tofu. I keep one in the fridge most of the time!!
I’d actually really like to try the extra firm tofu! I’m a newcomer to the tofu world so am still trying to find a favourite brand!
Of course, only if this competition is open to us residents in the uk…!
But of course!
I put Nayonaise on a whole wheat tortilla and top it with cucumbers, spinach, tomatoes and red onions. YUM!
I love using vegan mayo to make chickpea “eggless” salad. Someone *just* left a comment on my blog about loving the Nasoya Silken Creations, so now I really want to try them!!
I’d really like to try the tofu, also the fat free nayonaise to add to my grains( like you do!).
Fab giveaway.
Xxx
I had Nayonase in a potato salad at a picnic and it was so good! Even the non vegans thought it was delish!
I love Nayonaise to make eggless egg salad sandwiches. I also prefer the Nasoya extra firm tofu plus. It is the best!
I’d like to try the nayonaise in either potato salad or a vegan mayonnaise cake =) Otherwise I’d like to try the dark chocolate silken creations in a cheesecake style dessert or ice cream. Yum.
oohh, i’d love to try that!!
I don’t eat mayo — or nayo — but I’d love to try the tofu!
I’d love to enter! My favorite use for Nasoya products is using their extra firm tofu for stirfry’s. It doesn’t get much simpler (or delicious!) than that!!
I’ve never been a mayo girl, but I love Nasoya tofu!! The only way I’ll use vegan mayo is for this ridiculous mayonnaise biscuit recipe my mum makes. They are so odd but have a unique taste that goes well with kebabs. Otherwise, tofu would definitely be used for some mashed tofu salad, marinated kebabs, or I may experiment with a tofu jerkey recipe.
I like using veganaise, but ive never tried Nayo!
i would love to try the tofuplus that’s certified with b12!!
oops i meant fortified haha
oo id luv to try the naynaise!!
Woohooo!!
Favorite use for mayo/vegan mayo would be in sandwich (original, I know!)
I recently used Nasoya wonton wrappers to make ravioli and had great results. I would like to try the extra firm tofu because my grocery store does not carry it and I cannot stand squishy tofu.
Hmmm, not sure if I’m leaving this post in the right place. My favorite way to use Nayonaise is so pedestrian, but I just love to spread it on ezekiel toast with sprouts, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tempeh bacon and avocado. A Tempeh Lettuce Tomato indulgence!
My favourite use for Nayonaise is in mock tuna salad from the Happy Herbivore blog. It’s such a yummy dish and so easy to make, and you’re right, the Nayonaise makes everything it touches so creamy!
I love vegan mayo on sandwiches, wraps, in dips and just licked off the spoon!
I’d love to try what looks to be a flavored Nayonaise pictured on your blog!
Thanks!
I’m dying to try vegan mayo to make a broccoli slaw with chopped almonds and raisins. Yum!
I have never had vegan mayo but then again, I hardly ever eat regular mayo. I would really like to try it in a southern tomato pie with vegan mozzarella.
I don’t like Mayo… Never tried Nayo, I’d give it a try. But I just don’t like the texture/flavor of Mayo so I never bother with the subs. I do however LOVE Nasoya brand lite firm tofu and lite silken tofu. I use those a lot. I’d love to try some of their other products sometime too.
My favorite use would be in a potato salad – just like the classic recipe! I am most interested in trying the Nayonaise, I have never had it. I’ve only tried Nasoya’s tofu, and it was delicious!
I would love to try their Dark Chocolate Silken Style Creations!
I’d like to use the nayonaise to make a healthier spinach/artichoke dip!!
my dad makes the best tuna sandwichs with mayo, but I would most definetly use Nayo for my barley too though, i love barley! thanks Katie!
I would love to try Nayonaise! I’m actually a Vegenaise user, but have never tried Nayo. I do like their wonton wraps though and actually just bought some yesterday!
Don’t really use nayonnaise, never like mayo
, my mom loves mayo though haha so opposite. I ave used it for her though!
I’ve never actually used the nayonase or any other vegan mayo — but I most definitely would love to try it in recipes that could use a little help (hello? Mom’s potato salad!)
I am a consumer of the Nasoya products though, extra-firm tofu all the way, and usually chomp it up in a stir fry! I’m actually planning on grilling some tofu tonight for the first time!
I would love to try Nayonaise! I used to have mayo, until I became a vegan and tried veganaise…I love it now, esp in sandwiches!
er, I meant *used to hate mayo…
I’ve actually never had the chance to try nayo, but when I used to use mayo, I enjoyed it in egg salads, and a little bit on sandwiches. I was always afraid of using the real mayo, but maybe a vegan version would change my mind?
I love making a tuna-esque salad using mashed chickpeas, nayo, and kelp flakes! Yum!!
I like to use Nayonaise to make all sorts of yummy sandwiches.
I’d like to try the Nasoya Won Ton Wraps. I’ve seen some delicious recipes for dumplings, both savory and sweet!
I’ve never tried Nayo before. I always thought regular mayonnaise was nasty, but I love deviled eggs! Maybe I would use it for that…………
I’m not a big fan of mayo at all (vegan or otherwise, when I wasn’t vegan). But it does add a great dimension to “chicken” salad and “egg” salad that I’d really miss without it!
I like to mix a little veganaise with some cabbage for a light coleslaw. It tastes creamy and brings out the cabbage flavor. Yum!
I would like to try Nayonaise, the dark chocolate silken style creations, or the tofuplus.
You probably don’t want to hear this, but I have used mayo as shampoo/conditioner before (don’t worry, I certainly wouldn’t use Nayo for that!!
) I have an awesome recipe – passed down from my mother – for chocolate cake that uses mayo as the fat (ie. instead of butter). It is so Yummy and rich!
My friend (who is vegan) lived in the US for a few years and when I told her about this giveaway, she said the Wonton wraps are good.
Sorry for the ramble!
Haha my mom loves her mayo cake recipe too!
My grandmother makes homemade mayonnaise and every summer at the beach she and my mom would eat mayo and tomato sandwiches like it was going out of style! Since I didn’t like tomatoes back then I didn’t understand the appeal, but now that I do I can totally get it. Now every fresh tomato I buy reminds me of being at the beach watching my grandmother and mother eat tomato and mayo sandwiches for lunch.
I love “mayo” on a FLT (Fakin’ bacon, lettuce, and tomato).
I really want to try the Nasoya extra firm tofu!
i’d like to try the “mayo” and some of their tofu to make a mock tuna salad!
Ooooh I want to try the nayonaise so badly! I haven’t had mayo in such a long time. Thanks for the giveaway Katie!
I really want to try nasoya silken creations or the fat free mayo that you mentioned! I’ve heard such wonderful things about both
i’ve been eyeing the chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry tofus for a while as well as the nayonaise (i’ve only ever had veganaise!) they look so tasty…but i’m such a wimp, i’m scared of buying them, hating them, and having to throw them away
i always feel oh so guilty. plus, down here i can only find them at earth fare, and my poor college budget has no room for extra food splurges :’(
my favorite way to use nayo is definitely on a panini. i make chickpea salad with mustard and hummus. the creamy and the crunchy and the delicious…all in one sandwich! but i think nayo in place of the hummus would make it taste so much more authentic.
i’ve actually never tried veganese (totally spelt that wrong) since i’ve never liked mayo in the first place, but i like to use nasoya tofu in stirfries, sometimes i eat it raw and put some salt and garlic pepper on it when i’m too lazy/tired to cook with hummus. weird but it works
forgot to mention, i’d like to try the new tofu plus product!
I love giveaways
I would like to try the Nayonaise–normal mayo freaks me out a bit, but I think a vegan version might be just the thing! I also would like to try the extra firm tofu. Good luck with SSH!
I LOVEEEEE to make Egg Salad Sandwiches with Nayonaise!!! yum
I love Nasoya tofu! My favorite way to use Nayonaise is plain ‘ole slathered on 2 pieces of toasted ezekiel bread with sliced tomatoes! It’s the only time I eat “mayo”. Weird, but good.
I love Nasoya! I’ve never had Nayonaise, so I would love to try it out. My favorite use for vegan mayo is in a mock chicken salad made with chickpeas.
I don’t actually like mayonaise so I don’t think I would like Nayonaise either
But I’ve been wanting to experiment with their wonton wraps!!
<3 tori
I already use and love the Nasoya product I’d most like to try – their tofu! I buy a bunch of their Extra Firm all the time.
Give-aways are fun! And nayonaise I think is best as a mock egg salad, with extra-firm tofu, crumbled, and a bit of nutritional yeast and mustard powder for color. (maybe some tumeric too, for that matter) … best on a crusty toast or cracker.
I would think this would be good in an eggless egg salad or a mock curry tuna salad. Great Giveaway.
I love nayo (like it better than real mayo in fact) and I have to say, it is AWESOME in TLTs
.
I love vegan mayo with black bean and potato salad!
I am very much in love Nayonaise! In fact, when they stopped selling it at my grocery store, I ordered it online:)
I like mayo with tuna on a sandwich. I want to try vegan mayo!
I’d like to try the won ton wraps!
definitely the nasoya tofu is something id love to try!
I would really like to try Nayonaise, I heard there are some really good recipes it can be used in.
I’d like to try their wonton wraps!
I’d really like to try the won ton wraps! I’ve seen such great recipes for them!
I love nayonnaise in place of mayonaise in my Grandma’s famous potato salad. Yum!
I can’t wait for the wraps!
I would love to try the silken style creations because I love sweets!
I think the best use for nayo is in vegan potato salad. Boiled potatos + nayo + vinegar= heaven. yum!
Egg or potato salad, definitely!
I love Nayo in this (usually) mayonnaise dip my mom makes that goes perfectly with artichokes. YUMMMMM. And I would love to try their Silken Style creations.
I love making fake tuna salad for lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Ricki at Diet, Dessert, n’ Dogs has an interesting un-tuna salad I’ve been wanting to try.
I would definitely like to try out the soy mayo!
I’d like to try their dark chocolate silken style creations! That sounds yummy.
Growing up I thought that mayo was the most disgusting thing ever. That changed when I first tried real, home made mayo using organic ingredients, as well as the delicious Nayo- now I love them both! My favorite way to eat it is to mix in things such as dijon mustard, minced garlic and parsley, lemon juice, or hot sauce and use the doctored up Mayo/Nayo for dipping oven fries or “patatas bravas” from Spain. It’s exactly like the “Aoli” they serve in fancy restaurants!
I’ve never tried Nayonaise, but you’ve piqued my interest! I love Nasoya lite firm tofu and silken chocolate tofu. Actually, I love tofu period – any which way it’s prepared, be it plain, in tomato sauce, baked, grilled…you name it, I’ll eat it.
I’ve actually never tried any Nasoya products before, but now I’ll definitely need to try the Nayonaise because it sounds wonderful! All their desserts look yummy too
I’ll definitely use that for egg salad!
Wow! I’m intrigued with the purple cole slaw! I would love to try the Nasoya tofu. I’ve recently come to realize what tofu is, as embarrassing as that sounds. I have it in stir fry, which I love, and I LOVE it! I want to make it at home, and find more recipes that use it stir fried or grilled, or whatever.
I definitely would love to try the Silken Style Creations for chocolate creme pie!!
I use (vegan) mayo for salad dressings! I used to love creamy salad dressings like ranch and bleu cheese before going vegan, and I missed them until I realized that whisking mayo with vinegar and whatever other flavorings I want (oregano, garlic powder, onion powder for ranch dressing) is a perfect substitute!
I would love to try the flavored tofus. Sadly they are not available around me. When I lived in Canada you could buy all kinds of different flavored tofu (watermelon, almond, banana, mango) and my kids LOVED them. Everytime we go back to visit they ask Grandma to have tofu waiting for them!!
If the words dark chocolate and silk are in the same sentence, I’m sold
I want to make a chocolate silk pie. My taste buds are revved up!
yum flavored tofu! thanks for the giveaway, katie!
I would LOVE to try their Fat Free Nayonaise, new “TofuPlus” (it’s fortified with Vitamin D, B6 and B12!! Score!!), and the Vanilla Silken Creations–they have a corresponding keylime pie recipe…how delish does THAT sound??
I wish I lived in the NaSoya warehouse…all their things seem simply amazing. If only…
I was a big mayo-hater for most of my life; it’s only been in the past few years that I’ve learned to love it in moderation. I think a good egg/tofu/chick’n salad might be my favorite way to enjoy it!
Would you believe I’ve never had silken tofu? (and I’m a vegan!) I’d like to try it.
i would like to try the nayo, i make several veggie salads but have always used regulr mayo and looking for a healthy alternative. thats what i love about your blog and how i stumbled across it because i was looking for healthy alternatives
I love mayos of all kinds (vegan and not), which is quite a departure from when I was a kid, when I thought I didn’t like it. My favorite use for mayonnaise is on tofu sandwiches. One of my favorite sandwiches involves frying thin slices of extra-firm tofu until golden brown, with a little salt and pepper, and after they’re golden, I put some vegan worcestershire sauce on them if I have it. Then I toast whole wheat bread and slather on lots of mayo, add tofu slices and a leaf of lettuce if I have it, and put a small pile of mayo on my plate to dip the sandwich in as I’m eating it. So, yeah, tasty mayo is an essential part of this recipe! I adore it.
I love using a scoop of Fat Free Nayonaise in my Fire Roasted Tomato+Pumpkin pasta sauce (which I put on top of “shredded soy noodles”). Adds just the right touch!
I like to use the vegan mayo to make vegan slaw dressing — yumm!! =P
I’m not a vegan, but still love your recipes, so tasty and healthy! I’d have to say that my favourite use for mayo is with rice and veggies – cook a portion of brown rice, meanwhile chop some veggies up into reeeeally small pieces, use any you like eg: diced carrot, peppers, brocoli, sweetcorn, courgette (zucchini!), stir fry with some olive oil and seasoning until cooked to your liking, then when the rice is done, add the veggies and a spoonful of mayo of you choice, and mix it all up! Sooo tasty and filling
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