VegaDeli. Vegan, Cooked, Raw, and Gluten Free (options) Eats St. Louis. Big Men Eat Plants. Michael Clarke Duncan.

FYI:  VegaDeli is now closed :((((((((((  

But maybe someday it will reopen? 

So this is just a memoir at this point.

"RawFredo" from:
 Vega-Deli 
177 Hilltown Village Center  Chesterfield, MO 63017
(636) 536-6938

Tues - Sat 11:00am - 8:00pm
Sunday  11:00am - 5:00pm
CLOSED MONDAYS

Hours are from May 2012.  Always check their website and/or call to see if open.  
Dishes from menu listed are just some of the things VegaDeli has.  Of course they are always trying new things out & dishes may change with the seasons.  However, it gives an idea of what types of food they have.  Burgers, Wraps, Sandwiches, Juices, Smoothies, Raw Dishes, Gluten Free & Kidz Menu! Truly something for everyone from Vegan Comfort Food to Uber Green Raw Vegan Eco Warrior CleanseMonster.  So you can take your crazy friends doing 90 day juice cleanses too, and STILL eat Vegan Mac & Cheeze or Vegan Lasanga! (Cooked OR Raw!)

**************************************

VegaDeli is one of Two Vegan places in St. Louis.  PuraVegan (PuraVegan Post and Other PuraVegan Post) is the other.  Both were originally owned by the same couple, but this PowerVeganCouple just "built" it, got them to come, and sold both of these places!  Now VegaDeli (like PuraVegan) has a new owner, new hours, and some new dishes.  Several of these photos are from the "old" deli, however, much of the menu is the same.  But there are also always new additions and gobs of gluten free eats.

Hubby got "Falafel Salad". Gluten Free so I could taste too!

VegaDeli is super clean & bright.  The food comes fast but it's a place that invites you to linger.

Salads

Kalifornia Salad Kale, Avocado, Almonds, Red Cabbage, Carrots & Tomato Served with a Sesame Lemon Dressing

Corn Bread Salad

Spinach, Tomato, Cabbage, Red Pepper,

Carrots, Corn Bread Crumbles

Served with a Sesame Lemon Dressing

 Autumn SaladMixed Greens, Carrots, Apple Slices, 

Raisins & WalnutsServed with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

$7.99 per Entree

Add Soup $ 2.00 Additional

Always art on the walls.

Nachos

Corn Tortilla Chips, Cajun Black Beans & Rice,Lettuce, Tomato &

Nacho "Cheez"

$9.99[Add Avocado for $1.00 Extra]

Hummus Plate

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Carrots,Cucumber, Broccoli

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

$9.99 each entree

Veggie Lasagna

Lasagna Noodles, Tomato Sauce, Onions, Spinach,

Zucchini, Cashew Cheez Sauce

  $10.99 per slice

Iced Green Tea.

"Burgers"

The HumBurger
(Original Flavor, BBQ Cheddar, or Chipotle) Hailed as the Healthiest "Burger" in town
This Soy Free Patty is also Gluten Free & Nut Free 
Made Fresh Daily w/ our Homemade Hummus,
Rice, Veggies
Served On a Whole Wheat Flat Bun
  (Gluten Free Served on Lettuce) [Add Avocado for $1.00 Extra]

[Add "Cheddar Cheez" for $1.00 Extra]

The Black Bean "Burger" 

*Gluten Free w/o Bun!

 Black Beans, Veggies & Spices

Served with our Delicious Mango Sauce (Always Homemade)

The Portabello
Marinated Portabello Mushroom, 
Peppers, Tomatoes, Onion, Lettuce 
Served with our always 
Homemade Sundried Tomato Spread
[Add Avocado for $1.00 Extra]
[Add "Cheddar Cheez" for $1.00 Extra]

W R A P S 

Sun-Set Wrap

Sun Dried Tomato Spread, Mixed Greens,

Red Peppers, Carrots, Cucumber, Onion

$7.99

Greek Wrap

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Spinach,

Kalimari Olives, Tomato, Onion

$7.99

Kale Wrap

Cashew Cheez Spread, Kale, Red Cabbage, 

Avocado

$7.99

Portobello Wrap

Mixed Greens, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion

Marinated Portobello Mushroom, Garlic Sauce

8.99

Tex-Mex Wrap

Seasoned Brown Rice

Black Beans

Mixed Greens

Tomato, Onions, Salsa

Wrapped in a 100% Whole Wheat Wrap

$7.99

* Make it a Tex-Mex Bowl - Gluten Free!!

Add Avocado $1.00 Extra

Whole Wheat Wraps Served with 

Corn Tortilla Chips

Add a Side of Soup for $2.00

Vegan Mac & Cheeze.  Gluten Free and Oh, so amazing.  Hubby ordered this but rest assured, I did my fair share of digging.  You must understand, I eat fairly healthy only because we don't always have "vegan cheezes" in the house.  I just don't want anyone to think I am actually discliplined.  I am always vegan, but I indulge at any given chance, on raw cheezecakes and vegan mac & cheeze.  Grilled cheeze is another, but all must be Gluten Free now.  I am working on becoming a truly high maintenance woman.

Hubby got a homemade burger.  Love VegaDeli for it's homemade everything.  Don't think you will ever find Boca or other Premade Burgers on the menu.

7 layer Raw Vegan Lasanga.  Beautiful, eh??  

Raw Tacos
Made from Raw Walnuts, 
Carrots & Spices
Served on Red Cabbage or Greens

*Can Also be Served on Whole Wheat Wrap - Not Raw

$10.99

Raw Pad Thai (Mild) 
Zucchini "Pasta" with Carrots, Black Olives, Cilantro, 

Peppers, Herbs & Thai Almond Sauce

$10.99

Raw "Pasta" Alfredo

Zucchini "Pasta", Bell Peppers, Spinach & Mushrooms

Served with our Homemade

Raw Cashew Fredo Sauce

$10.99

Raw Marinara

Zucchini "Pasta", Mushrooms, Spinach, 

Raw Marinara Sauce

$10.99

Raw Lasagna   

       Thinly Sliced Zucchini "Pasta"

Alternately Layered with Spinach Leaves, Raw Marinara Sauce, Raw White Sauce

$10.99 for Lasagna

Some lucious nut cheese.  So I liked this dish, but at the time was having next to no oil and not much salt.  This raw dish had a little too much of both for me.  And that is personal preference only, as Raw Gourmet food generally is liberal with both some healthy fats & some sort of "healthy" salt like miso, celtic, coconut aminos, tamari.  The dish was tasty though, and I think most peeps would appreciate the salt & oil factor.

There is is.

Raw Vegan Cheezecake.  Strawberry.  And Yum.  So the oil thing?  It goes down the tubes if I am ingesting it in coconut oil form in a cheezecake.  I am not "wasting" my oil on olive oil, no.  Bring me a fat filled Raw Vegan Cheezecake and you have brought me my form of "Food Therapy".  Okay, so it's not the healthiest habit, but it's not, well, something worse!

Stuffed Cornbread (We had a buy one get one free coupon).
Yummy, but not Gluten-Free.

Warm Pasta

Sesame Lemon Pasta
A Light Refreshing Dish of Warm Pasta, Tossed with Spinach, Carrots, ZucchiniLemon Juice & Sesame Oil
$8.99

Penne Power Pasta
Warm Pasta Tossed with Marinara Sauce,
Fresh Spinach 
Topped with our Homemade Tofu "Ricotta" 
& Chopped Walnuts 
$8.99

You gotta love Zucchini Pasta!  Think the Raw Vegan Pasta is usually a staple.

Luscious Sauce base is from Cashews!

And from "Taste of St. Louis"

Recently we went to Taste of St. Louis, which we would never go to prior, but we knew of at least a couple places serving some vegan eats this year. The only all Vegan place was VegaDeli  which is one of only TWO vegan places in St. Louis.  

The Crowd.

Lots of folks trying vegan food today!

Raw Pad Thai (Zucchini Noodles), Vegan Burger.

Raw Tacos.  (For the "Taste" the shell was not raw)

Vegan Sweets.  Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pumpkin Bites.  

This looked great be we refrained!

The Raw Vegan Pad Thai with Zucchini Noodles.  Yum!

Pumpkin Bite.  The Pumpkin Balls were divine.  I went home and made butternut squash smoothies for an entire week because I craved Pumpkin after that!

S I D E S

Mac & "Cheez" 

Macaroni Noodles, Cheddar Soy "Cheez"

Small $3.29       Large $4.59

*-Rice Pasta, Cheddar Soy "Cheez"

*GLUTEN FREE!!

Corn Bread- Vegan Cornbread 

Infused with Carrots, Red Bell Peppers & Spinach  $2.50/Slice

Soup of the Day

Varies DailyCup $3.29        Bowl $4.99

Herb Roasted Potatoes

- Roasted Russet & Sweet Potatoes

with 100% Virgin Olive Oil, Herbs & Spices

Small $3.29             Large $4.59

Add Avocado or Cheddar "Cheez"
to Anything - $1.00 Additional Charge

Vegan Chilli 

Kidney Beans, Tomato, Loaded w/ Veggies

Served with a Small Slice of our Veggie Infused Corn Bread

Cup $3.29                   Bowl $4.99

The Raw Tacos had a regular Tortilla, which was delicious.  Some sort of nut pate with avocado, tomato, & cabbage.  Yummy and not oily at all.  No guilt there. 

Good Ol' St. Louis

Kidz Menu

Sloppy "Tempeh" Joe's

BBQ Tempeh Served in a Thin Whole Wheat Bun

Served with Roasted Russet & Sweet Potatoes

$5.99

Veggie Roll 'Em Ups

Hummus with Carrots, Cucumber & Spinach

Rolled in a 100% Whole Wheat Wrap

Served with Corn Tortilla Chips & Salsa

$5.99

Fruit Roll Up

Banana Slices & Apple Slices

Spread with Peanut Butter & Rolled up in a 100% Whole Wheat Wrap

Served with Corn Tortilla Chips & Salsa

$5.99

Pita Veggie Pizza

100% Whole Wheat Pita

Spread w/ our Homemade Marinara Sauce

Hummus and Veggies

$5.99

So important to support our Vegan Businesses!  While I do truly appreciate that more & more folks are adding Vegan Eats to their Mainstream Menus, I really enjoy that I don't have to worry about MeatJuice in a Vegan Place, or act like Meg Ryan when making an Order.  Plus, when the economy has tanked, I feel even more passionate about supporting the Vegan Peeps (when given a choice) because we want them to stay in business!  Plus Vegan Peeps tend to put their time, money, & love back into the Vegan Community & also buy Vegan Products and so we are "Voting with our Dollar".   I prefer this over a place that might server one or two Vegan Meals, but the rest of the menu is Fois Gras & Lamb.  Ick.

Remember the Gentle Giant in "The Green Mile"??

He is eating plants.  Very short & endearing video about the change.

Also, enter to win a Green Smoothie Recipe book.....Contest is on the Gateway Pet Guardians site and but you can enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Euphoria Loves Rawvolution NYC. Raw Vegan Big Matt's, Coconut Sandwiches, Raw Vegan Onion Breads, Raw Vegan Monster Bagels.

Rawvolution

Euphoria Loves Rawvolution NYC Website

504 East 12 Street

NYC 10009 

212.473.3990

Was pretty stoked to try the NY version of Rawvolution.  We had gone to the one in Santa Monica, which is in an amazing location & across the street from the "Natural High" Hemp Clothing store!  The California location is a "sit down" with real dishes kind of deal.  Chill.  The New York location??  Well, all the food is basically made "to go" and there are a couple of small tables there to eat, but it is primarily a take out joint.  Totally different vibe than the Santa Monica location, which may have been slightly pretentious, but who cares, the weather is amazing & the food was pretty great too.  Plus, Santa Monica People Watching makes Sidewalk Dining worth it.  Hubby was a little freaked out about the "hipness" or new ageness? of the California location.  NY is inherently a bit more grounded, as whenever you walk outside you are confronted with loads of traffic, noise pollution, and maybe a vendor & cabbie yelling at each other.

The "New York" benefit??  The food may be a bit cheaper because it isn't a sit down place.  So for about 8-10 bucks you can get nearly anything on the menu.  That's cheap for raw food.  Especially truly prepared raw food, meaning breads and dehydrated goods vs. smoothies.  I generally don't get smoothies at raw food places, as I prefer to spend 10 bucks on something other than a few ingredients thrown in a blender. (I do that at home, for less money).

Cafe Salad. 

$10.00

Baby Greens, tomatoes, avocado, black olives, dulse (this had nori because they were out of dulse), in a creamy garlic dressing.  Yum.

Santorini Sandwich.

$8.00

  Open face on onion bread, cream cheese, black olives, sprouts & cucumber slices.  Very good.  The "onion bread" is "famous", apparently.  At least that's what I remember reading in Matt's recipe book.  I made it at home once and it was SO oniony, that it was nearly inedible.  However, all the breads at the restaurant were great.

Every time we go to a raw food place, I vow to start doing some more "gourmet" stuff again.  

Hubby had the "Big Matt" sandwich. 

$10.00

 I liked this better than the Santorini or the Cocophoria.  Walnut mushroom burger with sunflower seed cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mustard, & ketchup.  All raw.  All yummy.  Ten bucks.  Worth it.  Hubby always gets the "better" item!

Cocophoria. 

$10.00

 Curried coconut jerky, mayo, onions & tomato.  So this used real coconut, thickly sliced.  Marinated.  And dehydrated so it was chewy.  Very delicious & unique.  However, this was a bit too heavy on the fat & coconut for me and not enough "veggies".  I loved it, but very dense.  Like the marinated coconut slices though.  But that requires you have the courage to open coconuts.  Not.

They  have lots of books, products, tee's, etc...on the left hand side.  This place was very "cool" but without the pretense.  I love raw food & I don't need it handed to me with a side of "uber hip".  Casual. They also have your kombuchas and other yummy drinks in the cooler.

So don't dig the plastic utensils, but the place just opened.  And they don't really have enough room to make a true "eat in" kind of place.  It's New York after all, you have to sell your soul just for a few feet of space around here.  And then you will probably have issues with your landlord.  Being a business owner there (or anywhere) isn't for the "faint of heart".  

And the most awesome Chocolate bar EVER.

Absolutely no Sht in this one.  A bit of Coconut Sugar, but this is hardcore cacao & almond butter.  Think what Reese's wants to grow up to be.........

Yes, they are expensive.  Think of it as a "dessert".  

Inside the "Monster Bagel".

Monster Bagel

$10.00

One bite into this raw bagel & I was totally sold.  Screw that "low fat raw vegan" stuff I said......Well, at least while we were in New York!  It tasted like a "real" bagel, but better.  Was wowed with the texture of the bread.  As it's difficult to get a thick raw bread that is actually "done" & pliable, yet not "mushy" in the center.  "Monster Bagel" with an Almond Bagel, Cream Cheese, Tomato, avocado, onions, basil, pickles and mustard.  Super fresh.  Loved.

Mexican Pizza. 

$10.00

 Avocado, walnut meat, salsa, cashew mayo on a cheesy nori wrap.  What was cool about this was the nori wrap had the cheese on it (nut cheese of course) and it had been pre-dehyrdrated.  So to prepare it, they just took the "crust" of dried Nori & Cheeze & then put all the toppings on.  So a great low fat pizza crust, as most raw breads tend to be heavy on the flax, buckwheat, nuts, etc...fat bascially.  Okay, still had a lot of fat from the avocado and nut cheese, but slightly less.

Cafe Salad.

Italian Pizza. 

$10.00

 Red peppers, onion, green olives, tomatoes, mushrooms on onion bread.  Super yummy.  

So the food is "raw food".  It isn't going to be super lowfat.  It isn't going to be salt free.  But it is delicious & certainly worth the "fat" splurge.  Really loved the breads & combination of flavors.  Loved that you could order nearly anything for about 10 bucks.  They did have a "Supreme Enlightenment" salad for 21 bucks, but for marinated kale, nori, superfood powder, etc...I will stick to the 10 buck items and make crazy SuperPower Salads at home.  A far cry cheaper than Pure Food & Wine, but if you are taking a date, you are more likely to get laid after a Pure Food & Wine meal.  Unless, of course, your mate is a sensible frugal person who loves raw food-then you are in luck either way :)

Great eats without the pretense (or the booze).  Go! 

Euphoria Loves Rawvolution Clip above from Santa Monica (Main Street) location.  Just look & ignore that "late night soft porn" music background.  :)

Daryl Hannah's podcast with Rawvolution & Jubb's Longevity in NYC (Jubb's Closed).

Love raw balls......but these are super special & yummy.  Check out my post on the "Cinnamon Grrrls".

Raw Vegan Sticky Sweet Balls. Cinnamon Grrls from Matt Amsden's Rawvolution Book. PlantFusion Vegan Gluten Free Protein. Chicken & Human Consumption: Will the EPA say "Yes"? Fishiness about Fish. East St. Louis Stray Dogs.

 

RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine

I like a lot of the recipes from this book, such as the sunflower seed cheeses.  But....a few recipes, such as the onion bread (others have raved about) and the spinach & mushroom pies, were major flops for me.  I think the pies had way too much salt (it was in the form of nama shoyu or tamari).  So I have not revisited those.........but now when I see recipes in this book heavy on the tamari, I would automatically halve it.

and don't forget to:

Enter to Win Green Smoothie Diet E-book!

Hillary Greenleaf's "New Green Smoothie Diet" ebook. 

And below, some kitties from East St. Louis
Pj & Gateway Pet Guardians go every single day of the year to feed the dogs & cats of Washington Park, Illinois & East St. Louis Illinois.  These are just a couple of the kids!  Lots more videos on our YouTube Channel & find out more on our site
  www.gatewaypets.com

Watch Full CNN Show. The Last Heart Attack. Esseltyn, Sanjay Gupta, Bill Clinton.