Review: Two Vegan Sistas - Memphis, TN

Two Vegan Sistas is a brand new mostly raw and 100% vegan food delivery service in Memphis, TN  (yes,  there are actually two sisters who run the show here).  Upon finding out about these ladies, I knew I had to try something while I was in the area.  You place your order by calling up the sisters and then you arrange for a delivery time.  There is a delivery charge, but it is very reasonable if you order multiple meals at once. 


The menu is pretty diverse - entrees ranging from raw sushi to raw BBQ "nutmeat,"  with lots of side choices and yummy sounding desserts.  I decided to go with the sampler platter ($10 for five items from the menu) so I could try a little bit of a bunch of different things.  I also ordered the PB Pie, the raw oreos, and a vanilla almond milk (to get a taste of the whole spectrum of offerings - "research" as I sometimes put it).

I had no idea what to expect as I have seen a pretty broad spectrum of raw food, from the refined One Lucky Duck and Pure Food and Wine in NYC, to the more comfort style eats of Khepra's in DC.  When my food arrived, I was shocked to see how little of it there actually was!  From the few pictures online, I envisioned much larger portions.  That being said, I reminded myself that raw food is generally more nutrient (and calorie) dense, so you feel full and satisfied with less.

Sampler - Sandwich, sushi, chicken salad, falafel (hiding), and kale salad

Peanut Butter Chocolate "Pie"

Now for the taste (all items noted below are vegan AND raw, with the exception of the bread on the portabello sandwich, which was not raw):

- Sushi - Nori filled with avocado, some sort of spread, and crunchy veggies.  The nori was a bit soggy, but the roll itself was tasty.
- Chicken salad - Probably my favorite item.  This had good flavor, surprisingly sweet and savory at the same time.  The texture was a little sticky... in a good way if that makes any sense (versus grainy which can often be the case with nut and seed based mixtures).
- Falafel - This didn't remind me much of falafel, that is besides the shape.  The only flavor I could detect was cumin, which isn't what I normally think of when I think of falafel.
- Kale salad - Good, not great.  Kale, avocados, and sun dried tomatoes (I think). Tiny portion so I didn't have much to judge from.
- Portabello sandwich - This was "roasted" portabello mushrooms with pickles and onions on sprouted bread.  The mushrooms were good, but it wasn't really a solid sandwich if you ask me - it could have used some sort of  think sauce or hummus.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie - Extremely sweet, too sweet for my taste buds (although I did eat the whole thing).  Still, quite yummy, although it was more of a pudding than a pie (it came in a cup).  Filling tasted of peanut butter and chocolate, crust was made of coconut and nuts.
- Oreos - The oreo "cookie" was similar in texture to a Larabar, with an interesting taste as the Sistas use carob instead of chocolate.  I wasn't the biggest fan of this "cookie," but I loved the inner "creme,"  and wished there had been more in each.
-Vanilla Almond Milk - This was also way too sweet for my taste buds.  And there was something a little off in the flavor (maybe it was the sweetener?)

I ate half the sampler plate and the PB pie for dinner one night, and the rest for lunch the next day.  I tried one oreo and shared the other two with co-workers.  If you don't include dessert (since I wouldn't order this for a normal meal),  that comes to just $5 per meal, exclusive of delivery charges.  This is an exceptionally good deal, as raw, vegan food can be obnoxiously expensive (I'm looking at you One Lucky Duck).

Overall, while I didn't love everything I tried, I do love the business concept and the prices are decent so I will probably order more of their food in the future. 

Memphis Travels and Vegan Fig Bars

Two weeks ago I got to travel to Memphis for work with my team  (we visit Memphis and the smaller town of Millington a few times a year).  While Memphis may be known for BBQ and southern cooking, I have found a few veg-friendly spots that we frequent whenever we are in town: 

"Regenerator" juice from Cosmic Coconut

The Cosmic Coconut -  All-vegan juice and smoothie bar located off of Poplar Avenue between Midtown and Germantown.  In addition to the array of juices and smoothies, the Cosmic Coconut also offers food - soups, a few sandwiches, kale salad, and raw treats.  I have tried quite a few of the juices and smoothies and all have been delicious.  My favorite juice has to be the "Regenerator" -  a blend of beet, carrot, apple, kale and WHEAT GRASS (such an awesome addition to a juice).  The kale salad, which is massaged with their house dressing, is another menu item I have liked.  They also offer grain bowls which change daily.

Veggie Tempura sushi from Kobe

Kobe - Who would ever think you could find a decent sushi joint in the tiny town of Millington, Tennessee?  Definitely not I, but Kobe is a true gem in the rough.    Even the non-veg folks agree that the best roll offered is their Vegetable Tempura roll with sweet potato and asparagus.

Olympic - Another favorite spot in Millington. My co-workers like that they can get plain grilled chicken here, and we all love their baked sweet potatoes.  I bring along some nut butter and order the sweet potato (extra large, please) for my meal.



There is also a Whole Foods one mile from our hotel so my co-workers and I always make a stop to stock up on healthy snacks such as fruits and veggies, trail mix, and energy bars. 

I love to bake for my co-workers, and I don't let travel stop me from doing so.  I contemplated what to make for this trip - granola? healthy Chex mix? oatmeal cookies?  I wanted something that would serve as both a breakfast and an afternoon snack.  In my search, I stumbled across a recipe for vegan fig bars that sounded both nutritious and delicious.   Best of all, I had all the ingredients on hand.  Score!

These bars surpassed my every expectation.  I am not normally a cookie/cake/bar person - I'd much rather indulge in some undercooked (vegan) brownies and raw cookie dough, or a big bowl of vanilla (banana) soft serve.  I made these bars on Friday night and by the time I left for Memphis on Sunday, half the batch was gone.  While I can't quite put my finger on what makes these bars so amazing, I think it has something to do with the fact is that they remind me, in the simplest way, of the Fig Newtons of my childhood.  Don't let that comparison fool you - these bars are much more complex, way more wholesome, and one hundred times more tasty.

As I mentioned, the ingredients are fairly basic: dried figs, dates, maple syrup,  oats, applesauce, almond milk, coconut oil, and spices.   The only not-basic part of the recipe is making the fig filling for the bars.  I'm sure if you wanted you could use any store bought fruit butter or jam, but let me tell you the effort is worth it if you have the time and resources to make the homemade version.

This is another recipe from Gena over at Choosing Raw.  Go check it out and do yourself (and maybe your co-workers or your family) a favor and make these today!