WIAW #58

Wow, how is it already October? This whole year has been flying by!

Hey, I'm not complaining - the faster the year goes by, the faster it's Christmas time again!

Frankly, I start feeling the Christmas cheer by November 1, but I try to hold off until after Thanksgiving. And by December 1? I'm a goner.

Anyway, this WIAW I can't be home with my family. After all, I have school! But funnily enough, I get to have a little piece of home!

I'm from Greensboro, NC and it's not exactly a bustling metropolis, nor is it a hippie town. So imagine my surprise when I learned of Zen Cat Bakery, an all-vegan, all-gluten-free bakery based in Greensboro, NC.

Zen Cat Bakery is dairy-free, egg-free, casein-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, and soy-free.

While it's mostly a wholesale bakery, the baker (Angie) ships nationwide via the Zen Cat Bakery Etsy store and you can order baked-to-order treats from her anytime and get them shipped out to you in just a day or two.

Zen Cat Bakery products are based off of organic, healthful ingredients with the tagline Gluten-free + Vegan = All Love. And they mean it! You don't have to be vegan or gluten-free to delight in their scrumptious treats!

While everything at Zen Cat Bakery is vegan, they're currently expanding their line of raw desserts to include raw truffles, cakes, granola, etc. I got to try SuperNatural RAW Bites!



I don't even know what I can say to that. I mean, look at it. Words can't even begin to cover what a bite of delight that is - YUM YUM YUM.

And what about their gluten-free vegan brownie, which will blow your socks off?

It's beyond chocolaty, soft, and indulgent. The SuperChunk Energy Bar is its dried fruit counterpart and, chockfull of seeds, cacao nibs, and dried fruits as it is, it definitely delivers a nice energy punch!

I may be strange, but I really liked it paired with some peanut dip and homemade beans for a filling afternoon snack (I knew I wouldn't be home to eat dinner until around 9pm, so I needed something to hold me over).



Their big, flat oatmeal raisin cookies are chewy, soft, brown sugar-y yumminess that somehow tastes like elementary school (if that makes any sense?) but in a good way. And the Oh Snap! Triple Ginger Cookie?

Soft and flavorful, just the way I like it!

Here's a common theme for all of the baked goods: you'll never believe they're gluten-free or vegan or, in any way, not just indulgent bakery treats. And they all taste fresh-baked. Probably because Angie makes them when you order them and she ships fast!

The Lemon creme Spice Sandwich cookies taste like a yummier version of Girl Scout Lemonades, with soft buttery cookies and sweet-tart filling.

And the Faux-Graham Crackers?

Buttery cookie excellence, amazing eaten plain, spread with jam and/or nut butter, and crumbled over granola-yogurt-trailmix bowls.

Oh my goodness, I want this bowl all over again right now.

Or this one, because the almond butter really sealed the deal of amazing.

I love Zen Cat Bakery! It makes me proud to be from Greensboro :) I can't wait to see what Angie comes up with next!

What's your favorite vegan dessert?

Have you tried Zen Cat Bakery? Their prices are actually all really reasonable for the high-quality feel-good (and TASTE GOOD!) treats that you get! I definitely recommend ordering something (or several somethings) if you haven't yet!

What are you most looking forward to this October?