The Two Vegan Ladies take on Key West! (Day One)

So here it is! The long awaited Key West food review! 

For those of you who followed our honeymoon last month we spent half our time at a fabulous all-vegan bed and breakfast called Deer Run which is located in Big Pine Key, Florida.

It was AMAZING! The food, the people, the beach, the room- EVERYTHING. We have a full review coming soon!

For the other part of our honeymoon we went down to Key West (only a half hour or so from Big Pine Key) and we tore that place up scouting out the very best in vegan food (while enjoying Womenfest of course!) 

Our hotel was right on the main street, Duval, so we were walking or bike riding distance from just about everything. We arrived in the afternoon and decided to hit up a vegan-friendly place we had heard of from the chef at Kaya called Help Yourself which is located at 829 Fleming Street and is a few blocks off the main strip, but well worth the trip! 

There's a pretty wide selection here. Not all of it is vegan, but it is very veg-friendly, and just about anything can be modified to be vegan. 

On this particularly warm afternoon we were craving a crisp salad so we ordered the Mexican Salad which has romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, brazil nut ‘taco’ meat, tomato salsa, cashew sour cream, avocado, and a key lime vinaigrette. 

Now, the salad was great... the dressing stayed on the side. It was just a little too tart for our liking. But an interesting and cute addition none-the-less!

We also ordered a TLT wrap which came with marinated tempeh, lettuce, tomato, avocado, chipotle mayonnaise, mixed greens. We made sure to order it veganized so the chipotle mayo was made with Veganaise from what we understand. 

We ordered a chai latte and iced coffee to go with house-made coconut milk that was just divine! Then we got ready for a night of all Key West could offer!

Now, at the corner of Caroline and Duval is a little hot dog cart called Superdog. At first we tried to hurry past the smell of cooking meat but upon closer inspection the words "Veggie Dogs" proudly displayed on the cart caught our eye. 

We stopped and chatted with the gentlemen running the cart for a few minutes who eagerly showed us the package of vegan hot dogs and buns (which were also vegan) he had ready. We were hesitant because of the close proximity our vegan dog would have to the raw animal by-products on the cart but sensing our apprehension the gentlemen assured us that he kept the vegan dogs packed in a cooler away from the meat dogs and that he intended to cook them on a separate place on his large slab grill than he would the animal products. 

With all the eagerness, and the promise of extra grilled onions, we decided to give it a whirl. He sliced two jumbo sized Smart Dogs in half and grilled them throughly with a ton of onions. There were also a bunch of free toppings like peppers, raw onions, and sauerkraut off to the side along with the usual array of ketchup, multiple mustards, and relish. 

Overall, the taste was good. Each dog cost $6, but, in fairness it was one HUGE vegan hot dog. This is a great place to stop if you're coming out of a nearby club and really need a quick animal-free bite. Most of the vegan-friendly restaurants close rather early and they are not on the main strip. 

However, keep in mind even though they may be cooked in different areas- the vegan dogs and meat dogs are still cooked on the same grill. Other than that we highly suggest this little hot dog cart. (I mean hey, at least this guy is making an effort, right?)

So ended day one of our Key West adventure. But there are two more glorious days we can't wait to tell all about! Tomorrow's post will include more from Help Yourself as well as The Cafe and a pretty well-known and vegetarian friendly Mexican joint called Amigos!

Till tomorrow!

With peace, love, and compassion-
The Two Vegan Ladies 

Big Pine Key on Dwellable

Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!

Since going meatless we have been exposed to a wide array of reactions. Some people applaud our choice and express their interest in the lifestyle, but every so often we are met with opposition, and really it is overwhelming how many people become immediately concerned with just one particular thing when we tell them we do not eat animal products. Bacon. We cannot count on fingers and toes how many people stare at us with wide eyes in total disbelief and say "You don't eat BACON???"

We've really never understood the big deal about bacon. Is it really that serious? We've both eaten bacon as children but neither of us have really ever had it on a pedestal. We wouldn't say we miss it. It probably doesn't hurt either that we cohabitate with an adorable pig who makes even the words "bacon", "pork", and "ham" seem strange and wrong.

This is our princess by the way, Peach. She is a rescue pig who is about to turn 3 years old! She loves the outdoors and playing with the pups and has quite the fan club.



Now, we do understand bacon has a fan club as well. There are quite a few people who will not even try a meat-free diet simply because of this one food item. To them, a bacon-less existence is a deal breaker when it comes to their otherwise loving relationship with vegan and vegetarianism.

We're here to tell you... IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY! Together we can work this out.

We present to you Fakin' Bacon!

Neither of us had actually tried Fakin' Bacon until 6 months ago. Like we said, bacon just wasn't a priority. But veg and non-veg friends kept raving about it and one day we decided this was just something we had to give a whirl. So glad we did. This stuff is amazing! 

For us, there's nothing like a full day of yard-salin' and gardening with a little break for a good old fashioned BLT, or TLT, to be more accurate. Lightlife's Fakin' Bacon is made from organic tempeh, and man, is it scrumptious. Not to mention so easy to make!

How to make the perfect TLT:

Heat a skillet to medium-medium high with a thin layer of oil and add the desired amount of Fakin' Bacon strips. 

Let cook, turning occasionally for 5-10 minutes depending on how cripsy you would like it. (We like it in the middle.)

Once cooked, set on paper towel lined plate to soak off excess oil.

Slice your lettuce and tomato and grab a couple slices of fresh bread. (toasted or not toasted- however you prefer.)

Add some Veganaise to both sides of your bread/toast. 

Then just layer your T with you L and your other T and there you go! 

A delicious TLT sandwich!

(This is not a bagel by the way, but it sure does look like one. The bread we used that day was fresh from the local vegan market and for some reason there was a huge air pocket in the center which created a hole in the middle slices. Gotta love fresh local bread! It was so soft, fluffy, and delicious.)

So you see, bacon does not have to be the thing that keeps you from living a compassionate life. If you are having a difficult time we suggest slowly transitioning by giving Fakin' Bacon and other meatless but meatlike products a try.  


This stuff is so magnificent you'll crave it. When someone says the words "Fakin' Bacon" in your presence your eyes will widen and you'll be trying to calculate the distance to your nearest local vegan market or Whole Foods just so you can get some in your mouth as soon as possible. In a way I suppose it does exactly what bacon does to people... so there you go bacon lovers- make the switch- this TLT is for you!

With peace, love, and compassion-

The Two Vegan Ladies