• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Vegging Out

    Eat the rainbow (without unicorns): Color Me Vegan is an indispensable guide toa healthy diet

    Joel Luks
    Oct 16, 2011 | 3:49 pm
    Eat the rainbow (without unicorns): Color Me Vegan is an indispensable guide toa healthy diet
    play icon

    Who hasn't heard the hackneyed phrase, "eat the rainbow"?

    It's nutritionists' attempt at encouraging people to go beyond the cremes, beiges and browns of unremarkable animal flesh and encourage the consumption of foods that visually make people smile, rather than edibles that demand the unfastening of the belt to accommodate an expanding bacon-double-cheeseburger (fries with that?) muffin-top belly.

    "Eat the rainbow" sounds a little like an idiomatic expression that belongs to the land of unicorns, banana kings, sparkling amulets and a bong. Though the recommendation means well, with an ever-increasing fountain of ridiculous nutritional information in the public realm, it is necessary to have some solid ground to promote its message.

    Or else, we end up confused. Very confused.

    "The biggest misconception about vegan food is that it is somehow special food or different, unfamiliar food. I mean, it 'is' special in that whole-food based vegan dishes are healthful and nutrient-dense and kind to the animals and the environment."

    As recently as yesterday, I overheard someone advise against apples because of their carb and sugar content. Really? Am I living in land of magic bridges of hope and wonder leading to Candy Mountain?

    Eat the rainbow (without unicorns)

    An answer to the colorful-rich sustenance conundrum is Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's Color Me Vegan, a cookbook organized in eight chapters that works through the complete hue spectrum — red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, white/tan, black/brown and of course, the rainbow. She provides an array of delicious, easy recipes that gets to the core healthy, sensible eating.

    "Most people eat enough veggies from the yellow and red groups, between the familiar veggies of corn and tomatoes, as well as favorite fruits such as bananas and strawberries," Patrick-Goudreau aka the Compassionate Cook, said in an email interview.

    "These tend to be non-threatening foods that don't require a lot of imagination to see how we can increase them in our diet. The most difficult colors to create recipes for were probably those in the white/tan category just in terms of making the recipes nutrient-dense, but you'll definitely find that in my Winter White Soup (made with parsnips and white beans) or my Banana Oat Date Cookies."

    Color Me Vegan breaks it down so meals can maximize the intake of lycopene and betzcyanins in red foods; beta-carotene in oranges and carrots, lutein in mangos, lemons and yellow bell peppers; chlorophyll in kale and broccoli, anthocyanins (antioxidants) in blueberries and purple cabbage; fiber and allicin in white beans, parsnip and garlic; and selenium in mushrooms.

    Each section contains elements of a complete meal beginning with starters and salads, soups and stews, main entrees, sides and desserts, all while keeping it vegan.

    "The biggest misconception about vegan food is that it is somehow special food or different, unfamiliar food. I mean, it 'is' special in that whole-food based vegan dishes are healthful and nutrient-dense and kind to the animals and the environment.

    "But on the other hand, it's food we're already familiar with and food we already love. When we talk about 'vegan food,' we're talking about vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts, mushrooms, grains, herbs and spices. And yes, it's also bread and chocolate. Even when we talk about 'vegan' baked goods, we're talking about flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract and cocoa."

    No animals were harmed in the writing of Color Me Vegan.

    Her arguments is simply this: Phytochemicals, phytonutrients (phyto means plants), fiber and antioxidants originate from plants. If they happen to be found in animals, its because they consumed those plants. So why go through a intermediately when you can go to the source?

    That just makes sense. But the government's convoluted message, not so much.

    Re-learning to eat

    The food pyramid — which since its introduction 20 years ago has resulted in 27 percent of young adults being too overweight to meet the requirements for military service — was replaced by MyPlate in June. The new food icon and nutritional guide as endorsed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests that one-half of a plate should be allocated to fruits and vegetables, an improvement over the previous guide.

    But the government entity's subsidies tells a different story with 60 percent of agricultural handouts benefiting the meat and dairy industry (big surprise) while only one percent have been earmarked for fruits and vegetables.

    It gets juicier and artificially more flavorful. Directly or indirectly, $16.9 billion in subsidies for corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soy oils (processed as hydrogenated oils) have ended up as junk food additives since 1995.

    A new study titled Apples to Twinkies: Comparing Federal Subsidies of Fresh Produce and Junk Food uncovers such a apocalyptic disparity and when taking into account that apples — the only significant federal contribution to fruits and vegetable — received only $262 million, the numbers would equate to 11 Twinkies and less that one quarter of a Red Delicious apple per person (18,952,632 Twinkies to 216,363 apples) for Houston.

    Why are we then trusting the government with food, nutritional or health guidelines?

    The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has put out their own — and may I say less politically skewed — Power Plate consisting of a quarter each fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables. That means there is no need for animal-derived protein.

    Making it pretty and colorful

    To make such a plate a feast for the eyes and the tongue, Color Me Vegan is now a permanent companion in my culinary adventures. The cookery book has helped me overcome difficulties in achieving my own nutritional goals, including experimenting with food colors that for most, are quite daunting.

    "Green is definitely high on the list of food color groups that Americans have trouble consuming and don't consume enough of," Patrick-Goudreau explained. "And I think the biggest reason for this is that most people grew up eating green vegetables that were covered in cream sauces and butter and fat and were never able to really appreciate the flavors of such veggies as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale and asparagus.

    "When we remove all the animal fat from our palates, our palates become sensitive to the true flavor and vegetables and we recognize that it doesn't take much to appreciate them — a little olive oil, a little garlic, a little salt and that's all you need."

    Brought to you by the color purple, this recipe is inspired by Color Me Vegan's Blackberry Breakfast Bars.

    Blueberry Oat Flax Bars inspired by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's Color Me Vegan

    Filling

    • 2 cups fresh blueberries
    • 1 tablespoon of agave nectar
    • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • Juice of half a lemon

    Crust

    • 1/2 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance), melted
    • 1 cup quick oats
    • 1 cup whole wheat flour
    • 2/3 cups brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

    Cook the blueberries in a heavy sauce pan with lemon and agave nectar. When the mixture boils, add in the cornstarch dissolved in a little bit of water. Simmer for 5-8 minutes and set aside to cool.

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the crust ingredients and divide in two. Use half of the mixture and press firmly at the bottom of 8 x 8 inch pan (or one of similar dimensions). Bake for 20 minutes.

    Spread the blueberries on top. Use the second half of the crust mixture to top, packing gently down to create a firm top layer. Bake for another 20 minutes.

    Let cool completely before cutting into desired shapes, otherwise, they will fall apart. Enjoy by themselves or with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. There's plenty of vegan choices out there.

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    Intimate Houston cocktail lounge adds European-inspired outdoor patio

    Innovative Houston chef is the city's newest James Beard Award winner

    Award-winning Houston cocktail bar diverts to new home in Montrose

    With or Without Whiz

    Houston burger mastermind fires up new pop-up devoted to Philly cheesesteaks

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 19, 2025 | 4:35 pm
    Bas's Cheesesteaks Abbas Dhanani
    Photo by Michael Ma
    Abbas Dhanani is serving up cheesesteaks at his new pop-up.

    Abbas Dhanani is at it again. The food influencer-turned-restaurateur behind the CultureMap Tastemaker Award-winning smash burger concept Burger Bodega is firing up a new pop-up concept devoted to another iconic sandwich.

    Called Bas’s Cheesesteaks, the new concept will Dhanani’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with sliced ribeye and white cheese on a seeded hoagie roll — onions and a spicy sauce are optional. A second version swaps the white cheese for Cheez Whiz. Like Burger Bodega, Dhanani is using halal beef for his cheesesteaks.

    Bas's Cheesesteaks cheesesteak sandwichThe cheesesteak is served on a seeded hoagie roll.Photo by Michael Ma

    “We have experimented with cheesesteaks as specials on the menu at Burger Bodega and received amazing feedback,” Dhanani said in a statement. “However, the cheesesteaks at Bas’s are the most refined versions we have done so far. I am excited to bring authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Houston as a new flavor experience while continuing to build on the energy and community we have created at Burger Bodega. This is a huge passion project for me, and I plan to take it step by step, just like Burger Bodega."

    As Dhanani notes, he introduced Burger Bodega with a series of pop-ups throughout Houston. To answer the obvious question, of course a restaurant could be in the cards for Bas’s, too.

    “I think thats the goal of any new pop-up concept,” Dhanani tells CultureMap. “Like Burger Bodega, we want to take it one step at a time and see where it goes.”

    Bas’s Cheesesteaks will have its first pop-up on Monday, June 30 at Burger Bodega’s location (4520 Washington Avenue). In addition to the two cheesesteaks, diners can get fries. Future pop-ups will be announced via Instagram.

    As for Burger Bodega’s second location in Katy, Dhanani says it’s still working through securing the necessary permits to begin construction.

    news-you-can-eatopeningsbas's cheesesteaks
    news/restaurants-bars
    Loading...