Miss Rachel's Pantry

So, I'm sending Twitter messages back and forth one day with Rachel Klein of the blog Miss Rachel's Pantry, and she says, "Hey, I have a little extra food left over today. How about I drop some off for you?"

Why does Miss Rachel have extra food? Because she's cooks up batches of vegan food that is sold locally at Green Aisle in South Philly, and at Greensgrow's Saturday farmer's market in Fishtown. Miss Rachel is also a personal chef, offering in-home vegan cooking or meal delivery. She caters special events, and has holiday meal packages, too, like the over 50 vegan Thanksgiving dinners she recently prepared!

Miss Rachel dropped off for me baked beans, collards, and mashed potatoes. It was like she knew all my favorite foods!

The skin-on, mashed red potatoes are home-style chunky, and lightly seasoned with garlic and truffle oil, letting the potatoes really shine through.

And, this Southern girl gives a huge thumbs up to Miss Rachel's tenderly cooked collards with just a hint of spice and sweetness. Studded with a few bits of sweet potato, I think I'm going to steal that trick the next time I make collards.

Man, oh man! Those slow baked beans in thick, sweet, tomato-based sauce with caramelized onions are a religious experience. These are not canned baked beans! As I went to wash off my plate before opening the dishwasher, I licked my plate instead of turning on the water. Yep, I licked my plate, that's how good Miss Rachel's baked beans are!

Miss Rachel is your girl, if you've ever wished to come home to a healthy, home-cooked vegan meal, or have someone else prepare a full vegan spread for an upcoming party. Miss Rachel even caters to bands on tour, so what ever you need, she can probably do it.

Check out Miss Rachel's site for details on meals and catering. And, for a quick fix, duck into Green Aisle for Miss Rachel's soups, or Greensgrow on Saturdays for Miss Rachel's sandwiches, casseroles and other sides.