This Filipino Dessert Made With Purple Yam is the Next Big Foodie Trend – and It’s Vegan

After what felt like an eternity of the sun setting at 4 P.M. it’s finally spring — even though it might not feel like it, depending on where you live. Some of us are still waiting for the moment when it finally feels safe enough to hang up our winter jackets for good. And we hope that moment comes soon because it’s finally time for Smorgasburg, an outdoor food festival that takes place each weekend in Brooklyn, New York. We’ve missed it so.

Smorgasburg is not a vegan food festival, but there are always plenty of fun, innovative plant-based options for those who want it. Smorgasburg is where the Raindrop Cake, a clear jelly-like “cake” made from agar agar, first made a splash in the States. Not a Smorgasburg went by that curious foodies queued up for a taste of Darren Wong’s recreation of a Japanese dessert called the mizu shingen mochi. Smorgasburg is a place where foodie trends are made. Remember the cronut and the ramen burger? Smorgasburg made it happen. This year, we’re predicting that ot will be the summer of vegan halo halo, thanks to a new company called Ube Kitchen. What is halo halo, you ask?

Halo halo is a Filipino dessert consisting of a scoop of ube (purple yam) ice cream served with granola, fresh berries, mango, mung beans, tapioca pearls, granola, jackfruit, toasted coconut flakes, and sweet coconut milk sauce. 

But here’s where it gets exciting: for a dollar extra, Ube Kitchen will serve your halo halo with homemade vegan ube ice cream. We can’t stop staring at this photo.

…And for another dollar, you can go waste-free and get your halo halo in a dragon fruit bowl.

Founders of Ube Kitchen and husbands Vanz and Nick, describe their company as something “for those that want fun with unexpected flavors and colors who also want energy from whole plant food.” That’s what we’re talking about!

We are beyond excited that vegan halo halo (that we don’t have to make ourselves!) is finally a thing (believe us, we’ve been waiting for a long time). Not only that, we’re also pretty pumped about the other options on their menu, like juice pulp crackers (cheers to cutting down on food waste!), chia bowls topped with jackfruit and tropical fruit and vegan versions of musubi, a type of Hawaiian sushi that’s typically topped with Spam. We also can’t wait to get some of that.

Smorgasburg may offer a lot of meat and dairy options (and weird new creations like the spaghetti doughnut), but there’s no denying that there’s been a rise in delicious plant-based options in recent years — and that goes for everywhere, not just this food festival. Even if you don’t live near Smorgasburg, you can still get a taste of trendy vegan eats by downloading the Food Monster App (available for both iPhone and Android). With over 8,000 vegan recipes (including veganized versions of international cuisines), there’s something for everyone.

P.S. If Smorgasburg’s return isn’t enough to get you excited, all of this summer’s events will be “zero waste.” Reported by Gothamist, co-founder Eric Demby said that this summer’s events will be “zero waste,” meaning that plastic bottles and cans are banned from being sold and all utensils and dishes will be compostable. Gotta love that!

To learn more about Ube Kitchen, visit their official website. For a run-down on who’s going to be at Smorgasburg, click here.

And if you’re looking for more delicious vegan food, check out the Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone. With over 8,000 vegan recipes (and over 10 new recipes added daily), you’re going to find something you love!

Lead image source: Ube Kitchen/Facebook