Exhibitor Spotlight: Heidi Ho Organics

Posted by Jess Sconé in Competiton 2011, DIY, Exhibitor      Comments Off

Jul
8

Did you know that Portland is home to a vegan cheese company? OK, it’s not that surprising in the vegan mecca, but it was missing! Heidi Ho Organics has made quite a name for itself since they debuted in 2010. You can find Heidi Ho’s hazelnut-based non-dairy cheeses at Food Fight!, People’s Co-op, various farmers markets, Jazzkat’s Coffee Bar, and as mentioned below, coming soon to Whole Foods.

Get to know Heidi herself, aka Heidi K. Lovig, in her interview:

What’s the story behind your business name? Growing up, people called me Heidi Ho and would often sing the Cab Calloway song to me. When it came time to name our company it felt like a catchy name.

What’s your favorite recipe to make with your product?

Chipotle Cheddar stuffed Chili Relleños

• What you will need:
• 4 Anaheim chilies
• 8 oz   Vegan cream cheese
• 1 c        Onion, small diced
• 2 T       Garlic, minced
• 1 c        Chipotle Cheddar, shredded
• ½ c      Breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp     Chili Powder
• 1 tsp     Cumin
• 1 tsp     Sea Salt

1. Place fresh chilies on foil 3 inches under the broiler
2. Turn until skin is blistered on all sides of all four chilies
3. Allow to cool and peel off skins
4. Cut a slit down the pepper to remove stems, seeds, and veins
5. Turn oven to 350°
6. Sautée onion and garlic together; allow to cool
7. Mix sautéed onion and garlic with vegan cream cheese
8. Add breadcrumbs, cumin, chili powder, and salt
9. Add Heidi Ho Organics Vegan Chipotle Cheddar
10. Fill Chilies with mixture
11. It is OK if the chilies are stuffed full and can’t close
12. Place chilies on a lightly greased cookie sheet
13. Bake for 20-30 minutes–they should be sizzling hot!
14. Serve with black beans and Spanish-style rice!

*To make this recipe Gluten-Free: Replace the breadcrumbs with ½ cup of brown rice*

Where’s your favorite vegan brunch in town? We are partial to a good brunch at Paradox

Which competitor is your money on? Morgan Grundstein-Helvey

What type of business is the Portland vegan community missing? I wish Portland had a vegan fondue restaurant (Vegan Iron Chef note: That is an amazing concept. We hope that’s a hint!)

What’s in store for your company? Any new products or events? We have just received our first orders from the four main Whole Foods in Portland and will be filling those orders this week, which is exciting. We are looking to find a larger production and manufacturing facility that we are able to grow into. I just recently finalized the recipe for my Vegan Ricotta; it is hazelnut based and also contains soy. It will be a while until its release. We are also contemplating releasing an entirely plant-based nacho cheeze sauce. Then maybe we can bring on-demand nachos back to Food Fight!