A recent trip to San Luis Obispo opened my eyes to a side of California new to me - that being a smaller "city" and sprawling surrounding area with a more laid-back coastal(ish) feel. Granted, I've been mainly exposed to the greater LA area, with a little San Diego and San Francisco thrown in - and I love each of these places for varying reasons -A recent trip to San Luis Obispo brought me to a part of California I'd never been to before, and what an introduction it was. What a beautiful area - the rocky, crisp and dune-lined Pacific coast with small beachy communities dotting the land nearby (like Avila Beach, where we stayed and Peter worked), the rolling green and farm-filled landscape leading inland to the heart of SLO (aptly named and abbreviated, given the laid-backness of the tea), and of course, SLO itself - a sweet, small city full of inviting shops and eateries of all kinds.A few of our stops along the way are what I'd consider must-dos/sees, so read on for recommendations:StayWe stayed in Avila Beach at the Avila Village Inn, since the class Peter taught was held practically next door. While picking a hotel directly in SLO would certainly have it's benefits (the biggest being walking proximity to what the city of SLO has to offer), Avila Beach is only a 10 minute drive away and this Inn had plenty of perks. It's a modern, Mission-style small hotel - beautiful, clean and inviting - and the staff were all very friendly and helpful. Every room has a gas fireplace and outdoor hottub on a deck... need I say more? And there's a health club right next door with workout facilities, fitness classes, outdoor tennis courts and two outdoor pools that you can use for free when staying at the Inn. Highly recommend! There are a number of other hotels/inns in the Avila Beach area with hot springs and/or hot tubs; it's a really quaint area to stay if you don't need to be directly in SLO.DO/SEESLO Farmer's Market. Not surprisingly, there are farmers markets to be found in the SLO area pretty much every day of the week. But the main event is held Thursday afternoons and evenings on Higuera (main street through the city), and it is well work a visit! Higuera becomes pedestrian-only, and completely lined with vendors ranging from farm stands selling gorgeous produce to crafts and clothes; local restaurants also have food tents, and every few blocks you'll encounter another live music or other kind of performance. It's a bustling event with too many good things to take in at once! We sampled fruit from a few vendors - there are many samples to be had as you make your way up and down the market - and had some Thai iced tea (a personal favorite) with coconut milk. Delicious.Hike! (and use hikespeak.com). Hikespeak.com is an awesome resource for hiking and outdoor exploration all over California. Route recommendations come with specific locations and directions, as well as fairly detailed play-by-plays of the hikes - including photos - so you really know what to expect. Even if you want to just explore without a set map, I think the info on this site is really helpful even for just starting places from which you can then take off any which way you choose. I found the site's page for the greater SLO area, and one recommended jaunt we checked out was the Dune Trail to Hazard Canyon Reef in Montana de Oro State Park. It's a quick mile that takes you through some hilly and sandy dunes (actually - the true trail is pretty level, I think - but we detoured and took a slightly longer route that had steeper climbs) and you end up right on the shoreline where there are beautiful rock formations and tide pools jutting out from the beach, with waves crashing all around. Pretty spectacular!Bob Jones city-to-sea trail. This is a well-paved, well-marked trail in Avila Beach (it actually runs right behind the Avila Village Inn, making for extremely convenient access if you stay there!) that leads from slightly inland to the beach. Run, walk, bike, roller skate - you'll find folks doing any of the above and then some on this nice, easy and pretty trail. More info can be found here.EAT/DRINKThe short version: there's an abundance of amazing things to eat and drink in SLO. There's an across-the-board emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, and many restaurants and cafes take advantage of the nice climate of SLO by offering outdoor seating - made comfortable year-round by many places even when temps are chilly with the addition of heatlamps.Linnaea's Cafe. A sweet little cafe in the heart of SLO, Linnaea's specializes in coffees and teas as well as baked treats and a few other food items. We parked ourselves there one morning for some breakfast, caffeine and a few hours of work on our laptops. The wifi is free, the coffee is strong and the food hits the spot. We modified a breakfast burrito that was on the menu to be vegan - omitted eggs, cheese, sour cream - and it was just right. I'm also a sucker for vegan bakery items - easily enticed at least, but not so much the easy critic. The lime blueberry muffin was pretty fantastic - hit the balance of light-yet-buttery; the gluten-free/vegan chocolate chip cookies were above average, but a bit on the dry side.Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates. This SLO chocolate shop was hands down one of the best I've ever been to. Organic, fair trade, local and across-the-board decadant chocolates of all kinds. Not to mention the fact that a huge amount of their selection is vegan! Including caramels, which is not commonly found in vegan form. Best of all is the dark chocolate "SLOchew" - made with dark 70% chocolate, rich vegan caramel, crunchy rice crispies and organic cashews. Amazing. Their website includes an online store, so if you feel like indulging...Eureka! Burger. This lively restaurant and bar in SLO (with other locations in CA and elsewhere in pacific nw) has lots to offer - simply put, good, fresh food and massive beer AND whiskey selections. There was a short wait for a table the night we went, so we headed to the bar area to wait - had a really good beer (New Belgium's Lips of Faith Linday's S'more Porter). We had the tempura green lake green beans (enjoyable - the beans were really tasty, though the light batter didn't have a ton of flavor), san joaquin veggie burger (really tasty, and the zucchini pickles add a nice touch; there is egg in the burger patty, but no dairy) and watermelon salad (also delicious). In lieu of dessert, we opted for a whiskey tasting - yes they offer flights of whiskey! - which was fun in its novelty, and for the chance to sample several different whiskeys. Our server sent over another staff member who purportedly knew a decent amount about whiskey - but that didn't really turn out to be the case, based on descriptions given and what we actually then tasted. One or two were decent, but nothing was particularly striking. For proper recommendations or guidance, I'd recommend walking over to the bar and seeing if the actual bartender may be able to help more effectively.Novo. Went to this charming restaurant at the recommendation of good friends, and had a wonderful experience. Thanks to numerous heat lamps, there's outdoor creekside seating on a pretty large deck-like area behind the restaurant - it was a crisp night when we went, but the warmth from the heaters more than dissipated the chill in the air. And we tend to take advance of eating outside whenever possible and convenient. The tofu lettuce cups were a particularly memorable dish well worth getting!Bliss Cafe. This all-vegan cafe is open for lunch and dinner, and we sat outside amidst falling leaves for a delicious lunch. We shared a sandwich with tempeh, avocado and other veggies as well as chili dogs - which really were vegan hot dogs covered in a sort of warm black bean salsa - not exactly what I'd call "chili", but really tasty regardless. They have a great and varied menu, including raw items (desserts too) and juices and smoothies. I wish every town had a place like this.Luna Red. Broad, fresh tapas menu with a great beer list and plentiful outdoor seating (with strong heatlamps - and also an outdoor seating area around a sort of gas fire pit as well as an outdoor bar).Shell Beach Brewhouse. We checked out this very recently opened tap house and restaurant at the recommendation of a local; it's a pretty snazzy joint, especially for a tiny slip of a beach community in between Avila and Pismo. We waited almost an hour in the crowded bar for a table, fortunately having the good luck and position of being able to snag two barstools. There are . Once seated, we were excited to soon discover that the food exceeded expectations. Had the house-made ono kettle chips, garlic and truffle style (an addictive pile of garlicky and truffley heaven), the aloha ahi poke with butter leaf lettuce cups (if you like tuna, this should be ordered), and a modified brewhouse standard burger (sub in black bean burger - which I think had egg in it - and nixed the cheese, bacon and sauce) which was decently good. This place certainly has above average, modern pub fare and a quality beer selection. While it's a little off the beaten path, being that it isn't in SLO or another more commonly known town or city, it's worth a drink/meal - especially if you're staying in nearby Avila or Pismo Beach.SLO Brewing Company. It isn't always a guarantee that a city's eponymous brewery will deliver on the promise of great beer - but this one truly does. Especially if you love IPAs... one is on nitro, which mellows some of the typical IPA bitterness and makes for a more velvety beer. Equally as good, though for different reasons, as the regular IPA. The oatmeal stout was also quite memorable. We sat at the bar, and had a very friendly bartender who was extremely generous with sample pours - always a huge bonus when at a brewery with so many good things to try! I can see why this place seems to be across-the-board highly reviewed.
Loving Lovin' Spoonfuls Vegan Restaurant in Tucson, AZ
Found more deliciousness in Tucson last weekend at the cozy & casual Lovin' Spoonfuls!
This restaurant focuses on making the comfort food you love, except healthier and 100% vegan.When we stumble upon restaurants like this, we tend to over-order - and why not, right? We started out with the "beer battered brat bites" and also had a bottle of the Pircas Negras Malbec (organic Chilean) wine... at $18, it was kind of hard to resist and was a pretty decent bottle at that. The service was great, and another bonus was the small green salad that came with the entrees we ordered - atypical of an order-at-the-counter restaurant. The salad was simple and good, with a very delicious homemade sesame-dijon dressing.
We had the "('beef') stroganoff supreme" and the "old country lasagne," both of which were fantastic. I asked about the "ricotta" in the lasagne - turns out it's made in-house with a firm tofu base. Could have fooled me! I need to try and make that myself.
Stuffed as we were by meal's end, the dessert options were too enticing to overlook - so... naturally... we got a piece of the chocolate fudge cake and the chocolate chip cake to go which shockingly lasted us 2 days. Both were so good... I am really hoping to get my hands on the recipes!
{Mini-Soapbox Moment: Honestly... the more vegan things I try, like cakes for example (using that as an example since vegan baking seems to get a harsher rap than cooking) - be it from a proper bakery/restaurant, my kitchen, or an adept friend - the more I am completely convinced that eggs/dairy milk/butter are so nonessential to making creations that are absolutely incredible (as good as if not better than a non-vegan counterpart) both in the flavor and texture departments. So why not, right?? Even for us predominantly but not quite 100% plant-based eaters, when there are easy ways to replace typically-used animal products - and at no sacrifice to flavor or texture - it feels like a no-brainer to do it!}Even if you're not in the Tucson area, I recommend taking a look through Lovin' Spoonfuls' website - at the menu (perhaps for inspiration in your own kitchen!), at the "My Story" section (owner Peg Raisglid details her interesting journey from chemist to restaurateur, omnivore to vegan), and at the "Veggie Info" section (here you'll find well-researched/sourced information on the nutritional quality of a plant-based diet).
Cafe Desta: Ethiopian Restaurant in Tucson, AZ
We are in Tucson, and it's my first time here (for that matter, it's my first time anywhere south of Phoenix in AZ). I spent some time researching local food before we arrived, and one place I stellar review after stellar review about was Cafe Desta, an Ethiopian restaurant. We went there tonight, and it was phenomenal. SO good that I couldn't wait to write about it (and real-time-ish posts are a rarity around here!).It's a simple but cute little place (check out an interior photo on their website) in what doesn't seem to be a tremendous a neighborhood (though it was dark when we arrived and since I don't know this city, it isn't really fair of me to judge... so take it as an observation with a grain of salt!).
That's the plate we shared. There's a menu option to share 5 of the vegan dishes, so we had misr, kik, kosta, azifa and one other that is not currently listed on their online menu - and it also happened to be the most exceptional of the 5, though all were so delicious. An incredible combination of various lentils, peas, spinach, and aromatic herbs and spices on fresh, light and spongy injera to soak up every bit... yum. Apparently there's something in/about that particular dish - the one I can't remember the name for - that has what sounds like an Ethiopian-equivalent of "umami" - some indescribable yet delectable flavor that elevates it to another level and makes you crave it the more you eat it.Even the salad was superb - it had lemon, salt and pepper on it (and maybe a whisper of vinegar or oil?) - and was just so crisp, fresh and refreshing. You know a restaurant is doing something right when chopped lettuce and tomato even has a "wow" factor!I should have taken an "after" photo - there were a few scraps of injera left on the plate and that was it.The food was such a great balance between simple and complex. The ingredients are clearly all very fresh and expertly prepared with care; you can really taste every ingredient - be it lentil, pea, spinach, or a spice; there is a wonderful depth and uniqueness of flavor in each dish; yet, talk about simple ingredients and preparation - beans/veggies and spices (not to diminish from the unique blends used in Ethiopian cooking) is what it comes down to, and so much flavor is coaxed out in each dish.
The restaurant also makes, jars and sells "Awaze" - a fermented chili paste blended with an array of spices - that is a base in many of their dishes. We were cautioned against its heat, and told it's especially good with breakfast food, particularly hash browns. At $4.99 for 7 oz, we couldn't resist buying a jar! Can't wait to try cooking with it.Everyone we encountered working there - I think 2 of whom were owners - were lovely and genuine. I can't recommend this place enough for anyone and everyone! We may just have to make a return trip ourselves before leaving town...
More from Minneapolis
It's easy see the appeal of living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. There's a great mix of urban, suburban and rural living, all in relatively close proximity, so you can get the best of all 3 worlds. There are beautiful parks and places to hike and run, the city area is very walkable, and there are tons of great food and shopping options everywhere you turn. The perfectly quintessential fall weather was the icing on the cake of being there last week/weekend, making it an ideal time to explore and be introduced to that part of the country!Here are some of our highlights:
- Farmers markets pop up in the city and surrounding areas frequently and are well worth checking out (read more here).
- The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a wonderful (and free!) way to spend some time in a beautiful part of the city. It is a park-like oasis amidst an otherwise urban area, great for perusing or sitting on a bench with a good book (I did both). You can't miss the Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture:
- I couldn't recommend Jerusalem's more. It's one of those restaurants that you happen upon when traveling and wish you had in your hometown as well. It's a cozy, homey, Middle Eastern place that is family owned and has been around for about 25 years. The owner was actually cooking the night we had dinner there - always a plus! The food was superb - lots of veggie options, fresh, simple, clean and delicious - all that good stuff. We shared a few things: stuffed grape leaves, a mixed veg plate and a veggie pita pizza (topped with falafel, tomato, olives and spinach). Which we both felt was one of the best pizzas we've ever had. And we couldn't resist sharing some baklava for dessert. Everything was completely homemade, and it tasted that way in the best way possible. And to top it off, the bill came to $24. A really great deal for a lot of wonderful food and fantastic service. The baklava was less than $2! Granted it was a relatively small piece (which is just fine for such decadence), but most restaurants would probably charge at least $5 for the same thing even if its of lesser quality. Some photos:
- We had lunch one day at Lotus Restaurant - another winner. Quick service, great vegetarian and vegan options, tasty food, and very reasonably priced - can't go wrong with any of that! Some photos:
- I'd read about French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, and a glance at the description and menu made it clearly worth a visit. It has been open since 1985, with a few outposts having opened more recently, and it clearly has not faltered in its mission to deliver delicious, organic, slow/whole foods. I love places like that - very fresh and farm-to-table, emphasizing good clean food, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. And with a cozy, casual atmosphere to boot. And who are we kidding... I'm clearly a sucker for vegan baked things, so that's really all I needed to hear! I stopped in the restaurant to get a coffee and pick up a few sweets to try out. I was envious of the diners in there though - all of the food looked amazing. I had a cafe miel - espresso with steamed coconut (!) milk, honey and cinnamon - and bought a few all vegan treats to taste later on and bring to our friends' house too. The short of it: the carrot cake was decent, though a little dry and had even too much frosting for me; the banana chocolate chip muffins were very dense but tasted good, though they could have done without the icing drizzle on top; the mini chocolate cupcakes were fantastic - very chocolatey, not overly sweet, and the frosting was crazy good (and there was a lot of it, but it was so good that it was a plus! Of course that's the one thing I neglected to photograph). Swear I did not eat all of that myself! :) Some photos:
On our way home from Minneapolis, we came across the French Meadow in the airport and picked up vegan ruben sandwiches to go for dinner - which were REALLY good - made of marinated tempeh on rye with a tofu spread and sauerkraut, and a pickle and particularly good salad greens on the side. French Meadow has something for everyone - they do prepare food with and without meat and dairy - but also have plenty of wonderful veg options that would appeal to vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike. - We also had dinner at Fuji Ya (the Minneapolis location) one night with a friend who lives locally, and it was easily some of the best sushi I've ever had. Not what you'd expect being so far from a coast! The fish was all incredible - the uni in particular - as was the sake. The three of us shared an incredible array of sushi, as well as some edamame and a dish of mixed pickled vegetables to start - that was something I haven't had at a sushi restaurant before, and it tasted as good as it looked! Love how colorful the dish was:
- Another night, Peter and I met a cousin of mine for dinner at King and I Thai. It lived up to its positive reputation; we loved everything we ordered. It was a wonderful evening of catching up with family I hadn't seen in years over great food!
Minneapolis: Nicollet Mall Farmers Market
Our travels continue, and this week brought us to Minneapolis. It's my first time here, and it feels like perfect timing to be introduced to this part of the country. The weather has been bright and crisp - truly quintessential fall - and this city has a nice balance of variety and options (of restaurants, bars, stores, activities, you name it) without being blaring or over-saturated. While walking to lunch yesterday, we came across the weekly Nicollet Mall farmers market just up the street from our hotel. A friend who lives here pointed out the other day how colors in general seem to appear a bit brighter this time of year, and that vibrancy certainly rang true looking at all of the beautiful seasonal produce. I snapped a few photos and walked away with a bag of tiny purple potatoes to bring home, as well as a few full sour NY Deli-style pickles - can't ever pass those up (pickle and/or olive farmers market stands are an elusive favorite!)!
5-Bean Brown Rice & Pumpkin Seeds with Tamari
As I wrote in my last post, preparing some of your own food when traveling and staying in hotels is good for both your health and your wallet if you have the means to do so (aka have use of some basic kitchen appliances wherever you are staying). Plus, when in a foreign country, it gives you more excuses to browse the sometimes curious and sometimes wonderful and new-to-you items found on their store shelves (...orrr maybe that's just me?). So, first came smashed avocado toast, and now here's another simple yet satisfying concoction: mixed beans with brown rice, pumpkin seeds and soy. It consists of literally just 4 readily-available ingredients, is 100% vegan and also gluten-free.Interestingly, on a gluten-related note, New Zealand seems to be very gluten-conscious and it's extremely common for restaurant menus to indicate GF (gluten-free) options. From the little bit I've heard, it seems that gluten allergies/intolerance is quite common here. I'm curious to do some more digging into that and why it is so.But anyway - back to the recipe! I boiled some medium grain brown rice (read more about the benefits of brown rice vs rice here), cooled it a bit in the fridge, and then mixed in a 14 oz can of a five-bean mixture (rinsed & drained), some pumpkin seeds and some low-sodium tamari. Back into the fridge it went in a ziplock baggie, and we ate it as part of dinner one night and I had it for breakfast as well. Yes - a grain/bean/seed/veggie (though there were obviously no vegetables in this recipe) combo makes for a really great and nutritionally optimal way to start the day!I didn't have any measuring utensils to use, so I just eyeballed everything and taste-tested to get the right amount of tamari. You can definitely use a different rice/grain and any bean(s) you prefer, and use soy instead of tamari - just know that soy sauce is not gluten-free.This recipe was inspired by a friend of ours back home who has been a vegan for years and serves as a go-to source of nutrition-related info for people in her life. One challenge people on a plant-based diet sometimes face is preparing some interesting, tasty and nutritious food at home that can be taken on the go and doesn't need to be refrigerated all day to prevent spoiling. She pointed out that mixing a few ingredients, like what's in this recipe, can be preserved in the fridge for a longer time and also withstand a day without refrigeration because the tamari and its sodium content acts as a preservative of sorts. So it's a great meal or snack to have with you when you're traveling/ out and about, or - if you make it when at home - keep it in a container in your refrigerator separate from veggies, and then chop and add vegetables in as you want to eat it to help preserve freshness.Final thought - did you know that pumpkin seeds have LOTS of healthy benefits? They are the most alkaline-forming seed, are high in good quality protein, are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, can be an anti-inflammatory agent, and much much more. High in fat, yes, but good-for-you fat.
Smashed Avocado Toast
We've been in New Zealand now for about two weeks, and it has been a wonderful adventure - with more still to come! It is a strikingly beautiful country along the coast and out in the countryside and I'm really excited to see more of that.We've had some really amazing meals, in the Auckland area and throughout our south island travels (more on all of that to come). But - when traveling for an extended period of time and being mainly at the mercy of dining out, the cost can start to add up - and NZ isn't cheap!Luckily, each hotel room we've stayed in has been equipped with a sink, basic cookware/dishes/utensils, 2-burner stove top, small fridge, toaster, electric kettle (one of my favorite appliances) and microwave/convection oven. So to be able to go to a local grocery store - which I happen to love doing in foreign countries anyway - and buy a few things to let us eat in for a few meals and snacks is a great cost-saving and healthy option.Exhibit A: Simple Smashed Avocado Toast (with some Mahala Red apple slices alongside)
It's as easy as can be to make this, and is great morning, noon or night. I need to also mention that New Zealand avocados are particularly delicious!!Recipe: Simple Smashed Avocado ToastEnough for a full meal for 2What You Need
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and scooped into a bowl
- 1-2 scallion stalks, sliced thinly
- pinch of salt and ground pepper to taste
- 2-3 small vine tomatoes (or equivalent amount of a different tomato), sliced thinly
- Good bread of choice
What You Do
- Mash up the avocado with a fork to a still-chunky consistency
- Add the scallions, salt and pepper to avocado and mix/mash a bit more with the fork to combine
- Toast your bread - we used a fresh baguette this time
- Top the slices of bread with a scoop or two of the avocado mash, lay a couple of tomato slices on top of the avocado (or place the tomatoes on the toast first - whichever you prefer) and eat up! You can also sprinkle some sliced scallion on top of your compiled toast, if you like. Note in the photo above, we forgot to put the tomato... oops... so I can testify that it's delicious without the tomato, but I do prefer it with.
Note: You can definitely spruce this recipe up with additional seasonings and veggies, but the idea here is to keep it basic and simple for easy and quick cooking a la hotel room. Though I can guarantee it'll be just as tasty as is in the comfort of home as well :)See my next post for more on cooking while traveling!
Blanco Taco & Tequila
If you're traveling through the Phoenix Airport, find yourself in Terminal 2 and are hungry - check out Blanco Tacos & Tequila, which opened about 8 weeks ago in the Gate A wing. There's a counter for faster to-go ordering, or a sit-in restaurant if you have more time to kill - and as far as airport dining goes, we were extremely impressed with Blanco. The minimalist, modern decor made for a nice atmosphere (again, especially for an airport!), the beer (love Pacifico on tap!) and food selection were great and the servers were fantastic.
We had a bit of time before our flight, so we sat at a proper table in the restaurant. Too often when explaining to a server that we want to order something meat and dairy-free, they either provide recommendations that still include animal-based items, or they and/or the kitchen don't pay attention to our request and we still find butter or cheese* on our plate. Not this time though - everyone working at Blanco that we encountered was extremely friendly and helpful - exceptionally so, really - in us finding some great things to eat. Unfortunately Blanco's guacamole has sour cream in it (which I realize isn't terribly uncommon in restaurants, but I still don't understand it - avocados are so creamy as is, who needs the sour cream added?! I assume it has to do with either preservation or cost, but even so..), so we were steered away from that and toward their REALLY good freshly made chips and some spicy salsa:
I ordered the mushroom tacos, which are dairy-free as is, and our waitress suggested a veggie burrito to Peter that the kitchen often makes for customers wishing to eat something vegetarian and substantial. As burritos typically come in a flour tortilla though, our waitress and the kitchen staff went out of their way enough to find out the ingredients of the flour tortillas - which happened to include dairy - and let us know before our meals came, so that we could both opt for the soft corn tacos instead. My mushroom tacos with shredded cabbage and beans were delicious, as was Peter's deconstructed veggie burrito (corn shells were wrapped in the paper on the side). Mushrooms, squash, peppers and more, and seasoned black beans, abound on both plates:
Contrary to what I've found many people to believe, Mexican cuisine is actually great for vegetarian and vegan eating. Not everything has to be smothered in cheese or gobs of sour cream (something I used to be guilty of doing!) - and particularly when good, fresh ingredients are used, you can better appreciate the vegetables, beans, spices, etc. when you don't have to dig them out from under a mountain of cheese. It's hard to go wrong with a plate or taco full of good veggies, beans and some rice, though we didn't have rice at Blanco. Clean eating when traveling is particularly helpful in keeping your body - energy, immunity, GI system, and all - feeling good, and airport food can make that tricky at times. Not so with Blanco!We almost always fly US Airways, we were both really enthused to discover this great eatery in our home airport (PHX) terminal - it's great to have a clean, tasty food option that will be convenient for future travels, either when we're rushed and need to grab something to go or have the time to sit in the restaurant (and take advantage of the great service at Blanco!).A very positive airport dining experience to start off our journey to New Zealand!*(Yes I do once in a while still eat cheese - I just choose not to for health reasons 98% of the time - but when I do have it, I want it to be really worth it... more on that in upcoming NZ food posts!)
Wheatgrass, Smoothies, Beer & Onion Rings in Scottsdale
Does this:
and this:
cancel out this??:
I'll answer that myself with a begrudging "no" :) But that's okay! I believe when you eat a clean diet of whole foods - especially plant-based - at least 90% of the time, it gives you a little wiggle room to indulge in some things that offer no health benefit whatsoever. Though maybe that's not entirely true... they aren't called "comfort" foods for nothing! And as long as that concept of a "comfort" food isn't abused, I believe there is truth in it. I also think that as your body becomes more and more used to eating clean, whole foods, you crave the bad stuff much less if at all.But - a little indulgence of something that just tastes good is good for the spirit once in a while too!To be fair though, I guess I can't exactly call this a "little" indulgence... maybe "little" on the scheme of things (and it was meat and dairy-free), but as evidenced in the photo this was a pretty large plate of huge onion rings! Too big to fully finish, unfortunately (or fortunately?).Let me backtrack for a second though to give some context. Peter and I are in the Phoenix area for the weekend, and conveniently there is a nice outdoor shopping center with a couple of decent food options across the street from our hotel in Scottsdale.The first two photos above were from Jamba Juice, which is always a welcome sight when traveling. As long as you stay away from the added-sugar-laden smoothies, you have many good options to choose from. We stopped in for a late lunch of sorts, starting with shots of wheatgrass - a wonderful detoxifier - and then shared two smoothies. We went for an Apples & Greens (now a new favorite) and an Acai Super-Antioxidant (minus the sherbert), both with an extra boost of soy protein. Refreshing and anti-oxidant-boosting on a warm and sunny Arizona afternoon!For dinner last night, we went to Nimbus Bistro & Brewery, which is conveniently right across the street from our hotel. We enjoyed decent veggie burgers, but started with a pint of the Old Monkeyshine Ale and Oatmeal Stout and the onion rings. Our mutual criticism is that a few of them were too heavily battered - to the point of doughiness - but they were all around pretty tasty. They inspired me to start thinking of how I could make a "lesser of two evils" - maybe even borderline "healthy" (or at least not unhealthy) version at home... so stay tuned for that in the next couple of weeks!
San Francisco Eating: The Plant
At the recommendation of good friend whose taste buds I trust, we decided to check out The Plant - known for its use of local and organic produce/ingredients - at Embarcadero in San Francisco for lunch one day. We arrived at a slightly odd hour between lunch and dinnertime, and were bummed to discover that the actual restaurant was closed - but luckily the related cafe right next door was open. This sample cafe menu is more robust than what we saw, but it didn't matter. It was a good place to catch up over good food with good friends!
We shared the BBQ tempeh panini (tempeh with chipotle barbeque sauce, roasted red onion and vegan aioli), which was served with a fresh side salad and deliciously vinegary pickled cucumber slices that you can tell are made in-house:
And the Plant burger, which is a veggie burger made from lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews and bulgar. Served on foccacia with roasted onion, lettuce, tomato and vegan aioli and plated along side a salad, herb-roasted fingerling potatoes and more pickled cucumber slices, it was a unique and very tasty veggie burger:
And, The Plant serves Blue Bottle coffee! Soy cappuccino with a foamy flower flourish = yum:
San Francisco Has Great Food.
...but I am sure that is not news to you. It isn't even "news" to me - I've been hearing and reading about the amazing food in San Francisco for years - I'm just feeling thrilled and grateful for having been able to finally experience it firsthand!This city did not disappoint. From restaurants to farmers markets, I've been spoiled with truly great eating and drinking the last few days. Details coming up next...
Vegetarian Chinese & Vietnamese Food in San Francisco
Asian cuisine in San Francisco is plentiful and impressive, both in its variety and quality. We lucked out with two great lunches that were vegan, inexpensive but generously portioned, authentic and mouth-wateringly tasty:Steamed vegetables, pan-seared veggie dumplings, steamed rice, veggie roll and wontons (huge plate all for $8.95!) - and good tea of course - at Lucky Creation in Chinatown:
Lucky Creation is a 100% vegetarian Chinese restaurant, and one I highly recommend. In addition to the straight up vegetable-based options I opted to order, they also have menu items that sound more typical of your average Chinese restaurant - but everything is bean curd or wheat gluten-based. Vegetable and rice noodle pho with bean sprouts, jalapeno and lemon on the side from Pho Vietnam in Nob Hill:
San Francisco!
Arrived in San Fran yesterday. Loving the beautiful city, good food and good coffee already. Any eatery or bar suggestions/recommendations???Climbed the Filbert Steps yesterday (may or may not have been workout for the day...) with friends. Here we are at the top - Golden Gate bridge a wisp in the background - gorgeous view from up there!:
Breakfast from NYC to AZ
December was a wonderful month and also tends to be pretty synonymous with good food - and 2011 was no exception. In particular were a series of delicious breakfasts, and I wish I'd captured more of them on camera - but here are the ones for which I do have photo evidence, in chronological order:
NYC: Huevos al horno (baked eggs, garbanzo stew, mustard greens, hazelnut romesco) at Tertulia. This was the first time I had garbanzos, one of my absolute favorite foods, in an egg dish - leaving me to wonder what took me so long?!
NYC: "The Farmstand" (poached eggs, pesto, grape tomatoes, brussel sprouts, peas, breadcrumbs, arugula, toast) at Tipsy Parson. Farm-fresh veggies with perfectly poached eggs - this was a simple yet extremely flavorful plate that immediately became a top all-time favorite. Need to recreate at home!
AZ: Homemade whole wheat (and dairy-free) pancakes (I stand by my belief that homemade anything is always the best - especially when it's made for you while you're working from home!). With real maple syrup and a cup of hot vanilla-fennel tea on the side, what better way could there be to start the day!
AZ: And finally, homemade whole wheat raspberry muffins (see next post for recipe!)