The Friendly Veg

Sesame Chik'n Fingers

2011-02-06T22:14:00.095-05:00

A vegan take on another game day snack- chicken fingers. Statistics show that 90 to 100 million pounds of chicken are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday alone. Sounds pretty insane to me, especially since you can find more humane and equally addictive snack options.

Now this isn't the healthiest snack I've ever made, but I'll make the exception for Game Day- if you can't beat 'em, join 'em with something vegetarian. For these "chik'n fingers," I sliced some Gardein filets into strips, and since I rang in Chinese New Year with takeout, I decided to season my chik'n batter with Asian elements like sesame seeds, ginger, and garlic- you could also choose to add some five spice powder, ground star anise, or chili powder if you like! I tried both baking and frying the chik'n fingers to see which I liked more, and actually, I preferred the fried chik'n fingers- the spices in the batter came through more than with the baked ones.

Dare I make the pun, but if you're going head to head with some omnis at your Super Bowl party, you'd better make these part of your play book.

Oh yes, and let's go Packers!

The Whats:

* 1 pkg. Gardein chik'n filets (about 3 filets), sliced
* equivalent of 2 eggs (I used Ener-E)
* 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
* 1/4 cup unbleached flour
* 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
* 1 tsp. ginger
* 1 tsp. garlic powder
* hefty pinch of ground black pepper
* canola oil, for frying

The Hows:

1) In a small mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. In another small mixing bowl, mix together Ener-E or other egg replacement. In a medium saucepan, heat canola oil over high heat until it reaches frying temperature- I used the wooden spoon test to check. (stick the end of a wooden spoon in the hot oil, and if bubbles form around the end of the spoon, the oil is hot enough)

2) Dip Gardein slices in egg replacer until coated; dip into mixed dry ingredients until coated. Add each slice to the pan; fry for about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan and let drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Vegan Game Day Layer Dip

2011-02-03T23:12:00.062-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday is coming up. What are you making?

A healthier version of ANY traditional Game Day snack is a good start. But since I couldn't choose between all the types of dips involved, I figured a layer dip was the indecisive person's way out.

Besides, who doesn't love all the flavors in a layer dip?

I went for a rainbow layered look: a red salsa layer, the orange cheese layer, the, well, clearly not yellow refried bean layer, a green guacamole layer, a blue layer of crushed blue corn tortilla chips, and the equally not violet seasoned black bean layer. I had nothing in my kitchen that was naturally (I stress naturally, of course) purple or yellow, though a great yellow layer could be chopped yellow squash with yellow bell peppers, with some low-sodium jerk seasoning. I also opted out of putting a layer of vegan sour cream on top, but you can feel free to do so with yours. The proportions in the recipe will depend on the size of the container you're using to hold the dip, along with the amount of people you're trying to feed- again, feel free to upgrade as needed.

The colors and the variety makes for a great presentation- your omni pals might not abandon their hot wings, but they'll sure clamor for this tasty, eye-catching dip!

The Whats:

* 3/4 to 1 cup of fresh salsa
* 3/4 to 1 cup cheddar Daiya vegan cheese
* 1 cup refried pinto beans
* 1 cup fresh guacamole
* 3/4 cup crushed low-sodium blue corn tortilla chips
* 1 cup refried black beans, or 1 can black beans, drained, seasoned with lime juice and cilantro

The Hows:

1) Prepare refried black beans and refried pinto beans as directed. While beans are still hot, spread evenly at the bottom of a large, clear glass bowl. Spread an even layer of crushed tortilla chips over black beans; evenly spread guacamole over tortilla chips; repeat with warm refried beans, Daiya layer, and then fresh salsa layer. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds if cheese needs to melt more. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Showin Love to Hodo Soy Beanery

2011-02-02T10:04:00.027-05:00

Maybe it's a sign that I need to go back to the Bay Area, but in the course of one night, I just watched two different videos on the Hodo Soy Beanery, an artisanal tofu factory in Oakland that uses special, organic soy beans to make their high quality tofu, yuba, and soymilk.

Unfortunately for us, in order to maintain the freshness, they do not ship to New York (and also unfortunate, they don't ship their nifty "Who's your soy master?" t-shirts either!). I could, however, comfort myself with this sad fact by watching these videos all about Hodo, which include footage of their factory tour.

Check out the Hodo videos on Chow and on Food Curated, a great (though not a vegetarian or vegan) site that gives you behind the scenes glimpses at small producers and how they're impacting the food scene.

It's February!

2011-02-01T22:55:00.030-05:00

For as much as I moan & groan about how much I hate snow, I actually really like the month of February. Though certainly not because of the weather.

Selfishly speaking, it's my birthday month, and it means I get to plan a fun weekend where I have an excuse to drink through most of it! :) I've got a lot of pals who are February babies too, so there's always people to see and places to go every other weekend of the month. Anyone have any great cake recipes?

But outside of cocktails and (shivering in) cocktail dresses, there's always a lot going on food-wise in February that generates lots of possible blog material. There's the Super Bowl, and the healthy takes on typical greasy Game Day snacks. There's Chinese New Year- dumplings are good luck, and even better luck for me that I get to eat them. Lots of them. The Oscars usually fall in February, and catering an Oscar party is just as exciting as betting on who will be taking home awards. And love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is as good a reason as any to experiment with some chocolate recipes, or at the very least, indulge in a couple chocolate martinis while cursing Cupid.

Cheers to an event-packed month! Is there anything that you look forward to in February?

Vegan Pizza Day: Sweet Chili Bok Choy Pizza

2011-01-31T13:06:00.071-05:00

Anyone a fan of gettin' popped in the mouth by their pizza?

By that, I of course mean putting red pepper flakes on pizza, hands down my favorite condiment for pizza of any kind. Cheese, sauce, and carbs are great, but they really need a little punching up!

So goes the inspiration for my second pizza for Vegan Pizza Day on January 29th. I had another ball of whole grain dough, and with the idea of using an unconventional spicy "sauce" for the pizza and topping it with greens, I made up a Thai-style bok choy pizza.

I initially par-cooked the bok choy with garlic and sesame oil for some added flavor, but after I baked the pie, I realized the veggies would've been much crunchier if I had just piled them on raw- the oil and sauce softened them up too much, and I could've done without the extra oil anyway. Outside of that, this was fun to make AND eat- think of it as being able to combine your fave Thai takeout with your fave pizza delivery! I'm posting the revised version here:

* Spread about 3 tbsp. of Thai sweet chili sauce over your dough.
* Spread about 2 stalks of chopped bok choy over the sauce.
* Top with some chopped smoked tofu (aka- leftovers from my other apple-smoked tofu pizza!)
* Sprinkle about a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger and chopped scallions (about 2 stalks worth) over the bok choy. Sprinkle with a bit of grated garlic, if desired.
* Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes until crust is crisp.

Hope everyone else had a rockin' Vegan Pizza Day!

Vegan Pizza Day: Apple & Smoked Tofu Pizza

2011-01-30T22:07:00.008-05:00

So yesterday was Vegan Pizza Day... and if for some reason you must ask why, it's because pizza is so awesome, it deserves to have a special vegan version. And vegan pizza is so special it deserves a celebratory day of its own!

So since I can't argue with pizza of any kind, I took the kitchen to make my own version.

As much as I love my basic marinara sauce & mozzarella variety, I needed to make something fun with contrasting but complimentary flavors. So here comes apple and smoked tofu pizza:

* Start with a whole wheat or whole grain vegan pizza crust. Spread thin apple slices over the dough.
* Sprinkle a 1/4 cup of Daiya cheddar, or your fave vegan cheddar over the apples. Since Daiya tends to be a little on the oily side when heated up, I just stuck with the 1/4 cup; but if you prefer more, by all means add more!
* Spread a few thin slices of smoked tofu over the vegan cheddar- I used half a block of the Wildwood brand smoked tofu.
* Top with caramelized onions- you can easily have these cooking while you spread the dough and start arranging the toppings.
* Sprinkle pizza with some freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of chopped tarragon.
* Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, and enjoy some sweet, smoky, melt-y goodness!

I experimented with one more recipe- a bok choy variety- and I'll post that tomorrow! Enjoy!

At Vermilion

2011-01-29T17:13:00.143-05:00

Date Night must be balanced out by Ladies Night, and so the girls and I made our own Restaurant Week plans at At Vermilion, an Indian-Latin fusion resto in Midtown East.

The upstairs dining room is decorated with oversized black and white portraits on the wall and outfitted with modern, minimalist dining furniture- it's a pretty setting, but seems typical of fusion places. I always thought Latin and Indian flavors were a winning combo, borrowing similar spices are herbs, like cumin and cilantro, and complementary flavors, like tamarind and ancho chili. Here, you'll find it in both the food and the drinks, like the pear-chili vodka cocktail I enjoyed.

Despite the veg-friendliness of Indian cuisine and the flavorful vegetarian options you'll sometimes find in Latin cuisine, At Vermilion doesn't actually have any vegetarian entrees on their regular menu, which seemed pretty shocking to me. I was relieved when I found out that they had one veggie option for each course, but I couldn't understand why their veggie entree (heart of palm and paneer paella) wouldn't have been on the regular menu. I'd barely put my drink order in before realizing that I would never be coming back here.

Which, actually, is all well and good. I started with the artichoke fritters- fried artichoke hearts, served in a banana leaf- and though the fritters themselves were just as described and nothing more, they arrived with a chili dipping sauce that added some needed zest to the artichokes. My entree, the paella with heart of palm, was served in a thick ancho chili sauce with sauteed onions and paneer over basmati rice. More of a Latin-style curry than a paella, it was pleasantly spicy. I'm sure they chose to add hearts of palm to the dish to fancy it up, but still, I'd have preferred if they used a different vegetable, as poaching trees for hearts of palm has driven the plant to near extinction in parts South America- a dangerous delicacy! The desire to make the dish more upscale than it was didn't pay off- heart of palm seemed so out of place and overwhelmed by the ancho chilies. Dessert was a more successful fusion- mango flan with coconut foam and a crust of pink peppercorns. Light, tropical, delicious, and quickly devoured! I wished the elements of the rest of the meal came together so well!

I imagine other items on the menu are hit or miss as well, and in a city with some of the best Indian food and Latin food one could find, a restaurant that can't do either cuisine well enough doesn't warrant a return visit, especially when obvious vegetarian possibilities are completely overlooked on the regular menu.

However, I'd say if you were near the Grand Central area anyway, their lively, flavorful cocktails are perfect for dealing with the fusion of cranky, overworked personalities you'll find on your train ride back home.

At Vermilion, 480 Lexington Avenue at E. 46th Street, 212-871-6600

The Oak Room

2011-01-27T23:17:00.099-05:00

There may have been 20 inches of snow outside, but I wasn't giving up my Restaurant Week reservation for The Oak Room in The Plaza Hotel. After all, it's not very often that a venerable NYC institution offers veggie items on their prix-fixe menu. And, weather as it was, it's not very often that you don't have to deal with crowds in NYC landmarks.

The Oak Room and Oak Bar were built in 1907, and though renovated in 2008, they still retain turn of the century New York grandeur. I spent just as much time staring at the intricate woodwork on the dining room columns and the tile patterns on the floor as I did gazing at my honey (sorry Honey!) It's worth feeling like a tourist for an evening and sitting at the bar for people watching.

Beauty, of course, is not always indicative of good food, so we were eager to see if the Oak Room lived up to its reputation. For their Restaurant Week prix-fixe, there were two veggie options for appetizers- a vegetarian tomato-fennel soup and mixed baby greens, which could be made vegan by omitting the goat cheese- and a solo vegetarian entree, spaghetti with chickpeas, oven-dried tomatoes, and arugula (ask them to leave out the parmesan if you want to make it vegan). Very simple options, but certainly a shift from the tastes of the steak and potatoes crowd that you might expect from older, established restaurants.

I started with the tomato-fennel soup- creamier than I thought it would be (turns out creme fraiche was added), it was rich and warming- just what one needs after commuting during the blizzard. My spaghetti was solid, quite good, but much simpler than what I was expecting from an upscale restaurant. From a little Italian neighborhood joint, sure, but not The Oak Room. Still, it was savory, with just a touch of some red pepper flakes; and with the chickpeas, the pasta was quite filling. Dessert managed to be decadent yet modern- "The Oak Bar", with a chocolate wafer layer, peanut butter nougat, and caramel, with gold leaf pressed into the top of the bar, and served with a scoop of maple ice cream. And yes, it was insanely delish as it sounds.

Though not the most creative options I've had for Restaurant Week, I give The Oak Room credit for putting some healthier, vegetarian items on a menu that's dominated by the usual surf and turf offerings. It's about time. And if anything, embrace the fact that it's not just about the food. Kind of like the Empire State Building- whether you're an NYC native or a tourist, there are many places in the city that you just need to experience.

The Oak Room, 10 Central Park South, 212-758-7777

Our New Juicer! And Our Fave Juice Recipes

2011-01-19T00:57:00.112-05:00

It's here!!! The health nuts that we (sometimes) are, my honey and I decided that our Christmas present to each other this year would be a new juicer!

We did lots of research and watched all too many juicer demo videos on YouTube (most featuring the same very enthusiastic dude sporting Hawaiian shirts!) and knew that we wanted a model that juiced fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens, and we didn't want to spend more than $500 for one. If it could make almond milk or the like, an added bonus, but not required!

If you are in the market for a juicer, I should add that we saw plenty of cheaper models for $100 or so (like the Jack LaLanne brand), but found those models didn't have the benefits of the pricier ones (i.e. couldn't juice leafy greens, had low juice yield, and some that generated too much heat and killed off important raw vitamins and enzymes). And other models that were the vision of juice efficiency, like the Norwalk Juicer, ran over $,1000- and though we figured we'd juice often, we couldn't justify that kind of price tag.

So we originally settled on the Omega VRT350 juicer for $380, which had all the features we wanted and had received some great reviews online. Unfortunately, after putting in orders with several companies, it seemed that the Omega was so good that it was constantly out of stock or on back order. Our supplier kindly recommended the Hurom Slow Juicer with an Ultem Strainer and Ultem Auger, which was $25 cheaper and had all the functions of the Omega juicer, along with the same sturdy construction. Looked good to us, and sure enough, a week later, we had our little bundle of juicing joy arrive via FedEx.

And it's been great! It's easy to assemble (and though not difficult to clean, it's a bit more time consuming than setting it up) and the parts are a good, sturdy hard plastic construction (though I wouldn't put them in the dishwasher- this is how we ruined our last juicer a couple years ago!). Some vegetables and fruits are more foamy than others when juiced, but we didn't experience too much of this with the Hurom. And though occasionally some bits of greens and fibrous veggies will get stuck in the screen (as to be expected, I suppose), we still get good yield from leafy greens, celery, and ginger. For really juicy fruits and veggies, like strawberries, you can put the pulp back in the juicer and get even more juice from them.

The Hurom was definitely worth every penny, and both my honey and I are excited about finding new, delicious juice combos on the regular. For anyone else interested in juicing, here are some of the awesome juice "recipes" we've concocted in the last few days:

* 1 lb. pkg. strawberries + 1 large navel orange + 2 grapefruit

* 1 pint blueberries + 1 pint strawberries + 1 6 oz. container blackberries

* 1 head broccoli + 1 bunch kale + several sprigs parsley + 1 lemon

* 5 carrots + 1 English cucumber + peeled 1 in. piece of ginger + 1 granny smith apple

* 6 carrots + 3 lemons + 1 orange + 1/2 a honeydew melon for a post-party detox.

* 1 bunch grapes + 1 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds for a power antioxidant juice!

And no doubt, I'll be posting more about our juice endeavors too! :)

Mahjong Dumplings

2011-01-13T23:32:00.096-05:00

There are plenty of trends I won't get behind- the bacon craze, the cupcake craze, for starters- but dumplings? I'm pretty sure that's a bandwagon I'd jump on.

New Upper East Side dumpling joint, Mahjong Dumplings, boasts offbeat fillings for the typical dumpling, and like any other good New York foodie, I visited the small resto with some friends, my curiosity, and an empty stomach. It was packed, and not just because of the limited seating (which is really an unfortunate situation). As soon as my drinks came out- faster than my food, actually, I realized that the crafty bartender must be the other reason for the masses. Bubble tea cocktails? Um, why is this even a question?

At $4.50 for 3 dumplings, Mahjong is much pricier than other dumpling venues- you can get 8 for $3 at my beloved Chinatown staple, Vanessa's- but I did enjoy their creative takes on their two vegetarian dumpling options. My ratatouille dumplings were covered in a tomato sauce that was surprisingly tasty and savory, but it overwhelmed the finely chopped zucchini-Japanese eggplant stuffing. I found their Ala Farm dumplings much more interesting- drizzled in a cream sauce and sprinkled with bits of fried mushrooms, these ricotta-spinach-mushroom stuffed dumplings managed to be both light and hearty.

For dessert, we indulged in a free bowl (to make up for how long our food took- still, not a good sign in my book) of shaved ice with mango and pineapple chunks, grapes, and shredded coconut- not particularly impressive, but I do like fruit and ice as a combo. We also ordered more decadent fried banana dumplings smothered in chocolate sauce. In quite the mix-up, one of our banana dumplings was a misplaced fried spicy chorizo dumpling- luckily, I did not consume the dumpling with the mistaken identity, but I imagine on a busy night, such switcheroos probably happen quite often.

Mahjong also offers some vegetarian soups and noodle dishes, but their focus remains on meaty dumpling combos. As with other fad restos, I'm not quite sure how often I'll be eating here, especially with such cramped dining quarters and long wait times for food, but if it feels like the Dumpling Festival every day, I'll certainly partake!

Mahjong Dumplings, 1542 2nd Avenue, between 80th and 81st Street, 212-717-7800

Revd Up Pi

2011-01-08T19:09:00.075-05:00

All New Yorkers know that moment- when you realize you've got ten minutes to get some place and you're so hungry that you might gnaw on your own arm before you get there. Sometimes, pizza or falafel on the go is the only way to go. And as I hustled from the East Side to the West Side to catch The Merchant of Venice on Broadway (and for this Shakespeare fan, I still can't stop gushing about it!), I figured I'd do okay with fast food after seeing the "healthy pizza" proclamation outside of Revd Up Pi in Murray Hill.

After experiencing Otarian, I believed fast food had hope. Though I initially balked at having to pay $4.50 for a "Grandpa" slice at Revd Up Pi (having lived in Bensonhurst for years, this was obscene to me), I figured it was a small price to pay for a healthier slice of pizza. And to be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of my slice. Low-fat mozzarella, low-sodium organic sauce, heirloom grain (with quinoa, barley, etc) crust- it sounded like something I would make at home. It was chewier than I thought it would be- definitely not a crisp slice- and it cooled off faster than it should have. I didn't even get halfway down the block before it was cold. And another noticeable misfire on their part- I couldn't understand why they didn't offer vegan pizzas amidst the ready-made pizzas sitting on the counter. There are some vegan options on the menu, luckily, but they were special order- on the day I visited, I would've preferred a vegan slice to just grab & go rather than wait for a special pie to be made, especially since I wouldn't have been able to take leftovers into the theater. Hopefully Revd Up will wise up to this!

Still, the sauce was better than I thought it would be, and my generous basil-adorned slice topped out at 260 calories a slice, while the average NYC slice packs in anywhere from 400 to 800 calories (depending on your toppings) with 10 grams of fat. Their classic NYC slice actually tops out at just 170 calories.

I can't say I'd ever line up outside Revd Up Pi, the way people do for Grimaldi's or Lombardi's; still, I'm an advocate for any healthy place in Midtown, so if you're in the neighborhood anyway, you won't feel particularly guilty coming here.

Revd Up Pi, 451 3rd Avenue at 31st Street, NYC, 212-679-3743

New Year's Resolutions... or better yet, Intentions

2011-01-07T13:11:00.125-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas/New Year's! I'm still getting settled in from mine- after a week and a half of drinking and eating cookies on top of not exercising, I'm actually looking forward to getting back to a routine, which includes more gym and pool time, and fewer sugary treats!

And of course, blogging. I missed that too... so back to it!

When I need a boost of the spiritual variety during my day, I'll often check out the inspirational quotes on Tiny Buddha (my fave as of late: "People who urge you to be realistic generally want you to accept their version of reality"- yeah!!) and some positive posts on Crazy Sexy Life (and if you haven't seen it already, read this month's VegNews cover story on Kris Carr!) And rather than list her New Year's "Resolutions," Carr lists her New Year's "Intentions"- much gentler a word, don't you think? One that is defined by putting thought behind actions... really, the key to making successful changes.

So I'm opening up and sharing my New Year's Intentions with you, with the hopes that we'll get rid of that word "resolution" altogether and that maybe I'll find some great pointers from all of you!

To be more interactive- You might not know, especially if you've just started following me, that I initially started this blog for myself, my friends and family, and left it open for anyone to stumble upon. The self-promoting game is tacky, I thought, and I wasn't trying to cash out in the blogosphere, so why? But as it turns out, since creating a Twitter handle for TheFriendlyVeg this past fall, there's a wonderful community of vegetarian and vegan bloggers like me, with irresistible recipes, big ideas, and plenty of entertaining comments. And though sometimes it can be slightly intimidating to just jump into chats with bloggers who are already familiar with each other, I figure I have nothing to lose and nothing but potential new friends and new reads to gain.

To eat more vegan meals- Though my diet is mostly vegan and I'll try to shop as ethically as possible, I still can't fully call myself vegan- my worst offenses are when I go out to eat, especially when the one meatless option on a menu is stuffed with cheese. Or when I travel, as I'm more of a "do what locals do, and try to eat what locals eat" type of explorer. Well, I can't always control the rest of the world's eating habits, but I can take charge of mine. My other intention is to eat more vegan meals- sometimes it's tough, especially when most of your loved ones are omnis, but I'm not giving up. It's the right thing to do.

To run a 5k this spring- This sounds strange coming from someone who plays soccer, but running is tough. Short sprints I can handle, but this distance running thing is a whole 'nutha ball game. I sure won't turn down a challenge, so I'm determined to start running several days a week, get my endurance up, and at the very least, hold a steady pace and not finish last in a 5k this spring. You're only young once, and if I can learn how to play soccer and how to swim in my mid-20s, I can train myself to run. Wish me luck!

Exert More Creative Energy- Not gonna lie, I envy/admire other bloggers who write full time- I'll sometimes look at the extensive blog posts someone will write a week or all the networking that goes and think, "man, I wish I had time to do that!" If I didn't have a demanding job, I would spend all my time writing (and running several days a week, ha!) too. But I can't compare myself to other people and what they're doing- everyone's situation is different and we've all made choices that have put us into our individual situations. So while my workload might not change, I can at the very least create a game plan for expanding my blog and setting deadlines for myself (I work in journalism, this I know I can do!). If I know I'll be putting in overtime at the office one day, I need to actively plan for what I can do during down moments to feel creatively fulfilled. I suppose in other words, as my yoga teachers would say, make sure there is purpose and thought in every movement. Creativity will stem from there, right?

Well, these might be four lofty intentions, but like anything else, with your heart and mind in the right place and with love and support around you, you really can make it happen!

Spiced Hot Cocoa at Cocoa V

2011-01-04T13:09:00.047-05:00

Forget meeting people for a cup of coffee- conversation is that much better over a cup of spiced vegan hot cocoa at Cocoa V!

Last night, I caught up with fellow vegetarian blogger, Jesal, of Veggiewala. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you'll find a great collection of recipes and dining reviews from across the globe. I'll also be doing some guest posts for her site, so stay tuned!

Amidst waxing poetic on juicers and sharing funny stories of non-veg boys gone by, (now THAT's a topic I could start an entire blog about... hmm...) we indulged in Cocoa V's specialty- vegan hot chocolate spiced with palate-pleasers like cinnamon, cardamom, and my favorite, cayenne. It's a delicately spicy treat, for those who might be intimidated by the sound of cayenne, that maintains the richness of a quality hot cocoa. I'd go as far as to say Cocoa V's cup rivals my non-vegan fave hot chocolate from Vosges. Score!

I didn't get to sample Cocoa V's tempting signature vegan truffles or bon bons, but as I always say, it's just that much more incentive to return to the welcoming little shop. And to Blossom, it's sister restaurant, located on the next block up. This could be dangerous :)

Cocoa V, 174 Ninth Avenue, NYC, 212-242-3339

Happy Holidays to everyone!

2010-12-24T11:06:00.001-05:00

Hey Friendly Veg readers!

Sorry I haven't contributed much in December! I've been pretty crunched at work, mostly because I'm taking a bunch of vacation time at the end of the month to visit my folks in Arizona for the holidays... and of course, in order to do that, I had to get all my projects done in advance. Family time is uber important to me, and unfortunately, it meant other projects had to suffer a bit.

I'll be back in January with more recipes, and with a veggie eats report from Arizona! Thanks everyone for understanding, and as always thanks for reading my blog- it means a lot to me!

Happy Holidays and lotsa love,
~Teresa

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles

2010-12-22T12:48:00.002-05:00

I'm turning into my mother. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially since she's quite the cookie baker.

I'm usually the pie queen around Christmas, but this year, I decided to bake a variety of cookies- some of the classic Italian recipes I've always known, as well as some vegan varieties. When I found a recipe for Mexican hot chocolate snickerdoodle cookies on the Post Punk Kitchen, I knew they'd be ridiculously delish, and that I had to share this with my readers!

Spicy chocolate is my fave dessert flavor combo, and the gentle heat you'll feel once you finish chewing your cookie is perfect for a cold winter night. Dip these babies in some soy milk or make a vegan ice cream sandwich... that vegan cinnamon snickerdoodle ice cream I raved about deserves more than just apple cider.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies. Thanks to Isa Chandra Moskowitz for yet another amazing cookie recipe. I can't wait to see what else is in her cookie book, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

The Whats:

For the topping:
* 1/3 cup sugar
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cookies:
* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
* 3 tablespoons almond milk (Or your preferred non-dairy milk)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon chocolate extract (or more vanilla extract if you have no chocolate)
* 1 2/3 cups flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

The Hows:

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2) Mix the topping ingredients together on a flat plate. Set aside.

3) In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix together oil, sugar, syrup, and milk. Mix in extracts. Sift in remaining ingredients, stirring as you add them. Once all ingredients are added mix until you’ve got a pliable dough.

4) Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Pat into the sugar topping to flatten into roughly 2 inch discs. Transfer to baking sheet, sugar side up, at least 2 inches apart. This should be easy as the the bottom of the cookies should just stick to your fingers so you can just flip them over onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, they should be a bit spread and crackly on top. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely

Reviews: Dovetail and East Side Social Club

2010-12-14T22:54:00.071-05:00

For the sake of my waistline and my cholesterol levels, it's a rarity for me to eat out twice in one day.

But for the sake of providing reviews to everyone, I'll brave the doctor's lecture.

First up: East Side Social Club, a vintage-style Italian resto in Midtown East for a holiday lunch with colleagues. Vintage, sure, I get what they're going for, but if "vintage" is when you move two tables together and the old, cheap carpeting tears off the floor, it won't be something that gets better with age. Perhaps I'm judging harshly, but on the part of the lunch menu, the food is nothing special- it's on the same level as Little Italy, and for anyone that knows Italian cuisine, it falls on the side of boring. ESSC serves a variety of Italian classics- we found not one, but three meatball-related dishes on the lunch menu- along with salads and plenty of pastas. I'll even give them credit for the very out-of-place veggie burger.

I decided on their mushroom ravioli, which our waitress insisted was made in-house. Much to my disappointment, with my first forkful I knew this was not fresh pasta. Fresh pasta has a certain bite to it, and there was just no way the ravioli was anything but frozen. Am I picky? Possibly, but don't tell me the pasta is made in-house when it likely was not. On a slightly redeeming note, the dish was topped with a generous serving of mushrooms, likely shitakes and creminis, in marsala sauce.

ESSC is managed by the same team that owns the blast-from-the-speakeasy-past bar, Employees Only- and perhaps this skewed my expectations for ESSC. I'd be willing to come back for drinks, which I'm told are excellent, but with a mediocre menu that could easily be found in any generic Italian joint on Mulberry Street, I doubt I'll be dining here again.

East Side Social Club, 230 E. 51st Street, 212-355-9442

-----

Thank my lucky stars I had Dovetail's four course Meatless Monday tasting menu to bring me out of my dining slump. With a Michelin star under its belt, I came in with high expectations for Dovetail, and I'm delighted to report that Dovetail's vegetarian menu was everything I've wanted in a meal and more.

Dovetail appears refined, yet welcoming, with its floor to ceiling windows and drapes, and impeccable service to boot- it's what you'd expect from any fine dining establishment, but what they do for vegetables is a breath of fresh air. Their Meatless Monday tasting menu features a vegetarian/vegan menu (turnip ceviche with quinoa, a vegan offering) along with a vegetable focused menu. (like pumpkin risotto with a bit of lamb sausage on the side) Each course features 2 vegetarian options and a vegan option, even the dessert!

I started with a creamy butternut squash soup, highlighted by cranberries, fresh rosemary, and small pieces of chestnuts- it was sweet and savory, and in other words, delicious. I followed my soup with their version of winter tempura- served with a turnip kimchee and chai-spiced tofu aioli, the curry spiked tempura vegetables were wonderfully warming and deeply flavorful, but not spicy. For my third course, I scored with Dovetail's popular vegan entree, the barbeque parsnip rib- parsnip "ribs" are grilled with Caribbean spices and served with coconut rice and a mix of edamame, daikon, and cilantro. I love any veggie on the grill, and the parsnip was a perfect mix of smoky and spicy, with the right tender interior and a just crispy exterior. Simply amazing. And since no meal is complete without dessert, I'm happy to report that my dairy and egg free chocolate gateau, served with banana sorbet and caramelized bananas, was also as outstanding as my meal- as were the pumpkin cake and the chocolate souffle I sampled from my pals.

Overall, I was fully impressed with Dovetail's unique and wildly delicious flavor combinations. For anyone who doubts how creative one can get with vegetables need only make a Monday night reservation, and prepare to be amazed. A must for vegetarians and vegans looking to treat themselves, or their omnivorous friends!

Dovetail, 103 W. 77th Street, 212-362-3800

Deals and Good Reads

2010-12-13T13:40:00.055-05:00

In the spirit of Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/whatever spins your dreidel or tops your tree, I had a few cool things I wanted to share with my readers!

Are you a fan of Groupon, Bloomspot, Tippr, or any other trendy daily deal, but wished they offered more than just discounts on chains or unhealthy grub? ethicalDeal aims to bridge the gap between wanting to do good and wanting goodies. Billing itself as part green deal site, green city guide, and green action network, Vancouver-based ethicalDeal works just like your favorite email daily and promises exclusive discounts for all things green. I'm so glad someone finally jumped on the bandwagon with this one! Because it's a new company, it's still connecting with New York City vendors for deals, but keep this on your radar- you know it'll take off in good ol' NYC!

While shamelessly perusing celebrity news rags- hey, we've all got to zone out at work periodically- I came across the current celebrity Photoshop feature on new web mag, DignityZine. Looking at Megan Fox's big un-Photoshopped pores made me sigh with relief (does this make me a bad person?) and I really enjoyed their refreshing four part series on what goes into creating the illusion of perfection. They also feature sections on travel, health/beauty, and other news tidbits. Keep up the good work ladies!

And on the note of keeping up the good work, the lovely ladies behind Healthy Living Blogs (which TheFriendlyVeg is a part of!) have introduced some new features to the collective! Each weekday will have a particular theme- Monday Announcements, Wednesday Recipes, Blog Tip Thursdays, etc- that bloggers can participate in. Great way to get more people involved! And, in their spirit of the season, you'll find a collection of holiday cookie link-ups- hungry yet?

Lunch: Sun-dried Tomato Veggie Meatball Sub

2010-12-01T23:51:00.021-05:00

I'm all veggie stuffing'ed out at this point, so it's back to basics for me.

Meaning, of course, my fave Italian standbys.

Just a short, simple post on what I made for lunch today- a whole wheat sub, with homemade tomato sauce, Daiya mozzarella, sauteed peppers and onions, and sun-dried tomato veggie meatballs. I basically followed my classic Italian veggie meatball recipe, but I added about 1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes and used nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. Make a hot open-faced sandwich by putting the meatballs on one side of the bread, the peppers and onions on the other, and toast until Daiya has melted.

So very satisfying.

The Cider Float

2010-11-29T17:28:00.044-05:00

So after a long weekend of slaving in the kitchen, immediately followed by total gluttony, the last thing you want to do is spend another minute rolling out pie crust and making another sweet, fatty, yet satisfying dessert.

But this is the lazy person's most awesome dessert EVER. That's my official nickname for my cider float.

I started making this dessert in college, when I was dorming in Manhattan and spent just as much time making an appearance at the next big party as I did cooking. I'm not quite sure how I balanced all that and schoolwork, in hindsight, but my floormates didn't call our communal kitchen "Mama Teresa's" for nothing. I wanted the Ramen equivalent of dessert- of course, if you knew me in college, my ramen was never just boiled noodles and a god-awful "flavor" packet- but I didn't want something that came out of a box or could survive a nuclear war. (a` la Twinkie urban legend) I loved hot apple cider in the winter, and when I found cinnamon ice cream at Totonno's, my fave local pizza spot at the time, I knew I had a winning combination, like Santa and Rudolph! Or Charlie Sheen in a hotel room full of porn stars. Either way :)

Fast forward to 2010- I still love making these simple "cider floats", especially since I've discovered Purely Decadent's vegan snickerdoodle ice cream. With generous chunks of frozen snickerdoodle cookie dough, I can't stop raving about it... or consuming it, for that matter. You can always use your favorite version of cinnamon ice cream- I bet ginger ice cream would also work really well in this- but now that there's a vegan version of my favorite ice cream, I can feel even better about making this for myself and for my guests!

The Whats:

* 2 mugs of fresh apple cider
* 2 generous scoops of cinnamon ice cream
* 2 cinnamon sticks

The Hows:

1) Place one cinnamon stick in each mug of cider. Heat apple cider in the microwave, a little over a minute each, until hot. Add one scoop of your favorite cinnamon ice cream to each mug. Allow a minute for ice cream to melt slightly and serve hot.

If you really want more of the ice cream float effect, you can add a shot of ginger or cranberry soda to the cider before heating it up.

Baked Veggie Stuffing with Mushrooms

2010-11-24T13:08:00.038-05:00

Baked stuffing is another one of those Thanksgiving recipes that's super easy to make vegetarian or vegan, yet few ever think to substitute the eggs or chicken broth or sausage or butter, or whatever other animal-based products that really don't need to be in a veggie dish.

Luckily, substitutes are easy and your guests, I'm sure, won't even notice the difference.

For this basic baked stuffing recipe, I used a savory combo of portobello mushrooms and sage, with some day old rosemary bread that I'd bought for my Thanksgiving sandwiches. (I wish I had Brussels sprouts to add to my stuffing, they would've been great!) You could also sweeten up your stuffing by adding apples or pears with sweet vidalia onions and chestnuts.

Obviously, you'll want to use Earth Balance to make those veggies buttery, and if you want to skip the beaten egg, I found that mixing warm veggie broth and corn starch worked just fine in thickening the broth to make it "eggy". The veggie broth might sound like a lot, but you really don't want dried out stuffing.

Besides, you'll want to keep your omnivore guests guessing as to what made your stuffing so moist and delicious, right?

The Whats:

* 1 loaf of day old country bread, cut into 1 in. cubes
* 4 tbsp. Earth Balance or butter
* 3 portobello caps, cleaned and cut into 1 in. cubes.
* 2 ribs celery, diced
* 2 shallots, sliced
* 1/2 cup walnuts
* 1 1/2 tbsp. rubbed sage
* 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
* 1 tbsp. fig vinegar (you can use balsamic if you cannot find fig- we lucked out with this find!)
* 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 tbsp. corn starch

The Hows:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9 baking dish with butter or olive oil; set aside. Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.

2) In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, celery, shallots, walnuts, sage and thyme to the pan. Stir to coat, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies have just slightly softened. Drizzle with fig vinegar. Remove from heat. Add veggies to the bread.

3) In a small saucepan, heat the vegetable broth over medium heat. Add bay leaf. When broth simmers, whisk in the corn starch until dissolved, and simmer for an additional minute. Remove from heat, and pour into bread-vegetable mix. Discard bay leaf and toss to coat.

4) Transfer soaked stuffing mix into the prepared baking dish; lightly press stuffing into the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and continue to bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until bread cubes on top are browned and crispy. Serve hot.

Lunch: The Veggie Thanksgiving Sandwich

2010-11-23T15:40:00.000-05:00

I keep seeing ads for "Thanksgiving sandwiches" in Pret, Terri, and other sandwich places around the city- you can't go wrong (unless it's real turkey of course) with that seasonal selection, so for lunch this week, I decided to make my own!

To start, I visited one of my favorite bread places, Amy's, in Chelsea Market- I knew I'd find a great selection of herbed or olive loaves, and their rosemary bread sounded like a great fit for a hearty sandwich. I made a batch of my own cranberry sauce and a crunchy, earthy mix to balance out the sweetness- I chose to mix celery, shallots, and walnuts with some sage and just a touch of Greek yogurt to bring it all together, but you can choose Veganaise, carrots, pecans, pine nuts, raisins, thyme, rosemary, whatever makes your heart happy! I've seen other sandwiches put stuffing on their Thanksgiving sandwiches, but that seemed way too excessive for me.

As far as fake turkey is concerned, plain old Tofurky slices weren't cutting it for me- it just seemed counter intuitive to have thin "slices" of Tofurky on this hearty sandwich. Whether you choose to cut up Quorn brand turk'y roast or turk'y burgers (I couldn't find the roast, so I sliced up their turk'y burgers), sliced up a packaged stuffed Tofurky (though not my favorite option because of the all the additives and the stuffing), or make your own homemade tofurky.

And just like the traditional turkey, no matter how you carve the tofu, no one pays any mind to it when they're making sandwiches the next day. Eat up!

The Whats:

* fresh rosemary bread, or your favorite hearty herbed bread, sliced
* apple-spice cranberry sauce
* 2 tbsp. olive oil
* 1 pkg. Quorn turk'y roast, stuffed Tofurky, or your fave veggie meat
* 1 celery stalk, finely diced
* 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
* 1 shallot, finely diced
* 2 tsp. rubbed sage
* 1 tbsp. Greek yogurt or Veganaise
* salt & pepper to taste

The Hows:

1) In a medium bowl, mix the celery, walnuts, shallots, 1 tsp. sage, salt & pepper, and Greek yogurt or veganaise until ingredients are well coated. Set aside.

2) In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add veggie turk'y and remaining sage to the pan and cook for 5 or 6 minutes until browned on both sides. Remove from heat.

3) Toast two slices of the rosemary bread. Spread cranberry sauce on one slice of the bread. Spread 2 or 3 tbsp. of the celery-walnut mix on the other slice. Top one of the slices with cooked veggie turk'y, and press slices together for your sandwich. Makes 4 or 5 sandwiches.

Apple-Spice Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

I'll be honest- outside of cranberry sauce, I don't cook with cranberries too often. Unless you count mixing the berries or the juice into sangria... well, I think that counts for something! I do love those sour berries though.

I think of cranberry sauce as the "Baby Bear" of the Thanksgiving accompaniments- you don't want it tooth-achingly sweet, nor do you want it sour as a mother-pucker, but you want it juuuuuuuuuuuust right! I always thought cranberries were fantastic complements to other fruits and flavors, and for this reason, I've always made my cranberry sauce with apples or pears. You might initially think that the cinnamon and maple syrup here might be too much, or you might wonder if half a cup of sugar could possibly cut down on the full-on sour taste of the cranberries- these flavors really give depth to the sauce, and your guests will be wondering what that special something is in your cranberry sauce. If you like, you could even add a pinch of ground ginger for some added warmth.

Whether your Thanksgiving guests pair this with turkey or Tofurky, this underrated staple will have everyone wondering why you don't make cranberry sauce throughout the winter.

The Whats:

* 3 cups cranberries
* 2 tsp. orange zest
* 1/3 cup apple cider
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 2 tbsp. maple syrup
* 1 large apple, diced

The Hows:

1) In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, apple cider, and sugar. Cook the cranberries over medium-high heat, until sugar is dissolved and cider comes to a boil; reduce to low.

2) When cranberries are halfway cooked- cranberries will just start to fall apart, about 10 minutes- stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup, and diced apple. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until cranberries have mostly fallen apart and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, and allow cranberry sauce to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Juice from One Lucky Duck

2010-11-20T17:12:00.021-05:00

One Lucky Duck makes me feel like I'm one lucky girl. My whole body feels better when I have one of their fresh juices.

Just a short post to say that I was pleasantly surprised to see that One Lucky Duck has a new location in Chelsea Market. (I also haven't been to Chelsea Market in awhile, so this was definitely news to me!) When I visited late Saturday afternoon, there were just a few takeaway containers of salads and zucchini-tomato lasagna left, along with some raw crackers and treats. With a small bag of crackers at $13, I decided to skip the snack and go right for their Thai Green juice- freshly juiced greens, pineapple, lime, and cilantro. The springy juice was just the vitamin boost I needed to finished running errands that day (a pre-Thanksgiving Fairway run and couch shopping at Ikea aren't quick tasks by any means!) and kept me going until I got home and devoured some pasta with broccoli rabe. A good way to end Saturday errands! :)

If you're in the Chelsea Market area and are looking to get juiced, bypass the gym and head straight to One Lucky Duck's newest outpost!

Where to Eat Vegan For Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-18T18:25:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving just a week away, you might be thinking, "Crap, this feast thing is too much work, I'm having someone else do it!" And you'd be in the good company of many New Yorkers who dine out on Food Coma Day. (I refuse to call it Turkey Day) If you haven't made your Thanksgiving plans yet, I'm reposting SuperVegan's newly published annual rundown of where vegetarians and vegans can dine out and enjoy a cruelty free meal. Eat up!

------

Where to Eat Vegan for Thanksgiving 2010 in New York City

by Laura Leslie

New York is the best city in the world to be a vegan. Case in point: Thanksgiving. I dare any other city to match the number and variety of vegan options we have.

Here's SuperVegan's round-up of where to eat vegan in NYC for Thanksgiving. Make make your restaurant reservations quickly; these places fill up fast!

Angelica Kitchen is offering a five course prix fixe menu for $55; BYOB to save money. Thanksgiving is the only night Angelica takes reservations, so folks won't have to queue up in the cold like usual. The dinner will also be available for take out from the juice bar if you're not able to make a reservation.

Place orders early for seasonal specialties from Babycakes. They'll have spelt apple pie, apple crumb cake, pumpkin cupcakes, cornbread, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin bread for all your gluten-free and agave-sweetened needs.

Blossom and Café Blossom are offering the same four-course menu for $68.

Candle 79's four course prix fixe is available from 2pm-9pm and costs $72, while sister restaurant Candle Cafe gives you four courses for $55, plus a la carte options.

Caravan of Dreams will be offering a three course prix fixe from 1-9pm for $45.

Champs Family Bakery will be offering seasonal specialties such as pumpkin muffins with cream cheese, pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls (with pie crust baked in), and sweet potato cinnamon rolls (with candied pecans and marshmallow). Place orders by Monday 11/22 at the latest for pick-up on Tuesday or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week.

Counter's got seatings from 1pm-9pm for their $50 four course prix fixe, plus an optional $25 wine pairing.

Curly's will be serving a prix fixe menu from 11:30am-5:30pm for $28.95 which includes pumpkin-lentil pate, soup or salad, roast soy turkey or maple-glazed sham, drinks, dessert, and coffee or tea. Their regular menu will also be available.

LifeThyme Natural Market will have a complete vegan holiday dinner option for $49.95. It includes a roast made from organic vegetables and tofu, along with two pounds of yams or mashed potatoes, two pounds of mixed bread or cornbread stuffing, two pounds of grilled mixed vegetables, a pint of gravy, and a pint of cranberry sauce.

The Grammercy location of One Lucky Duck will be offering raw options for take out from 9am-10pm. You'll want to call ahead to place your order and schedule a pick up time. If you want a sit-down meal, check out their sister restaurant Pure Food and Wine, below.

Organic Grill will be open from noon-8pm with a special Thanksgiving menu in addition to their regular menu.

Peacefood Cafe will have a $30 three-course prix fixe menu available from 1-9pm.

Fulfill your most extravagant raw food desires with Pure Food and Wine's four course prix fixe for $72. They'll be open from 3pm-9pm.

Red Bamboo will be serving their regular menu and a three-course Thanksgiving prix fixe menu for $21.95. The New York City Vegetarian Meetup Group will be meeting here at 12:30pm; click for more information and to RSVP.

Sacred Chow will be offering a four course prix fixe for $50. Check out the menu on their website.

'sNice (West Village, Soho, and Brooklyn) are all closed Thanksgiving day, but we recommend you stop by in the days before or after to try their awesome Thanksgiving Leftovers sandwich.

Terri will be open from 7am-3pm on Thanksgiving. They're not sure yet if they'll have any special options, but their Thanksgiving-themed sandwich is worth checking out year-round .

Veggies Natural Juice Bar will be giving away vegan soup on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday November 24.

Order by Tuesday, 11/23, for the WholeFoods $19.99 Field Roast Vegan Dinner. It includes four courses and can be combined with a vegan bakery package for two.

If you love to cook, want to save money, or just want to skip the formality of dining out, host a potluck! Hit your local farmers' market for ingredients, or check out one of NYC's vegan-friendly grocery stores. You'll find recipes everywhere from VegWeb to the New York Times.

We've also got more mass-produced entree options that ever before. In addition to the time-honored Tofurky, you might look into Match Meat's Vegan Stuffed Holiday Roast, Gardein's Savory Stuffed Turk’y with Gravy, Five-Star Foodies's Vegan Harvest Roast, Vegetarian Plus' Vegan Half "Chicken," or Field Roast's Celebration Roast, Hazelnut Cranberry Roast, or Smoked Tomato Loaf. Don't forget the Tofukey and Gravy Jones Soda!

If we're missing anything good, please let us know!

2010 Chocolate Show!

2010-11-15T17:06:00.087-05:00

It's close to the "most wonderful time of the year" and chocolate is involved. I think it's fair to say that the annual Chocolate Show might be the most wonderful event of the year.

Okay, I'm a chocoholic and I'm biased.

What makes the Chocolate Show particularly awesome, outside of all the types of chocolate from around the globe that you can sample, is that it's not just about eating. There were culinary demos (featuring Dylan Lauren of Dylan's Candy Bar, Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar, and Brooks Headley of Del Posto making Eggplant Chocolate Crostata), book signings, and for some visual fun, a fashion show where 70% or 80% of the costume must be made of chocolate. This year's theme revolved around saving the ecosystem- check out the spins on sun/earth/ocean goddesses!

Let's get back to the eating part!

My favorite chocolatiers were on hand, as they are every year- sweetriot, which makes low calorie, dairy-free, and fair trade dark chocolate covered cacao nibs, and Japanese chocolatier Mary's, which has creative twists on traditional chocolates and only appears in the U.S. for the Chocolate Show. If those great companies weren't enough, I've also discovered 2 new loves- first up is Gnosis Chocolate, which is the only chocolate I know of that was created by a certified holistic health counselor! It's organic, raw, vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free, and just plain delish. I'll admit, I've never had raw chocolate before, but I loved the still creamy texture and the flavor that Gnosis was offering up that day: Himalayan pink sea salt. It was more than just salty and sweet, it was mineral-y... and it was nothing short of fantastic. They were $8 a bar at the show, but when you find something that manages to satisfy all your snack cravings and does minimal damage to your waistline, you just have to go with it.

I love good chocolate and I love a good gimmick, so I also found myself drawn to new company 2 Chicks With Chocolate, which was named one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in America by Dessert Professional magazine. If the chicks from Sex and the City consumed things other than cosmos, it would be these chocolates. Their spread of ganaches (in flavors like blood orange, cranberry, pear caramel and cinnamon), chocolate bark (the almond toffee and pumpkin spice varieties were especially fab), and their dangerous chocolate martini mix would make delicious accompaniments to any girls' night! I'll be sure to report back on how those chocolate martinis come out...

Or am I too late? Okay, maybe these chocolate martinis would work for the SATC girls after all... they sure worked for me! Happy indulging everybody!

Health Benefits of Black Rice

2010-11-12T17:27:00.023-05:00

The health conscious know to always opt for brown rice with their takeout entrees, but with new studies coming out about the benefits of black rice- also dubbed "forbidden rice" by the Chinese because only emperors were allowed to eat it- you might just go black and never go back.

In addition to packing Vitamin E, fiber, and iron, black rice also contains high anthocyanin levels- that's the same good stuff found in other dark hued foods like blueberries, and with its low sugar content, some food scientists believe black rice might even be healthier than blueberries.

Other perks?Anti-inflammatory properties! One Korean study found that mice fed with 10% black rice bran feed significantly suppressed ear skin inflammation than those fed 10% brown rice bran. Read more about black rice benefits here.

And just as important, it's delish. It's nutty flavor goes well with many fall dishes, like the stuffed acorn squash I made a few weeks ago, and it would certainly make a great addition to a healthy Thanksgiving table!

Thai-style Vegetable Noodle Soup

2010-11-10T00:00:00.003-05:00

Cooks will say that in order to make an authentic Vietnamese or Thai noodle soup, I'd probably be using fish sauce, oyster sauce, or fish broth. Ha!

Well, I'm sure some foodie purist would take issue with my mix of ingredients, both authentic and not entirely authentic, but the fun part of this recipe is being able to use what you can find (I, for one, would have loved to add lemongrass, but couldn't find any stalks in my neighborhood, and wasn't venturing further out in Queens in get some)- I picked up my favorite Asian vegetables, and omitted the red-hot Thai chillies that my honey won't touch. I also scored at my grocery store with smoked garlic tofu- it was quite good, and I'm surprised any tofu made it into the soup after I opened that package! You can also feel free to add some coconut milk- I left this out because I wanted a lighter soup.

This was totally what I needed on the random cold days we had earlier in the week. I'll go back to thinking about Thanksgiving dishes once I get through this giant vat of soup :)

The Whats:

* 3 tbsp. olive oil or peanut oil
* 1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
* 1 5 oz. pkg. smoked tofu, diced
* 2 heads baby bok choy, chopped
* 3 scallion stalks, sliced
* 1 medium daikon, peeled and sliced
* 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
* 2 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
* 2 tsp. Thai basil, chopped
* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* 1/4 cup tamari
* 2 tbsp. sesame oil
* 1/2 tsp. crushed chili paste
* 1 inch piece ginger, grated
* 2 large garlic cloves, grated
* 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
* 2 cups water
* 1/2 an 8 oz. pkg of uncooked rice noodles

The Hows:

1) In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and tofu to the pot and cook for 4 or 5 minutes until mushrooms have softened and tofu just starts to brown.

2) While mushrooms and tofu cook, whisk together the rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, chili paste, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.

3) Add the vegetables, cilantro, Thai basil, and half the marinade to the pot; cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and broth. Mix together and wait until the liquid simmers before stirring in rice noodles. Cook soup for 10 to 15 minutes, before veggies soften. Serve hot, with a drizzle of sesame oil if desired.

FoodParc

2010-11-08T22:30:00.031-05:00

FoodParc is a whole new, futuristic approach to the traditional "food court"... and I do of course mean this in the best way possible.

Fab fact number 1- You order whatever you're craving from any vendor at one vendor, and you're signaled when you're food is ready at each location. Time saver!

Fab fact number 2- No chains- you won't find a McDonald's or Dairy Queen here! The stands are few in number, but include Fornetti, for Italian grub; The Press, for coffee, gelato, and pastries; and Red Farm Stand, for Asian inspired noshing.

Which brings me to my next point...

Fab fact number 3- The food is a hundred times better than any suburban food court I've ever been to! On one random night last week, a pal and I split a Tuscan Country flatbread salad from Fornetti with- get this- arugula, fennel, ricotta salata, figs, shaved black truffle, and oranges, served on a whole wheat flatbread. It pained me to not finish it! We also indulged in mushroom spring rolls, vegetable pot stickers, and the water chestnut, pineapple, and arugula salad topped with lotus root chips from Red Farm Stand. Though none of the vendors had an abundance of veggie options, I was definitely satisfied with the ones I sampled. To be fair, none of these items were the best of their respective cuisines, as to be expected, but certainly, they were tasty, inexpensive, and fast. And that was fine with me.

But just as important:

Fab fact number 4- There's a bar in FoodParc, along with ample seating either outside or in a separate lounge space to the back of the venue and upstairs. Most stands also offer beer. In the event those pot stickers don't leave you satisfied, know that a cosmo will!

With just four vendors, I don't know that I'd revisit FoodParc often- but for a glimpse of what a mall food court has the potential to be, it's worth a look!

FoodParc, 851 Sixth Avenue, 212-564-4567

Rigatoni Puttanesca

2010-11-06T00:20:00.002-04:00

Puttanesca is a tricky dish to eat out... though it calls for anchovy paste, not every place will put it in their sauce. You always need to ask the restaurant whether your pasta has some hidden fishy ingredient in it (much like you'd ask about fish sauce at a Thai restaurant) or just avoid it altogether.

So instead, how about I just share a good puttanesca recipe that's anchovy free? No compromising on this one!

I love a good briny olive, but with the amount of olives in the sauce, you won't need to add any additional salt to the recipe. Briny = win; salty = epic fail. Vary it up with your olives too- I used my favorite Italian varieties, plus Greek Kalamatas, which are a staple in our kitchen. And though I'll never share my family's homemade tomato sauce recipe online (sorry ya'll!), I will tell you this: the type of canned tomatoes you use makes an unmistakable difference to your finished product. Use real San Marzano tomatoes for real, sweet, tomato flavor!

The Whats:

* 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, diced
* 2 or 3 large garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil
* 1/3 cup capers, drained
* 3/4 cup mixed Mediterranean olives (Cerignola, Liguria, Kalamata, whatever you like!), drained and chopped
* 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
* 1 lb. bag of whole grain rigatoni

The Hows:

1) In a heavy skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the capers and chopped olives, and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside.

2) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until al dente. Drain and return rigatoni to pasta pot. Add the puttanesca sauce to the rigatoni and toss until well coated. Top with fresh parsley or freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Check it, Gaga: Veggies as Fashion

2010-11-04T23:45:00.008-04:00

We all know the commotion that Lady Gaga made at the VMA's with that god-awful meat dress. Even if you do eat meat, I can't imagine you'd actually want to wear it.

But while randomly surfing online this week, I also found a great feature on Yahoo! that Lady Gaga probably should've looked at before donning a future piece of giant jerky. I think the artichoke dress on the left is way sexier than Gaga's meat dress!

Using food for fashion isn't something new for designers. There's the Chocolate Fashion Show at the annual Chocolate Show held in NYC, where the couture is required to be made mostly of chocolate. (I was lucky enough to attend two years ago, check out the photo below!)

This artichoke dress is part of the "Hunger Pains" series by photographer Ted Sabarese, which showcased garments made of the foods that the participating models craved. I could make a crack at the idea of models eating, but I won't touch that one :)

I don't know about you, but if I left the house wearing a pasta dress, I'd probably arrive at my destination almost naked!

Homemade Tofurky and Other Thanksgiving Recipes!

2010-11-04T00:55:00.019-04:00

November is National Go Vegan Month, as well as the month in which Thanksgiving falls. Does anyone else find this ironic?

Maybe the editors of Chow.com had that in mind when they posted this awesome looking recipe for a homemade Tofurkey with brown rice stuffing! As Chow points out, it's always better to make something yourself, especially if the other option is full of artificial and/or hard to pronounce ingredients.

Looking for other sources of inspiration? Look no further than the New York Times Well blog with their recent posts on vegetarian comfort food for Thanksgiving and vegan chef Chloe Coscarelli's recipes for harvest stuffed portobello mushrooms, maple roasted Brussels sprouts, and chocolate-pumpkin bread pudding. Keep checking back for more recipes- I hope this series inspires many meat-loving Times readers!

Also serving up some great recipes, though not all vegan or vegetarian (but I bet some of them can be modified), is the most recent edition of New York magazine, where some of New York's celebrity chef's re-interpret their favorite Thanksgiving dishes. You'll find Sara Jenkins's puree of chestnut soup, Zak Pelaccio's Brussels sprouts, and Mario Batali's apple pie.

Eat up everybody!

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Mushrooms, & Apricots

2010-11-03T00:16:00.092-04:00

I've already made a quinoa-veggie sausage stuffed acorn squash on this blog, but hey, one good squash recipe deserves another!

Whenever I think of squash, I either think of pasta (haha, go figure!), or what I could possibly stuff the squash with. There are tons of ways to prepare squash, but at the same time, there are so many great combos of squash varieties and stuffings, that you might as well experiment repeatedly with your favorite flavors. For this filling, I decided to work with earthy and sweet elements- I used portobello mushrooms and dried apricots, but you can use cranberries, pignolis, carrots, or whatever other ingredients you prefer! I could only find a mix of wild and black rice in my cabinets, but you can also sub in brown rice- does anyone else sometimes forget what's exactly in their kitchen cabinets? Now that it's November and the holiday season is coming, I better get my inventory together! :)

And though I usually like to top off stuffed foods with breadcrumbs or grated cheese, I opted for a drizzle of balsamic reduction- sweet, simple, and I think it really rounds out the flavors of the whole dish! These would make a great dinner party entree- the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, each guest gets their own squash half, and if you are entertaining non-veg guests, they'll still feel like they've eaten their fill.

Actually, with Thanksgiving coming up in a few weeks, you'd better get that dinner party menu together sooner rather than later!

The Whats:

* 2 acorn squashes, halved with seeds & stringy bits removed
* 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
* 1 cup dried wild black rice
* 2 bay leaves
* 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* 2 or 3 large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and diced into medium pieces
* 1 small yellow onion, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tbsp. lemon juice
* 2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
* salt & pepper to taste
* 8 to 10 dried apricots, finely diced
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, plus 2 tsp. reserved for squash

The Hows:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle squash flesh with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, place squash cut side down. Roast for 20 minutes and remove from oven.

2) In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add the wild rice and bay leaves; reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook rice for 20 minutes, or until soft. Fluff with a fork, and set aside.

3) While rice cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, mushrooms, and thyme; cook for about 4 minutes, then add apricots, lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and some of the lemon juice has cooked off.

4) Stir the mushroom-apricot mixture into the rice. Stuff acorn squash halves with the rice mix, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until squash is tender. Let squash rest for five minutes; drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving.

5) To make the balsamic reduction: in a small skillet, heat the balsamic over medium-high heat; simmer until balsamic has reduced to about 1/4 cup and thickened. Immediately drizzle over stuffed squash.

Veggie Sandwiches! Baogette, No. 7 Sub

2010-10-28T17:27:00.012-04:00

For any regular readers of The Friendly Veg, you know I'm a big proponent of NOT eating out for lunch; I like to cook large meals on a Sunday or Monday night, and save the leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week. With Halloween quickly approaching and no costume in hand, I had little time to cook this week and relied on *gasp* buying sandwiches several times this week for lunch!

I do love a good sandwich for lunch (in a pinch, I'll prepare my Tofurky special of peppered tofurky, baby spinach, tomato, red onion, avocado, and a smear of hummus on toasted Ezekiel bread), so I'm sharing two yummy veggie sandwiches that should definitely be on your must-lunch list.

Baoguette has several different locations in the city, but I recently visited the one on Lexington near Baruch College- talk about location, location, location! The tiny shop offers all of 3 vegetarian options- a Veguette sandwich or Veguette vermicelli noddle, and veggie summer roll. I opted for their Veguette, with zesty kung pao soy protein, cilantro, carrots, cucumber, and pickled daikon on a crispy baguette. For $7, I was totally stuffed, and the flavor was simple, but delish. And it took all of 5 minutes, from entering the store to exiting with generous sandwich in hand.

Baoguette, 61 Lexington Ave, 212-532-1133

Also giving big ups to No. 7 Sub shop, on the ground floor of the much hyped Ace Hotel. I'd visited Ace several times for the Stumptown Coffee outpost, but for this trip, coffee was just not going to cut it. I chose their General Tso's Tofu sub, though to my delight, they did have several options for veggie & vegan subs (Broccoli & Cheddar, Eggplant Parm, and Brussels Sprouts & Apples). I enjoyed a very hearty portion of tofu fried up in General Tso's sauce, seaweed salad (though I found myself picking it out of my teeth at work- not the best way to eat a seaweed salad!), Asian pickles, and an edamame spread. The flavors perfectly complemented each other and I could barely finish the sub. Though I'm certainly not a fan of shelling out over $9 for a sandwich, I'll probably be back to try their Brussels Sprout sub at some point.

No. 7 Sub Shop, 1188 Broadway, 212-532-1680

Sweet! Top 10 Tasty Vegan Halloween Treats!

2010-10-27T22:49:00.001-04:00

Since it's Halloween week, and let's be real, our biggest association with the day tends to be sugary stuff, I wanted to repost this article by Gina Telaroli on TakePart.org- it may be a year old, but their top ten list of the best vegan Halloween treats is timeless!

-------------------

Most people love Halloween for two reasons--the costumes and the treats. Unfortunately, many of those treats use animal products and other less-than-awesome ingredients. But worry not, socially conscious eaters; I've compiled a list of 10 tasty treats, savory and sweet, that are vegan and perfect for the Halloween season.
Give them a go and feel free to let me know your favorite Halloween indulgence!
______
10. Vegan Pumpkin Pie (from vegalicious)

This recipe sounds (and looks) amazing and it includes great pie crust directions as well! I can't imagine this doesn't taste good. Go here to the find recipes for the vegan pumpkin pie filling and a vegan pie crust and enjoy this traditional treat without any animal guilt.
*photo/pie baking by sonicwalker

______
9. Cajun Popcorn (from veganchef.com)

This sounds wonderfully warm and spicy and fun to munch on while handing out candy or watching scary Halloween movies.

1 cup raw popcorn kernels
2 T. safflower oil
1 T. water
1 T. nutritional yeast flakes
1 T. Creole Seasoning
1/4 t. salt (optional)

Using a hot air popper or other popcorn popper, pop the popcorn and place it in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients, and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to blend the flavors. Drizzle the oil mixture over the popcorn and toss well to evenly coat the popcorn with the mixture. Serve warm.

______
8. Vegan Snickerdoodle Ice Cream (from Turtle Mountain)

Ice cream season is pretty much on the outs (boo!) but before it goes away for good, why not indulge in some vegan creamy goodness with Turtle Mountain's new Snickerdoodle flavor?
Plus, you can buy it instead of make it--which sometimes is so much easier!

______
7. Simple Vegan Bean Dip (from Simple Vegan)

This recipe sounds so easy and tasty!

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked pinto beans (1 15 oz can),
rinsed and drained
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled and seeded
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
a handful of parsley
a handful of cilantro
3/4 tsp of cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
black pepper and cayenne, to taste

To peel and seed tomato: Drop it into a pan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Remove it, and peel off the skin. Cut the tomato open; squeeze out and discard the seeds. Chop the remaining pulp. Whip everything together in a food processor or a blender

______
6. Cranberry and Apple Cider (from my Mom! Seen on TakePart!)

This is one of my most favorite fall and winter recipes. The mix of fresh apple cider with cranberry juice, wonderful spices and time on the stove makes for the tastiest of Halloween treats--especially on a cold and blustery day. And if you want a little kick to your cider (or are maybe throwing a party) add a little rum to your glass!

______
5. Vegetable and Bean Chili (from Gourmet)

This sounds wonderfully rich and spicy and warming! And it comes from the recently closed Gourmet, where the best recipes can always be found.

* 2 large onions (1 lb), coarsely chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1/2 fresh jalapeño chile, finely chopped (including seeds)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 28-oz can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
* 2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans, rinsed
* 1 tablespoon chopped semisweet chocolate
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

*Sauté onions, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and zucchini and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in beans and chocolate and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro.

______
4. Black and White Cookies (from Vegan Cookies)

These look/sound amazing and are perfect for Halloween munching. I bet you could even put cool designs on them to jazz it up extra Halloween style. The recipe, including both the wonderful black and white icing, can be found here.

______
3. Caramel/Candy Apples (from Dog Hill Kitchen)

A super traditional Halloween treat made vegan--YES!

Vegan Caramel - Ingredient proportions from The Glad Cow Cookbook, Makes ~100 pieces of caramel candy, will coat ~8-10 apples
1 cup margarine*
2 cups sugar
2 cups soy milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 t vanilla
*Optional: Add 1 tsp salt if using unsalted margarine

-Line an 8 inch x 8 inch pan with parchment or cover a baking sheet with parchment and ready your apples and sticks. You can cover a few apples and then place the remaining caramel in any parchment lined container to set up and make candies. I use a loaf pan for the extra caramel when covering apples.
-Place the margarine, sugar, soy milk and corn syrup in a large saucepan (4qt capacity minimum)
-Bring ingredients to a boil stirring continually.
-Cook over medium-high heat while continuing to stir until candy reaches 248 degrees F. (243-5 for softer caramels)
-Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into lined baking pan. If coating apples then let allow the caramel to cool for a minute while still stirring and then start coating. After you coat the apples place them in the fridge or eat them as soon as they cool.
-Allow the caramel in the pan to cool completely. Snip into pieces using clean kitchen shears that you wipe or spray with oil (or slice with a knife). Wrap individually with waxed or parchment paper. Makes ~100 pieces
Variation: Cook to 230 degrees F for caramel sauce for ice cream/cake. Store in a covered container.

______
2. Halloween Cupcakes (from lizcondos & vegancupcakerecipes.com)

I think this cupcake recipe sounds incredible and kind of like a blond Reese's cup (the ultimate Halloween candy - although full of awfulness). Likewise I think the cupcake decoration to the left is kind of to die for. If peanut butter isn't your thing check out these tasty seasonal flavors:
- ginger
- carrot
- orange ooze
- applesauce

______
1. Vegan Candy (via PETA)

And finally if you want to go the super traditional route, here is a list of vegan candy you can buy. The list comes from PETA and features some of my favorite sugary indulgences, including Blow Pops, Swedish Fish and Pez! I figure if you're going to buy mass produced, unhealthy treats, they can at least be vegan!

Happy Trick or Treating everyone! Eat well and be well!

Queens Peeps: Hunters Point Restaurant Week

2010-10-25T17:22:00.000-04:00

Hey fellow Queens peeps- if you missed Queens Restaurant Week at the end of September (like I did- I'm embarrassed to say I didn't realize it was that time of year already!), catch up on cheap eats in Long Island City/Hunters Point next week. From November 1st through 4th, get a 3 course prix fixe lunch or dinner for just $25 during Hunters Point Restaurant Week.

Participating restaurants where I've enjoyed good vegetarian dishes in the past include:

Riverview Restaurant on Center Blvd and 49th Avenue for American-Continental fare.

Shi on Center Blvd between 47th Road and 47th Avenue for Japanese & Chinese food

Testaccio on Vernon Blvd between 48th Avenue and 47th Road for Roman cuisine

Though I wouldn't quite call this area of LIC "Hunters Point", most of these restos are still just one stop off the 7 train in Queens, so really, Manhattanites have no excuse for this one :) Call ahead to confirm the prix-fixe menus, and eat up!

Featured Blog at Foodie Blogroll!

2010-10-22T16:28:00.000-04:00

Woot! I was super stoked this morning to see an email from Foodie Blogroll, saying that I'd be named one of their Featured Blogs of the Week!!

Just wanted to share the good news with all of my readers! Thanks to Foodie Blogroll, Foodie Blogroll readers, and my readers- I really appreciate the time you spend on my blog and on my recipes! As always, if you ever have any suggestions on how to make my blog even better or any recipes that you might want to see, send me an email at thefriendlyveg@gmail.com- I'd love to hear from you!

20 Sweet Snacks Under 200 Calories

2010-10-21T14:51:00.021-04:00

And because one good snack deserves another, I'll give you twenty! As seen on the WholeLiving.com website, a feature on 20 low-calorie sweet snacks (most are vegetarian & vegan, or can easily be adjusted)- papaya-berry yogurt parfaits, strawberry-banana tofu shakes, walnut shortbread, and coconut-date bars. Yum! Just be sure to stick to the serving size and you'll satisfy your sweet tooth AND keep your waistline in check!

Snack Time!

2010-10-21T00:02:00.031-04:00

I like to snack. I think most people do. So when I come across some good ones, I think it's only right that you share your goodies!

Highly recommended: V Spot's Colombian Empanadas. Yes, I'm probably biased because I think Colombian food is the shizz, but you'll enjoy these hearty, flavorful empanadas from the famous Brooklyn vegan cafe, The V Spot. You can find them in both local health food stores and in delis (I found them in both the Natural Fronter Marketplace as well as a neighborhood deli!) Salsa is included, so be sure to slather some over you TVP filled empanadas and enjoy!

Other new awesomeness? I've been on a freeze dried fruit kick lately- I'm not one to argue with sweet AND crunchy- and found a great variety in Fruitzio, also found in Natural Frontier Marketplace and other health food stores. At just 100 calories per bag, you can choose from peach, apple, apricot, even Asian pear. I liked that Fruitzio has their fruit in bite size chunks, rather than the thin slices of freeze dried fruit that I've usually encountered. I'd even chop these up and add them to trail mix. Yum!

Happy snacking!

Shanghai Bok Choy

2010-10-19T00:54:00.032-04:00

Don't you love making restaurant dishes at home? At my fave tiny dumpling shop, Vanessa's, I loved their super simple Shanghai-style treatment of bok choy (which is by far one of my favorite leafy greens!), with a mix of sesame oil and soy sauce and a hint of garlic. I decided to make this easy side dish at home- though you could easily make it a meal with some grilled tempeh and soba noodles- and of course, add onto it! With some red bell peppers for sweetness and a jalepeno for heat (though you could use any chili you prefer), it makes for a well-rounded, flavorful dish. Use baby bok choy so that you don't need to chop up larger leaves and the stalks- it'll save you some time!

The Whats:

* 4 heads of baby bok choy, washed
* 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
* 1 medium chili pepper, thinly sliced
* 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 2 tbsp. olive oil
* 3 tbsp. soy sauce, or tamari if you prefer
* 2 tbsp. sesame oil

The Hows:

1) In a large skillet or wok, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and peppers to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until peppers are just slightly softened. Add bok choy to the pan; drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil and saute for 3 minutes, or until leaves are just wilted. Remove from pan and serve hot.

Madera

2010-10-18T00:49:00.032-04:00

I like surprises, especially when they're in the form of a veggie entree and they're served in a steakhouse setting.

I'd walked past Madera on Vernon Boulevard in LIC before, and though I'd nearly been lured in by promises of mojitos, jalapeno margaritas, and a veggie stir fry that the staff would make for vegetarians, I'd opted to visit another resto on Vernon that night- having just come back from Colombia, I needed something different! But this past weekend, my honey and I were both equally curious about Madera's offerings (okay, and part of it was that we were super hungry and didn't want to cook at home) and visited the upscale-casual resto with lively Cuban music emanating from the bar.

And kudos to Madera for coming through with an entree! In addition to savory fried plantains and an avocado-pineapple salad, I enjoyed a stir fried veggie entree of yellow rice, green beans, and broccoli, with a little bit of cilantro for a kick. Very basic, but tasty!

I can't say I'll be a frequent visitor to Madera- woman cannot live on Cuban rice stir fry alone- but for any Queens vegetarians whose friends are always talking up steakhouses, just know that you can selfishly steer your pals towards Madera, and still enjoy a good night out.

Especially if you include a jalapeno margarita.Or two.

Madera, 47-29 Vernon Blvd, between 47th Road and 48th Ave, LIC 718-606-1236

TONY: Best Vegetarian in NYC

2010-10-15T15:20:00.000-04:00

Not only am I happy to see that Time Out New York always includes vegetarian and vegan food in their Best Of NYC dining lists, but dang, they know how to spot some great dishes!

Their "Best 100 Dishes and Drinks" in this week's issue features a top vegetable dish section, and I've now got some must-eats to add to my list- hazelnut and mushroom crostini at Pure Food & Wine? Sign me up!

Also in veggie eating- the famous John's of 12th Street Pizzeria is now offering an entire vegan menu- which isn't a stretch for Italian cuisine, but it still amazes me how few restos & pizzerias really don't utilize these great veggie dishes. Check out the menu on their Facebook page- eggplant parm with Daiya cheese, seitan scallopini, and vegan panna cotta & cannoli? *Drool*

Is is time for dinner yet?

NYT: Whole-Grain Pastas That Taste Good

2010-10-13T12:24:00.028-04:00

Melissa Clark must've read my ode to pasta last week. Lo and behold in this week's Dining section, Clark's article on the slew of good quality and equally tasty whole grain pastas making an impact on the pasta market is a great piece with more background on whole grain pastas. She mentions Bionaturae as a favorite (one of mine as well!), which you can pick up in many grocery stores. If you can, seek out brands that use ancient grains, like farro and the lesser known einkorn- turns out as modern wheat varieties were hybridized, they lost essential proteins and nutrients.

See, pasta really can be good for you! Check out some of the recipes in the article, like Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Pepper, and Garlic. Mangia!

Apple Crisp

2010-10-11T12:15:00.000-04:00

As it was a busy week and I had less time than I wanted to get creative in the kitchen, I decided my apple crisp would be the perfect, warm mid-week treat and the best way to start using those apples I'd picked. You might find this slightly time consuming- anytime I need to slice several cups worth of fruit, I find I need to keep my eye on the price to deal with all the slicing and dicing. But, as with most desserts, it's well worth it!

Be sure to slice the apples thinly- they'll melt in your mouth when the crisp is finished baking. If you prefer almonds or pecans instead of walnuts, feel free to use them in your crisp topping; you could also use some agave or maple syrup to sweeten the apples instead of brown sugar.

Either way, you'll want to sit back when this baby's in the oven and just inhale- your apartment is going to smell divine!

The Whats:

For the apples-
* 4 to 5 cups of peeled, thinly sliced apples (from about 3 large apples)
* 2 to 3 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp. ground ginger
* pinch of nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp. salt
For the topping-
* 1/2 cup rolled oats
* 1/3 cup all purpose flour
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 4 tbsp. butter

The Hows:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees (mine runs cooler, so I set to 360). Grease a 9 inch pie plate or 8x8 square baking dish. Set aside.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, flour, brown sugar, spices, and salt; toss to coat. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.

3) In another large mixing bowl , combine the rolled oats, walnuts, flour, and brown sugar. Add the butter to the mix, and using your hands (or pastry mixer, if you prefer), mix together until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is clumpy. Evenly scatter the oat mix on top of the apples. Bake for around 50 minutes. Allow apple crisp to sit 5 minutes before serving.

Lemon Pasta with Grape Tomatoes & Grilled Artichokes

2010-10-06T00:00:00.004-04:00

Here's what happens when I have the last of my lemons and tomatoes to use! And pasta, of course- it's not a meal without pasta!

I sometimes wonder if anyone cooks pasta as often as I do. Other than Italians, that is. I remember eating pasta at least 3 or 4 times a week as a kid, and I still eat pasta at least twice a week. It feels like I see way too many articles and hear too much from "health experts" about how pasta pretty much needs to be eliminated from your diet in order to be healthy and lose weight. Now to be fair, I've been eating pasta since I was a baby (no really- my parents recall feeding me bowls of pastina in my high chair!) and my body's always been able to process pasta without gaining weight (my non-Italian friends hate me for this). But even then, I have this much to offer pasta-fearing individuals:

- if you're eating a giant plate of white pasta, that's a problem! Eat reasonable portions- I eat more than the recommended cup size serving (really FDA, no one eats that little!), but for goodness sake, don't eat half a box- and with so many heartier whole grain, whole wheat, and spelt varieties, you couldn't eat an entire plateful if you tried!

- watch what you put on your pasta, duh! Many store-bought jarred sauces have extra sugar added in them, and if you think that giant handful of parmesan isn't going to affect you, you're delusional. Make your own sauce, saute some veggies or beans in olive oil, make a sauce from vegetables- there are so many ways to prepare a healthy, filling pasta dinner! I've got plenty of them on this blog. :)

I hate seeing popular "diets" ragging on my beloved dish, but I'll get off my pasta soapbox and get back to the goodness.

The Whats:

* 1/2 box of whole grain spaghetti
* 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup vegan parmesan or grated parmigiano reggiano
* 10 to 12 basil leaves, finely chopped (or 2 tbsp. dried if you can't find fresh!)
* 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
* 3 grilled artichokes, chopped
* 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

The Hows:

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pot; return pasta to the pot.

2) While pasta is cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, parm, basil, and black pepper. Set aside.

3) Add 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water to the spaghetti, then add lemon-olive oil sauce; toss until well coated, adding extra cooking water to make it more saucy, if desired. Add the tomatoes, artichokes, and onion and toss until distributed. Serve hot.

Craving a heartier addition? I've also made this pasta with some veggie sausage (I like the LightLife brand!) sauteed with 2 tbsp. of rosemary. Equally yummy.

Claire's Corner Copia

2010-10-04T22:38:00.066-04:00

I'd lucked out in New Haven in the past with Thali Too, and figured I'd get lucky again during my next visit- thank goodness for college towns, 'cuz Connecticut isn't exactly known as a bastion of culinary diversity. Kudos to having vegetarian restos in unlikely places!

We stumbled on Claire's Corner Copia on Chapel Street, one of the main drags around that New Haven Ivy college, and it wasn't just packed with students- we found hospital workers, professors, and parents alike. And everyone- and I mean just about everyone waiting at the counter- took their sweet time scanning Claire's extensive vegetarian and vegan menu. I understood why- it was impossible to choose just one thing! Grilled veggie sandwiches, soy BLTs, curry chik'n salad, fresh salads, burritos, quesadillas, homemade veggie burgers, pasta, and flat bread pizzas- kind of like your typical Midtown sandwich shop, only more options.

After hiking, winery hopping, and apple picking all day, (I know, just slaving the afternoon away!) I was hungry, and nothing was coming between me and a giant buffalo soy chik'n burrito with guacamole. Only one thing did- it was waaaaaaay too saucy for it's own good. It was drowning in spicy buffalo sauce. It wasn't the heat that was a problem, but if I had wanted to overwhelm the brown rice, refried beans, and peppers in the burrito, I might as well have dunked it in a vat of the sauce. Another pal had the same issue with her Corner Copia Grande burrito. We both enviously eyed our third pal's plate, who apparently had chosen wisely- a portobello sandwich with eggplant and lentils- and we decided to drown our next treat in sugar. Snickerdoodle cookie, anyone?

Oh well. I guess you win with some dishes, you lose with some dishes. Claire's is definitely hit or miss. But I'd be willing to give it the good old college try the next time I'm in the New Haven area... provided I don't run into Thali Too first.

Claire's Corner Copia, 1000 Chapel Street, New Haven CT, (203) 562-38888

Apple Picking!

2010-10-03T22:28:00.000-04:00

So it's no secret that I love my summer fruit... but man, do I love me some apples in the fall! I'm excited about my giant apple stash after apple picking at the lovely Drazen Orchards in Connecticut this weekend with my bestie. (whom I fondly refer to as "the Wifey," just in case my boyfriend didn't know who my heart REALLY belongs to!)

I've got plenty of macouns, honeycrisps, and galas to choose from, but the difficult matter will be choosing how to use these beauties. Apple pie? Apple crisp? Apple cinnamon pancakes? Baked apples stuffed with brown sugar & fresh ginger?

Any suggestions? Anyone have a favorite apple based dish? :)

Two-Tomato Garbanzo Salad

2010-10-01T16:15:00.030-04:00

A super simple bean salad I made this week with the last heirloom tomatoes I could find... isn't it sad when your fave summer veggie goodies disappear? Perhaps I should call this the "In Denial Summer is Over Salad!"

Garbanzos are one of my favorite beans, and I used Follow Your Heart mozzarella-style vegan cheese for this dish. Like most vegan cheeses I've tried, it doesn't melt very well and the texture is slightly chewy, but it does hold up in a cold salad. Nothing fancy here, but it's light and simple, and like all food, is meant to be shared!

The Whats:

* 1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/2 pint of yellow grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 large heirloom tomato, diced
* 4 oz. vegan mozzarella, diced
* 1/2 small red onion, diced
* 10 basil leaves, chopped
* salt & pepper to taste
* 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tbsp. red wine

The Hows:

1) Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss until well coated. Serve chilled.

25 Things Chefs Never Tell You

2010-09-29T13:27:00.045-04:00

Like every other profession, chefs hide some dirty secrets at the workplace. In an annual chefs' survey, Food Network found that in addition to giving critics special treatment, recycling bread from the bread baskets, and spotting roaches in the kitchen, some chefs leave the term "vegetarian" open to interpretation- and to my absolute disgust, one respondent reported seeing a cook pour lamb's blood into a vegan's pasta primavera. Yuck!
Truth be told, this isn't shocking news, though the lamb's blood is an extreme story. How many of us can recall going to a burger joint, being told that our grilled vegetables or veggie burger is cooked on a clean grill, and then bit into our dinner and felt a wave of nausea as meat-infused oil overwhelmed our tastebuds? I find this less common in nicer, more upscale restaurants in New York, (though I've lucked out with hole-in-the-walls- see my last post!) but here's to hoping that publishing this survey draws more attention to the issue!

Vanessa's Dumplings

2010-09-28T23:46:00.007-04:00

Rock!!

My adventurous swim buddies and I needed some refueling after class on Monday night. And since we were already on the Lower East Side, I figured I could drag my burning legs a few blocks south to Chinatown, where tasty, cheap food can be found on every block.

Sometimes, hole-in-the-wall joints can be amazing foodie finds, and other times, well, you understand why they're just a hole-in-the-wall place. Vanessa's Dumplings, which has been lauded by Time Out New York and New Yorker mags, exceeded my expectations. For a whopping $5, I got a sesame pancake-vegetable sandwich, a steamed red bean bun, and a steamed vegetable bun that I ended up taking home because it was more food than I had anticipated!

My sesame pancake sandwich, with a very simple combo of carrots, cucumber, and cilantro, was enough to satisfy my post-swim appetite, but light enough where I didn't feel like I'd sink to the bottom of a pool. My bun was loaded with sweet mashed red beans, and I could barely finish it.

$5 is a safe enough price for a hole-in-the-wall, but a bargain for a tasty dumpling meal- I definitely recommend visiting Vanessa's. Gotta love Chinatown!

Vanessa's Dumpling House, 118A Eldridge Street btwn. Grand and Broome, 212-625-8008

Coconut Rice with Black Beans and Plantains

2010-09-26T10:13:00.012-04:00

For this post, I'm going to step back from my usual Vegeterranean inspired fare and bring it down south... to South America, that is!

I was so excited about Colombian food and how well I ate in Cartagena that I really wanted to recreate a version of the coconut rice and plantains comida that I eagerly devoured. I added some black beans for a protein boost and to make it more of a meal. This arroz coco con frijoles negros y plantanos dish can be served up for lunch, dinner, or as a dish to share at your next potluck!

I chose brown rice rather than long grain white rice, but there's a noticeable difference in taste- the heartier brown rice picks up a hint of coconut flavor, while the white rice definitely has a full-on tropical taste. Feel free to go with either, depending on how much you love coconut! You can also add more jalapenos if you want a spicier dish, but since Colombian food is relatively mild, I wanted to keep it authentic. Or at least as authentic as the Italian-American vegetarian could make it. Buen provecho!

The Whats:
For the beans:
* 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* 2 15 oz. cans low sodium black beans, one drained & rinsed, one still with bean juice
* 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
* 3 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno (or poblano, if you prefer a pepper with a little less heat)
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
* 1 tbsp. dried cumin
* 1 tbsp. dried coriander
* salt & pepper to taste
For the rice:
* 2 cups brown rice
* 1 cup water
* 3 cups unsweetened light coconut milk
For the plantains:
* 3 ripe plantains, green or yellow, peeled cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1/4 cup soy butter or olive oil
* salt & pepper to taste

The Hows:

1) Prepare the coconut rice: In a large saucepan, heat the water and coconut milk over medium high heat until mixture reaches a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover saucepan, and allow rice to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and set aside.

2) Prepare the beans: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and peppers to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the beans, coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper if using, and stir to mix. Reduce heat to medium, and cook beans for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3) Prepare the plantains: Heat soy butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When soy butter is melted and foaming, add the plantain chunks and saute until plantains are tender and golden on both sides, about 8 minutes. Drain fried plantains on a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

Basis Good Food Festival

2010-09-23T14:16:00.041-04:00

Late update... blame it on work! I went market hopping last weekend- well, more accurately, market and festival hopping- and noshed all day long. Admittedly, snacking is the fun part of food blogging- after all, someone has to report back on these goodies!

My pal and I started off at the Hester Street Market, a relative newcomer to the city's weekend street markets. You'll find handmade jewelry, clothing, kids toys, and of course, belly-fillers. I enjoyed a tasty cuppa joe from Dora's, also a relative newcomer to the Chinatown/Lower East Side gourmet scene.

Maybe it was the hot coffee, but I then found myself seduced by the spicy scent of chai ice cream from Guerrilla Ice Cream. If you've never heard of Guerrilla Ice Cream or their sweet lemon-poppy or strong chai tea flavors, I'll give you one important reason why you should know about them- 100% of their profits go to marginalized populations in New York and around the world. That, and their chai ice cream was low on sugar, but big on cinnamon and clove flavor. Less sweet, more spicy- my kinda dessert!

Guerrilla Ice Cream was a clear hit... but a clear miss was the flavorless veggie empanada from La Sonrisa. I give them credit for offering a veggie option amidst chicken, beef, and pork empanadas, and you could probably do worse with frozen veggies (seriously, I know frozen mixed veggies when I see 'em!), but with no seasonings or flavor, this was one bland veggie empanada.

Ah well, probably a sign it was time to leave anyway. Hester Street Market has a lot of potential, so I'll be sure to check back there in a few Saturdays!

From Hester Street, we walked up to the Basis Good Food Festival in the Meatpacking District, where I found "fashionably late" can work for you and against you at a food tasting. Case in point: the Basis Festival offered up tastings from a variety of restaurants touting locally based ingredients from noon to 4pm... but having arrived at 3pm (okay, maybe this is a bit beyond "fashionably late"), many of the participants' stalls, like Colicchio & Sons, Ample Hills Creamery, and Minetta Tavern, were packing up for the day.

But, on the positive side, the vendors still standing were trying to get rid of the last of their samples, and so arriving at the end of the day resulted in free food! Yes, this is mooching, but really, paying $25 for 5 small tastes of food (and not all stalls offered veggie options) seemed silly at 3pm... but since it does go to a good cause, I can always donate online.

Though none of my samples were particularly creative, I sure was satisfied! (maybe this goes hand-in-hand with free food?) My first sample was a tasty salad of marinated beets with fresh goat cheese... and surprisingly, it wasn't from a farm stand, but from the Dirty Bird To-Go stand. I knew participant Dinosaur BBQ would bring something non-vegetarian, but for a chicken place to bring beets as a sampler? Kudos!

Next up with something veggie to eat was Counter- as to be expected! I enjoyed black eggplant caponata crostini- juicy, hearty, and delicious! I still have not eaten at Counter, and the crostini was a gentle reminder that I needed to change that fact. The Farm on Adderley also offered an eggplant crostini, with charred eggplant... and you know my feelings for grilled veggies. Yum!

I needed a break from eggplant, and I was disappointed that I missed the Mushroom Shepherd's pie from Scottish gastropub The Highlands- I had assumed there would not be anything veggie there either, but in these situations, I love being proven wrong. To all participants at the Good Food Festival- keep the veggie options coming!

Citrus Mushroom Toasts

2010-09-19T11:39:00.000-04:00

There was no question- I had to recreate the lemony mushrooms I so loved at Eataly.

It's pretty easy as long as you have fresh, flavorful ingredients. I originally thought I'd vary it up and put these on toasts, but I quickly discovered my favorite Greek whole-grain toasts were too overwhelming for the delicate mushrooms, and I realized why the lightly seasoned fried polenta crackers worked best. That being said, if you have time to fry up some thinly sliced polenta triangles, by all means do so, or serve with some fluffy, fresh rosemary focaccia; the mushrooms would also work as a springy side dish. No matter how the polenta crumbles, I hope you enjoy this mushroom dish!

The Whats:

* 3 tbsp. olive oil
* 3/4 lb. mixed mushrooms (I used baby bellas, shiitake, enoki, and oyster), sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 small shallots, minced
* 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more for finishing
* salt & pepper to taste

The Hows:

1) In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots to the skillet and cook for two minutes. Add mushrooms and lemon juice; cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp at the edges. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve hot; add extra lemon if desired.

Cucuzza Squash Gratin with Garlicky Bechamel Sauce

2010-09-17T01:11:00.026-04:00

I finally cooked that monster cucuzza squash, and I even surprised myself by not throwing it on the grill! Grilling is always a delicious, easy option (and I'll be honest, I still saved half the squash for grilling!), but for the sake of doing something a bit different and creative, I knew I had to vary it up.

I can't say I can give you precise proportions with this recipe- I had a squash that was probably over a foot and a half long (as I write this, I realize I should've measured it!), and you might have a cucuzza that is two feet long, or three feet long; you might also decide to use a larger baking pan, whereas I opted for a pie plate. Using more squash would require more bechamel sauce, so you'll need to size up your squash and adjust the recipe accordingly.

That all being said, I really enjoy gratins in the fall- you can use the wonderful end-of-summer produce still available at your local market, and you can also start breaking in your oven again for the upcoming cooler months. And everyone clamors for that crispy topping- use a vegan parmesan and breadcrumbs, and you're in business!

The Whats:

* 1/2 a large cucuzza squash, cut into medium-thick slices
* 1/2 cup vegan parmesan
* 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

For the garlicky bechamel sauce:
* 4 tbsp. soy butter
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1/4 cup all purpose flour
* 2 cups soy milk, at room temperature
* 1 bay leaf
* pinch of nutmeg
* 1/4 tsp. black pepper
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (optional)

The Hows:

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk flour into the butter-garlic mixture and cook for one minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add bay leaf and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until sauce just thickens. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf and stir in nutmeg, pepper, and garlic powder for extra garlic flavor, if desired. Set aside.

2) Spread 1/3 cup bechamel sauce on the bottom of a ten inch glass pie dish. Layer cucuzza slices in pie dish, 1 slice deep; cover with bechamel sauce and repeat layering until dish is filled. Sprinkle parmesan and breadcrumbs over the top layer; garnish with parsley or additional black pepper if desired.

3) Bake squash for 15 minutes. Set oven to broil, and broil squash for about 4 minutes, or until top layer is browned and crisp. Remove from oven and allow gratin to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Discovering Eataly

2010-09-15T22:26:00.035-04:00

Rule number 8 is my favorite of the "rules" of Le Verdure restaurant within Eataly. I think someone on that team is either vegetarian or vegan, or simply has it figured out.

Eataly, the new 50,000 square foot Italian food mecca in the old Toy Building, might've been introduced to New York City by none other than dynamic duo Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, but the brainchild behind the Eataly markets is Oscar Farinetti, who founded the popular flagship market in Turin. In the very Italian fashion of its sister store, the market prides itself on seasonal, sustainable food, some of which is even given the Slow Food seal of approval, and sales counters that specialize in only one specific item.

As a vegetarian shopper, you'll find lots of Italian treats throughout Eataly- imported pastas alongside a stockpile of Barilla dried pasta, and that's in addition to the counter where you can order freshly made stuffed pastas and pasta shapes; freshly made breads and pizzas; imported chocolates next to Italian pastries made on the premises; a Lavazza counter that's conveniently situated near the gelato counter (which, much to our disappointment, had sold out of the flavors we wanted- a consequence of opening-week buzz); a good selection of Italian cheeses and wines, along with bar tables in Eataly's "Piazza" where you can sip the vino and cheese that you've purchased. Hello Europe!

But consequently, considering the NYC-based creators, there's product promotion abound. Sure, the Batali cookbooks in the Library section and the Lidia Bastianich brand jarred sauces in the Pasta section surely aren't imported from Italy, but if you can get past some of the blatant product plugs, you'll have an enjoyable time exploring the new market.

My favorite section of course was the produce section with Italian veggies that I've never cooked with before (see my last post on Cucuzza squash), more mushrooms varieties than your favorite Whole Foods, fresh herbs, heirloom eggplants, and reasonably priced standard veggies like kale and tomatoes. In between the produce section and the Verdure restaurant, you'll find this guy: The Vegetable Butcher, who will clean and prepare the produce you select, and also give you suggestions on how to cook your choice veggies. Genius! Anything that might help people eat more veggies is genius in my book.

Most importantly, the question remains- how well can a vegetarian or vegan mangia at any of the restaurants in Eataly? The answer is a simple, molto bene! My honey and I opted to sit at the Le Verdure bar rather than wait for a table. If you believe in signs, and I do, we received an uplifting one shortly after ordering a birra- another group of twenty-somethings, clearly waiting for tables at other outposts in the market, brought a hefty serving of prosciutto, mortadella, and other Italian meats to the bar. One of the women at the Verdure counter immediately came over and told them this was not permissible- Eataly was not a cafeteria where you could bring food from cafe to cafe, and additionally, as Le Verdure, they did not want anyone bringing meat to the vegetable-themed cafe, and especially did not want to offend visitors who came to enjoy the vegetable dishes.

Seriously, I could've hugged this woman. If that wasn't a sign of good things to come, then I'm a meat-dress wearing Gaga.

As with every meal I've enjoyed at a Batali restaurant, I was not disappointed.

We started with a fresh vegetable soup, garnished with fresh pepper and Ligurian olive oil. There was no mistaking the freshness of the veggies in the soup, and it was both flavorful and light. A great starter.

We also split the salad special on the chalkboard- grilled veggies with farro and arugula. As I've gushed in past posts, I think grilling makes vegetables even more wonderful than they already are, and with a light marinade with just a touch of balsamic, these grilled veggies really shined. We loved the variety of veggies- green and yellow squash, peppers, fennel, asparagus, eggplant, frisee, radicchio. A hearty portion of veggies tossed with the farro really made for a filling dish.

A trifecta of shiitake, oyster, and king mushrooms sauteed with garlic and a hint of lemon is what dreams are made of. No, seriously, I was thinking about these delish mushrooms for days, and I'll be attempting this recipe later in the week. The lemony kick was a great counterbalance to the usual earthiness of the mushrooms, and the delicate polenta "crackers" were warm and crispy and did not take away from the flavor of the mushrooms. I love how something so simple can be so delicious!

Overall, we had a wonderful time at Eataly, and thanks to Batali and Company yet again, my expectations are sky-high... I only wish they were high enough where I could piggy back on the next plane to Italy.

Eataly, 200 5th Avenue at 23rd Street, 646-398-5400

What the F*ck Should I Make For Dinner?

2010-09-14T16:48:00.000-04:00

Just like when I was 12, profanity still makes me laugh. For better or for worse.

So I cracked up when I saw this basic recipe finding site, What The F*ck Should I Make For Dinner? The recipe finder gives you an option, and you can click "I don't f*cking like that" to get to the next recipe or you can click on my favorite option, "I don't f*cking eat meat" to access their vegetarian/vegan recipes. Thank you, dear creators, for thinking of us f*cking vegetarians! Check it out!

Love it! Ellen's Vegetable Dress

2010-09-14T16:37:00.000-04:00

Just one more reason to love Ellen DeGeneres- who else would counter Lady Gaga's hideous VMA meat dress with a vegetable dress?

I'm a big fan of the Gaga, and I know she's stated "It is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian," but I'm still kinda grossed out by it (and it takes a lot to do that!). I know everyone has a right to make a statement, but yuck. Thank you Ellen for offering a waaaaaaay cooler alternative! I hope Gaga will someday make a statement about vegetarianism or veganism that will be just as attention-getting.

(image borrowed from the VegNews website- you guys rock!)

Cucuzza Squash

2010-09-12T23:04:00.000-04:00

If this squash could talk, it would bellow like King Leonidas in the movie '300': "This... is... SQUASH!!!"

I've never even seen the Italian Cucuzza squash in a store until I visited Eataly this weekend (writeup to follow soon!) so of course, I had to purchase it. I'm not 100% how to prepare it- sure, it's squash, but something this epic needs a recipe of proporzione epica. Any ideas?

Mai Sushi

2010-09-10T16:21:00.046-04:00

I'm not 100% sure why a sushi resto would need to brand itself with "Real Ingredients. Real Sushi. Real Simple"- it seems a bit redundant for a sushi place- but after reading some blog buzz on the new Mai Sushi in Midtown, I figured I could use some teriyaki tofu on my Friday afternoon.

Though their branding seems like it's jumped on the locavore bandwagon and their offerings are relatively standard, what is particularly notable about Mai Sushi is their variety of takeout options and the diet-conscious/non-committal option of ordering certain dishes, like tempura, by the piece instead of a whole meal, and the choice of bento box sized portions or snack sized portions.

Who doesn't love options?

Quick veggie takeaway options at Mai include 3-piece inari snackers (but be sure to read the labels when picking up from the deli- some of their inari snackers have salmon roe), tofu caprese, teriyaki tofu steak, cucumber-avocado rolls, small portions of pickled vegetables, and large pieces of vegetables battered in tempura- I actually got a tempura special of squash and spinach for under $2. Standard, but good. Their tofu caprese is snack sized, and priced so at around $3- a tasty, non-traditional treat. I also treated myself to candied sweet potatoes with black sesame seeds- not overly sweet, these were perfect in my book!

A restaurant can also be found in the back, but with all their easy takeaway selections, I'll visit again when I'm in need of a satisfying, inexpensive snack. Good thinking Mai!

Mai Sushi, 16 E. 41st Street between Madison & 5th Aves, 212-400-8880

Hola Vegetarianas! Eating Veg in Cartagena

2010-09-09T09:54:00.001-04:00

Sorry for not posting this right away- perhaps I'm still in vacation mode :)

Trying to eat vegetarian in Cartagena, Colombia wasn't like trying to scale Machu Picchu without hiking equipment, but it was kind of like getting by in a remote village with little Spanish language skills... mine of course consisted of "Soy vegetariana y no como carne, pollo y mariscos- tienen platos vegetarianos?"

Which, all things considered, was all I needed to say at some places- as a more tourist-friendly city, beautiful Cartagena aims to please, and with a little explaining, I found several restaurant owners willing to accommodate. Even on day tours with set comidas, grilled fish and chicken were cooked separately from the coconut rice, lime marinated veggies, and plantains, making it very easy to offer someone my extra piece of fish in exchange for some extra veggies or coconut rice (which was fabulous, by the way, I'll be making this at home soon!)

The eating highlight of my trip? The unexpected discovery of a vegetarian restaurant in the San Diego district of Cartagena called Girasoles.

Open just for breakfast and lunch (and offering takeaway options, for potential visitors who might be concerned about their afternoon snack/dinner options), Girasoles served vegetarian items (like vegetable empanadas, and carrots and radishes in a creamy dressing, though I'm not 100% sure if this dressing was entirely vegan) and vegan items as well (marinated seitan and soy milk flan anyone?) As the English-speaking Colombian tour guide who shared a table with us explained, many people make a point of eating a vegetarian meal once a day for their health- a different reason than many American vegetarians/vegans, but I think no matter what the reason, as long as people are more open to the idea that you really don't need meat in your diet, they're off to a good start!

For the Girasoles set lunch, we enjoyed Colombian-style vegetarian- we started with a simple, pinto bean soup, followed by a plate of seasoned rice, marinated seitan, salad, and cold vegetables in a creamy dressing. Unlike other Latin American cultures, Colombian food is very simple- no heavy sauces, seasonings, or spices- so it can be light and easy, especially if you're eating veg! The best part? A filling lunch for my honey and I set us back about $6.50 USD... yes, for the two of us.

In addition to sampling Colombian food, we also found veg-friendly options in other global cuisines that have made their mark in Cartagena. We stopped in El Bistro in the Centro district for dinner one night, a German-owned bistro with a Latin and French serving staff that made Continental-Latin fusion. Authentically Colombian? No, but the delish vegetable curry with rice was enough to satisfy my tastebuds. (sorry for the grainy photo!)

Italians have also made a big impact in Cartagena (this should not have surprised me, we're everywhere!) and we discovered a number of Italian restaurants, as well as plenty of other restos that serve at least one or two pasta dishes in addition to traditional cuisine. I can't say I had a problem with this. Though there are a number of inexpensive options for Italian, my honey and I chose Da Danni, owned by two Italian-trained Colombian chefs. Though the bill came out to what would've been a typical dinner out in NYC, my rigatoni arrabbiata was far better than the pastas I've had to endure in Little Italy. Definitely worth it.

I even lucked out in a Colombian sushi bar, of all places! Tabetai, also located in the San Diego district, has a vegetarian roll that is not on the menu- a Japanese-Colombian fusion of avocado and fried banana. Vegetarian and not traditional- it's how all eating should be! Isn't the adventure aspect of a vacation really what it's all about?

Plant-based Goodies in the News!

2010-09-07T18:02:00.051-04:00

Published on the same date, it's as if the writers knew that these tidbits would be shared on my blog! :)

First up in the news is what all of us health-conscious vegetarians and vegans already know, yet it's still important news for average burger & fry-noshing Americans- CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta writes on his 'The Chart' blog about a large scale study (85,000 women and 44,500 men) that concluded animal-based protein diets are associated with increased mortality rates, higher BMIs, and higher cancer rates. I'm happy that someone who's so prominently featured on TV is sharing this info- kudos Dr. Gupta!

And if you've read that article and thought, "I better get some plant based goodies in my system STAT", then you'll find a fun feature in the New York Times' Well Blog about tasty vegan treats. In an effort to combat the ridiculous stereotype that some omnivore perpetuate- that vegetarian/vegan food is boring and bland- the blog cites the recent episode of Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" where vegan chef Chloe Coscarelli won top honors with her vegan cupcakes (and if you scroll down to the comments, the blogger links to the winning cupcake recipes) that wowed the judges.

Okay, so cupcakes are definitely not the healthiest thing you can put in your system, but hey, I did preface this post with "goodies" didn't I? Happy reading (and baking)!

Adios for now!

2010-08-28T22:19:00.000-04:00

It's my favorite time of year- vacation time! I'll be heading to Cartagena, in Colombia, for the next week, so I won't be updating the blog until Labor Day. There is ONE vegetarian cafe in Cartagena, so I'll have a full report when I return, and of course, pictures!

Have a great week everybody!

Gracious Gourmand

2010-08-27T14:45:00.002-04:00

Thank goodness for Twitter, because I'd be out of the loop! I feel like a slack ass for not even knowing about this dining series... but that just means more people need to spread the word about gourmet vegan dinners in the city!

Be sure to check out the Gracious Gourmand series tonight- a vegan, local, and organic six course meal by vegan chef Lagusta Yearwood.

Ready to drool? Check the menu:

♦ AMUSE BOUCHE: Baked scalloped local corn in cashew cream sauce.

♦ STARTER: Yellow tomato aspic, red tomato aspic, green tomato aspic, and tomato essence aspic with yuzu juice, micro basil, aged cashew cheese, and smoked Hawaiian guava wood sea salt.

♦ SALAD: Timbale of watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, and Chioggia beets with Kalamata olive vinaigrette and amaranth chiffonade.

♦ ENTRÉE: "Eggplant and squash, inside and out:" Syrian-stuffed eggplant with deep-fried spaghetti squash garnish, heirloom tomato sauce, and eggplant caviar-stuffed fried squash blossoms.

♦ DESSERT: Local stone fruit pudding parfait with coconut cream

♦ DESSERT: Lemon-verbena pine nut cookie sandwiches with creamy fruit fillings

♦ DESSERT: Chocolate truffles with olive oil ganache infused with Genovese basil, rolled in corn powder

Oh.Em.Gee. Forget the last of Restaurant Week, this is $50 well spent on fine dining! The first seating is at 7pm and the second seating is at 9:30pm. Get your tickets here. And while you're at it, check out The Discerning Brute blog, which is organizing this event- Joshua has some veggie recipes here too.

Boozy Sorbet

2010-08-25T18:10:00.000-04:00

If you didn't get it from one of my previous posts, I think frozen, boozy treats are the most awesome thing that summers in NYC offer. And if you've never tried Brooklyn based Wine Cellar Sorbets, clearly, your summer is not over yet. Their sweet (and vegan!) sorbets are fabulous on a hot summer day- I particularly enjoyed their Sake Sorbet while sitting along the waterside park in LIC- and if you're curious about their other offerings, be sure to visit their Greenpoint factory at 76 Kent Street this Friday, August 27th, between noon and 8pm, for a free tasting! They'll have their nine alcoholic and some of their non-alcoholic sorbets available for tasting and purchase.

If you want to discuss our shared loved of frozen debauchery, you know where I'll be on Friday!

Agnanti

2010-08-24T00:03:00.081-04:00

Everyone has their favorite resto in each of their favorite culinary traditions- their favorite Italian place, their beloved neighborhood Chinese joint, their fave Thai, their go-to falafel cart. For the closest you can get in NYC to dining out in Greece, I always go to Taverna Kyclades in Astoria- it always has fresh, delicious vegetarian options and is worth the 45 minute wait on a Saturday night.

Well, this past Saturday, it wasn't- I was getting over a cold and just couldn't deal with standing outside on loud Ditmars Boulevard. This time, we opted to visit a quieter stretch of Ditmars, near the park, and found that Agnanti might be another go-to for quality Greek food.

Lines outside restaurants in Astoria are generally a sign that a resto is worth waiting for, especially when Greek people and not just Americans are waiting outside. I tried reading Agnanti's mixed messages- there wasn't a particularly long wait to get in, but the fresh aromas wafting into the night air were irresistible. Compared to the wait at Kyclades, it took as long as our wait here (about a minute actually!) to decide on a table for two at Agnanti.

With a wood burning stove in the back of the restaurant, warm colors, and Greek shadow puppets on the walls, Agnanti feels comfortable and homey. Our tzatziki and bread, Greek salad, and horta (which are boiled chicory, amaranth, or dandelion greens with olive oil and lemon) came out immediately- they clearly know that hungry people need their appetizers- and we found the very garlicky tzatziki to be perfection, along with our salad and greens. On the vegan front, you'll also find tomato-herb fritters, some generous, grilled portobello mushrooms, fried zucchini & eggplant, and hearty mashed fava beans. Gotta love Greek food.

Post salad, out came the slightly unhealthier version of more greens, in the form of kolokithokeftedes- fried zucchini-feta fritters, which were, okay I'll say it, dill-icious, even more so with a dollop of tzatziki! We rounded our meal off with baked yigades (giant lima beans, referred to on the menu as 'fasolia plaki'), which are hearty, satisfying, and with a tomato-carrot sauce, almost sweet! Fresh watermelon with yogurt and cherries in syrup on the side was brought out to us for dessert- yup, they just bring it out for you, and I couldn't imagine a better way of ending the meal. Except for maybe some more retsina, but not necessarily when you're getting over a cold.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Agnanti, and even my Greek honey, with his discerning "I only want to eat authentic" palate, loved the place. And we feel lucky enough that we now have two go-to places for quality Greek food.

Agnanti, 19-06 Ditmars Boulevard (at Astoria Park), 718-545-4554, Astoria, Queens

Snap Pea & Apple Salad

2010-08-19T09:55:00.021-04:00

When at your local farmer's market over the summer, do you pass by the apple stands in favor of the vendors with more berries? Do you figure, "I've got all of autumn to eat apples, I want my berries while I can get them in-season!"

Allow me to give you a reason to visit your apple guy.

Don't worry, you can still stock up on summer faves, like asparagus and snap peas. In fact, you can get the best of both worlds... in one salad. Since all the ingredients were looking pretty amazing on market day, I decided to make a quick salad with crunch! It's perfectly sweet and perfectly summery. I love adding cilantro and lime juice to salads, but you can vary it up with some parsley and apple cider vinegar if you choose!

Save the rest of your apples for pie, but you'll definitely want to enjoy this salad before September.

The Whats:

* 1/2 lb. snap peas, trimmed
* 2 apples, diced
* 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 in. pieces
* 1 small yellow onion, diced
* 1tbsp. chopped cilantro
* 2 1/2 tbsp. lime juice (or apple cider vinegar)

The Hows:

1) In a large mixing bowl, add snap peas, apples, asparagus, onion, cilantro, and lime juice and toss until well-mixed. Serve chilled.

Zengo and La Biblioteca

2010-08-13T23:55:00.062-04:00

The original plan was to get drunk, but along the way, we discovered a great place to eat. Don't many great NYC culinary journeys happen in this way?

Tequila snow cones were the three words that kickstarted our night out. These citrus, hibiscus, and tamarind flavored icy shots came as a flight of 3 for $12 at La Biblioteca, on the downstairs level of E. 40th and 3rd Avenue. And if those weren't enough (in all fairness, they probably were), our planned drinking shenanigans coincided with their Tuesday night tequila tasting, and for $15, we sampled a flight of 4 tequilas from one of the last independent tequila distilleries in Mexico.

I was feeling good. And hungry.

Luckily, the ground floor restaurant, Zengo, that we completely bypassed in favor of all things tequila, was still open. Though not abundant in vegetarian or vegan options, the available veg selections of Asian-Latin cuisine kept the happy buzz going!

The edamame we started with was clearly grilled, which stood out more than any other salted, steamed edamame I've eaten. Great inventive call, Zengo! I chose the crispy tofu for my entree, and was presented with three generous blocks of panko-battered tofu served over a bed of green beans, sprouts, and chunks of ginger and garlic with a sesame-chili sauce. The tofu was perfectly crisp and satisfying, and the lightly spiced sauce was a great complement to the tofu and the sauteed veggies, which were tender and not overcooked.

I do enjoy Latin-Asian fusion, and Zengo is a great spot to visit if you're looking for solid, creative dishes. But really, as long as it's warm outside, it'll be the tequila snowcones that keep luring me back. That's what "fusion" is really all about!

Zengo and La Biblioteca, 622 Third Avenue at 40th Street, 212-808-8110

Taste of Groupon

2010-08-12T17:52:00.000-04:00

Can you possibly say no to an event when there's free vegetarian and vegan food?

And though one of my faves, Bombay Palace, was only offering tandoori chicken and no veggie dishes (booo!), I found plenty to eat at the Blossom table at last night's Taste Of Groupon event at Chelsea Piers.

Groupon, for the uninitiated, is a play on "coupon", and offers up discounts for restaurants, dessert shops, yoga classes, golf lessons at Chelsea Piers, walking tours, kickboxing, and a variety of other cool things your city has to offer- I myself have snagged a pole dancing class, a month-long pass to a yoga studio, and 2 sandwiches for the price of 1 at vegan sandwich shop Terri.

I was super excited to find vegan restaurant Blossom at the tasting, serving up tofu "crab cakes", porcini-phyllo "cigars" with cilantro pesto, and perfectly soft, warm chocolate chip cookies. As you can see from the quick shot I took of the table, the Blossom crew could barely keep up with the demand!

Other veggie picks included Shorty's, which in addition to their three varieties of Philly cheese-steak, thankfully also offered a broccoli rabe and melted provolone sub- way to go Shorty's! Poco Restaurant's veggie option were arancini with parmesan and mushrooms, and though Yorkville Creperie did not offer any savory vegetarian or vegan options, they did offer some fabulous sweet crepes, like chocolate & Nutella and banana.

Another night of happy noshing... I better run that treadmill into the ground this week to make up for it!

Summer Chiocciole with Garlic Scapes

2010-08-10T23:48:00.000-04:00

Garlic scapes got lots of hype in the foodie blogosphere in June and July- though I don't always follow trends (really, how many different cupcakeries or gelato bars can you visit without getting bored?), I do know that I really enjoyed crunching on them in the tacos I made last month! If you've bought some scapes and are now wondering what else to do with them, you can always go with my standby, pasta!

Fresh scapes are so flavorful, you really don't need to add extra garlic or onions. I did opt for a small shallot, though you can feel free to omit it if you're not a fan. I also decided to add a bit more flavor to the olive oil dressing by whisking together some basil and parmesan (use your fave vegan parm to make the dish totally vegan). Rather than saute the veggies, I tossed them cold into the pasta pot and served up a warm pasta dish- which, for a summer dinner, I found more satisfying than a hot one.

Alright scapes, you win this one! Though, unfairly, I think you'll win me over every time.

The Whats:

* 1/4 lb. garlic scapes, chopped
* 7 small campari tomatoes
* 1 shallot
* salt & pepper to taste
* 12 basil leaves
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tbsp. white wine
* 1tsp. pepper
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 2 tbsp. grated parmesan (or grated vegan parmesan)
* 8 oz (half a package) chiocciole pasta

The Hows:

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chiocciole pasta and cook until al dente, about 15 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside.

2) Whisk together the olive oil, white wine, pepper, garlic powder, salt, pepper, basil leaves, and parmesan in a small bowl. Toss with the hot cooked pasta until coated. Add the scapes, tomatoes, and shallot to the pasta, and season with more salt and pepper if desired; toss until ingredients are mixed. Serve warm.

Calista Superfoods

2010-08-06T14:15:00.000-04:00

I was excited to read about the new Calista Superfoods in a recent edition of the Vital Juice newsletter- healthier lunch options in Midtown are welcome ANY day! Eager to visit a lunch spot that wasn't one of the four neighborhood Pret a Mangers (seriously, how many of these sandwich shops do you really need?), I stopped in today to look at my options- homemade veggie burgers with several suggestions for toppings (guacamole & pickled jalapeno, spinach & mango mustard chutney), smoothies, and a great make-your-own salad or wrap bar with brown rice, a three bean medley, roasted veggies, spinach with zucchini puree, and plenty of other veggies to choose from. I liked having options, and I liked knowing that they were healthy!

What I didn't like? The fact that all the tofu options (and there were several!) used baked ponzu tofu. One of the ingredients in ponzu sauce? Bonito flakes. Bonito, if you didn't already know, is dried mackerel flakes. Not very veggie friendly, so why they chose to bake tofu in ponzu sauce is beyond me! Definitely disappointing that Calista did not have vegetarians in mind for that one.

Sigh. Instead, I ordered a whole wheat wrap with some brown rice and roasted veggies with the mango mustard chutney- though the chutney was a fun, different flavor and I liked the selection of eggplant, cauliflower, carrots, red pepper, and red onion in my wrap, I wasn't impressed. It may be a novelty for an omnivore to order a customizable bison or salmon lunch, but I can still easily frequent my local Hale & Hearty for my fave healthy salad add-ons, or even a Pret shop. I'll try Calista Superfoods once more for their veggie burger and decide then if I'll visit again.

Calista Superfoods, 301 E. 49th Street at 2nd Avenue, 212-223-1050

Healthy Shopping!

2010-08-04T14:16:00.000-04:00

Wanna spend less money on your grocery bill and supercharge your pantry? I'm feeling inspired by two articles I've just read on those topics, and before I hit the Greenmarket today, I wanted to pass 'em along to you!

Believe it, some of the 20 Healthiest Foods you can eat are some of the cheapest. And of that list, only 3 are non-veg friendly. Try using that in your next argument with an omnivore! I found some delicious faves on the top 20- kale, potatoes, garbanzo beans, whole grain pasta, and butternut squash.

And who better to ask about stocking a super food pantry than Ann Gentry, of L.A.'s renowned Real Food Daily restaurants? In Gentry's article, she advises consumers to pick up grocery staples like avocado, blueberries, dark chocolate, soy, and spinach. Instead of worrying about the quantity of calories, focus on how nutrient dense your food is and get the most out of what you're eating.

Enjoy!

Calendar Updates!

2010-08-03T18:30:00.000-04:00

Just a heads up that I've put a few more event listings for August on the Calendar page. Be sure to check out some fun events like this Sunday's Food Truck Fest, a two part raw food workshop at the Brooklyn Kitchen, and a presentation and book signing for "The Inner World of Farm Animals".

As always, if you know of any cool vegetarian or vegan or eco-friendly events or workshops, send 'em my way because I'd love to post them!

Other good news- Restaurant Week has been extended through September 6th. Check which restos are still participating and get yourself some high-end veggie munchies!

Vegan Rhubarb-Almond Shortbread Bars

2010-07-30T12:48:00.036-04:00

Fruit and shortbread need not come out of a vending machine. Does anyone else make that unfortunate association because of those wacky cellophane wrapped cookies? (I'm looking at you, Knott's!)

Shortbread is easy enough to make, and it's easy enough to make vegan. Who needs butter when you have Earth Balance? Cut down on the amount of sugar used in a typical shortbread recipe, and you'll have a treat that will leave you feeling way less guilty! I was inspired by a recipe I saw on Chow.com that used rhubarb and almond, but I mixed walnut and almond, and I'm sure peach and pecan would be a great combo as well!

I'm not so ashamed to add that I donated a batch of these to a friend's bake sale, and they totally sold out. Besides, hasn't that cupcake trend run it's course?

The Whats:

* 6 cups of 1/2 in. pieces of rhubarb
* 1/2 tsp. orange zest
* 1 cup granulated organic sugar
* 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* pinch of salt
* 1 cup (16 tbsp) Earth Balance butter
* 1 tbsp. canola oil
* 2/3 cup mixed unsalted almonds and walnuts, chopped

The Hows:

1) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the rhubarb and half a cup of the sugar and cook until rhubarb releases some juices, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook rhubarb for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is soft. Scoop rhubarb into a bowl and allow it to cool.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, remaining half cup of sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Scoop tablespoon sized pieces of Earth Balance into the flour mix and rub between your fingertips until ingredients form a crumbly dough. Add oil and using hands, combine until dough forms large, crumbly chunks. Shape dough into a large disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.

3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After one hour, remove dough from refrigerator. Coat a 13x9 baking dish with a few extra teaspoons of Earth Balance to prevent sticking. Evenly press pieces of the dough into the dish to form the shortbread crust. Evenly sprinkle chopped nuts over the top and press lightly into the dough. Using a slotted spoon, spread rhubarb evenly atop the nuts and dough. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, until shortbread has browned and rhubarb is bubbly at the edges. Allow rhubarb shortbread to cool completely before cutting into squares.

More Goodness in the Finger Lakes

2010-07-27T23:32:00.003-04:00

I'd like to say that there are benefits to being dragged along to a gas guzzling event in Watkins Glen, NY, really- the fact that there are wineries, fresh eats, and fresh air!

After visiting the Watkins Glen/Seneca Lake area last year, it was love at first site. Sure, I was still in New York State, but with rolling green hills and wineries surrounding beautiful Seneca Lake, I sometimes had to wonder if I had been transported to the German countryside. Why Germany? As someone in the Chateau Lafayette Reneau winery told us, our climates are so similar that the rieslings, gerwurztraminers, and other German wines made in the Finger Lakes region have actually won European wine contests. I won't argue with that, so cheers to some good, dry white wines!

More importantly, I've found it's easy for vegetarians and vegans to eat up here, MUCH more so than other parts of upstate. We revisited the delicious Stonecat Cafe in Hector, where last year, I saw the wait staff picking fresh herbs from the back garden and bringing them back to the kitchen (I know!!) and enjoyed a hearty maple tofu entree. This year, I've got a new resto to rave about- Suzanne's Fine Regional Cuisine in Lodi.

I know, I also wanted to make a joke about upstate's "regional cuisine"- when a town's popular joint is called "Mr. Chicken", you have to worry- but Suzanne's highlights all that is seasonal and locally grown. Guaranteeing that there's always at least one vegetarian entree on the menu (and they seemed flexible enough where if you called ahead about vegan items, they would certainly make something!), I knew I'd at least have one option, and Suzanne's exceeded my expectations for that option. The restaurant itself, a landmark home built in 1903, is it's own beautiful, unique fine dining setting (my boyfriend and I had the entire "library room" to ourselves and perused old Alice Waters cookbooks as we waited for our meal!) and if you can snag a reservation for the front porch, you'll be treated to a picturesque view of Seneca Lake and a romantic sunset if you time it right!

I enjoyed a tomato-fennel salad appetizer drizzled with balsamic- so simple, yet because the ingredients were so fresh, that's really all you needed to make a fabulous appetizer. My entree was a vegetable lasagna, which easily could've been made vegan if they omitted the cheese on top. The awesome part? There was no cheese or pasta in the lasagna- fresh zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, and herbs were layered with tomato sauce and thin, crispy potato slices rather than pasta layers and served in a little thick tomato broth. It was definitely the most creative take on lasagna I've had, and likely, a lot healthier than any other lasagna I've eaten. I'll definitely be attempting this at home! Though Suzanne's is pricier than most other restaurants in the area (entrees started at $22), it's certainly worth it for a romantic night out or a special treat. Not that a weekend of wine tasting isn't a treat enough, of course!

As far as wineries are concerned, we loved the fact that we could spend $6 (for the souvenir glass pictured, $5 for a regular glass) and taste 17 different wines at Chateau Lafayette Reneau (again, I know!!) We sampled a few more great, dry whites as well as beer at Wagner Vineyards, which is both a winery and a brewery with the communal beer garden seating that I adore, and we even sampled some good reds at Castel Grisch, though I probably won't go back to the restaurant again- a Gardenburger with a side of bacon potato salad (seriously, why would you pair this with a veggie burger?) was not the most interesting veggie option I've had, and $10 for a Gardenburger, why?

I'm hoping that it's not another year before I head back up to the Finger Lakes- it's officially my favorite part of New York outside of the city.

Restaurant Week Roundup! A Voce and Rouge Tomate

2010-07-23T12:46:00.000-04:00

My goals for this summer's Restaurant Week? To not break the bank, of course, and to find some new favorites. I figured one lunch and one dinner would be easy on my purse strings, and since I made my reservations on the first day possible on OpenTable, I scored my top two choices: A Voce in Columbus Circle, which serves up modern Italian cuisine, and Rouge Tomate on the Upper East Side, whose modern American menu focuses on sustainable, local food.

What to try and what to avoid? Check it:

Evidence: Italian should not be pricey. A Voce is. Hence, why I am visiting during Restaurant Week. And though it's a lovely, modern restaurant with an exceptional view of Central Park- and one of the best places, I think, to take your out of town guests- I don't know that I would visit outside of Restaurant Week. The food was excellent, and though the menu had vegetarian options for Restaurant Week, there were no vegan options, and vegans be warned, there are only some vegetable sides for you to consume. (though many of these do sound quite yummy!) Vegetarians will find a couple pasta dishes, salads, and fresh veggie sides to enjoy, all prepared with a creative twist on traditional Italian. I started with a spicy melon salad- cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew topped with just a touch of olive tapenade and drizzled with chili oil. The sweet and spicy combo was unexpected and delicious, and I loved it with the brininess of the tapenade. My ricotta-eggplant ravioli entree, however, was swimming in butter sauce (isn't this more typical of French food?) and though at times I did get some earthy eggplant essence in my ravioli, I wouldn't have guessed that there was eggplant present in the dish- am I crazy to think that my veggie ravioli should've been filled with, um, veggies? Dessert was as quickly devoured as it was brought out- dark chocolate gelato with sea salt, olive oil, and a chunk of pignoli brittle. It could be that I'm a gelato addict, but it was the highlight of the whole meal.

Verdict: Overall, a great Italian restaurant, but it doesn't compare to my all-time Italian fave, Lupa (aka- the House of Batali resto to which I unfairly compare all other Italian places to).

A Voce, 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Floor, 212-823-2523

Oh, this lovely heirloom squash salad? Just a little bite of heaven at Rouge Tomate.

Evidence: Modern, sustainable, delicious is everything a resto should be. Good vegetarian and vegan options are a must. Though I was surprised that Rouge Tomate, a Michelin starred establishment that prides itself on local, sustainable cooking, didn't offer more vegan options, I'm sure some of their vegetarian dishes can be made without cheese... and though the vegetarian options on their regular menu are not numerous, the ones I sampled for my Restaurant Week dinner will have me coming back for more. I couldn't even identify all the squash varieties in my hearty heirloom squash appetizer; served up with a savory sweet garlic & tomato vinaigrette and basil pistou, this salad was fresh, innovative, and filling. The sweet corn farrotto entree took a spin at being a fresher, more colorful version of risotto- with chewy, creamy farrotto, peppers and corn that truly were sweet, and just enough cilantro to lighten up the dish, I finished the whole plate (not an easy task!) and I'm eager to attempt this dish at home! Dessert was a fresh plate of melons, and though melon is always delicious, I was clearly missing out when I saw my dinner companion's banana-chocolate pudding cake with peanut butter gelato. But no worries at my end- I figured I would definitely be back here!

The Verdict: Rouge Tomate bills itself as an urban retreat, and this is one of the few occasions the resto lives up to what it's selling. The menu skims the line of being pricey, especially on the appetizer front, but for delicious, quality food that you know is coming in locally, Rouge Tomate is worth it, and that little Michelin star too.

Rouge Tomate, 10 E. 60th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues, 646-237-8977

Baked Lentil Chips!

2010-07-22T14:02:00.000-04:00

I didn't specifically seek out gluten-free chips, but when I saw these in my local Food Cellar market, I figured that a few bucks was a small price to pay to either discover a new favorite or something new to stuff in a bird feeder.

And sure enough, these chips didn't end up as bird food... heck, you had to pry these out of my hands- they're even better than those addictive Pop Chips you find in every store now! If you're not a fan of lentils (yum!) or adzuki beans (meh), you'd never know that these light, airy, and crunchy gluten-free chips were made from them. The four grams of protein and zero cholesterol per serving makes them an even more worthy snack!

I love a good, crunchy snack in the afternoon, and sometimes they're not always the healthiest foods to put in your body... but at least with these, I figure the damage will be minimal, and leave room for the hummus or salsa to dip these in!

Pan-Fried Zucchini Flower Tacos with Herbed Fresh Ricotta

2010-07-20T13:12:00.018-04:00

So I really lucked out on my most recent market visit to prep for my last taco recipe of the series- delicate zucchini flowers, heirloom cherry tomatoes (I know!!), and fresh herbs. I had never cooked with zucchini flowers before, and was excited to experiment with them... and not just resort to the "batter 'em and fry 'em" typical Italian mode of preparation, though the way the blossoms puff up from frying is pretty intriguing. Other ideas for the flowers? Putting them in a risotto, a frittata, a quesadilla, or stuffing them with tofu.

The part I did not luck out with, however, was how few zucchini flowers I purchased, not fully realizing how much were needed to fill a taco... so if you find yourself in front of a zucchini flower display, stock up if you're planning on cooking with them the same night- they're only best when they're fresh! This recipe can easily be doubled (and easily made vegan if you omit the ricotta for crumbled tofu!) and if you prefer, you can add some tofu for a bit of protein. Either way, call it my Italimexican twist on tacos!

I hope you enjoyed my taco series! If there's anything else you'd like to see or anything you'd like to hear more about, leave a comment or email me! Thanks so much for reading!

The Whats:

* 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* 8 zucchini flowers, halved with pistils removed
* 1/2 a small yellow onion, sliced
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup fresh ricotta (you can easily substitute with tofu ricotta to make this vegan!) at room temperature
* 1 tsp. cilantro, finely chopped
* 1 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
* salt & pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup sliced heirloom cherry tomatoes
* 2 flour tortillas
* frisee and cilantro for garnish

The Hows:

1) In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover and set aside.
2) In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add zucchini flowers and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until flower edges just start to brown and crisp. Remove from pan.

3) Top tortillas with pan-fried zucchini flowers, ricotta, tomatoes, and frisee and additional parsley, if using. Makes 2 servings.

Best Vegan Blogs

2010-07-19T14:04:00.000-04:00

I love inspiration, and I hope this gives you some kitchen inspiration as well! As seen on Healthy Happy Life, I'm sharing their list of the best vegan blogs. Some of them are familiar names, and others are sure to be great resources on the rise. My blog is not exclusively vegan, as regular readers know, but one day I hope to find this blog on a list of great vegetarian blogs :) A girl can dream!

Enjoy!

New! Calendar Page

2010-07-17T16:04:00.000-04:00

Hey all! I finally stopped my cave painting equivalent of event posting (a monthly post of events) and instead, learned how to make fire with a new Google calendar app. Instead of searching through monthly event blog posts, you can just visit the new Calendar page and see the choice veg foodie and eco events going on for the month!

The Friendly Veg loves being a social veg, and the more events the merrier, so if you know of an event that belongs on the calendar, I would love to post it! Leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter or my Gmail!

Tofu Tacos al Pastor

2010-07-17T13:19:00.039-04:00

When I read about pork/carnitas al pastor, I immediately took to the sweet-spicy combo of pineapple and various chili peppers. My favorite! Well, minus the marinated flesh on a spit, obviously. Instead of marinating veggie chik'n or seitan, I decide to crumble some tofu for this recipe.

Now the ingredient list may look lofty, but if you're in NYC, you can skip out on the usual hunting down of ingredients in Trader Joe's or Gourmet Garage and seek out the chili peppers and such in your local Mexican grocer. Save the leftover hot peppers for another recipe... another taco variety, a spicy masala, or a homemade salsa. In some traditional al pastor (which translates out to "shepherd's style") recipes, more liquid ingredients are used to marinate the meat; I thought this might be too much for the already moist tofu and cut out the orange juice and copious vinegar. I cooked the tofu until the liquid had mostly cooked out of the tofu and had just started to brown.

You could certainly cut down on the peppers if the dish is too spicy for you. Maybe it's the masochist in me, but I like to think the tears streaming down my face were those of joy rather than intense heat. Save those leftover pineapple chunks for a post-taco cool down!

The Whats:

* 1 pkg. firm tofu
* 1 tsp. ground cumin
* 1 tsp. smoked paprika
* 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
* 1 chopped guarjillo chili pepper
* 1 tsp. orange zest
* pinch of cinnamon
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 small red onion, diced
* 2 tsp. lime juice
* 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
* 1/3 cup chopped pineapple
* 2 tsp. olive oil
* 8 flour tortillas
* jack cheese (or vegan cheddar) and pico de gallo for serving

The Hows:

1) Drain tofu and squeeze out excess moisture. Crumble tofu into a large mixing bowl. Add all spices, garlic, onion, and pineapple, and mix until tofu is well coated.

2) Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add tofu to the pan, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tofu starts to crisp. Remove from heat, and serve on flour tortillas with desired toppings.

Basic Black Bean Tacos

2010-07-16T12:26:00.008-04:00

I took it back to basics for this recipe- black beans! They go with everything, and they're an easy choice for quick taco fillings. Rather than emphasize spice for these, I kept the flavors clean and simple- just a touch of red pepper, garlic, and a hint of lime to brighten the dish- after loading on various flavors and seasonings, I just wanted something cleaner and healthier, with less sugar, fat, and other no-nos that you'd find at your local taco joint.

Enjoy!

The Whats:

* 2 tbsp. olive oil
* 1/2 red onion, diced
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
* 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
* salt & pepper, to taste
* 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
* 2 tsp. lime juice
* avocado slices, chopped lettuce, queso blanco (or vegan mozzarella) and scallions for serving
* 8 corn tortillas

The Hows:

1) In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, cook onion and garlic cloves for two minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes; cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until tomatoes start to release their juices.

2) Stir black beans into the pan. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional 5 minutes- canned beans will already be soft, and you don't want them to become too mushy! Re-season if desired. Remove from heat, and serve beans in corn tortillas with avocado, scallions, lettuce, and cheese.

Jerk Chik'n Tacos with Caramelized Mango & Pineapple

2010-07-14T19:30:00.000-04:00

Why should chicken or pork have all the fun in the Caribbean sun?

Corny jokes aside, I was craving veggie chik'n and some spice, and this seemed like the next logical step in the taco project.

I know I could've easily mixed my own spices to create a jerk seasoning, but instead, found it much easier to pick up jerk seasoning from Fairway and cut down on my prep time. (If you want to create your own, mix together some thyme, allspice, cayenne, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, and garlic) Lucky for lazy little me, Fairway's spice blends rock!

Adding caramelized mango was a necessary fix for my sweet & spicy tooth. I tend to add extra cayenne to my dishes, so mango was the perfect cooldown!After cooking the fruit, I let the slices sit on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb some of the extra juice- I'm not a fan of soggy tacos, though if you were making this without the tortillas, I bet it would be fab! If you want to put this on the grill, leave the veggie chik'n whole and then slice it into strips. Either way, hopefully you'll get a taste of the tropics... even if the only Caribbean around is just your loud neighbor blasting Bob Marley.

The Whats:

* 3 tbsp. olive oil
* half a small red onion, diced
* 2 tbsp. jerk seasoning
* 1 pkg. of your fave veggie chik'n patties (I used Quorn in mine!), cut into strips
* 1/2 a container each of fresh mango slices and pineapple chunks, thinly sliced
* 8 corn tortillas
* 1/4 cup guacamole and chopped arugula, for serving

The Hows:

1) In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the veggie chik'n strips with the jerk seasoning and 1 tbsp. olive oil until coated.

2) Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and jerk veggie chik'n to the pan and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until veggie chik'n is golden and crisp. Remove from pan.

3) Add the mango and pineapple slices to the same pan. Cook over medium-high for about about 5 minutes, turning slices halfway, until fruit slices are browned and caramelized. Remove from pan. Serve in corn tortillas with guacamole, chopped arugula, or pico de gallo, if desired.

Sweet Potato Tacos with Spring Veggies

2010-07-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

Do you really need to ask why I've been on a taco kick? Who doesn't love just rolling up their meal and devouring it? The spices, the heat, the varieties- I could eat veggie tacos all week!

Well, that's the plan- I'm dedicating my next several recipes to one of my fave Mexican foods!

Foodie-lauded fillings like pork and beef tongue may be the current attention-getters, but you really don't need to look any further than the fresh produce at your local greenmarket for flavorful fillings. At my fave taco places in the city, it's not about beans, cheese, and jalapenos, but the carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, cactus flowers, and zucchini flowers in the mix. Way more variety than pork or beef, right?

Inspired by the satisfying sweet potato enchilada I enjoyed over Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to expand both the flavor and the texture of the dish. I diced the potatoes instead of mashing them, and added some paprika and coriander- I figured these would complement the sweetness of the potatoes! And rather than resort to just onions and peppers as my taco veggies (how boring!), I decided to use the spring veggies that my local market had to offer- asparagus and fresh radishes for crunch, a few garlic scapes for some earthy flavor. I didn't add it in this recipe, but if you'd like some added heat with your taco, feel free to add a teaspoon or two of your fave hot sauce. This recipe serves 4, but you can certainly double it if you're hosting a taco night!

Tacos con carne? No, por favor!

The Whats:

* 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
* 2 tsp. sherry
* 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup for cooking
* 1 tbsp. smoked Spanish paprika
* 1 tbsp. ground coriander
* juice of 1 lime
* 1/2 small bunch asparagus, chopped, with tips reserved
* 2 garlic scapes, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
* 1 small yellow onion, sliced
* about 5 radishes, sliced

The Hows:

1) In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with all the ingredients. Allow veggies to marinate for one hour, covered, in the refrigerator. Reserve the asparagus, garlic scapes, onion, and radishes.

2) In a large, heavy skillet, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil; cook the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and crisp on the inside and browned and crisp on the outside. Mix in the reserved veggies and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3) Remove from heat. Serve with sprouted grain tortillas (I used the Ezekiel brand), baby spinach, and some guacamole, if desired.

Times: Officials Euthanize Nearly 400 Geese in Prospect Park

2010-07-12T21:39:00.035-04:00

I know New York City geese have been viewed as a "problem" since a couple flew into the engines of the U.S. Airways flight that landed in the Hudson River last January, but mass slaughter? This is not the right solution.

I was saddened to read in the Times City Room blog that this is the plan for all geese within seven miles of LaGuardia or JFK airports. Four hundred geese were removed from Prospect Park and gassed (hardly as gentle as the term "euthanasia" implies) and it won't stop there. I hope the goslings I've come to love on the LIC waterfront are still there when I walk by this week!

So why are the geese being punished for doing what they've always been doing- flying around the Hudson? And does anyone else think that maybe, just maybe, airplane manufacturers should have safeguards against something flying into the engine? The engine, of all things?? Not just for geese, but for anything that could come near a plane engine- I don't know much about airplane design, but this seems a bit shortsighted on a designer's part.

My favorite comment at the end of the blog? Someone who asks" "So when NYC officials get too large in number (and I think we're there already)- what are we gonna do about them?" Ha. But seriously, make those officials work and phone or email your local rep and tell them that this needs to be stopped!

Grist: "Why Eaters Alone Can't Transform the Food System"

2010-07-09T15:11:00.000-04:00

A good perspective via Grist.com as to why speaking out with our wallets might not be enough. I'm a big believer in consumer activism of sorts- boycotting stores or making a point of purchasing specific products and spreading the word in my social circles- but if the right infrastructure needed to make small farm owners successful isn't there, my consumer activism might not be enough. We need to petition our local representatives on behalf of the CSAs and the small farms we see and love at our local Greenmarket.

Definitely worth a read if you want some basics on the issue!

I'm back!

2010-07-09T14:33:00.000-04:00

Apologies to my dear readers for not updating for more than a month- between an incredibly busy day job, several long weekends, and just not making enough time during the week, I've really fallen behind on posts, and I'm sorry about that!

I'm revamping my sched so I can post regularly again, and I've got four yummy taco recipes coming your way next week- black bean, jerk chik'n with caramelized mango, sweet potato, and tofu al pastor! I hope you'll enjoy them!

Also, I've started twittering! My Twitter handle is TheFriendlyVeg- please look me up and let's tweet!

As always, I love hearing feedback and suggestions, so feel free to email me at thefriendlyveg@gmail.com and drop some comments on posts you like! Thanks everyone, I hope to hear from you soon! :)

Taste of LIC

2010-06-08T01:00:00.102-04:00

Total yum took over this year's Taste of LIC, held at Gantry State Plaza Park in Queens. If you've never been, it's a great reason to get the hell outa Manhattan! Attendees got a real taste of all the neighborhood had to offer, and long-time LIC residents even found new faves.

Tasting events, for a vegetarian, are a crapshoot, in my book- you either find lots of options at a tasting, or you're stuck wondering why you bothered paying money for side dishes. (if you're lucky!) But I was familiar with a number of the restaurants in the neighborhood, and figured I'd take the chance and hope I found even more goodies that I could eat.

And did I ever- I'm surprised I was rolled out of the tent. Some veggie highlights:

- From Manducatis Rustica- savory spinach and goat cheese (or at least I think) quiches and their famous gelato varieties. One of my fave places!

- Masso- I've been here before and found the food rather bland and uninspiring, but I'll give 'em props here for serving up tomato-basil tart and crostini with chickpea puree and parmesan- not sure why these were tastier at the event than at the resto, but these sure were filling!

- Manetta's Ristorante- a creamy slice of veggie lasagna was the beginning of my end, and their fab berry panna cotta was that delicious end.

- Bantry Bay Publick House- I had no idea this Greenpoint Avenue place existed, and now I know they've got solid mac & cheese and sweet potato fries- bar food actually CAN be good!

- Breadbox Cafe- Offerings were super basic- mini bagel sandwiches. I might've normally skipped over a mini bagel with scallion cream cheese and tomatoes at a tasting event, but after a bite of the chewy and fluffy bagel, I know where I'll be purchasing my bagels in the future!

- Tuk Tuk- Almost all of their offerings were vegetarian- kudos to Tuk Tuk! I noshed on wonderfully light and fresh summer vegetable rolls and Thai vegetable noodles.

- Tom Cat Bakery- this might be the most delicious brownie I've ever had. Ever. Seriously. Perfectly rich and fudgy and not particularly messy to eat either. Heaven! Tom Cat does not have a storefront, but they do deliver to LIC's own Food Cellar market (fantastic scones and ciabatta bread!) as well as Dean & Deluca and Fairway.

On a mildly amusing note, Sage General Store's offerings all contained bacon- even the brownies. I'll say it once and I'll say it again, I just don't understand the foodie bacon trend of putting bacon in everything. If I wanted extra fat in my brownie, I'd add a scoop of ice cream. Anywho, this lady working at the booth says that although the brownie has bacon, it's still vegetarian, because some "vegetarian" she knows eats bacon. "Actually ma'am, I'm pretty sure that your friend is not a real vegetarian. Have a nice day."

My previous post on vegans working for a vegan place comes to mind... anyone who thinks that some fatty, smoky pork is vegetarian is someone I probably don't want serving my food.

On another note, you know what's awesomely vegetarian? Sangria- come on, you get a serving of fruit in your booze! And though La Vuelta on 44th Drive didn't serve any veggie options at the tasting, they had some mighty tasty sangria, which I found out is only $3 during happy hour.

Tasting events are not only good for discovering new restos, but new places to drink- score!

Required: Vegan?

2010-06-06T14:42:00.040-04:00

So I'm a bit late with this headline, but this definitely caught my attention- is it discrimination to require a job candidate be vegan? At a vegan cafe, I think the line between discrimination and "well, fair 'nuff" gets blurred.

As I read on Eater.com, the Portland, OR bakery Sweetpea Baking Company had to change their barista job listing because of some internet backlash on requiring their candidate to be vegan. Sure, it could possibly be discrimination if the candidate was quite knowledgeable on vegan diets and lifestyle (i.e. used to be vegan, married to a vegan, etc). But if you're not vegan, chances are you're a bit clueless on these matters- and in matters of business, why wouldn't you hire the most knowledgeable candidate for the job? I mean, you wouldn't hire an amateur food blogger to take the head chef position at Per Se, right?

Discrimination- maybe. But guess what: for all the times I've been annoyed that some bored barista made my drink with regular milk when I asked for soy milk or dealt with a server who couldn't understand why I sent my meal back when my veggies were obviously grilled in the same greasy pan as their meat dish, I think the PC police should just shut up and worry about issues that are truly discriminatory.

June Events

2010-06-05T11:50:00.008-04:00

Check out veg foodie and health events in June!

Sunday, June 6th

Egg Rolls and Egg Creams- 12pm to 4pm at the Museum on Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street btwn. Canal and Division Streets, free. Bringing two cultures together, one tasty treat at a time. At this annual block party, which celebrates both the Chinese and Jewish roots of the neighborhood, you'll taste not only egg rolls and egg creams, but learn how to make challah too!

Tuesday, June 8th

Sustainable Planet Film Festival- noon to 6pm at Gabarron Foundation, 149 E. 38th Street, $100 for festival passes. A film festival promoting sustainable development, it's also a venue for filmmakers and non-profits to come together and discuss sustainable solutions.

Green Drinks NYC- 7pm to 9pm at Solar One, 2420 FDR Drive at E. 23rd Street, $20 at door. The monthly meetup for green minded individuals features a presentation by Green Mountain Energy as well organic snack, drinks, and speed networking!

Taste of LIC- 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Gantry Plaza State Park, $50 at door. This isn't an exclusively vegetarian or eco event, but with lots of restaurants, bakeries, and bars reppin' in LIC, there are bound to be plenty of goodies for vegetarians. Plus, as an LIC resident, this gantry spot with beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline is worth leaving Manhattan for!

Friday, June 11th through Sunday, June 13th

Yoga and Raw Food Expo- all day at the Hotel New Yorker, 481 8th Avenue, $35/weekend. A weekend of speakers, exhibits, and workshops devoted to all things yoga related and everything raw, including raw and organic products and cooking demos.

Through Saturday, June 19th

Jonathan Horowitz "Go Vegan" Art Exhibit- at Gavin Brown's Enterprise, 620 Greenwich Street, free. This exhibit is a restaging of the artist's widely acclaimed 2002 exhibition. Featuring video installations, celebrity and animal portraits and a "Minimalist tofu sculpture", this sounds like an exhibit that every veg should see and support!

Ongoing from Saturday, June 19th

Edible Garden at the New York Botanical Gardens- Bronx, NY. The summer-long exhibition is back and runs through October 17th. Garden exhibitions, cooking demos, celebrity chef audio tours, and festival weekends featuring those celebrity chefs will leave you hungry for more... and for some fresh veggies, of course.

Monday, June 21st through Sunday, June 27th

"What's Organic about Organic?" Screening- 7pm to 9pm at HERE, Dorothy B. Williams Theater, 145 6th Avenue, $10 online.What happens when a grassroots movement goes international? That's what this film seeks to answer. Each screening is followed with a Q&A and panel discussion. Sounds fascinating!

Tuesday, June 22nd

World's Largest Yoga Event- 6pm at the Great Lawn in Central Park, free- This needs no other explanation. Join thousands of other yogis and do your downward dog instead of walking your dog in Central Park.

Wednesday, June 23rd through Sunday, June 27th

4th Annual NYC Food Film Festival- various times and locations; check website for full lineup. The festival that not only brings you film, but the food that goes with the films! Lots of shorts are, of course, devoted to non-vegetarian things, but there's always something to snack on and it's always a good time.

Sunday, June 27th

New Amsterdam Market- 11am to 4pm on South Street between Beekman St and Peck Slip. The expansive New Amsterdam Market is back! Expect fruit, veggies, bread, and a variety of purveyors of imported and local food. Yum.

The Unfancy Food Show 2010- 12pm to 5pm at the Bell House, 147 7th Street, Brooklyn, $5. When your event logo mimics a can of PBR, you know you're in Brooklyn. Less gourmet but in no way less delicious, this event offers up goodies from Sullivan Street Bakery, McClure's Pickles, Liddabit Sweets, Anarchy in a Jar, and Rooftop Farms.

Sunday, June 27th through Tuesday, June 29th

New York Fancy Food Show- at the Jacob Javits Center, 655 W. 34th Street, $60 for 3 days. Foodgasms? You'll find them here. An expansive array of gourmet exhibitors along with tastings, cooking classes, and tours.

Ongoing Fridays

Free Bike Fridays on Governors Island- borrow a bike (for free!) for up to an hour to explore Governors Island. Bring a soccer ball, a picnic lunch, and some friends with you, and you've got a full day of activity!

Ongoing Sundays

Free Kayaking in Red Hook- 1pm to 5pm at Valentino Pier, Ferris & Coffey Street, BK- Foodie related? No. But are health and fun involved. Hells yes. Besides, you'll have an excuse to visit all those yummy Red Hook restos you've been meaning to... you have been meaning to, right?

Meat is For Pussies

2010-06-04T11:53:00.019-04:00

No, that title is not just a generalization on how I feel about meat. It's actually the name of a new book.

Meat is For Pussies, by John Joseph takes a different approach to bringing your attention to what you eat, ya know, as opposed to everything else nowadays that ends in "ista." (sorry, this trend is MOST annoying!) According to a review on the Grub Street site- which I won't call a review, because the writer hadn't actually read the book- the tome uses meathead (forgive the pun!) mentality to rationalize going veg.

If the title doesn't bring in the boys, hopefully the content will. I'm intrigued, I admit, so I think I'll need to check this out soon!

Health Headlines

2010-06-03T15:39:00.051-04:00

Chances are, if you're reading this blog, you're just as concerned about healthy eating as I am. Here are a few articles I've been reading this past week that are worth taking a look at!

Menus Still Calorie-Laden Despite New Laws- this is disappointing to hear. You'd think that with laws requiring restaurants to place calorie content for all to see would be incentive to add lower calories meals to their menu. Apparently that's not the case. It's time for consumers to step up and demand lower calorie meals at their fave chains, or eat elsewhere.

Eat Your Vegetables, But Not Too Many- as with any food, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

How To Stop Eating Processed Food- There's more to it than the catchy title, "Real Food Has Curves." Gaining weight isn't just about overeating; it's also about eating too many processed foods, which can be difficult in some supermarkets. The article gives some tips on what to look for (and avoid!) when grocery shopping.

No Evidence Organic Foods Benefit Health- Sounds like more longer-term studies need to be done on this matter, rather than the shorter term studies that have been completed. According to some of these studies, organic foods and conventional foods do not differ in terms of nutrient content and increased antioxidant activity.

The Hard Sell on Salt- We all know too much salt is linked to high blood pressure and Americans consume all too much of it (see above, "How to Stop Eating Processed Food"). So when the salt reduction campaigns start, go figure, that's when Big Food starts fighting back. This interesting read gives some history of the addition of salt to our beloved processed foods, like Corn Flakes and Eggo waffles, and companies' responses to lowering salt in their "foods." Damn you, Big Food!

Good Eats on Memorial Day!

2010-06-01T00:02:00.100-04:00

Orange people by the beach? Toto, I don't think we're in New York City anymore.

The Jersey Shore is probably more well known for guidos with Oompa Loompa skin and steroid fueled fist pumps, and alas, there's plenty of that in Seaside Heights and Ortley Beach (I had to forgo giggles for my own safety- the dude in front of me in a burrito place could've kicked Arnold Schwarzenegger's ass... like, 1970s Schwarzenegger, not the Governator)

But for the last two Memorial Days, I've been lucky enough where we've largely avoided that crowd and simply enjoyed the sand and the waves on quiet beaches, this year on Long Beach Island. Those loud, gold chain adorned folk were largely absent, though there were plenty of laid back families with boogie boards lining up at old-fashioned ice cream parlors on the main drag. It felt like stepping back about 30, 40 years ago, and it felt great!

"And what does your beach weekend have to do with your blog, Friendly Veg?" Aha, my fabulous readers, have I got a resto to share with you! If you think you'd be stuck in LBI with just burger and ice cream shacks, you're wrong.

Looks pretty damn good, doesn't it? It's the mesquite seitan strips with jicama, scallions, and pineapple salsa at Plantation. Plantation is as close to an upscale restaurant that you could find in a beach neighborhood- by my logic, they'd have to be relatively accommodating to a vegetarian.

My instincts were right- we found an entire vegetarian/vegan menu outside of the regular menu (though you need to ask for it). This was better than finding a prime spot on the beach! With salads, chili marinated tofu, pineapple fried rice, fresh vegetable quesadillas and more, it was tough to decide on just one appetizer and one entree! The mesquite seitan strips were wonderfully crisp and sweet, and were perfectly complemented by the fresh, crunchy jicama. And the strips were delicious on their own and with the pineapple salsa, with neither overwhelming the flavor of the other. As an entree, I went with the recommendation of a fellow diner across from us (see, vegetarians are everywhere!) and chose the sweet potato enchiladas over black beans and corn salsa with crema and cheddar (though if you wanted to make it vegan, I'm sure they'd omit the cheese and crema). Though I found the enchilada stuffing a bit bland- the mashed sweet potato was devoid of any south of the border spices or other veggies- it was easy to open up the enchilada and add the mild black bean and corn salsa, scallions, and crema. This blend of flavors and textures was great, and as a huge fan of sweet potatoes, I'll be recreating this dish at home.

Because it's hard to resist a slice of key lime pie when on a beach vacation, Plantation offers up an unusually thick, creamy version of the dessert... and of course, I didn't resist. It was so decadent that it was impossible to finish, but delightfully sweet and tart nonetheless.

Price-wise, you'll pay more at Plantation than you would at some of the other local restos, but here, it's clearly worth it. With it's Southern manor home feel, with heavy shutters and old fashioned hanging lamps above the tables, Plantation takes you away from the typical, casual (and meat heavy) beach dining. And if that means being whisked away from greasy stands, then by all means, let's go on a vacation within a vacation.

Plantation, 7908 Long Beach Blvd, LBI, NJ, (609) 494-8191

Want More Citrus?

2010-05-31T21:37:00.002-04:00

Alas, it was a short citrus series, but I hope you enjoyed the recipes! I've got two more suggestions for you to have your next meal transport you from the city to the tropics.

My sister mailed me a copy of "The Tropical Vegan Kitchen", by Donna Klein. Klein has published a number of vegan cookbooks with really simple recipes (Vegan Italiano and Supermarket Vegan among them), all with a tropical twist. Great inspiration for summer cooking, especially with citrus!

And today, as I perused the freezer section of my local supermarket for post Memorial Day veggie burgers, I found the most awesome summer icy treat- Ciao Bella Blood Orange sorbet bar. O.M.G. At 60 calories with no fat and cholesterol, I'll take these sweet, vegan-friendly bars over a soft-serve cone any day!

Lemony Fingerling Potatoes... and Lemon Chik'n

2010-05-29T00:01:00.056-04:00

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade... or better yet, lemon marinade! I don't like to overload my meals with just one flavor, but since I had the lemons to spare, I put 'em to good use! Come May, the usual earthy flavors that I use to season potatoes in the winter, like sage, get packed up just like winter sweaters, and out come the lemon and basil.

For a small bag of fingerling potatoes (I love how they crisp like hand cut fries!), I used half a lemon for the marinade; I used the other lemon half to marinate my fave veggie chik'n, Quorn, before putting it on the grill. If your potato wedges aren't too thick, they will cook quickly on the grill. And that grapefruit-mint green bean salad from last post? Yup, I put those on the grill too and made a simple, citrus-y weeknight dinner.

The Whats:

* 1.5 lbs. fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
* 2 Quorn veggie chk'n patties, defrosted
* 1 large lemon, halved
* 8 large basil leaves, chopped
* 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
* salt and pepper to taste

The Hows:

1) In a large mixing bowl, add fingerling potatoes, basil, salt & pepper, 3 tbsp. of the olive oil , and the juice of half of the lemon; toss until potatoes are evenly coated. Either roast at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until crisp, or cook on barbeque grill on high until crisp on outside.

2) As potatoes cook, heat remaining olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add chik'n patties to the pan, squeeze juice from remaining lemon half into the pan, add salt and pepper and toss to coat- for some Mediterranean flavor, add some oregano to the mix. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until chik'n is browned and edges are crisp. Alternatively, marinate chik'n with lemon and seasonings for half an hour in a large mixing bowl; cook on barbeque grill on high until crisp on outside.

Green Bean, Asparagus & Fennel with Grapefruit-Mint Dressing

2010-05-27T23:16:00.042-04:00

Next in the citrus series: grapefruit. No matter how much your mouth puckers while you drink the juice, it's still an undeniably fresh, antioxidant and vitamin C-packed fruit to cook with. Let's do this fruit some justice and give it a better association than that silly diet of the same name.

For this light side salad, I chose to use grapefruit juice for a dressing, but if you'd prefer to pucker with your meal, you can make grapefruit slices a part of the salad. These veggies would also go great on the grill... stay tuned for the next blog post!

The Whats:

* 1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
* 1 lb. thin asparagus, ends trimmed
* 1 large fennel bulb, sliced
* 1/4 cup grapefruit juice (I like red grapefruit!)
* 3 tbsp. olive oil
* about 12 mint leaves, finely chopped
* 1/4 tsp. white pepper

The Hows:

1) Place veggies in a large mixing bowl. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together the grapefruit juice, olive oil, mint, and white pepper. Pour dressing over veggies and toss to coat. You can serve as is, or marinate the veggies for one hour before serving.

Bulgogi Seitan with Garlicky Bok Choy

2010-05-26T23:20:00.039-04:00

With Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, just around the corner, I'm devoting my next few recipe posts to the essence of summer food- citrus! Citrus perks up any dish, whether you're using a fruit based marinade, cutting up fruit slices into salads, or grilling fruit the way you would a veggie burger.

Since bulgogi- a Japanese dish of thin, marinated steak slices- is not a traditionally veg dish to begin with, I decided to continue shaking things up by adding a citrus element to the marinade. When hasn't a splash of orange juice perked up any dish? Though one would normally cook their bulgogi strips over a little table grill at a Japanese BBQ, super thin slices of seitan probably would not hold up as well- I opted to lightly pan sear them to not only maintain their sweet and savory flavor, but to avoid burning the seitan and of course not have it slip through the grill. If you reserve the extra marinade, you can add it to some sauteed bok choy and noodles, as I have, but you can use your fave veggie instead!

Happy grilling... uh, pan searing!

The Whats:

* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 2 tbsp. sesame oil
* 1 tsp. garlic powder
* 2 tsp. brown sugar
* 8 oz. pkg. seitan strips, very thinly sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, halved and crushed
* 5 tbsp. olive oil* 2 bunches bok choy, chopped
* 4 oz. buckwheat soba noodles

The Hows:

1) Using paper towels, squeeze excess moisture from seitan strips. Allow strips to dry on a clean towel.

2) While strips dry, whisk together soy sauce, water, orange juice, garlic powder, and sugar in a small bowl. Place seitan strips in a gallon sized baggie; cover with 3/4 of the marinade. Seal bag and shake to coat. Allow seitan to marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

3) Heat 3 tbsp. of the olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, sear seitan until just golden and edges are crisp, about a minute; flip seitan and cook opposite side until just golden. Remove from pan and set aside on paper towels.

4) When seitan is finished cooking, reduce heat to medium, and add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for two minutes. Add the bok choy to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until softened but still crisp. As bok choy cooks, prepare the soba noodles according to package directions; after draining and rinsing, mix the remaining marinade into the noodles. Place the cooked noodles on a plate and top with bok choy and bulgogi seitan. Serves 2.

Sweet Israeli Couscous with Tart Cherries and Cashews

2010-05-19T16:52:00.000-04:00

There's a first time for everything!

As silly as it sounds, I've never cooked Israeli couscous before, and now that I have, I can't imagine why I waited so long- texture-wise, this reminds me more of pasta than it does of typical couscous! Which might be all the more reason why I'm now a fan. Like many other grain dishes, preparation is relatively simple- two parts liquid for each part grain and cook until tender and fluffy.

With dried cherries and cashews in my cabinets, I thought I'd create a sweet couscous instead of a typical herb-y or vegetable-y one. To add a little heat to the dish, I sliced some peppadew peppers (which also make great stuffed appetizers!) and let the sweet & spicy flavors battle it out. I'm normally a fan of spicy, but in this case, it's an even draw.

The Whats:

* 1 cup dried Israeli couscous
* 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
* 1 cup water
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 tbsp. rose water (optional)
* 1 tsp. nutmeg
* pinch of salt
* 2 tbsp. olive oil
* 1/2 cup finely chopped dried tart cherries
* 1/2 cup finely chopped cashews (almonds would be great as well!)
* 2 tsp. agave nectar
* about 6 peppadew peppers, sliced into strips

The Hows:

1) In a small skillet, heat one tbsp. of the olive oil. Add the cherries and cashews to the pan; add agave nectar and mix until cashews and cherries are evenly coated. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cashews have slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Meanwhile, bring water and veggie broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous and the bay leaf and reduce heat to low; cover and cook until couscous is tender and liquid has absorbed,about 10 minutes.

3) Stir in remaining olive oil, rose water, nutmeg, salt, and the cherry-cashew mixture. Add the peppadew peppers into the couscous, or use as garnish. Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.

Have extra cashew-cherry mix? If you've already bought a container of peppadews, might I suggest:

New Feature! Recipe Archive

2010-05-17T11:28:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to give you all a heads up that I've got a new page on this blog that I probably waited longer than I should've to put up. Instead of just using the Google search function on The Friendly Veg homepage to find past recipes, you can now search through the Recipe Archive page, where every recipe that I've devised is listed by course, and which are vegetarian and vegan friendly.

I hope this is helpful! I'm also working on a Veggie Resources page and I hope to bring that to you in the next few weeks. As always, if you have any ideas or suggestions, I would love to hear them- shoot an email to thefriendlyveg@gmail.com with your thoughts!

Veggie Pride Parade

2010-05-16T22:24:00.001-04:00

Okay, so clearly I missed the parade. But I was not going to miss the demos in Union Square North!

It was a beautiful day for the third annual Veggie Pride Parade, and the vegetarians, vegans, and freegans came out... because of course there was free food to be sampled too. I missed some sort of vegetable bread (to the chunky beotch stuffing a vegan brownie in her mouth while shoving past me to get the last piece of bread, I hope you're reading this!), but there were other goodies to try.

The V Spot, the Brooklyn based restaurant and the creator of many of the savory vegan Latin packaged goodies you'll see in health food stores, was on hand to share to their seitan empanadas with fresh salsa. Bursting with fresh cilantro and spicy peppers, I could've eaten a dozen of these, but alas, I was not about to wait in line again. Hit up their website for a list of where to buy their tasty morsels.

Whole Earth Bakery tempted the crowds with decadent vegan desserts. I sampled their vegan rice crispie treat covered in chocolate- dripping with agave nectar and thick chocolate, it was so unbelievably rich that I couldn't finish it! Sigh, perfection.

With performers singing songs about animals, random parade attendees giving testimony as to when and how they went vegetarian or vegan, costumed veggies taking pictures with children, various petitioners obtaining signatures, vegan cooking schools with their class listings, or OrganicAthletes offering sports nutrition info, there was something new to see and learn throughout the entire north end of the park. I hope you got the chance to make it out! With the great event and the great crowd (minus Greedy Bread-Thievin' Vegan of course), I definitely felt proud to be reppin' vegetarians today! Go veg!

Tacos, Uptown!

2010-05-15T20:26:00.067-04:00

Mexican joints can be a gamble in NYC- some places are create authentically south of the border plates; others just produce nasty messes of greasy cheese and tortillas. I managed to get lucky not once, but twice in the past two days with two Mexican places just blocks from each other! So here is a short blog post shouting out these two restos in the Upper West Side / Morningside Heights vicinity.

The honey brought home dinner on Friday night from Taqueria y Fonda on Amsterdam Avenue between 107th and 108th. It was a bit of a hole in wall, he said, but since everyone ordering takeout was Latino, he figured it had to be good. And he was right! I enjoyed a cactus taco and a vegetable quesadilla- and to my delight, it wasn't the typical quesadilla stuffed with onions and lettuce and dubbed "a vegetable quesadilla." It was filled with grilled broccoli, carrots, spinach, green and red peppers, tomatoes, onions, and just a little bit of queso fresco. Even more enticing, it was topping with a fresh guacamole that was barely salted, just the way I like it. Perfect!

After a soccer game on this sunny Saturday afternoon, my pals and I desperately needed some refueling. And it was all too convenient that Noche Mexicana was located across the street, on the corner of 101st and Amsterdam Avenue, and that it came recommended from a friend. They were very generous with their chips and spicy red and green dipping sauces, and their entree sizes were quite generous as well. They had the usual vegetarian options- a vegetable quesadilla, burrito, enchilada, and tacos- and I chose a pumpkin flower quesadilla. Though a bit more cheese than I would have liked, I enjoyed the sauteed pumpkin flowers, which I'd never tried before, and they were like a heartier version of zucchini flowers. I also ended up dipping some of my quesadilla into my friend's bowl of mole`, because I can never resist a good mole`, and even though it didn't quite go with my dish, it was one of the best moles I ever tasted!

Ah, doesn't it feel good to get lucky over the weekend?

Happy Pride Weekend!

2010-05-14T17:26:00.000-04:00

Veggie Pride, that is! If you're in the NYC area, be sure to check out the Veggie Prom tonight in Brooklyn, and the annual Veggie Pride Parade in the West Village on Sunday.

I'm hoping to get to the Veggie Pride Parade on Sunday, so hopefully I'll have some pictures to post for you!