Horizons Visit with Sue

Unfortunately, many of the pictures of the great meal I shared with Sue did not come out great; they were all taken with a camera phone.

I got my usual, the green salad as an appetizer and spinach salad (Yucatan salad) as my entree.  Not all raw but mostly raw.

Sue got the vegetable sampler tasting menu, which was really cool.  It came with a beet salad to start, then a tomato soup with spinach and asparagus, then a heart of palm cake with horseradish sauce and guacamole, an exotic mushroom dish with a parsnip ravioli, and then a dessert sampler with brulee, cheesecake, and biscotti.  Sue said everything was great except for the biscotti. 

Pictures are of the heart of palm cake, the spinach salad, and the beet salad.

Cheezly Craze

Yes, I have some Cheezly….and I will make a pizza soon!  I just don’t have the desire for fatty/melty foods as I used to.  I think a lot of times we crave things merely because we are accustomed to them and/or there is some psychological attachment to certain foods.  I don’t have a cheese monster inside of me, but I am looking forward to trying this product and will let everyone know how it is!

In the interim, I have been eating tons of raw food and a bit of cooked.  It’s all part of my detoxification, as I term it, from a few days of eating rich (albeit healthier than omnivorous counterparts) restaurant meals.

Certainly, I would recommend heading over to Horizons at 7th & Kater (between South & Bainbridge) and getting the Pumpkin Pie Martini with a cinnamon stick and the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake.  If the thought of pure chocolate strikes your fancy, get the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bomb.  My favorite entree dish there is the Spinach Salad with delicious avocado and corn pieces; however, many people prefer to start their meal with the BBQ Seitan.  Get over there and splurge for the fall season!

Blue Sage Grille, Visit II

Plantains Pacific Rim~
Crispy smashed plantains & wonton chips surround a savory parfait of wasbi crema, mango papaya salsa & sesame-soy black bean hummus. 8.75

Indonesian peanut & sweet potato soup.

These are lentil dumplings with lemongrass.

Cubano Supper*
Flaky plantain pastries stuffed with sunflower seed-smoked red pepper pesto surround tower of yellow tomatoes & avocado corn salsa. Served with chipotle jicama slaw & mango-papaya relish. 16.95

Macadamia Black Bean Cakes *
Trio of macadamia black bean cakes surround grilled hoisin pineapple & red quinoa-black rice pilaf. Served with watermelon jicama slaw & mango barbeque glaze. 18.50

Hazelnut Toffee Basket*
Filled with rich chocolate buttercream mousse, caramlized bananas & toasted hazelnuts

It was another awesome dining experience, this time with a glass of wine!  We’re missing a photograph of a carryout order mysteriously placed by one of my cohorts!

I still don’t know why this restaurant chooses to serve animal products.  Clearly, the chef is capable of making delicious, peaceful items.

Sang Kee Asian Bistro

This is an excellent restaurant in Wynnewood, PA, with very understanding waitstaff when it comes to requesting items without fish/oyster sauce and also a good ole plate of steamed greens (shown here with broccoli and bok choy).

 

Also shown is the vegetarian General Tso’s, which an excellent sauce.  I love the green onions with it!

Bertucci’s

When going to Bertucci’s, I find that the pizza can get pretty pricy if you add individual vegetables.  However, they have the side of roasted Tuscan vegetables that you can order and put on top of your pizza yourself!  This pizza shown is ordered with two vegetables that come with it (this time, eggplant and fresh tomatoes) and then topped with the side of vegetables.  Make sure you order no cheese, including no parmesan, as their oil mixture does have cheese in it.

The crust and sauce are extremely tasty!  I love Bertucci’s. 

Aloha! Artichoke Dip

The Maui Vegetarian (www.themauivegetarian.com)

I know this isn’t the best picture, but I made this at midnight tonight, after the bread had been proofing for the sourdough starter Sunday night and then rising all day Monday.  And I’m really going out on a limb with the heat, considering all of the raw food every one else is eating and how hot the kitchen is now.

Truth is, I couldn’t wait to try this artichoke dip.  I was generously sent this cookbook a few days ago, and it includes pictures for the majority of the recipes.  I sat on the train, flipping through the pages, my mouth watering, hoping my destination was a bit further so I could finish reading! 

The dip is very cheesy-tasting, with a lemony cashew cream, chopped artichokes, onions, red bell peppers, garlic, and chiles.  It is baked until browned on top.  Mine did get brown on top, but I ended up inverting the dish it was in.  Regardless, the dip/spread is amazingly good and easy to make.  I spread it on top of the bread.

The dip is gluten-free and, if you omit the 1 tsp. of Bragg’s, soy-free.

I couldn’t resist the organic red bell peppers I found at the store….I roasted about 5 of them in total!

Su Tao Cafe

www.sutaocafe.com

All plant-based food and a reasonably priced buffet await you at Su Tao!   The choices vary from healthy salads with greens such as kombu, spinach, and kale; or apple salad and a romaine salad with mixed toppings; and other, more fattening and filling choices, such as eggplant, spring rolls, lemon “chicken,” General Tso’s “chicken,” and many other choices.

Chenoa Manor Sanctuary

Thank you, Rob, for the tour and for letting us experience time in the peaceful, loving, and nurturing setting you have created.  www.chenoamanor.com

Where Stella got her groove back…

Naptime is optional…

Sun or shade, their choice….

Food and water plentiful…

Life and family respected…

Nothing Says Friendship

Better than Banana Peanut Butter Muffins…

 

WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS!  HOW ARE WE LIVIN’, SANCTUARY, GOERS?! 

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Peanut Butter Banana Muffins w/ Chocolate chips Vegetarian Times, March 2007 (Adaptation)Serves 6-12

1/2 c. whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 c. unbleached white flour

3/4 c. light brown sugar or raw sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 medium bananas, mashed

1/3 c. unsweetened crunchy peanut butter

1/4 c. soymilk, applesauce, or soy yogurt

1 egg replacer (as in Ener-G mixed with water or flax) (optional - these will hold together, as most baked goods, without it)

2 T. canola oil

3/4 c. chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder & soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together bananas, peanut butter, soymilk, egg replacer, vanilla, and oil. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter evenly between the muffin cups (12).

Bake 18-20 min. or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 min.  GREAT EATEN WARM….you know, to test and make sure they taste good.

Basil Party!

 

Steamed broccoli rabe and baby bok choy, with a basil sauce.

Homemade sourdough rolls with brown rice, whole-grain spelt, and unbleached white flour, with basil-marinated and pesto spread tofu, grilled.

The basil sauce is made from pesto with water and Bragg’s added, along with cornstarch as a thickener.

Thanks to Trader Joe’s for offering a good amount of basil at a reasonable price!