I (heart) the Chicago Diner- More travel food!

Leave a comment

I know I’ve sung the praises of The Chicago Diner before, but every time we go I am reminded about how amazing the food is and how special it is to eat at an established vegetarian/vegan restaurant. I just don’t take that for granted because it’s harder to find than you think.

One of the other things I love about eating there is the inspiration I get for my own cooking. For instance, this time I had the Cornish “beef” hash with an egg sunny side up on top.

20130428-085100.jpg

I’ve got to figure out how they make that seitan- it slices perfectly and seems to absorb marinating juices really well. I think they use it in their signature Reuben dish too. The egg on top of this dish was a brilliant touch.

John had the black bean burger.

20130505-162414.jpg

Josh had a spicy breaded “chick” sandwich which despite the good waitresses fair warning was not too hot for ol’Josh.

20130505-162553.jpg

If I am truly honest with myself I would admit that it isn’t just the amazing, hearty meals that bring us back every time we visit Chicago…it’s that mind-blowing chocolate chip cookie peanut butter vegan shake. I think I’ll let the evidence speak for itself…

20130505-162858.jpg

20130505-162912.jpg

meatless monday — “play ball!”

Leave a comment

what better way to celebrate the cardinals baseball st. louis opener game but to make me some hot dogs?! well veggie hot dogs in honor of sir paul and his meatless monday. with the game playing on the radio and me in one of my cards tee shirts i decided the meal to be had would include tofu pigs-n-blanket with tater tots and of course beer!!

IMG_1053

Epcot Eating

Leave a comment

20130225-070336.jpg

John and I love to go to Disney World. We like the different parks for different reasons, but the main reason I love Epcot is for the food. During our stay we try eat one meal a day at the World Showcase. We do this to detox from the crowds in a more adult themed park and because we love the whole “visit another country all in one place” idea.

Here are some of the countries we ate in:
Italy…
I had a homemade pasta with pesto that was the best meal at the park and a Nutella polenta dessert that was surprising good. Half our meal we spent listening and spying on the massive fireworks display behind us.

20130225-070831.jpg

20130225-070846.jpg

20130225-070903.jpg

20130225-070915.jpg

Mexico…
From previous experience we knew we could ask for a veggie menu at the all meat establishment. It was very limited (we both had black bean and gelled veg soft tacos), but lets face it when you are eating inside a Mayan temple with a river, “active” volcano, and another Mayan temple sitting inside of it , you’re not really there for the food.

20130225-071642.jpg

20130225-071651.jpg

20130225-071658.jpg

20130225-071706.jpg

Norway…
Sweet almond pretzel. I want to learn how to make these now!

20130225-071742.jpg

Germany…

20130225-071832.jpg

20130225-071838.jpg

France…

20130225-071914.jpg

And finally our beloved England!

20130225-071957.jpg

20130428-085521.jpg

pizza night aka “take that the grotto”

Leave a comment

life can be hard when you develop food allergies. my friend elise and i are lactose intolerant buddies. she also has the added burden of gluten intolerance and for me, allergic to shellfish. dining out can be a serious challenge and we had both basically given up the concept of going out for pizza. however one restaurant in town offered up gluten free crust and dairy free cheeses, the grotto our mecca for dietary issue pizza bliss. then tragedy….the grotto moves to bigger location, the menu must be adjusted to handle new experiences and the first thing cut the gluten crust and dairy free cheeses. so elise and i said a big “f.u.” we’ll just do this our selves, thus was born our saturday night pizza night. gluten free crust, lots of dairy free cheese, yummy sauce with a hint of spiciness, peppers, tomatoes, and red onion. who needs the grotto when these two chicks can cook just as badass!

elise with our pre-baked masterpiece

elise with our pre-baked masterpiece

hot out of the oven

hot out of the oven

and it didn't even make my belly hurt

and it didn’t even make my belly hurt

 

 

meatless monday — dinner party for one

Leave a comment

once a month i host a meatless monday dinner party i have dubbed “lets do dinner!!!”  a week ago i was supposed to be cooking up a fantastic mediterranean fest for my friends.  homemade white bean lemon hummus, chickpea mint salad, stuffed baby peppers and honey-date cookies.  then i had one of those days, tired crabby, i wanted to still cook up a storm but i didn’t want to share it, i realized.  i wanted to open my favorite bottle of wine but just for me.  i wanted to eat the hummus but i wanted it all to myself.  so i sent out a mass message….dinner canceled do to illness.  i will say that when concerned friends wanted to know about my sickness and if they could aid me in any way, i did admit the illness was crabbiness.   but i realized as i was cooking what i needed was a dinner party for one.  to cook a fabulous meal just for me to enjoy.  why people don’t cook for themselves like they would for others is a mystery to me.  sitting down to my plate of chickpea mint salad, lemony hummus and stuffed peppers with a giant glass of wine all by my sweet self turned out to be the perfect remedy to my illness of crabbiness.

now that makes me say opaa!!

now that makes me say opaa!!