Pistachio Pesto Pizza

Makes 4 servings of 2 slices each, or 8 slices total

1 pound pizza dough (I used Essential Baking Company’s The Essential Pizza Original Pizza Dough)
1 recipe Pistachio Mixed Herb Pesto (see recipe below)
4 ounces low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese, grated
1 ounce pecorino romano cheese, grated on a microplane grater
1 large tomato, diced (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 450° and if you have one, place pizza stone on center rack. Remove thawed dough from wrapper, set on a floured surface and let rest for 30 minutes. While dough is resting and oven is preheating, make pesto.

Roll dough into a ¼-inch-thick circle or to match the size of your pizza stone (mine is 12½ inches across). Place dough on pizza peel or large baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (to keep it from sticking). Spread pesto over dough to within 1/2 in of the edge. Sprinkle with cheeses. Use peel to scoot pizza onto stone or place baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until cheese and crust are both golden brown. Cut into 8 slices.

Pistachio Mixed Herb Pesto

Adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe

Makes 1/2 cup

1 clove garlic, cut into quarters
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley (it’s OK to have a few stems)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fresh sage, roughly chopped (about 4-6 leaves)
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/3 cup roasted, unsalted pistachios, shelled (Once shelled, I quickly toasted the nuts until fragrant. I am aware that this is probably overkill.)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated and pesto is thick and spreadable.

Nutrient content per 2 slice serving:  570 calories,  27 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 58 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 22 g protein, 390 mg calcium, 4.4 mg iron

A few notes on ingredients:

• I got my pizza dough at my local food co-op in the freezer section. The ingredients are straightforward so I feel good about using this “convenience” food:  organic unbleached wheat flour, water, organic whole wheat flour, sea salt, yeast. I’d say it’s pretty close to making dough from scratch, except easier and faster.
• I used a yellow heirloom tomato, but I’m sure a red one would offer a colorful contrast to the pesto sauce.
• If you have any leftover fresh herbs from the pesto, you could sprinkle a handful over the top of the cheese for added color.
• I know the specific recommendation to use a microplane grater seems unnecessary, but I really like the surface area you can cover with just 1 ounce of cheese when you grate it this way. The teeny tiny cheese shards really spread the flavor around for fewer calories and fat.
• If you like this Pistachio Mixed Herb Pesto, I’ve used it in another recipe with great results:  Focaccia with Spiced Pears, Pesto and Brie.

What special pizza topping do you use to step out of the ordinary?

The post Pistachio Pesto Pizza appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

Horchata, a drink made from ground nuts, seeds or grains, and common in Spain and Latin America, is one of my very favorites. To me, it is pure refreshment. For some reason, I got out of the habit of making it myself, though I order it whenever I can at a restaurant. I was re-inspired after tasting Suja’s Vanilla Cloud Coconut Almond Drink to make some at home, only this time with coconut in addition to the normal rice and almond base. I started with Food 52′s Horchata recipe and got about to soaking, blending, experimenting and tasting. I’m quite happy with the result and if you’ve never tried this cool, cinnamony, non-dairy beverage before, I hope you’ll give it a go. After Jeff tasted it, he remarked, “That’s one for the cookbook.”

Rice, almonds, coconut and cinnamon. Just the essentials.

Coconut Horchata

Makes 4 servings of 1 cup each, or 1 quart total

Adapted from Food 52′s Horchata recipe and inspired by Suja’s Vanilla Cloud.

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup Jasmine rice (uncooked)
2 cinnamon sticks (each about 3-inches long)
5 cups water, divided
1/4 cup honey or sweetener of your choice

Heat 3 cups of the water to almost boiling.

Mix coconut, almonds, rice and cinnamon sticks in a large bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measuring cup). Pour water over the mixture, stir and let cool for about an hour. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Add the mixture to a blender, cinnamon sticks and all, and blend for 1 minute. You may have to intermittently stop the blender and stir things up a bit with a spoon to be sure everything is coming into contact with the blades. Add honey and 1 cup of water and blend for another 30 seconds.

Strain half the mixture into a bowl or pitcher by pressing with the back of a spoon through a fine mesh strainer or by using a nut milk bag or cheesecloth. If you can find a good use for the leftover ground nuts and rice, hold on to it…otherwise, discard. Repeat with the last half of the mixture. Stir in your remaining 1 cup of water to finish your horchata.

I like mine over ice, but Jeff prefers his straight up.

Freshly squeezed.

Nutrient content per 1 cup serving:  120 calories,  3.5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 19 g sugar, 1 g protein

[The nutrition facts included here are an educated guess. It's a bit hard to discern how much of the nutrients transferred from the rice, almonds and coconut to the water. So, I used some numbers from plain, unsweetened almond milk, rice milk and coconut milk (the thinner, beverage kind, not the thick canned kind) and accounted for the honey. I left out numbers for sodium, calcium and iron because I didn't feel confident about them, but my guess is that they're all pretty low. My result turned out quite close to the values on the Suja product, so I'd say we're within spitting distance of accuracy.]

I should probably tell you that I burned out the motor of my 19-year-old blender while testing this recipe. I’m not sure if that’s because the cinnamon sticks were too much for a standard blender to bear or because it had just naturally reached the end of its useful life. But, because of the soaking and the waiting and the anticipating, I felt compelled to find a way to finish the process. I ended up running to Bed, Bath and Beyond at 8:45 pm to buy a (high-power) replacement blender so not a single drop of my horchata would be wasted.

Do you have any fun or horrifying horchata stories to share? Or a good idea for using the leftover ground almonds, rice and coconut?

The post Coconut Horchata appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

Along with 700 physicians, nurses, dietitians and other health professionals, I recently had the opportunity to attend Dr. Andrew Weil’s Nutrition and Health Conference in Seattle. For three days I reveled in the latest and greatest advancements in nutrition science. It was stimulating and overwhelming, with quite a few light bulbs going off in my brain. I feel so lucky that I was able to be present for such a significant “meeting of the minds” and thought I’d share the wealth. I want you to know the latest and greatest, too, so hopefully I’ve succeeded in narrowing down the mass of information to five key take-away messages (a bit of a challenge considering I attended 17 different sessions and I’m not one for brevity…).

For your viewing pleasure, I’m including pictures of the spectacular food we were served as attendees. It’s honestly the first time I’ve ever been to a conference where the menu matched the nutrition science being presented. Bravo.

1.  Processed foods are the worst. Not earth-shattering, I know, but this message just keeps building steam; it definitely isn’t going away anytime soon. Whether you’re committed to one of the two most health-promoting diets on the planet (Japanese and Mediterranean), you’re motivated by Mark Bittman’s Vegan Before 6 Plan, or even intrigued by Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, there’s one thing they all have in common: less reliance on processed food and a focus on fresh. While processing and refining methods vary, if you buy a processed version of a food that you could make from scratch, you risk getting too much salt, sugar and other undesirable substances and will likely be missing out on the good guys like fiber, phytochemicals, and whole grains. When taken all together, those qualities don’t paint a very positive nutritional picture.

Kale salad, quinoa tabouli, and sliced oranges

2.  Responses may vary. This was definitely a theme running through the whole conference: we are all unique and we may all respond differently to the same nutrients. The science suggests that we cannot expect every human being to experience the same results when following diets of the same carbohydrate, fat or protein composition, when consuming different amounts and types of phytochemicals from food, or when taking supplements to boost nutrient levels. It all seems to stem from the idea that food choice can affect gene expression and that it’s a highly individualized process. In essence, one size does not fit all when it comes to diet recommendations. The solution? Personalized nutrition based on genetic testing…though it’s a few years off.

Jicama and red cabbage slaw with mint and cilantro

3.  Contents may vary. Are you ready for this little tidbit? The nutrient content, especially for phytonutrients, varies widely from one piece of produce to the next. In retrospect, this one isn’t too shocking when you consider that growing, storage, and transport conditions can play a role, but it sure got people talking at the conference. Wild and heirloom varieties seem to have a nutritional advantage. Wild bananas have 400 times as much beta carotene as our conventional or modern bananas, some varieties of tomatoes have more lycopene than others, sweet onions have 1/10th the phytonutrient content as strong-flavored onions, and scallions/green onions are the best onions of all because they most closely resemble wild varieties. Also, they dropped this bomb: the nutritional value of some vegetables increases with freezing! What?! (I’m so excited about these revelations that I’ve pre-ordered the speaker’s book: Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson.)

Moroccan chickpea burger with tomato mint chutney; quinoa with parsley, mint, basil and brunoise of red bell pepper; asparagus

4.  Sweets aren’t so sweet. Three bold statements from the presenters:

a.  “All artificial sweeteners are suspect.”

b.  “Keep consumption of all sweeteners low.”

c.  “People don’t have to drink sweet liquids.”

These really struck me. Of course the idea that sweet things can be problematic is old news, but for some reason I liked the way their words summarized things. First, I’m not a big fan of sugar substitutes – they most certainly are not whole, unprocessed foods. But each time a new one or a “more natural” one comes out people get so excited thinking this one is “it”. (i.e., “This is the way we’re going to eat and drink sweets without calories.”) The same is true for the more familiar “natural” sweeteners, too, like maple syrup, agave nectar, and honey: they are not something we should try to eat more of, by any means.

And then there’s our love of sugar sweetened beverages; we certainly don’t need them, but we keep trying to find ways to have them. Even though soda consumption appears to be dropping, we’re replacing it with fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, sweetened tea and flavored milk. (Dr. Weil even warned about consuming too much fruit juice because of the lack of fiber, which I’ not entirely on board with…yet.) Either way, water wins every time.

Sweet potato coconut soup shooter

5.  Food and fertility go hand in hand. Consider yourself on the cutting edge of science if you already know this, but most groups I talk to seem to find the connection startling. There’s powerful research on factors that positively and negatively affect chances of getting pregnant either through in vitro fertilization or the traditional route. The Mediterranean Diet, high fat dairy, and multivitamins seem to be helpful while trans fat, alcohol, and the traditional Western diet, not so much. So far the data on coffee is mixed. And it’s not just mom’s food choices that make a difference, either: obesity and a high saturated fat intake both negatively affect sperm concentration. So, if you’re in the market for a little one, try converting your baby daddy or baby mama to a better diet and consider it a romantic gesture.

Energy bar, baked corn chips, black bean and red pepper hummus, and jicama sticks

There’s so much to know. Sometimes it’s hard to take it all in and make sense of it, let alone act on it. My guess is that you’ll hear more about these innovative ideas in the months and years ahead, until it all becomes common practice. You can reassure yourself by just continuing to choose wisely every day, with slight adjustments as the science shifts. Before you know it, you’ll look back and you’ll have been living a healthy food life for decades.

What’s something you’ve learned recently in the realm of nutrition that shifted your habits?

The post 5 Lessons Learned from the Nutrition and Health Conference appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

The themes of these blogs run the gamut from vegan and raw, which I am not, to omnivorous, which I am not. But, I’ve found wonderful recipes that fit my kitchen just the same. They don’t all have a nutrition focus in particular, but they continually churn out whole foods recipes and fabulous photographs that get me excited about shopping and cooking. Here are my top 5:

101 Cookbooks

Let’s start with the very best, shall we? This is my first ever and still favorite blog for recipe ideas. Her culinary creativity fuels at least one meal a week for our family. I would go so far as to say her dishes are fool-proof. Like, for instance, Walnut Miso Noodles, which I’ve made dozens of times…I would consider this the perfect healthy pasta sauce.

Her two cookbooks are also a treasured part of my arsenal of dinner ideas. I blab on and on about how fantastic she is in this post, but I also get around to highlighting some must-makes from her beautifully photographed books.

Smitten Kitchen

Comfort food is her specialty, but it’s usually made with a twist. Nearly everything is cooked from scratch and she offers up basic cooking tutorials, too, for those of us in need of new skills or a refresher course.

This tasty bowl of beta carotene and plant protein was a particular favorite on a recent spring evening: Carrot Soup with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas.

Carrot soup leftovers. Patiently waiting their turn.

My New Roots

From her home base in Copenhagen, Sarah offers whole food recipes and continued, biweekly inspiration for a plant-based diet.

I was incredibly motivated by this post and its gorgeous photograph: Recipes and Tips for Healthy Travel. The next time I need to get on a plane you can bet I’ll be escorting a backpack full of healthy, homemade snacks through security. No more zesty pretzel mix in a foil tear pouch for me.

Oh She Glows

Who doesn’t want to glow from the inside out? (Diet seems a little easier than going the pregnancy route.) More plant-based wisdom can be found here with practical, everyday recipes.

I became a dedicated fan after I tasted this: Cranberry Apple Orange Vinaigrette. It’s pink, it’s fruity, it’s delightful, it’s delovely. Then I moved on to her Homemade Mocha Nutella and never looked back.

Choosing Raw

Gena shares her simple approach to a vegan and raw lifestyle on this friendly blog. But more importantly, she got me to eat an avocado by hiding it here: Cherry Berry Beet Avocado Smoothie.

I think five is a good place to start for now, don’t you? Go take a peek and tell me what you think. And these are just the latest. I’m sure by next year I’ll have at least another handful of favorites. Since a recommendation from a friend is nearly always appreciated, I’m leaving it up to you to point me in the direction of your must reads in the blogosphere….so I can pretend I’m keeping the blogroll sort of up-to-date.

Give it to me: what recipe blogs are inspiring you lately?

The post My 5 Favorite Recipe Blogs That Might Be Your Favorite Too appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

Even food journalist and cookbook master Mark Bittman agrees the time has come. In his recent New York Times article, “Yes, Healthful Fast Food Is Possible. But Edible?” he makes the case that selling this kind of food is now profitable. He thinks ”improved fast food” has arrived and ”good fast food” is on the horizon.

Jeff and I don’t eat fast food a lot; maybe twice a month. But, that’s no reason to throw common sense aside and choose poorly, especially when there are so many delicious options available that don’t make me feel like I’m settling. So, here are my top 5. I should mention that my experience with drive-thrus has mostly been limited to the Pacific Northwest, so you probably have some different chains or local spots to choose from in your neck of the woods.

5. Taco Time.

I know, I know, there is a lot of fried food and meat on this menu. But, right alongside it are some pretty great vegetarian items.

Nutrition: There are beans on the menu (hooray!) and the option of ordering a whole wheat tortilla.

What They’re Doing Right: Posting nutrition information on their menu boards, offering unsweetened iced tea as a beverage option, and limiting their side of chips to only 12 chips. That just happens to be 1 ounce and a very reasonable portion. (Since when are restaurants being reasonable about portions?)

What I Order: Veggie Soft Taco without the ranch dressing or Veggie Fit Hit Bowl with cheddar cheese and a side of chips. And iced tea. Always iced tea.

Cost:  Under $8.00.

Location: The locations in my state of Washington are apparently affiliated with Taco Time Northwest, which is a spin-off from the big chain with stores in the northern U.S. and Canada, and it looks like there are some menu differences.

The Fit Hit Bowl takes to the open road.

4. Burgerville.

Most places these days offer one requisite veggie burger to appease the meatless among us, but these guys have not one, but two to choose from. I think we’re getting somewhere.

Nutrition: The Spicy Anasazi burger is vegan if you order it without mayo or cheese and they offer apple slices or salads as sides instead of fries.

What They’re Doing Right: Sourcing many of their ingredients locally, highlighting fresh berries on the menu seasonally, and printing nutrition information right on the receipt.

What I Order:  Yukon and White Bean Basil Burger without the basil aioli, side salad and iced tea.

Cost: Under $10.00.

Location: Burgerville only has locations in Washington and Oregon, but I have hopes that they’ll soon take over the world.

3. Evolution Fresh.

I just ate here for the first time last week and I was blown away. They don’t have a drive-thru window, but once I ordered I was out in under 5 minutes flat, so I’d call that fast food for sure. (Before ordering, I first spent a great many minutes staring up at the menu, stalled by indecision.) They originally got started with fresh juices, but have added smoothies and food now as well.

Nutrition: Can you think of any fast food restaurants that have lentils and kale on the menu? Please.

What They’re Doing Right: Listing nutrition facts on the menu, using lots of organic produce, and breezily helping their customers meet the recommendation to get 5-9 servings a day of vegetables and fruit.

What I Order: Lentils, Wild Rice and Organic Kale Bowl. This is usually a cold dish, but I opted for it to be served as a Hot Simmer with their signature broth. For accompaniments I got the 16 oz. Sweet Beet Juice and Belgium Chocolate Granola Bar (This one’s on my list to try to recreate ASAP. It was chewy, chocolatey and fantastic.)

Cost: Pricey. There’s no dollar menu here. This deliciously nutritious menu cost me $21.00.

Location: Currently only in Washington (Seattle or Bellevue) and California (San Francisco). I’ll try to drive up demand around here so they can make their way to the other 48 states.

My lentils, wild rice and kale were joined by grilled zucchini, peppers, feta, julienned carrots, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and fresh herbs.

2. Your Local Burger Joint.

Sometimes it pays to look close to home for the real food innovations, instead of waiting for the big chains to figure it out. Our local spot, Fiamma Burger, is a gem.

Nutrition: They offer fresh made whole wheat buns and make their own veggie burgers from scratch with rice, oats and soybeans.

What They’re Doing Right: Making their own vegetarian chili from scratch and offering any of their burgers served on a bed of organic greens instead of a bun.

What I Order: Veggie Burger with cheddar-jack on a whole wheat bun, sweet potato fries, and unsweetened iced tea.

Cost: Under $12.00.

Location: Lucky for me, they’re just a few miles away in downtown Bellingham. Check out your city or town to see if there’s a local business to support, especially if they’re supporting their community by offering healthy choices.

The sweet potato fries are dusted with chili lime spice. And look how cute the homemade bun is!

1. Chipotle Mexican Grill.

This tops the list at number one because it’s my very, very favorite for vegetarian fast food. I think Mark Bittman agrees, since he called them “the best newcomer of the last generation.”

Nutrition: They recently started offering brown rice and there are lots of veggies to choose from when building your meal. (Note: their black beans are vegetarian but their pinto beans are made with bacon.)

What They’re Doing Right: Printing calories on the menu board, letting customers customize their order by building one item at a time, and sourcing organic and local produce when possible.

What I Order: Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with half white and half brown cilantro-lime rice, black beans, fajita vegetables, cheese, fresh tomato salsa, and romaine lettuce, with chips and iced tea. (The bag of chips here is 4 ounces, which is 570 calories, so Jeff and I split it.)

Cost:  Under $10.00.

Location: Basically everywhere. And Canada.

Starbucks should probably get a mention here too, as we often enjoy their Protein or Cheese and Fruit Bistro Boxes, along with Subway and their Veggie Delite sandwiches. If you start looking, there are actually quite a few options out there. That means I hope to expand this top 5 to a top 10 in the future and one possible contender is Veggie Grill, a vegan premium fast casual chain that just moved into my state. I don’t want to speak too soon, but I think the wait for healthy fast food might be over.

Where do you find yourself grabbing a quick and healthy bite when you’re in a hurry?

The post My Top 5 Picks for Mostly Healthy and Vegetarian Fast Food appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

That’s the standard question you get when someone finds out you’re a vegetarian. In a country where most people survive on the S.A.D. – Standard American Diet – of fried meat, processed meat and lunch meat, envisioning a dinner plate without beef or pork seems an impossible task. If you tell someone you’ve eliminated the standards like hamburgers, chicken breast, and meatloaf it’s hard for them to imagine what’s left.

I think the natural assumption is that if there’s no meat, there must not be much to choose from and what is available is boring and unsatisfying. Of course, if you’re the vegetarian, you know that’s not true. There are tons of wonderful things to eat. But sometimes it’s hard to explain without a little show and tell; seeing is believing. That’s why I wish I could take everyone I know to a place like Carmelita Vegetarian Restaurant and Bar. If everybody could experience the incredible way this place creates a meal with no meat in sight, they’d never look at vegetables the same way again. (Maybe we need a slogan: Beets. It’s What’s For Dinner.)

Carmelita has been keeping Seattleites organically and seasonally fed for 17 years. Since I can’t take you there in person, I want to at least show you the possibilities of a full, creative menu without meat. On a recent visit, we happily devoured our three-course, plant-based meal and left feeling full and satisfied. (Note: all menu items are vegetarian, many are vegan and clearly labeled.)

We were dining with friends and I took pictures of their food as well. So, there are a lot of plates to look at. Let’s start with the starters:

Red lentil croquettes, cashew curry, coriander-lime yogurt, fennel confit, with smoked tomato oil.

Rutabaga soup topped with crispy sunchokes and vanilla oil.

Everything was presented and plated beautifully and our server was extremely accommodating and attentive. Soon it was time for the main courses:

Brown butter spaetzle, nettle cream, Brussels sprouts, cippolini, aged 24 month cheddar, pickled mustard seed, and greens.

Roasted root vegetable-lentil hash, parsnip puree, poached farm egg, warm sherry vinaigrette, and Marcona.

Sautéed Brussels sprouts raab, petite potatoes, caramelized cauliflower, sambal, toasted Marcona, miner’s lettuce, and pickled turnips.

We finished up our meal of fiber and phytochemicals with a little fat for dessert.

Chocolate ganache tart with caramel ice cream, strawberries, and hazelnuts.

Chocolate Muck Muck: fallen chocolate cake, fruit compote, and whipped cream.

We did have to talk through the details a bit to be sure we knew what we were eating. Sunchokes are root vegetables that are sometimes called Jerusalem artichokes, spaetzle is a small, dense egg noodle, cippolini are bite-sized onions, Marcona is a type of Spanish almond, and sambal is a spicy red chili sauce. Sheesh…it’s almost like learning a new language. (Do they make a Rosetta Stone for this?)

You can find Carmelita in the Greenwood/Phinney Ridge neighborhood. They’re open for dinner from 5:00-10:00 pm Fridays and Saturdays, 5:00-9:00 pm all other days, but closed Mondays.

While this type of food is a bit fancy for everyday eating, the idea that the folks at Carmelita can run an entire restaurant with an ever-changing menu for almost 2 decades without ever resorting to meat should inspire the rest of us that the vegetarian possibilities are endless.

How do you keep things interesting in the kitchen without using meat?

The post A Vegetarian in Seattle: Carmelita appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

The Ruby Beets started off our meal at this small Italian eatery, along with a nice baguette. Like a dork, I avoided beets until about 5 years ago, under the false impression that I wouldn’t like them. Luckily, beets showed up week after week for months in our Community Supported Agriculture box of veggies until I finally decided to give the red root a try; those farmers wore me down and set me straight. Now, I adore them (the beets, not the farmers) and since they’re quite a messy business to prepare at home, I love to see them on the menu when I eat out. I get all the health benefits of the ruby pigment (betacyanin), fiber and folate without all the clean-up of the stained red hands and cutting board. (Hey farmers! I love you too, of course, because without you I’d have no beets.)

The Italians know what’s up with healthy fats, too. Like in other Mediterranean countries, bread is often served with olive oil instead of butter. It’s still pure fat for sure, but liquid fat is far better for our hearts than solid fat. So, anytime you can make a switch like this and reduce your intake of saturated/solid fats while still having yumminess, you’re moving in the right direction.

Beautiful beets served with walnut and arugula pesto topped off with shaved Pecorino cheese.

Our very own loaf, served up with a helping of vinegar and unsaturated fat for dipping.

When it came time for the main course, I was beside myself with anticipation. I had waited 4 long years to be reunited with my cacio and my pepe and I was getting ready to twirl some cheesy goodness onto my fork. Then the Rione XIII staff took it up a notch: two waiters came and prepared it tableside, one bowl for me and one for Jeff. Their individuality shone through as they each used slightly different stirring and tossing techniques to create the sauce for the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe. Either way it was pasta perfection.

Tonnarelli is like thick spaghetti, but with squared-off sides instead of round. In this case it was covered with a sauce of cracked black peppercorns and Pecorino Romano cheese.

A perfect finish to our gustatory trip down memory lane was a frothy cappuccino, though I’m not sure the Italians would approve of my preference for decaffeinato.

You can find Rione XIII in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood and they’re open daily for dinner from 5:00-11:00 pm. The customer service was beyond excellent and the ambiance was lovely. They have a limited menu compared to most Italian joints, but if you look past the meaty main dishes you’ll find several plant-based plates as well. (Of course, after reading this post, you shouldn’t even need a menu…)

It wasn’t a cheap evening out, but the nostalgia was worth it. I was most definitely transported back to my much-loved Roma for a few hours for the cost of a single lavish meal instead of a 5,600-mile transatlantic flight. Buon appetito!

Have you found a local restaurant that can recreate a favorite dish from your travels?

The post A Vegetarian in Seattle: Rione XIII appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

I took advantage of this ordering technique recently at Pita Jungle in Phoenix, Arizona. The whole practice is probably appealing because it assuages my indecisive tendencies while letting me dine picnic-style: I get a bunch of small plates and I get to taste more than one dish. It’s sort of like do-it-yourself tapas.

The Mediterranean menu at Pita Jungle is quite extensive. They do serve chicken and fish, but there are as many, if not more, vegetarian options including wraps, salads, and combination plates. If you’re following a special diet, I’d recommend reviewing the handy-dandy Vegan and/or Allergen Charts on their website before you go to get your specific ingredient questions answered and help make ordering easy once you arrive. They’re a self-declared “Allergy-Friendly Eatery” and they proudly display their nutrition info for each and every menu item online.

On this sunny and windy day in the southwest my disjointed Lebanese smorgasbord consisted of Garlic and Herb Smashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Hummus, and Caramelized Cauliflower with Tahini. (This was technically 3 Side Orders and 1 Starter. It was also technically a starchy vegetable, a couple of non-starchy vegetables, a starch, and a protein, if you’re keeping track.)

Jeff exercised a little more control and went with the no-nonsense Falafel Platter and a salad. If you count ‘em up that’s six plates for two people, which meant the tabletop was a little crowded.

As is often the case with this shotgun approach to ordering, there were some hits and some misses. The potatoes and green beans were just OK, the hummus was lemony and pretty much as expected, but the cauliflower was remarkable. The sauce was bright orange, tangy and lusciously thick, which helped it cling to the oil-coated florets. When I shared my words of praise for this cruciferous creation, the waitperson said it was one of their most popular items…curiously found only on the sides menu.

Pita Jungle has 18 locations in Arizona and California and in addition to the great food, their decor is quite contemporary and welcoming. It seems like a place where health-conscious eaters of all kinds could dine together without feeling as though they’re settling. Here’s hoping the Caramalized Cauliflower’s reach will soon expand to the Pacific Northwest. (You can read more about my past Phoenix dining adventures here.)

I suppose another benefit of this haphazard ordering strategy is that it minimizes the inherent risk in dining out. If you put all of your eggs in one basket, so to speak, you could find yourself with a whole plate of disappointment if you end up not liking your entrée. But, if you broaden your culinary horizons and diversify, your chances of hitting the jackpot go up. Just be sure to ask the host to seat you at a big enough table.

Have you ever pulled together a fabulous feast, a la carte style?

The post A Vegetarian in Phoenix: Pita Jungle appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

I first heard about Holy Crap Cereal on an episode of Dragon’s Den and I’d been hoping to get my hands on some ever since. It’s a Canadian product that was highlighted on a Canadian TV show, and they raved about it. (If you don’t live near Canada like we do, you’ve probably never heard of either one.) The American version of the show is called Shark Tank. On it, entrepreneurs pitch products to tough-minded investors, affectionately called dragons or sharks, and healthy food items are often featured.

Imagine my delight when my sweetheart and I were wandering the aisles in a grocery store in Parksville, British Columbia and I laid eyes on a bag of Holy Crap way up on the highest shelf. I immediately grabbed the green foil pouch, then saw the $11.99 price tag. I stood there for a while, trying to decide if it was worth it. You only use a small amount, so you can’t really compare it to the regular puffed up volume of the airy cereals…but still, this bag only had about 8 or 10 servings in it. I rationalized that we don’t get to Canada all that often, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and tossed it in the cart.

It’s a good thing I did; I am totally hooked. I love the way it smells: earthy, like freshly harvested grain. I love the way it looks: at the right angle, the buckwheat groats look like tiny little hearts on my spoon. And the flavor is really remarkable considering there is no added sugar. The name is quite fun, too, but my favorite part is the texture. I can’t get enough of the crunch. Crunchy, crunch, crunch.

Since I returned to the US of A, I’ve been trying to recreate this divine stuff for less money. One option I found at my local co-op is virtually identical: Nature’s Path Qi’a Chia, Buckwheat and Hemp Cereal. It’s only $7.99 for the same sized 8 ounce bag, but my homemade version cost $4.73 for an equivalent 8 ounces ($9.45 for the full 1 pound recipe).

It’s not what you’re used to. It looks like bird seed, you don’t get to eat very much, and it’s best if you let it soak in milk for a minute before you dig in so it can sort of gel up. Are you convinced yet?

Starting from top left, going clockwise: dry cereal, soaking in soy milk, and soaked cereal mixed with fruit

Nutritionally, this stuff’s a quintuple threat: no added sugar, high in fiber, sodium-free, vegan, and gluten-free. It’s also a good source of protein because of the chia and hemp seeds, and there’s a gram or two of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid as a bonus. (Nuts and seeds make up one of vegetarians’ favorite food groups because of the protein, minerals and healthy fats they provide.)

Once you get the right ingredients, I’m not sure there’s a secret ratio that creates the magical taste. This is what I came up with and I was quite satisfied.

Crunchy Homemade Buckwheat and Seeds Cereal

Makes 2 3/4 cup (1 pound) or 18-20 servings of 2 tablespoons each

Inspired by Holy Crap Dragons’ Blend and Nature’s Path Qi’a Chia, Buckwheat and Hemp Cranberry Vanilla cereals. 

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chia seed (4 ounces)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shelled hemp seed (5.75 ounces)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buckwheat groats (4 ounces)
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries (1.2 ounces)
1/4 cup raisins (1.2 ounces)
2 tablespoons dried apples, finely chopped (0.5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Store in the refrigerator and get ready to be wowed. Serve with fruit.

Nutrient content per 2 tablespoon (0.9 ounce) serving: 120 calories, 6 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 5 g protein, 40 mg calcium, 1.8 mg iron

I’ve been so excited about this cereal that I’ve eaten it nearly every morning and tried every combination of fruit I could come up with, even though it’s kind of slim pickins for fruit in February. (So slim, in fact, that I smuggled 8 glorious grapefruit home from Phoenix in my suitcase last weekend.) Here are my favorites:

Starting from top left going clockwise: pear and grapefruit, strawberries and grapes, cherries (thawed from frozen) and grapefruit, cranberry and pear

A couple more ideas on serving up:

• The serving size on the name brand packages was 2 tablespoons, so for comparison, that’s what I used to calculate my nutrition facts. But, when I have it for breakfast I use 1/4 cup, or 2 servings.
• Get ready for a different cereal-to-fruit ratio than you’re used to. My breakfast bowl is mostly fruit, with just a bit of this cereal mix for crunch. I make the same argument for calorically-dense granola in this post: Cherry Maple Granola.
• I’ve basically been following the directions on the package, only a little on the dry side. I mix 1/4 cup of the cereal with 2 to 3 tablespoons of soy or almond milk. Then, I let it set while I prep my fruit.
• You could use this yummy mixture in lots of other ways, too, like sprinkling it on yogurt or adding a couple of spoonfuls to your favorite hot or cold cereal.

A couple of notes on ingredients:

• This was the first time I’d ever bought buckwheat and the bulk section at my co-op had two kinds. One was labeled buckwheat groats, which is what I used. These groats varied in color – some were very pale green, some were yellow and others were kind of beige. The alternative was labeled buckwheat kasha. It’s been roasted and is quite a bit darker brown and uniform in color.
• I also got my dried cranberries in the bulk section. They were sweetened with apple juice concentrate and had some sunflower oil added.
• My chia seeds, dried apples, raisins and buckwheat were all organic.

Spending an embarrassing sum of money in a foreign country in this case turned out for the best. I have a new favorite breakfast thanks to some Canadians, some dragons, and a husband who lets me spend like a drunken sailor on the cereal aisle.

Have you had any luck recreating a favorite product at home?

The post Holy Crap This (Homemade) Cereal Is Delicious appeared first on Veg Girl RD.

I’m in week five of a creative writing course.  Can you tell?

It’s fitting, because one of the things I’ve accepted about myself is that I’m not creative. (I have to take a class on it, for Pete’s sake.) I’m easily more of a task-oriented, follow-the-recipe, don’t-color-outside-the-lines kind of person. That’s why I’m so drawn to nutrition, because I revel in the order of the arithmetic, menu plans, and bar graphs of vitamin content. I mean, I can cook, and sometimes I take a few liberties with ingredients, and occasionally it turns out yummy (which I then cheerfully post on the blog). So I’m awestruck and inspired by people whose minds are overrun with ideas and unexpected combinations, to whom creativity seems to come naturally. This is especially true when it comes to food.

The imaginative grouping of kale with thinly sliced beets, juicy pomegranate beads, plump grapefruit sections, and fluffy feta pictured above belongs to Ciao Thyme Cafe. They’re known for their catering and cooking classes, but have given in to community requests to open a restaurant. I ventured into their new lunch spot on a face-freezing Friday in January, but the sun was out and the colors they’d put together made it feel like spring. I ate the pecans, too, every last one. Toasted crisp and candied, there was just a handful scattered on top, shining from the coat of pomegranate vinaigrette.

By happy circumstance, I ended up sharing my meal with one of my favorite creative couples. She is a photographer with a stunning eye for composition and he is a witty and inventive writer, director, choreographer, and actor. (If I surround myself with people like this, will some of their creative genius rub off on me?)

We cozied up to the family-style tables and basked in the glow of the wood-fired oven. The ambiance was homey and comfortable, but the details were extra special. The food was served up on plates and bowls with interesting shapes and delivered on handy metal trays lined with parchment.

A nice complement to my salad was the soft and chewy grilled flatbread. Some bites were crisp as a cracker and the salt crystals on top crunched between your teeth giving a great variety of textures. It was beautifully charred and came with a trio of spreads: beet puree with goat cheese, hummus, and squash puree with ricotta.

With memories of absolute contentment and excitement for more samplings, I headed back to Ciao Thyme again last week. I shared a menu of innovative flavor pairings with a much-loved friend, who was delighted with our meal. We couldn’t stop raving about the food and we pestered the owner and the chef with a million questions. I ordered the flatbread again, but together we picked out a new salad and a soup.

Tunisian Salad with carrot-apple slaw, coriander vinaigrette and homemade paneer cheese. Topped with grapefruit and a cinnamon-scented candied nut and seed mix.

Fennel cauliflower soup with mixed herb pesto

The menu changes often and there are daily specials in keeping with seasonal ingredients. They’re open for lunch Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, and I am sure to go back.

After reflecting a bit on the whole idea of creative process, I realized that my first lunch inspired a writing exercise in my journal, and some of those words made their way into this post. That visit also inspired me to return to Ciao Thyme, and I ended up having a fun-filled discussion of flavors and ingredients which might someday turn into a recipe of my own. Maybe my rigid, straight-laced brain really can be trained to recognize creative moments, one plate at a time.

When and where do you find your culinary creativity?

The post A Vegetarian in Bellingham: Ciao Thyme Cafe appeared first on Veg Girl RD.