Scenes From Thanksgiving Weekend

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving, and holiday weekend! Here are some scenes from our relaxing, yet fun-filled, holiday:

Pictured: 

1.) The beautiful Thanksgiving table décor at my older sister’s house in Maine. (For the meal, I contributed this Vegetarian Wellington + vegan mushroom gravy, as well as these Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars).

2.) Me and one of my nieces, Braylee – accidentally matching!
3.) Z and his younger brother, Max, at our second Thanksgiving Friday night
4.) Continuing my holiday diet with brunch at Veggie Galaxy Friday morning…this was the Eggs Benedict with seitan hash – SO GOOD.
5.) That Eggs Benedict fueled us for a day of Bourbon County shopping – AKA how the Lahey clan does Black Friday. This beer – and its variants – are only released once a year, on Black Friday. Cheers to that!

Tell me all about your holiday!

Highlights From Our Cross-Country Road Trip

Wow. What a whirlwind month it's been!

After taking 11 days to drive cross-country home to Boston, we quickly returned to our respective offices...and life has been non-stop ever since. As I write this, I am actually on a plane to Orlando for my company's customer conference. Talk about getting right back to reality!

Our trip home was nothing short of incredible, though. It was a lot of driving, but our trusty Subaru Outback stayed in great shape the whole way - we didn't even encounter so much as a flat tire. Here was our full itinerary:

Oregon ---> Redwood Forest ---> Reno, NV ---> Park City, UT ---> Denver, CO ---> Kansas City, MO ---> St. Louis, MO ---> Louisville, KY ---> Asheville, NC ---> Richmond, VA ---> Boston, MA

Along the way, we saw a ton of old and new friends, ate a lot of great food, sampled a ton of great beer, and saw #allthesights. It would take me days to recap our entire trip, so instead, here are some of the highlights from our 11-day journey across the country (in no particular order).

1.) The Redwood Forest

We hit the Redwoods on the tail-end of the typhoon that was hitting the Pacific Northwest, so a lot of the parks were closed. However, we stopped at one of the park ranger offices and got some fantastic recommendations for open parks - and frolicked through the massive trees in the rain. It was really a remarkable experience, and definitely a big highlight for both of us!

2.) Louisville, KY

We stopped in Louisville on a whim - it was a great way to cut our original ride from St. Louis to Asheville shorter - and I am so glad we did. Louisville really surprised us: the downtown was gorgeous and quaint, with Louisville Slugger baseball bats scattered throughout, recognizing famous baseball players who used them. (Z loved that part!). Against the Grain Brewery was also a fun stop for dinner and fresh beers, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options to boot.

3.) Vegetarian Reuben from Laughing Seed Cafe in Asheville, NC

Z actually ordered this, and I had major food envy. I mean...how good does this look? It was phenomenal, and definitely a food highlight from our travels.

4.) The roadside scenery

From the Salt Flats in Utah (first photo) to the snowy mountains in Wyoming to the gorgeous views of the Pacific in California (second photo), we saw some gorgeous, ever-changing sights along the way. 

5.) The beer...obviously.

Just like our last cross-country trip, we made a ton of stops at some breweries and beer bars we were eager to check out. Some of my favorites included: Wicked Weed (they have two locations in Asheville, but we both liked the Funkatorium the best); The Answer in Richmond - great hoppy beers and stouts; Side Project in St. Louis; and Sergio's World Beers in Louisville - very unassuming place with a brash yet super friendly owner behind the bar; who will be happy to show you his extensive beer collection, if you're nice to him. This place had some great beers on tap and for sale via the bottle; really impressive options here!

Our trip back to Boston was definitely exciting and too so much fun, but I am so excited to be home - and I promise, I'll get back in the kitchen again soon, too!

Your turn! What's new with you??

Curried Rice Noodles with Jackfruit

Ah, fall. The time of year for crisp, gloriously chilly temperatures; vibrant foliage; pumpkin everything; and an excuse to have curry incorporated into every meal.

Curry is so warming, so comforting, so delightfully spicy and flavorful that I find myself using it all the time once the temperatures begin to drop. Whether I'm using a spice blend, a paste, or concocting some sort of curry sauce - I just love the aromas, flavors, and fingernail-staining of it all. 

So, it's no surprise that one of my first recipes this fall is filled with curry flavor. (Side note: I used Upton's Naturals Thai Curry Jackfruit here because I had some in the fridge, but feel free to use your favorite jackfruit, or even tofu, chicken, etc. This dish is very versatile!).

Curried Rice Noodles with Jackfruit

Yields: 4 servings

Adapted from Upton's Naturals

-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

-3 cloves garlic, minced and divided

-3 tablespoons Thai chile paste 

-Cumin

-Coriander

-Salt and black pepper

-1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

-1 15-ounce can lite coconut milk

-1 medium onion, chopped

-2 green onions, sliced

-2 small red bell peppers, chopped

-1 tablespoon of chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)

-1 10.6-ounce package Upton’s Naturals Thai Curry Jackfruit

 -16 ounces udon or rice noodles, cooked

Lime wedges, extra chopped scallions, and chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1.) In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over low heat. Add 1 clove of the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the red curry paste along with the spices and grated fresh ginger. Add the coconut milk, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Turn heat to simmer and set aside.

2.) In a skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat, then add the onion, remaining garlic, and green onions. Stir-fry until golden, then add the red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the jackfruit. Stir until the jackfruit is thoroughly heated and the vegetables are tender. Season as needed with salt and black pepper.

3.) To serve, place a portion of noodles in a medium-size bowl and top with veggies as desired. Ladle some coconut curry sauce over the noodles and veggies, then top off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, scallions, and cilantro. (We also added chopped pistachios to ours, for extra protein and crunch. Highly recommended, but certainly not necessary).

This dish is super easy to whip up, and I loved all of the aromas and flavors that came with it.

Happy autumn, all! 

What's your favorite thing about fall?

PaaDee | SE Portland

One of our dear, fellow food-obsessed friends here in Portland has been giving us the same "demand" since we moved here: "Go to PaaDee."

After almost a year of being here, we finally gave into his orders a few weeks ago.

PaaDee (which means "to bring good things") serves up modern Thai dishes in an intimate, bustling setting in SE Portland. The decor's a little funky, the employees are friendly, and everything from the food to the cocktails is inventive yet familiar.

Our meal on this particular night kicked off with cocktails (naturally). Since we dined here so long ago - and I'm the worst blogger ever - I don't remember what cocktail I ordered, but it was delightfully strong and delicious. (As was Z's).

For an appetizer, we went with a Brussels sprouts dish (a special that night) that was fantastic. The Brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly, and the flavor was wonderfully savory and interesting. I could eat this every night.

PaaDee's dinner menu is organized by Snacks, Soup & Salad, Noodles & More, Entrees, and Vegetables (vegetarian-friendly entrees). I went with the Pad Ma Khua ($10), and added wild prawns for an extra $3. The original dish consists of Japanese eggplant, red bell pepper, scallions, onions, basil, and sweet chile paste. (It was also served with rice on the side).

This dish was seasoned perfectly, and I loved how vibrant all of the colors were! If you're a seafood fan, definitely add the wild prawns - they helped add additional flavor, texture, and some protein to the dish.

Overall, we loved our first visit to PaaDee. Our only regret is not taking our friend's advice sooner!

Where have you had a great meal lately?

Spicy Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

It's too hot to cook, and - despite what all my Facebook friends say - it's still summer...and I'm lazy these days. Which is why this blog has been seriously lacking in recipes lately. (Come the REAL fall, I'll start cooking again. I promise).

Anyway, my laziness has led me to whip up all of the no-cooking-required recipes I can (which equates to about one per week these days). And when I was looking for a way to use up leftover chickpeas recently, these hot weather-friendly sandwiches were born.

This recipe is completely customizable, depending on what you like in your sandwiches. And if you have a 15-ounce can of chickpeas lying around, you can still use that with the ingredients below (it won't make much of a difference in terms of flavor/texture). But whatever you do...just make these. I promise you'll like them.

Spicy Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Serves: 2

-1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-2 tablespoons Trader Joe's Wasabi Mayonnaise (or whatever mayonnaise you prefer)

-1 tablespoon diced dill pickles

-Salt and black pepper

-4 slices good bread (I used Dave's Killer Bread Powerseed)

-2 slices Havarti cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer)

-1/2 avocado, sliced

-Tomato slices

-Arugula

-Dijon mustard

Directions:

1.) In a food processor, pulse chickpeas until slightly mashed, but not pureed (you want some texture; not hummus). You can also mash the chickpeas with a fork, if you don't have a food processor. 

2.) Transfer chickpeas to a small bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise and dill pickles; season with salt and black pepper. 

3.) Toast the bread lightly, with a slice of cheese on two of the slices of bread, to let it melt. Lightly smash 1/4 of the avocado evenly on two slices of bread. Scoop the chickpea mixture evenly over the avocado (you may have some leftover, depending on how full you want your sandwiches). Layer as you wish with additional ingredients (I added tomato, arugula, and a drizzle of Dijon).

This really is a great alternative to tuna, or even egg salad (although, I do love a good egg salad). This here is protein-packed and not drenched in mayonnaise, so you can feel full without any of the guilt. 

Now...make a batch of these, get outside, and go enjoy the rest of your summer! 

Beers, Eats, and Views - The Seattle Edition

Seattle. Is. Awesome.

You've already heard a little about our trip to Washington (here and here), but these are the remaining noteworthy stops we visited during our weekend getaway.

Columbia Center - Sky View Observatory

That photo above? That was just one of 10,000 pictures I took at the top of Columbia Center. My cousin told me about it, and I am so glad she did. No lines + affordable entry price + the tallest building in Washington = better experience and better views than the Space Needle. Winning!

The Hangar Cafe

The Hangar Cafe is a small, no-frills spot in the Georgetown area of Seattle, and we lucked out with zero wait time. (An apparent rarity here!). The abundance of sandwiches as well as savory and sweet crepes and waffles on the menu was enticing, and they have several different kinds of mimosas. Oh, and plenty of vegetarian options/substitutions to boot. I went with the Hangar Crepe ($10.75), filled with egg, Swiss, cheddar, slivered red onion, Roma tomatoes, baby spinach, and Field Roast Chipotle Sausage in place of Black Forest ham. The crepe was also drizzled with housemade poblano-basil vinaigrette and creme fraiche. 

On the side: a mason jar glass of the OG mimosa (OJ + champagne).

Pike Place Market

I mean...duh.

Pike Place Market was high on my list - mainly for the "full Seattle tourist experience" - and it was definitely worth the walk-through.

The farm stands and people-watching were fantastic (as expected), but it was also fun to check out the Pike Brewery for a quick pint

Fremont Brewing

Fremont Brewing was high on our must-visit brewery list, and it did not disappoint. Their bustling Urban Beer Garden had great views of the water + boats + sunset across the street - I could have sat out there all night. 

 

At the time of our visit, Fremont also had their Ales for ALS IPA on tap, which was a delicious, borderline juicy IPA (my favorite!). Great beer for a great cause = win-win.

Holy Mountain Brewing Co.

Holy Mountain was also fun to check out, despite the lack of air conditioning in their not-so-breezy taproom. (Heads up: Few places we visited actually had A/C, so plan accordingly if you visit Seattle during the hot summer months!). I really enjoyed the Somnium saison - wonderfully thirst-quenching on such a hot day.

Elliott Bay Brewery & Pub

Elliott Bay has a few locations in and around Seattle, but we stopped into the West Seattle location before heading back to Portland. The beer, in all honesty, isn't anything too special - and the space inside is dark, loud, and overall unimpressive - but I'd go back here 500 times for the sandwich above alone. This here is the Pan-Seared Tofu Sandwich ($10.50), piled HIGH with chile garlic-marinated tofu (cooked to perfection), tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, sliced avocado, and cilantro-garlic sauce, all sandwiched between a fantastic, toasted seed bread. Served on the side were addictive fries and housemade pickles.

For being a no-frills spot, I was really impressed with this sandwich and the thought that went into all of the food overall.

Who's seen "10 Things I Hate About You"?

Other notable breweries/beer bars to visit in Seattle: Reuben's Brews, Cloudburst Brewing, Outlander Brewery & Pub (for weirder beer flavors - like Lavender!), and Toronado.

Have you done any traveling this summer? 

Georgetown Liquor Company | Seattle, WA

A full vegetarian menu in a [sunny] dive bar with plenty of old school video games. Did we find heaven?

Georgetown Liquor Company is situated just a short drive outside of downtown Seattle in the cute - yet no-frills - section of the city called...you guessed it...Georgetown. Our friends who we were staying with highly recommended this spot, and we were so glad they did.

Beers on tap are mostly local, and a Crikey IPA by Reuben's Brews did not disappoint.

The indulgent-sounding, all-vegetarian menu (that could be all-vegan, too, if you ask for no dairy, etc.) made it hard to choose what to order for lunch. (Their motto is "strong enough for a carnivore, made for an herbivore." I love that!). I ended up going with a solid choice: the Captain Nemo sandwich ($10.45) - a toasted whole wheat hoagie piled high with housemade vegan chickpea salad, provolone cheese, Romaine lettuce, and tomato. 

Served with a pickle spear and my choice of side (salad, soup, or tortilla chips and salsa - I went with the chips), this was one filling lunch. We were amazed at how such incredible food can be pushed out of a tiny kitchen. Clearly, the chefs here know what they're doing. We almost came back that night for dinner, but decided we should explore some more of downtown Seattle instead.

After lunch (and some Mario Kart on Super Nintendo), we made the short walk over to Georgetown Brewing.

We were hoping they'd have their Gusto Crema Coffee Ale that we tried at the Oregon Brewers Festival (it legit tasted like iced coffee), but they didn't have it at the brewery that day. The beers were still decent, though, and it was fun to check out the source! (FYI: they only serve samples of their beer on-site here - for free - but have plenty of growlers, etc. to-go).

Overall, we had a fantastic time exploring Georgetown, and I'm still dreaming about that chickpea salad sandwich.......

Mother's Bistro | SW Portland

Happiness is...putting your name down for an hour wait for brunch, only to immediately turn around and see two first-come, first-served bar seats open up. BRUNCH WIN.

That's how lucky we got at Mother's Bistro a few Saturdays ago. (Yes, I'm way behind in blog posts).

Mother's Bistro is an adorable restaurant in downtown Portland - the chic decor includes black and gold wallpaper and charming chandeliers. At Mother's, everything is made from-scratch and the menu features dishes from mothers around the world. There's also a special menu each month that features a Mother of the Month (or “M.O.M.”)'s best dishes.

On this particular day, brunch - of course - began with Bloodys.

This Bloody was perfectly spicy and strong - just the way I like them!

We were apparently feeling extra indulgent on this Saturday morning, as we then proceeded to order the cinnamon roll, which was [basically] the size of my head.

The cinnamon roll, prepared by Mother's in-house pastry chef, was delightful. Perfectly flaky yet pillowy on the inside, bursting with gooey cinnamon, and topped with a thick, not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting. Totally worth the calories.

For my entree, I went with the Grilled Portabella Mushroom Scramble ($11.95). The dish was made with grilled portabellas that had been marinated in garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, then scrambled with eggs, fresh sautéed spinach, and asiago cheese. On the side was nicely thick, toasted wheat bread with soft butter and crispy home fries.

Despite having less room in my stomach thanks to the cinnamon bun, I managed to eat most of this. Everything was seasoned well, and I loved the bite of the asiago cheese in my scramble.

Overall, we had a fantastic brunch at Mother's. Breakfast is served from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends. Be prepared for a wait on Saturday or Sunday, or keep your eye on those first-available bar seats!

Where have you had a great brunch lately? 

Quinoa with Mushrooms and Sausage

We're about to get really healthy up in here.

But I can't help it. The markets here in Portland are brimming with incredible produce right now, and I must taste everything. 

Last week's fun find? Beautiful oyster 'shrooms.

And in an attempt to balance out all my beer carbs with healthy meals, this protein-packed dish was born. (Bonus: It doesn't taste as healthy as it is!).

Quinoa with Mushrooms & Sausage

Yields: 4 servings

-1 cup quinoa

-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1 small yellow onion, diced

-1 clove garlic, minced

-5 ounces oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped

-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

-Healthy pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

-1 Field Roast Italian Sausage, chopped

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1 1/2 cups baby spinach

-Splash of good Balsamic vinegar

-Crumbled feta cheese, for serving

Directions:

1.) Cook quinoa according to package directions. While quinoa cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften - about 5 minutes.

2.) Add mushrooms, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper to the pan. Cook until mushrooms begin to soften slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Add sausage and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

3.) In a large bowl, mix quinoa with onion, mushroom, and sausage mixture. Stir in baby spinach and let wilt; add a splash of Balsamic. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as necessary. Serve with crumbled feta on top (because feta makes everything better).

This dish is a nutrient powerhouse. Protein-packed quinoa, mushrooms, and sausage + vitamin-laden spinach - with the feta cheese helping to make it seem not so healthy. Given the protein factor in this dish, it's also super satiating. Win-win!

Oh, and if you can't find oyster mushrooms, really any other mushrooms would do. And if you want to make this dish vegan? Simply leave out the feta.

What dishes have you cooked lately?

Easy Summer Slaw {Vegan}

We're lucky that here in Portland, we don't get the humidity we get back home in Boston. 80-90 degrees here has a nice breeze, and when the sun goes down? The temperature is beyond ideal...with few mosquitoes to bother us.

However...our highest temperatures for the day hit right before dinnertime (4-5 p.m.), which causes me to lose all motivation to cook. That's where no-oven-necessary recipes like this one come in handy.

I made this slaw the other night when I had some haddock to cook up (yes, sometimes I eat fish!), but this slaw would also go with...just about anything. Tofu, burgers, sausages, you name it. It's just a versatile, tasty, easy-to-throw-together side dish - no extra heat required. 

Easy Summer Slaw

Yields: 4-6 servings

-1/2 head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

-2 large carrots, peeled and shredded

-1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

-1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)

-2 tablespoons rice vinegar

-Juice of 1/2 an orange

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) In a large bowl, mix all of ingredients (before salt and pepper) together. Season as necessary with salt and pepper. 

2.) Cover and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving (although overnight provides the best flavor!).

Told you it was easy. ;)

What no-cook dishes are you loving lately?

The Sudra | NE Portland

100 percent vegan, Indian-inspired food served in casual digs (order-at-the-counter style) with a giant patio - which is shared with the adjacent two fast-casual restaurants (one's a taco joint, the other a burger place). This, my friends, is The Sudra.

A recent dinner there started with two cocktails: the Beet Generation ($8), made with Volstead vodka, beet and lemon juices, brine, and a pickled bean for garnish; as well as the King Louie ($10), made with Cazadores Blanco, Hot Monkey vodka, Combier Orange, pineapple and lime juices, and a chile salt rim.

The King Louie was wildly refreshing with a healthy kick of spice, while the Beet Generation was definitely earthy (read: beet-y), but still quite delicious.

For an appetizer, the Pakora (price...I don't have #greatblogger) is a must-try. Our medley included crispy-fried broccoli and cauliflower with sauces that I don't actually know the names of, but worked well with the vegetables. (One's a creamy, tangy sauce; the other a thinner, berry-forward sauce). Again, #greatblogger.

For my entree, I went with the Kale-Infused Dosa Plate ($10), which consisted of kale-infused dosa, black-eyed pea korma, potato masala, collards, and pickled Anaheim chiles, with cilantro-lemon sauce and roasted red pepper-cashew chutney on the side. 

The collards, black-eyed peas, and potatoes were cooked and seasoned wonderfully, and the accompanying sauce and chutney were borderline addictive. The kale-infused dosa was good and interesting, but the texture of the dosa itself was a bit dry and crumbly. 

Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at The Sudra, and we loved the wide-open patio. I'd go back for the cocktails and pakora alone, although I'm eager to try some of their other dishes, too.

Have you ever been to an all-vegan Indian restaurant before?