Feature Friday- Franchia Cafe, Park Avenue

Franchia is nestled between two residential buildings on the bustling Park Avenue in New York City.  Sister to the ever amazing and delicious Hangawi, a fully vegan Korean restaurant with a lengthy gluten free menu, Franchia offers a similar zen like atmosphere, with a more casual vibe.

I have been dying to visit Franchia for a while now and finally paid a quick visit after a semi stressful day and enjoyed a cup of Jasmine Green Tea.  The tea was so comforting and warm and it lifted my spirits as it slowly warmed my chest.  I convinced myself to pop in, have a tea and peruse the menu to see if it would be good for an upcoming special occasion. The menu is very detailed from small plates, noodles, bibimbap, pho, sushi and oh, I could just go on.

Everything looked so good, I ended up getting an order of the scallion pancakes! I would like to blame it on the fact that the tea was too hot and I had time to kill, but in reality the savory pancakes called my name the second I read it off the menu!

I have fond memories of scallion pancakes from high school where my friends and I used to go during lunch for sushi and eat them as we waited for our order, but now I struggle to find egg and wheat free versions, enter Franchia! The savory dipping sauce made me pause to say, mmmm. The crunchy outside and soft center with salty flavors was a satisfying and delicious snack. It definitely has me ready to go back for more!

The warm and comforting green tea, steeped only for a minute or so with fresh tea leaves.  I recently read not to steep green tea for longer than two minutes to avoid it becoming bitter. I find this to be true, but best to leave it to the tea experts, Franchia knows their tea and they will not miss guide you.

Korean restaurants can tend to use fish sauce or gluten which is proves difficult for me to eat out, however Franchia has that covered, is cruelty free and one of the best restaurants I have ever been to! I felt like a kid in a candy (vegetable?) store, where I could eat anything off the menu and what a treat it was!  I am already planning when to go back for a full meal!

Good food just makes me so happy! Have a favorite eatery near you that you love?
I want to hear about your experience!

Pumpkin Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite dishes, naturally gluten free and super easy to make vegan, by using non dairy butter and the ever cheesy flavor of nutritional yeast. Risotto is creamy, hearty and always satisfying. For this recipe I was inspired by my local farmer’s market with an acorn squash, pumpkin puree and couldn’t resist of course another reason to use pumpkin spice!

The thing about risotto is that it demands lots of stirring, it is like a needy friend, constantly demanding your attention, but in the end, it is the best friend you can have. You don’t want to take your eyes, or wooden spoon off the rice for any time to prevent sticking or worse- burning, but I promise you will be glad you gave it the attention it needs! It will result in a creamy, savory rice, perfect for any fall evening.

Ingredients:
For the risotto:
500 grams of aborio risotto rice.
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 glass of white wine
32 oz of vegetable broth
2 Tablesspoons of Earth Balance or other favorite non dairy spread
4 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast
Salt to taste
For the pumpkin and squash filling
1 delicata or acorn squash, chopped into fry like shape pieces
4 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoons of pumpkin puree

Method:
For the squash mixture
Add the chopped squash and garlic with oil into a pre heated oven for 35-40 minutes
While it is cooking begin the risotto
Bring your broth to a boil in a separate pan
Saute the onions in oil for about 7-10 minutes
When translucent, add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon
Continue to stir for about 10 minutes, coating each grain of rice with oil and onions
When rice begins to turn translucent add the cup of wine and let the wine cook off
Bring to a simmer
When liquid is gone, add a ladle full of broth to the rice and stir, continue to stir
Continue to do this until all liquid is gone
Stir, stir, stir
When the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is al dente
Add the butter, nutritional yeast and salt
Stir to incorporate all flavors, taste to make sure salt is right and cover for ten minutes

Back to the squash
When the squash is cooked, remove from the oven and take off the skin of the squash pieces (you can eat it, but it won’t be as smooth in the risotto)
Add to a food processor with the pumpkin puree, roasted garlic and pumpkin spice and blend until smooth
Stir into the risotto and taste one final time to ensure all flavors are the way you want them

Serve in a carved out pumpkin for added seasonal decor and appeal;) Enjoy!

Feature Friday- Thank you Communitea

Taken a few days ago, Communitea closes this Sunday 10/26!

This Friday I am featuring a local coffee shop that is closing in two days. Sounds silly to feature a place we can no longer frequent, but it is quiet the opposite, it’s about thanks and memories. If you have ever been to Communitea in Long Island City, New York, you know it is an inviting cafe that welcomes you off the street with friendly smiles, warm coffee, tea and friendly staff. The menu is written with care on the chalkboard with local artist drawings and designs. There are often vegan breakfast bars on the counter and any sandwich can be made vegetarian or vegan. Going gluten free? Leave off the bread and you are all set, the dressings are safe!  The chefs take care with their delicious creations, will talk with you about their ingredients and the homemade hummus is a must!

Communitea is nestled on the bustling Vernon Blvd in Long Island City with the Chrysler Building in the backdrop, as you enter you are welcomed with smiles and you will warm up or cool down with a lovely caffeinated beverage as you stay for a while or continue on you way.

I am sorry for the memories lost, conversations shared, food and coffees enjoyed. I do not know the details, but since the lease has not been renewed, it sounds like big business is pushing out local shops more and more and we are sure sad to say goodbye. Communitea has spent ten years in the neighborhood and it’s local vibe will be missed.

What you can do:
1. If you are in NYC head over to LIC and support Communitea before they close Sunday 10/26!
2. If you are not in NYC, come to New York and follow #1
3. If you can’t come to New York, support your local coffee shop and small businesses everywhere!

Surprise Success, Homemade Applesauce!

It’s fall and that means apples and if you are sick of eating apples, there is applesauce! A great fruit sauce that is naturally delicious. I recently made homemade apple sauce for 80 Pre K and Kindergarten students, my hand is still sore from peeling 10 pounds of apples, but it was worth it! The recipe was such a success that the day was filled with students singing about healthy applesauce, heart health, wanting seconds and staff asking for the recipe.

I didn’t write the recipe down when cooking, so looked back on my blog from last fall for some direction, but only found the above picture. If you follow from left to right you can see the steps I took, which I followed again. As my blog evolves, as do this recipes.
From picture to memory and finally recipe, here it is:

Ingredients: *Recipe adjusted for 3 jars of sauce*
5 pounds of apples (I used Macintosh)
2 cups of water
1/8 cup of cane or brown sugar
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon
Dash of pumpkin spice

Method:
Peel and quarter apples
Add to a large pot
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
Simmer and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally
When cool, blend until smooth or mash with a fork for a chunkier sauce
*Optional* Sprinkle with cinnamon

Eat by the spoonful and enjoy!

Meatfree Monday= Sweet Potato, Black Bean Burgers

 

Happy Meatfree Monday! If you know me, you know I am not a recipe writer, yes, it’s true! I love to cook and do just that, but never write anything down, until this blog of course! My dad is an amazing cook and he doesn’t write recipes and I learned from the best, cook, taste, cook. Now I find myself cooking and then writing.  My mom, however is an amazing writer with attention to detail, so I inspire to be both and great cook and easy to follow and intriguing recipe writer! Enter my newest creation, sweet potato and black bean burger!

This Monday, swap your next burger for this nutritional, protein packed, seasonal blend, the flavors will call you for seconds. This is such an easy recipe and you can make a big batch and have them for lunch all week long!

I am inspired by ingredients and therefore go with what I feel and taste. This weekend I bought sweet potatoes from the farmer’s market and had black beans in the cupboard, so pulled a few more things out and my sweet potato burgers were born.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can of black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (gives a nice cheesy flavor)
2 Tablespoons of capers, with vinegar
1 Tablespoon of Sriracha, or favorite chili sauce
1 Tablespoon of tahini paste or handful of favorite nut
1 Tablespoon of Tamari

Method:
Pre Heat the oven to 400 degrees
Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork
Bake the sweet potatoes in tin foil for 45 minutes or until soft, depending on size
Quarter the sweet potatoes, with skins, and add to a food processor
Add the above ingredients and blend in the food processor until smooth, add salt to taste
(one thing I love about vegan burgers, is you can taste the mixture and not worry about uncooked ingredients as you go along!)
Spoon the mixture, as patties, onto a greased baking tray & bake for 15 minutes on each side

Serve on a bun, over salad or on a cabbage leave;) Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes!

Who doesn’t love a good stack of pancakes? Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, pancakes are a favorite. Of course it is pumpkin season and I had to create a pumpkin spice version. The chill in the air is here and today I am serving up pumpkin pancakes with almond butter and strawberry jam!

I don’t know about you, but when I make them, I eat them as they come off the pan and rarely wait to plate them up, but that wouldn’t make for a very good photo opportunity so this weekend I was very patient! As I was stacking them, it came to me to spread almond butter and local strawberry jam in between the layers and wow! It pays to be patient, these babies were delicious, packed with protein and the sweet jam flooded me with summer flavors!

The batter was super easy:

Ingredients:
1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup almond milk (or other favorite nut milk)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice
Pinch of salt

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and work with a fork until creamy and smooth
Spoon into a greased (preferably with Earth Balance, for a creamy, buttery taste) hot pan
Wait for bubbles to appear in the batter and flip
When a golden brown crust forms, they are ready
Place cooked pancakes on a plate
Start to stack the cakes as you spread almond butter and jam in between each one
Continue until desired stacking is accomplished
Garnish with fresh almonds and enjoy!

Have you ever waited patiently for a dish you were proud of? I want to hear about it?

 

Feature Friday- Summers Juice Bar Brooklyn

Rise and Shine on this happy Friday! TGIF for all! As we wind down from summer, I know, I have been saying this for a few posts, but it is officially time to let go, although in NYC it was recently close to 80 degrees! As the seasons change it is key to remember, that cold and flu season is around the corner and what better way to stay healthy than by drinking your vitamins, minerals and greens! Enter, Summers juice bar in Brooklyn!

A friend recently told me about a local juice bar and from the minute she said vegetable juice, I knew I had to visit. Summers is a newly opened, juice and coffee bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The vibrant colors invite you in off the street, the options are plentiful and your eyes will be engaged with chalk written menu boards and seasonal descriptions.

So many vegetables and fruits called my name as I entered the Williamsburg storefront.  Juice is a nutritional drink to start your day, pick you up half way through work or ease your mind afterwards. I’m normally a smoothie person for the mornings, but there is something about the clean feeling with juice, knowing you are getting all the nutrients and vitamins.  A good rule of thumb when ordering juice, choose an array of colors, red, orange, green and yellow is what I went with as I decided on a beet, carrot, kale and ginger juice. It was refreshing, clean and a vibrant drink which was a perfect post work pick me up and energizer! The filling juice curbed my post work o’clock snack attack and lead to a nice music session and work out.

Juice isn’t a treat I am regular to here at home, but when I was in California this summer I felt it was a must, the West Hollywood norm. And now, thanks to Summers, it looks like I will be bringing some more California love back here in New York and visiting Summers more often!

At Summers you will feel the veggie and fruit love. I will be back for sure.

Have a favorite juice bar near you? I want to hear about it!

Meatless Monday= Pumpkin Squash Soup!

Well it’s pumpkin season for sure, so I am jumping on the bandwagon starting with this amazing, autumn soup. Without further a do:

Ingredients:
1 Delicata squash (butternut or acorn would work, but recently I am in love with Delicata)
4 oz pumpkin puree
1 handful of fresh baby tomatoes (if in season, if not a spoonful of tomato puree would work)
3 cloves of garlic
Olive oil for roasting
1/4 cup mushroom broth
1/4 almond milk
1/2 Tablespoon of white miso
Sprinkle of cinnamon, garlic and onion powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut the squash in half lengthwise
Take the seeds out, save for compost or roasting
Sprinkle cinnamon on each half and drizzle with olive oil
Roast for 35 minutes at 400 degrees
After about 20 minutes, add the baby tomatoes and whole garlic cloves inside the squash

halves for the rest of the roasting
Scoop out the middle and place in a blender
Add the tomatoes and garlic, taken out of of its skin
Roughly chop the skins of the squash and throw in the blender as well, they are safe to eat!
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth
If still chunky, add a splash of warm water
Serve with toasted breadcrumbs and enjoy!

For the breadcrumbs:

Ingredients:
Day old bread
Drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle of salt and thyme

Method:
Rough chop day old bread, like from Jennifer’s Way
Add bread to a mixing bowl
Toss the bread with the olive oil, salt and thyme
Bake for 12 minutes
Serve over soup, salad, pasta or whatever you desire.

They are so good, even as a snack fresh out of the oven!

Miso Soup

Before I start my Sunday evening of cooking, I needed a little nosh that would hold me over until dinner. After seeing another great picture of David’s miso soup from 365 Days of Food, I just had to make it.  I didn’t have all the ingredients, so followed his lead, but used what I had. I love miso soup so much, but hardly order it out because it often has fish in the broth. I have such fond memories of miso soup as a child in lacquer bowls, sitting criss cross with my shoes off at our local Japanese restaurant. Now, here is my version:

Ingredients:
4 cups of water
1 cup of mushroom broth, I had it left over, otherwise, just do all water
3 Tablespoons of white miso (be careful to read what’s in your miso, they are not all gluten free)
4 scallions
2 swiss chard leaves
1/4 red pepper
1 handful of bean sprouts

Method:
Bring the broth, water and miso to a boil, stirring to ensure all the miso gets dissolved.
Chop 2 scallions into small discs and add to the broth/water
Finely chop the remaining scallions and red pepper lengthwise, set aside
Rough chop the swiss chard leaves, set aside
When the liquid comes to a boil, add all the veggies, (save a few scallions to garnish)
Simmer for 5 minutes

Spoon into a bowl, top with raw scallions and enjoy!

The swiss chard texture was soft, creamy and just like seaweed!
Now I just need some lacquer dishes and I will be all set.

 

 

Feature Friday- Jennifer’s Way, Eat Bread Again!

 

It was last Sunday I visited Jennifer’s Way and I have spent almost a week writing this post in my head, but fear I still have not found the words to describe the comforting flavors, soft breads and freedom of eating without label scanning. The storefront is inviting with a warm glow pouring onto the streets of the lower east side of Manhattan.

 

 

The sweet and savory smells invite you in as your eyes dance around the endless options. Cakes, cookies, bagels and bread wait to be picked up and carried home. The chalk on the walls explain what everything is and makes you feel free to eat again, no label reading or questioning necessary!

 

When you are gluten free, bread is something that lingers in your dreams, stares at you on the holiday tables and gently winks when you walk by bakery windows. I have found pastas, oats and even cakes that do a great job being gluten free, but bread, oh bread!

 

Enter Jennifer’s Way artisan loafs! Not only are the loafs gluten free, they are vegan! Yippee! I first had the bread when my husband bought it for my birthday celebration with friends and ever since then I had to visit myself. The bread presents itself as a round loaf with a firm crust and soft inside. The smell will tempt you and warning: could lead to breaking off a piece on your way home! As I was paying, the bread dishes danced in my head, but mostly I wanted a slice, toasted with non dairy butter! While I was at Jennifer’s Way, I also grabbed some bagels, yes, gf bagels!, and a couple jam thumbprint couple for the road.

When I got home, I had the onion bagel as a sandwich with marinated tempeh and sautéed swiss chard from my local farmer’s market.

The next day I made a batch of sage butter, toasted the salt bagel and spread away. Now, I could get used to this!

If you are in the NYC area, stopping by Jennifer’s Way is a must and if not, fear not, you can order online! This bakery is a gem of a find and an answer to all gluten free calls out there! Thank you Jennifer’s Way for letting me eat bread again!