But enough of that, let’s talk about faux meat.

I’m not entirely keen on fake meat. I prefer to eat vegetarian meals that don’t contain meat substitutes, but rather have tons of vegetables in them. But then… there’s the Garden Café in downtown Orlando. A faux meat haven that even manages to sway me into eating Orange “Chicken.” A soy-based dish that’s remarkably reminiscent of the real thing. To me, the Garden Café is a nice option for when you’re feeling particularly nostalgic. It’s also considerably budget-friendly, especially during their weekday lunch hours (~$5). From faux beef to pork buns, the Garden Café certainly has a wide range of dishes to satisfy your non-meat cravings.

I’ll definitely miss the Garden Café when we move, but something tells me that I won’t have too much trouble finding new places to eat in NYC… ;)

-Taissa

A crostini is a blank canvas; The list of crostini-toppers is nearly infinite and as creative as your cravings. This particular time, my cravings included avocado and pickled onions.

Pickled red onions are a wondrous condiment. They’re sweet and ideal on mostly anything, from sandwiches to rice and beans. They’re also incredibly easy to make.

Pickled Red Onions
From Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home cookbook.

2 large red onions (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
1 1/2 cups wine red vinegar
3/4 cups granulated sugar

Groom the onions and cut them lengthwise in half. Remove and discard the outer layer of peel. Cut a “v” in the bottom of each onion and remove the roots. Onions side-down,  slice lengthwise into 1/8″ slices, following the natural lines of the onion. Pack the onions into a 1 qt. canning jar or container, reserving any that don’t fit.

Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot vinegar over the onions. Once the onions began to wilt, add the remaining onions in the jar. Let cool, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to several weeks.

Enjoy!

-Taissa

Dishware is sort of a big deal to me. Don’t let me anywhere near Anthropologie’s sale section because I will most certainly successfully procure a plate (or two), a mug (or three), and so on… It’s a depleting practice! Dishware foraging tip: don’t reject a store just because it isn’t Anthropologie-esque. Surprisingly, I came across these lovely dog plates at a Tuesday Morning.

A quirky dish can elevate a meal, make it special. It can transform toast into an acceptable photo to post on Instagram (oops, guilty as charged).

Pretty dishware deserves to be graced by good food, and vice versa. Let’s call it motivating (rather than a shopping habit). Also, I’m particularly fond of how the dogs’ eyes will sometimes peek out from under the food when using those plates.

(I know plates aren’t edible, but you can still, erm, devour them with your eyes? A recipe is coming soon, though!)

-Taissa

You see? Hiding beneath the colossal BBQ Bacun Cheezeburger (that is the menu spelling and it’s very “Internet” and fun), is a bashful pickle. Bashful and extraordinary. The kind of pickle that would surely be nervous before its dance recital, but who would indubitably be the most awe-inspiring dancer there ever was. Bottom line: it was a damn good pickle. The burger was a classic made veggie, a setain patty with house made hickory-smoke veggie “bacun,” BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese! While it didn’t surpass the best burger I’ve ever had, it certainly held its own.

Damian ordered the Titanic BLT Burger, which also featured a seitan patty but also veggie “bacun,” french-fried onions, lettuce, tomato, and vegan BBQ mayo. I’m a sucker for french-onions, especially if they’re hanging out atop a burger. It was very good.

It’s been nearly a month since Chicago, but I’m still smitten with it. Orlando has a handful of vegetarian restaurants but none like the lovely Chicago Diner. Perhaps it was snow-fatuation (I just made up my own word and it means snow infatuation), or perhaps it was the pickles… Either way, I’m still missing you, Windy City.

-Taissa

Damian and I recently returned from a trip to the Windy City, and as the Florida weather wavers between hot and muggy, I miss it very much. The cold snow crunching beneath our non-waterproof shoes. Those absolutely bizarre but ingenious train station heaters. The Violet Hour’s Dark & Stormy, aka my favorite drink (I broke the rules and photographed it). The Art Institute and, especially on lazy weekend mornings, The Chicago Diner.

The Chicago Diner was our very first stop after arriving in Logan Square from the airport, our last, and you can believe it was our first stop of every other day we were in the city. We were locals for five days and we were (are) absolutely hooked.

I had Steak & Eggs: country friend seitan with two eggs, potato hash, and gravy. Damian ordered the Monte Cristo, and if we had traveled to Chicago only to eat that sandwich, it would’ve been worth it. It remains the best breakfast sandwich I’ve had, and a strong contender for my favorite brunch food: a French toast sourdough sandwich with melted cheese, veggie ham and creole mustard.

There will certainly be a part deux to this Chicago Diner appreciation post and perhaps a part trois (?), but in the meantime, I’ll be missing you Chicago.

-Taissa

If we’re being technical, this recipe does not constitute as Vietnamese coffee since it lacks the use of a Vietnamese coffee filter in its preparation, but I think this version serves as a fine substitute for those sans one (see: me).

Vietnamese Coffee, without a Vietnamese coffee filter

2-3 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup of freshly brewed espresso

Add sweetened condensed milk into a cup, top it off with fresh espresso, stir, and ENJOY!

Here’s to sweet coffee, and an even sweeter week!

-Taissa

1.) Corn as a topping
As a kid in sleep-away camp, I remember that there was always pizza night once during the week. I don’t remember much else, but I do remember that for whatever reason they put corn on top of the pizza. Corn! of all the topping possibilities. Those sweet kernels turned out to be one of my favorite ingredients to sprinkle over my pizza. Thanks, camp!

2.) Potato pizza
My oldest brother and I once drove all the way from Florida to New Hampshire, and on the way we stopped in Washington D.C. to grab some pizza. I ordered a pie with thick potato slices awaiting me atop of it. It was magic. Potatoes are honestly one of my favorite foods and to have them chill out on top of a pizza was a beautiful treat. I had never thought that such a combination existed in the food world but now I encourage it.

Pizza night at my family’s home is revolutionary in its own way. You’ll not find pepperoni anywhere, but usually whatever is on hand. Last weekend’s contestants included corn (!!!), zucchini, caramelized onions, spinach, pine nuts, basil and tomatoes. Maybe these combinations will inspire a fresh outlook on pizza or maybe you’ll stick with the usual, either way I hope you treat pizza as a blank state!

What is your favorite pizza topping?

- Taissa

Radishes and I don’t hang out nearly enough, but they’re a lovely food. I’m still figuring out how to incorporate them into more meals but in the meantime my go-to radish recipe is pleasantly simple: Radish & Herb Butter Crostini (and you can certainly just use a plain, good butter instead of an herbed one). This recipe is also accommodating so you can decide how many crostinis you’d like to yield.

RADISH & HERB BUTTER CROSTINI

• 5 radishes, scrubbed clean

• 1 baguette

• herb butter (I shamefully admit to using store-bought which is silly because herb butter is easy to make. The kitchen goddess, Ina Garten, comes to your rescue with this recipe)

• coarse sea salt

1. Slice radishes thinly with a sharp knife. A mandoline would sure be useful here.

2. Place radish slices in a bowl of ice cold water and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. We want these babies to be nice and crisp. Drain and dry.

3. Slice your baguette into one-inch thick slices. Toast slightly.

4. Slather each slice of bread with a good amount of butter.

5. Arrange radishes atop bread and sprinkle with sea salt.

6.) Enjoy!

-Taissa

P.S.- If you haven’t already, check out the fantastic banner gracing the top of my blog. Designed & created by the talented Yessi Lantigua (you’ll find her work here).

I’m not sure if comparing your best friend’s hug to pasta carbonara is cause for any concern, but allow me to distract you away from the bizarre with an astonishingly easy recipe:

Pasta Carbonara with Brussels Sprouts

12 ounces pasta

2 cups brussels sprout leaves

3 eggs OR 4 (small) eggs

3/4 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)

3/4 cups heavy cream

salt & pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, mix together eggs, cheese, cream and salt & pepper until silky smooth.

Add brussels sprout leaves to the boiling pasta pot about 5 minutes before the pasta cooking time is up. When done, make sure to reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water and then drain. Place pasta and sprouts in a bowl. While the pasta is still very hot, pour the egg mixture slowly while stirring. Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed to adjust the consistency. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the pasta (hugging those pasta noodles like they’re all best friends). Serve right away with extra cheese!

And with bread (duh)!

-Taissa

My mom introduced me to shakshuka and I have since become its most devout eater. I usually make some adaptation of it for dinner and serve it alongside couscous or naan (or both), but last weekend I had a yearning for brunch which resulted in shakshuka and grits. No ordinary grits either, we are talking about goat cheese and chive grits. This brunch bowl is composed of all the foods I’m smitten by, as all lovely brunch bowls should be!

Pep(per) talk: I like shakshuka to be spicy; now with hindsight, I would’ve added more jalapeños. Let this be a lesson in tweaking (no, not twerking).

Shakshuka, adapted from the Smitten Kitchen.

For Goat Cheese & Chive Grits, click here.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion

5 cloves garlic, smashed & chopped

3-5 jalapeños, chopped

1 large green bell pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika (or more if you like it hot)

1 28-ounce can tomato puree

6 eggs

salt to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions & bell pepper and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the jalapeños, cumin & paprika and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato puree, season well with salt and cook for about 15 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Crack the eggs over the sauce, distributing them evenly over the surface. Gently mix in the egg whites with sauce, but don’t break the yolks. Cover the skillet and cook until egg yolks are just about set, around 5 minutes. Serve shakshuka over grits.

Enjoy breaking the yolk!

-Taissa