Pumpkin Latkes

Shalom and Happy Hanukka! This is a super quick recipe, most of which I stole from the Food Network. Instead of five potatoes, I used four and swapped in about one potato's worth of grated, roasted pumpkin. Use only partially cooked pumpkin (which I happened to have since last time I roasted one, I pulled it out too early). I also used flour instead of matzo meal, since it isn't Passover (and also since I'm a Gentile. According to my mother-in-law, matzo meal is the preferred ingredient). The pumpkin wasn't too strong, but it made the pancakes a little less starchy and gave them a greater range of nutrients. L'chaim!

Pumpkin and Apple Mac 'n' Cheese

Mmm, pumpkin and apple, classic fall foods, classic combination. And cheese just makes everything better! As always, the amounts below are estimates, since I don't measure while I cook. I just add it until it's the way I want it.

Blue Pumpkin, yum!

 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup macaroni
1 medium onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 honeycrisp apples (or another sweet apple), cored and diced
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 tbs cinnamon
3 cups roasted pumpkin, mashed (I used the leftover half of the Blue Pumpkin)
1 cup Jarlsburg cheese (or any swiss), grated
1/3 cup bread crumbs
a dash of heavy whipping cream (or yogurt)
oil for the pan
salt & pepper to taste

Set water with a pinch of salt to boil for the macaroni. Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, throw in the onions for about 7 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and cook one minute more. Then add apples and 1/2 the spices. Cook about 3 minutes, then add pumpkin, with more salt and pepper and remaining spices. Stir to combine. Then add cooked macaroni, cheese, bread crumbs, and heavy whipping cream. Reserve some cheese and bread crumbs for topping.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop into a greased pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Cook about 12 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and the edges are browned. And your done!

Pumpkin Apple Mac 'n' Cheese: Done!

 

 

It turned out a little more like a casserole than like mac 'n' cheese, but you could always use less pumpkin and more macaroni, if that's how you like it. Enjoy!

Grilled Pumpkin

OK, so I lied. I know I said I would be writing about Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese, and I will, but my husband really wanted to grill, so I thought we could experiment with a new method of cooking and a new variety of pumpkin...

Grilling and pumpkins don't often go together, since the former is associated with warm weather and the latter with cold. However, here in San Antonio, it is not uncommon to have pleasant weather in November.

Ingredients
Blue Pumpkin (or any kind really)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Butter

Prep was easy, I just cut a blue pumpkin in half and sliced it into about 3/4 inch slices. I love the bright orange of the flesh and how it contrasts so beautifully with the blue skin!

Anyways, then I just sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and olive oil and set the directly on the grill grate. Cook for about 10 minutes on each side with the cover on. Serve with butter and salt. And your done! Super easy!

The blue pumpkin tastes very much like an acorn squash but a little heartier, if that's possible. It yields quite a lot of flesh. We only needed one half the pumpkin to feed us, and even then there were leftovers (it's quite filling). This variety also has a ton of tightly packed seeds, which I will experiment with at a later date.

Next up: the thing I actually promised in my last post, pumpkin mac 'n' cheese.

Pumpkinfest Begins

Ah, the signs of fall: moderate winds, rain, crsip & cool air, dropping temperatures...well at least the last couple days anyways! Hurricane Sandy seems to have sent a low pressure zone our way, and I sure am glad. I love fall! But I really missed it last year, my first fall in San Antonio. This year, fall is really starting to feel like fall. And what comes with fall? Great fall foods: sweet potatoes, white potatoes, a new variety of squashes, carrots, beets, apples, and pumpkin. And also different spices: goodbye basil and hello curry, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. And my favorite of all these new flavors is pumpkin. Yes, pumpkin. And not just pumpkin pie, which is a holiday fave of mine, but also soups and casseroles and stir-frys and italian food and tex-mex.

Fairytale & Cinderella Pumpkins

I fell in love with fresh pumpkin in Fall of 2008. I remember it as if it were yesterday: my husband (then still my boyfriend) and I ventured into central Virginia in search of a fall festival experience. We visited Belvedere Plantation, aa farm that seemed to exist solely for the purpose of the fall festival. There cute farm animals, pig races, pies for sale, hay rides, pumpkin chunkin', the pumpkin patch, and a varied pumpkin marketplace. We chose our jack-o-lanterns from the patch (an experience I miss here in San Antonio) and headed into the marketplace. There were crazy pumpkin varieties I had never seen before, such as Red Warty Things and Cinderella pumpkins. Under each variety was a tag describeing what the pumpkins can be used for. Under both the aforementioned pumpkins, the signs said, "great for cooking." "Cook a pumpkin?" I thought. I couldn't believe that anyone did such a thing. But I was curious and picked up a red warty thing and a cinderella pumpkin. That Thanksgiving, I cooked my first pumpkin pie from scratch, and it was the best I'd ever had. From then on, I've been hooked, cooking fresh pumpkin dishes throughout the fall, starting just before Halloween until I run out. This season, I'll be sharing my pumpkin adventures.

Since this weekend has really made me feel the fall spirit, I decided to cut open my first pumpkin. The HEB at Lincoln Heights and the commissary at Ft. Sam have a good variety of pumpkins, including the varieties mentioned above, so there are plenty of kinds of pumpkins to experiment with. I'll be sharing my experiments and recipes from now until the pumpkin is all used up. First of all, let's talk about how to prepare it.

When I first made fresh pumpkin, I steamed it. It worked just fine for cooking the pumpkin, but it also made it a little watery. I much prefer to roast it.

ROASTED PUMPKIN

One Pumpkin (here I used a Cinderella), cut in half
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Freshly cut!

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle pumpkin halves with olive oil, about 1 tbs each. Dash with salt & pepper. Cook for 40 minutes or until the flesh begins to separate from the skin and you can easily stick a fork all the way in.

That's it! You're done!

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP
Inspired by a recipe for vegetable jambalaya in Vegetarian Times, I decided to give a typical pumpkin soup a little heat.

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium parsnip (or more if you really like the flavor), diced
2 medium celery stalks, sliced
About 3 cups of pumpkin flesh
Cayenne Pepper
Chili Powder
Cinnamon
2 cups vegetable broth (or as much as you need to get the consistency you like)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Heavy whipping cream

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large sauce pot on medium heat. Cook onions (seasoned with salt & pepper) about 8 minutes or until almost cooked. Add garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add parsnip and celery. Season with salt, pepper, a dash of cayenne, and a dash of chili powder. Cook until soft. Add pumpkin (I mentioned 3 cups above, but I don't really measure when I cook. Just make sure that there is much more pumpkin than the other vegetables. I may have put in four cups or so.). Season with a large dash of cinnamon, salt, pepper, a dash of cayenne, and a dash of chili powder. The pumpkin is already cooked, so just cook long enough to heat through. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to roughly blend the vegetables. Add broth and blend until smooth. Put back on heat to heat through. Serve with a dash of heavy whipping cream.

Make sure you go easy on the cayenne. I accidently made this soup burn-my face-off-hot. Of course, my husband thought it only had a hint of heat. So I just added a little more cream to take the edge off.

Next up: Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese (or pumpkin & apple cookies, depending on how I feel)

Max's Wine Dive

The first time I went to Max's Wine Dive, I had high expectations. Good reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. However, I was underwhelmed. It was winter (January if I remember correctly), so I ordered off the seasonal menu: sweet potato gnocchi with spinach and winter vegetables (parsnips maybe? It's been a while). It sounded great, and I couldn't wait to eat it, but the dish was heavily sauced and the gnocchi was mushy and runny, even. Based on this experience, I completely wrote it off. But my husband on the other hand thought his dinner was fantastic, so he sneakily bought 3 groupons for Max's, obligating me to return.

His tactic worked, and we went back a few months later. This time, I ordered the veggie burger from the summer menu (the only vegetarian entree listed). When the burger came out, I was expecting the worst, but it was fantastic! It had great texture and was filling, spicy, and a little sweet. The burger is also incredibly large, and I surprised myself by eating the whole thing! It was just that good. In fact, I returned again just to eat the veggie burger (and use up another groupon).

On our fourth visit, I decided to try something else and ordered the snapper (from the summer menu again). Everything from the green beans to the potatoes to the slaw went well together. The beans and the slaw kept everything light and crisp. Yum! We also had the best service on this trip. Previously, the service was a little awkward (from green servers maybe?). This time around our server was knowledgeable about the wine and helped us make a dessert wine selection, which is not something we typically do, so the assistance was much needed, and the late-harvest malbec she suggested went wonderfully with the brownie. The brownie itself, however, was a let down. It wasn't bad, just boring.

Speaking of wine (this is a wine bar after all), the selection of bottles is comprehensive, but I prefer to order by the glass, since more often than not, everyone at the table is looking for something different. The by-the-glass list hits all the highlights, but isn't terribly varied. Fortunately though, they do have an enomatic with additional selections that are less static than the wines on the menu.

Overall, the place is hit or miss, even though most of my dining experiences have been positive, because I've been ordering off the seasonal menus. The "Classics" menu doesn't have anything for vegetarians (except tomato soup and grilled cheese and a few appetizers), so don't fall for their dressed-up comfort food gimick; the hits tend to be on the seasonal menu.

Fill 'Er Up!

Station Cafe (formerly the Filling Station)

I just ate the most delicious vegan patty for lunch! Definitely NOT a boring sprouts stuck between two pieces of bread because I can't fathom what vegetarians really eat type sandwich. And it was so refreshing to find a casual cafe for lunch that offers creative vegetarian options. Notice that "s"? Yes, there were several options from which I could choose!

The patty was made with brown rice, lentils, and beets, with a few capers for added salt. It came out hot and fresh and was hardy and flavorful. It had a spicy aroma (sage or thyme maybe?). The bun was fresh and light, allowing the flavors of the burger to stand out. They dress the burger with lettuce, tomato, mayo (vegan), and mustard. Next time, I would skip the tomato (didn't mix well with the beet) and ask them to go light on the mustard.

The cafe is downtown in the King William district on S St. Mary's, and it is convenient to many downtown attractions, so I'll definitely head back next time I'm being a tourist.

Noms!

Down to Earth

I watched the documentary Ingredients yesterday (while eating mac 'n' cheese from a box). If eating the mac 'n' cheese didn't make me feel gross in and of itself, hearing people talk about eating fresh, local produce to improve health and connection to our food made it worse. Suddenly my food tasted bland and salty (I also noticed myself feeling weighed down later in the day). Anyways, I normally feed good about my food choices, and I love that most of my groceries come from the produce section. My food clean, flavorful, and I know exactly what's in it.

However, two things that the documentary brought up got me thinking about what I eat and where it comes from. First, it mentioned how by turning food into a commodity has led farmers to grow primarily those crops, and so we have had an incredible loss in bio diversity. This hit home when I reflected on my experiences shopping for tomatoes at the grocery store. I've begun making my own sauces at home instead of buying them at the store, in order to increase flavor and to avoid BPA, high sugar levels, and preservatives. But I've been frustrated, especially now in the summertime, because I can't find tomatoes that are uniquely flavorful. They all seem to taste the same. Even the tomatoes at the farmers' market appear to be just the same varieties, just locally grown. The only tomatoes I've had any luck with are grape and cherry tomatoes. Why are they all the same varieties over and over again? Where can those of us desiring greater flavor go?

I think the decrease in biodiversity and variety has also been a contributing factor to the disconnect between people and their food. Our produce looks just like the boxes of processed food on the shelf: uniform and predictable. But that isn't what plants are really like. They grow to different sizes and shapes and colors. And there are so many more varieties than what is readily available. It's easy to forget this because we don't see where our food comes from. It gets shipped or/and trucked thousands of miles. This is why I like farmers' markets: my food looks like food, and I can tell that it came from the earth, and I can meet the people who grew it.

Well today (and now after rambling, I get to what I really wanted to write about), I had a wonderful chance to connect with the earth, when I helped harvest Pinot Grigio for Singing Water Vineyards in Comfort, TX. It's been a long time since I've worked outside and got all sweaty and dirty; it felt great! And beyond that, it's feels good to get involved of the creation of something that comes from the earth and to be reminded of from where wine comes. After all, the creation of wine is a natural process that humans simply facilitate and encourage to go in diffferent directions.

We started at 7am, so I had to leave home before 6am, and I got some great early morning shots in the vineyard before it got too hot (and some crappy pictures while I was driving, but come one, I couldn't exactly frame the shot or even look at the display while operating a vehicle!).

Hill Country Sunrise

Fog in the "Valley"

A Full Bucket and Shears

Bunches of Grapes

Looking East Across the Pinto Grigio Vines

A Partially Full Bin

Since this was my first time, I got a brief tutorial: find out where the bunch is attached to the vine and cut it. It sounds simple, but there was a little learning curve. Even though some of the bunches looked just like you would expect and hung off the vine, others were twisted and wrapped around the vines, leaves, and other bunches. Sometimes I would think I was clipping one big bunch, only to find that it was five smaller bunches all grown together and connected to the vine at different points. It was nearly impossible to clip many of the bunches without squishing or cutting a few grapes. I also ended up encountering many a spider living amongst the grapes, no doubt taking advantage of the bugs that come to sample the sweet fruit.

Even though I had to get up at 5:30 this morning and drive for an hour in the dark, I thoroughly enjoyed getting in touch with the source of what's in my glass. And I can't wait to try the 2012 Pinot Grigio when it's released!

After we finished up around 11:30am, I headed into town for lunch at High's Cafe. I've eaten there before, so I knew I could get a solid veggie friendly meal. Instead of having the veggie sandwich (which is delicious! but not vegan friendly), I opted for one of the daily specials: fresh tomato salad, yum! The tomatoes were tangy and flavorful and were accompanied by mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar (aka caprese salad). It was a little heavy on the vinegar, but the remaining ingredients were simple and refreshing after working in the field. And of course, I couldn't resist a delicious treat for dessert. I ordered a "Magic Bar," comprised of chocolate, pecans, and coconut. The chocolate was rich; the pecans were sprinkled with sugar; the coconut was toasted on top. Noms!

All in all it was a great day getting down to earth. It has inspired me to better connect with my produce and to continue honoring veggies in my dishes. Have a great weekend!

Rainbow Vegetarian Chili

In the spirit of Pride Week last week, I thought I would make some of my Rainbow Chili. The variety of veggies is what gives the chili its colors and its variety of vitamins! It takes a little time, but it's super simple, and you can leave it on the stove while it simmers. It makes about 8 servings, so unless your family members are garbage disposals like my husband or you have a large family, this dish makes lots of leftovers.


Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3-4 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
cumin, to taste
oregano, to taste
3/4 cup faux ground beef
1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can chipotle tomatoes
1 cup dry or off-dry white wine or rose (or veggie stock or water)
2/3 cup dry pinto beans
2/3 cup dry kidney beans
2/3 cup dry black beans
salt and pepper, to taste

Prep beans: Rinse beans and check for debree (I once found a little pebble in some lentils, so don't skip this step!) Bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil and boil beans for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans. Bring another 6-8 cups of water to a boil and cook beans for 1 1/2-2 hours (check after the first hour, sometimes the beans don't even need a full 1 1/2 hours). Or just get canned beans and rinse.

Meanwhile, prep veggies and start cooking the chili: Heat a large saucepot with about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Throw in onions and carrots and season with dashes or cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add garlic after about one minute. Cook five minutes and add peppers. Add a little more seasoning. Cook about another five minutes or until onions are translucent, then add faux beef and spices. I use frozen, so I cook until it is thawed. If you prefer refrigerated, then just warm it through.

The next couple steps are my favorite, just through ingredients in the pot and leave it alone for awhile. First add both cans of tomatoes (or make your own for an even healthier version), wine, and spices. Let simmer for about 25 minutes.

Then add beans and spices and let simmer for 15-20 minutes (to let all the flavors seep in).

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and put the ROY back in your ROY G BIV!

Note: These are my tried and true veggies, but sometimes I throw in other ingredients. Corn is another good one and so is celery. To round out the spectrum, you could try adding eggplant.

Beans! Beans! They Make A Great Soup!

I love soups! They are as easy as throwing whatever you like in a pot and adding broth! Now that the weather is warming up, a minestrone style soup like this one feels great as the evening cools off.

This recipe makes quite a few servings (I’m not quite sure how many yet, we’ve only had three bowls, but we’ve hardly made a dent!), so it’s great to make on the weekend and revisit during the week when you are busy.

1 cup navy beans

1 cup pinto beans
6-8 cups water (6-8 cups more for bean prep)
6 cups vegetable broth
5 small carrots, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup mini pasta (I used macaroni, but anything small works great)
1 ½ cup spinach (if it’s not in season, just use frozen)
fresh basil, to taste
parmesan, grated (optional)

Prep your beans. I prefer dry beans, because I can control the amount of sodium in the dish and they lack preservatives. Quick soak both bean types together in 6-8 cups of water. Boil for 2 min, and then set aside covered for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans. Boil beans in 6-8 cups of water for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Meanwhile, dice carrots and onion. When there are about 15 minutes left before the beans are done, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and bay leaf and cook for one minute. Throw in onions, carrots, and salt and pepper to taste. Then sauté until they develop a nice brown color, which is why we are cooking them separately to begin with.

Mix veggies and broth into beans. With seven minutes left stir in pasta. In the last minute, stir in spinach until wilted. Serve and top with basil and parmesan (optional).

Easy right? Enjoy!

Park Motel Cafe

Clean, simple flavors. Light but filling. Quiet, out of the way. Good espresso.

I love breakfast food as much as Ron Swanson loves, well, breakfast food. Pancakes, omelets, waffles, crepes, yogurt covered fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos, crab cake eggs benedict: you name it, I ravenously devour it. So when I saw a LivingSocial deal specifically for breakfast, I nabbed it. And last weekend, my husband and I went to sate our hunger before the rodeo.

If it weren’t for the GPS, the café would be difficult to find. The address is listed as “Broadway,” but it is closer to Avenue B, which runs parallel between E Mulberry and Tuleta. If you are driving on Broadway, it is behind the Cheever Books, where if you are lucky, you will see the owner doing push-ups while smoking out front. Pass the book store, and drive all the way to the back of the complex. The Park Motel Café is nestled in the back.

The café was quiet when we entered, which I thoroughly enjoyed, because I don’t like too many stimuli early in the morning. We ordered our food at the counter, and then chose one of the few tables in the cozy shop. My husband’s coffee came out promptly, and he nursed it while we waited for our food. The two hardiest vegetarian options on the menu are the taquini and the panini, and they are both customizable.

The panini is pretty self explanatory, a grilled sandwich with an egg and up to four veggies. The taquini, is more or less a panini with tortillas instead of bread, which makes for a much lighter sandwich. My taquini was veggie filled and filling, but it didn’t leave me feeling weighted down. It was seasoned with just salt and pepper, simple but flavorful. My husband felt the same way about his panini.

Recommendation: Yes, for something simple, quiet, and out of the way.

Amazing Cocktails, Sub-Par Food

The Esquire

Food: skip it

Drinks: amazing!
Service: good
Atmosphere: cozy

I have to say, my expectations for this joint were low. It’s on the Riverwalk, which should mean that it’s overpriced and mediocre. But my husband’s friend was in town, and he wanted to go somewhere downtown, and my husband wanted to try some of The Esquire’s famed cocktails, so I was out-voted.

The bar look as if it hasn’t been remodeled since it opened in 1933, but for them, it’s a bragging point. The tin ceiling, the old wood bar, the tile floor, the bar tenders’ dapper attire, and the dim exposed light bulbs all gave the authentic ambience of a bygone era. One narrow path leads from the bar’s E Commerce Street entrance to its Riverwalk entrance. On one side is the long, sturdy, wood bar, and on the other is a row of intimate booths. The backs of the booths rise up high, like horse blinders, so each one feels like its own restaurant. This privacy makes The Esquire a great choice for an intimate date.

The service is a little awkward: you must order your food at the bar. However, once we ordered, service was prompt, courteous, and attentive.

When I looked at the menu, I noticed that there are no vegetarian options on their standard menu nor on their winter menu (but I assume that as the seasonal menu changes, vegetarian items may be added). Well, there is grilled cheese and salad, but I just can’t bring myself to pay for someone else to make me a grilled cheese or a salad, no matter how good. The Valentine’s Day menu, which included a beet risotto (yum!), was advertized on the table, but they wouldn’t let me order it because it wasn’t Valentine’s Day. Major bummer. I hate getting forced into eating seafood. Instead, I ordered the Maque Choux, spicy battered shrimp over creamed corn. The heat in the batter was nice, and the shrimp were well cooked. However, the corn tasted as if it came out of a can – if it didn’t, I want to know where they found uniformly colored corn that sweet in February. Unfortunately, the questionable corn made up most of the dish, and the cream softened the batter.

The meat-eater says:  I thoroughly enjoyed my cheesy, spicy sirloin burger, and my friend enjoyed his tacos con papas (which reportedly had meat in them, even though it is not mentioned on the menu description) and chalupitas.

After dinner, we ordered cocktails: the Doxycycline, Only the Besh, and Smokey Tiny Dancer. The last two were definitely the stand-outs (the doxycycline was a bit too mediciney, which is likely how it got its name). Only the Besh was creamy and spicy, yum! And Smokey Tiny Dancer tasted just like it sounds, smokey. Desserts accompanied the cocktails. The snickerdoodle ice-cream sandwich was good, but the bread pudding was amazing.

Recommendation: Only cocktails and desserts. Skip the entrees.

UPDATE, 2/21:
I received a message from the chef regarding the corn and questionably vegetarian tacos:

"I appreciate the time you took to give us a review, it seems as though you questioned a couple food items and I just wanted to clear them up for you. The corn comes from a produce purveyor Unifresh and it comes on the stalk... we add Texas honey to it to give it the sweetness that it might lack during this time of year. Not all of the corn is nice and some of it simply turns into corn stock. As for tacos they most definetly are vegetarian and we take that seriously. There was not and will never be meat in the tacos unless specified. I hope this helps.
Chef Brooke"

It's nice to know that the veggies are fresh, but the honey just made them taste syrupy, which is why they reminded me of canned corn. Also, it looks like my dining companion was mistaken about the tacos.

Rosarios

Food: varied, lots of veggie options
Service: average
Atmosphere: bright and fun

While we were downtown visiting the Institute of Texan Cultures for Buffalo Soldier day, my husband and I happened upon this restaurant on S Alamo St. Apparently, this place is quite well known, but since we are new in town, so we were lured in mostly by the pink walls and a picture of Frieda Khalo holding a margarita that greeted us at the hostess stand. The restaurant was unusually busy for 3:30, but we were seated right away, which was a sign of the pleasant, efficient service to come.

The comp chips and salsa were great. The chips were hot and fresh and the salsa was smoky. To start we ordered a ½ order of the shrimp nachos, which was large enough to share. The chips had a wonderful texture, like puffy tacos. Each chip had one shrimp strategically placed ontop. The shrimp were grilled, tender, and a little garlicky. Delicious! Each chip was also sprinkled with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and onions and smothered with cheese. Crunchy and flavorful all the way through, these were some of the best nachos I’ve ever had.

These amazing nachos really built up my expectations for the main course; however, I felt a little let down. I had ordered the Enchiladas Mexicanas, corn tortillas filled with queso and covered in enchilada sauce and topped with potatoes and carrots. The fresh cheese filling was delicious, but the carrots and potatoes were really just a garnish and not an integral part of the dish, which was disappointing, because the dish could have used a little more depth of flavor. The enchilada sauce was a little greasy and a little too spicy for me (as evidenced by the sauce left on the side of my plate. The cabbage slaw was citrusy and refreshing at the end of dinner.

My husband had the chile relleno de pescado, and he was surprised at my lukewarm view of my dinner, because he thought his was delicious.

Recommendation: The vegetarian notations and their willingness to make vegetarian alternatives increase the number of options, which is more than most restaurants around here can say. I was a little disappointed, but there are plenty of options for everyone, so check it out.

Freetail Brewing Company

This bar is pretty far out of town for me, but I needed to pick up tickets to next week’s beer and cheese tasting, so I made the trek. The bar isn’t large, but it’s a little impersonal and generic, like chain instead of an intimate, local brewery.

Since we were there, my man and I decided to get drinks and munchies. While perusing the menu, I noticed that it was created with vegetarians in mind. Many items were marked as vegetarian, which as we all know is helpful for setting the mind at ease, because nothing is worse than ordering something only to take a bite and find bacon or whatnot inside.

So we ordered a ½ order of nachos, a rye wit for me, and PirateTail V for him. The drinks came out quickly, which was much appreciated. Belgian inspired, the rye wit is light bodied with rich flavors. I thought it had fruity hints, but the man said it tasted like prosciutto – but I wouldn’t know about that. The PirateTail V was thick and bitter, and my husband thoroughly enjoyed it.

Not long after we got the beers, the nachos came out. First off, I was excited to find nachos that didn’t include bacon, chili, or some other form of meat. Our ½ order of nachos was HUGE, more than enough to share, and they were smothered in black beans and cheese. Jalapenos, sour cream, and guac came on the side. It looked delicious, but once I dug in, I was more than a little disappointed. The nachos were practically tasteless. Even the guac was a little bland. I usually complain about food being too salty, but this plate suffered from a lack of salt. Luckily, the sour cream added tang.

Recommendation: They get points for a veggie friendly menu, and I’ve heard the pizzas are great, but based on the nachos, I can only recommend the beer.

Beet and Carrot Soup

Even though my goal is to find vegetarian friendly restaurants, I really prefer eating at home. When I cook for myself, I know exactly what is in each dish, and there is no worrying whether the rice was cooked in chicken broth or if the grill was cleaned between meat and veggies. When dining out, I usually have to accept that these and other transgressions may happen despite what the restaurant claims. Since I’m a pescetarian for health and environmental reasons, I let these things go, even though I would never cook that way at home, and the only meat in the house is my husband’s lunch meat.

I love fresh veggies, and I love making soups. So, I picked up some yummy looking carrots and beets at the Pearl Farmer’s market this past weekend for a winter veggie soup. Check it out!

Ingredients:

3 medium beets
5 small-medium carrots
Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
Fresh ginger root
About ½ cup leftover potato fondue (or mashed potatoes)
Vegetable broth
Plain yogurt

Start by roasting your vegetables: wash and peel carrots and cut lengthwise. If they are super thick - like my short, stubby ones - then cut them once more lengthwise. Cut the stems off of the beets and scrub away. Save the greens, you can use them as salad greens or use them in place of collard greens in a recipe. 

Place both on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil (I used about 1 tbs for all the veggies) and salt and pepper to taste. Fold aluminum foil over beets like so:

Roast in oven at 400 degrees until tender (about 20-25 min for carrots and 60 min for beets). Old beets will take longer.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large saucepan (or a dutch oven would be even better, if you have one). Cook onion in pan until translucent. Stir in ginger for 1 minute. Then add beets, carrots, potato goop, and enough broth to cover veggies. Cook up to another 5 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Or, if you want to torture yourself, you can transfer the soup 1 cup at a time to a blender.

Ladle into soup bowls and scoop plain yogurt on top to taste. The dark red color makes this perfect for a Valentines dinner. Enjoy!

Game Day Cookies

Instead of bringing the same-old, lame, football shaped cookies from the supermarket to this year’s Super Bowl party, make these awesome sweet and salty, holiday appropriate chocolate and potato chip cookies. In addition to having the flavor of potato chips, these are also an alternative for those cannot enjoy the salty goodness of chocolate and nuts due to allergies.

My man is headed to a Super Bowl party today (unfortunately, I can’t go because of work. Bummer. I was so hoping to cheer against the Patriots). Anyways, I made these cookies for him to take, so that he won’t look like a total freeloader.

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter – softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
9 oz chocolate chips
1 ¼ cup crushed potato chips

Yields about 3 dozen cookies

Crush potato chips in a small mixing bowl (I used generic Ruffles, but use whatever you like). Keep crushing more until you have 1 cup crushed. Set aside.

Mix first three ingredients in a small to medium mixing bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and all sugar in a large mixing bowl. If you have an electric mixer, set on medium speed. If not, get ready for a work out! Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.

Add the flour mixture about 1/3 at a time. Completely blend before adding the next third. Note: If you are hand mixing, you may want to add less at a time.

Stir in chocolate, then potato chips. Keep in mind that add-ins like chocolate chips, potato chips, and vanilla do not affect the chemistry of baking, so you can use as much or as little as you like. Just keep in mind that if you add more than the dough will allow, then the cookies may fall apart.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (or do this earlier if you are super speedy) Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough and place them about 2 in apart on an ungreased (seriously) baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly brown on top and edges. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for one minute, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. When cool, arrange them on a platter and show off your culinary prowess to your friends.

Or just add potato chips to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Enjoy!

Luke - Riverwalk

Food: delicious fish preparation, but limited options
Service: informative and cheerful
Atmosphere: understated

The restaurant lies on a vibrant street, just a few blocks from the Majestic Theater (the man and I were headed to the symphony later, so it worked out perfectly). Some reviewers have noted that its location in the lobby of an Embassy Suites detracts from its ambience, but I entered on Houston Street and didn’t even notice. The décor nods to the chef’s New Orleans inspiration without being distracting or kitschy. It dresses up well for a special night out but chill enough for a relaxing meal at any time.

I have heard such great things about this restaurant, that I was disappointed to find that even as a pescetarian, my options were very limited. However, our very helpful server mentioned that if I would rather have something veggi-friendly, the chef would be happy to prepare a special dish for me. Very considerate. However, I hadn’t had much protein that day, so instead of risking a protein-less meal, I opted to go with the fresh Gulf Coast fish meuniere. My only other option was the mussels, but I appreciated that the fish was relatively local compared to the PEI mussels. The fish that day was a black grouper accompanied by potatoes and cauliflower (fresh winter veggies, yum!). The breading on the fish was delicate but was awfully salty. The spicing had just the right amount of kick to make me think Cajun but not so much that my senses were overwhelmed.

The meat-eater says: “I had the prix fixe menu, which I definitely enjoyed – it was a venison sausage and potato dish. Very tasty – felt like I nabbed the deer myself. It was a little tougher, but they prepared it so that the sausage flavored the potatoes – made it awesome. I’d recommend it.”

For dessert, we made the mistake of ordering one each, since the desserts are so large that they could be main dishes! I had the bread pudding, which was moist and subtly spiced with nutmeg. They keep the almond cake simple, so that the almond flavor sings, and it reminded my man of marzipan.

Recommendation: Only if you are open to seafood or if you are brave enough to see what sort of veggie dish kitchen turns out. My meat-eating husband loved it, so I may go back and see what the chef comes up with.

Beto's on Broadway

Food: fish tacos are yum!
Service: varied
Atmosphere: relaxed, friendly, neighborhood

I can’t believe I’m reviewing another Guy Fieri joint, but I guess he had good scouts in San Antonio! Beto’s is known for its fish tacos, and they are quite tasty. They include a generous portion of grilled fish, which is good news for anyone that isn’t in the mood for something heavy and fried. I’ve been there four times now, and in the past, the fish tasted quite good, but last night, it had a little previously-frozen texture to it. It also had more cabbage and less sauce than I am used to. The sauce is creamy and a little spicy, and it melds well with the smokey flavor left on the fish by the grill.

They also offer a veggie only taco filled with seasonal vegetables. I had it once and never went back. I give them props for creativity and thinking seasonally, but the vegetables just were just under cooked. A crunchy sweet potato just doesn’t have the flavor and aroma of a fully cooked one, not to mention that it is difficult to eat.

A salad is served with every taco, but it’s just lettuce and tomatoes. Their bland beans and rice don’t impress either. So skip the combos and order a la carte. The dessert empanadas are a little greasy but aren’t bad for a little restaurant.

The service has always been consistent: anywhere between ok and good, never terrible and never great. And for the money you spend, this kind of consistency is all you can really ask for.

Recommendation: Fish tacos: yes. Veggie tacos: skip ‘em.

Best Fried Pickles Ever!

Broadway 50 50

There aren’t many bar food options out there for vegetarians, including this joint; even the devilled eggs have bacon in them! The only truly veggie options are appetizers, so don’t come expecting to have a full meal. But if you’re just interested in beer and snacks, then this spot gets the job done. The 50 50 is no Flying Saucer, but the drink list includes all the basics. Shiner was $3/pint, so the table ordered a round, and I ordered fried pickles. The service on the drinks was prompt, but the pickles took forever to arrive. I soon found that the wait was worth it. The pickles were fried to order, and they arrived piping hot and plentiful. So hot, in fact, that the first bite burned the roof of my mouth. Watch out! However, my minor injury was worth it. I’ve eaten quite a few fried pickles in my life (insert vulgar joke here), and these are the best! It was almost as if I were tasting for the very first time, like a fried-pickle virgin. The crispy shiner-batter was bursting with flavor, and the spicy ranch dressing adds just the right amount of heat. Nothing goes better with beer than fried, and no batter beats Broadway 50 50’s.

The Cove

Food: delectable!
Service: good
Atmosphere: fun, family friendly, laidback

This laidback venue in downtown serves up delicious eco-conscious dishes for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Most of the seating is outdoors, and the garden, picnic tables, and children’s playground contribute to a cozy, backyard type feeling. Not to mention you feel as if you are in a park, not in the middle of the city. Guy Fieri endorses this place, and I’m typically not a fan of his choices, he finally hit the nail on the head with The Cove! Even though this place has so many well deserved shout outs - and they really don’t need another - I am smitten and will continue.

There menu has an overwhelming selection for vegetarians and vegans. And if you have meat eaters in your group, they can nosh on meaty dishes prepared with SOL style (sustainable, organic, local). I ordered the vegan bacon cheeseburger (except mine wasn’t vegan because I asked for real cheddar on mine), and it was the best vegi-burger I have ever had! The texture was spot on: the burger was filled with hearty rice, mushrooms, and seeds (not mushy, monotone-textured beans). The vegan bacon was too hard, which made it difficult to bite through the burger and the bacon, so I pulled it out and ate it separately. I swapped out sweet potato fries for the traditional white potato option. They weren’t as crispy as I would like, but they were so fresh I didn’t really care.

The meat-eater says: The lamb burger was so juicy and flavorful and yum!

For dessert we ate a slice of the jalapeno carrot cake. I was worried that my Yankee palate wouldn’t be able to handle the heat, but the cake and the frosting cancelled out most of the peppers’ spice. This twist on a classic was flavorful yet light enough to not make me feel guilty.

Recommendation: Definitely, even if you are not vegan or vegetarian, the food is too good to pass up!