Raspberry Applesauce Popiscles

The days are getting warming, which means it will soon be popsicle weather! 

My children are hit or miss on eating applesauce but they love it in frozen form. This recipe is so easy to make and delicious! While you could use applesauce from a jar to make this in one step, fresh applesauce is worth the little bit of effort that it takes!

 

 

Raspberry Applesauce Popsicle Ingredients

-4 gala apples
-1/2 cup of water
-dash of cinnamon
-handful of raspberries, about a cup (fresh or frozen)

Directions
1. Cut and core the apple (peel if desired)

2.  Place in Instant Pot along with the water and cinnamon. Cook on manual mode high pressure for 10 minutes, use a quick release. Alternatively, simmer on the stovetop until apples are mushy and easy to blend.

3.  Use a blender or immersion blender to mix until smooth. Add the raspberries and mix until they are blended as well.

4. Allow to cool, pour into popsicle molds.

5. Freeze for a few hours if you want it to be slushy or overnight for a hard popsicle.

Chicken Patties (Whole 30 Approved)

These chicken burgers are adapted from the salmon cake recipe that you can find in the book "It Starts With Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. I'm not the biggest salmon fan, but I do like a quick meal that works well for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or best of all: brunch!

Ingredients: 

• 2 cans of chunk chicken breast (I like the ones from Trader Joe's and Wegmans)
• 1 can of pumpkin or about 2 cups of cooked sweet potato (or other squash, butternut works well)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of almond meal or flour
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (or 4 teaspoons dried)
• 2 scallions, thinly chopped or 2 tablespoons of onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh dill (or 3 teaspoons dried)  
• 1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce (Tabasco or similar) 
• t teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
• ghee or coconut oil to coat the pan
• optional: mustard, lemon juice, tartar sauce, lettuce

Directions:

 Preheat over to 350F

With a fork, stir the eggs in a large bowl until there is a bit of air mixed in with them. Mix the rest of the ingredients in and combine. Grease cookie sheet with oil or ghee. Scoop out with 1/3 cup measuring spoon onto cookie sheet and shape into patties.


Bake for 20minutes, then rotate pan (flip them if you feel ambitious). Bake for another 10minutes. Serve hot in a lettuce wrap with mustard or stick in your fridge to grab and go throughout the week!

Makes about 8-10 patties.

Fare Restaurant, Philadelphia PA

So I've been slacking here for awhile. Life gets busy! And I haven't had much time to go out to brunch lately. Well, that's not completely true. I did have a lovely brunch at Fare in the Fairmount section of Philly recently.

I ordered a basic scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns --the hash browns were nicely done, not overly fried and almost like a scalloped potato.

A brunchmate ordered the fish tacos, and after a bite I wished I had done the same. They were delicious with a lovely citrus slaw.


It was not an overly crowded spot and the meal and company were delightful.

Apologies for the lack of photos from our meal. You should check it out and post your own photos from Fare in the comments below!


If you go:

• 2028 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130 
• Phone: (215) 763-5500
• They accept credit cards.
• Fare Restaurant
  

Cookies for Breakfast!

Oats + Almond Flour

 So lately I've really been enjoying these super easy, delicious oatmeal cookies.They are mostly pretty healthy ingredients so if you feel like eating cookies for breakfast, I say go for it....it's better than sugar-puffs! 

 

Usually I bake them, but in the summer heat I discovered they are also good simply frozen instead. Since there are no eggs in the batter, it's safe to eat raw!


 This recipe is for a double batch, but feel free to half it.

It's a pretty forgiving recipe so if you want to experiment a bit it will most likely still taste good. Case in point: if you like a fluffier cookie, add 3 eggs to the batter (but don't eat raw then!).

I like to mix up the extracts for a fun variety of cookie flavor!

Ingredients  (for double batch)

• 4 cups of rolled oats (I use Trader Joe's Gluten Free Oats)
• 2 cups of almond meal/flour (Trader Joe's has some that isn't too expensive). You can also use another nut flour, rice flour, or whole wheat flour.
• 1 cup of shredded coconut (OPTIONAL)
• 2 tbs cinnamon
• dash of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon if you want to measure it out)
• 1 cup maple syrup (more or less to taste. Don't cut this too much though or the batter won't stick).
• 1 cup of coconut oil (or a light olive oil or sunflower oil)
• 2 tablespoons of extract. I like vanilla, almond, orange....feel free to mix and match here.
• 1 cup of walnuts (OPTIONAL)
• 1/2-1 cup of chocolate chips or raisins (OPTIONAL) 

Directions

1. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients, add in wet ingredients. Finally add in the nuts & chocolate chips or raisins. 

2. Put the batter in to the fridge for about 20minutes (this allows it to soften and hold together easier).

3. If baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

3. With your fingers or a melon-baller, roll batter into small balls. I like gum-ball sized cookies but you can make them larger if desired. 

4. Grease or line cookie tray with parchment paper. The double batch fills 2 cookie trays.

5. Either:

Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. Cookies do not expand. You can't really under cook them but if you cook for too long they will dry out a bit so check often.

OR

Put cookie tray into freezer for about 3hours. Remove cookies and store in plastic bag or container.

Shrimp & Grits

Shrimp & Grits

Shrimp & grits are a total brunch comfort food, perfect for those chilly autumn mornings.

I've had this dish at a number of brunch spots, but decided to try and make my own at home. It's really easy to make and like the best brunch foods, good at any time of the day!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of corn grits (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 4 cups of water
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 clove raw garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil (I used coconut oil)
• 1 cup chopped broccoli (including stalk)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or juice of 1/2 small lemon)
• 2 cups of cooked shrimp (I used Trader Joe's frozen cooked shrimp)
• 1 cup of cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or mix of choice)
• butter to taste --about 4-5 nice big pats

Directions

Add salt & pepper to water and bring to a boil. Add in grits, turn heat to low, and stir to prevent lumps.

While the grits are cooking, heat oil and cook garlic & onion until they start to brown. Add in lemon juice & broccoli. Add in shrimp. Cook over a medium heat until broccoli is tender & shrimp is fully heated.

Once grits are cooked, turn off heat and add in the butter and cheese. Stir to combine. Pour grits into 4 bowls and top with shrimp mixture. Serve at once.

Serves: 4

Duck Egg Scramble

Farmers markets are wonderful things. The produce always lasts longer because it hasn't had to travel across the country and sit on a pallet before reaching you. The produce is always in season. Sometimes you run into a neighbor or friend. But my favorite thing about farmers markets is discovering new foods. 

Today I discovered duck eggs. The stand I was planning to buy chicken eggs from had run out, but they still had some duck eggs. A bit unsure of what to expect, I decided to take the plunge and try them! The people from Canter Hill Farm assured me that they were delicious -- richer than chicken eggs and good for baking.

They were right. I just made the most delicious, rich, amazing duck egg scramble. But don't take my word for it, try the recipe for yourself!

Duck Egg Scramble with pomegranate seeds

 

Duck Egg Scramble

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon of oil (I used coconut)
• 1 small bunch (about 1 cup) of raw broccoli, chopped (including the stock) 
• 1/4 cup raw cranberries, chopped
• 3 duck eggs
• ounce or two of cheddar cheese, crumbled (optional)
• lemon pepper 

 

Directions:

Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, and stir until they start to slightly brown. Lower heat a little. Add the broccoli, and continue stirring. Add in cranberries.

Once the broccoli starts to tenderizer, push the veggie mixture to one side of the pan. Crack the 3 duck eggs in the space you created. Stir the eggs until it starts to be cooked. Add lemon pepper to egg mixture. Once eggs are almost cooked, blend with everything else. Once eggs are fully cooked, add the cheese and mix in to melt. Stir everything together over low heat for a few more seconds, and serve immediately with fresh fruit.

Serves: 1

Caramelized Pear and Carrot Soup

Caramelized Pear & Carrot Soup

Caramelized Pear and Carrot Soup

Before dining at Tapas on Main in Bethlehem, PA, I had never heard of Caramelized Pear and Carrot Soup.  But it was so delicious that I had to try to make it myself!

Well I did, and a brunchmate who "doesn't eat soup" just inquired, "is there any more?"

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 ripe Bartlett pear
4-5 carrots
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cooked apple-chicken (or faux chicken) sausage, chopped (optional)
ground black pepper & slivered almonds for topping (optional)

Directions

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add in onions and cook until they start to caramelize. If using sausage, add it in now. Chop the pear into large chunks and add to pan.  Cook until pear starts to soften & becomes juicy. Break carrots into smaller pieces and add, turning off heat so they do not really cook yet.

In high speed blender (Vitamix is ideal), pour in vegetable broth. Then add in the pears, carrots, and onions. Retain approximately 1 tablespoon of the onions and the sausage.

If your Vitamix has a soup setting, run it on that. If not, then run mixture until smooth & creamy.

Once done, carefully remove lid and add in a dash more of salt to taste, the remaining onions, and the sausage. Pulse on low for about 10 seconds to combine.

If you've used the soup setting on Vitamix, pour into bowls and serve. Otherwise heat over stove and then serve. Top with ground pepper & almonds.

A sweet springtime soup that's sure to please! For a summertime meal it probably would also taste good as a chilled soup topped with Crème fraîche!

Tapas on Main, Bethlehem PA

Recently I had a weekday brunch (okay, it was lunch) at Tapas on Main in Bethlehem, PA. It was a beautiful spring day and my brunchmates and I sat outside. They have a lunch special where you can order two out of three options: soup, salad, sandwich for $9.99.  

Their menu helpfully noted what items are Vegan and Gluten Free, saving both the waitstaff and diners much trouble!

For the first course I tried the Ensalada Verde (normally $8.95), served with fresh green apples, lightly candied pecans, a high quality Valdeon blue cheese, and fig balsamic dressing it was delicious.

One brunchmate ordered the Ensalada de Remolacha (normally $8.95), a beet salad with Serrano ham, arugula, and a delicate blood orange vinaigrette. At first he thought the wrong salad was delivered because the beets were hidden underneath everything else, but once discovered he was quite happy.

Another brunchmate left not a single drop of her  Tomato Soup with Manchego Croutons (no longer on the current menu).

For my second course I had the Caramelized Pear & Carrot Soup. A sweet soup with a delicate flavor, it reminded me of a lighter version of the ever popular butternut squash soup. It was so delicious that I inspired to create my own version of this soup. I will write out the recipe in an upcoming post because it was so incredibly good!

My brunchmates both ordered the Carne Burger (normally $9.95). A juicy beef burger with tetilla cheese, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato and chipotle ketchup. Both had completely clean plates and were seriously debating ordered another burger to go....

All in all, a perfect excuse to go visit the very cute downtown of Bethlehem, PA. I know that I'm looking forward to my next visit.

If you go:

• 500 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018
• Phone: (610) 868-8903
• They accept credit cards.
• Tapas on Main

Chocolate Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

A recent visit to Lancaster County, PA reminded me of a dish that's quiet popular in this part of the world: baked oatmeal. For some reason I haven't found this treat on brunch menus....well, anywhere else that I can recall. I decided to try my own twist on the classic:

Chocolate Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 cups of oatmeal (GF brand--such as Bob's Red Mill--as needed)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/3 cup of maple syrup or 1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of coconut milk
*3 eggs 
3 tablespoons of coconut oil (or butter)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/3 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
fresh cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat over to 350 F.

Coat an 8x8 pan with coconut oil and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients.

Melt the coconut oil (or butter) and whisk together with the remaining wet ingredients (except for the cream).


Combine wet & dry ingredients, adding in the raspberries & chocolate. Pour into pan and bake for aproximately 40minutes. 

Serve warm with fresh cream.

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish or dessert.

*(for vegan version, skip the eggs & add 1 extra cup of coconut milk & 1 tablespoon of chia gel) 

Whole 30 - Day 9 - Thanksgiving Cups

Today marks day 9 for my Whole30 eating.  

I adapted a twist on the "Egg muffin" recipe that I've kind of fallen in love with. The only thing that could possibly make these any better may be adding a bit of coconut milk to the batter, I'll have to experiment and let you know the results!

Thanksgiving Cups

Ingredients 

12 eggs
1 tablspoon of chopped onion
1 cup of ground turkey meat
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1/4 cup cranberries (fresh or dried)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
dash of salt
cupcake wrappers or extra oil to grease the pan

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
Caramelize the onions in coconut oil. Remove from pan and set aside. Add a little bit more oil and cook the turkey meat.

In a large bowl, whisk 12 eggs. Add in the onions, turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie spice & salt.  Pour into muffin tin (I used cupcake wrappers to make cleanup easier and better for eating on the go). 

Bake for approximately 20-30minutes. Allow to cool in the oven, or else your muffins will fall flat like mine did...

Enjoy these little bites of Thanksgiving on the spot, or store in air-tight container in the fridge. 

Whole 30 - Day 7

Scrambled Eggs with Onions and Avocado

 Day 7 of Whole30 eating. 

 For breakfast I cooked red onions and garlic powder up with some coconut oil. Once they had started to caramelize (about 3 minutes over medium heat), I added 4 eggs and stirred until almost mostly cooked.  In the last minute I added 1/2 of a ripe avocado.
Served with 1/3 can of pineapple chunks. Drained the pineapple juice and squeezed some fresh lime into it.  Delicious and filling! 

Kiwi, carrot, nuts

Lunch today was a bit skimpy. I had planned to make something else, but forgot to cook it and got hungry first. Really more of a snack, but it filled me enough until dinner. 1 carrot, 1 kiwi, and about 1 cup mix of almonds, pistachios, and macadamia nuts.





 

For dinner, I cooked swordfish for the first time ever using this recipe: Swordfish with Avocado Salsa. The avocado that I had was starting to go bad, and I did not have much avocado to add so I also threw in the rest of the canned pineapple, really good!

I also made the most delicious creamed cauliflower ever.





CREAMY CAULIFLOWER

Take 1 head of cauliflower, broken into flourets and steam it until tender. Remove and throw into vitamix or blender. Add water or canned coconut milk as needed to blend. Blend with salt, pepper, and garlic power until creamy and smooth.

Brunch Philly 2013: Whole30 and more!

Welcome to 2013. With all the New Year's Resolutions and new starts going around, it seems like January is as good a time as any to experiment with new foods. Last year, I tried eating only raw foods for a week. You can read about it here: Brunch Philly's Raw Food Experiment 2012.

This year, I've embarked on something much longer and personally bigger. But let me back up a minute. For health reasons, I've unfortunately had to eliminate gluten from my diet. It's not something that was easy to do and not something that I would be doing if I could avoid it. But after (finally) following my doctor's advice to remove gluten from my diet for 30 days, the results were obvious. I'm hoping that with enough time, someday I may be successfully able to incorporate it again.  But for the time being, I've been eating wheat-free since August.

This makes brunch a bit different, since my favorite brunch foods are the sweet ones: stuffed french toast, pancakes, crepes.... yet you may have noticed that in my most recent reviews I've ordered the eggs. But 2013 has brought an even bigger change.

Some additional health issues have lead me to a place where my body just doesn't feel like me. I needed a "reset" button. Through the wonder of the internet, I stumbled across Whole30. It's a fairly specific plan for 30 days that promises renewed energy levels, no more food cravings, and more.

Brunchmates can attest to my love of all things dark chocolate. The idea of removing it almost entirely from my diet for 30 days (with the except of baking cocoa to be used as a spice), was bittersweet. Cravings gone? Sign me up. Dealing with cravings until they're gone? No fun.

But the need for a reset was strong. So I signed up for Whole30 a week ago today.

I considered doing it as a vegetarian. I had been one for 9 years. But ultimately I decided that if I was going to do this, I was all in. So, yes, I've started eating some limited meat again. This has reminded me why I became vegetarian to begin with: I'm not really a fan. That said, I've decided to stick with it for 30 days and then reassess because so far my body is a lot happier.

This blog entry has gone on long enough, and without enough photos, but a few final things:

1. After the first 3 days of eating only foods approved on the Whole30 list, I am happy to report that indeed, food cravings are gone. And along with it the urge for late night snacking.   While I do really look forward to Day31 when I can eat some chocolate again, I'm already planning to include it on a much more limited basis.

2.  I will be updating Brunch Philly with photos & recipes that I'm trying. Similar to the Raw Foods Diet, one of the best things I find about these food experiments is that it challenges me to cook with new ingredients and expand my horizons in the kitchen. Take for instance tonight, I cooked swordfish for the first time ever along with an amazing creamed cauliflower dish and some homemade pineapple-avocado salsa! I promise that I'll be sharing recipes soon.

3. There are some much bigger things in the works for Brunch Philly. I cannot say more about it just yet, but we (yes, I've lured some brunchmates to join me in this project) have some pretty big things in store for 2013. So if all goes according to plan I'll have some pretty exciting news to share in a few months time.... Stay Tuned!

Down Home Diner in RTM, Philadelphia PA

In August 2012, some brunchmates and I enjoyed a laid back, delicious week-day brunch at The Down Home Diner.  Here is the previously unpublished review:

In the mood for a southern-style breakfast? Looking for a child-friendly dining experience? Looking for a good starting point as a tourist? Look no further than the Down Home Diner located in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market.

Asparagus & Mushroom Scram

On a recent visit, I order the Asparagus and Mushroom Scram ($6.99), "barnyard fresh eggs scrambled with asparagus and mushrooms." Deciding that I was in the mood for some decadence, I  added cheddar cheese as well. The asparagus was fresh and cooked to a perfect consistency.  Overall an A+ omelet with the surprise bonus of a slice of watermelon! The potato hash-browns had a nice crispy edge-to-soft middle ratio, but otherwise did not stand out.

Country French Toast

 One brunchmate tried the Country French Toast ($6.99). It's nothing fancy, and could have probably used the addition of some fresh fruit or berries, but the thick yet airy slices are a good quality toast.







Another brunchmate tried the Corn Hoe Cakes with Turkey Sausage ($7.99). The sausage was flavorful and "far more substantial that other turkey sausages I've met. In fact, I might not have been able to tell the difference if I hadn't know. " The corn hoe cakes were very light, similar to a buttermilk, but had sweet corn throughout!

Corn Hoe Cakes with Turkey Sausage

My youngest brunchmate shared her parent's meal, but had her own glass of water. Our server was thoughtful enough to bring a glass for her that was only partially full so there were no fear of spills!

If you're looking for a quality diner experience in the heart of center city, look no further than the Down Home Diner!


If you go:

• 51 North 12th Street  Philadelphia, PA 19107
• Phone: (215) 627-1955
• They accept credit cards.
• Down Home Diner Website

White Pumpkin Pie

Cooked White Pumpkins

I've been on a pumpkin pie kick lately. I've also been eating gluten-free. I'm not the biggest fan of gluten-free crusts, but I found a recipe for a pretty mean crust-less pumpkin pie.  I played around with the recipe a bit and my latest version is made with white pumpkin. That's right, they're not just decorative, white pumpkins are edible.

Ingredients 

 2 cups of cooked white pumpkin (or 1 can of regular pumpkin)
1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut milk 
1/2 cup of condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
4 tablespoons of flour (either gluten-free, rice, spelt, or regular)
4 tablespoons of maple syrup (or more if you like your pie super sweet)
optional: 1 small slice of fresh ginger (about size of top part of pinky finger)

Directions

If using a raw pumpkin, slice it in half. Remove the seeds and rise them in cool water.

You can cook the pumpkin seeds too --toss them with salt, pepper, and coconut oil and place on cookie sheet. They take about 15minutes to brown and crisp up and are super tasty!

Be sure to cook open side down so they don't dry out!

Pie Before Baking

Remove all the stringy parts and throw them out. Cover the pumpkin with oil or butter and place open side down on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30-45minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and the skin peels easy. Remove the skin. 

In a high powered blender, mixer or vitamix combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into greased pie pan.  Cook at 350F for 1 hour, turning once.







Cool & serve with fresh whipped cream.

Looks a little like cheesecake, but tastes like pumpkin!

Spring Rolls

Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce

I've never made spring rolls before, but we had some rice paper waiting to be used. 

Turns out, rice paper is a lot easier to work with than I had imagined. These spring rolls take about 20minutes to make, but if you're faster at wrapping than I am, it could probably be done in less time. This recipe makes eating raw cabbage actually enjoyable.

Ingredients

• Rice Paper
• Warm Water (in a pan)
• 1/4 head of cabbage
• 1/4 fresh mango
• 2 tablespoons of chopped onion
• 1 carrot, julienned
• splash of soy sauce
• dipping sauce (peanut or sweet chili)
  

  
  
  
  Directions

  
  
  1. Julianne the carrot, chop the onion & the cabbage.
     
     
     
     

     

     Julianne a carrot

     
     

     
     
     
     

     

     Combine carrot, cabbage & onion with soy sauce

     
     

  2.  Combine in bowl and toss with a splash of soy sauce. Set aside.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  3.  Slice avocado and mango into thin strips. 
  
  

  

  avocado and mango strips

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Rice Paper

  

  Dip rice paper in water

  
  
  4. Take the rice paper and dip into water. Keep under water for 15-30sec.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  5. Remove the rice paper from the water and place on a plate. Allow a few seconds for it to continue to soften & become a little sticky before adding your filling. Add a small handful of the carrot-cabbage slaw and then 3-4 slices of mango and avocado on top. 
  
  
  
  

  

  Add your filling in the middle

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Fold one side over

  

  Fold the two ends ups

  
  
  6.  Fold one side over, like in the photo.
  
  7. Fold the two ends up. and then fold the remaining side up and over like a package.
  
  
  
  
  
  
   8. Place on a plate in the refrigerator. 
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Prepared spring rolls can keep for a few hours in the fridge

  
  
   9. Serve with dipping sauce. I recommend either peanut (pictured) or sweet chili dipping sauce.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Spring Roll with Dipping Sauce

  
  This recipe makes approximately 10 spring rolls. You can either eat immediately or store in the fridge for up to 24hours.  Enjoy!
  
  
  
  

Plate, Ardmore PA

Plate Restaurant is tucked away in the heart of Ardmore's Suburban Square. With a dark wood interior and several rooms for dining, the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. If only the food were as nice.

On a recent Sunday, my brunchmates and I settled in for what we hoped would be an amazing meal. Thankfully we were in no rush, because while the place had maybe 4 other tables filled with people, it took almost an hour before our meals were served.



While we were waiting, our delightful sever brought us a basket of pastries to munch on. They ranged from delicious to not-worth-the-carbs  (Sorry, I forgot to take a photo but it was a random mix of mini cinnamon buns, chocolate chip scones, muffins and more).

House Smoked Salmon Omelet

 Deciding to try something a little different, I ordered the House Smoked Salmon Omelet ($12.95). It came with toast, hash browns, and cantaloupe. Sadly I found salmon and eggs to be a pretty terrible combination, not only while dining but a few hours later with heartburn as well.  The cantaloupe was delicious but the hash browns were a bit dry and unseasoned. I had requested no toast, but it came with some anyway.

Make Your Own Omelet

 One brunchmate tried the Make Your Own Omelet ($9.95 for 3 choices, $1.50 for each additional). He asked if he could add bacon to his omelet and was told "yes, for an upcharge" but something clearly was lost in translation because his bacon arrived on the side.

Egg White Omelet

Another brunchmate had the Egg White Omelet ($11.95), served with grilled veggies and a baby greens salad. I think the grilled veggies were inside the omelet, but I did not see the baby greens salad. It was "fine," but not better than what you could probably make at home.





While it may appear that omelets alone are the problem, another brunchmate tried the Orange Chicken Salad Sandwich ($10.95), served with red grapes, seasoned aioli, baby mache greens on a toasted brioche Le Bus roll.  It looked very pretty and the grapes were a nice addition, but the chicken salad was dry and lacked any hint of orange flavor. The bun was so small that only half the salad fit on it, and I gave my brunchmate my bread for the rest of it.  The chips, which took up most the plate, were oily and lacked flavor and the coleslaw was basic at best.

Orange Chicken Salad Sandwich

While the atmosphere was nice, the location delightful, and the service pleasant, unfortunately the kitchen at Plate will not have me rushing back anytime soon.  

If you go:

• 105 Coulter Avenue  Ardmore, PA 19003
• Phone: (610) 642-5900
• They accept credit cards. 
• Sunday Only Brunch
• Plate Restaurant

Tasting Table's Cocoa-Bean Smoothie

In the mood for something sweet but trying to eat healthy? Try this amazing Cocoa-Bean Smoothie recipe from the Tasting Table. It's so richly super chocolatey that it's hard to believe it's filled with beans!


For an added kick, add a teaspoon of chili powder before blending and a dusting of cinnamon on top.

• INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 ripe banana, peeled (preferably frozen or semi-frozen)
½ cup canned black beans, rinsed
⅓ cup chocolate-flavored rice milk  (Brunch Philly used coconut milk instead)
2 teaspoons honey
3 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. To a blender jar, add the banana, black beans, rice milk, honey, ice cubes and cocoa-water mixture. Blend on medium speed to incorporate, then increase the speed to high and blend until smooth and frothy, about 2 minutes. Pour into a tall glass and serve. 
Calories per Serving: 327; Sodium: 34mg; Total Carbohydrate: 73g; Fiber: 12g; Fat: 3g

401 Diner, Conshohocken PA

Olympic Pride at the 401 Diner

 

It's been a long time since I last visited the 401 Diner in  Conshohocken. 

Last time I was there the staff was rude, the seats were sticky, and the food was sub-par. No surprise, it closed not long after.





But the 401 is back and better than ever. In fact, it is unrecognizable.  The sticky plastic booths have been replaced by wooden ones. Harsh florescent lights are now beautiful glass lamps over each table. And the staff who called you "hon" while spilling drinks on your friends have been replaced by one of the nicest and most thoughtful servers ever. 


And the menu. Well, let's just say that it's a foodies' version of your typical diner fare.

Veggie Burger

On a recent visit, I had a Veggie Burger ($10). While a little messy to eat, the burger was delicious in its own right and did not need to try and pretend to be fake meat. It consisted of quinoa and black beans along with a nice mix of veggies and just the right amount of herbs. It comes with a side salad or fries. I ordered mine on a lettuce wrap instead of a bun.





The burger pairs nicely with the super delicious Truffle Frites ($7), which are coated with a generous and tasty mix of parmesan, herbs and truffle oil.

Truffle Frites

Hummus Platter

My brunchmate tried the Hummus and Feta ($8), which was fine but the hummus lacked the typical punch of garlic. In fact, we couldn't taste any garlic at all.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

The Southwestern Egg Rolls ($8), filled with black beans, corn, pepper jack cheese, chopped peppers and onions, were good but needed more cheese.

Chocolate Milkshake

The chocolate milkshake (ordered off the menu) had a good chocolate-to-milk ratio, but its consistency was closer to chocolate milk than a true milkshake.













One thing that the 401 has plenty of is charm. From the beautiful realistic looking wooden roses at each table (and available to purchase by the dozen at the counter), to the amazing service, you cannot go wrong.









Our server even labeled the leftover boxes for us so that we knew what was inside and when it was from! Now that's a first.

If you go:

• 401 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428
• Phone: (484) 351-8029
• They accept credit cards.
• 401 Diner Website

Cherry Chia Cereal

Cherry Chia Cereal

This cereal is super easy to make. The chia has a slightly nutty consistency to it. If Grape-Nuts and oatmeal had a baby, it might taste a little something like this. Well, this probably tastes better. But you get the idea.

Depending on the color of your chia seeds, your cereal may look be a different color, but the taste should be similar.

Ingredients

•  1/4 cup of raw chia seeds 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 tablespoon of coconut butter. I used Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter 
• A handful of dried cherries
• other fruit & nuts as desired 
• raw honey as desired
• spices (sea salt, cinnamon) to taste 

Mix the chia seeds with the water and the coconut butter. Allow to sit for approximately 5minutes, stirring once or twice. Mix in the extras and enjoy! It's as simple as that. 

Cantina Los Caballitos, Philadelphia PA

Cantina Los Caballitos

If you've ever walked along East Passyunk Ave, in the heart of hipster village, it is hard to miss the Cantina. Set on the northeast corner of Passyunk and Morris, just past where 12th street intertwines, it is the bright orange building with wooden doors that look like they came off the set of Man of La Mancha.  On nice days, there is usually a handful of people seated outside. For a recent brunch, the weather was just cool enough that my brunchmate and I decided to dine indoors.

The place was hopping, but someone quickly brought over some chips and salsa for us to munch on while reviewing the menu. It was a little difficult to concentrate on food decisions though, let alone a conversation, because of the music. If I can call it that.



The noise level was loud enough that you might expect that the band, with full blow-amps, had a stage set up at the end of the room. And the pounding hardcore album selection was most likely quite painful for anyone suffering a Sunday morning hangover.  Quite out of character for us, we asked the hostesses if it would be possible to turn the music down. She nicely replied, "I'm sorry. I already asked them for someone else, and was told 'no'."  I can only image whoever "they" might be. Clearly not someone who cared about the comfort of those dining. Perhaps "they" is an angry, jaded, line-cook stuck back in the hot kitchen. Upset because he had to get up at an unnatural hour to slave over a hot stove for "the man," and jilted by the cute hostess, his one bit of power and revenge left in the world is to refuse to let anyone touch the stereo until his album played out. "It's only fair man, it's my turn to pick..."

Chips and Salsas

Every time a song ended, my brunchmate & I breathed a sigh of relief. At last, we could actually hear the other side of the conversation! Only to be quickly crushed with disappointment when the silence did not last. Silence is not the right word. The conversational volume was already about as loud as your average early-morning commuter plane. But the decibel level of the sounds coming out of their speaker system were almost deafening. We honestly should have left. But for some reason we did not. Perhaps it was because the chips and salsa were quite tasty. Or perhaps it was because our braincells had shut down.



But enough about the atmosphere and onto the food. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros ($8),  two eggs served sunny side up on top of crispy corn-flour tortillas and black beans. Served on the side, there were crunchy breakfast potatoes and delicious, thinly-sliced, fried onions. I'm usually not one for eggs with beans, but they went together better than I could have imagined.

Huevos Rancheros

Raspberry Mimosa

On special was a raspberry mimosa. Very pretty to look at, it did not taste very much like raspberry or orange juice; in true Cantina fashion, it was mostly just alcohol.







My brunch-mate ordered the Breakfast Burrito ($9). The "perfect hang-over food," (for after drinking a couple of the mimosas) it is filled with eggs, jack cheese, rice, beans, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo.  Almost as large as a baseball glove, it too was served with a side of breakfast potatoes.

Breakfast Burrito

While the Cantina is still a top contender for happy-hour, dinner, and late-night gatherings,  I would pass on it for brunch. Unless, that is, it is nice enough weather to dine outside.

UPDATE (May7):  Received a nice note today from someone at Cantina apologizing for our recent obnoxiously loud dining experience. With such responsive feedback, one can only hope that it will now be safe for your ears to brunch there after all!

If you go:

• 1651 East Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia PA 
• Phone: (215) 755-3550
• They accept credit cards.
• Cantina Los Caballitos