Quick "whatcha got in your pantry" salad

This is a quick healthy salad packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and nutrition galore!   What I especially love about it is that you can easily substitute many of the items with what you may have in your pantry at any given time.  Also, fresh garlic will punch up the flavor but I opted for powdered since I've got class after lunch today and will be breathing around other people!  So, here's my version of the pantry salad... let me know what different combinations you try and how they turn out!

-1 can Eden organic chickpeas
-1 Tbsp yellow mustard
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-handful finely chopped cilantro
-1/4 cup purple cabbage shredded thinly
-1/4 cup cauliflower chopped into bite-sized pieces
-1/2 tsp curry powder
-1/3 tsp garlic powder
-handful of dried mulberries (one of the few dried fruits that are low in sugar at about 2g per 1/4 cup serving AND help regulate blood sugar!)
-sea salt to taste

My latest (mostly) vegan adventures in the City of Lost Angels

Restaurant:  Gjelina (Venice)
Ordered:  Crab salad (not vegan), Pomodoro and Mixed Mushroom pizzas
Opinion:  VERRRRYYY IMPRESSED.  First off, a friend had been telling me about this place... how it's THEE place to be, long lines, difficulty getting seated, etc.  This description... to me? Not appealing!  After months of hearing about Gjelina, I finally relented.  Luckily, we went at an off time and were seated straightaway.  We sat in the lovely courtyard underneath pretty umbrellas with birds a-chirpin' and iced teas a-sparklin' under the sun.  
We ordered the salad special to start.  A good chunk of beautiful snowy crab lightly dressed in a tangy yogurt dressing atop the crispest endive I have ever laid these lips upon.  I didn't like endive until I had it here.  When it's fresh, it is INCREDIBLE.  Until that moment, my endive experience could have been summed up in two words: stale and bland.  I really want to know who their brilliant purveyors are.  I want to know badly.  The folks at Gjelina clearly take great pride in the ingredients they use.
Now, for the pizza.  They are known for it, and I can totally understand why!  Super thin wisp of a crust, with charred bubbles of dough and a light sprinkling of super fresh ingredients you can count on one hand.  Accompanying the pizza is a pretty little plate that looks like a painter's palette with dried oregano, chili flakes and parmesan cheese.  While the crust is very thin, it's got a substantial crispy chewiness going on.  The tomato topping is slightly sweet and perfectly balanced.  It's hard to believe that bread, tomato and a couple of herbs can taste so heavenly.  The mixed mushroom rosemary pizza was delicious too... same beautiful crust, only this time with woodsy, earthy flavors and really good olive oil.  The pomodoro, to me, was the standout between the two.  Please go and try it.   Please. It's relatively simple for vegans to eat well here, although this is by no means a vegan restaurant.  The prices are reasonable, the location chill (especially outside), and the ingredients fresh and local.  I think I'm in love.

Restaurant:  True Food Kitchen (Santa Monica)

Ordered:  Vegan Pizza

Opinion:   I reallyreallyreally LIKE this place.  let me tell you why...

1- soothing, modern ambience... i don't feel like i'm in a mall at all
2- warm, knowledgeable and honest service
3- yummy food.  While the ingredients in the vegan pizza are kind of odd (jalapenos and broccoli), I found the pizza to be very tasty with a good garlicky tomato sauce and thin crisp crust.  While it wasn't quite up to Gjelina standards, I find myself craving it now and again.  Not an easy feat for True Food to have accomplished considering I had just been to Gjelina.
4- there's a little napkin dispenser right next to the bathroom door so you don't have to worry about touching a dirty door handle after you've just washed your hands.

** That last bit was what made me truly fall in love with the place... it's all in the details!

Restaurant:  Seed Kitchen (Venice)

Ordered:  Mediterranean Burger, Indian Chickpea Curry, Almond Jam cookie

Opinion:   This place was clearly modeled after M Cafe.  From the similar packaging right down to its macrobiotic inclinations.  Fine with me, just not nearly as thought out or good (and I don't think M Cafe is anything to write home about).  Me and a pal ordered a couple of dishes and shared.  The iced barley tea is a MUST TRY.  It's all roasted nutty goodness, and perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day.  Somewhat similar to kukicha, only better!  I thought the food was alright.  Not at all memorable.  I enjoyed it, because I was hungry and because there was an aioli slathered all over the burger that was reminiscent of Thousand Island dressing.  Put Thousand Island on a foot and I'll eat it and say "Mmmmm".  OK, gross.  But that gives you an idea of how much I love it!  The bean and grain burger tasted fine, nothing special.  It was falling apart and seemed homemade... like when I attempted veggie burgers at home and wondered what restaurants do to make the burgers stick.  Guess the chef at Seed is wondering too.  The Indian Chickpea Curry was good.  I found it flavorful and satisfying, but not memorable.  The veggies were overcooked.  My friend was much less forgiving, saying the entire meal felt like something one might whip up at home with leftovers.  The more I think about it, the more I tend to agree.  For dessert, I had the flourless cookie made of almonds and sweetened with brown rice syrup.  I found it to be dense, chewy and wholly satisfying.  My friend?  Not so much.  He thought it tasted stale and "didn't get the point".  For me, the highlights of this meal were the cookie and the barley tea.  Even my discerning pal liked the barley tea... it's THAT GOOD.

Reviews on Four Cafe in Eagle Rock and Cafe Gratitude Larchmont coming up... keep your eyes peeled!!!

Herbed Fruit Salad

This is the perfect summer salad.  Experiment at home with the fruits you have... that's how I came up with this cool, refreshing treat.  Perfect for dessert, a light breakfast (you can add nuts, granola, nut cream to make it a parfait) or paired with a savory lunch!

-half a mini watermelon

-half ripe white peach or nectarine
-handful small-medium strawberries thinly sliced top to bottom

-1 large Persian cucumber

-4 large mint leaves 

-half cap-full vanilla extract (preferably rum based)

Use a mini melon scooper for the watermelon

Cut peach into bite sized squares

Cut cucumber into half moon pieces

Roll up mint leaves and chiffonade 

Splash in vanilla, lightly toss and chill for 1 hour before serving

* Serves 3-4 (or 1, in my case... tee hee!)

Oh-so-refreshing seasonal kanten!!!

I first discovered the wonders of kanten at Real Food Daily in West Hollywood. It's a vegan version of jell-o, with consistencies ranging from harder than jell-o to applesauce-ish to custard-like.  I prefer the latter and it's taken me some practice to perfect just the right texture.  Now that I have, I am sharing it with you, my lovely readers!

Instead of animal-based gelatin (made from the hooves, bones, tissue, organs and some intestines of animals),  substitute agar agar (a seaweed based gelatin substitute).  To achieve the right consistency, I add one key ingredient: kuzu (Japanese wild arrowroot starch).  I haven't tried this with regular arrowroot, but I have a hunch it will work.  Do let me know how it turns out if you try this substitution!

Use your organic fruits of choice (I am especially enjoying pear/ strawberry at the moment) and enjoy this deliciously simple treat!!!


1.5 cups fruit diced into 1/8" pieces
3 cups unfiltered fresh pressed apple juice
Pinch sea salt
2 Tbsp agar agar flakes
3 Tbsp kuzu


Arrange diced fruit in a bowl.  Bring your apple juice, salt and agar to a light boil, frequently stirring to dissolve agar... about 5-8 minutes.  Dilute your kuzu in a bit of water, and  as soon as you remove apple juice mixture from heat, stir in your kuzu.  Add liquid mixture over fruit and let cool.  Refrigerate and then enjoy topped with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top and/ or chopped nuts and/ or fresh mint... DOUZO MESHIAGARE!!!