In honor of lunch time I decided to think back on a lunch I had this past Saturday at a vegan restaurant in Rockland County (Nyack, NY). My mom and I frequent Nyack as it is a new age type town full of a younger yoga-doing generation of hippies.  We visit the chocolaterie located on Main street grab a few groceries from Back to Earth natural food store and of course we get hungry.  

Though Main Essentials is quite a walk from Main Street it is definitely a gem amidst the many awesome food joints in this small town.  At first I thought we were walking into a Jamaican joint (Reggae music and a man with long dreads. Yes, all of that) and questioned if this place was indeed “vegan.” 

Welcomed by a gentleman of his thirties, long dreads piled on top of his head covered by a knitted cap and a bright smile we felt compelled to remain and bask in the heavenly ambiance.  We were intoxicated by the aromas of cinnamon, sazon and freshly squeezed juices.  Ricky (the gentle soul with dreads) invited us to taste his fresh made collards, basmatic rice made in a style inspired by his traditional Dominican mother, vegan soy “ribs,” lentils, broccoli rabe, yucca and sweet plantains. I drooled at the mere mention of sweet plantains. 

For the price of around $12-$14 a person you can get your plate topped to the brim with goodness. Ricky definitely hooked us up! Overwhelmed I was unsure of where to start but I did know I wanted to save my sweet plantains for last for savoring purposes. 

One bite of the vegan ribs was pure bliss. Chewy, it melted perfectly in my mouth. Smothered in a sweet and savory sauce with an inviting aroma took me to a distant planet. No I am not exaggerating. When the food is THAT good I am transported. 

My mom and I ordered freshly squeezed orange-pineapple juice. At first I found the combination rather odd but it perfectly tantalized my senses as I continued to devour the colorful plate in front of me. 

The best part? Every bit of it was healthy so I didn’t feel so bad afterwards. It was sinfully healthy and I was satisfied until dinner. 

My only complaint was the lack of salt. But I would rather there be less than too much.

Well readers it’s back to work for me. 

Happy Holidays and Happy Eating!

Peace, love and no beef!

Guramrit 

Well hello there readers! Long time no eating. Just kidding. Of course we were all eating. Thanksgiving came and went unbelievably quick. My mom is known for working EVERY holiday so we decided to do a brunch as a family (minus Papa since he is in India gorging himself explosion, I sure hope he can fit through the door once he returns).  

Creating a primarily vegetarian brunch was rather easy but incredibly tiring. Luckily I did my shopping before hand and decided to prepare my dishes thoroughly and precisely.  I did spend about 2 hours in the kitchen because I did not have help.  I was so exhausted after cooking I didn’t want to eat but who was I kidding, I gobble gobble gobbled that food up (bad pun I know but I’m silly).  

My thanksgiving menu consisted of: 

• A Goat Cheese & Tomato Tart: Ok ok so I cheated. I bought a frozen pie crust, defrosted it, seasoned it with rosemary, salt, pepper and layered tomatoes and goat cheese on it then baked in a 350 degree oven until the crust was lightly brown. 
• Berry Fruit Salad with mint simple syrup.  In case you don’t know what simple syrup is: it is a combination of equal parts of water and sugar boiled and cooled.  I added mint for an extra kick of flavor and to bring out the sweetness in the fruit. Yummy!
• Mini Veggie Frittata’s: I don’t eat eggs but this was intended for the carnivores in my life.  I whisked four large eggs, 1/2 pint of heavy cream, salt, pepper, a bit of sazon (yes, that handy dandy spice packet), a handful of cheddar cheese and some diced veggies (tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms).  In a buttered muffin tin, pour mixture almost to the top and bake in a 350 degree oven until the egg mixture has set and it is fluffy and golden.  
• French Toast: The Piece de resistance! Everyone loves French toast! Simple, easy and full of winter time flavor. Cinnamon and nutmeg are best friends. They are an orgasmic combo in french toast.
• Mimosas: Prosecco & Orange Juice. Simple enough and perfect for brunch. Mix and serve and everyone is happy. 

This perfectly served 6 people with barely any leftovers (and that’s because I had a bunch of hungry men with big appetites over).  

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I’m always looking for new ways to spice and jazz things up. 

Well readers that’s all for now.

Peace, love & no beef!

Guramrit