St. Regis, Atlanta

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the St. Regis in Atlanta, a 5-star hotel. I'll start by saying that this hotel is amazing. It is definitely one of the nicest places I have ever stayed and the service was beyond belief.

I was there for an event that my company was putting on so all of my food experience was from in-room dining and special catering by the hotel. On my first morning there, I ordered the McCann's Irish Oatmeal. These steel cut oats were topped with banana brulee and served with raisins and brown sugar. I paired this with a freshly squeezed orange juice. For $33, it was the most expensive oatmeal and orange juice of my life, but also the best. It was like they torched the bananas with that sweet topping and there were oh so good.

For my lunches there, the good new is they had a vegan meal on the menu. The bad news is that there was just one vegan meal and little did I know, they planned to serve me the same meal every day for four days. On day one, I thought the Quinoa and Kale Power Bowl was great--chickpeas, black eyed peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, edamame, sweet potato, and miso vinaigrette with alfalfa sprouts and avocado. It's so much goodness in one bowl. But, by day four, I had to walk across the street to Whole Foods to get something different.

One morning, they served me potatoes sauteed with greens and mushrooms and it was fantastic!

Bowls of fresh fruit were served as my dessert.

And at our reception, there were lots of vegan options including hummus, olives, grilled asparagus and carrots, tabbouleh, and artichoke hearts.

But, back to the service--it really couldn't have been better. This is a five-star hotel with five-star employees. They were attentive to my every need during our reception, event, and in my room. I really have nothing but great things to say about the St. Regis. And for the television in my mirror in the bathroom--I never knew I needed this until now. ;)

St. Regis
88 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 563-7900

R. Thomas' Deluxe Grill

My good friend in Atlanta has been raving about this diner that is open 24 hours and is vegan friendly for a long time. Since I had a whole week in Atlanta, I finally got to check out the R. Thomas Deluxe Grill!

Now this place is a funky place. It was quite dark on this weekday night, but what I could see was eclecticism! Holiday lights, pinwheels, plastic flamingos, and plants all graced the outside of this restaurant. On the way in there were caged birds like Toucans that were apparently all rescued birds. They were sleeping so we didn't mess with them, but I was curious as to the story behind the birds as an animal activist myself.

Inside, the funkiness continued with brightly colored tablecloths and a green floor within the tent that shielded us from the outside. The menu was extensive and hard to navigate as nothing was labeled vegan. As soon as I asked though, the server said that many things are vegan and began to list them as he was apologizing for a menu that he said hadn't been updated in decades. Wow!

I started with a fresh juice, the Champ, made with organic carrot, apple, and ginger. Yummy.

For our started, we chose the Raw Walnut Sunflower Pate and Raw Guacamole. Our server said the cashew cheese was better than the sunflower pate so we subbed that out. It showed up with Flackers flax chips and carrots and other veggies. Both spreads were fantastic. We were very pleased.

I asked what the server recommended as a vegan entree and he said The Southern Vegetarian was vegan, so I went with that. This hearty meal had layers of millet corn casserole, collard greens, smashed potatoes, and shiitake mushroom gravy surrounded by butternut squash and a salad with chili flax dressing. It was simple and delicious.

For dessert, we got a massive slice of caramel cake. The cake tasted like it had been frozen and was a bit too cold, hard, and perhaps stale. It had good flavor, but wasn't as fresh as it could have been.

Prices here were pretty reasonable at $15 for the entree and $10 for the raw appetizer. The service was great, the decor and environment fun, and the food was good. I give this old school 24/7 diner two thumbs up!

R. Thomas Deluxe Grill
1812 Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 881-0246

True Food, Atlanta

Interestingly enough, when I asked the locals where I could go for good vegan food, they all said that True Food Kitchen was great. True Food is a chain that also exists in Maryland, which is somewhat close to where I live, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to waste one of my dinners on a restaurant that is close to me. But, seeing that I hardly ever go to Maryland and this seemed like the restaurant of choice, why not?!

True Food is located in Lenox Square in Buckhead, which is a very fancy mall. Amidst the Lamborghinis and Porsches, I was finally able to find a parking spot after circling for 15 minutes. How all the parking spots were taken on a Tuesday night, I will never understand, but there is also the option for valet parking.

Inside True Food, it was just as busy! My friend was meeting me in 20 minutes or so, so I added my name to the list and took a seat at the communal high top tables, sipped a Prosecco, and waited. I was seated with other lone tourists who struck up a conversation that kept me interested until my friend arrived.

The decor was inviting with its bright green booths and large lighting fixtures. Wine bottles lined the walls and the open kitchen was interesting to watch as well.

When my friend arrived, our table was ready. What I love about the menu is that there are tons of vegan options and they are labeled as such. For appetizers, I could choose from Shiitake Lettuce Cups, Kale Guacamole, Charred Cauliflower, and Winter Squash Toast. The Charred Cauliflower appeared to be the crowd favorite, so we went with that and I'm so glad we did!

The cauliflower was covered in harissa tahini and mixed with fresh dill and mint along with pistachios and medjool dates. It was fantastic!

For my entree, there was so much to choose from including vegan pizza. I ultimately went with the Ancient Grains Bowl. Miso glazed sweet potatoes, charred onions, snow peas, grilled portobello, and tofu were topped with turmeric, avocado, and hemp seeds. There was also pesto in my bowl, which wasn't on the menu and seemed like an odd pairing. Other than the pesto, I thought it was great!

My friend ordered the Teriyaki Quinoa bowl with broccoli, carrots, bok choy, mushrooms, brown rice, avocado, and sesame seeds. It had a great charred flavor to it and was very tasty.

For dessert, we ordered the chia seed pudding with bananas and coconut chips. Again, another delicious dish.

The bowls were $17 and the appetizer was $9 so a bit on the pricey side, but it was all so worth it. The service was pretty good. The only bad experience we had was that we were both brought the wrong dishes initially and my friend's had fish sauce in it, which neither of us realized until it was too late. Both our meals were replaced, but that wasn't cool. Besides that though, the food was really exceptional. I'd eat here again in a heartbeat and may even check out the one in Maryland too!

True Food Kitchen
3393 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 3058B
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 481-2980

Tempeh Bacon, Tomato, Lettuce, and Avocado Sandwiches TTLA

Whole Foods created a sandwich that became a viral sensation -- the Tempeh Bacon, Tomato, Lettuce, and Avocado or TTLA, which is, of course, a spin on the BLT--bacon, lettuce and tomato. Lightlife makes the best tempeh bacon I've ever had. It is smoky, salty, and delicious. I may have just eaten out of the package at one time.

Lightlife recently contacted me and asked if I would make my own version. I'd be happy to! This sandwich is one of my go-to's, so how can I spin this to make it different?

I started with the bread. Instead of using ciabatta, I went with a hearty sandwich bread from Alvarado Street Bakery--the sprouted whole wheat. I toasted it lightly, then added some Organic Vegenaise to one side, fried the tempeh bacon or "Fakin' Bacon" as they call it, and layered it on the bread, then topped it with lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and avocado. Lastly, to give it a kick, I put Jeff's Naturals sliced golden Greek Peperoncini on top.

It was exploding with flavor! All of these ingredients really make for an irresistible sandwich that you don't even want to put down. I gobbled it up in just a few minutes and wanted more.

Seriously, you have to try this. Lightlife has won the fakin' bacon contest for sure with a delicious product seasoned just right.

Full Disclosure: Although the ingredients were provided to me at no cost to review, that in no way influenced my veracious opinion.

Green Sprout, Atlanta

In search of a vegan restaurant in Atlanta that I'd never been before, I came across Green Sprout. This vegan Chinese restaurant has been in business in Atlanta since 2003 and was one of the only veg restaurants open on a Monday, so I headed over.

On this early Monday evening, there was no one in the dining room. I took a seat at a booth and perused the menu. The decor was typical for a Chinese restaurant--simple with shiny tables and chairs.

I started with steamed dumplings filled with bok choy, carrot, and soy protein. They were okay, but the sauce was nothing special and, therefore, the appetizer wasn't anything special.

For my entree, I went with one of their most popular entrees--the Empire Soy "Chicken." Crispy soy "chicken," broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, and mushrooms were cooked in a ginger brown sauce and served with brown rice. I asked for spicy, but it wasn't spicy at all. It was pretty plain in general.

The entree was $15, which, for what it was, seemed a bit pricey. The service was fine--as I was the only patron, they were attentive to my needs. But, all in all, I left underwhelmed. As the whole menu is vegan, perhaps there are other items that are tastier than what I ordered.

Green Sprout
1529 Piedmont Avenue, Suite D
Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 874-7373

Superfood Soups - Cookbook Review

Superfood Soups by Julie Morris should be considered the bible to healthy soup making. It isn't often that I actually read over 50 pages of written text in a cookbook (before the recipes begin), but I took the time to do so after the first recipe turned out to be amazing. She really breaks down the ingredients, the process, and superfoods in an easy to understand way. From medicinal mushrooms to sea vegetables, you are bound to learn something in this book.

And then, there are the recipes. These are not quick cooking recipes, but rather, hearty, healthy, superfood-filled soups that will make you and your family smile.

The first one I tried was Kitchari--a famous mixture used in Ayurvedic medicine, which usually includes a starch, in the form of grains, and a protein, in the form of legumes. The recipe is used to balance the body in myriad ways--to detoxify, ease digestion, balance weight, and support recovery from illness or physical hardship. Split peas and brown rice make up the base as the carrots, cauliflower, and Swiss chard give it its heartiness and the super healthy aromatic spices give it its flavor. This soup should be made to be shared!

The second one I tried was the Minestrone with Farro and Chia Pesto, which is a delicious and hearty soup that is loaded with protein-rich farro, chickpeas, carrots, celery, and kale. So much good stuff in one bowl! Superfoods used include miso, kelp, goji berries, and a pesto made with chia seeds. As funky as that all sounds, it ultimately results in a fantastic soup and the chia pesto is worth the time to make--trust me.

The photography is absolutely stunning and serves to complement the great recipes. I also love that there are cheat sheets and substitutions listed to aid with understanding the ingredients, their cooking time, and any substitutions that may work instead. She even codes each recipe with icons indicating which ones are good for beauty, bone strength, cleansing, heart health, or immunity and which ones are good for protein or are low calorie. If you want a new cookbook filled with healthy soups and tips, you will find it on Amazon here. Highly recommended. Enjoy!

Full Disclosure: Although the cookbook was provided to me at no cost to review, that in no way influenced my veracious opinion.

Minestrone with Farro & Chia Pesto

This delicious and hearty soup is loaded with protein-rich farro, chickpeas, carrots, celery, and kale. So much good stuff in one bowl! This soup is from Julie Morris's book, Superfood Soups, in which each soup is loaded with superfoods. This one in particular uses miso, kelp, goji berries, and a pesto made with chia seeds. As funky as that all sounds, it ultimately results in a fantastic soup and the chia pesto is worth the time to make--trust me. Enjoy!

Minestrone with Farro & Chia Pesto
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried goji berries
• 1 tsp kelp granules
• 8 cups Miso Broth
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 2 carrots, cut into thin half moons
• 2 stalks celery, chopped small
• 3/4 cup farro
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped small
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1.5-cups cooked garbanzo beans (1 15-ounce can, drained)
• 1/2 lb broccoli florets, chopped small (about 3 cups)
• 3 big leaves kale, ribbed and chopped small
• Sea salt
• 1 batch Chia Pesto

Instructions

In a blender, combine the tomato, goji berries, and kelp granules with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until smooth.

Warm the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and farro, and cook, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the zucchini, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Stir in the blended tomato mixture, the remaining 7.5-cups of broth, the canned tomatoes with their juice, and the black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then partially cover, leaving the lid a little ajar, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Turn up the heat to medium, stir in the garbanzo beans and broccoli, and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat, and mix in the kale. Let the soup stand for 5-10 minutes to let the kale fully wilt. Remove the bay leaf, taste, add salt as desired. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a tablespoon or two of chia pesto on top.

Chia Pesto

Chia in pesto? I was so skeptical! But, Julie Morris in her new book, Superfood Soups, showed me the light! This pesto is used in a minestrone I'll be posting in a few days and it is outrageously good! The chia seed gel serves to thicken the pesto and is a fabulous way to shave off calories and up the nutrient density in pesto compared to the classic recipe.

Chia Pesto
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 6 Tbsp water or vegetable broth
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 Tbsp pine nuts
• 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix together the chia seeds and water or broth. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the chia seeds to swell, stirring once or twice to break up any clumps.

In a food processor, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until smooth. Scrape the pesto into the bowl with the chia seeds, and mix well to incorporate. Cover, and refrigerate until use. Chia pesto will last up to 1 week, refrigerated.

Tupelo Honey, Arlington

I wanted to go out and celebrate with my colleagues, so I searched for a nice, business lunch appropriate restaurant in the Courthouse area of Arlington. Tupelo Honey was recommended by others at work, but I figured that a Southern restaurant wouldn't have much for me. Searches on the internet confirmed it was not very vegan friendly, but mentioned that the burger there was vegan. And, honestly, I'll try a place that has just one vegan item just to see if it is good.

So, off to Tupelo Honey we went! In my research, I discovered that this restaurant originated in Asheville, North Carolina. Tupelo Honey now has restaurants in Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Inside the atmosphere is bright and pleasant. Colorful, Southern-inspired paintings hang on the walls along with an American flag made of wooden posts. It's pretty cool.

I started with a Sparkling Blueberry Punch that was very tasty.

I inquired about the vegan options and was given a few dishes that could be modified, but not many. I'm sure the salads could be modified to be vegan, but I was in the mood for an entree. To start, I ordered the "Fried Okra with Carolina White Sauce," which when veganized was grilled okra with no sauce. I love that the chef was willing to accommodate because it turned out great! Slightly blackened and cooked perfectly, this okra was delicious.

For my entree, I ordered the Grateful Veg Burger. Honestly, I wouldn't even have believed it was vegan had I not done so much research ahead of time. In fact, they have their own cookbook and the recipe is available online. They use tofu as a binder instead of egg. When I asked about the bun, I was told it was not vegan, but there were a variety of breads that were and I chose pumpernickel instead. And without the aioli.

The housemade veggie burger was fantastic. Loaded with carrots, poblano chili, black beans, corn, bell pepper, celery, and spices, it was packed full of flavor. They put a huge slice of onion on top that was a bit overpowering and the bread was good, but probably not the best choice for this burger. Overall all though, it was great.

I chose the side salad as my side and they said they didn't have any vegan dressings so I was brought oil and vinegar. Eh, I'll take what I can get.

So, even though there's only one entree I can eat here, it was good and I'd come back again. The service was a bit slow, but the server was so nice and helpful that I really can't criticize. The prices were a bit high, but it's a nice restaurant so I expected that. Thanks for accommodating, Tupelo Honey, us vegans would love it if you'd add more vegan options too!

Tupelo Honey
1616 N. Troy Street
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 253-8140

Miso Broth

A simple, yet nutritious broth. It'll take you just a couple of minutes to make this and it punches up the flavor of everything it is added to. This miso broth is one of Julie Morris' from Superfood Soups, a fantastic cookbook. She recommends using yellow miso, but I used the lighter white miso and it turned out great. Use this as a base for any soup!

Miso Broth
Makes 8 cups

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp yellow miso paste
• 1 tsp kelp granules
• 2 quarts (8 cups) water

Instructions

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender until the miso is fully dissolved. Use in soups as directed, or warm over low heat to enjoy as a sipping broth.

The broth may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or kept in the freezer for several months.

Kitchari

Kitchari is a famous mixture used in Ayurvedic medicine, which usually includes a starch, in the form of grains, and a protein, in the form of legumes. The recipe is used to balance the body in myriad ways--to detoxify, ease digestion, balance weight, and support recovery from illness or physical hardship. I found this recipe in a fantastic cookbook--Superfood Soups by Julie Morris. This soup will take some time to make, but the result is rewarding. Split peas and brown rice make up the base as the carrots, cauliflower, and Swiss chard give it its heartiness and the super healthy aromatic spices give it its flavor. This soup should be made to be shared!

Kitchari
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 cup long grain brown rice
• 1/2 cup yellow split peas (I used green)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 6 cups water
• 1 2x4 inch strip kombu
• 1 Tbsp chaga powder (optional)
• Sea salt
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
• 4 medium Swiss chard leaves, finely chopped, stems and leaves chopped separately for about 2 cups total yield
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Warm the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and black mustard seeds. Cook, stirring, until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the spices are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the brown rice, yellow peas, coriander, turmeric, and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly so as not to burn the spices. Pour in 6 cups of water and add the kombu strip, chaga powder, and 1 1/4 tsp sea salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 30 minutes.

Stir in the carrots, cauliflower, and chopped Swiss chard stems, adding more water as needed. Cover the pot again, and cook for 30 minutes longer, or until vegetables, rice, and peas are very soft. Stir in the chard leaves and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more water if a soupy consistency is desired. Remove the soup from the heat and let rest until the chard is tender. Serve the soup warm with a little chopped cilantro.

Note: Kitchari is immensely flexible in its ingredients and structure. You can use anywhere from 2 to 6 cups of any vegetable you enjoy in this recipe, such as zucchini and green beans. You can even swap out the rice for another starch and the peas for another legume.

The Little Beet, DC

The Little Beet--how have I missed you all this time? Apparently, The Little Beet, a fast casual restaurant originating in New York City, came to DC in 2015, but I guess I missed it. I was recently contacted by them to check out their new Rosslyn location, when I stumbled across their DC restaurant on my own. And this place is super vegan friendly! Better late, than never, I suppose!

Inside, it's your typical small, fast casual setup with a typical style menu. Nice wood paneling and simple wood tables with beet colored chairs make up the dining room. My favorite part about their menu is that their online menu allows you to select "vegan" and when you do, it crosses out all menu items that aren't vegan. It's brilliant!

You can choose from two vegan chef-made bowls or you can make your own. I chose to make my own. I started with a mix of half of the little beet salad mix and half of ancient grain blend. Then you have your choice of tons of delicious cold and warm veggies and beans. I went with the white beans marinated in herb salsa verde and lemon and the sweet potatoes with smoked sea salt and olive oil. Other veggie choices are beets and lentils, roasted kale, cucumber and sea veggies, butternut squash, broccoli, and green beans.

Vegans have three proteins to choose from: grilled avocado, tofu, or beet falafel. I just had to try the beet falafel, which they brought out fresh and grilled in front of us. Then, you can have as many sauces as you like, which is dangerous. I chose the turmeric tahini, piquillo garlic, and avocado white bean spread. And then I topped it with pickled red onions and super seeds.

Goodness, that is a lot of food! And it was really, really good! The beet falafel was really fresh as it was cooked right there in front of us and very hearty. The white beans and sweet potato were seasoned so well and all the sauces just made it all taste delicious. I was really impressed.

My friend got a vegan bowl as well and raved about the broccoli.

I can't believe it took me three years to find you, Little Beet, but I'll be back. The price ended up being a little over $11 so a little pricey for fast casual, but the food was so good and fresh and the ease of ordering with the dynamic menu made for such a great experience. Please come support this awesome restaurant either in DC or Virginia!

The Little Beet
1212 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 796-5100