Dining Out in Chicago: Kopi - A Traveler's Cafe

Kopi is my favorite place for a leisurely lunch. My first experience at Kopi was last summer, ducking in to escape the pouring rain. I sat cross-legged on cushions on the floor with a large pot of tea in front of me while dunking an italian-'beef' sandwich into a warm tangy broth. It was such a comforting and flavorful way to spend an afternoon.

Kopi's incredibly delicious "This Is Not An Italian Beef Sandwich", made with "hickory smoked veggie deli slices, grilled onions, roasted red peppers, and pepperoncini on a demi baguette. served with potato chips and a dippin' broth that magritte would be proud of."

Since then, I've been back to Kopi many times for it's low-key vibe, quality vegetarian food, and multi-purpose atmosphere. Whether you want to sip tea on floor-cushions, pull up a seat at a table in a casual cafe, shop their travel-themed boutique, or enjoy a decadent evening of wine & cake, you can't go wrong with Kopi.

The menu is all vegetarian (technically pescatarian as they serve fish, eggs, and dairy) but even non-vegetarians will enjoy it. The fake "meat" they use is clearly quality with a nice flavor and texture, but those who would prefer "meat"-less have plenty of options such as salads, paninis, or a bean burrito. My "meat"-less favorite is the mouth-watering Fromage D'Alps sandwich, with generous chunks of sharp white cheddar perfectly matched with dijon mustard, raisin bread, and granny smith apple slices.

A gourmet cheese plate in Sandwich form - "the Fromage D' Alps" featuring "aged black diamond cheddar cheese and granny smith apple slices on a hearty multi grain raisin bread with dijon mustard. served with a side of grapes and olives."

Everything I've tried at Kopi was of the highest quality down to the details of the hearty breads, crunchy tortilla chips, and quality 'meats' and cheeses. The quality is especially apparent in their house-tea of chamomile, peppermint, and rose-hips. Lo-and-behold, when I opened the lid to the teapot, in the strainer I could clearly make out each of those ingredients - several generous spoonfuls of leaves and flowers. If you order tea, be sure to take a peek inside the pot!

The portion sizes at Kopi are also pretty generous, so sadly I've always been too full to try any of their tempting desserts, but I keep coming back in the hopes that the next time I'll have room!

Ancient Grains: Farro Salad Recipe

Here's another gem from Giada De Laurentiis's Everyday Italian that I discovered while borrowing her cookbook from the library.

This recipe caught my eye since it featured a grain I'd never tried before - the Ancient Roman grain of "FARRO". I picked up the grain on a trip to Whole Foods Market, and though I initially balked at the $8 price tag, I decided it was worth while since it was enough to make two batches of this healthy entree salad.

The grain Farro was suprisingly light yet chewy, and worth every penny! This salad would be perfect for a summer picnic, or in tonight's case, the perfect way to forget about the chilly winter air outside!

Farro Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

35 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 sweet onion (recommended: Walla Walla) chopped
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

• Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes.Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• Add the tomatoes, onion, chives, and parsley to the farro, and toss to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.
• The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Everyday Italian: Spicy Tomato Sauce Recipe

Inspired by an episode of Anna & Kristina's Grocery Bag where they reviewed the cookbook "Everyday Italian" by Giada De Laurentiis, I checked it out from my local library and was very pleased!

While it isn't a vegetarian cookbook, there were a handful of recipes that I have since added to my binder of go-to favorites. What stood out about her recipes is that they truly are everyday meals - the ingredients are mostly items that I can stock in my pantry and the many of the recipes come together in less than 30 minutes. Despite the simplicity, I was surprised by how much fresh flavor these recipes packed.

Earlier this week I made Giada's "Spicy Tomato Sauce" and simply had to share it. If you love Arrabiata (spicy) or Puttanesca (with Olives and Capers) tomato sauce, this one's for you.

Thank you to TasteBook.com for publishing the recipe online for me to share:

Spicy Tomato Sauce from Giada de Laurentiis's Everyday Italian

The sauce known as all’arrabbiata—or “in the angry style”—is made with hot red pepper flakes (and sometimes fresh chilies for an extra kick). I like to use the briny elements of olives and capers and skip the fresh chilies, adding depth to the spiciness rather than just more heat. Perfect with penne or rigatoni.

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, minced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed

• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

• Generous pinch of dried crushed redpepper flakes

• 1 28-ounce can crushed Italiantomatoes

  
  

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smok

  ing, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the olives, capers, ½ teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer until reduced slightly, about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with more salt to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

  
  

  Yields: Serves 4 over a pound of pasta as a main course

  
  

  
  
• A batch I whipped up the other night, with the addition of two diced Tofurkey Italian Sausages for some added protein.
• 
  

• 
• An up-close look at the texture of the sauce, chock-full of black olives, capers, and crushed tomatoes.

Dining Out in Chicago: Bonsoirée

For a belated Valentine's Day celebration, my boyfriend Mike and I decided to splurge and treat ourselves to the Eight Course Chef's Tasting ($85/person) at Michelin starred Bonsoirée restaurant in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood.

Based on my experience there, I recommend Bonsoirée for a relaxing, decadent evening that proved to be very Vegetarian friendly!

I simply indicated upon making my reservation that I needed an ovo-lacto vegetarian meal and they took care of it from there, providing me with 8 courses that were perfectly in synch with what my meat-loving counterpart was served. Aside from clever switches, such as swapping out rabbit for purple cauliflower in the gnocchi course, we were both served the same meal which was a rare and pleasant experience for me.

But perhaps my favorite thing about Bonsoirée is its style of "approachable fine-dining". The food is top notch and is clearly the focus, spotlighted by ceramics hand-selected in Japan, but the restaurant's vibe was far from intimidating. We entered through an unmarked door, our BYOB wine in hand, into a cozy dining room with only enough chairs for 26 guests at a time. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable yet down-to-earth and paced our meal perfectly, giving us detailed descriptions course by course.

The food was incredibly rich, but the portions were sized so that we felt satisfied, not stuffed. The restaurant's website describes it's food as seasonal American with "Japanese presentation with French techniques". I would agree with their description based on the comforting flavors with the creamy decadence of French cuisine merged with Asian accents like pickled radishes and street food dumplings.

Read on to see more about each course...

FIRST COURSE

A rich and decadent Gnochhi with braised purple cauliflower and fresh

sage

SECOND COURSE - SOUP

-A savory Porcini Mushroom Bisque garnished with crispy beets, asparagus slaw, Bread n' Butter, and Umami paste.

-The Bread n' Butter was a tiny roll topped with liquefied butter encased in a gel. It needs to be eaten all in one bite so the butter will spill into your mouth (not your lap!) as you eat the bread. Wow.

-Umami, the fifth taste (after Sweet, Sour, Salty, and Bitter) was such a unique taste that after several thoughtful bites I still couldn't' describe it!

THIRD COURSE - SALAD

A "Takoyaki" Japanese Street Food dumpling surrounded by Brussel Sprouts, "Breakfast" Radishes, Japanese Eggplant, and White-Chocolate dipped pumpkin.

FOURTH COURSE - Entree 1

-Aside from the

shell, Can you tell the difference between the Seafood vs Vegetarian"Motoyaki"s?

-While my vegetarian dish left out the Scallops & Crab, it was full of melt-in-my-mouth cream

y flavor and diced vegetables and was my favorite of all the courses.

I'd say "creaminess" is what Bonsoirée does best!

FIFTH COURSE - Entree 2

Pan-Roasted Tofu w

ith Blood Orange Polenta, Date and Parsnip Cutney, and a Lotus Chip

This Japanese plate looks like it's a wooden canoe, but it's actually ceramic.

SIXTH COURSE - Entree 3

A play on 'Winter Stew'. Tofu with sweet potato puree, carrot-corn salsa, and winter root vegetables

Okay, so they aren't perfect. They served tofu twice in a row, and should have used their thinking caps more.

SEVENTH COURSE - Dessert #1

Unbelievably rich cheesecake

made of a triple creme cow's milk cheese with a panna cotta top, graham crust, crystalized spearmint, and preserved strawberry. So full of flavor that it felt like I ate an entire slice, not just a tiny 1-inch square!

EIGHTH COURSE - Dessert #2

A play on Peanut Butter and Jelly. Our server encouraged us to try mixing and matching the different elements in each bite. How fun! I made countless combinations out of the Carmelized Brioche (center), Raspberry-RedPepper Jelly (center), Banana Brulee (upper left), Chocolate Truffle (upper right), Fresh Raspberry with Chocolate chips (lower left) and Macadamia Nut Butter (lower right)

Quick weeknight Dinner: Potato Entrees

Thank you to Vegetarian Times magazine for introducing me to a really quick and delicious dinner idea. Despite the simplicity, these Pesto Potatoes are packed with flavor and are ready in about 5 minutes with ingredients I can keep on hand.

This recipe also inspired me to start thinking of potatoes as an alternative to pasta or rice as the base for a meal. What toppings do you think would turn a potato (or sweet potato) into a satisfying main dish?

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Pesto Potatoes serves 2 l 30 minutes or fewer
A baked potato tastes good 24/7 and fills you up like a meal. Stuffing spuds with tofu, pine nuts, artichoke hearts and Parmesan-laced pesto turns them into a protein-packed one-dish lunch or dinner with a Mediterranean flair. Share this overstuffed treat with an office mate or college roomie, or just save half for later.
1 medium-size baking potato
3 canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (I used frozen)
2 Tbs. soft silken tofu
2 Tbs. prepared pesto
2 Tbs. pine nuts
3 purchased croutons, crushed
1. Prick potato 4 or 5 times with fork. Microwave on high 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender in the center. Cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, mash together artichoke hearts, tofu, pesto and pine nuts in bowl. Hold potato in paper towel, and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh, leaving thin layer of potato on skin, and mash it into tofu mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refill both halves of potato, mounding filling. Sprinkle with crushed croutons, and return to microwave. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until hot.
PER SERVING: 295 CAL; 10G PROT; 13G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 38G CARB; 2MG CHOL; 639MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine http://www.vegetariantimes.com/features/editors_picks/492

Uncommonly Green: Dinner at the Uncommon Ground

For my birthday dinner, my wonderful boyfriend picked a place to take me that would combine many of my interests and passions in hopefully one unforgettable meal. He did his research and took me to the Uncommon Ground on a Friday night in September at their Edgewater location which boasts a locally grown menu, an organic rooftop "farm", and a weekly summer farmer's market.

The Farmers Market
Before entering the restaurant, we browsed and sampled at the Farmer's Market in the restaurant's parking lot that runs Fridays from 4-8pm through Sept 24th. Although it was a small market, it had a lot to offer. We thoroughly enjoyed samples including barbecue blue-cheese nuts (from Sweet Sophie's), honey caramel and citrus truffles (Katherine Anne Confections), fresh salsas and golden tomato jam (from Harvest Moon Organic produce) and Rain Organic Vodka. There were also several vendors with handmade jewelry and crafts.

Organic Rooftop "Farm"
Next, we went up to the restaurant's rooftop deck to explore the certified organic rooftop "farm". The produce and herbs grown here are used in dishes served at both Uncommon Ground locations. We spotted vine after vine of cherry tomatoes, countless peppers, fresh sage, and "companion plants" of marigolds. In a secluded corner of the deck, several bee hives were abuzz - serving as a means to pollinate the garden, help the in-crisis bee population, and also providing honey for the restaurant to serve.

The Restaurant
Finally, with expectations very high, we entered the restaurant through the front doors, plastered with proof of the many awards and certifications they've won for their both their food and their ecological accomplishments. And this is where our shining experience started to go dim.

We were seated at the worst table in an otherwise comfortable, cozy dining room - a two-top wedged tightly against a wall. We emptied our water glasses and they were not refilled until after we finished our meals. When the bill came, we realized that the server had brought us the wrong wine, although thankfully it was a cheaper bottle than what we had asked for.

The menu was speckled with names of local farms that also provide many of the ingredients. And while not a vegetarian restaurant, there were at least 3 appetizers and 3 entrees (orchiette, gnocchi, and a portobello sandwich) which I could choose from.

We started with an appetizer of summer-vegetable dumplings. We raved over the sweet, crisp bits of corn garnishing the plate, but sandly the garnish was all that shone. The vegetables in the dumpling lacked flavor and were stifled further by the overcooked wonton exterior.

My next course was the gnocchi. The gnocchi itself had no flavor. While I did enjoy the sauteed patty-pan squash, mixed veggies, and generous sprinkling of fresh parmesan mixed with the gnocchi, the dish simply didn't meld.

My boyfriend said his salmon was wonderful, but based on the underwhelming majority of the meal, we decided not to bother ordering dessert.

Regardless, it's still a uniquely green place in the city, and I will give them another chance someday, but with lower expectations. I've had better luck before at their Wrigleyville restaurant, and though that location lacks a farmers market and garden, it's full calendar of musical performances makes up for it.

Restaurant Tip: Their website advertises a 10% "low-carbon" discount for patrons who walk or bike to the restaurant.

Frozen Dinners: Lasagna with "Meat"

I like to categorize Vegetarians into two groups: Those who love fake-meat, and those who avoid it. I am an avid fake-meat lover. Therefore, MorningStar Farm's new line of frozen entrees sparked an interest for me. While there are a number of vegetarian dinners on the market, very few contain fake-meat as part of their balanced meals.

Tonight, I excitedly dove into MorningStar's "Lasagna with Sausage-Style Crumbles", but perhaps I went into it with my hopes set too high. The sausage crumbles didn't have a strong enough flavor to compete with the roasted-tomato flavor of the sauce. The veggies tasted bland, and well...frozen. And while the ricotta & cream cheese blend was rich and decadent, it didn't blend well with the rest of the dish. On the flip side, I do applaud their efforts to use low-fat cheeses and a multi-grain pasta blend, creating a lasagna with only 6g of fat and a nice 6g of fiber.I'd buy it again if it's on sale, and in the meantime I'll stick to my favorite fake-meat-less frozen lasagnas - Michaelangelo's Vegetable Lasagna and Amy's Vegetable Lasagna ... with either of these choices, you won't even miss the crumbles.