Beer/Wine

Race Weekend Pt. 3: Portland Adventures

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After our night/morning in Portsmouth we headed to Portland to do a little site seeing, eating and getting ourselves prepped for our race. Our first stop was to pick up our bibs and race shirts and then we headed downtown for a beer and a snack at Novare Res Bier Cafe; a great beer bar in Portland.

We chose our beers and decided to get the Mediterranean plate to share; so good on a ridiculously hot day.

After beers and a snack we did a little shopping around downtown and the mall before heading to Whole Foods for dinner. Yes, Whole Foods. We love the Portland Whole Foods and it has an amazing number of vegan options at the hot/cold bars as well as a burrito bar, sushi bar and burger bar (all with vegan options). We could (and have) easily eaten all of our meals at Whole Foods but we only ate three there this weekend.

After dinner we decided to go drive the course and see what we were up against. Well to start the course is on a hill and then to a short incline and then to these stairs.


I was a little nervous that these stairs were going to be a bit of a challenge for the race because they were steep and the gravel around the stairs loose. Oh well!

We made our way back to the top of the stairs and watched the sunset. Stay tuned for the race recap.

Race Weekend Pt 1 & 2: Portsmouth

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Friday after work Neil and I headed to Portsmouth, NH to meet up with my parents for the night. We got to the hotel and jumped on the treadmill for a 2 mile run before getting ready to go out for dinner. For dinner we decided to dine at The Portsmouth Brewery where we all started with a beer; I got the red, it was okay-not great.

While I looked over the menu we snacked on some chips and salsa:

For dinner I had to make a choice out of a few vegan friendly options:


Although both of these sounded good Neil and I both decided to get this:

The wrap was full of veggies and tempeh but I was not too impressed with the flavor, or rather lack there of. It was pretty bland so I added the salsa from my chips, which I didn’t eat since I had chips and salsa already.

Overall the food was okay and the beer was blah not my favorite. I probably wouldn’t return to The Portsmouth Brewery and  I definitely wouldn’t order a beer from there again.

Saturday morning we headed back into Portsmouth for breakfast at The Friendly Toast  a retro dinner with (over priced) breakfast. The restaurant has a fun 60’s/70’s theme and a huge menu but it’s a little expensive for my pocket.

Neil and I had tofu scramble, coffee and water for breakfast.  Overall the food was pretty good, the coffee was great and the water cold.  The Friendly Toast is a fun place but it is a little pricey and can get crazy busy.

After breakfast we did a little window shopping and then headed to the farmers market where I got the best black iced tea ever.

That concludes our visit to Portsmouth! Stay tuned for Portland and Race Re-cap posts!

Vegan Travel: Greater Portland Maine Area

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We are headed to Portland,ME (not Oregon) for the weekend to run a 5K  and I decided to do a little  lot of research of dining options. Here is my guide to Portland, ME  Vegan Friendly Dining (FYI this gives you an idea of what you can eat at these restaurants it is not a review of the restaurant because frankly I haven’t been to all of them- I will do a review of the ones we do visit upon our return):

Rating system:

1 –> 3 or less vegan options
2 –> 4-5 vegan options (at least one entree)
3 –> 6-7 vegan options (at least one entree)
4 –> 8-9 vegan options (at least two entrees)
5 –> 10+ vegan options (at least two entrees)

Green Elephant: 608 Congress St, Portland ME
Rating: 5 (vegetarian, mostly vegan)

Check out their menu here.

Boda: 671 Congress Street, Portland ME
Rating: 3


Vegan Options:

The staff will let you know for sure which options are vegan there are a few I am not sure about- the skewers are though and they are good! So just double check; below are the vegetarian options which are most likely vegan or can be made that way.

  • House fried peanuts seasoned with Thai herbs
  • Fried taro sticks seasoned with sea salt. Served with spicy chili sauce
  • Steamed assorted vegetables with “Nahm-Prik” (eggplant relish)
  • Tofu skewer rubbed with teriyaki sauce
  • Shiitake skewer with teriyaki seasoning sauce
  • Portabella mushroom skewer rubbed with sesame oil & mushroom sauce
  • Thai sticky rice with soy sauce, pepper, scallion, and garlic
  • Stir-fried wide rice noodles with onion, tomato, pepper, bamboo shoot,Chinese broccoli, Thai basil, and tofu
  • Organic tofu, bamboo shoots, red and green pepper, squash, baby carrot, green beans, Thai eggplant and Thai basil in homemade green curry

Personal Experience: LOVED this place. (same owners as Green Elephant)
Sebago Brewing Company: 211 Fore Street Portland ME
Rating: 2

Vegan Options:

  • Beer
  • Pub Pretzels: they are ok-but without the dipping sauce.
  • Hummus & Tzatiki (without tzatiki)
  • Greek Falafel (no feta): This salad is fine but with a different
    dressing-the dressing it is listed with contains feta. The falafel is pan
    seared with oil.
  • Dressings that are ok:
    Balsamic ving.
    Italian
    Cianti Ving.
    Hefeweizen Ving? (contains honey)
    Pesto Ving.
  • Panzanella Salad (no chicken):  without the cheese. suggest adding the falafel to this
  • Vegetable Stir Fry: this dish is fine w/o rice could sub pasta
  • Linguine-prepped with margarine
  • Falafel burger  w/o bun or tzatiki – sub wheat wrap
  • Veggie quesadilla without any cheese
  • FYI: the onion rings (not vegan anyways), chips french fries & sweet potato fries are deep fried in the same oil as fish

Soakology: 30 City Center Portland, ME 04101


Rating: 3* note this is a tea shop and foot spa so no meals just snacks.

Vegan Options:

  • assorted mediterranean olives
  • warmed, crusty french roll served with dipping oil & herbs
  • hummus & warm pita served with mediterranean olives & veggies
  • olive tapenade served with toasted crostinis
  • eggplant bruschetta & olive tapenade served with seasonal fruits & toasted crostinis
  • an assortment of fine cheese, seasonal fruit & mediterranean olives served with a petite boule, dipping oil & dark chocolate
Gorgeous Gelato: 434 Fore St, Portland, ME
Rating: 3 
Vegan Options:
Fruit Gelatos (Sorbettos) that are completely milk free, egg free and fat free. Our fruit flavors are made using exclusively fresh fruit, water and different kinds of natural sugars. Usually, we produce :

El Rayo Taqueria: 101 York Street, Portland, ME
Rating: 4

Vegan Options:

  • rice and beans
  • veggie taco
  •  the veggie burrito can be done vegan
  • the grilled pineapple
  • chili fritas
  • chips & salsa
  • the el mercado salad
  • the fiesta salad can be done vegan

Sonny’s: 83 Exchange Street, Portland.
Rating: 2

Vegan Options:

House pickled vegetables
• Soup*
• fried plantains w/o chili sour cream
• Beans
• Rice
• Panko fried avocado *not gluten free
• Farmer green sauté w/o butter
• Green salad
• Veggie enchiladas (entree) w/o cheese & the pine nut crema
Silly’s: 40 Washington Ave, Portland ME
Rating: 5
Vegan Options:
  • Vegan Choices: Starting with dessert…….
  • Vegan Triple chocolate layer cake with white and chocolate frosting
  • Vegan Sweet Dreams – Fried plantains, maple syrup, toasted pecans, toasted coconut & a dash of cinnamon, add Soy Ice Cream or Rice Ice Cream
  • Mug O’ Rice Ice Cream
  • Mug O’ Soy Ice Cream
  • The Veganotor Scramble- Sauteed tofu with mushrooms, green & red peppers, onioins, broccoli then finished with a vegan spicy sauce and served with red beans and salsa on the side.
  • Hummus Wrap -(vegan) – Spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, onions & pickles
  • ZoomaZoom Wrap (vegan) Falafel with spicy vegan spread, spinach, lettuce, tomato, onion and black olives
  • Tempeh Thru The Tulips Wrap (vegan) Spinach, tomato, fried tempeh and sauteed veggies du jour in creamy basil sauce
  • Garden of Eatin’ Appetizer (vegan) Silly made hummus served with carrots, broccoli, green& red peppers, falafel and crunchy flour tortilla chips, -made fresh daily-ask for it without the cuke dill
  • Vegan Decadence Appetizer (vegan) Creamy vegan basil sauce spread atop grilled bread topped with Greek olives, roasted red peppers, fresh tomatoes & garlic then toasted to perfection
  • Sweet Plantains Appetizer – Fried-  (vegan) Can be gluten free if you tell us….
  • Rings of Fire Appetizer (vegetarian) Breaded & fried jalapeno rings with a side of sour cream                                                **(vegan)-sub spicy vegan dip
  • French Fries Appetizer (vegan)-  Handcut  Can be gluten free if you tell us…
  • Hobo Pie Dinner (vegan) Flour tortilla chips topped with sweet potato millet blackbean vegan chili, salsa, tomatoes & scallions –Must ask for soy mozz substitute and no sour cream.
  • Tofu in a Dinghy Dinner -(vegan) – Thai ginger peanut sauce, rice noodles, fried tofu, vegan mozzarella cheese, mushrooms and scallions wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried in a chimi style.
  • Gone Bonzo Dinner-(vegan) – A panfried bonzo cake (chickpea flour spiced pancake with flax seeds) topped with sauteed veggies in a creamy spicy Thai peanut coconut sauce and garnished with julienne carrot.
  • Tempeh of Doom Dinner – (vegan) – Layered rice, red beans, fried tempeh, vegan bbq sauce, fried onions, hot sauce, vegan cheddar cheese and jalapenos.
  • PeppaKalaSpinaVeganDocious Pizza – (vegan) –   Creamy Vegan Basil sauce, spinach, roasted red peppers, Greek olives, garlic & fresh tomatoes
  • Rest in Pizza -(vegan)- Spicy vegan spread, fried veggie burger, jalapenos, pineapple, garlic, hot sauce & vegan mozzarella cheese
  • Good Golly Miss Bolly Dinner (vegan) Sauteed veggies, fried tofu, fried sweet potato and white potato, in a coconut mango curry sauce over rice garnished with cilantro and toasted coconut.
  • Et Tu & Fries Dinner Dinner– (vegan) – Breaded organic fried tofu & hand cut fries served with spicy vegan dip or make it buffalo with spicy vegan dip
  • Garden Salad – (vegan)  – Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onions, carrots, green peppers, scallions, broccoli, &  mushrooms-available in demi size
  • Blue Mango Veggie Burgers 
  • Papou’s Falafel fabuffel burger (falafel with buffalo sauce)
    • Your choice of a 
      • single
      • double 
      • Triple
      • All Burgers are served on a hamburger  and are topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles & served with Silly’s hand cut French Fries.
  • Accentuate your Bun…
    • Buffalo Sauce,  Vegan BBQ Sauce, Soy Cheddar, Soy Mozzarella, Soy American, Vegan Chili,  Avocado Puree’,  or Bolly Sauce (vegan mango coconut curry sauce)
Local 188: 685 Congress Street, Portland ME
Rating: 1
Vegan Options:
  • olives
  • veg entree (as long as you omit the cheese)
  • green salad (omit the cheese)
  • risotto can be prepared vegan
  • flat bread
  • veg saute
  • sometimes the soup
Five Fifty-Five: 555 Congress Street, Portland ME
Rating: 1 
Vegan Options:
Quote from the restaurant “We do have a few salads on the menu for vegans, however, if you want to come to the restaurant, the chef prefers to cook strictly for you.  to be honest there are very few things actually on the menu that are vegan, but we are happy to customize the menu for you.  if you would like further information please call us at 207-761-0555.   again, the chef takes all dietary restrictions/allergies very seriously and would be happy to accomodate you.”

Rating system:

1 –> 3 or less vegan options
2 –> 4-5 vegan options (at least one entree)
3 –> 6-7 vegan options (at least one entree)
4 –> 8-9 vegan options (at least two entrees)
5 –> 10+ vegan options (at least two entrees)

Will Run For Beer

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We started our day off with a run in preparation for our race next Sunday

Before heading to the Brewers Festival we filled our stomachs with brunch

And rehydrated with Coconut Water

Then it was time to wait in line for the Brewers Festival

TIme to drink some yummy beers!




Some beers we loved...

ANd others.... like this one

we hated!

Now I’m home relaxing and trying to sooth my crazy sunburn.

A Single Pebble

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Good Morning! This morning started out wonderful with a mug of coffee and a toasted French Meadow sprouted 16 grain and seed bagel with Toffuti. I enjoyed it out on the balcony and read a little bit more of The Hunger Games; so far I am loving this book- have you read it?

Wednesday Morning Breakfast- YUM

Breakfast Date

Lets rewind to yesterday:

Tuesday Breakfast

Lunch: Crackers & Hummus because we had no food

After work I went for a run and did my best pace yet, a 12 minute mile! So far I have cut over 2 minutes off my mile – WIN! It was a really great run.

Follow my workouts on Daily Mile

After my run Neil and I met up with friends from for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, A Single Pebble.

A Single Pebble is a tasty family style Chinese restaurant with some of the best food in town. We chose two small dishes, a large dish and a noodle dish to share between the four of us. We washed it all down with some local brews.

Vegetable Potstickers- These were pretty tasty

Double Garlic Broccoli- one of my favorite dishes on the menu. This is a must order at each visit.

Rice of Course

Sesame Buddha's Beef- this is also a suggested must order dish- it was absolutely amazing. We also had a vegan noodle dish with crispy tofu; it was meh not my favorite but it was okay.

After dinner we went out for one more beer at The Farm House Tap and Grill with this cute couple:


We had a great night out with friends, one of whom is currently living in DC. Now we are looking forward to our August couples trip to Philly. What are you must see, do, eat, ect for Philly? We are looking for suggestions.

 

Date Night at The Scuffer

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Yesterday the rain finally took a break and it was hot and sunny out. I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and did C25K day one of week 2. It was a great run/walk and I am excited to keep going and finally running my first 5k. Yes you read correctly I am (finally) going to run a 5k! The Hubz and I are going to run the Old Port Half Marathon & 5k together and our friends are running the 1/2 marathon. We are both really excited and are working to get up to running a full 5k. If you are running this left me know!

After a hot and sweaty run the Hubz and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful night and head downtown for a beer and half of veggie burgers at The Scuffer. We were hoping to sit on the patio but of course we weren’t the only ones out to enjoy the beautiful weather so we had to sit inside. The beer and half off veggie burgers was (almost) worth sacrificing sitting out in the beautiful weather.

It’s funny The Scuffer has been around for years, it used to be The Rusty Scuffer – I think it changed owners and the name changed (correct me if I’m wrong) and we had never thought to go there until a few months ago.  A few months ago we were looking for somewhere new to go and I just happened to check out their menu online and saw that on Wednesday’s they have half off burgers with a drink purchase, so I called and asked if their veggie burger was vegan and it is (oh and it’s homemade too double win).   The other thing that I love about The Scuffer is their extensive beer menu that is filled with local beers and a number of great microbrews and their prices are really good too.

Last night the Hubz and I both got veggie burgers with fries and no bun and we each ordered a beer.  I wanted the Dogfish Aprihop but they were all out (because it’s just that good) so I decided to go with McNeil’s Extra Special Bitter and the Hubz got the Rock Art Midnight Madness; we really liked both of them. Overall we had a great date night out at The Scuffer and will continue going on for the Wednesday special because you just can’t beat the beer, the burger and the prices.

Chocolate Bock Gingerbread Cupcakes

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To me it really doesn’t seem like Christmas without gingerbread.  We usually make gingerbread cookies or gingersnaps, which I know isn’t the same as gingerbread but we like ginger something at Christmas.  This year I decided to make cupcakes but not just any cupcakes these ones have beer in them, Chocolate Bock to be exact.  The Chocolate Bock is a dark beer that is slightly sweet.

Makes 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup vegan margarine (Earth Balance)
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 3 “eggs” (I used Egg Replacer)
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1 cup Chocolate Bock or other dark beer (stout or dark bock would work best)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12 cupcake pan and a 6 cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a stand mixer or large bowl with an electric beater, cream together the margarine and raw sugar.  Beat in the “eggs” until combined.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg.
  4. In a another medium bowl combine the molasses and beer and stir to dissolve.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and beer mixture alternately to the margarine mixture, beating after the addition of each.
  6. Fill the cupcake liners until about 3/4 full and bake for 20-22 minutes until lightly browned and when a tooth pick is inserted it comes out clean.
  7. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove and continue to cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, frost with vanilla frosting or glaze with my orange spice glaze (recipe below).

Orange Spice Glaze

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of lite silken tofu (I used mori-nu)
  • zest and juice of 1 medium orange
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ginger
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.