pasta

[Dining Out Plant-Based] California Pizza Kitchen

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Many years go when I was a student living in Boston I would go to California Pizza Kitchen on a semi-regular basis. Back in those days I was vegetarian so eating at CPK was super easy for me. Back in those days my go-to menu items were the Tuscan Hummus, Margherita Pizza and Chinese Chicken Salad (obviously hold the chicken). 

Once I moved out of Boston I don’t think I visited a CPK again until this Fall when I was kindly invited to visit the Bridgeport Village CPK. One of the reasons that I never visited again was because my diet changed from vegetarian to plant-based and I had it in my head that there just weren’t enough options but I was oh so WRONG.  The team at the Bridgeport CPK was super nice and they hooked us up with so many amazing plant-based options so let’s get started. 

To start I went with a mojito mocktail however if I could have indulged in alcohol I would have gone for one of their many tasty sounding sangrias. 

We started with the Tuscan Hummus which if you remember is one of my old go-to menu items and it’s seriously amazing. I would go to CPK just to get this and only this because it’s that good. 

Next us is the White Corn Guacamole & Chips another really tasty starter. I loved the addition of jicama, white corn and black beans and both my littles gobbled up most of this guacamole and chips. 

Next up another really delicious starter that could easily be an entree – the Lettuce Wraps done vegan. These were so delicious and was one of Neil’s favorite dishes we tried. 

If that wasn’t enough food we also got two different salads – the Roasted Veggie and the Thai Crunch with Avocado (no chicken). I will put a disclaimer here that we eat honey and both of the dressings for these salads contain honey. If you do not partake in honey most of the salads can be made vegan by taking off the dairy and meat and they can do an oil and vinegar for salad dressing. 

As for these salads I was really into the roasted veggie salad and Neil was all about the Thai crunch. The roasted veggies were just so delicious and exactly what I was in the mood for at the time. The Thai crunch had amazing flavor, a nice crunchy topping and the avocado was the perfect addition. 

We were stuffed at this point but we powered through and tried a few bites of the Asparagus & Spinach pasta. Now this pasta was probably my least favorite dish because without the salty parm that normally would be on it it was lacking a bit of flavor. I would personally recommend asking for a few lemon wedges to squeeze over the pasta to brighten it up and give it just a bit more flavor and then it would be practically perfect. 

 

We also tried a few bites of the California Veggie pizza (no cheese) before packing it up and finishing it off the next day at home. This pizza was really delicious. I loved the crust and the veggies were super fresh. A great option. 

Before I wrap this up let’s not forget about the kids! At this point the kids were feeling pretty full as well but Edith was thrilled when her fusilli with tomato sauce came out and she ate about half of this huge portion. CPK can also do a simple fusilli with olive oil for kids as well if you little one isn’t into tomato sauce. 

As for Alder he went with a super simple kids mushroom pizza (no cheese) and he thought it was pretty great. I love that there are some simple and tasty kids options available. 

Overall we had a great dining experience, we really enjoyed the food and we will be back. Again we would like to thank the Bridgeport CPK for having us in and we are already making plans go come back for more of that Tuscan Hummus. 

*Disclaimer: CPK invited us in to dine on them. As always all opinions are my own. 

{Recipe} Lentil Marinara

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Every since pregnancy I have been kind of obsessed with lentils. I started eating them more for the nutritional benefits and then I just kind of fell in love. There are so many varieties of lentils from red to beluga but today I used French lentils for this recipe. French lentils are hearty and give this sauce some meatiness while began a healthy vegan sauce. My toddler devoured this so if you’re a parent looking to get your kid to eat more protein, fruits (yes I think we forget tomatoes are a fruit) and veggies this is a great sauce to have.

IMG_4720Lentil Marinara

  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1-14.5oz can salt free diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup cooked French lentils
  • 1/2 teaspoon ume plum vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Olive Oil Spray

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with olive oil spray and then add the onions and carrots; sautee 7-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and oregano. Add the tomatoes and lentils; stir to combine. Add your remaining ingredients and then cover and cook cover medium-low for 15 minutes. With a hand blender or a stand blender puree the ingredients.  This will leave you with a thick sauce which is fine as you will want to add your pasta directly to the sauce, carrying a little pasta water with it.  If you are not planning to toss this with pasta then you may want to add additional water to thin the sauce out slightly.

*I made extra of this to freeze so once I try it I’ll come back and let you know how freezing worked out.

Lentil Marinara Nutrition

Weekend Wrap Up: Good Eats & a Giveaway (Closed)

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If you are looking for the giveaway you’ll just go nuts about scroll down! 

This weekend Neil and I were fairly busy and it seems that things aren’t going to be slowing down anytime soon!  We started the weekend off with a homemade Mexican pizza (recipe to come tomorrow) which was absolutely delicious.

Here it is all fixed up with a sprinkle of baby arugula, fresh tomatoes and sour supreme.  We enjoyed our slices, went for a walk and settled on the couch to watch a few shows.

Saturday morning I got up bright and early to bake up a batch of Babycakes gluten free Pumpkin Spice Muffins for our early morning birthing class.  Around 8:30 our birthing class teacher arrived (we are taking private classes) and we served up coffee, muffins and fruit before starting our four hours of class. In other news our birthing class teacher is also a doula and last week after doing a bunch of reading Neil and I made a last minute decision to hire a doula for the birth.  I checked with Sarah (our birth coach) to see if she had any July openings and she did so after our class we decided to hire her to be our doula (she is really wonderful and so comfortable to be around).  I’ll discuss more of this doula talk in Thursday’s update post.

After our four plus hours of birthing class Neil and I were so hungry we decided to use up the remaining homemade dough and make another small pizza for lunch and then I passed out for a few hours.  When I finally woke up Neil was going a little stir crazy and was ready to get out of the house so we decided to have a date night downtown including window shopping, drinks (beer for him and water for me) and dinner out at A Single Pebble <–Neil had a gift card from work so free (almost) dinner for us! After dinner we headed home and cuddled on the couch while watching the remainder of the Yankees game, we should have just gone to bed though such a bad game.

Sunday we enjoyed a lazy morning before heading out for brunch with friends that we hadn’t seen since last July.  We spent over two hours enjoying food, conversation and having tons of belly laughs at Duino Duende.  It was so nice not to have a rushed meal and really enjoy the company.  After brunch we rean a few errands, took a nap, Neil did a training run and I watched House Hunters International.

While Neil finished up his run I made dinner of arugula walnut pesto with peas and white beans, a side of kale and leftover tofu from dinner at A Single Pebble.  After dinner we went for a stroll and then relaxed on the couch. What did you do this weekend?

Now that you’ve read my weekend recap keep scrolling and you’ll find a great giveaway! 

Review and Giveaway: Doug’s Nuts

A few weeks ago Doug’s Nuts sent me a few complimentary bags of their nuts to try out and ever since then I have been in love.  When I first open the nuts I am expecting them to be sugary based on their shiny coating but they were super mild and really delicious.  They are coated with a flavorful glaze consisting of organic evaporated sugarcane juice, honey, oatmeal stout beer <– my husband saw beer and had to try them immediately, sea salt, organic vanilla extract, and other natural flavors. In the mix are roasted almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, and pumpkin seeds (the hazelnuts and pecans are my favorites).

I unfortunately finished off my two pouches pretty quickly (time to get some more I guess!)  but boy where they good.  I enjoyed them over soy yogurt, by the palm-full and my favorite way as a topping for apple “nachos”.  What are apple nachos? Simply thinly sliced apples (I use my mandolin) drizzled with almond butter and topped with a sprinkling of Doug’s Nuts and a few mini chocolate chips for good measure.

Giveaway Details- Open Until Friday May 11th at 8pm EST: CLOSED

  • Doug’s Nuts will provide and ship one 6-pack of Doug’s Nuts to the winner ($30 + shipping costs value) – OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
Winner:

To enter:

  • Visit the Doug’s Nuts and come back and leave a comment letting me know something that you have learned. (Mandatory)
Additional Entries: (Leave a separate entry for each)
  • Follow Doug’s Nuts on Twitter
  • Follow Running With Tongs on Twitter
  • Tweet “I’d go nuts to win @runwithtongs @dougsnuts giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-3fL”

WIAW: Recipe- Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pesto

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Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pesto

Serves 6 (or 4 really hungry people)

Ingredients:

  • 6 servings of your favorite pasta cooked & reserve some pasta water
  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 3-5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water until soft & roughly chopped
  • 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach
  • 2 tablespoons- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil

Place the walnuts, garlic, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and process for 30 more seconds. Add the baby spinach and nutritional yeast, process for 30 seconds.  Slowly add the olive oil through feed tube and process until fully combined. Pour the pesto into a large bowl and top with the hot pasta. Toss the pastas with the pesto adding one tablespoon of pasta water at a time to loosen up the sauce as needed.

WIAW: Best Of The Week

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This week for What I Ate Wednesday I am featuring my favorite snacks, meals and dessert of the last week. Enjoy!

Snacks:

A nice big bowl of organic strawberries…

Terra Chips Original and I’ve been sampling the new flavors of Dr. Lucy’s Gluten Free Cookies-this week I tried Maple Bliss, they were delicious!

Lunch/Dinner: (since for the most part lunches are leftovers)

Quinoa, oven roasted asparagus (recipe here) and Sesame-Ginger Temeph-a new recipe for 360 Cookware

Linguine with tomato-eggplant sauce another new recipe for 360 Cookware

Where are the leftovers lunch: Mega Green Salad with a veggie burger and Italian Dressing

Dessert:

Hail Merry’s Meyer Lemon Miracle Tart…along with a chocolate almond butter, chocolate mint and a Persian lime <–all eaten in the last week by my husband and I and our friend Laura. These tarts are A-MAZING.

What are you favorite meals, snacks or desserts of the week?

 

CSA Week 2: Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta & a Hail Merry!

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Neil and I decided (very) last minute that we would partake in the Pete’s Greens CSA again this summer since we love their produce. Last week was the first pick up because we were away we ended up giving away most of it except the potatoes and garlic scapes that we had for our camping breakfast. This week we received:

  • Bag of Mesclun Greens
  • Beet Greens
  • Napa Cabbage
  • Sweet Salad Turnips
  • Garlic Scapes
  • Scallions
  • Zucchini
  • Easter Egg Radishes
  • Sage
  • Potatoes

Tonight is the first of many meals using these amazing organic and local ingredients. Enjoy- I know we did!


Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta with Zucchini

Yields 4 servings

Takes about 30 minutes total to make

Ingredients:

  • Garlic Scape Pesto
    • 1 cup raw walnut pieces
    • 1 bunch of garlic scapes (about 1 to 3/4 cup), chopped
    • 4 cups basil leaves
    • 2/3 cup olive oil
    • 1t salt
    • 1T sesame seeds
    • 2T nutritional yeast

Place the walnuts and garlic scapes in the bowl of a food processor and process until small crumble. Add in the basil leaves, turn the processor on low and slowly stream in the olive oil through the feed tube. Add in the salt, sesame seeds and nutritional yeast; process to combine.

  • Sauteed Zucchini
    • 2 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
    • Cooking Spray
    • 1/2t salt
    • 1/4t black pepper
    • 1/2t garlic powder
    • 1t nutritional yeast

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking spray and toss in the zucchini and saute for 3-4 minutes just until they start to lightly brown.  Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutritional yeast; cook for 2 more minutes.

  • 4 servings of pasta of your choice

In a large bowl toss the pasta, zucchini and 1/4 to 1/3 of the pesto together.  Serve warm, room temp or cold!

The pesto makes a lot more than you need for this dish so place any extra in a jar top with a layer of olive oil and seal tightly.  Store in the freezer until you need it again.  To defrost move from the freezer to the fridge 8 hours before using.

For dessert we shared one of these wonderful vegan, raw, gluten free tarts from Hail Merry.

It was one of the best desserts I have ever tried and I am looking forward to picking up the other 3 flavors over the next month.  It was so rich and the perfect balance of creamy chocolate, cookie crust and almond butter center- to die for.

Recipe Of The Week: Curried Lentil Orecchiette

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I have finally stepped back into the kitchen and I am doing some real cooking again! Last night I was in the mood for something warm and creamy.  I debated making a pasta with “cream” sauce and then I remembered I had coconut milk and curry leaves so I decided to make a curry pasta dish that ended up being so delicious; I can’t wait for lunch today!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2T Canola oil
  • 1t Mustard seeds
  • 1t Fenugreek seeds*
  • 1/2 cup Curry leaves*
  • 1/4t Turmeric
  • 1/2t Chili powder
  • 1t Curry powder
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 green chili, minced
  • 2 cups green cabbage, chopped
  • 3/4 cup Red lentils
  • 1-15oz can Diced tomatoes (no salt added)
  • 1-15oz can Lite coconut milk
  • 1/4t Ume plum vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1/4-1t Cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 Servings of Orecchiette or other pasta, cooked according to directions

Directions:

In a large saute pan heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add in the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and toast until they start to pop, about one to two minutes; then toss in the curry leaves and cook for one minute. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric and chili and stir to combine.  Stir in the onions, chili and cabbage and saute until the vegetables start to soften and are lightly browned. Stir in the red lentils and tomatoes and then the coconut milk.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.  While the lentils are cooking cook your pasta according to the directions.

Stir the vinegar and cayenne into the lentil mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 5 more minutes or until the lentils are softened.  Once the lentils are soft stir in the cooked pasta and serve!

*If you do not have curry leaves or fenugreek seeds you can omit them; the dish will not taste the same but it will still be delicious.  Feel free to add an additional 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of curry powder.

 

Reminder: I just wanted to encourage you to read my Yoga Aid Challenge post and donate any products (gently used or new) or services to my auction to raise money for Off The Mat.