Even though my birthday was last week, I’m still celebrating and that’s all right with me. This week at work has been just insane, so it was wonderful to break away for an extended lunch break with my dad and his wife for a late birthday lunch. Since I didn’t get to go to the Yard House on my actual birthday, I decided to try again for lunch. I’ve been so curious to go since this location opened a few weeks ago because they have an entire Gardein meat alternative menu.
A lot of the items are vegetarian, not vegan, but easy enough to veganize removing the cheese. I went with the Gardein Orange Peel “Chicken” and our waiter lit up like a Christmas Tree when I ordered it exclaiming he was a vegetarian too and that was his favorite dish. I can see why, it’s gorgeous.
Normally I’m not a fan of fake meats, but the Gardein chunks in this dish did not seem like your typical fake meat. They were more like flavorful firm tofu chunks with a light and moist texture. And those are little fried carrot curls on the dish which were great with the orange glaze. As great as this dish was, I don’t think it helped my evening run tonight! I was feeling sluggish and abnormally tired and had to push my way through it. Oops!
My dad also gifted me with a pretty big haul from his garden which is always welcome!
I know what you’re thinking, “WTF is that orange thing in the back?” Good question!
A hybrid pumpkin spaghetti squash? He planted seeds from last years spaghetti squashes and ended up with these. Something got cross pollinated somewhere!
It’s cool looking and I can’t wait to find out what’s inside. Have you ever seen anything like this?
I also scored some generous Amazon gift cards for my birthday and got the first shipment from them today. Not that long ago, I probably would have ordered shoes or a purse. Times have changed! But one can never have too much coconut oil.
I’ve never ordered organic medjool dates online, but I took a gamble with these since they were cheaper than Whole Foods and had good reviews.
And a new supplement to try. Since I tend to eat less beans and other high-iron foods in the summer, I decided a little supplementing would be a good thing – Vitamin Code’s Raw Iron.
Nice to know it packs a little B12 too. :-)
Do you take any supplements?
Ok you need to start submitting recipes to Tropical Traditions. If they publish it, you get a 32 oz jar of their coconut oil. I have enough coconut oil to last me til about 2019, give or take :)
I take probiotics, that’s it. I have come and gone full circle w/ supplements and right now am on a “not much” phase.
Thanks for the tip, I will check that out!
That’s great on supplements, for the most part I am too except with B12.
You’re having a birthday MONTH! Awesome!
On a daily basis I take probiotics, a women’s multi-vitamin and a calcium/Vit D/Magnesium/Zinc tab. Weekly I take a 3000 mcg b12 lozenge (though my most recent bloodwork results had me borderline for b12 so I may start getting a b12 shot — waiting for more bloodwork in 8 weeks to see if I can do it through diet)
Interesting on B12, I’m always curious on which supplements are more potent.
Happy belated! No such thing as too much celebrating. As for gardein, it’s not my favorite, either, but I do think that it’s a great fake meat for those who need/want it as they transition.
oh christine i missed you bday?!!!! that is what work does….makes you too busy to stay connected to the better things in life. so sorry and i so hope you enjoy your weekend and celebrate some more my friend :)
No worries, I understand that kind of a work schedule! I hope Bill is feeling better!
I laughed out loud when I read ‘times have changed!’ It’s funny how we prefer food gifts rather than clothes/shoes! I don’t know when I became like that, but I definitely am :)
So true, I’m not into pricey purses and shoes like I used to be. :-)
Did you ever cook the “spagetti-pumpkin”? I have been searching long and hard for something that looks like mine and yours comes the closest. I also have some that are green with green strips. I also grew some ghost pumpkins and they cross polinated with decorative green and yellow gourds and they are now white. Gotta love Mother Nature!
I did cook the squash here:
http://therawproject.com/?p=8170
And it was more pumpkin like than spaghetti squash, but still good. Cutting into it was no easy task! I alternated between 3 knives to saw through the steel-like skin.