Restaurant Review: Fahrenheit

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!  I’m a little late on my post this week, after Thanksgiving I got caught up in Christmas decorating (I’ll share a sneak peak when I’m all done.)  As for Thanksgiving ours was delicious and although I had lots to cook it ended up being fun.  Even (most of) the carnivores liked my vegan dishes (check out the staples of our Thanksgiving Dinner here.) 

 

Thanksgiving Dinner wasn’t the only delicious food we ate over the holiday.  While visiting family we (and my brother and sister-in-law) took Mr. Darling’s parents out to dinner to celebrate their 30^th Wedding Anniversary!  

 

We took them to Fahrenheit a fabulous restaurant in Cleveland, more specifically Tremont Ohio. 

I’m still fairly new to being gluten free and even more of a novice to eating out gluten free (GF).  Up until this point I had only eaten at restaurants that tout their GF food. 

So I did what I read to do, call ahead and see if they could accommodate my vegan and gluten free diet.  I was more concerned about the GF part; I’m pretty good at navigating the vegan thing.  So I called, and asked if there was any thing for me to eat if I couldn’t eat gluten.  I was fully prepared to begin explaining what gluten free was but, they were on top and all over that!  The greeter transferred me directly to the person who would be our waiter, George, he was awesome.  He knew all the dishes that were safe for me to eat and ensured me that they were very careful about cross contamination.  It turned out when I spoke to him later at Fahrenheit that he had gluten sensitivity too! There weren"t any vegan dishes on the menu but that wasn’t a problem.  The sides for the tuna, edamame and tomato fried rice (it did not have egg in it) with greens, sounded delish.  They had absolutely no problem making the dish that way and they made it huge.  Seriously, see that big mound of rice, veggies, and greens the picture below, ya that was all mine!! They also served the curry sauce on the side. 

 

 

How was it?  Freakin’ amazing!! It.was.delicious every bite of it !!! Everything was fresh and flavorful, not to heavy which I love and the curry sauce was delicious with a bit of heat.  I get hungry just thinking about it. I loved it so much I already put my spin on the dish and recreated it for dinner this week.

 

 Fahrenheit was so accommodating to my diet needs, the staff was kind and knowledgeable (George was awesome!), and the food was heavenly.  If you’re in the Cleveland area and can splurge a little on a delicious, safe meal I recommend making your way to Fahrenheit you won’t regret it!

**I have not been paid, perked, or otherwise compensated for this post. 

 

As someone who is vegan, gluten free, or has other allergy needs isn’t it nice to find somewhere safe (and ahhhmazing) to eat?  Do you have a favorite gluten free restaurant?  Do you have any restaurant dishes you have recreated in your kitchen and how did they turn out? 

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Determined Darling's Thanksgiving Staples

This ain’t your Mama’s Thanksgiving and these aren’t your Mama’s Thanksgiving staples, unless of course your Mama was a hippy then, maybe. 

This is actually the first year I will be cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal and my first gluten free Thanksgiving.  I am so excited!! I kept it pretty traditional for two reasons.  One tradition is comfortable and on Thanksgiving some traditions like stuffing and mashed potatoes must be followed! Two neither of our families (brothers and sisters not included) is very adventurous with their food.  New foods must be introduced slowly as not to cause heart palpitations and immediate dislike.  And under any circumstance do.not.use. the word “vegan” unless of course you want them to avoid your food like the plague. 

Since I’m not quite finished finalizing our feast (I’m such a procrastinator) I wanted to leave you with some recipes for the staples of our feast.    

Determined Darling’s Gluten-Free, Vegan Thanksgiving Staples

Lentil Loaf

Forget the turkey and enjoy this yummy loaf!

 

Garlic Parsley Mashed Potatoes

Hello creamy garlic heaven!

 

Lovely Lady Stuffing

Bright pink lady apples make this stuffing amazing!
 

*** Click Here for a printable document of all these delicious dishes***

  

Lentil Loaf

 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked lentils

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 large onion diced

8 oz mushrooms halved

2 medium carrots grated

¼ cup Nutritional Yeast

½ cup garbanzo flour

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp pepper

dash of salt

 

Directions:

1.)    Preheat oven to 375 F

2.)    Sautee onion and garlic until golden

3.)    Add mushrooms and sauté covered until tender 8 minutes

4.)    Meanwhile grate the carrots  and combine with quinoa and half the lentils in a large bowl

5.)    Remove mushroom mixture from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes

6.)    Add mushroom mixture and half the lentils into a food processor, pulse until thick and combine but with texture

7.)    Add the mushroom lentil mixture to the bowl with the quinoa, carrots, and whole lentils. Stir to combine

8.)    Add nutritional yeast, Bragg, and spices, stir to combine

9.)    Add garbanzo flour and stir to combine *The mixture will be wet and stick but hold together well

10.)    Place parchment paper in a 9 x 5 loaf pan and oil the paper

11.)   Add mixture into the loaf pan and bake at 375 F for about 90 -100 minutes or until a knife stuck in the center comes out clean 

12.)   Remove from pan by lifting out using the parchment paper, allow cool for a few minutes, slice and serve!

 

 

Garlic Parsley Mashed Potatoes

 

Ingredients:

5 lbs Russet Potatoes, skins on!

3 cloves garlic minced

½ cup vegetable broth

¼ - ½ cup finely minced fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

Pepper to taste

2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other butter substitute)

 

Directions:

1.)    Clean potatoes, cut into large chunks, place in a large bowl and cover with water

2.)    Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes until tender

3.)    In a small pan saute the garlic in Earth Balance until fragrant (about one minute)

4.)    Drain the potatoes and put in a large bowl mashing slighting with a potato masher

5.)    To the potatoes add the garlic butter, 1 cup veggie broth, salt, and pepper

6.)    Mash until desire consistency is reached, ( I like mine lumpy!) adding more broth if needed

7.)    Add parsley and stir to combine

Serve immediately!

 

 

Lovely Lady Stuffing

 

Ingredients:

11 cups 1 inch homemade croutons (check out my recipe here)

2 cups onion diced

2 cups celery chopped

2 pink lady apples, cored, then diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp sage

½ tsp salt, to taste

½ tsp pepper, to taste

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

2 -3 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

 

Directions:

1.)    Preheat oven to 375 F

2.)    Put croutons into a large bowl

3.)    Saute onion, celery and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden

4.)    Add apples, parsley, and a dash of salt and pepper

5.)    Saute for 3-5 minutes until soft

6.)    Add sautéed veggies to the bowl with croutons

7.)    Add oregano, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine

8.)    Add veggie broth and stir to combine.  Mixture should be soft

9.)    Put the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes covered with foil and 15 minutes uncovered. 

10.)   Remove, Serve, and Enjoy!

 

              

What are your favorite vegan Thanksgiving dishes?  And what are you most looking forward to on Thanksgiving Day?

 

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Better Than the Bag Croutons

Can you believe Thanksgiving is a week and half away? I have been cooking like mad to finalize my Gluten-Free Vegan Thanksgiving Staples! I'll be sharing them with you near the end of the week accompanied with a printable version so you can easily print it out and use some or all of the recipes for your Gluten-Free and Vegan Thanksgiving dishes!

Why buy a bag of little rock hard stale bread pieces, I mean croutons, when you can make them yourself? 

This easy peasy recipe can be whipped up in a few minutes using store bough or homemade bread.  FYI homemade is better!  I wish I could say I have created awesome gluten free bread recipe but I haven’t.  I am still fairly new to gluten free and baking.  I’m slowly learning and hopefully someday I will have my own recipe to share.  Until then I needed some freakin’ bread to eat I couldn’t stand those store bought excuses for gluten free bread one more second.  Thankfully I found this healthy gum and glutenfree bread recipe (I make the vegan version) from Gluten Free Girl and The Chef.  It is pretty darn good and makes delicious croutons!

 

Better Than the Bag Croutons

6-7 cups gluten free bread cut into 1 inch cubes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp thyme  

½ tsp pepper

 

Directions

1.)    Preheat oven to 400 F

2.)    Place croutons in a large bowl

3.)    Drizzle EVOO over bread to coat

4.)    Sprinkle spices over bread and toss to coat

5.)    Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes – check after 10 since oven temperatures vary and you don’t want them to burn

6.)    Remove when browned* and crunchy on the outside. (* The bread pictured is already brown in color because of teff and buckwheat, your croutons don't need to be this brown.)

Use these delicious croutons to top salads, soups, and make heavenly stuffing (recipe coming later this week!) 

 

What do you love to do with croutons? Top soup or salad or just eat them like Mr. Darling does? 

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Creamy Dill Chickpea Salad

Had quite a scare with our little Bow this weekend.  She's been fighting cancer since March.  Saturday she seemed in so much pain and wouldn't stop shaking or wimpering so we took her to the emergency vet.  They think the pain she's been having may be a tumor in her brain.  I have lots of Vet appointments these next couple days.  So please keep our little furbaby in your thoughts. 

Looking for a fast, versatile, and oh so good recipe?  Well this is it!  As long as you have the beans cooked this dish could be thrown together in about five minutes.  It’s one of my favorite lunches.  We often pack lunches when going on trips to save money and avoid gluten, this dish makes a great dish to pack.  This recipe is a great base and I love adding whatever veggies I feel like or have on hand.  So feel free to add your favorites. 

Creamy Dill Chickpea Salad
gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free
 

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans

½ avocado diced

¼ - ½ cup (soy free) Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo)

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 tbsp dill

½ tsp salt

½ tsp lemon pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

Add-ins:

Peas

Carrots

Scallions

Cabbage

Celery

 

Directions:

1.)    Mash garbanzo beans with the backside of a fork until at least ¾ of the beans are mashed

2.)    Add avocado and mash in with beans

3.)    Add Vegenaise, lemon juice, spices, and any other ingredients you choose to add

4.)    Stir until combined and serve.

Eat it on a sandwich, on a big green salad, or just it eat it! It’s delicious any way!

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Hot Steamy Pick-Me-Up

I'm talking about drinks, geesh what did you think I was talking about!

 

I don’t know about you but I need something hot to drink in the mornings.  I love the idea of smoothies but there just not my morning thing, it has to be hot and steamy!  
 

Coffee, black thank you very much, use to be my thing. Writing this right now makes me miss it so much.  You might as well have given me an IV drip of coffee during Grad school. I drank two cups in the morning, then the clinic always had coffee brewed so another 3 cups there, and then of course I would have to stay up till 3am writing a paper or studying so another 2-3 cups.  Coffee was my catnip I couldn’t see it, smell it, or wake up without drinking it.  I loved it just as much as Lorelai Gilmore does.

 

 

So why are coffee and I “taking a break?”  Well, after months of heartburn, feeling shaky, and jittery I realized I had to stop drinking so much coffee. I still drink a cup or two of coffee on weekend mornings because I couldn’t not drink it at all!  So if I couldn’t drink coffee in the morning what the hell was I going to drink!  Tea? Tea has definitely grown on me now that I drink loose leaf instead of those paper tasting bags.  Tea definitely makes it appearance in my morning routine, but it's not the “go to” morning drink I wanted. 

My steamy morning pick-me-up is hot lemon water! 
It meets all my requirements, hot, steamy, refreshing, and doesn’t give me jitters or heartburn! Hot lemon water touts a lot of health benefits, such as, cleansing, aiding in digestion, and improving skin.  Being a fruit, lemons contain lots of good vitamins like C and B.   I feel refreshed, warm, and energized drinking this in the morning. 

Hot Lemon Water

1-2 large lemon slices (more if you want more lemon flavor)

1 mug hot water

Optional:

natural sweetener of your choice like agave or local honey (just a little bit.)   

Combine all ingredients squeezing the lemon juice into the water before putting the slice in and enjoy!  (If you use conventional lemons please be sure to clean them thoroughly before putting them in your drink (organic lemons should be washed too!))

What’s your favorite way to start the day?  Is it a hot, steamy drink like me?  Or do you prefer a big smoothie?  Or something else?  I would love to know. 

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Miso Noodle Soup

(Here in PA we are hunkered down waiting for Hurricane Sandy to come.  Right now we have rain and a little wind but, they are calling for fierce wind, flooding, and power outages.  Thinking of everyone on the coast and anyone else affected by this storm, here’s to hoping everyone stays safe!)

 

In college one of my favorite fast (i.e. packaged) “meals” was Undon Miso Soup.  Now, since I try to avoid anything package I haven’t eaten this soup!  How silly is that, it is so easy to make.   When I’m trying a recipe for the first time I search around for  inspirational recipes and then I make my own!  The best place to go for inspiration, Pinterest of course!  (Check out my Real (yummy) Food board for more inspiration. ) I found and pinned a yummy looking Miso Soup recipe from Flourishing Foodie.  I used her recipe as inspiration and made my own Miso Noodle Soup. 

 Miso Soup is one of my favs and is said to make a healing soup.  Miso is a complete protein that is high in antioxidants and B vitamins.  I’ll talk more about the healing affects of Miso  when I share with my “Hearty Healing Soup.”  It is important to purchase a quality Miso to avoid genetically modified ingredients.  For those of you who avoid soy there are good soy-free Misos available, in fact this soup is made with soy-free Miso.  Additionally, it can be difficult to find a gluten-free Miso. Beside the likelihood of gluten ingredients, the starter culture Koji, is often barley.  I have found and love South River Miso, they have eight varieties of Miso with no gluten ingredients.

It is a high quality, organic Miso. A word of caution for those who eat GF, their "gluten free" Misos are made on the same equipment as the gluten varieties.  They are never made at the same time and the equipment is washed between batches. You can read more at South River Miso.   So far I have not had a problem, as always use at your own risk.  If anyone knows a different Miso that is GF I would be very interested to know! 

Other ingredients include garlic, mushrooms, carrots, scallions, and green beans from our CSA basket, you could sub snow peas for the beans and it would be equally delicious.   

Baked tofu adds heartiness to this simple soup. I started by slicing and pressing the tofu for about 30 minutes.  Then I diced it into bite size pieces and covered with a little extra virgin olive oil, Bragg Amino Acids, and lemon juice.  Then I baked it at 375 F for about 20-30 minutes (stirring halfway through) until the tofu is tender but crispy and lightly browned on the outside. 

 

You can add the tofu directly to the soup but I like the bit of crispiness baking gives the tofu. 

I sauteed the carrots and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden, added the rest of the veggies, broth, and water.  Allowed the soup to simmer for about 30 minutes until the veggies were tender.  Then I added cooked rice noodles.

For the noodles I used Pad Thai rice noodles. These are easy to find in your grocery store’s Asian food section. Many are gluten free but be sure to check, I used Annie Chung’s Pad Thai Rice Noodles.  

When the soup is almost finished it’s time to add the Miso.  I put a few ladles of broth in a measuring cup because I didn't want to dirty more dishes!

Then I put 4 tablespoons of Miso in the bowl and stirred to combine.  It was pointed out by one of my darling readers Mary H.  how important it is to mention you never want to boil Miso as it destroys the beneficial microbes in the paste.   

This mixture was added back to the soup and then Mr. Darling and I gobbled up a couple bowls (of soup, we didn't eat bowls haha)!

This is a perfect soup for a cold day!

Miso Noodle Soup

gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, egg-free

 

14 oz firm tofu

5-6 ounces cooked rice noodles

8 oz mushrooms quartered

3 cloves garlic minced

4 carrots diced

1.5 cups fresh green beans diced

1.5 cups scallions thinly sliced

3-4 tbsp Chickpea Miso (substitute another light Miso if you like)

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

3 tbsp Bragg Amino Acids (soy sauce or another alternative)

1 tsp turmeric

Pinch red pepper flakes

Extra virgin olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

Pepper to taste

 

Directions:

 

1.)    Press tofu slices for 30 minutes, dice into small bite size pieces, cover lightly with olive oil, juice of half a lemon, and pepper, bake at 375 F for 20-30 minutes (stir halfway through) until lightly browned. 

2.)    Meanwhile, saute the garlic and carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden.

3.)    Add the remaining vegetables, broth, water, and Bragg.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and let simmer, covered 20-30 minutes until veggies are tender.

4.)    Reduce the heat to low, add in the baked tofu and cooked rice noodles, stir to combine. 

5.)    Ladle about ½ cup of broth into a small bowl, to it add 3-4 tablespoons Miso and stir to combine.

6.)    Add the Miso mixture to the soup and stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. 

Note: I do not add salt to this soup with the broth, Bragg, and Miso I feel it is salty enough, if I do feel it needs more salt I add a little more Bragg.    

7.)    Serve and enjoy!!

 

A hot bowl of Miso soup is perfect for warming you up on a cold, rainy day.  Here’s to hoping it keeps Mr. Darling and I warm as Hurricane Sandy passes. 

 

 

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Veggie Style Mexican Chili

Isn’t it funny how the smell and taste of food can bring about vivid memories?   For me, the smell of celery and onion reminds me of my Mom and Grandma preparing Thanksgiving dinner and Mexican food reminds me of college taco nights with friends.  In college my roommates and cross country teammates and I had taco night at least twice a month.  It always involved a ton of tacos, tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole.  And although the tacos we ate then are vastly different than any I would make now, cooking Mexican food still makes me want to invite friends over for dinner!  Since then my idea of Mexican has broaden and I’ve learned it can also be healthy (not like the greasy tacos of my college days!)  This delicious and healthy Mexican Chili is my take on taco soup.  Let’s start with the yummy ingredients. 

 

Onion, jalapenos, peppers, corn, and beans in a spicy tomato broth make a hearty Mexican chili.  Toppings like olives, green onions, lime, and avocados cool down the spice and make it extra delicious.  This spicy, hearty, healthy chili is the perfect meal to invite friends over for dinner on a cold evening. 

 Mexican Chili

Gluten free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion diced

1 large green pepper diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced

2 cups cooked kidney beans – equals one 15.5 ounce can

2 cups cooked black beans –equals one 15.5 ounce can

2 cups fresh or frozen corn

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 14.5 ounce can tomato puree

4 cups veggie broth

Spices:

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp cayenne

 

Toppings:

green onions

olives

avocado

fresh lime juice

you could also use:

shredded cheese (vegetarian) or vegan cheese

cilantro

diced tomatoes

 

Directions:

1.)    Sautee onion in the olive oil over medium heat until golden.

2.)     Add garlic and sauté for about a minute more.

3.)    Add green and jalapeno peppers and sauté for about 3-5 minutes.

4.)    Add veggie broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, and spices.

5.)    Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender. 

6.)    Serve in individual bowls with toppings and a side of tortilla chips and salsa. 
 

 

Do you get all nostalgic over Mexican food like I do, if not, what foods bring up good memories for you?  And what is your favorite, healthy Mexican food?

 

 

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Squash and Potatoes Au Gratin

 

I have a confession …I really don’t like butternut squash that much…gasp (I know) this is fall blasphemy! What can I say I love savory food and I’ve always disliked the sweetness in butternut squash.  It’s the same with sweet potatoes and pumpkins but I’m determined to make delicious dishes with these ingredients.  I even made a savory pumpkin soup I’ll share the recipe next week. 
For now, back to the squash!

 

We got our first butternut squash of the season in our CSA basket and we also happened to get a bag full of potatoes.  Then it popped into my head au gratin is the answer.  It turns out au gratin isn’t all that healthy or vegan, shocking (note the sarcasm.)  I searched around for a healthier more vegan friendly way to make it and found The Scrumptious Pumpkin who used cauliflower as a base to make her au gratin.  Awesome! I used a base of cauliflower along with garlic, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and a little liquid (reserved liquid from cooking the cauliflower) to make my au gratin. 

I did use organic cheese at the end to create the yummy crust, however, if you want to make it vegan just add ¼ cup nutritional yeast to the cauliflower base and gluten free breadcrumbs drizzled with olive oil as the crust.  This would also be delicious!!

Butternut Squash and Potato Au gratin
Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Option, Egg Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free Option

1 large butternut squash sliced thin

6 medium potatoes sliced thin

1 large head cauliflower

2 cloves garlic

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

¾ cup reserved cauliflower liquid

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup chopped chives for topping

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 400 F

2.      Clean and Roughly Chop Cauliflower, add to a large pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes or until very tender.

3.      Meanwhile wash the potatoes and squash and thinly slice.  I used the large slicer on my food processor since I had so much to slice.  It was the perfect size; you could also easily do this by hand it would just take longer.  Set aside.

4.      Once cauliflower is very tender, drain. Reserve about a cup of the liquid. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

5.      Place the cauliflower in a food processor along with garlic, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and ½ cup reserved liquid.  (If you are making this dish vegan add the ¼ cup nutritional yeast now)

6.      Process until smooth then continue adding the remaining reserve liquid until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  (I used about ¾ cup liquid)

7.      Add half of the potatoes and squash to a 9 x 13 baking dish and cover with half the cauliflower sauce.  Repeat the process with the rest of the potatoes, squash, and sauce.  Make sure all the potatoes and squash are covered in the sauce. 

8.      Cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes.

9.      Remove foil and bake for another 20 or until the potatoes are tender. ( If going vegan add the gluten free breadcrumbs and evoo before baking uncovered)

10.  Remove the dish and cover with grated cheese.

11.  Broil for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

12.  Top with chives and serve!

** This dish is garlicky, if you don’t like that reduce the amount of garlic/garlic powder.

My husband loves all kinds of veggie dishes but the way to his heart is potatoes and cheese …needless to say he loved this dish.  We may even make it for Thanksgiving!  If you make this and try the vegan version let me know how it turns out!!

Check out all the recipes from "winter squash week!" Rice & Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash here and then, Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds here

Do you have the same semi-aversion to sweeter squashes and sweet potatoes like I do or do you think I’m nuts?

 

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