#beach tomato noodle 2018

[nagyom]

#beach tomato noodle 2018 #白浜 #白浜フラワーパーク

[abhi16]

Ready to Eat & Instant Food Sales and Marketing Agency in Mumbai

We are a readymade and instant food sales and marketing agency in Mumbai, and do sales pitching of your products for distribution to our interested sellers and give them appropriate marketing support to create demand. We are a one stop B2BMarketing and B2B distribution solution all over India. Our up to date marketing and branding strategies are top notch and cater to the present market and customer choices. Want our trusted services and offers to boost your ready to eat & instant food sales, then continue reading about us.

About Mumbai

Mumbai is the financial, commercial, and the entertainment capital of India. It is also one of the world's top ten centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,generating 6.16% of India's GDP,and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India.

The city houses important financial institutions and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It is also home to some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes.Mumbai is also home to the world famous Bollywood industry and Marathi cinema industries. Mumbai's business opportunities attract migrants from all over India.

Mumbai is basically a conglomeration of small islands connected by bridges to the mainland. Sometimes it can be overcrowded, chaotic and stifling but it can also be overwhelming and endlessly fascinating.

You will find an amalgamation of cultures in Mumbai. The streets are always filled and on the sides of every street you will find a myriad of temples, mosques, colonial era buildings and old bazaars.You can also take a dive at the beaches, but people generally don’t prefer that as it is polluted. Instead the breathtaking view of Marine Drive will mesmerize you.

Mumbai Real Estate market

Capital values remained almost constant in many places apart from South Central Mumbai where values declined marginally by 2%. The total value of all homes in the US is $33.6 trillion. An analysis by Zillow, a real estate database company, estimated that housing value in the US is 160 percent of the country’s GDP. The value of homes in New York alone is equal to the GDP of India.

Residential capital values in the city are expected to face downward pressure due to subdued transaction activity and increase in launches during the last quarter of the year. The annual property tax collection by the municipal corporation is Rs 5,000 crore.

Whichever value one adopts, it is clear that the stakes in Mumbai real estate are very high. At a valuation of $800 billion, it is equivalent to 43 percent of India’s total stock market value and 29 percent of GDP.

How To Reach

By air- Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Mumbai Metropolitan Area.There is also an old airport Santacruz Airport, which is about 4.5 kms from the international airport. Buses and cabs are easily available from the airport to reach desired destinations.

By rail- Mumbai is very well connected to the rest of India by trains. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is the most popular station in Mumbai. Trains to Mumbai are available from all major railway stations in India. Some important Mumbai trains to note are the Mumbai Rajdhani, Mumbai Duronto, Konkan Kanya Express.

By Road- Mumbai is well-connected with national highways and expressways . Mumbai visit by bus is the most economical for individual tourists. Government, as well as private buses, operate daily services to this route. Mumbai bus stand is situated at the centre of the city. Travelling to Mumbai by car is the common choice made by travellers. One can easily opt for Mumbai car rental for this trip. So Mumbai travel by cab is one of the efficient ways to explore the city. 

The major shopping places in Mumbai are Zaveri Bazaar, Colaba Causeway Market, Crawford Market, Mangaldas Market, Lokhandwala Market. You can buy street jewellery from Zaveri Bazaar, fashionable clothes and books from Colaba Market, from Crawford Market you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, itar (perfumes), cosmetics, and gifts. Other important markets are Mangaldas market, mulji jetha market, CP Tank, Book Street and Sassoon Docks Fish Market and Dadar Flower Market.

India's ready-to-eat food market stood at $ 261 million in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 16% during 2018-2023 to reach $ 647 million by 2023.

The rapid urbanization, increasing disposable income of the middle-class population, changing taste preferences of Indian consumers and the influx of western culture is attributing to the growth of the market for these products. Further, the increasing demand for easy food, rise in quality and high nutritional value in these foods is further aiding growth of India ready-to-eat food market. Demand for instant food products is recording high growth in metro cities where a lot of working people don't get enough time to cook proper meals. Moreover, longer shelf life and easy availability of ready-to-eat food products in every convenient store is further pushing their demand across the country.

The ready-to-eat and convenience food market has literally exploded over the past 3-4 months. Major players in the ready-to-eat space expect revenues to double year-on-year if this growth trajectory continues. "We see this market doubling by December next year. The first two weeks were all about essentials. Following that we have seen growth rates for this category at about 100 percent in kirana stores," said Sachid Madan, CEO, F&V and Frozen Foods at ITC, who expanded their offerings in the frozen foods space to over 102 cities in India.

MTR Foods has also seen a stellar growth rate over the last few months and expects growth to be in the range of 15-18 percent going forward. "We needed to ensure that capacity had to be ramped up. We have seen a growth of 200% in e-commerce and it is now 5% of our business," said Sanjay Sharma, CEO, MTR Foods. A huge demand has been seen in the frozen parathas, idli batter and the packaged mithai categories. ID Fresh Food, which makes idli & dosa batter, malabar parotas and filter coffee, expects business to double month-on-month, going forward.

Ready to Eat & Instant Food Product Ranges

The most popular ready-to-eat items include preparations of paneer, chana masala, rajma masala, pav bhaji, dosa, noodles, frozen paratha chapatti, pasta macaroni, instant soup, frozen sweets, instant food mix batter, vermicelli etc. Rise in the demand for ready-to-eat food products has created the interest among many companies to enter this space which is likely to contribute to the growth of the market in the coming years.  Now various companies like big basket and grocers with their well-equipped delivery chain system deliver the food product online at our doorstep. Furthermore, innovation in product packaging and delivery provided by various companies like BigBasket and Grofers, sustainable packaging, preference of single serving frozen products, aggressive marketing & promotional strategies have steered the growth in the market. 

Marketing and increasing sales of your product is our responsibility. Our extensive team of highly trained individuals will take care of the marketing, logistics and sales of your company, only the manufacturing is to be dealt by you. We make your product available  both online and offline along with producing sales locally so that your brand awareness increases. Our impact ful and trusted marketing plan for instant food is specially designed to lift your sales volume. Our delivery system is well coordinated and connected which makes sure that there is no shortage of products in the market and nothing goes to waste as well. So what are you waiting for! Take the decision of connecting and collaborating with us, it will surely make a huge increment in your sales volume and increase your brand awareness.

Shahi Paneer(3119)

Dal Makhani(2097)

Veg Momos(1804)

Palak Paneer(1734)

Paneer Tikka(1417)

Vegetable Soup(1748)

Italian Pasta(1266)

Tomato Soup(1098)

Macaroni(762)

Premix Soup(414)

French Fries(1621)

Frozen Paratha(709)

Frozen Sweet Corn(639)

Soya Chaap(425)

Frozen Chapati(386)

South Indian Instant Food(2590)

Dosa(2300)

Instant Food Mix(1098)

Idli Mix(808)

Dosa Mix(529)

Instant Noodle(5070)

Healthy Noodle(2717)

Chinese Noodle(2097)

Vermicelli Noodle(1077)

Hakka Noodle(765)

A few Strategies to Increase Sales:-

Contemporize brand engagement- The type of snacks consumers purchase often depends on their age and lifestyle preferences, for example millennials tend to consume assorted snacks throughout the day whereas older people consume very less frequently and tend to have a certain specific choice.

Incorporate local flavours and tastes- For your business to thrive in Pune, you need to cater to understand the taste buds of local people. Their preferences and choices have to be considered to boost your sales.

Promote bundling opportunities- Encourage your customers to try something new by promoting a bundle or two-for deal, and buy one-get one free deals.

Know about your inventory- Customers are loyal to your best selling products, so be aware of the top products’ inventory levels.

Watch upcoming trends- It is important to keep a watchful eye on upcoming trends for continued growth in the industry. Trends in the snack category show which ingredients must be premimtized at what time.

We help our clients solve their Sales, Marketing and Distribution issues and boost their ready-to-eat and instant food sales.

We offer Sales and Marketing services to help instant food dealers on how to improve sales. Not only that, we also work with other small businesses and are dedicated to solving their issues. Complete Marketing plan for ready-to-eat and instant food is prepared to help sort out your doubts and issues. The quality of the products is well taken care of, following the latest international market standards. Everything from creating standards of excellence to training your people to work in more effective ways, introducing ground-breaking strategies, assessing how you’re doing, and helping you perform even better in future.

The Marketing Plan for Ready-to-Eat and Instant Food Sales

Branding and marketing are the two important pillars when it comes to business strategy and improving your sales. However, there is a vast difference between branding and marketing, as well as the actions for success for each. Branding relates to creating a company’s name, logo, and design that easily describe belonging to the company. It helps to identify the product and differentiate it from other products and services.

Brand Improves Recognition

Brand Build Trust

Brand Increases The Business Value

Brand Attracts New Customers

Marketing gets the word out about your business. It allows you to connect with potential customers and inform them of all the services you offer. Proper marketing and branding combined can boost your sales at an astounding pace and help you build a consistent client-base.

 Marketing Informs The Consumer

Marketing Sustains The Company Existence

Marketing Engages More Customers and Sells More Products

Not doing sales planning is like running your business on a wing and praying and hoping that the dart you threw blindfolded will hit the bullseye.There might be a chance you will get lucky and hit the bull’s eye but there is also a  chance you’ll poke someone’s eye out.

Planning Helps To Overcome The Unforeseen Risks

Planning Minimizes Your Risk

Planning sets Achievable Goals And Milestones

Our main tasks to cater to improving your sales, therefore involve Distribution Network Set-Up, Find Channel Partners, Appointing Distributors and Dealers and Find Sales Agents.

#increase_sales #ready-to-eat #instantfood

[tripstations]

Here’s All the Best Stuff to Do in Mykonos and Santorini

Very lame, but I’ve always been kinda afraid of traveling. It’s not a fear of flying, but more that I was born in another country and, as such, overseas travel means a dramatic family visit weighed down with stress, guilt, and 20+ hours on a plane to Asia (where even as a 9-year-old, I was already on some shit about compression socks).

All this to say I don’t feel anything when people quit their jobs to travel the world, and follow zero travel Instagrammers. I’ve gone my entire life without ~seeing the world~ (couldn’t afford to study abroad so my personality doesn’t hinge on four months I spent in Paris, sorry!) and honestly, I would’ve been fine with that forever.

But when I got an invite to tour Mykonos and Santorini on a hotel-hopping trip with Katikies Resorts and Clubs, even *I* was like, HOLYSHITYES. After all, Santorini has been called the “Instagram Island” and when one of the top ten most Instagrammable hotels in Greece (where even Justin Bieber has stayed) invites you on a dream summer vacay, you don’t ask how they got your e-mail—you just GO before they change their minds. Anyway, here are all the fun things that impressed me the most.

First up, don’t even think about leaving without the following:

Butterfly Dress

Reformation thereformation.com

$278.00

Wide Brim Straw Hat

Sensi Studio modaoperandi.com

$295.00

Ultra Jungle Cat-Eye Sunglasses

Crap Eyewear crapeyewear.com

$79.00

Face Crème Night Time/Anytime

Cece Top

Sommer Swim sommerswim.com

$69.00

Jane Bottom

Sommer Swim sommerswim.com

$69.00

Rosemead Dress

Reformation thereformation.com

$198.00

The Bigger Carry-On

Away awaytravel.com

$245.00

Alegra Slip

Sommer Swim sommerswim.com

$219.00

Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunscreen SPF 50+

Mavic 2 Pro

DJI Mavic 2 dji.com

$1,499.00

1. Party it up at all the Mykonos clubs before going to Santorini.

If you are like me two weeks ago and have no idea how to distinguish between different Greek islands, trust when I say you’re gonna wanna do Mykonos first and then Santorini. Why? Totally different vibes. Mykonos is club central—the energy there is extremely horny, and you’ll want to get hedonistic and loose there first before calming down and sightseeing in Santorini, where everyone is coupled up. Everyone is also super hot (still thinking about you, hot passport control guy, imy), friendly, and funny.

Book Now Katikies Mykonos

In the wedding party of my dreams, we rent a bunch of private villas in Mykonos, go to Elia beach, and lounge around our private pool (IDK what’s up with the pool industry in Greece, but it seems like even two-bedroom vacay villas have ones the size of McMansions) before hitting up the two main hot spots: Scorpios and Nammos. If you’re a night owl, you will THRIVE in Mykonos: Parties usually don’t “start” until 2 a.m., and they easily last until 6. Lindsay Lohan may or may not be there.

2. Go shopping in Mykonos town.

The long, winding streets of Mykonos town are filled with little shops and scenic nooks and crannies perfect for ’gramming. Take a day to explore by foot, and add in time for a leisurely lunch and dinner.

During lunch at Kazarma, our waiter mentioned that the historic building used to be owned by Mantos Mavrogenous, a bad bitch who kept a cache of weapons and cash in the building during the Greek War of Independence. Yes, she wound up dying alone, broke from spending all her money on the war effort (for which she was never repaid), and yes, we stan.

3. Take the ferry and bop over to Santorini.

The ferry takes around four hours (compared to the one-hour flight) but offers a much more scenic route. They usually stop to pick up passengers in Naxos, Paros, and Ios, and you can go on the deck to scope out the different cities. Didn’t have time to see any ruins on your trip? The Portara is easily visible from the ferry deck and dates back to 530 BC.

When it’s time to dock in Santorini, you’ll go down into the bowels of the ferry to collect your luggage before disembarking. It’s very much like you’re in Star Wars shipping off in the belly of a giant spacecraft before the gates open and SUN! SANTORINI! JK, you can’t see anything yet because you gotta go up the cliff and settle into a hotel for that Insta-famous Santorini view.

4. Stay in a traditional cave house and appreciate the architecture.

Fun fact: All those cave-like homes you see on Insta (hyposkapha, if you want to be legit about it) are because the islanders kept getting their shit rocked by pirates in the 16th century. As a result, they had to build upward on the most precipitous cliffs they could find.

Carina Hsieh

Book Now Kirini Santorini

This is why Santorini looks and feels so different from other warm would-be-beach towns. There’s no way of just walking from your hotel to the shore—all the resorts are on top of literal cliffs. I stayed in the Kirini Santorini (Carina at Kirini! LOL invite me back pls) and it was *chef’s kiss* in terms of views.

This drone video I bribed Konstantinos Sigalas, Katikies’ social media executive, to take will help you see what I mean.

5. Go on a caldera cruise.

I’m sorry to report that my stupid ass saw a bunch of photos of the ocean in Santorini and was like, “Oh, it’s definitely like a beach town.” Folks, it ain’t!

Few beaches are accessible by foot in Santorini, so the best way to take advantage of that crystal blue Aegean is by boat. We chartered a Riva yacht (v bougie) to take us around the island and stopped where the water looked the dreamiest to pop in for a swim.

On the boat, Sigalas shared this hot blogger tip for getting the best Insta eye-candy shot: Shoot video on your phone, scroll through the video to find the perfect still, and use a screenshot of THAT to get the perfect photo. Very important: you’ll need to go into “Settings —> Camera —>” and adjust “Record Video” to “4K at 60 FPS” for the most high-res stills.

Book Now Caldera Cruise, starting at $1,600/for two passengers

6. Go swimming in the hot springs.

During your caldera cruise you should also ask the captain to make a detour to the hot springs. You’ll know you’re there because the water goes from deep blue to turquoisey-green with orange sulfur on the rocks of the inlet.

Do: Bring a pool noodle. Sorry to everyone who got tired swimming into the inlet, but our captain immediately sized up our wine-drunk asses and was like, “You probs want these.” And we did!Don’t: Wear white in the hot springs. The sulfur will fuck this up. Don’t: Wear any jewelry in the hot springs. Again, sulfur.

A fact I tried very hard to contain during my trip is that I’m the world’s pickiest eater. My definition of seafood means fish sticks from those microwave meals with the penguin, and avoiding vegetables is a firm 1/16th of my personality. But Greece, where the produce and fish are so fresh, suddenly made me the biggest tomato stan on earth, and I would step into the ring for second helpings of whatever sea creature is placed in front of me.

It also helps when everything is deliciously cooked. The restaurants are so exclusive that you usually have to be a member of the Katikies Club to dine there—although this year they opened Mikrasia (with locations in Santorini and Mykonos) and DePaul Restaurant to the public. Santorini Mikrasia has only six tables and it’s generally recommended you book a spot a few weeks in advance. The Mykonos version has more tables but is also v fancy — resident chef Angelos Bakopoulos was on Greek Master Chef. Both restos also won the FNL awards in 2018 (the Greek equivalent to the Michelin Guide).

While a lot of Santorini is Greek Orthodox, Fira town (the capital) has a Catholic church and a monastery where the Vatican would store Greek wines to be shipped to the Pope. Recently, the monastery was bought and turned into Katikies Garden. It’s the most family-friendly of the Katikies clique because there aren’t as many steep stairs. (Seriously! That’s why Santorini doesn’t have a ton of kids running around! What if they fall!)

While everything else in Santorini feels exactly like you’d picture it from postcards and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (sun-drenched, everything bright white), the streets of Fira have a Venetian feel. Even the building’s colors reflect this: There’s a lot of beige and pink as well as rounded archways and courtyards that feel hella Italianate.

It’s all very subtle, but the best way I can describe it is like you suddenly look up and gaslight yourself into wondering if you’re still in Greece. You are!

I’m a pretty tough spa critic (I like my massages how I like my breakups: rough, hard, and with me begging for five more minutes). Yet no treatment has ever compared to the one I got from Nicole at A.Spa. No joke, I physically felt her clear my sinuses through my back at one point. Magic.

Stop by Venetsanos Winery for a tour of the first industrial winery on Santorini. If you’re the opposite of claustrophobic, you can squeeze your bod through one of the old underground wine storage tanks and finish off your day with a breathtaking view of the caldera as you sample a bunch of delicious wines.

Contemplate the meaning of life as you stare off into the Aegean and wonder when your husband will return from Greco-Persian war.

Then, consider taking a second mortgage on the house you do not own in order to stay in Greece forever. Or at least come back next year.

If you can’t make it to Greece just yet, here’s what to buy instead:

Three Cents Pink Grapefruit Soda

Three Cents thewhiskyexchange.com

£1.25

This is the status soda of Greece. Every bar/restaurant worth visiting is stocked up on this pink stuff, and it’s in all the delicious cocktails. I may not know food, but I know my carbonated bevs, and this is GOOD. 

Oia in Santorini by Kadio Kolymva

Armos amazon.com

Super thin and stocked with tons of fascinating tidbits about Oia and Santorini. If you don’t wanna bug the hotel staff with hundreds of iterations of, “Wait, explain how they carved out all these rooms out of rock without power tools again?” like I did, this book will sate you in the best way. 

Donkey Milk Face Serum

Body Farm Greece hercules-shop.com

€32.00

Thank me later when Donkey Milk becomes a Thing in the U.S. One of the women I traveled with picked up this serum on a whim, and for the rest of the trip everyone was fascinated by how great it was. Also, Cleopatra is said to have bathed in donkey milk, so there you go. 

Korres Pure Greek Olive Body Set

You may have heard of Korres here, but I’ve got news for you. There are secret Greece-exclusive products that are WAY better. One of the women on our trip was on a mission to restock her daughter’s collection of the Olive body lotion she’d picked up the previous year, and after trying it, MAN DO I UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY. 

Carina Hsieh Sex & Relationships Editor Carina Hsieh lives in NYC with her French Bulldog Bao Bao — follow her on Instagram and Twitter • Candace Bushnell once called her the Samantha Jones of Tinder • She enjoys hanging out in the candle aisle of TJ Maxx and getting lost in Amazon spirals. 

The post Here’s All the Best Stuff to Do in Mykonos and Santorini appeared first on Tripstations.

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[runfront3-blog]

linguine and clams

It’s only the first day of summer and I’m already weeks deep into our unofficial dish of it, linguine alle vongole, preferably hastily prepared about 10 to 15 minutes before we dive in, eaten outside with a current favorite rosé, caprese salad and a massive bowl of kale caesar (from SKED). It’s infinitely summery. It’s pasta, but I don’t feel like I need a nap after I eat it. And hey, there’s even a t-shirt to go with it (hat tip).

You do not need one fancy thing to make it, save the freshest clams you can find. You can pick them up on the way home from the beach or sprinkler park or wherever you’re going to spend your summer day now that cooking will be the easiest part of it. I prefer manila clams, as they’re smaller and, I’m convinced, sweeter, but littleneck or cherrystone are fine as well. From there, a glug of oil, red pepper flakes, a lot of garlic, a cup of wine, a bag of dried pasta, a lump of butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a pile of chopped parsley, and boom, so easy let’s do it again every week.

The only thing I’m extremely bad at when I make it is measuring, which I’m sure fills you with confidence right now. If you were interviewing me as I was cooking it and said “how much garlic did you just chop?” I’d be like an impenetrable grandmother and say “some” but I mean “a lot” and possibly even “all of it” (it = a head of garlic) when I double this. We’ll call it 7 cloves. Whaaat, you say, did you invite vampires over? But it settles in so well with the other ingredients, it will still not be the first thing you taste. If you ask me how much olive oil I put in the pan to heat the garlic, I’d say, “a glug” or “just coat the pan.” Parsley? A big handful. Butter? A lump. (Note: Every cook who has ever told you they added only a “pat” of butter lies.) Pepper flakes? As much as your crew can handle. Salt? Go for it. Pasta? Eh, about a pound, but what I really mean is, if you guys are a 7 to 8 servings to a pound bag people, do that here; if you’re 3 or 4 to a pound, do that instead. Clams? Well, are clams-as-centerpiece or clams-as-accent people? Depending on where you fall, you might want a scant 1/2 to a generous 3/4 pound per person. Shown here is the latter, and it’s doubled, and this isn’t even all of them, and we still only had pasta left at the end of the meal, and this was just a normal Sunday for my husband’s family, which is why I love them. Know your audience. Written below are more middle-of-the-road amounts that will make most people happy.

A few other things I hope to head off before anyone asks: – Deb, I don’t eat clams: Try this with mussels! Or shrimp, although I’d sauté or grill them instead of steaming them. – Deb, I don’t eat fish at all: Ah! I really want to make this with either chickpeas or artichokes, but be ready to tweak flavors as needed, as clams provide their own flavorful broth in a way that these ingredients will not. In both cases, you are now allowed to finish it with parmesan. If you wish to finish the seafood version with parmesan, just warn me before you tell me so I can cover my ears. – Deb, I don’t want to eat pasta: My favorite pasta swap is actually white beans, either giant (like we do here) or smaller ones more readily available in cans. Maybe you cook dried beans like these chickpeas and pour the warm clams and their juices over them? – Deb, I really only care about the clams: On it! Try these garlic, wine, and butter steamed clams with grilled bread, Portuguese-style. – Deb, I only want to make the caprese salad: (How did you know what my lunch was!) I take two approaches to caprese salad when I’m using grocery store (and not recently-picked, peak-season tomatoes, still a couple weeks off here): 1. Find the best ones you can get and season them well. 2. Find the best ones you can get and slow-roast half of them. This combination of some tart/chewy tomatoes and fresh ones is addictive, and hides a multitude of tomato imperfections. In both cases, add mozzarella or burrata, a few leaves of fresh basil, olive oil, and coarse salt to taste. Balsamic vinegar is not traditional on authentic caprese, but you should make food the way you like it. I add a few drops when the tomatoes are mediocre.

Previously

One year ago: Stovetop Americanos, Easy Drop Berry Shortcakes and Zucchini Grilled Cheese Two years ago: Strawberry Milk, Corn and Black Bean Weeknight Nachos, and Funnel Cake Three years ago: Saltine Crack Ice Cream Sandwiches, Strawberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes, Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie Four years ago: Valerie’s French Chocolate Cake and Limonada de Coco Five years ago: Espresso Granita with Whipped Cream Six years ago: Broccoli Parmesan Fritters and Cold Rice Noodles with Peanut-Lime Chicken Seven years ago: Rich Homemade Ricotta and Linguine with Pea Pesto Eight years ago: Shaved Asparagus Pizza, Root Beer Float Cupcakes and Lamb Chops with Pistachio Tapenade Nine years ago: Lemon Mint Granita, Pickled Sugar Snap Peas, and Springy Fluffy Marshmallows Ten years ago: Dead Simple Slaw + 6 Heat Wave Reprieves, 10 Paths to Painless Pizza-Making, and Pistachio Petit Four Cake Eleven years ago: Gateau de Crepes

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Dutch Apple Pie 1.5 Years Ago: Union Square Cafe’s Bar Nuts and Homemade Irish Cream 2.5 Years Ago: Potato Kugel, Pull-Apart Rugelach, Tres Leches Cake and a Taco Party 3.5 Years Ago: Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix and Gingerbread Biscotti 4.5 Years Ago: Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Frosting, Cigarettes Russes Cookies, and Sugared Pretzel Cookies

Linguine with Clams

Servings: 5 to 6

Time: 20 to 25 minutes

Print

The photos in this post show the staggering portions I used for 8 people (5 pounds clams and 2 pounds pasta; we had a lot of pasta leftover and no clams so I’ve adjusted accordingly). Please take note of what I said above, re: typical portions in your crew when estimating, and adjust as needed for most or less pasta or clams.

Kosher salt

1 pound dried linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil

About 7 cloves garlic, minced

Red pepper flakes, to taste

1 cup crisp, dry white wine, doesn’t have to be fancy

3 1/2 to 4 pounds manila (my first choice), cherrystone, or little neck clams

3 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 lemon

If you think your clams may not be clean, wash them first: Fill a large bowl with cool tap water and place the clams in it. Let them soak for 20 minutes during which they’ll expel any sand and grit.

Cook linguine: Bring a large pot of very well-salted water to a boil and cook linguine until it is tender but still with a good bite left to it, about 1 minute less than the final doneness you’d prefer. Carefully ladle out (about) 1 cup of pasta water into a glass or bowl, set aside. Drain pasta, discarding remaining cooking water.

Cook the clams: In your empty pasta pot or a large sauté pan with a lid, drizzle oil in empty pot and add garlic, a couple pinches of pepper flakes (up to a teaspoon is great here for people who like more heat), and kosher salt, I use about a teaspoon here but use less if you’re nervous. Turn heat to medium, stirring the garlic and pepper flakes until the garlic begins to sizzle and just barely begins turning golden brown. Add wine and half of reserved pasta water and turn heat up so that it boils. Add clams (discarding the water they were soaking in) and cover pot to steam them open. Manila clams take 3 or so minutes to steam open; cherrystone and/or little neck can take up to 5 to 7 minutes. Peeking under the lid is fine.

[If you’re really obsessive like me, after a minute or two, you might open the lid and start removing, with tongs, the ones that have opened. It’s basically like playing one of those fishing games at a beach carnival, where the fish mouths open wide with a prize inside, except these you can actually catch and eat.]

Finish the dish: Scoop cooked clams into a large bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding any that don’t haven’t opened, and leaving the cooking liquid behind. Simmer the cooking liquid in the pot until it has reduced slightly; you want a little less than cup. Taste for seasoning; adjust as needed. Add butter and, once it has melted, add drained linguine and half of parsley; cook them together for 1 minute, tossing frequently, until linguine is well-coated and only a little liquid remains at the bottom. If needed, use some or all of remaining pasta water to keep pasta loose. Add clams (and any liquid that has collected in the bowl) to the pot and toss to combine, once or twice, then tip whole mixture into serving bowl.

Finish with lemon juice, to taste, and remaining parsley. Eat right this very second.

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/06/linguine-and-clams/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

[appletable80-blog]

cabbage and mushroom “lasagna”

In July, because I make no sense at all, I decided to knock an item off my To Cook list that’s been there since 2010, a golden, bubbling, layered dish of mushrooms, cabbage, thinly sliced potatoes bound with a bechamel sauce and topped with cheese. Talk about beach eats!

But a craving is a craving and I made it with the thought that we could try it, then freeze the rest until that whole December – January zone when the sun sets at approximately 3:32pm and the only way to endure it is to channel some Scandinavian coziness and make it, like, fashion. Candles! Thick sweaters! Tea, a good book, and soft music. Long-cooked winter vegetables snug in a rich casserole.

Instead, over a few days we finished the whole thing because it’s completely amazing. The recipe comes from the Marcus Jernmark, the Swedish chef who, at the time, helmed Aquavit, a high-end Scandinavian restaurant in midtown. The recipe made its way into a column by Elaine Louie that briefly ran in the New York Times called “The Temporary Vegetarian” that I followed with devotion. It’s not like a decade ago was dark times for vegetarians, but this column had a freshness to it, focusing on vegetable-forward and varied dishes with home cooks in mind, a few years before its time. (It later became a book).

Jernmark explained that in the fall in Sweden, they eat cabbage, kale, and mushrooms, and he wanted to turn them into a seasonal, homey take on lasagna. Because I’m a pedant, I’m not entirely sold on the name. It seems as much a potato and vegetable gratin as anything else but I’m leaving it because it’s layered, and I have a thing for lasagnas outside the red sauce and ricotta cheese box, anyway.

It’s a bit of work, as can happen when three vegetables and a sauce are involved, but it’s honestly the perfect dish for laying low on a cold weekend: lush but not as nap-inducing as pasta-ed versions. And it’s excellent. The photos don’t do it justice, but it’s cooked cabbage, guys. It’s doing its best.

Previously

One year ago: Dutch Apple Pie Two years ago: Brussels Sprouts, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad and Spinach Sheet Pan Quiche Three years ago: Pecan Pie and Roasted Leek and White Bean Galettes Four years ago: Classic Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline Sauce and Crispy Sweet Potato Roast Five years ago: Cauliflower with Brown Butter Crumbs and Parsley Leaf Potatoes Six years ago: Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Seven years ago: Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts Eight years ago: Sweet Corn Spoonbread and Apple Latkes Nine years ago: Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie, Creamed Spinach and Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake Ten years ago: Cranberry Pecan Frangipane Tart, Mustard-Roasted Potatoes and Walnut Tartlets Eleven years ago: Black Bean Pumpkin Soup, Chicken with Chanterelles and Pearl Onions, Pumpkin Waffles and Cream White Polenta with Mushrooms Twelve years ago: No-Knead Bread, Tomato and Sausage Risotto, Sundried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Ice Cream Cake Roll and Garlic Lime Steak and Noodle Salad 1.5 Years Ago: Potatoes Anna and Strawberry Graham Icebox Cake 2.5 Years Ago: Confetti Cookies and Roasted Carrots with Avocado and Yogurt 3.5 Years Ago: Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake and Fake Shack Burger 4.5 Years Ago: Soft Pretzel Knots and Buns and Carrot Salad with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas

Cabbage and Mushroom Lasagna

Servings: 6, generously, to 12, petitely

Time: 2 hours

Source: Marcus Jernmark, then of Aquavit, via the NYT

Print

There are three key things to know going into this dish:

Seasoning is really key here. It’s winter vegetables, butter, milk, and cheese; it will not naturally boom with flavor. Make sure every element is gets the necessary salt and pepper and it will add up to something wonderful.

I found mine got a little watery as it baked, because cabbage is watery. You can baste a little out, if you wish, or you can just let it go. As it cools, most will settle back around the vegetables and it shouldn’t seem too wet.

I almost didn’t share this recipe because it’s got a bunch of steps, and a lot of vegetables to chop (the dish is all vegetables, after all), and thought nobody would want to make it, but it’s too delicious not to. So do as I do, put on your headphones, queue up The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, try to get your head around the fact that it’s now 20 years old, and you’ll be done before Mary J. Blige shows up.

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

2 2/3 cups whole or lowfat milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Salt and ground black pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound assorted (shiitake, oyster, porcini, chanterelles, etc.) or just cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage (I used less)

2 pounds Napa cabbage, 12 large leaves removed from the head, and reserved, the remainder sliced thin

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 pounds (about 4) yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Västerbotten (the chef’s preference).

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add flour, stir for 3 minutes (do not allow to brown), then gradually whisk in milk, stirring until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scrape sauce into a bowl, and reserve.

Wipe out sauté pan (rinse if needed) and melt 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, sage and sliced cabbage, and sauté until fragrant and the cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add wine and sauté until it has evaporated. Add reserved sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. The mixture should be very thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the mushroom and cabbage mixture is simmering, pour 6 cups of water into a stock pot, and bring to a boil. Add whole cabbage leaves, and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain under cold water, and pat dry on towels.

Grease a 9-by-9-inch baking dish or a lasagna pan of your choice (I used this) with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.

To assemble the lasagna, line the bottom of the dish with half the cabbage leaves, and top with half the potatoes, half the creamed mushrooms. Repeat the layering of cabbage, potatoes and mushrooms, and top with grated cheese. Cover snugly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until the top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes but up to 10 minutes longer if needed. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and serve.

Do ahead: I prepared the sauce and all of the vegetables and then ran out of time when I made this, stashing them in the fridge separately and baking it the next day, which works totally fine. You can also make the dish, chill it, and bake it when needed, and leftovers reheat well too. Finally, you could freeze the whole dish for a later date.

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/11/cabbage-and-mushroom-lasagna/

[actfact2-blog]

What I spent on groceries in July (A Grocery Geek report)

Want a peek into our grocery cart? Here’s how I’m buying groceries and feeding eight people on the cheap.

Hey there! Hi there! Can you believe how quickly the summer has flown by? We are inching up on back to school, so I’m battening down the hatches!

July was a pretty relaxing month with beach days and trips to the movies and a weeklong visit from friends-closer-than-family, but at the same time, I tried to keep my eye open for things that will make my life easier once school starts.

If you’re new here, you might not know that I teach my kids at home. The two eldest are in college, but I’ve got four students on my watch. Trust me when I say, “The days are just packed!”

That means I need to be on my game. This month I spent a fair amount of time prepping fruit for the freezer. Or rather, my daughters did. They were my chief cherry pitters as I stocked up on cherries that were on sale. All my kids love to make smoothies, so if I can fill our freezer with bargain frozen fruit, we’re in business.

I also found a few other items on clearance, like a variety of jams with at least a year before their best-by dates. That’s the only good thing about your Walmart remodeling. They unload some good stuff for cheap. The rest of the time, you’re cursing them for moving EVERYTHING to a new location.

But, I digress.

You’ll notice that our overall bill this month is a little higher than normal. I attribute that to a few splurges at ALDI as well as the stocking up for later thing. Since our average was already under budget, I had plenty of cushion to go over. In fact, our year-to-date average is still under budget! Yay!

And we’ve got surplus in the freezer and cupboards for future months. With six kids it’s pretty hard to get ahead in a truly substantial way — they are perpetually hungry! — but I’m trying. In doing so, particularly when I find screaming deals, we save a lot of money.

Per the most recent USDA food cost reports (link below), we’re more than $300 UNDER a food stamp budget for a family of our make-up. Yay for good cheap eats!

The Grocery Geek report

For those of you new here, Grocery Geek is my regular report of how I shopped for groceries, what deals I found, and my running total of how we’re sticking to a budget for groceries.

Here’s the rundown on my shopping this week. As you read, keep in mind who and how I’m shopping:

My grocery shopping profile

To update you on my grocery geekiness:

I’m feeding eight people, ages 55, 46, 21, 17, 16, 14, 11, and 9. Five of those people are males. They eat A LOT!

I’m shooting for a budget of $1100 this year, trying to beat what the feds think it will cost. Per the most recent USDA food cost reports it should cost our family $1346.60 to eat all meals at home under the “thrifty plan” for people of our demographics.

We live in Southern California where produce is cheap, but meat and dairy are not.

I’m trying to feed us mostly unprocessed foods, with a few “healthier” convenience items thrown in and a junk food splurge* here and there.

I work at home and teach five of our kids, so I don’t have as much time for fiddling in the kitchen as I would like.

I no longer use coupons on a regular basis, though I do love the coupons that Ralphs offers.

I have at least ten grocery stores within 5.5 miles of my house. It is easy (for better or for worse) to stop at several stores to get the best deals.

We mostly eat at home. My husband and college age son often pack lunch and breakfast to work, but sometime have lunch out. My husband and I enjoy a date once a week. FishPapa takes one child out to “dinner with dad” once a week. We eat out as a family on average once a week.

BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME FOR EXTRAVAGANCE, please read this post.

What we spent on groceries in July:

Sprouts

strawberries $0.97/lb (stockpiling in freezer)

5# bag potatoes $1.99

cilantro $0.50/bundle

granny smith apples $0.99/lb

green bell peppers $0.77 each

green onions $0.50

lettuce $0.99/head

zucchini $1.49/lb

jalapeños 8/$1.00

nectarines $0.98/lb

organic gala apples $0.99/lb

organic celery $1.99

red bell peppers $1.25 each

cherries $0.97/lb (stockpiling in freezer)

red onions $0.99/lb

watermelon $2.99

bag shishito peppers $2.99

baking powder $1.99

lemon ginger tea $3.49

carne asada $3.99/lb

fresh sausage $2.99/lb

xtra lean ground beef $2.99/lb

French bread $1.89/loaf

Total spent $87

Vitacost

Occasionally I order flour from Vitacost as a way to find better quality at a reasonable price.

bread flour $4.69/5# bag (stockpiling in freezer)

whole wheat flour $3.19/3# bag (stockpiling in freezer)

Total spent $43

Ralphs

whipping cream $5.49

eggs $3.99

Total spent $10

Sprouts

strawberries $0.97 (stockpiling in freezer)

cilantro $0.50

hot house cucumber $1.50

organic baby spinach $4.99

red bell peppers $1.25

cherries $0.95/lb (stockpiling in freezer)

tea $3.49

greek yogurt $2.99

Total spent $19

Trader Joe’s

maple syrup $15.99

cereal $1.99

frozen chicken tenderloins $7.49 (stockpiling in freezer)

milk $2.69

frozen green beans $1.99 (stockpiling in freezer)

almond butter $5.99

juice $2.99

cheddar $2.47

hummus $4.99

3-pack peppers $3.29

Total spent $61

Sprouts

mini watermelon $0.95 each

raspberries $1.50

cherries $0.95/lb (stockpiling in freezer)

bananas $0.59/lb (stockpiling in freezer)

mozzarella $6.99/2#

greek yogurt $2.99

Total spent $38

Ralphs

grape tomatoes $2.99

deli salami $5.50

sushi $8.99 each

deli turkey $10.39

Boursin cheese $3.99

Brie $6.30

Total spent $53

Walmart

milk $2.39

powdered sugar $1.98

sugar $1.98

turbinado $3.98

unbleached flour $5.98

brown sugar $1.98

Total spent $25

Costco

olive oil $14.69-$14.99

dry pinto beans $5.69

organic brown rice $11.99

frozen yakisoba $11.49

hummus singles $6.49

chicken bake $10.99

rotisserie chickens $4.99 each

craisins $4.89

organic spaghetti $8.89

kirkland tuna $12.99

cheddar jack shreds $12.59

organic quinoa $9.49

pesto $4.89

organic honey $13.49

avocado oil $9.69

shredded mozzarella $11.99

pita $3.39

frozen tilapia $16.49 (stockpiling in freezer)

Tillamook cheddar $8.99

frozen french fries $6.59

romaine 6-pack $3.99

frozen Hawaiian chicken $11.49

roast whole turkey breast $3.99/lb

tortillas $3.69

mixed bell peppers 6-pack $6.99

frozen ono $19.89 (stockpiling in freezer)

greek yogurt $5.59

butter $11.19

Total spent $365

Sprouts

blueberries 18 oz. $1.97 (stockpiling in freezer)

pineapple $1.98

apples $0.50/lb

plums $0.98/lb

nectarines $0.98/lb

organic baby carrots $0.98/lb

red cherries $0.95/lb (stockpiling in freezer)

apple cider vinegar $4.99

Total spent $33

Ralphs

green salsa $0.79

cilantro $0.69

jalapeños $0.99/lb

canned tomatoes $1.69

Total spent $5

Ralphs

cereal $0.99 to 1.69

ice cream and popsicles $4.49 to 4.99

chocolate chips $3.49

grapes $2.99/lb

bananas $0.59/lb

grapefruit $1.29

melon $0.77

mushrooms $2.29

broccoli $1.99/lb

Total spent $38

Sprouts

baby carrots $1.29

melon $0.98

grape tomatoes $1.50

XL avocados $1.66

organic bananas $0.69/lb

mango 2/$1

sweet onions $0.68/lb

organic coconut milk $1.99

greek yogurt $2.99

frozen strawberries $2.99

Total spent $33

ALDI

eggs $0.94

bottled sparkling water $0.69 each after CRV

frozen tamales $5.49

milk $2.10

whipping cream $1.99

tomato paste $0.39

flour tortillas $1.59

fruit $2.19

pepperoni $2.19

salami $3.49

olives $2.99

seedless cucumber $0.95

organic baby spinach $2.49

yellow onions $1.35

diced green chiles $0.59

superfruit spread $2.89

deli sliced cheese $1.99

deli ham and turkey $2.99

red potatoes $2.25

baby carrots $0.89

red onions $0.59/lb

whole carrots $0.95

coleslaw $1.49

red peppers $0.65 each

b/s chicken breast $1.29/lb

Total spent $100

Ralphs

macaroni and shells $0.89

milk $2.49

canned pintos $1.69

large mayonnaise $6.29

shredded lettuce $1.79

mushrooms $2.29

yogurt $5.99

ground pork $2.99 on clearance (stockpiling in freezer)

chuck roast $3.99/lb

clearance bread $0.99

Total spent $60

Sprouts

strawberries $0.97

mushrooms $3.49

melons $0.67

cilantro $0.50

tomatoes $0.98/lb

eggplant $1.25

XL avocados $1.66

nectarines $0.98/lb

organic bananas $0.59/lb

organic celery stalk $1.99

mangoes 2/$1

soba noodles $1.69

tahini $5.99

rice vinegar $2.29

bottled water $3.70 after crv

sliced bacon $2.27

wild sockeye salmon $9.99

Total spent $75

Walmart

juice $3.28

jams on clearance $1-$2 (stockpiling in pantry)

nutella packs on clearance $1.50 (stockpiling in pantry)

greek yogurt $5.38

broccoli $1.68/lb

flour $5.98/10#

limes $0.25

shrimp $5.86

water chestnuts $0.72

shredded carrots $1.67

Total spent $50

ALDI

eggs $0.92

frozen green beans $1.39 (stockpiling in freezer)

frozen bell peppers $1.79 (stockpiling in freezer)

organic whole wheat spaghetti $1.09

organic black beans $0.89

crushed tomatoes $0.99

garbanzo beans $0.69

organic diced tomatoes $1.65

ground black pepper $2.69

salami $3.49

onion flakes $0.99

sparkling water $0.69 after CRV

deli ham and turkey $2.99

olives $2.99

milk $1.38

sour cream $1.29

pickles $3.79

flour tortillas $1.59

black beans $2.49

corn tortillas $2.28

tostada shells $1.85

pepperoni $2.19

cheddar $2.99

hummus $2.29

chips $1.99

cottage cheese $1.29

brie $2.99

chocolate $1.49

whipping cream $1.99

mini bagels $1.99

spinach $1.19

bell peppers $0.75 each

broccoli crowns $0.99

deli sliced cheese $1.99

Italian bread $3.99

coleslaw $1.49

limes $0.15

romas $0.45/lb

graham crackers $1.25

woven wheat crackers $1.75

green tea $0.99

green onions $0.99

flatbread $2.89

cilantro $0.33

jalapeños $0.49 (stockpiling in freezer)

red onions $0.59/lb

milk $2.10

b/s chicken breast $1.89/lb

Total spent $159

ALDI

sparkling water $0.69 after CRV

pepperoni $2.19

jalapeños $0.49

tomato sauce $0.29

tomato paste $0.39

Total spent $27

Trader Joe’s

frozen chicken tenders $7.49 (stockpiling in freezer)

tofu $1.69 to $2.49

Total spent $41

ALDI

sparkling water $0.69 after CRV

eggs $0.91

pepperoni $2.19

cottage cheese $1.29

garbanzo beans $0.69

tomato paste $0.39

Total spent $32

Spent in July: $1354

Spent in 2018:

January: $490

February: $1084

March: $1224

April: $1009

May: $994

June: $1095

July: $1354

Total spent YTD: $7250

That’s an average of $1036/month

Source: https://goodcheapeats.com/2018/08/what-i-spent-on-groceries-in-july-a-grocery-geek-report/

[businessweekme]

Maldives, Dolomites, and Panama Top List of Most Memorable Trips

It’s always a whirlwind year of traveling when your job is to suss out the world’s most ambitious hotels and bucket list-worthy vacations. And while there were many individual moments that I’ll cherish from my travels in 2018—such as the benevolent spa therapist at Faena Miami Beach who practically raised me from the dead after a brutal conference—these are the destinations that made the most lasting impressions. I know I’ll return to all of them; follow in my footsteps and you likely will, too.

5. PanamaInstagram: Nikki Ekstein on Instagram: “Really e…

Conservation is an issue that’s close to my heart, so I was instantly drawn to the story of a billionaire who had acquired an entire archipelago off the Pacific coast of Panama, only to protect it from future development.

The glamorous castaway vibe starts when you land in the remote town of David, near the Costa Rican border, where guests are picked up in a no-frills boat (but offered Champagne on the spot). Then it’s off to Isla Cavada, where Louis Bacon now owns a nine-villa, ultra-luxury resort. The property, Islas Secas, is made for people like me who love to be on boats and in the water. I spent my days snorkeling, swimming in isolated beaches, exploring national parks, and “seabobbing” around the 14-island chain and the areas just beyond it. (What’s a seabob, you ask? It’s an expensive motorized kickboard that works above and below the water’s surface—and it’s tons of fun to play with.)

The whole trip also gave me an excuse to check out the Havana-esque scene in Panama City, where I had my most memorable meal of the year: a tasting menu at Donde José, highlighting the indigenous recipes of this legendary global crossroads.

4. The MaldivesInstagram: Nikki Ekstein on Instagram: “It’s lik…

I’d never really been curious about the Maldives. Having been raised in Miami, crisscrossing the globe just for a beach trip never felt worth it. But when I realized I’d be a half-hour’s flight away from the Maldivian capital of Malé while reporting a story on Sri Lanka’s luxury coming-of-age (see below), I couldn’t not take a detour.

The Maldives, it turns out, is not about the beaches. It’s about seclusion. From the deck of my duplex villa at Soneva Jani, there was nothing but still, turquoise ocean as far as the eye could see. And the water was so shallow, so clear, you could seemingly run a marathon toward the horizon without getting more than waist-deep, always surrounded by needlefish and the occasional school of colorful underwater critters. It was so shallow, in fact, that the private water slide in my room was safe only to operate at high tide.

Which leads me to the Maldives’s second calling card: The hoteliers here pull out more stops than anywhere else in the world. Apart from the water slide, my villa had a retractable roof over the bed and a walk-in pantry stocked with gummy bears, booze, and SPF 30. Of course, it all costs a pretty penny—as does every glass of wine, since alcohol imports are heavily taxed in the primarily Muslim country. But it’s unlike anything else in the world.

3. JapanInstagram: Nikki Ekstein on Instagram: “Kanazawa…

My first deep dive into Japan would probably rank on my all-time top-five-trips list, which tells you something about the quality of these last few destinations.

As with the safari I took two years ago, Japan was a trip that I’d been mulling for the better part of a decade—one that required my husband and me to save up ample vacation days (nearly three weeks’ worth) and a budget to match. We had soy sauce ice cream in Kanazawa (it’s better than it sounds), impeccable tempura in Tokyo, oysters the size of my whole hand in Miyajima, and a Japanese kaiseki meal prepared entirely in a brick oven in Kyoto. We bought authentic Japanese denim in the ultra-charming town of Kurashiki, learned to make raku-style pottery and meditate with a Buddhist monk, and slurped buckwheat noodles made from home-milled flour in a tiny town near Shirakawa-Go. Every morning at Auberge Maki No Oto, we were served rice grown on the hotel owner’s farm in Takayama; at Ryokan Kurashiki, the general manager doubled as our personal guide. It was an intimate look at a country that’s too often seen as difficult to access—but is actually incredibly warm, welcoming, and easy to navigate.

Of course, insider access helps: we used Black Tomato as our travel agent for a running start, then added a few experiences recommended from industry friends at Remote Lands and Ryokan Collection. I’d recommend booking with any of them for a truly next-level trip.

  2. The Dolomites, ItalyInstagram: Nikki Ekstein on Instagram: “He’s the…

The world is so large, I try to avoid going the same place twice. But with the Dolomites, in northern Italy, I’ll break that rule again and again.

I’ve never had a better ski lunch than the one at Rifugio Averau, a mountain hut in the Cinque Torri region (not to be confused with Cinque Terre on Italy’s west coast), where a roughly €15 ($17) pasta platter came heaped with impeccable speck tortelloni and hand-cut pappardelle al ragu. Closer to the Austrian border, in the town of San Cassiano, the menus gravitate more toward schnitzel and streusel—a curious culinary divide. And everywhere, the base lodges had thick, sipping chocolate topped with panna, that lightly sweetened Italian cream. (You’re not going to the right places if you think skiing isn’t a gateway to good eating.)

As for the slopes? They proved ideal for my taste: plenty of gentle, scenic terrain interspersed with not overly challenging steeps and intermediate-friendly circuits. (As a bonus, we never waited more than a minute or two to get on the lifts.) And what sounds like a catch was really a perk. Fewer ski-in, ski-out hotels make you need wheels to get around, but driving from town to town opens up a world of cultural contrasts and jaw-dropping panoramas. Add a growing list of luxury accommodations, from Ciasa Salares to Rosa Alpina to Cristallo, a Luxury Collection hotel in the luxury town of Cortina, and it’s no wonder that the Dolomites warrant regular, if not annual, returns.

1. Sri LankaInstagram: Nikki Ekstein on Instagram: “Official…

There are so many reasons we travel: to get away, to expand our horizons, to spend time with family, to relax. Sri Lanka delivers on any of those counts, but it also goes so much deeper.

Sure, the beaches in Galle are as pristine as those anywhere in Southeast Asia. A safari drive through Yala National Park can get you leopard and elephant sightings, plus up-close-and-personal time with majestic peacocks and feisty macaques. And a lazy day in tea country can unlock meaningful conversations about civil war, social progress, and the power of tiny white-tipped plants to transform economies and lives. Seaplanes—and resorts by the trailblazing luxury hotelier Resplendent Ceylon—connect all these disparate locations into a tight and mesmerizing web, with facets so distinct it’s unclear how they all fit together on a single island.

It turns out that the connective tissue, though, is exactly what makes Sri Lanka so special. All around the country, tourism is unlocking tremendous opportunity; locals are invested in preserving and showcasing their culture and the natural assets they’ve been blessed with, and travel industry trailblazers such as Malik Fernando are giving them the toolkit and platform to do just that. It’s impossible to visit without becoming invested in the country’s upward mobility, to be moved by the community development and conservation initiatives pushing Sri Lanka forward, or to resist the temptation to extend your itinerary to see even more. Its abundance—of experiences, of generosity, of optimism—left me recharged, reinvigorated, and uplifted. In an era when so many of us travel just to get away from the daily grind of work and politics, nothing could be more impactful.

The post Maldives, Dolomites, and Panama Top List of Most Memorable Trips appeared first on Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.

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#Travel #Dolomites #Maldives #Panama #Sri Lanka

[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/great-spots-for-vegetarian-and-vegan-dining-in-orlando/

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Orlando & Kissimmee

Whether you've made a commitment to healthy eating or just fancy a change, you don't have to miss out on dinner while on vacation in Orlando. Vegetarian and vegan dining in Orlando and Kissimmee is plentiful.

There are Vegetarian and Vegan Dining options locally, in the parks and a few local haunts a little further afield.

If you're wandering around the Orlando theme parks and feeling peckish, there plenty of options to tickle your vegetarian and vegan taste buds. Menus change quite frequently, but items below will give you a guide.

Disney go above and beyond to cater for dietary requirements. Disney chefs really know their stuff when it comes to vegetarian and vegan dining, or guests with dietary or allergy requirements. Always discuss your options with your server.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Disney Parks

Iconic Vegan Snacks

The first thing we have to note is some hugely popular sweet treats that are ideal for vegans. The Dole Whip is probably Disney's most iconic park snack and the pineapple version is vegan. (The vanilla version is not). The hashtag #DoleWhip has over 160,000 posts, so you can see how popular it is! And a newcomer in 2018, the Peter Pan Float has already graced the pages of many Instagram accounts. And if you order it without the red chocolate feather, it's perfect for vegans. Available from Storybook Circus in Magic Kingdom. Another to add to the list is LeFou's Brew. This delicious slush drink from Gaston's Tavern in Magic Kingdom is totally vegan.

Here's what available for Vegetarian and Vegan dining in the parks:

Magic Kingdom:

The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street USA offers Toffuti or Rice Dream. (Cones contain honey, so vegans need to ask for a cup or float). Columbia Harbor House at Liberty Square has a vegetarian chilli which is vegan friendly if you cut out the crackers. There's also a Lighthouse Sandwich without the slaw.

Main Street USA also has Crystal Palace where you can get vegetables, rice and tofu dishes. Speak to the chef about vegan options. Tortoga Tavern in Adventureland has a Vegan Vegetable Burrito, be sure to ask for plain white rice. Plaza Restaurant has a veggie burger and vegetable sandwich on vegan bread. In Fantasyland, Be Our Guest has Quinoa Salad or French Onion Soup, (vegans ask for it without the cheese) for lunch. Dinner options include Whole Grain Macaroni & Marinara Sauce and Ratatouille.

In Tomorrowland, Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe has the Malibu Garden Burger. There are several toppings available. Vegans need to ask for the gluten-free bun as the regular bun contains honey. The Malibu Garden Burger can also be found in Peco Bill's in Frontierland. Aloha Isle offers Pineapple and Orange Dole Whip and a Dole Whip Float. Liberty Square is home to the Liberty Tree Tavern where you will find a Roast Veggie Sandwich with the option of Vegan Mayo. Tony's Town Square offers vegan and vegetarian pasta dishes.

Hollywood Studios

Several vegetarian and vegan dining options here. Malibu Garden Burger at Rosies All American Cafe and also Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. Sci-Fi also offers vegan pasta and milkshakes.

Backlot Express at Echo Lake has a grilled vegetable sandwich available on asiago bread, without the pesto and cheese for vegans. 50’s Prime Time Cafe offers Sissy’s Vegetarian spaghetti. If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to ask about the tofutti ice cream and vegan milk shakes. Commissary Lane is home to ABC Commissary and offers Couscous, Quinoa and Arugla Salad. PizzeRizzo has Grilled Vegetable Pizza with the option to have Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese. There's also a side salad. Vegans can have it without croutons or cheese and request Italian instead of Caesar dressing. BaseLine Tap House offers a soft Bavarian Pretzel that is served with beer cheese dip and spicy mustard dip. Vegans can get two spicy mustards dips instead.

EPCOT

Sunshine Seasons Restaurant in The Land has plenty of vegetarian and vegan dining options. There's even a Special Dietary Treats Station. Take your pick from a selection of grab and go snacks such as veggie wraps, suchi or the Oak Grilled Veggie Sandwich (vegans leave out the feta). You can even ask for the Timarand Beef with Jasmine Rice and they'll substitute beef for vegan Gardein Beef-Less Tips. (Make sure the cashier knows it's vegan beef as it's priced lower than the beef version).

Coral Reef Restaurant have a Vegetarian Chicken Breast and Marinated Grilled Vegetables. Over at World Showcase, L'Artisan des Glaces in France has a sorbet in vegan friendly waffle cones. Les Chefs de France offers Ratatouille (minus cheese for vegans).

Tangerine Cafe in Morocco has a Vegetable platter - vegans can substitute the pita bread and lentil salad. They often have vegan bread. Marrakesh Restaurant also in Morocco has vegetarian and vegan options, so be sure to ask the server. Katsura Grill in Japan has a vegetable roll suitable for vegans Mexico offers Guacamole con Totopos in La Cantina. Teppan Edo in Japan has grilled veggies with white rice. Tokyo Dining has vegetable sushi and seaweed salad. Vegan Fish & Chips are available at Rose and Crown in the United Kingdom using Gardein fishless fillets.

Animal Kingdom

Satu'li Canteen in Pandora: World of Avatar offers the Crispy Fried Tofu Bowl. Perfect for vegetarians, there's a choice of 4 vegan bases too. Vegans will want to leave off the boba balls. Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland has the Malibu Garden Burger with a selection of vegan toppings. Vegans need to ask for a gluten-free bun as the regular bun contains honey.

Pizzafari in Safari Village has a Veggie Pizza and an option of vegan cheese. Tusker House Restaurant offers fun character dining and lots of vegetarian and vegan dining options. It's buffet style and the buffet is always loaded with dishes perfect for vegans and vegetarians. Yak and Yeti is a Nepalese style restaurant offering pan-Asian cuisine. Vegetarians can get several dishes and vegans can get Miso Tofu, Sweet & Sour Tofu and rice or noodles with tofu.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Disney Resorts

Animal Kingdom Lodge:

Sanaa in Kidani Village offers a full-blown Vegan Menu and has a huge choice. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: For appetizers, Indian Naan Bread with a selection of dips; Potato and Pea Samosas; Salad Sampler offering a choice of 3 salads from selections; Tomato & Spinach Soup and Chickpea Cakes. Entrees: Vindaloo Vegetables, Spicy Chickpeas and Vegetables with Green Curry Sauce. Dessert: Tofutti Ice Cream (which is also available in several other places around the Disney hotels and parks); The Mango Sorbet is also available and served with a selection of fresh fruits. Website: Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Jiko — The Cooking Place offers dinner only and will thrill the palettes of vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. It really has something for everyone. There's a whole vegan and vegetarian menu available. It changes seasonally so we can't give examples, but you won't be disappointed! Website: Jiko - The Cooking Place

The Boma Buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge has several options. As with everything else, their service is exceptional. The chef will walk you around the buffet explaining the items you can eat. Website: Boma Buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Grand Floridian:

Citrico's Restaurant at the Grand Floridian offers a good choice and the chef will be happy to talk to you about your requirements. The wait staff are extremely knowledgable too. They'll make sure you get vegan bread and soy milk for coffee. The menu changes frequently and is Mediterranean based. Website: Citrico's at Grand Floridian

Narcoossee's also at Grand Floridian offers a full vegetarian and vegan menu. As a diner, you can also watch the Happily Ever After fireworks at Magic Kingdom from the beach area. A super fireworks view without the crowds!

Advanced reservations are strongly advised in all Disney full service restaurants and you can book ahead as far as 180 days. Dining Hotline: [phone] Book online: Disney Dining

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Disney Springs

Disney Springs has a ton of options for vegan and vegetarian dining.

The Impossible Burger is available at both House of Blues and The Edison. The vegan patty is served with vegan American cheese, shredded romaine, secret sauce with dill pickle chips on a vegan bun. The Edison also offer a Greek Salad (without Feta for Vegans) and a Chopstick Chicken Salad, without chicken for vegetarians and vegans.

Erin McKenna Bakery NYC is a unique bakery with savory offerings and an all-vegan and gluten-free menu. Look for a full selection of award-winning donuts, cupcakes, cookies, bagels with vegan butter. Fan-favorite cupcakes from their flagship bakery in New York include vanilla cupcakes with zesty lemon frosting, red velvet cupcakes ith creamy vanilla frosting and brownie cupcakes with rich chocolate frosting. See full menu at Erin McKennas Bakery NYC

Staying with the sweet treats, the Red Velvet Cupcake at Sprinkles is vegan. Be sure to ask if there are any other vegan versions available and they often have specials.

Raglan Road has a 'from scratch' kitchen which makes it much easier for them to rustle up a treat for vegetarian and vegan dining. The 'Super-Cauli-Caponata-Tasty-N-Delicious' is spiced cauliflower eggplant caponata with lentil and pumpkin seed dressing. They also have a vegetable medley and The Big Q without cheese.

Bongo's Cuban Cafe have a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu items including the Black Bean Hummus (vegans order it without the aioli). There's also avocado salad, mixed veggies, vegetarian stew and veggie Cuban wrap.

The Boathouse offers Garden Salad, Sea Salt Baked Potato, Corn on the Cob and Grilled Asparagus (Vegans ask for no hollandaise sauce).

Frontera Cocina offers Zuccini & Poblano Tostadas (without cheese), Vegetable Enchiladas and Mushroom Tortas (without cheese). The guacamole and chips are also vegan.

Blaze Pizza offer build your own pizzas with Daiya Vegan Cheese. The regular crusts and gluten free crusts are vegan.

Morimoto Asia offer several vegetarian and vegan dining options. Sautéed Chinese Vegetables, Vegetable Steamed Rolls, White & Brown Rice and Steamed Vegetables. There's also Miso Soup and House Greens.

D-Luxe Burger offer a vegetarian burger. The bun is not vegan, but you can get it between a halved lettuce head instead.

The House-made Guacamole at Paradiso 37 is very tasty and totally vegan. There's also Roast Vegetables and House Salad (without cheese).

Paddlefish offer Vegetarian Pasta (vegans request no cheese or butter) and green salad, along with crispy Brussel sprouts, fries and Blistered Green Beans.

Polite Pig - while a BBQ joint might not sound like the ideal place for vegetarians or vegans, you actually do have a good choice! A recently introduced vegan dish is Smoked Root Vegetables tossed in an orange-thyme vinaigrette and topped with puffed grains. Other vegetarian options include Tomato & Watermelon Salad, Roast Beets, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, BBQ Cauliflower (without sour cream for vegans), Grilled Street Corn  (without butter for vegans) and Sweet Potato Tots (without cheese for vegans).

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando offer a good selection in City Walk and throughout the theme parks. If you get a little peckish in the parks, you can snack on popcorn, soft pretzels and Dippin Dots - the Rainbow variety is Vegan. There's also fresh fruit available.

Universal Studios

Monster Cafe offers Wood Fired Cheese Pizza. Vegans can opt for French fries or roast potatoes and broccoli.

Lombard's Seafood Grill offers several options including Portobello Quinoa. Vegans can have this without the cheese and fried onions. The San Francisco Cobb Salad can be prepared vegetarian if you let the server know. The lemon and garlic shrimp pasta is served with a variety of vegetables and is perfect for vegans without the shrimp.

The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley offers a vegetable platter (vegans ditch the breaed) that includes roast veggies, tomatoes and beets. If it isn't shown on the menu, just ask the server. There's also roast veggies and several sides which vegans can have prepared with non-dairy butter. To wash it all down, vegans can have Tongue Tying Lemon Squash, Pumpkin Juice, Peachtree Fizzing Tea,Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice and Gillywater.

Lisa's Teahouse of Horror over by The Simpsons offers salads and wraps for vegetarians. For vegans, hummus and veggies are available. Fruit plates and cups are available too.

If vegans have a craving for dessert, head over to Finnegans Bar & Grill for the fruit platter topped with raspberry sorbet. They also offer a vegan burger with mixed vegetables, if it's not shown, ask the server. The Veggie Black Bean Burger is great for vegetarians, but contains egg so isn't suitable for vegans.

Ben & Jerry's offer a vegan Peanut Butter and Cookies Ice Cream

Islands of Adventure

Confisco Grille located at Port of Entry offers several vegetarian and vegan options, including Pad Thai. Adventure in Fajitas are vegan if you leave out the cheese, meat and sour cream. Vegetarians and vegans will both enjoy the Portobello Veggie Wrap.

Mythos Restaurant has a few vegetarian and vegan options. The Meze Platter, Pad Thai and Risotto can all be made vegetarian and vegan. They will serve bread with oil and balsamic instead of butter for vegans.

The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade offers a selection of vegetarian dishes and servers are happy to accommodate vegans where possible. Vegetarians can get fresh garden salad, roast potatoes (no butter for vegans), baked potato (no butter/sour cream for vegans), baked breakfast beans, grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushroom, potato wedges and steamed vegetables.  Roast vegetables are marinated in vegan margarine, but make sure the server knows. Although vegans can't slurp on Butterbeer, you can drink Tongue Tying Lemon Squash, Pumpkin Juice, Peachtree Fizzing Tea,Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice and Gillywater.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Kissimmee & Celebration

Sweet Tomatoes:

This buffet style restaurant prides itself on farm fresh, made from scratch wholesome food. It offers salads, soups, pastas, veggies and baked goods. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: Whole Wheat Creamy Chipotle Salad; Whole Wheat Spicy Asian Peanut Salad; Chipotle, Lime & Cilantro Quinoa; Italian White Bean; Lemon Linguine with Fresh Basil and Spicy Southwestern Pasta to name a few. You can see a full breakdown of vegan and vegetarian dishes on their website: Sweet Tomatoes Menu If you join their 'Veg Club' they will send you coupons and deals for your visit. Sweet Tomatoes Veggie Club Address: 3236 Rolling Oaks Boulevard, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Bahama Breeze:

One of our favorite restaurants. Caribbean inspired food, great cocktails and a laid back atmosphere. There's a live singer several times a week on the outdoor patio. And Happy Hour too! What's not to love!

They offer vegetarian and vegan dining and encourage diners to talk with their server before ordering. The chefs are happy to omit meat, butter and cheese whenever they can from any dish on their menu. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: House Salad; Tropical Fruit on Mixed Greens; Stuffed Tomatoes; Baked Bimini Pretzel; Chips ‘n Vine-ripened Tomato Salsa; Tostones; Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger or Sun-Drenched Portobello & Vegetable Sandwich. Vegans can ask for everything sautéed in oil rather than butter. Menu options change frequently, so speak to your server for up to date options. Website: Bahama Breeze Address: 8160 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Olive Garden:

Very open to catering for vegan and vegetarian options.

Speak to the server when you are seated and they will offer options. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: Olive Garden Address: Olive Garden, 8136 W Irlo Bronson Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: Tel: [phone]

Panera Bread:

A bakery style cafe. The store offers a selection of artisan bread. There's also cakes, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and flat-breads. They are happy to omit ingredients to cater to vegans wherever possible. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: Greek Salad without cheese, Classic Cafe Salad, Vegetable Soup without Pesto and Black Bean Soup are just a few on offer for Vegans. Try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on several varieties of vegan bread, or one of the several vegan bagels on offer. Website: Panera Bread Address: 8120 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company

If you're heading for a a shopping spree at The Loop, Midici Pizza Co offers vegan cheese and vegan sausages for the vegans customers. Website: MidiCi Address: 720 Centerview Blvd. Kissimmee, FL 34741 Phone: [phone]

Mexican Restaurants with Vegetarian & Vegan Options

If you are staying in one of our vacation homes, there are two Mexican restaurants close by that offer vegetarian and vegan options.

On The Border have a Vegetarian Menu that includes a selection of appetizers, fajitas, enchiladas, salads and burritos. Vegans are a little more limited, but they can get guacamole quesadillas, a vegan burrito and avocado enchilada. However, they do warn that other meat items may have been cooked in the same oil, so do speak to your server to confirm On The Border: 3250 Rolling Oaks Blvd. Kissimmee. Phone [phone]

Chuy's Tex-Mex has similar vegetarian items as mentioned above. Vegans can eat chips & salsa, guacamole and nachos without cheese for appetizers. For entree, Veggie Enchiladas (without cheese) is available, topped with Tomatillo or Ranchero sauce, both of which are vegan. Other vegan choices include Mexi-Cobb salad without cheese, Bean & Cheese Burrito without the cheese. Mexican and green chilli rice are both vegan as are the refried beans. Chuy's Tex-Mex, 7913 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747. Phone [phone] 

Outback Steakhouse

A steakhouse with vegetarian and vegan option? It's true! The Outback are happy to talk to customers about dietary requirements. For vegetarians there are salad, pasta and dessert options. For vegans there's not that much, but the House Salad is available without croutons and cheese, plain baked and sweet potatoes are available and fresh steamed vegetables (without butter). Outback Locations: 7804 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747. Phone [phone] W E Osceola Pkwy # 300, Kissimmee, FL 34741. Phone [phone]

Columbia Restaurant

Florida's oldest family owned restaurant chain has a rich history and is one of our favorite local restaurants. They have several vegetarian options, including vegetable paella. Vegans can speak to the server about having dishes prepared vegan, they are happy to accommodate whenever they can. Website: Columbia Restaurant, Celebration Address: 649 Front St, Celebration, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Imperium Food & Wine

This delightful wine bar/bistro has a great selection of vegetarian options on the menu. Vegetarian appetizers include baked brie, spinach & artichoke dip and humus. There are several salads, sandwiches, wraps and flatbreads suitable for vegetarians.Vegans can speak to the server about substitutions. Website: Imperium Food & Wine Menu Address: 606 Market St #140, Celebration, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Orlando Local Gems

If you're staying in the Disney/vacation area, these may be a bit of a trek. But, here's a pick of some firm vegetarian and vegan restaurants loved by Orlando Locals.

Dandelion CommuniTea Cafe

Located just far enough off the beaten path in Orlando to be quaint, this local haunt is a firm favorite with visitors who find it too. The bright and colorful neighborhood cafe offers a range of dishes made from scratch using local produce to support the community. Everything is organic to support the environment and everything is vegetarian to support a health conscious lifestyle. With the exception of dairy cheese, the whole menu is vegan and celiac friendly. Drivetime*: About 40 Minutes

Website: Dandelion Communitea Address: 618 N Thornton Ave, Orlando FL 32803 Phone: [phone] Hours: Sunday 11am-5pm, Monday – Saturday 11am to 10pm

Ethos Vegan Kitchen

The picturesque village of Winter Park has more than it's share of vegan restaurants in Orlando. There's a Whole Foods Market store here too, so you could combine a visit for dining and groceries.

Winter Park is a well worth a visit and is a beautiful blend of culture and history with over 100 specialty stores and boutiques. The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour is perfect for all ages.

Ethos Vegan Kitchen won Orlando Magazine's Readers Pick 2015 Dining Award for "Best Vegetarian", Plus was runner-up in Orlando Sentinel's Foodie Awards. The menu is 100% vegan and they estimate that 50% of the menu is organic too. For appetizers, try the Garlic Knots made with hand tied house made dough or the Southern style Hoe Cakes. They offer a great selection of soups, salads, pasta and sandwiches. Entrees include BBQ chickun, Bay Cakes and Pecan Encrusted Eggplant. They also have hand-tossed pizzas prepared with their house made dough. There's a kids menu and be sure to leave room for dessert! Drivetime*: About 50 minutes Website: Ethos Vegan Kitchen Address: 601-B S New York Ave, Winter Park, FL, 32789. Phone: [phone]

Loving Hut

One of the fastest growing vegan chains, Loving Hut opened it's doors in Orlando in 2009. It may be a chain, but each store is individual and the chefs can offer their creativity based on local ingredients and styles. Loving Hut say they are the world's largest vegan restaurant chain. It was founded by spiritual teacher Supreme Master Ching Hai and there are over 200 stores worldwide. The menu is Asian based and also has western dishes too. There's a selection of quinoa dishes, soups, salads, rice and noodles. They also have Family Plates such as Lemongrass Delight, King Spicy Cha Cha and Ocean Delight.Drivetime*: About 40 minutes Website: Loving Hut Address: Loving Hut 2101 E Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL, 32803 USA Phone: [phone]

Other Resources for Vegetarian and Vegan Dining

Menu's are changed often and it can be challenging to keep up, but there are some great blogs that concentrate on vegan and vegetarian options that are usually pretty much up to date. Vegan Disney World gives you a comprehensive list of all vegan items available. The also offer reviews from their personal experiences. VeganDisneyWorld

AllEars: For a list of Vegan snacks in the Disney parks, check out this article by AllEars.Net. They also have a great graph for vegan and vegetarian dining in the parks.

Flying with Fosters is a travel blog that scoured every single Disney Springs menu (in March 2018) to discover every vegan option available. See the full list.

So there you have it, some vegetarian and vegan options both locally, a little off the beaten path and in the Orlando theme parks.

Go eat and enjoy!

For a Google Map showing all the above locations see here: Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants

*Drivetimes shown are for guests staying in one of our Orlando Vacation Home Rentals: Serendipity at Indian Creek - Serenity Lake House - Sleepy Hollow

#dining #dining in Orlando #Vegan Restaurants #Vegetarian & Vegan Dining #Vegetarian Restaurants

[disneygeekcom]

Shanghai Disney Resort Celebrates Splashing Summer with Cool New Entertainment, Seasonal Offerings and More

Guests to soak up the fun of summer with new shows, fresh food and beverage menus and exclusive new merchandise for endless summer fun

Summer entertainment to offer fresh surprises and memorable experiences for guests

Cool Zones will be ready throughout Shanghai Disneyland where guests can escape the heat of summer and be energized in the fun and refreshing misty areas.

Part of the brand-new Disney • Pixar Toy Story Land will be transformed into a water-blast-world with Farmer Al’s Splash Around designed to delight and cool off guests. At several points throughout the day, a number of Andy’s favorite toys will host an interactive water play performance designed to fully immerse guests in the colorful new world of toys.

The extremely popular “Summer Blast” will return to the stage at the Enchanted Storybook Castle, with a number of performances held every day. The exciting show features energetic performers, classic Disney characters, and a fun dose of water, and several new showery surprises.

Duffy’s Splashing Pre-Parade is also set to delight guests as they gather to witness Mickey’s Storybook Express this summer. The pre-parade procession, led by Duffy and ShellieMay, will give guests a welcome bout of cool spritzes as they, along with a host of dancers with hand-held soakers, traverse the parade route cooling guests off. This year StellaLou and Gelatoni, Duffy’s friends, will also join the parade on a brand-new float. Lucky guest families have the chance to get in on the watery fun along the parade route aboard the two grand marshal cars that are part of this summer celebration.

Seasonal menus deliver a refreshing summertime experience all their own

This summer, guests will find many cool drink offerings throughout the resort, including the StellaLou Fantasy Dreamer served up in a StellaLou souvenir cup, Mickey honey pomelo slushes in Mickey souvenir cups, Toy Story Souvenir Sips and more, like Donald’s Special Cooler, set to roll out later this month. New kiosks desserts, like the Stitch spiral sundae and the mango frozen yogurt sundae, or the Mickey marshmallow brownie and Olaf strawberry fruit tart at Remy’s Patisserie, will really hit the spot for any guest with a bit of a sweet tooth.

The Toy Box Café is also serving up new dishes like braised seafood rice and roasted pork ribs and wheat grass with potato chips, while Mickey & Pals Market Café, Pinocchio Village Kitchen and Wandering Moon Restaurant feature fresh additions, like tomato beef brisket rice, soup noodle with prawns and salt duck leg with pork noodle soup. Royal Banquet Hall’s new seasonal menus include gourmet appetizers and entrees—with a special lobster menu, plus sweet finishes like the StellaLou frozen ice cake. Hotel guests can also enjoy new a-la-carte additions at Aurora, and summer holiday beverages at Lumiere’s Kitchen.

Brand-new products to help guests stay cool and stylish this summer

Shanghai Disney Resort will offer more than 50 new, exclusive seasonal merchandise products and limited editions pin. The tropical, beach-inspired collections feature Mickey and friends with summery seaside images. Guests can find the exclusive new apparels with Disney Character Images, stylish accessories such as new blue summer Mickey sunglasses and the popular Millennial Pink Minnie sequin headband. This summer also sees an all-new Duffy and friends summer merchandise line, which includes Duffy and ShellieMay plush, a ShellieMay headband, foldable shopping bags, ShellieMay and StellaLou tees and more.

Other hot new items to help guests soak up all the fun of summer include an exclusive Shanghai Disney Resort family beach towel, misty fans, stylish straw and bucket-style sun hats and plus the popular pink Minnie UV-proof umbrella.

More summer entertainment and experiences in Disneytown from sunset to evening Disneytown is another perfect place for families and friends to have fun together where a variety of summer-inspired activities will be hosted. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a football camp will be held every weekend from June 23 to July 15 where guests can come and have a training. Once the World Cup comes to an end, the area will be transformed to allow guests to work out and practice Body Combat and Yoga in the cool evening air between July 21 and September 2. During the same period, on Friday and Saturday, a lawn movie night will be held to showcase some of your favorite Disney movies out on an open-air screen.

#ShanghaiDisneyResort Celebrates Splashing Summer with Cool New Entertainment, Seasonal Offerings and More (Press Release) Shanghai Disney Resort Celebrates Splashing Summer with Cool New Entertainment, Seasonal Offerings and More Guests to soak up the fun of summer with new shows, fresh food and beverage menus and exclusive new merchandise for endless summer fun…

[derrickappleus]

55 Healthy Summer Side Dishes

Welcome to summertime! It’s the most colorful season around, filled with everything from bright and vibrant clothing to a range of beautiful flowers. It’s not all about aesthetics, either. The bounty of fruits and vegetables available during the summertime makes it the best season for eating the rainbow.

Deliciously Healthy Side Dish Ideas for Summer or Any Occasion

From backyard barbecues to sunset parties, summer is filled with outdoor celebrations. No one likes to show up to a party empty-handed, but you don’t want to bring the same dish as someone else, either! We have over 50 ideas for healthy summer side dishes, so you’ll have more than enough inspiration all season long. They make for the perfect side dish for a bbq or cookout, but they also make great snacks. And, if you’re looking for a potluck dish, look no further.

So, throw on a colorful bathing suit and get ready to cool down with these healthy summer side dishes. Your friends and family will love their light but bold flavors.

1. Southwestern Brussels Sprout Coleslaw

As far as I’m concerned, Brussels sprouts never go out of season. They’re most abundant between August and March, so be on the lookout to make this healthy summer side dishes recipe for later summer parties. I love whipping up this healthier take on your typical coleslaw to put on the picnic table next to some of our Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant Burgers with Cheese!

2. Gluten-Free BLT Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are a huge part of the summer life, but not everyone is a fan. For example, my brother doesn’t really like the stuff, but he’s a huge fan of bacon. I made this recipe for our last family party, and he must have eaten half the bowl! That makes this Gluten-Free BLT take on pasta salad a winner in my book.

3. Cold Asian Noodle Salad

In the summer, anything that has the word “cold” in the name is a good thing. And, trust me, the fact that this Lexi’s Clean Kitchen recipe has the word “cold” in it is not the only reason it’s a good thing. It’s also so full of veggies, flavor, and, of course, color!

4. 15-Minute Zucchini Noodle Tomato Salad with Balsamic Dressing

I love, love, love using zoodles in healthy summer side dishes! They’re great for both adults and kids because they give you that pasta texture that we all crave every now and again, while not giving you all of the carbs of that pasta. This easy-peasy zoodle recipe of ours. It’s super refreshing on a hot summer day!

If you’re as big of a fan of zucchini noodles as I am, don’t forget to check out our Zucchini Noodles with Pistachio Pesto and our Chicken Parmesan Over Zucchini Noodles.

5. Sunflower-Coated Cheesy Kale Chips

These kale chips by Minimalist Baker are one of my favorite things to snack on at the beach! They don’t make me feel bloated, and they taste so good. It also helps when I eat them faster than the seagulls can try to steal them from me!

6. Keto Fathead Low Carb Pizza Rolls

When Sugar-Free Mom creates a recipe for healthier pizza rolls, that means you’ll have a side dish that’s actually kid-friendly! I think we can all agree that pizza never goes out of season, both for  kids and adults, but too often adults are worried about how pizza will affect bikini season. Luckily, these pizza rolls are swimsuit-approved – they’re low-carb and made with nutritious ingredients.

7. Rainbow Salsa

Talk about eating the rainbow: this SkinnyMs recipe places every color together in a bowl! Throw in some non-GMO, organic tortilla chips and you’ve got yourself a perfect summer BBQ side dish!

The post 55 Healthy Summer Side Dishes appeared first on Skinny Ms..

source https://skinnyms.com/healthy-summer-side-dishes/ source https://skinnymscom.blogspot.com/2018/05/55-healthy-summer-side-dishes.html

[dailynynews-blog]

The Best Fusion Tacos in Los Angeles

New Post has been published on https://www.usatelegraph.com/2018/best-fusion-tacos-los-angeles/

The Best Fusion Tacos in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has more than its fair share of authentic Mexican tacos, but it’s also have the richest selection of fusion tacos with flavors from around the world. Whether you like your tortilla made with flour or corn and stuffed with Korean bulgogi, North African pozole tagine or Mediterranean kebabs with tzatziki, you’ll find amazing taste sensations to discover.

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Mondo Taco

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Mondo Taco translates as Taco World, and they aim to provide as many world flavors as possible wrapped in their handmade corn tortillas. (For the gluten-intolerant out there, note that they use a little flour in their regular corn tortillas, but they have gluten free and paleo options available on request.). Offerings range from El Greco, with lamb, tzatziki and diced tomato and the Amore with grilled chicken breast, bruschetta and pesto sauce to Tokyo Shrimp, Bayou Fish, Taj Majal coconut shrimp, Thailicious chicken with chipotle peanut sauce or the Yo Adrian ribeye with provolone. All variations are also available in a wrap or a bowl. Sides include cabbage, horseradish slaw, and hot or cold quinoa in addition to the more traditional chips and salsa and guacamole. As a bonus, they have a nice patio and serve beer, wine, and margaritas.

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Kogi Korean Tacos

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Roy Choi’s original Korean-Mexican Kogi BBQ truck is still an LA favorite with four trucks on the road, but his signature specialties are now also available at the Alibi Room near Culver City and the Kogi Taqueria in Palms. Tacos have corn tortillas, slaw, cilantro, onions, salsa roja and a choice of short rib, bbq chicken, spicy pork or tofu. Korean-themed mulitas, quesadillas and burritos are also on the menu as well as a selection of bowls and sliders.

  03of 14

Komodo

•••

The Komodo franchise was created by Indonesian-born, East LA-raised, Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Erwin Tjahyadi. The Asian-Mexican fusion street food with a little French technique thrown in started in a truck, but is now available at two brick and mortar locations in Pico-Roberson and Venice. The truck is only brought out for catering events these days. The four taco Killer Combo gives you a chance to try four different fusion tacos from Singaporean-style shrimp or Indonesian-style pork rendang braised in coconut milk to Hawaiian seared Angus ground beef patty with pineapple teriyaki sauce, white rice and sunny-side up egg; Deep fried fish and grapes; or chicken with marinated oranges, among others. Salads and dinner plates are also available.

  04of 14

Revolutionario

•••

When you read this, North-African-influenced Revolutionario may or may not have a physical location, since their original Exposition Park location was sold out from under them, but if they don’t currently have a fixed location, keep a look out for the Revolutionario on Wheels food truck. Corn tortillas can be topped with duck hash; pozole tagine with lamb, beef, chicken, hominy and vegetables; smoked lamb; black-eyed pea falafel and more. Burritos, quesadillas and bowls are also available. Follow @ChefZadi on twitter to keep up with what’s going on.

05of 14

Kaya Street Kitchen

Kaya Street Kitchen is frequently referred to as a Southeast Asian inspired Chipotle because you choose your platform of non-GMO flour roti taco, whole wheat burrito, rice or noodle bowl, or salad, then choose your protein, then your veggie toppings and sauces. Proteins include grilled chicken satay, shrimp and pork meatballs, coconut lemongrass beef, or tofu.

  06of 14

TLT Food

•••

TLT Tacos – named in honor of its predecessor, The Lime Truck – calls itself “New American cuisine without boundaries”. Taco flavors include sweet & spicy steak with Asian slaw; beef short ribs with horseradish crema; pork belly with mojo sauce; and grilled ahi tuna with honey-chipotle sauce. Other specialties include the ahi poke bowl or chimi noodle bowl; a short rib grilled cheese on sourdough; and a quesadilla with pork belly, sweet potato or short rib, in addition to more traditional options. They also serve craft beer, keg and specialty bottled wine.

TLT Food has additional locations in Pasadena and in Orange County in Irvine and Newport Beach.

  07of 14

Cha Cha Chili Asian/Korean

•••

Another contender on the Korean-Mexican stage is Cha Cha Chili, which is basically a burger and taco stand with outdoor seating located next to a car wash in an industrial area in El Sereno. You’re not likely to stumble upon it by accident unless you live in the area, however, fans make the pilgrimage for the seriously good Korean-Mexican specialties. In addition to their Kimchee quesadilla, bulgogi beef, kalbi short rib and spicy pork tacos, burritos, chimichangas and Hawaiian bread sliders, there are chicken, battered fish and tofu options and Korean or Chorizo Angus burgers. There’s even a Korean Philly Cheese Steak.

  08of 14

Mandoline Grill Food Truck

•••

Mandoline Grill is a Vietnamese food truck that includes Vietamese fusion tacos in corn tortillas with your choice of meat topped with fresh cucumber slices, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro, and sriracha aioli. They also serve bun (rice vermicelli noodles), bahn mi (baguette sandwiches) and Vietnamese nachos topped with meat, jalapeno, mint, cilantro, scallion oil and sriracha oil. Their schedule is listed on their website about a week at a time.

09of 14

The KooKoo Grill

The KooKoo Grill in Bellflower, south of LA, is a Japanese-Mexican fusion. They only offer two meats in their tacos, chicken or beef, both topped with cucumbers, onions, teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds and hot sauce, with avocados available as an add on. You can also get the same combo wrapped as a burrito or as a bowl or plate. The California burrito is teriyaki beef, french fries, 1000 island, pico, guacamole, lettuce, and hot sauce. The full menu includes salads, noodles, fried fish and shrimp, and the house special Kookoo Ball, a deep-fried fried rice ball resembling Italian arancini.

The original owners sold the Bellflower location and opened another KooKoo Grill in Anaheim. They both get stellar reviews.

  10of 14

White Boy Tacos

•••

White Boy Tacos is one guy with a cart who can be found at his regular spot in front of 740 South Broadway most nights from 9 or 10 pm to 3 am. The guy is Ben, who puts his unique spin on tacos like whiskey marinated steak with hash browns; BBQ pork with bacon and coleslaw; Albariño and Dijon marinated tilapia; sake marinated chicken breast with scrambled eggs, pepper and onions; and orange juice marinated tofu and grilled banana.

  11of 14

HomeState

HomeState is on this list, rather than my Best Authentic Tacos list because they’re hipster Austin-style Tex-Mex, rather than pure Mexican. They’re especially known for their breakfast tacos on fresh tortillas, including non-traditional options like the Blanco with organic egg whites, mushrooms and jack cheese. Other options include Austin-style chips and queso, Texas toast, Frito Pie in a Bag, or Kale Cabbage Salad. They also serve Cuvée Coffee imported from Austin, Mexican Coke and Hibiscus Limeade. Expect challenging parking and long lines especially for weekend breakfast/brunch.

  12of 14

Trois Familia

•••

Under a rainbow sign in a Sunset Blvd strip mall in Silver Lake, you’ll find the French-Mexican concept from celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. Open for breakfast and lunch, the only actual tacos on the menu are the double decker potato tacos with lime, crème fraiche, carrot pico and jack cheese. The menu is not completely meat-free, but  concoctions like the beet tartare tostada and carrot mole enchiladas find favor with vegetarians. Compared to other fusion tacos on this list, servings are quite small for the price. 18% service charge is added to all bills. No additional tipping is necessary.

13of 14

Kabob Express Fusion Truck – Mediterranean

The Kabob Express Fusion Truck offers traditional Mediterranean food in a pita, or you can choose from the Mexi-terranean Tacos, including a choice of chicken kabobs, shawarma, gyro slices or falafel in soft corn tortillas with hummus, pico de gallo, lemon juice and salsa, served with a side of dill cucumber salad and tzaziki sauce. Also available as a burrito. They don’t seem to have a website, but can often be found in Santa Monica at lunchtime on Food Truck Row at 31st and Ocean Park.

  14of 14

Falasophy

•••

Falasophy doesn’t just fuse Lebanese with Mexican in their Spicy Modern Tacos with falafel, avocado, pickled red cabbage, cilantro garlic-crema, house-pickled jalapeños in a flour tortilla. They also serve Banh Mi inspired Pita with pickled daikon and carrots, fresh cilantro, jalapeños garlic sauce or tahini with chicken shawarma or falafel. The rest of the menu is pretty traditional Lebanese.

#California #California Cruise #California guide #California places #cruise #Fusion Tacos in Los Angeles #guide #Los Angeles #places

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Trader Joe’s Newest Products in 2018, Reviewed

New Post has been published on http://kitchengadgetsreviews.com/trader-joes-newest-products-in-2018-reviewed/

Trader Joe’s Newest Products in 2018, Reviewed

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Trader Joe’s has it all figured out. The new products, they just keep coming. We’re on a hare-brained mission to try every new product at TJ’s in 2018. Trying. A noble pursuit, a “good use of time,” “what is this, an ad?”, call it what you will. New this week—Valentines gummies, coconut clusters of fun, pretty good chicken sausage, and more.

Organic Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, $4.99These floppy shingles of roasted turkey are a lunch meat staple, though I’ve never tried to bind two pieces of paper with them. Instead, I roll them with sliced Swiss cheese and dip them in mustard like the grown adult person with an expired license I am. A subtle, roasted flavor elevates the turkey from its natural state of taste (soggy meat Kleenex) to a whisper of Thanksgiving leftovers. Good product. Reliable sandwich material. Real meat. Gluten-free. Protein. Precisely circular. Not salami.

Gummy Xs & Os, $2.99In time for Valentine’s Day, we have a big bag of gummies. The ”natural flavors” flavor reminds me of rosé–supposedly grapefruit, strawberry, and mixed berry—but they all blend together to me in the way you’re pretty sure gummy bears are different flavors for different colors but are they, really?? All I know is that the Xs taste better than Os. The big downside–sorry, gummy enthusiasts—is that the texture is too soft. Like that moment you’re making out with your Valentine and finally come to terms with the fact that he’s a body pillow named Ted. Gummies need a little bit of chew, some struggle, a reminder that it’s not gonna be easy all the time. A nice metaphor for love if you ask me.

Electric Buzz Coffee Cups, $5.49I drink coffee the old-fashioned way—by pouring off-boiling water into a filter directly in my mouth—so I enlisted a guest reviewer for these TJ branded K-cups that are supposedly EXTRA CAFFEINATED! “It’s no special cup of mud,” texted my friend Keith, a man who puts plastic cups in a machine expecting roasted bean juice to come out. BA’s Alex Delany described these coffee pods like he does beer, ridiculously: “It tastes like someone walked across your tongue with brand new dad sneakers on. Rubber soles.” Did he really need to offend all of dadkind like that? Probably yes.

Organic Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage, $5.99Like many chicken sausages, it tastes like chicken sausage. Throw in some garlic powder and basil particles and poof, Italian. Out of the package, they have a slimy smooth, bouncy hot dog texture because the casing has been removed. I don’t get how this works, but I‘ll try anything once. A sweet, kind cashier with a striking resemblance to my Uncle Manny (RIP) said he loves to make sausage and peppers with them, so that’s what I did. I mean, we’re practically family. The sausages are smaller side, more the size of Ball Park Franks, and crisp up in the pan as intended. Two people in my household ate the entire package of five links, dipping each bite in mustard and trying to find something more meaningful to say about something as mundane as chicken sausage. Notes of peppercorn tingle the tastebuds. Solidly Not Bad.

Coconut Sesame Seed Clusters, $1.99These are little shards that aren’t quite granola and yet aren’t anything else. Purgatory snacks! They’re crunchy pieces of toasted coconut covered in sesame seeds, sealed together with coconut sugar and tapioca syrup. Okay so they’re candy. Serving suggestions include: casually eating out of a hollowed coconut shell, on ice cream, but more likely, by the handful until you read the nutrition facts and realize the bag is empty but hey, at least they’re gluten-free? If this isn’t impulse purchase material, I don’t know what is.

Previously

The Week of January 22

Churro Bites, $2.49The only thing these churro bites share in common with hot-off-the-oil churros is a coating of cinnamon sugar. Other than that, these crunchy nuggets are their own category of cookie-chip. They have a near-velvet outer texture, the combination of shiny hardened butter and sandy sugar, like when you dropped a doughnut hole at the beach but ate it anyway, because seagulls. (Because you’re a monster). Sort of like giant Corn Pops, rolled cinnamon sugar. I won’t even begin to describe what they visually resemble (😺 💩). The cashier at TJ’s looked at the nutritional details and then slowly raised her eyes to mine. Me: “These are not good for you.” Her: “Then why are you buying two?”

Gluten Free Oat Cranberry Flaxseed Cookies, $2.99As a general life principle, you should never trust a cookie with more than three names. These gluten-free-oat-cranberry-flaxseed-cookies seem to think that they can trick us into believing they’re some kind of health food but we know, ohhhh we KNOW. These are cookies. With plenty of butter and sugar. Because of that, I have some great news: They taste like cookies! Like a very good grocery store oatmeal raisin cookie, with a surprisingly soft and chewy texture (I see you, molasses and rice flour.) They crumble a little, but then again who doesn’t in this current political climate? Still not sure what a flaxseed is, but I’m already starting to see definition in my abs.

Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce, $1.99This so-called simmer sauce is the pale minty green of my grandmother’s bathroom walls, with much more flavor (and a lot less lead!). Even though a simple green curry is easy to make, at this price, it costs the same as just the can of coconut milk, and there’s Kaffir lime peel in here. It’s fragrant with lemongrass and ginger, and super creamy, a little sweet—overall, delicious. You cook some protein or veg, add the sauce, serve over noodles/rice. What does this sauce have in common with a certain presidential marriage? There’s absolutely no heat. BYO-chile if you need to spice it up.

Tahini, Pepita & Apricot Slaw Kit, $3.99Inside one plastic bag you get four more little plastic bags! It’s like a Russian nesting salad of environmental doom. Or something. The slaw is a combination of veggies from the aisle-land of misfit produce. Spiky broccoli stems. Faded carrots the color of construction cones abandoned by the highway. The curly split ends from a kale haircut. Cabbage. Unfortunately the dressing, a sweet honey tahini (try this one!), which is pretty good, can’t mask the musty taste of the veg. The pepita and apricot sprinkles are a nice idea, but like hoping the 14 throw pillows on your couch hide all of the cat hair, they can only do so much.

Previously

The Week of January 8

Photo by Chelsie Craig

Frosted Sugar Cookies, $2.99Trader Joe’s imitation of Lofthouse’s iconic packaged cookies is the best thing they’ve brought to the new year. The freakishly smooth, delightfully underbaked sugar cookie is topped with frosting and randomly distributed purple-pink sprinkles. Whoever was in charge of sprinkles appears to have sneezed them out, some gather along the edges, holding on for dear frosting life.

But they really did it. It’s mythic, and it dissolves into dust the second it touches your saliva. The minute you bite into it, you forget it was ever there. And it’s everything you’ve missed since the last time you had one, stoned at 10 p.m. in Kroger with your middle school friends who’ve all had babies on Facebook by now. It’s a cookie that will send you back in time, in memory, in a sugar-induced nostalgia nap.

Photo by Chelsie Craig

Cocoa Almond Cashew Beverage, $2.29Who doesn’t love a beverage? AKA the FDA-approved term for milks that aren’t milk. Remember milk? Pause to pour out some beverage in the memory of milk. Those days are over.

This incredibly silky not-milk is chocolaty and sweet, with a vaguely nutty aftertaste, like a burp after too many bar peanuts. The creamy texture, thanks to the beautiful food science that is locust bean gum and other emulsifiers, ends on a near slimy note, reminiscent of the inside of the cardboard chocolate milk carton. It would be nice in a banana smoothie, heated as faux cocoa, mixed into iced coffee, or given as a bribe to children who have never known the cult of cow.

Photo by Chelsie Craig

Italian Marinara Sauce with Barolo Wine, $3.49Have you ever spooned straight marinara sauce into your mouth? It’s acidic and sweet, smooth save for the little toenails of tomato skin here and there. The saltiness left my chapped lips burning and tingling, like I’d exfoliated them with French fries. The addition of Barolo seems to say, “I know wines other than red,” while the black-and-gold Deco packaging suggests a Gatsby-themed party at the Olive Garden. It tasted like pretty good pizza sauce. Sign me up.

Organic Fruit and Seed Granola, $3.69These little clusters of organic seeds, held together by plasticky tasting tapioca syrup, are nuggets of health. I think. No pesky oats here, just seed bombs that I imagine are only slightly larger than what well-fed pigeons expel. The sharp and crunchy texture is appealing to parents who bring healthy snacks to the movies. They’re also the perfect snack for mindful eaters, as you will mindfully spend every bite doing tongue yoga to get chia seeds out of your molar fillings from the 90s. There are surprise bites of sweetened dried cranberries that will make you exclaim, “SUGAR, for MEEEE?” Somehow you will eat the whole bag.

Stay tuned for more, next week.

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[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/great-spots-for-vegetarian-and-vegan-dining-in-orlando__trashed-2/

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Orlando & Kissimmee

Whether you've made a commitment to healthy eating or just fancy a change, you don't have to miss out on dinner while on vacation in Orlando. Vegetarian and vegan dining in Orlando and Kissimmee is plentiful.

There are Vegetarian and Vegan Dining options locally, in the parks and a few local haunts a little further afield.

If you're wandering around the Orlando theme parks and feeling peckish, there plenty of options to tickle your vegetarian and vegan taste buds. Menus change quite frequently, but items below will give you a guide.

Disney go above and beyond to cater for dietary requirements. Disney chefs really know their stuff when it comes to vegetarian and vegan dining, or guests with dietary or allergy requirements. Always discuss your options with your server.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Disney Parks

Iconic Vegan Snacks

The first thing we have to note is some hugely popular sweet treats that are ideal for vegans. The Dole Whip is probably Disney's most iconic park snack and the pineapple version is vegan. (The vanilla version is not). The hashtag #DoleWhip has over 160,000 posts, so you can see how popular it is! And a newcomer in 2018, the Peter Pan Float has already graced the pages of many Instagram accounts. And if you order it without the red chocolate feather, it's perfect for vegans. Available from Storybook Circus in Magic Kingdom. Another to add to the list is LeFou's Brew. This delicious slush drink from Gaston's Tavern in Magic Kingdom is totally vegan.

Here's what available for Vegetarian and Vegan dining in the parks:

Magic Kingdom:

The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street USA offers Toffuti or Rice Dream. (Cones contain honey, so vegans need to ask for a cup or float). Columbia Harbor House at Liberty Square has a vegetarian chilli which is vegan friendly if you cut out the crackers. There's also a Lighthouse Sandwich without the slaw.

Main Street USA also has Crystal Palace where you can get vegetables, rice and tofu dishes. Speak to the chef about vegan options. Tortoga Tavern in Adventureland has a Vegan Vegetable Burrito, be sure to ask for plain white rice. Plaza Restaurant has a veggie burger and vegetable sandwich on vegan bread. In Fantasyland, Be Our Guest has Quinoa Salad or French Onion Soup, (vegans ask for it without the cheese) for lunch. Dinner options include Whole Grain Macaroni & Marinara Sauce and Ratatouille.

In Tomorrowland, Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe has the Malibu Garden Burger. There are several toppings available. Vegans need to ask for the gluten-free bun as the regular bun contains honey. The Malibu Garden Burger can also be found in Peco Bill's in Frontierland. Aloha Isle offers Pineapple and Orange Dole Whip and a Dole Whip Float. Liberty Square is home to the Liberty Tree Tavern where you will find a Roast Veggie Sandwich with the option of Vegan Mayo. Tony's Town Square offers vegan and vegetarian pasta dishes.

Hollywood Studios

Several vegetarian and vegan dining options here. Malibu Garden Burger at Rosies All American Cafe and also Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. Sci-Fi also offers vegan pasta and milkshakes.

Backlot Express at Echo Lake has a grilled vegetable sandwich available on asiago bread, without the pesto and cheese for vegans. 50’s Prime Time Cafe offers Sissy’s Vegetarian spaghetti. If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to ask about the tofutti ice cream and vegan milk shakes. Commissary Lane is home to ABC Commissary and offers Couscous, Quinoa and Arugla Salad. PizzeRizzo has Grilled Vegetable Pizza with the option to have Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese. There's also a side salad. Vegans can have it without croutons or cheese and request Italian instead of Caesar dressing. BaseLine Tap House offers a soft Bavarian Pretzel that is served with beer cheese dip and spicy mustard dip. Vegans can get two spicy mustards dips instead.

EPCOT

Sunshine Seasons Restaurant in The Land has plenty of vegetarian and vegan dining options. There's even a Special Dietary Treats Station. Take your pick from a selection of grab and go snacks such as veggie wraps, suchi or the Oak Grilled Veggie Sandwich (vegans leave out the feta). You can even ask for the Timarand Beef with Jasmine Rice and they'll substitute beef for vegan Gardein Beef-Less Tips. (Make sure the cashier knows it's vegan beef as it's priced lower than the beef version).

Coral Reef Restaurant have a Vegetarian Chicken Breast and Marinated Grilled Vegetables. Over at World Showcase, L'Artisan des Glaces in France has a sorbet in vegan friendly waffle cones. Les Chefs de France offers Ratatouille (minus cheese for vegans).

Tangerine Cafe in Morocco has a Vegetable platter - vegans can substitute the pita bread and lentil salad. They often have vegan bread. Marrakesh Restaurant also in Morocco has vegetarian and vegan options, so be sure to ask the server. Katsura Grill in Japan has a vegetable roll suitable for vegans Mexico offers Guacamole con Totopos in La Cantina. Teppan Edo in Japan has grilled veggies with white rice. Tokyo Dining has vegetable sushi and seaweed salad. Vegan Fish & Chips are available at Rose and Crown in the United Kingdom using Gardein fishless fillets.

Animal Kingdom

Satu'li Canteen in Pandora: World of Avatar offers the Crispy Fried Tofu Bowl. Perfect for vegetarians, there's a choice of 4 vegan bases too. Vegans will want to leave off the boba balls. Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland has the Malibu Garden Burger with a selection of vegan toppings. Vegans need to ask for a gluten-free bun as the regular bun contains honey.

Pizzafari in Safari Village has a Veggie Pizza and an option of vegan cheese. Tusker House Restaurant offers fun character dining and lots of vegetarian and vegan dining options. It's buffet style and the buffet is always loaded with dishes perfect for vegans and vegetarians. Yak and Yeti is a Nepalese style restaurant offering pan-Asian cuisine. Vegetarians can get several dishes and vegans can get Miso Tofu, Sweet & Sour Tofu and rice or noodles with tofu.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Disney Resorts

Animal Kingdom Lodge:

Sanaa in Kidani Village offers a full-blown Vegan Menu and has a huge choice. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: For appetizers, Indian Naan Bread with a selection of dips; Potato and Pea Samosas; Salad Sampler offering a choice of 3 salads from selections; Tomato & Spinach Soup and Chickpea Cakes. Entrees: Vindaloo Vegetables, Spicy Chickpeas and Vegetables with Green Curry Sauce. Dessert: Tofutti Ice Cream (which is also available in several other places around the Disney hotels and parks); The Mango Sorbet is also available and served with a selection of fresh fruits. Website: Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Jiko — The Cooking Place offers dinner only and will thrill the palettes of vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. It really has something for everyone. There's a whole vegan and vegetarian menu available. It changes seasonally so we can't give examples, but you won't be disappointed! Website: Jiko - The Cooking Place

The Boma Buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge has several options. As with everything else, their service is exceptional. The chef will walk you around the buffet explaining the items you can eat. Website: Boma Buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Grand Floridian:

Citrico's Restaurant at the Grand Floridian offers a good choice and the chef will be happy to talk to you about your requirements. The wait staff are extremely knowledgable too. They'll make sure you get vegan bread and soy milk for coffee. The menu changes frequently and is Mediterranean based. Website: Citrico's at Grand Floridian

Narcoossee's also at Grand Floridian offers a full vegetarian and vegan menu. As a diner, you can also watch the Happily Ever After fireworks at Magic Kingdom from the beach area. A super fireworks view without the crowds!

Advanced reservations are strongly advised in all Disney full service restaurants and you can book ahead as far as 180 days. Dining Hotline: [phone] Book online: Disney Dining

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Disney Springs

Disney Springs has a ton of options for vegan and vegetarian dining.

The Impossible Burger is available at both House of Blues and The Edison. The vegan patty is served with vegan American cheese, shredded romaine, secret sauce with dill pickle chips on a vegan bun. The Edison also offer a Greek Salad (without Feta for Vegans) and a Chopstick Chicken Salad, without chicken for vegetarians and vegans.

Erin McKenna Bakery NYC is a unique bakery with savory offerings and an all-vegan and gluten-free menu. Look for a full selection of award-winning donuts, cupcakes, cookies, bagels with vegan butter. Fan-favorite cupcakes from their flagship bakery in New York include vanilla cupcakes with zesty lemon frosting, red velvet cupcakes ith creamy vanilla frosting and brownie cupcakes with rich chocolate frosting. See full menu at Erin McKennas Bakery NYC

Staying with the sweet treats, the Red Velvet Cupcake at Sprinkles is vegan. Be sure to ask if there are any other vegan versions available and they often have specials.

Raglan Road has a 'from scratch' kitchen which makes it much easier for them to rustle up a treat for vegetarian and vegan dining. The 'Super-Cauli-Caponata-Tasty-N-Delicious' is spiced cauliflower eggplant caponata with lentil and pumpkin seed dressing. They also have a vegetable medley and The Big Q without cheese.

Bongo's Cuban Cafe have a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu items including the Black Bean Hummus (vegans order it without the aioli). There's also avocado salad, mixed veggies, vegetarian stew and veggie Cuban wrap.

The Boathouse offers Garden Salad, Sea Salt Baked Potato, Corn on the Cob and Grilled Asparagus (Vegans ask for no hollandaise sauce).

Frontera Cocina offers Zuccini & Poblano Tostadas (without cheese), Vegetable Enchiladas and Mushroom Tortas (without cheese). The guacamole and chips are also vegan.

Blaze Pizza offer build your own pizzas with Daiya Vegan Cheese. The regular crusts and gluten free crusts are vegan.

Morimoto Asia offer several vegetarian and vegan dining options. Sautéed Chinese Vegetables, Vegetable Steamed Rolls, White & Brown Rice and Steamed Vegetables. There's also Miso Soup and House Greens.

D-Luxe Burger offer a vegetarian burger. The bun is not vegan, but you can get it between a halved lettuce head instead.

The House-made Guacamole at Paradiso 37 is very tasty and totally vegan. There's also Roast Vegetables and House Salad (without cheese).

Paddlefish offer Vegetarian Pasta (vegans request no cheese or butter) and green salad, along with crispy Brussel sprouts, fries and Blistered Green Beans.

Polite Pig - while a BBQ joint might not sound like the ideal place for vegetarians or vegans, you actually do have a good choice! A recently introduced vegan dish is Smoked Root Vegetables tossed in an orange-thyme vinaigrette and topped with puffed grains. Other vegetarian options include Tomato & Watermelon Salad, Roast Beets, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, BBQ Cauliflower (without sour cream for vegans), Grilled Street Corn  (without butter for vegans) and Sweet Potato Tots (without cheese for vegans).

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando offer a good selection in City Walk and throughout the theme parks. If you get a little peckish in the parks, you can snack on popcorn, soft pretzels and Dippin Dots - the Rainbow variety is Vegan. There's also fresh fruit available.

Universal Studios

Monster Cafe offers Wood Fired Cheese Pizza. Vegans can opt for French fries or roast potatoes and broccoli.

Lombard's Seafood Grill offers several options including Portobello Quinoa. Vegans can have this without the cheese and fried onions. The San Francisco Cobb Salad can be prepared vegetarian if you let the server know. The lemon and garlic shrimp pasta is served with a variety of vegetables and is perfect for vegans without the shrimp.

The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley offers a vegetable platter (vegans ditch the breaed) that includes roast veggies, tomatoes and beets. If it isn't shown on the menu, just ask the server. There's also roast veggies and several sides which vegans can have prepared with non-dairy butter. To wash it all down, vegans can have Tongue Tying Lemon Squash, Pumpkin Juice, Peachtree Fizzing Tea,Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice and Gillywater.

Lisa's Teahouse of Horror over by The Simpsons offers salads and wraps for vegetarians. For vegans, hummus and veggies are available. Fruit plates and cups are available too.

If vegans have a craving for dessert, head over to Finnegans Bar & Grill for the fruit platter topped with raspberry sorbet. They also offer a vegan burger with mixed vegetables, if it's not shown, ask the server. The Veggie Black Bean Burger is great for vegetarians, but contains egg so isn't suitable for vegans.

Ben & Jerry's offer a vegan Peanut Butter and Cookies Ice Cream

Islands of Adventure

Confisco Grille located at Port of Entry offers several vegetarian and vegan options, including Pad Thai. Adventure in Fajitas are vegan if you leave out the cheese, meat and sour cream. Vegetarians and vegans will both enjoy the Portobello Veggie Wrap.

Mythos Restaurant has a few vegetarian and vegan options. The Meze Platter, Pad Thai and Risotto can all be made vegetarian and vegan. They will serve bread with oil and balsamic instead of butter for vegans.

The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade offers a selection of vegetarian dishes and servers are happy to accommodate vegans where possible. Vegetarians can get fresh garden salad, roast potatoes (no butter for vegans), baked potato (no butter/sour cream for vegans), baked breakfast beans, grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushroom, potato wedges and steamed vegetables.  Roast vegetables are marinated in vegan margarine, but make sure the server knows. Although vegans can't slurp on Butterbeer, you can drink Tongue Tying Lemon Squash, Pumpkin Juice, Peachtree Fizzing Tea,Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice and Gillywater.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Kissimmee & Celebration

Sweet Tomatoes:

This buffet style restaurant prides itself on farm fresh, made from scratch wholesome food. It offers salads, soups, pastas, veggies and baked goods. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: Whole Wheat Creamy Chipotle Salad; Whole Wheat Spicy Asian Peanut Salad; Chipotle, Lime & Cilantro Quinoa; Italian White Bean; Lemon Linguine with Fresh Basil and Spicy Southwestern Pasta to name a few. You can see a full breakdown of vegan and vegetarian dishes on their website: Sweet Tomatoes Menu If you join their 'Veg Club' they will send you coupons and deals for your visit. Sweet Tomatoes Veggie Club Address: 3236 Rolling Oaks Boulevard, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Bahama Breeze:

One of our favorite restaurants. Caribbean inspired food, great cocktails and a laid back atmosphere. There's a live singer several times a week on the outdoor patio. And Happy Hour too! What's not to love!

They offer vegetarian and vegan dining and encourage diners to talk with their server before ordering. The chefs are happy to omit meat, butter and cheese whenever they can from any dish on their menu. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: House Salad; Tropical Fruit on Mixed Greens; Stuffed Tomatoes; Baked Bimini Pretzel; Chips ‘n Vine-ripened Tomato Salsa; Tostones; Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger or Sun-Drenched Portobello & Vegetable Sandwich. Vegans can ask for everything sautéed in oil rather than butter. Menu options change frequently, so speak to your server for up to date options. Website: Bahama Breeze Address: 8160 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Olive Garden:

Very open to catering for vegan and vegetarian options.

Speak to the server when you are seated and they will offer options. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: Olive Garden Address: Olive Garden, 8136 W Irlo Bronson Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: Tel: [phone]

Panera Bread:

A bakery style cafe. The store offers a selection of artisan bread. There's also cakes, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and flat-breads. They are happy to omit ingredients to cater to vegans wherever possible. Vegetarian and Vegan Dining Options: Greek Salad without cheese, Classic Cafe Salad, Vegetable Soup without Pesto and Black Bean Soup are just a few on offer for Vegans. Try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on several varieties of vegan bread, or one of the several vegan bagels on offer. Website: Panera Bread Address: 8120 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company

If you're heading for a a shopping spree at The Loop, Midici Pizza Co offers vegan cheese and vegan sausages for the vegans customers. Website: MidiCi Address: 720 Centerview Blvd. Kissimmee, FL 34741 Phone: [phone]

Mexican Restaurants with Vegetarian & Vegan Options

If you are staying in one of our vacation homes, there are two Mexican restaurants close by that offer vegetarian and vegan options.

On The Border have a Vegetarian Menu that includes a selection of appetizers, fajitas, enchiladas, salads and burritos. Vegans are a little more limited, but they can get guacamole quesadillas, a vegan burrito and avocado enchilada. However, they do warn that other meat items may have been cooked in the same oil, so do speak to your server to confirm On The Border: 3250 Rolling Oaks Blvd. Kissimmee. Phone [phone]

Chuy's Tex-Mex has similar vegetarian items as mentioned above. Vegans can eat chips & salsa, guacamole and nachos without cheese for appetizers. For entree, Veggie Enchiladas (without cheese) is available, topped with Tomatillo or Ranchero sauce, both of which are vegan. Other vegan choices include Mexi-Cobb salad without cheese, Bean & Cheese Burrito without the cheese. Mexican and green chilli rice are both vegan as are the refried beans. Chuy's Tex-Mex, 7913 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747. Phone [phone] 

Outback Steakhouse

A steakhouse with vegetarian and vegan option? It's true! The Outback are happy to talk to customers about dietary requirements. For vegetarians there are salad, pasta and dessert options. For vegans there's not that much, but the House Salad is available without croutons and cheese, plain baked and sweet potatoes are available and fresh steamed vegetables (without butter). Outback Locations: 7804 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34747. Phone [phone] W E Osceola Pkwy # 300, Kissimmee, FL 34741. Phone [phone]

Columbia Restaurant

Florida's oldest family owned restaurant chain has a rich history and is one of our favorite local restaurants. They have several vegetarian options, including vegetable paella. Vegans can speak to the server about having dishes prepared vegan, they are happy to accommodate whenever they can. Website: Columbia Restaurant, Celebration Address: 649 Front St, Celebration, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Imperium Food & Wine

This delightful wine bar/bistro has a great selection of vegetarian options on the menu. Vegetarian appetizers include baked brie, spinach & artichoke dip and humus. There are several salads, sandwiches, wraps and flatbreads suitable for vegetarians.Vegans can speak to the server about substitutions. Website: Imperium Food & Wine Menu Address: 606 Market St #140, Celebration, FL 34747 Phone: [phone]

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Orlando Local Gems

If you're staying in the Disney/vacation area, these may be a bit of a trek. But, here's a pick of some firm vegetarian and vegan restaurants loved by Orlando Locals.

Dandelion CommuniTea Cafe

Located just far enough off the beaten path in Orlando to be quaint, this local haunt is a firm favorite with visitors who find it too. The bright and colorful neighborhood cafe offers a range of dishes made from scratch using local produce to support the community. Everything is organic to support the environment and everything is vegetarian to support a health conscious lifestyle. With the exception of dairy cheese, the whole menu is vegan and celiac friendly. Drivetime*: About 40 Minutes

Website: Dandelion Communitea Address: 618 N Thornton Ave, Orlando FL 32803 Phone: [phone] Hours: Sunday 11am-5pm, Monday – Saturday 11am to 10pm

Ethos Vegan Kitchen

The picturesque village of Winter Park has more than it's share of vegan restaurants in Orlando. There's a Whole Foods Market store here too, so you could combine a visit for dining and groceries.

Winter Park is a well worth a visit and is a beautiful blend of culture and history with over 100 specialty stores and boutiques. The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour is perfect for all ages.

Ethos Vegan Kitchen won Orlando Magazine's Readers Pick 2015 Dining Award for "Best Vegetarian", Plus was runner-up in Orlando Sentinel's Foodie Awards. The menu is 100% vegan and they estimate that 50% of the menu is organic too. For appetizers, try the Garlic Knots made with hand tied house made dough or the Southern style Hoe Cakes. They offer a great selection of soups, salads, pasta and sandwiches. Entrees include BBQ chickun, Bay Cakes and Pecan Encrusted Eggplant. They also have hand-tossed pizzas prepared with their house made dough. There's a kids menu and be sure to leave room for dessert! Drivetime*: About 50 minutes Website: Ethos Vegan Kitchen Address: 601-B S New York Ave, Winter Park, FL, 32789. Phone: [phone]

Loving Hut

One of the fastest growing vegan chains, Loving Hut opened it's doors in Orlando in 2009. It may be a chain, but each store is individual and the chefs can offer their creativity based on local ingredients and styles. Loving Hut say they are the world's largest vegan restaurant chain. It was founded by spiritual teacher Supreme Master Ching Hai and there are over 200 stores worldwide. The menu is Asian based and also has western dishes too. There's a selection of quinoa dishes, soups, salads, rice and noodles. They also have Family Plates such as Lemongrass Delight, King Spicy Cha Cha and Ocean Delight.Drivetime*: About 40 minutes Website: Loving Hut Address: Loving Hut 2101 E Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL, 32803 USA Phone: [phone]

Other Resources for Vegetarian and Vegan Dining

Menu's are changed often and it can be challenging to keep up, but there are some great blogs that concentrate on vegan and vegetarian options that are usually pretty much up to date. Vegan Disney World gives you a comprehensive list of all vegan items available. The also offer reviews from their personal experiences. VeganDisneyWorld

AllEars: For a list of Vegan snacks in the Disney parks, check out this article by AllEars.Net. They also have a great graph for vegan and vegetarian dining in the parks.

Flying with Fosters is a travel blog that scoured every single Disney Springs menu (in March 2018) to discover every vegan option available. See the full list.

So there you have it, some vegetarian and vegan options both locally, a little off the beaten path and in the Orlando theme parks.

Go eat and enjoy!

For a Google Map showing all the above locations see here: Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants

*Drivetimes shown are for guests staying in one of our Orlando Vacation Home Rentals: Serendipity at Indian Creek - Serenity Lake House - Sleepy Hollow

Travel Tip created by Sarah Elder in association with Vacation Soup

#dining in Orlando #Vegan Restaurants #Vegetarian & Vegan Dining #Vegetarian Restaurants

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The Best Fusion Tacos in Los Angeles

New Post has been published on https://www.dailynynews.com/2018/best-fusion-tacos-los-angeles/

The Best Fusion Tacos in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has more than its fair share of authentic Mexican tacos, but it’s also have the richest selection of fusion tacos with flavors from around the world. Whether you like your tortilla made with flour or corn and stuffed with Korean bulgogi, North African pozole tagine or Mediterranean kebabs with tzatziki, you’ll find amazing taste sensations to discover.

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Mondo Taco

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Mondo Taco translates as Taco World, and they aim to provide as many world flavors as possible wrapped in their handmade corn tortillas. (For the gluten-intolerant out there, note that they use a little flour in their regular corn tortillas, but they have gluten free and paleo options available on request.). Offerings range from El Greco, with lamb, tzatziki and diced tomato and the Amore with grilled chicken breast, bruschetta and pesto sauce to Tokyo Shrimp, Bayou Fish, Taj Majal coconut shrimp, Thailicious chicken with chipotle peanut sauce or the Yo Adrian ribeye with provolone. All variations are also available in a wrap or a bowl. Sides include cabbage, horseradish slaw, and hot or cold quinoa in addition to the more traditional chips and salsa and guacamole. As a bonus, they have a nice patio and serve beer, wine, and margaritas.

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Kogi Korean Tacos

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Roy Choi’s original Korean-Mexican Kogi BBQ truck is still an LA favorite with four trucks on the road, but his signature specialties are now also available at the Alibi Room near Culver City and the Kogi Taqueria in Palms. Tacos have corn tortillas, slaw, cilantro, onions, salsa roja and a choice of short rib, bbq chicken, spicy pork or tofu. Korean-themed mulitas, quesadillas and burritos are also on the menu as well as a selection of bowls and sliders.

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Komodo

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The Komodo franchise was created by Indonesian-born, East LA-raised, Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Erwin Tjahyadi. The Asian-Mexican fusion street food with a little French technique thrown in started in a truck, but is now available at two brick and mortar locations in Pico-Roberson and Venice. The truck is only brought out for catering events these days. The four taco Killer Combo gives you a chance to try four different fusion tacos from Singaporean-style shrimp or Indonesian-style pork rendang braised in coconut milk to Hawaiian seared Angus ground beef patty with pineapple teriyaki sauce, white rice and sunny-side up egg; Deep fried fish and grapes; or chicken with marinated oranges, among others. Salads and dinner plates are also available.

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Revolutionario

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When you read this, North-African-influenced Revolutionario may or may not have a physical location, since their original Exposition Park location was sold out from under them, but if they don’t currently have a fixed location, keep a look out for the Revolutionario on Wheels food truck. Corn tortillas can be topped with duck hash; pozole tagine with lamb, beef, chicken, hominy and vegetables; smoked lamb; black-eyed pea falafel and more. Burritos, quesadillas and bowls are also available. Follow @ChefZadi on twitter to keep up with what’s going on.

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Kaya Street Kitchen

Kaya Street Kitchen is frequently referred to as a Southeast Asian inspired Chipotle because you choose your platform of non-GMO flour roti taco, whole wheat burrito, rice or noodle bowl, or salad, then choose your protein, then your veggie toppings and sauces. Proteins include grilled chicken satay, shrimp and pork meatballs, coconut lemongrass beef, or tofu.

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TLT Food

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TLT Tacos – named in honor of its predecessor, The Lime Truck – calls itself “New American cuisine without boundaries”. Taco flavors include sweet & spicy steak with Asian slaw; beef short ribs with horseradish crema; pork belly with mojo sauce; and grilled ahi tuna with honey-chipotle sauce. Other specialties include the ahi poke bowl or chimi noodle bowl; a short rib grilled cheese on sourdough; and a quesadilla with pork belly, sweet potato or short rib, in addition to more traditional options. They also serve craft beer, keg and specialty bottled wine.

TLT Food has additional locations in Pasadena and in Orange County in Irvine and Newport Beach.

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Cha Cha Chili Asian/Korean

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Another contender on the Korean-Mexican stage is Cha Cha Chili, which is basically a burger and taco stand with outdoor seating located next to a car wash in an industrial area in El Sereno. You’re not likely to stumble upon it by accident unless you live in the area, however, fans make the pilgrimage for the seriously good Korean-Mexican specialties. In addition to their Kimchee quesadilla, bulgogi beef, kalbi short rib and spicy pork tacos, burritos, chimichangas and Hawaiian bread sliders, there are chicken, battered fish and tofu options and Korean or Chorizo Angus burgers. There’s even a Korean Philly Cheese Steak.

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Mandoline Grill Food Truck

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Mandoline Grill is a Vietnamese food truck that includes Vietamese fusion tacos in corn tortillas with your choice of meat topped with fresh cucumber slices, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro, and sriracha aioli. They also serve bun (rice vermicelli noodles), bahn mi (baguette sandwiches) and Vietnamese nachos topped with meat, jalapeno, mint, cilantro, scallion oil and sriracha oil. Their schedule is listed on their website about a week at a time.

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The KooKoo Grill

The KooKoo Grill in Bellflower, south of LA, is a Japanese-Mexican fusion. They only offer two meats in their tacos, chicken or beef, both topped with cucumbers, onions, teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds and hot sauce, with avocados available as an add on. You can also get the same combo wrapped as a burrito or as a bowl or plate. The California burrito is teriyaki beef, french fries, 1000 island, pico, guacamole, lettuce, and hot sauce. The full menu includes salads, noodles, fried fish and shrimp, and the house special Kookoo Ball, a deep-fried fried rice ball resembling Italian arancini.

The original owners sold the Bellflower location and opened another KooKoo Grill in Anaheim. They both get stellar reviews.

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White Boy Tacos

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White Boy Tacos is one guy with a cart who can be found at his regular spot in front of 740 South Broadway most nights from 9 or 10 pm to 3 am. The guy is Ben, who puts his unique spin on tacos like whiskey marinated steak with hash browns; BBQ pork with bacon and coleslaw; Albariño and Dijon marinated tilapia; sake marinated chicken breast with scrambled eggs, pepper and onions; and orange juice marinated tofu and grilled banana.

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HomeState

HomeState is on this list, rather than my Best Authentic Tacos list because they’re hipster Austin-style Tex-Mex, rather than pure Mexican. They’re especially known for their breakfast tacos on fresh tortillas, including non-traditional options like the Blanco with organic egg whites, mushrooms and jack cheese. Other options include Austin-style chips and queso, Texas toast, Frito Pie in a Bag, or Kale Cabbage Salad. They also serve Cuvée Coffee imported from Austin, Mexican Coke and Hibiscus Limeade. Expect challenging parking and long lines especially for weekend breakfast/brunch.

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Trois Familia

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Under a rainbow sign in a Sunset Blvd strip mall in Silver Lake, you’ll find the French-Mexican concept from celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. Open for breakfast and lunch, the only actual tacos on the menu are the double decker potato tacos with lime, crème fraiche, carrot pico and jack cheese. The menu is not completely meat-free, but  concoctions like the beet tartare tostada and carrot mole enchiladas find favor with vegetarians. Compared to other fusion tacos on this list, servings are quite small for the price. 18% service charge is added to all bills. No additional tipping is necessary.

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Kabob Express Fusion Truck – Mediterranean

The Kabob Express Fusion Truck offers traditional Mediterranean food in a pita, or you can choose from the Mexi-terranean Tacos, including a choice of chicken kabobs, shawarma, gyro slices or falafel in soft corn tortillas with hummus, pico de gallo, lemon juice and salsa, served with a side of dill cucumber salad and tzaziki sauce. Also available as a burrito. They don’t seem to have a website, but can often be found in Santa Monica at lunchtime on Food Truck Row at 31st and Ocean Park.

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Falasophy

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Falasophy doesn’t just fuse Lebanese with Mexican in their Spicy Modern Tacos with falafel, avocado, pickled red cabbage, cilantro garlic-crema, house-pickled jalapeños in a flour tortilla. They also serve Banh Mi inspired Pita with pickled daikon and carrots, fresh cilantro, jalapeños garlic sauce or tahini with chicken shawarma or falafel. The rest of the menu is pretty traditional Lebanese.

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