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Hi everyone.
I’ve had two very busy days, both of which have left me feeling pretty drained. I’m also feeling as though I’m catching a cold which totally sucks. Currently, I’m sitting here while sipping on some OJ which will hopefully boost my immune system a bit. Anyway, I’m not in the “blogging mood” right now, so I’m going to keep this as short as possible- basically just meal descriptions and pictures. Also, I wasn’t in the mood to photograph my meals yesterday because of the way I was feeling, therefore I only have today’s eats to share with you all.
Breakfast this morning was yet another bowl of pumpkin oatmeal. This combo was- 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup hempmilk, 1 cup pumpkin, 1 banana, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1/4 cup raisins, and a spoonful of pumpkin butter. I topped it off with pom seeds, and a new product I found- mrs. may’s naturals pecan crunch! This stuff makes the perfect topping for oatmeal- it’s super crunchy, sweet, and packed with pecan flavor. Alongside my oatmeal, I had a hot cup of coffee with soymilk.
For lunch, I made another variation of my thanksgiving sandwich- on two slices of 9 grain whole wheat, I added 4 slices of tofurkey, romaine lettuce, pumpkin butter, and cottage cheese sweetened with maple syrup. I still can’t get over how terrific this combo is- the contrast between the sweet and the salty is simply irresistible! I also had a handful of baby carrots while assembling the sandwich.
This afternoon, I had a packet of nature’s path hempplus oatmeal that I mixed with a mashed banana, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, maple syrup, and a tbsp of peanut butter for a warm and comforting mid-day boost. I also had a glass of orange juice to try and help rid of this annoying cold of mine.
I really wasn’t in the mood to eat dinner, but I figured I needed to get some food in my system. I used up a bunch of leftovers to prepare a simple and healthy meal- crunchy pan-fried tofu with couscous and steamed kale. I used the leftover 1/2 package of extra-firm tofu, and dipped it in a spiced breadcrumb mixture and pan-fried it in a skillet until golden brown. I served it alongside a fluffy bed of whole wheat couscous and steamed kale that I tossed with a homemade ginger-sesame dressing. This meal was terrific, but my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach tonight- I ended up eating only one piece of the tofu, 1/2 of the kale, and about 3/4 of the couscous. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this meal very much. I just wish my appetite was in full force!
I wasn’t feeling dessert tonight, so I just skipped it. You know I must really not be feeling like myself if I voluntarily decide to forgo my sweet treat for the night!
Sorry for such an impersonal post, but all I want to do right now is jump in bed with my juice while reading the new shape magazine that my mom picked up for me. Tomorrow I’m going out to dinner with my dad, so hopefully I’ll start feeling more like myself by then. And hopefully my entry will be more engaging!
See you all tomorrow!
I just about got home from one of the greatest thanksgivings I’ve ever had. Everything about it was absolutely perfect- the weather, the company, the atmosphere, and THE FOOD, of course! Also, I’m glad to report that I feel comfortable and perfectly full- not overly stuffed to the point of wanting to burst. Maybe that’s because I’m a bottomless pit when it comes to my monster of an appetite! Anyway, let’s backtrack a bit to my afternoon!
Like I mentioned in my previous post, my mom and I decided to spend our afternoon at the Milleridge Inn, a historic (it’s been open since 1672!!) and nostalgic restaurant that we’ve spent many past thanksgivings at. When we arrived, we parked, and then headed straight to the adorable village where we spent time at all the stores- the Cranberry Cottage, the Christmas Store, the Confectionery, the Bread & Jam Shop (aka the bakery!!), the Florist, and the General Store. It was extra festive this year- they served apple cider, apples, and candy for all the patrons to take while shopping around as well as providing kids with the opportunity to get a pony ride! How cute is that? I made sure to take plenty of pictures for you all so you’d be able to get a feel for this amazing little place- it’s practically a long island landmark!
front view of the restaurant.
thanksgiving display at the cranberry cottage.
free apples and candy!
freshly baked pies and sweets.
inside the christmas store.
We stayed and walked around for about an hour at which point we were both starting to get quite chilly! We then hopped into the car, and made our way into the city for the main event! We couldn’t wait!
At around 4:00, my mom and I arrived at Candle Cafe for what we anticipated to be an amazing thanksgiving dinner- we were certainly not disappointed; this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Period. Not only did the food leave us both speechless, but the atmosphere was so warm and cozy. Absolutely perfect for thanksgiving dinner! Both my mom and I ordered the prix fixe where we each were served soup, an appetizer or salad, an entree, and dessert.
We started out with the soup course, naturally. My mom went with the intriguing Creamed Celeriac and Potato Soup. I took a taste, and was blown away- I didn’t know what to expect from it, but it was out of this world!! I can’t really describe the taste, but it was creamy and terrific.
I went the more traditional route and ordered the Butternut Squash Soup with cinnamon foam. Need I say more? Sweet, warm, comforting, creamy..
Our next course was the appetizer/salad! It was tough having to choose between the three amazing sounding appetizers (risotto w/ butternut squash sauce, a chickpea crepe, and a yucca cake) and two salads, but we both ended up ordering a salad! My mom ordered the Arugula Salad with roasted beets, jerusalem artichokes, local pears, pumpkin seeds, and a cranberry dressing. My mom was extremely pleased with the salad, and though it was excellent! I must admit that I snuck a couple of beets chunks which were fantastic.
As for my dish, I ordered the Wild Rice & Squash Salad with local lettuce, apples, toasted almonds, grilled fennel and ginger-pumpkin dressing. For starters, I’ve never had a better dressing than this one, no exaggeration. I’m such a ginger junkie, and this dressing was chock full of it- just superb. My salad was incredible- I devoured it as if it’s been ages since I’ve eaten! It was that good.
One of the highlights of our night was when we were presented with one of the appetizers, the Yucca Cake with tofu cashew cheese, roasted shallots, and red pepper coulis, compliments of the chef! It was so, so sweet for them to do that for us! We each had half, and we both couldn’t believe our tastebuds; take a look at this beauty! With it’s crunchy exterior and incredibly rich and creamy interior, this dish was absolute perfection! And the red pepper coulis was the icing on the cake! So unique, and simply divine.
We both couldn’t wait for our main dish! My mom went with the Cashew Crusted Tempeh which was served with a roasted shallot-potato mash, sauteed broccolini, maple-dijon roasted squash, cranberry-tart cherry relish, and a roasted vegetable gravy. How gorgeous is this meal? Not only was the presentation beautiful, but the taste was even better according to my mom. She couldn’t stop raving about it! I took a bite of both the tempeh and the squash, and was blow away once again. The tempeh itself was soft and it was crusted to perfection, and the squash was so sweet and tender. DROOL.
After much debate, I decided to order the Harvest Plate where I was given a list of meal components to chose from. I went with- pomegranate grilled tofu, sweet potato puree, cornbread stuffing, brussels sprouts, and an extra side of broccolini. The entire meal was fabulous- the tofu was grilled to perfection and had that delicious sweet and savory thing going on, the sweet potato puree was the best I’ve ever had, the stuffing was divine (chock full of dried cherries which lended a sweetness and wild rice which added a nice crunch), and I was crazy over the brussels and broccolini- you know how much I love my veggies! Thanksgiving dinner has never been so healthy and so delicious at the same time! With every single bite, I was beaming with joy.
(last two pictures with the side of broccolini added to my plate)
Although we were both quite full, we still managed to order our two desserts and completely finish them off! The plan was that we were both going to order a dessert, and we’d each share them and have half of each.
Being that the pumpkin cheesecake has been on Candle’s daily specials menu lately, we went with the two more exotic sounding choices that were more of a “thanksgiving night only” dessert- the Apple-Cranberry Crumb Pie with vanilla ice cream, and the Sweet Potato Pie with cinnamon ice cream. I think I’ve used up every possible adjective for the word “amazing” in this entry, so I’m basically left speechless- these desserts were both beyond outstanding!! The crumb pie had an amazing crust and topping, and the filling was perfectly sweet and delicious. And I can’t forget about the sweet potato pie, of course! It was seriously a sweet potato lover’s dream- so thick and creamy with the perfect amount of sweetness and yet another fantastic crust. As far as the ice cream goes, I’m not a vanilla fan so I let my mom have it (which she loved). However, I devoured the scoop of cinnamon ice cream all by myself- it was the perfect complement to the SP pie. Oh man, I just want to eat them both off the screen!
After we finished, we stuck around and talked for a while. Neither of us wanted to head on home! Here’s a picture my mom took of me in the restaurant- I’m glowing from the fabulous meal that my stomach was graced with!
All in all, this was one of the most memorable nights I’ve had in a long time. Just being able to spend this special holiday with my favorite person felt like such a blessing. What more could I ask for? My mom and I had such a wonderful time, and we both keep wishing we can relive the night over and over again!
Even though my thanksgiving involved no turkey whatsoever, I’m absolutely exhausted! So much so that my eyes are involuntarily shutting as I type. It’s been a quite long day between the early rising for the parade, the walk around the milleridge village, and our dinner in the city. I’m in need of plenty of sleep!
I’ll see you all bright and early tomorrow morning- I hope you’ve all had a wonderful thanksgiving with your families and friends!
