Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy LOVE day, everyone! 

Celebrate love by thinking nice thoughts or doing something nice for yourself or a loved one. 

xoxoox

Italian Shmitalian

A look at some Italian eats:

Garlic Knots

Fresh-baked garlic knots with a cold marinara dipping sauce from Bella Faccia Pizzeria on 29th and Alberta. My guest and I sprinkled on loads of nutritional yeast (of course), oregano, salt and pepper. We both like things heavenly-seasoned (just ask anyone who attempts to eat the popcorn I make), but on their own they were still warm, soft and doughy-delicious.

 

Pizza

One night last month there was an epic slumber party with 3 of us gals. It involved pigtails, pillow fights, pinot, pizza, and pajamas. It was pretty much the most fun ever, in part due to the yummy pizza we made. We used store-bought pizza dough, bruschetta sauce, mushrooms, onions, tofurkey sausage, and lots of red pepper. I know the lighting isn't terrific for these pics (we ate at 11pm) but I hope you can catch a glimpse of it's pure awesomeness. Turns out a pizza stone really does make a difference.

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

 

Lasagna Rolls

These last two are recipe tests for the Happy Herbivore cookbook coming out this fall. All fat-free vegan, easy, and super flavorful.

 

Blossoming Lotus Brunch

Some lovely friends accompanied me to Blossoming Lotus' 2nd weekend of Weekend Brunch. I used to stop by the Pearl District location quite frequently, but the long waits (45+ min for a to-go order, often) led me to stay away more recently. When their new higher end location opened a few months ago, I was really excited and kept meaning to stop in.

 I love their menu. It's so fresh and organic and beautiful and lively. It's so refreshing looking at a menu that has cashew cream, hemp seeds, spelt, and kale. I love vegan breakfasts in Portland, but they're usually of the Sysco variety--frozen tofu, bulk vegetables, generic toast and potatoes. (Hungry Tiger Too, I'm looking at you. Not in a mean way, just in a You're-cool-and-all-but-please-stop-using-Sysco-for-everything kind of way.)

The four of us shared several things.

For my drink, I tried the Coconut Chai with Sailor Jerry spiced Rum and rice whip cream.

It was pretty nice, but I was just getting over my sickness, and I don't know if that was the right drink choice.

We started with an order of the Potatoes:

Loaded Home Fries $7
Our home fries topped with smoked maple tempeh bits, cashew and avocado sour cream and scallions, served on a bed of kale

The potatoes were hot and flavorful, but we all agreed they were perfect as such--a shared snack. A whole order just for yourself might be a bit much.

Spelt French Toast:

Spelt French Toast $10
coconut dipped spelt bread topped with fresh fruit, candied hazelnuts, vanilla cashew cream, served with maple syrup and soy butter

My favorite. It was cooked all the way through, and Blossoming Lotus didn't fall into the orange juice french toast trap that many restaurants with vegan option fall into. Not soggy at all, very flavorful and served with real maple syrup.

 

Grits:

Grits & Greens $8
creamy grits & steamed kale, topped with house-made hot sauce and roasted butternut hollandaise sauce

The butternut sauce made this dish. The kale was kind of awkward, just laying on the outside of the bowl, not really serving much purpose. The grits were good, but as Spicy said, it'd work even better as a 'beans and greens' type bowl.

Live Parfait:

Breakfast Parfait $8
sprouted buckwheat granola, hempseed, mixed nuts, dried and fresh fruit layered with agave sweetened vanilla cashew cream

My second favorite. At first it tasted like the extra topping to the french toast, but it was so good I kept eating. The gently sweet cashew cream with the crunchy and protein-rich hemp seeds was out of this world. This was the only "Live" (Raw) offering we chose, and judging by the quality of this parfait, their other options will be amazing as well.

Can you tell we loved it?

Seitan Rancheros:

Seiten Rancheros $10
house-made maple seiten sausage, black bean chili, avocado & cashew sour cream, served on corn tortillas with pico de gallo

I was most excited for this dish. As most of my readers know, I'm a sucker for anything that involves beans or tortillas. You give me both, I'll be in mouth-heaven.

The description sounded Ah-mazing. The presentation was less than stellar. The house-made maple seitan sausage sounded promising, but it was mixed so completely into the dish I couldn't even taste it. I could taste an overwhelming sweetness--as one of my friends said, it tasted like sweet chili. All the ingredients were served mixed together on a bed of 4 warmed corn tortillas, with inexplicable blue corn tortilla chips on the side. Perhaps because I was looking forward to it so much, I was the most disappointed.

What would make it better? Deconstruct it. Serve the maple seitan sausage separately. Get rid of the corn chips. With the warm corn tortillas and the maple sausage on the side, the flavors of each could really shine through.

The breakfast overall is my new favorite breakfast in Portland. The service deserves a special mention because our server was spectacular. Blo Lo is particularly known for bad service, but definitely not in this instance. She was communicate, patient, friendly and adorable. I kind of want to invite her out to our next brunch.

I love Blossoming Lotus, and will definitely be back for brunch. I think they're still getting a few kinks worked out, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone. Anyone who likes hemp seeds and kale for breakfast, that is.

Some New York pics

A few pics from our first day in Manhattan, because I know you have been dying of curiosity. If you want to stalk me keep up with me during the rest of my trip, follow me on twitter (@janessapk).

Roll over pictures for descriptions.

 

MODIFIED STYLE '10: A Call to Artists

Modified Style: Inspiring social transformation through sustainable art & fashion

(a few of the dresses that were made from scrap fabric for Modified Style '09)

If you're interested in sewing, creativity, helping raise money for awesome Portland-area non-profits, or having a rockin' good time at a fashion show, then you may be interested in Modified Style: Transformed Fashion Show.

It's all for fun!
What is Modified Style?

Modified Style is an annual fashion show and benefit that began in Seattle in 2008. The co-chairs of Portland's Modified Style, Andrea Fretwell and Janessa Philemon-Kerp, brought it down to Portland in May 2009.

We are committed to raising awareness of select local non-profit organizations by featuring unique and wearable fashion created using sustainable practices by participants of all skill levels.

Modified Style '09:

• Successfully raised almost $2,000 in the first year
• Inspired creativity in 30 designers
• Inspired confidence in 30 models
• Stephanie Ortman from Fox12 News emceed
• Prizes and donations from BridgePort Brewpub, PGE Park, Portland Center Stage, Honest Tea, Nike, Scrap, Thai Massage Clinic, and many more.
• Silent Auction
• Raised awareness and funds for Farm Sanctuary, Sisters of the Road, and Junior Achievement.

If you wish to participate in Modified Style '10, email us at modifiedstyle@gmail.com. Please include your contact information as well as your model's contact information. The closing date for signing up as a designer is February 25th, 2010. We will try to get all donated scrap fabric out to the designers by March 15th, leaving you approximately 2 months to make a wearable creation for a model that you choose.  Your model will show your dress at the Transformed Fashion Show  in May 2010. The event will be judged, and the top picks will receive a small prize (it's mostly for fun). A silent auction of the dresses will enable us to donate proceeds to Sisters of the Road, Out to Pasture Farm Sanctuary, and Caldera.

No sewing experience is necessary, just a creative urge or a desire to learn!

Rules and Guidelines will be emailed to designers and models by March 15th.

Resources

Facebook Page
Andrea
Sandra
Vanessa
How to Sew
How to make a sewing form
Dress making 101
Sewing Book

Interested Participants RSVP to
modifiedstyle@gmail.com
by February 25th

We are requesting a $25 donation from each participant. This goes to cover the cost of the room, equipment rental, copies, and all other incidental costs related to the event.  Everyone is welcome to participate whether they can afford the donation or not.  All proceeds benefit:  Sisters of the Road Cafe,  Out to Pasture Farm Sanctuary and Caldera.

****Donations of fabric are welcome as well.****

If you or someone you know would like model, please let us know!

Please mail monetary and fabric donations to:
Modified Style
PO Box 10624
Portland, Oregon
97296
by February 25th