Inn Season Cafe

I have been so spoiled in the way of food lately!  Truly!  Tuesday I had Cacao Tree, yesterday I had Inn Season and today I had Inn Season.  My stomach better not get too used to this!

Inn Season is similar to Cacao Tree in that it is very health-minded but it does not boast a strictly raw, or even vegan, menu.  It is a vegetarian restaurant where one can find things like cheese, eggs, ice cream and honey (to some vegans) on the menu.

Boy, oh, boy is it wonderful though.  The menu has its stand bys but it also features a different specials menu every day--every day, mind you!--with seasonally inspired ingredients.  The flavor magic and creativity that goes on behind Inn Season's kitchen doors never ceases to amaze me.

Unlike Cacao Tree, where I always get the same thing despite its other tempting offers, I ALWAYS get something different at Inn Season.  I've had a gluten free spinach and butternut squash quiche with cashew gravy, mushroom and asparagus ragout, leek and white bean cakes with garlic-saffron aioli alongside spicy pear compote, mushroom bisque (I like...okay, love...mushrooms) and their Mediterranean Grain Salad.  The last is what I had yesterday.

Let me describe it:

A bed of mixed Mesclun greens with THE freshest sunflower sprouts and an organic brown rice mixture with very thinly chopped celery (*crunch*), pistachios (*crunch*crunch*), sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, avocado and fresh basil in a garlic-lemon vinaigrette.

Um?

Yum.

Obviously, I ate it all.

My friend, Gracie, joined me for lunch, and ordered their famous "Inn Season Salad."  I've ordered it in the past too and it's another excellent choice but I know it's something I can order anytime.  I even thought, Maybe tomorrow (today, as I sit typing this) I'll get the Inn Season Salad.  But nope.  Again I ordered a special, selected from an entirely different specials list than yesterday.

Tonight I ordered the Curried Bean Cakes with Spicy Pineapple Chutney and Sprouts.  It was so unbelievably, ridiculously, outta this world good.  The cakes were like fat, savory, Indian-inspired pancakes sent down from heaven.  They were über moist and flavorful like whoa.  Packed full of chickpeas and kidney beans, leeks, maybe shredded carrots and who knows what else, and doused in chunky spicy-pineapple-y chutney with pops of cardamom seeds, the dish worked together flawlessly.  The simple addition of fresh sunflower sprouts was even perfect, as it helped balance out the richness of the overall entree.

In addition to the cakes (because I didn't already have enough food), I also ordered a side of steamed kale.  I tend to do this when I order heavier entrees (this was actually considered an appetizer!) from Inn Season because, like the sprouts, it lightens up the meal, not to mention, makes for an excellent sauce sopper-upper.  Furthermore, it loads me up with some happy, healthy calcium!

Trevor, who joined me for dinner tonight, ordered the Big Baprowski.  Like me, he licked his plated clean AND ordered a hot fudge brownie for dessert.  He polished that off as well.  While I did not indulge in any post-dinner brownie demolishing, I did order a scoop of Coconut Bliss Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge ice "cream" because a). it's one of my few weaknesses that I really cannot resist and b). Trevor is so much fun to go out and eat with that ordering dessert really just becomes a "must," regardless of one's fullness level.

I think tomorrow I'll be back to my old ways of making my own breakfast, lunch and dinner, but fully enjoying the two days of AMAZING eats I had this week with even more amazing friends <3

**Side Note:  When I was at Whole Foods the first time today (yes, I was in there twice...not an unusual day...), I noticed they now are labeling EVERYTHING that is non GMO.  Awesome!  I was so excited to see this progressiveness.  I hope it brings greater awareness to people and teach those who might not even know about GMO foods to be aware of them and encourage them to inform themselves.  Yahoo!

I swear these labels went up overnight because I was in the store yesterday and they did not exist.

 For more info: http://www.nongmoproject.org/

Cacao Tree Cafe

I am so lucky to live near so many incredibly delicious health-focused restaurants.  There's Om Cafe in Ferndale, Seva in Detroit (and Ann Arbor), Inn Season in Royal and Cacao Tree, also in Royal Oak!  Today I had the great pleasure of going out to lunch with my dear friend, Liz, at Cacao Tree.

Cacao Tree is an almost 100% raw vegan restaurant (cooked soups, quinoa and legumes being the occasional menu exceptions) that offers scrumptious dishes made from mainly raw fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds.  The results?  Culinary magic.

The interior of Cacao Tree is very small but the open counter space/food preparation area, coupled with the many windows (and stained glass fixture) gives the cafe a sense of openness and luminosity.  Dining guests can sit at the counter, at the window or at one of the few small tables.  The last is where Liz and I chose to sit.

Cacao Tree has an extended menu of juices, smoothies, fresh young Thai coconut water, wheat grass shots, superfood powders, appetizer-y things, main entrees and specials.  Menu staples are their walnut meat burrito/taco, their falafel and hummus wrap and their Mexican salad, to name a few things.  Specials have included things like dehydrated cauliflower buffalo wings, raw dolmas and zucchini noodle and mushroom stroganoff.

Every time I go to Cacao Tree (which would be a lot more frequently if I was richer and lived slightly closer to Royal Oak), I always have intentions of trying something new and venturing beyond my falafel comfort zone but I never do.  There have been a few times when I've ordered a daily special and have not regretted it but nearly every time I go, I crave my good 'ol fashioned falafel wrap.  I also bring hot sauce with me EVERY time because to me, that makes it.

Today, in addition to my wrap, I also ordered the Inner Warmth smoothie, which I've had before.  Liz said she was going to order one and I though, You know what? I think I will too!  I was so glad I did.  The smoothie was delicious and totally filled me up.  As I said to Liz, because I don't go to Cacao Tree all that often (see above), the times I do go, I gotta go big or go home!

So I did. 

Baby Shower!

Spring is on its way...finally!  Everything just smells, looks and feels different.  While I am one of the few weirdos who actually likes cold weather (although I hate being cold...go figure...), I am excited for little southern birdies to return, flowers to bloom and babies to be born!

Huh?

Yes!  The last "excited for" leads me to the subject of my post for today!  Yesterday I attended the baby shower for my cousin's wife, Amy (I don't know what that makes me.  Her cousin once removed?  Twice removed?  Half?  These titles confuse me).  She and my cousin, Scott, are expecting their firstborn on April 29th, which is quickly approaching!  They know that the baby will be a boy and they have chosen to name him Henrik.  I think they chose an adorable name.

Mama-to-be: Amy!

Anyway, my Aunt Carol hosted the shower and did such a beautiful job.  She decorated her whole house, arranged baby shower-related activities and made everyone feel welcome and at ease.  She was an overall delightful host.

My Aunt Carol with my grandma (her mom).

My aunt decorated her chandelier.  Isn't it adorable?!

Close-up of my aunt's handiwork:  babies cracking out of cotton ball-lined egg shells!

She provided wine and other beverages, bite-sized appetizers like grapes, cheese, cucumber, pita, Baba Ghanoush, hummus, nuts, etc. etc.  She made, for the entree, pulled pork, beans and Fumi salad.  I, naturally, brought my own meal because I didn't want her to put herself out any more than she already had!  

For dessert, too, she made petit ones!  She tried making petit fours but because the cookie cutter shapes were so detailed, she was left with many hands giving the finger, feet missing toes, and so she opted for one-layer cookies ala petit fours.  People described them as a crunchy piece of cake, which, they assured me, was a compliment!  Everyone aid they were scrumptious.

My mom, my grandma and I got Amy a little baby sling/holder, which was on her registry.  She seemed to really like it and EVERYONE said "I can see Scott wearing that."  Scott is my cousin, and while I did not think "Scott" upon seeing the baby sling, enough other people did to cause me to rethink my initial thought.

Amy laughing at the image of Scott wearing baby sling, holding little Henrik.

Amy also received baby books, toys, cloth diapers, rattles, thermometers, cute little outfits, beautifully hand knitted garments and other miscellany.  Amy seemed so happy and was beyond appreciative of everything. 

My aunt also decorated Amy's tiara with hatching babies.

My grandma, pouring herself a beer.

About to enjoy her beer...

My grandma ordered me to take a picture of her "perfect" beer.  Apparently, pouring your entire can/glass of beer into a mug, with foam ending exactly at the brim, requires real skill.

My lovely mama, painting a onesie.

Some of the baby shower gang.

I'm really excited for little Henrik to enter the world.  I know he will bring Amy, Scott and the rest of our respective families much joy and happiness.

Raw Desserts Workshop

I have not fallen off the face of the Earth, I promise!  I was busy prepping for my raw desserts workshop these past few days and then the weekend just got away from me!  The workshop went really well though--17 people attended!--and people have been asking me when my next workshop is going to be.  I've been getting requests for everything from an appetizer-themed workshop to a salad-themed workshop.  I'm going to have to start brainstorming!

Explaining step one of raw brownie making.

Making raw pie crust.

Pressing raw crust into pan...

Making orange cashew cream filling.

One of my finished **masterpieces**
RAW ORANGE CREAM PIE!

The Desserts:

Raw Orange Cream Pie

Raw Brownies

Raw Key Lime Mousse

Raw Banana Soft Serve