I have really enjoyed being back in the kitchen, cooking the vast majority of my meals. But I don't always feel like cooking, and there is also the social aspect of going out to eat.
Both of those hit today. A friend of mine at work and I decided to go out to eat for lunch. She works on the other side of campus, so I don't usually see her on a daily basis. We used to commute in together though before I moved across town, but it's been a while.
So as lunchtime approached, I tried to think of what I wanted for lunch and where I wanted to go. There are actually a lot more options for plant-based / vegan friendly food than I would have otherwise considered. I always knew Asian restaurants would be an easy pick since they are flush with options. But there are other choices as well.
I was recently pleasantly surprised with Americana Mexican restaurants. If you pick the right chain, there are some great choices! I steer clear of the enchiladas and head to the veggie fajita platter. Grilled veggies (esp when it's more than just peppers and onions - I love the ones that come also with cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms etc), sides of salsa, guacamole and beans, all in a couple corn tortillas. Delicious and filling...
So fast forward to this afternoon... We didn't want to spend a ton of time out, so we went with Panera. I love Panera and by ordering correctly, I can get a delicious lunch. I went with a half Mediterranean sandwich on whole grain bread with no cheese, and a half Greek salad (also without the cheese). Satisfying without filling me up, and I didn't feel like I was compromising my lunch!
Dinner tonight will be a smorgasbord of leftovers. I have enough leftovers to piece together one globally-inspired meal! (Indian lentils, Chinese Brussels sprouts, Peruvian quinoa, Californian wine, Italian tomatoes).
Both of those hit today. A friend of mine at work and I decided to go out to eat for lunch. She works on the other side of campus, so I don't usually see her on a daily basis. We used to commute in together though before I moved across town, but it's been a while.
So as lunchtime approached, I tried to think of what I wanted for lunch and where I wanted to go. There are actually a lot more options for plant-based / vegan friendly food than I would have otherwise considered. I always knew Asian restaurants would be an easy pick since they are flush with options. But there are other choices as well.
I was recently pleasantly surprised with Americana Mexican restaurants. If you pick the right chain, there are some great choices! I steer clear of the enchiladas and head to the veggie fajita platter. Grilled veggies (esp when it's more than just peppers and onions - I love the ones that come also with cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms etc), sides of salsa, guacamole and beans, all in a couple corn tortillas. Delicious and filling...
So fast forward to this afternoon... We didn't want to spend a ton of time out, so we went with Panera. I love Panera and by ordering correctly, I can get a delicious lunch. I went with a half Mediterranean sandwich on whole grain bread with no cheese, and a half Greek salad (also without the cheese). Satisfying without filling me up, and I didn't feel like I was compromising my lunch!
Dinner tonight will be a smorgasbord of leftovers. I have enough leftovers to piece together one globally-inspired meal! (Indian lentils, Chinese Brussels sprouts, Peruvian quinoa, Californian wine, Italian tomatoes).
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