Stew of the Week

Westville, haven of fresh and munchable veggies and foodstuffs galore!

First off, shout out to Alex S for taking me to this great little place. Second off, I want to note that this place was so worth it that we went in spite of the fact that it was located within the Pride Parade's parameters.

So what makes this place so great? Here's the deal: not only do they serve delicious food (including a granola cookie sandwich called a "devin" that will blow your mind) they also have a special (giant) section of food that was all bought at the farmer's market that day and is cooked just for you!

The Rundown:
1) Market Fresh: items include asparagus with parmigiana, beets with goat cheese, sauteed broccoli, chickpea salad (sound familiar?), garlic mashed potatoes, and much more! I listed these because they're what Alex and I got and so you've got a first-hand account of how good they are
2) Eco-Friendly: local groceries = less gas, probably less destructive farming techniques, and helping out the local economy - what's better than that?
3) Healthy, Healthy: There's no two ways about it, everything (except probably the mac and cheese, which looked delicious, btw) is fresh and light. Even the mashed potatoes felt rich in a hearty way, not a buttery, "uuuugh," way. Also, let's all remember how much I hate eating vegetables, but this place practically requires it AND makes them yummy, too.
4) Do It At Home? I will say, most of the dishes seemed pretty simple and probably are easy to whip up at home (case in point, the chickpea salad), so I think after a couple of visits you can probably figure out what's in these sides that makes them sing and then recreate it in your own kitchen. Why not?
5) The Downside: the price is not ideal, $13 for 4 veggie plates, though I will say that it was definitely a dinner sized meal, so if you're looking for a dinner in that price range, you're just fine going here. Also, the other entrees (chicken, pork, fish), were all in the $11-$13 range and most included a market veggie, too, so that definitely seems worth it to me.

Top marks for Alex (and her bf Brendon) for spotting this delicious little nook-in-the-wall that we can all share now! Way to go!

Happy Stewing!

Stew of the Week

Arugula Shmagugula!

One of my favorite sandwiches is also one of my favorite salads. That is the beauty of the arugula, pear, goat cheese, and pine nuts combination.

1. Available everywhere salads (though not always sandwiches) are sold.
2. Cheap and easy to make at home since we all know salads are way overpriced in the outside world.
3. If you really need a dressing, my favorite is honey if it's in sandwich form and a touch of vinaigrette if it's in salad form. But, of course, I love mine bare. Sexy!
4. Super nutritious! You've got your protein in the form of goat cheese and pine nuts, your veggies in the form of super-healthy arugula, and your fruit in the form of always-a-knock-out pear.
5. Goes well with any type of bread! Whole-wheat is generally the healthiest, but a really tasty baguette is pretty hard to beat.
6. Switch it up! Maybe you feel like Parmesan instead of goat cheese or walnuts instead of pine nuts. Spoiler Alert: It'll still be delicious.

Happy Stewing!