Shoreline Diner - July Menu

It's always fun cooking at the Shoreline Diner. The staff is friendly, the kitchen crew is talented (and also very friendly), and the owners are some of the nicest people in the restaurant business. Oh, yeah, and the food is pretty awesome, too.

This month there are three new items added to the Specials Menu - 2 vegan and one gluten-free (and vegan). Plus, three of my favorite recipes (the chickpea croquettes, tempeh "mock chicken" salad and Mediterannean Pasta) have been added to the regular menu. Yay! It's so exciting to see. And if you haven't stopped by to enjoy a meal on their new patio, you really must make the drive. It's so pretty. And after a day at the beach, you will find it a refreshing oasis. Come and enjoy!

This month's Specials are:

Jerk Tempeh with Red and Green Peppers and Caribbean Rice

BBQ Tofu with Herbed Vegan Cole Slaw and Chili Lime Corn on the Cob

Gluten-free Penne with Roasted Summer Squash,
Sundried Tomato and Basil Pistou

BBQ Tofu

I was testing a recipe this morning for a new item that will be on the Specials Menu at the Shoreline Diner for the month of July. I plan to serve it with herbed vegan cole slaw and chili lime corn on the cob. It's summer after all (isn't it?).

It's the perfect time of year for BBQ, and I bet this recipe would be incredible cooked out on a grill. It was pretty darn delicious baked in the oven. :)

The sauce takes just about a minute to prepare, then the tofu marinates for just a few minutes before going into a hot oven. Meanwhile, heat up the remaining sauce on the stove and pour it over the top. I had a ton of mustard greens in my garden, which I used as a garnish. I gotta say, the bitterness of the greens worked pretty awesome as a contrast with the sweet and spicy sauce. Yum - what a lunch!

BBQ Tofu (serves 2-3)

Serving size = 3 pieces of tofu

sauce:

3 oz. tomato paste

3 Tbl soy sauce

2 Tbl apple cider vinegar

2 Tbl agave syrup

2 Tbl olive oil

2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup water

1 lb. block of tofu, cut into 8 rectangles

1 Tbl canola oil

Mix sauce ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Place tofu in bowl and marinate for 5 mins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place marinated tofu on oiled pan and bake 5-10 mins. on each side. Meanwhile, pour remaining sauce into pan and simmer on medium heat. Pour over baked tofu.

Independence Day

As a result of sugar overload and fireworks, I was seeing stars all weekend. My head was spinning from two recipes in particular. One, another gluten-free creation by my mom: luscious blueberry pie. Two, a recipe modified from the Fat-free Vegan: red, white and blue tapioca parfait.

This is my favorite time of year, when fresh berries are plump and perfect for snacking. They also make heavenly desserts. And the colors work so well for the Fourth of July (I think our forefathers' industrious wives coordinated it that way).

Anyone else have any colorful recipes to share?

Sweet Claude's

I arrived at Sweet Claude's (otherwise known as "vegan sweet tooth heaven") just before 7 PM last night. It had been a lazy summer day; cooking in a hot kitchen in the morning, followed by a sticky afternoon in the garden. I was craving relief. I was craving... Tofutti.

In my mind I had conjured up a large cup of unnaturally green pistachio soy ice cream drizzled with hot fudge, so I hopped in my car for the 25 min. drive through the woodsy backroads to this little oasis in Cheshire. Even on an overcast evening, it's as if a beacon of light is shining on the cute red house atop the hill.

Inside, the menu board displayed my options: Cookie, Vanilla with Raspberry Swirl, Chocolate, and Coffee Chip Crunch

While the raspberry swirl sounded healthy and good, I knew it wouldn't compare to the wild raspberries I've been eating every day for the past week on my walks through Edgewood Park. That left me with three variations of Chocolate from which to choose (what to do... what to do...). I narrowed it down to Cookie and Coffee Chip Crunch, and decided to go with 1 scoop of each. Oh, and topped with a hefty portion of "Wet Walnuts" (which, as far as I can tell, are walnuts soaked in corn syrup). Yeah, I know. But how often do I make this drive?

(who could possibly resist this??)

I must report, every bite was as creamy and delicious as you might imagine. My hands will probably get itchy from the non-gluten-free chocolate cookies mashed up in the vanilla soy ice cream, but it will be worth it.

Halfway through my indulgence, I decided to pack up and go with the intention of freezing the remaining portion to be enjoyed the next day (today). Alas, at each stop light, that melting mass got smaller and smaller. Until, all that was left by the time I pulled into my driveway was a soggy container of mocha goodness and a satisfied feeling in my tummy.

ahhh... sweet.