Plant Based U

Fat-Free and Low Fat Vegan Plant Based Recipes

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IFBC Urbanspoon Dine Out at Cafe Flora

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One of my favorite parts of IFBC – The International Food Blogger Conference this year was the Urbanspoon dine out we got to attend at Cafe Flora. Surprisingly (to myself!) I had never been to Cafe Flora or heard about it before, despite visiting Seattle many times for delicious vegan food. I was very happy to find out that Cafe Flora specializes in homemade vegetarian cuisine (more my style) and din’t use any processed faux meats or cheeses in their cuisine. Although it is a vegetarian restaurant most items can be made vegan or gluten free as well so they are very good at catering to specific dietary needs. In a world where that isn’t always the case, I know anyone with allergies or dietary restrictions will find Cafe Flora to be a lifesaver! When we first arrived I took a look at the menu on the table, and thought that we each got to choose one dish from each course… but I was mistaken! In fact we all were served every course to share (and in my case some veganized versions especially for me). So there was an amazing amount of food prepared just for our little group of vegetarians and vegans. I’m going to apologize in advance.. I only brought my iPhone 4 to take pictures with and so they are really horrible quality in the dim restaurant light. My nice camera was too heavy to bring this time as I knew there would be a lot of samples i’d have to have room for in my bags coming back on the plane! But I’ll show you most of the things we were served (that I remembered to photograph!)



Cafe Flora Urbanspoon Dine Out Menu:

CafeFlora (15)

Appetizer #1: Yam fries

CafeFlora (17)

Appetizer #2: Pate platter with lentil pecan pate, olives, fruit and pickles

CafeFlora (16)

Appetizer #3 Pierogies and soy sour cream

CafeFlora (14)

Salad #1: Caesar salad 

CafeFlora (13)

Nectarine and Zucchini Basil Pizza 

CafeFlora (12)

Pizza: Heirloom Tomato and Sweet Corn Pizza

  CafeFlora (11)

Main Course: Baked Beans, Grilled Veggies and a Potato Battered Fried Green Tomato 

CafeFlora (10)

My Dessert: Peach Blackberry Crisp

CafeFlora (9) So now that you’ve seen the crazy amount of food we gorged on you’re probably wondering did we eat it all? And the answer is a heck no. There was way more food than most of us could handle and only some of each dish was sampled. We had 4 people not show up to our dine out as well so I think that’s another reason there was so much food. I really enjoyed the variety of fresh ingredients and next time I’m back in Seattle I’m definitely heading to Cafe Flora. Thank you IFBC and Urbanspoon!

 

Things I Learned from Dorie Greenspan at IFBC International Food Blogger Conference 2013

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IFBC2013

The first day of #IFBC or International Food Blogger Conference is over and I have a few little gems I’d like to share. First my day started off with a nice little breakfast at Wayward Vegan Cafe – my go to place in Seattle for vegan breakfast and then IFBC started this afternoon.

Photo From PoorMansFeast.com

Next, was a keynote from Dorie Greenspan who had a lot of little gems of information to share that really resonated with me. I was impressed to hear that she has authored 11 cookbooks, worked with Julia Child and has successfully transitioned from old media to “new media” with the web and social media among many many other things. Also she is not formally trained nor did she attend culinary school. A true hero to me, as you may know I have no formal training either but working from home and cooking from scratch has taught me almost everything I know. Julia child was self taught too, so it may be important to know that you don’t HAVE to go to culinary school to be able to create recipes or write a recipe book these days. There’s much more that than just that. You just have to be able to learn, cook, test and test some more. Of course being able to write and take your own photographs doesn’t hurt either. Oh and I forgot to mention putting a lot of love and caring into your work matters a lot too! This is probably the most important part.



Some little quotes from Dorie from her keynote today:

“Community doesn’t happen because you pay. Communities happen because of passion and love”

“Concentrate on the work, it’s the only thing you have control over”

“Do the work you are most proud of”

“Always, always say yes”

She has a wonderful way of speaking that is very personable and authentic and I cannot even begin to repeat all of her culinary and literary work history it was probably the most impressive I’ve heard from anyone… and that says a lot.



So I will remember to “always say yes”, concentrate on my projects and building a community, and keep building what I am proud of. Being real and sharing who you are is so important these days on the internet. People can only connect with you from afar through your words, pictures, or videos so it’s important to take that into consideration and offer up something good – something to be proud of.

Even if you didn’t hear Dorie speak, I think the select quotes I’ve shared above can give you insight into what kind of person she has and the amazing work ethic she continues to show day after day. One day I hope to have created an amazing community and line of cookbooks that I can look back on and be proud of – just like Dorie.

Going to IFBC in Seattle Sept 2013 as a Plant Based Blogger

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IFBC2013

I’m excited to be attending my 3rd blogger conference now, this time it’s in Seattle, WA. I attended IFBC last year as my first blogger conference ever when it was hosted in Portland. It’s nice for me to get out of my little online box and mingle with REAL people who are in a similar situation as me (living life online through a blog) and I’ll be attending with my friend Meghan from The Gluten Free Vegan.

Meghan and I have this funny story where we first “met” at IFBC in Portland last year because a few of us vegans found each other to eat with at the conference. And then throughout the evening we noticed each other’s blogs sounded familiar…. and then we clued in, we had actually emailed back and forth before and were vegan food swap buddies just a few months before and Meghan sent me this awesome food basket.



We went to Vida Vegan Con together back in May 2013 to Portland again and we’re teaming up for another vegan road trip to attend IFBC. We really like attending this conference because there’s a lot of new seminars every year and they offer helpful topics for writing, content, SEO, tech and some food photography.

Plus who doesn’t like going on road trips to vegan friendly cities such as Portland and Seattle? So it’s nice to go for a visit too.

This year the the line up of content is:

Thursday, September 19, 2013

2:30 – 5:45 Optional Excursion: Food and Wine Excursion to Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville @SteMichelle
Space is limited! Learn more here and register.

7:00  Exclusive Documentary Preview Screening: GMO OMG! (showing at the W Hotel)
Great Room 2, 3rd Floor

Nature’s Path is pleased to invite you this award-winning documentary’s  first preview screening in Washington state. GMO OMG is an honest and heartwarming journey of discovery. Finn is 6 and fascinated with seeds. Like any good Dad, Jeremy wants to encourage his son’s curiosity. Who knew it would lead whim from the kitchen table to Monsanto’s doorstep? Read more about this film here!
*Light refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP to Candice Macalino.



Friday September 20, 2013

12:00 -1:30 Registration & Lunch
Foyer, 2nd Floor

Gluten Free Carnitas & Tofu Sofritas Bowls provided by Chipotle Mexican Grill 
@ChipotleTweets

1:40-2:00 Conference Welcome
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor

2:00 – 2:45 Keynote Speaker: Dorie Greenspan@DorieGreenspan
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor

2:45 – 4:15 Live Food Blogging with Amazon.com Grocery
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor

In this fun session, you will have the opportunity to hone your micro-blogging skills while discovering new favorite treats.Amazon Grocery will sample fifteen specialty, niche or hard-to-find brands. Each brand will have around three minutes to serve you the product, give a short explanation, and answer questions while you blog or tweet about the product. After three minutes, a new brand will take the stage.

Annie’s Homegrown @annieshomegrown
Fever-Tree @FeverTreeMixers
Drink Chia @drinkchia
BumbleBar @bumblebar
ZICO Coconut Water @zico
Bai5 @drinkbai
Navitas Naturals Organic @NavitasNaturals
LINDOR Chocolate @Lindt_Chocolate
Brookside Chocolate @brookside_choc 
Scharffenberger @scharffenberger
Manuka Doctor @ManukaDr
YumEarth Organics @YumEarth
Sahale Snacks @sahalesnacks 
Suja Juice @sujajuice
Kashi 
Happy Family @HappySuperfoods

4:30 – 5:45 Sessions

Session 1:  Technology: Making Your Blog Work for You
Studio 4/5, 3rd Floor

WordPress.com theme designer and developer, Michael Cain(@mapandmenu, @michaeldcain), will take you through the ins and outs of designing a food blog that appeals to and works for your particular audience. His talk will cover blog design and usability basics and a number of the open-source features and technologies available specifically to food bloggers.

Session 2 Writing:  Entrepreneurial Journalism:? Building Your Food Blog Media Business?
Great Room 2, 3rd Floor

Join Mark Briggs (@MarkBriggs), Director of Digital Media at KING? Broadcasting, in exploring how food bloggers can ?thrive and grow in the competitive digital writing space. Learn the business dynamics and skills required to turn your blog into a successful media business.

Session 3 Tech:  The Elements in Building Traffic
Great Room 1B, 2nd Floor

Join Allrecipes.com’s Judith Dern (@AR_Judith) and Richard Kozel and Foodista.com founders Barnaby Dorfman (@Barnaby) and Sheri Wetherell (@SheriWetherell @Foodista) as they share their tactics in building traffic. They’ll discuss everything thing from writing (are you writing for the web or print?) and web design to SEO and social media and how it all ties in to attracting viewers.

7:00 – 9:00 A Taste of Seattle and Gourmet Fair
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor

Enjoy sampling a variety of gourmet goods from producers, nibble on cuisine prepared by some of Seattle’s best chefs and restaurants, all while discovering goodies in our Gift Suite.

Saturday September 21, 2013

7:00 – 9:30 Breakfast hosted by Pastry Smart @PastrySmart
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor



8:30 – 9:30 Food: What Matters Most: Conversations on Humane, Organic & Sustainable Food Production Practices in a Millenial World presented by Pastry Smart
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor

79 million members of the Millenial Generation are coming of age in the United States. With a strong value system and a bold preference for quality and transparency, this generation is changing business as usual within the food industry. We invite you to join us for breakfast hosted by Pastry Smart CEO and Executive Pastry Chef Mark Ainsworth (@marklainsworth), Pastry Smart COO Merril Gilbert, and Kathi Brock, National Director for Humane Heartland, the farm animal program for American Humane Association. Enjoy tastes of the best organic + humane savories as we explore the changing landscape of food production and defining what Humane, Organic, and Sustainable means for this new DIY generation.

9:00 – 10:00 WordPress.com Happiness Bar
2nd Floor Foyer

Interested in WordPress or have a pressing question regarding your site you need help with? Bring you laptop and thinking cap to the WordPress Happiness Bar at IFBC where WordPress’s Happiness Engineers are there to help you and introduce you to WordPress.com.

10:00 – 12:00 Food Photography & Cooking Demo
Great Room 1, 2nd Floor

Back by popular demand! Renowned The New York Times food photographer Andrew Scrivani (@AndrewScrivani) will open this Food Series with the A-Zs of Digital Food Photography. You’ll also enjoy a live cooking demonstration from Chef John Mitzewich of Food Wishes and Blue C Sushi’s vice president of culinary, Jeffrey Lunak.

12:00 – 2:00 Discovery Expo
2nd Floor Foyer, Studio 1,2,3

Sample delicious food/drink and discover interesting products, services, and more in this afternoon expo featuring these great brands:

Veggie Grill @VeggieGrill
Allrecipes @Allrecipes
DRY Soda @DrySoda
Yelp @YelpSeattle
WordPress.com @wordpressdotcom
Natures Path @NaturesPath
Cascade Ice Unique Beverage Company @CascadeIceWater
California Strawberry @CAstrawberries
Le Cordon Bleu 
Readers Digest | Taste Ad Network @TasteAdNetwork
Alaska Seafood @ASMIAkSeafood
Sahale Snacks @SahaleSnacks
Simple & Crisp @SimpleandCrisp
mallow Artisan Marshmallows @shopmallow
Pastry Smart @PastrySmart
La Panzanella Artisan Crackers 
Rogue Creamery @Rogue_Creamery

2:15 – 3:45   Sessions

Session 1 Food: Artisan Olive Oil Tasting? With California Olive Ranch @CAOliveRanch
Great Room 2, 3rd Floor

Certainly you are familiar with the fascinating world of tasting wine, but have you learned the nuances of tasting olive oil?  Walk with us through a  sensory tasting and educational session with our master miller, Bob Singletary, industry icon for over thirty years.  You’ll learn the subtleties of tasting notes and flavor profiles, as well as explore what oils pair best with your fresh ingredients and menus. Learn how to set up your own DIY Tasting Party with your friends and fans. Join us in this fun and interactive session, hosted by California Olive Ranch!

Session 2 Wine & Writing: Live Blogging: An Exercise in Writing with @BordeauxWines
Great Room 1B, 2nd Floor

Do you speak wine? Join Bordeaux Wines for an interactive exercise in wine writing! From the basics of blending to taste, tannins and terroirs, come discover your inner oenophile. Our experienced Wine Buffs, Ward Kadel (@drXeNo) and Sam Klingberg (@brokewino), will walk you through the fundamentals of writing about wine, as you taste your way through a variety of reds and whites from the Bordeaux region.

Session 3 Tech: Food Photography Workflow From A-Z
Great Room 1A, 2nd Floor

You’ve taken those great shots now how can you? make them even better? Take your photography to ?the next level with post production tips from? The New York Times‘ food photographer ?Andrew Scrivani.

4:00 – 5:30 Sessions

Session 1 Food & Wine
Studio 1/2/3, 2nd Floor



Chateau Ste. Michelle Culinary Director John Sarich(@JohnSarich) shares practical advice for pairing wine and food, from classic pairings to unexpected surprises. Be ready to rethink the old rules of wine and food pairing and try innovative and magical pairings. John has traveled the world teaching wine and food courses, authored five cookbooks and hosted nationally syndicated TV cooking shows. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about Washington wine and experience John’s knowledge and passion for food and wine!

Session 2 Writing: Story Telling: The 7-Part Structure of Stories
Great Room 2, 3rd Floor

Make your food writing and public speaking not just effective, but compelling by understanding the foundations of telling a good story. We’ll be ON OUR FEET practicing improvisational theater games which teach participants the classic seven-part structure of stories, plot advancement vs. embellishment and how to engage the imagination and memory to find unobvious details. Take away tools that make your communication richer (and stickier) for your audience. These are valuable skills for those interested in better video performance too. Leave your notepad in your bag, let go of your fear of failure and prepare to play. Taught by Cookus Interruptus performers and cooks Cynthia Lair and Matt Smith (@cookusinterrupt).

Session 3 Tech: Sous Vide Cooking Demystified with Seattle Food Geek
Great Room 1A, 2nd Floor

Scott Heimendinger (@SeattleFoodGeek), Director of Applied Research for Modernist Cuisine, and creator of the Sansaire $199 sous vide machine, will explain everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cooking sous vide at home. He’ll cover the basics of sous vide cooking, strategies for feeding a crowd without breaking a sweat, and why the world’s best restaurant chefs trust sous vide and leave nothing to chance. Scott will also address some common misconceptions and offer practical tips for cooking sous vide on any budget! this super fun food science session!

5:30 – 6:45: Taste of Alaska Seafood Reception Hosted byAlaska Seafood @ASMIAkSeafood
Great Room 1B/Foyer, 2nd Floor

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute will share some creative and delicious tastes of the best seafood Alaska has to offer. On the menu: Alaska Halibut Corn Dogs, Buffalo Alaska Cod Quesadillas, Sockeye Salmon Bites and Bacon Wrapped Scallop Sliders.

7:00 – 10:00 Urbanspoon Dine-Around Dinner  
Join Urbanspoon (@Urbanspoon) for a Surprise Saturday Supper. Urbanspoon is hosting more than a dozen intimate dinner parties around the city.  Enjoy a tasting menu at one of the top restaurants in Seattle. Here is a little extra fun — we are going to keep the actual locations a secret! Don’t worry, for those of you with dietary restrictions, we’ve got you covered! Dinner will include transportation and an opportunity for a meet and greet with the host restaurant’s chef or manager. Seattle has an amazing foodie scene, so get out and have some fun!  Let Urbanspoon surprise you!

Sunday September 22, 2013

6:00 – 9:30 Wake up With Pike Place Market @Pike_Place

Don’t miss this self-guided tour of the historical Pike Place Market! Customized maps will be provided by The Market listing some great places to visit. The best time to be there is in the morning, so grab a coffee and have fun watching this amazing market come to life!

9:45 – 11:15 Sessions

Session 1 Food: Low Salt Living…with LoSalt?? @LoSalt
Studio 1/2/3, 2nd Floor

Join speaker Caroline Klinge in exploring the world of salt around us and how it affects our health. Partake in an interactive blood pressure test, enjoy taste testing, sample the LoSalt product, and learn how you can cook with LoSalt. Also, find out how you can become a LoSalt Ambassador!

Session 2 Writing: Snap Out of It!
Great Room 1A, 2nd Floor

Author/journalist Kim O’Donnel will lead this interactive timed-writing workshop on how to wake ourselves up from a writing coma, aka writer’s block, and breaking out of old patterns. We’ll stir the pot, literally and metaphorically!

Session 3 Tech: Google Plus, AuthorRank, and Where Search Is Going?
Great Room 1B, 2nd Floor

Think G+ doesn’t matter? Think again. Google’s using it as the anchoring point for their latest effort to track and rank writer significance across the web. Attend this session with internet marketing executive Ian Lurie (@portent) to learn how you can correctly set up your profile, your blog, and how to capitalize.