This morning Tim and I joined some friends for brunch at Blossoming Lotus. We are fortunate to live less that a mile from this wonderful vegan cafe yet we rarely indulge in their delicious food. I think cooking at home will always be at the top of my list!
Tim chose the Benedict which had maple seitan sausage, hollandaise sauce, and some other stuff on a biscuit. I didn’t sample Tim’s meal, but he cleaned his plate with a smile!
I chose the Florentine Scramble which consisted of tempeh (I subbed tempeh in place of tofu), fresh arugula, basil-hempseed pesto, and cashew ricotta. It was very good, but a bit too salty for my tastes. Next time I think I will opt for the Breakfast Parfait which has sprouted buckwheat granola layered with fruit, nuts, and agave-sweetened cashew cream.
Yesterday I created a new recipe for my brownie cookbook: Raspberry Poppy Seed Brownies. They turned out beautifully. This first batch was topped with ganache. The next batch will have a drizzle of raspberry sauce instead since the ganache overpowered the raspberry flavor in the brownie.
And finally, last week Tim and I went snowshoeing with our friend Dave. We were greeted with blue skies right around lunch time – it was a gorgeous day!
It’s supposed to snow later this week so we might get one more opportunity for snowshoeing before spring arrives.
Oh man, we tried BL’s brunch last weekend when we were there. SO GOOD!! I think it’s the best brunch in PDX!
It was delicious, but I do wish mine had been less salty :(
Wow, poppy seeds in a brownie. This is going to be ultimate.
The poppy (I swear, I keep typing “poopy” instead of “poppy”) seeds gave the brownies a nice texture.
Wow, what a breathtaking nature shot. Can only imagine how beautiful it is there!
Oregon is very beautiful – especially near Mt. Hood where we were snowshoeing.
Awesome pictures. Snow shoeing seems like so much fun, is it?
Thanks! Yes, snowshoeing is incredibly fun. It’s relatively relaxing and the wildlife is different than in the warmer months. Plus, the trails are less crowded and the snow makes everything quieter. The only downside is it can be really cold!!!!
we need to go snowshoeing together sometime! I can even metamorphose into a sleigh dog if you want me to.
You have magical powers?!! Why haven’t you been using them to send me homebaked treats?
Snowshoing sounds exiting!
Your brownie looks stunning! And those brunch plates do too.
Thank you! The best part of the brunch was the heaping portion of kale!
Love BL! Their cookbook remains one of my favorites, regardless of the always changing details of my diet. I have to admit, I never went back to BL after my first visit, though – everything I ate was absolutely delicious, but the staff seemed a little snooty, and the food gave me the worst indigestion! Such a bummer because it was gooooooooood.
Look at all that fantastic food!
Mmm, BL! I haven’t had their brunch. Brownie mania!