Esau's Cafe in Carpenteria

On a recent visit to Carpenteria, California, I had lunch at Esau's Cafe. They are located at 507 Linden Ave.

I had a great salad.  This is the Roasted Veggie Salad without the feta cheese.  It was $11 and could feed two people.

It's hard to tell in the picture, but this salad was huge!  It contained grilled tofu, roasted eggplant and red peppers in addition to the avocado, greens, tomatoes and onions.

As you can see from the specials board (lower right corner), they really have great options for vegans and vegetarians.

Here is a link to their website:  http://www.esauscafe.com/.  They have a humongous menu!  Esau's is an old-school diner style cafe.  I really enjoyed it.

Thai Peanut Salad at Sidecar

Slipped into the Sidecar Restaurant for a little lunch.  Their Thai Peanut Salad was very good.

http://www.thesidecarrestaurant.com/

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Caper Vinaigrette

I found this recipe on some pages I ripped out of a magazine a long time ago.  I don't even know which magazine to give the credit.  The recipe is easy and the salad is very good.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Caper Vinaigrette

2 heads cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 2-inch florets

2 roasted red peppers, chopped into bite size pieces (from a jar is fine)

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Pepper

3 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ cup capers, drained

In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with ¼ cup olive oil, ½ t. salt and ½ t. pepper.  Spread cauliflower on two sheet pans and roast until just tender and browned in spots (about 20 minutes).  Stir cauliflower halfway through cooking time.

Whisk together lemon juice, ½ t. salt, ½ t. pepper in large bowl.  Slowly whisk in remaining ½ cup of olive oil.  Whisk in the capers.  Add cauliflower and red peppers and toss to coat.  Serve at room temperature.

Can make a day ahead and then pull out of refrigerator to get to room temp.

Vegan Sushi!

We have a seafood restaurant in Channel Islands Harbor called “Seafresh.”  They have three vegan choices that I really enjoy.  I order a Garlic Edemame appetizer followed by a Cucumber Salad and Veggie Roll.  It’s delicious!  Very fresh and filling.

Check out your local sushi restaurant and ask if they have vegan options.  If they don't, at least you are letting them know that there is a demand for vegan sushi.

If you live in the Ventura County area and would like to try Seafresh, here is their link:  http://www.seafreshci.com/

Chef Tal Ronnen's "Crisped Capers"

The recipe for Chef Tal Ronnen's Heirloom Tomato Salad with Crisped Capers is in his cookbook, The Counscious Cook.  He has so many great recipes in this cookbook.  I never would have thought to fry capers!

Try it!  Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a small saute pan.  Add a tablespoon of capers and cook over medium-high heat until crisp.  He says that it should only take a minute or two.  Mine took a lot longer.  Maybe I didn't have the temperature up high enough.  Drain the capers on a paper towel once they are crisp.

The salty crispness of these capers are such a nice topper for a tomato salad.  Chef Tal also tops this salad with thinly sliced basil.

http://www.talronnen.com/