Full stomach, happy heart...
Thanksgiving has been one of my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember. It's ALWAYS been at my parents house, in Cleveland. Over the years the number of chairs at the dinner table have changed, and the menu has evolved (we PERFECTED it this year mom! NO MORE CHANGES!), but the focus has been the same: FAMILY. FOOD. LOVE.
When we go to Cleveland for Thanksgiving, we make sure to add a few extra days in to enjoy my hometown. There's always time for catching up with friends & family, art with Nana, and a visit to a museum: Children's (new and fun!), Great Lakes Science (so many hands-on exhibits), Natural History (dinosaurs!), or Botanical Gardens (our new favorite - and after Thanksgiving they have over 30 decorated Christmas trees & gingerbread houses inside to make up for the brown foliage outside).
We also get to enjoy the thriving dining scene. My mother cooks for days to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, so we end up eating a lot of our other meals out so that the kitchen can be preserved for the most important dishes (TURKEY!!!! STUFFING!!! PUMPKIN PIE!!!)
While Cleveland is known for it's pierogis & hot corned beef (yes we did stop at Corky & Lenny's...) , this trip we tried to find some meals that fit more into our lifestyle and healthy habits. The hubby found a really cool new restaurant in Ohio City called Town Hall. I've never been to a restaurant like this: the entire menu is non-GMO. They also listed options that were Gluten-Free, Vegan, & Paleo. It made ordering SO EASY & FUN! OK, so you're thinking this place is probably a crunchy, granola place, but wait - they have 36 American Craft beers on tap, and meal options ranging from Truffle Fries to Wild Tuna Poke to Chorizo Seared Brussels Sprouts to the best Veggie Burger I've ever had.
Our next stop for health-conscious food is Tommy's on Coventry. I've been eating here since I can remember, and it is a MUST for any trip to Cleveland (they cater to vegans, meat-eaters, and everyone in between) . They're famous for their milkshakes (I get the vegan Chocolate - YUM), and everyone in our family tends to get a falafel sandwich (I get mine on their house-made rice bread) or Broccoli Risso. When I stopped eating gluten & most dairy several years ago, the Broccoli Risso wasn't an option anymore. It's part casserole part risotto, with rice, mushrooms, broccoli, and cheese. So what's a girl to do? Experiment in the kitchen! I've come up with an EASY, delicious gluten-free version (it's not dairy free YET - I'm still working on that part). You throw it all together in the crockpot, walk away, and in 6 hours your meal is ready!
Directions
1. In a crockpot, combine all ingredients, except for 1 cup of frozen broccoli.
When we go to Cleveland for Thanksgiving, we make sure to add a few extra days in to enjoy my hometown. There's always time for catching up with friends & family, art with Nana, and a visit to a museum: Children's (new and fun!), Great Lakes Science (so many hands-on exhibits), Natural History (dinosaurs!), or Botanical Gardens (our new favorite - and after Thanksgiving they have over 30 decorated Christmas trees & gingerbread houses inside to make up for the brown foliage outside).
We also get to enjoy the thriving dining scene. My mother cooks for days to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, so we end up eating a lot of our other meals out so that the kitchen can be preserved for the most important dishes (TURKEY!!!! STUFFING!!! PUMPKIN PIE!!!)
While Cleveland is known for it's pierogis & hot corned beef (yes we did stop at Corky & Lenny's...) , this trip we tried to find some meals that fit more into our lifestyle and healthy habits. The hubby found a really cool new restaurant in Ohio City called Town Hall. I've never been to a restaurant like this: the entire menu is non-GMO. They also listed options that were Gluten-Free, Vegan, & Paleo. It made ordering SO EASY & FUN! OK, so you're thinking this place is probably a crunchy, granola place, but wait - they have 36 American Craft beers on tap, and meal options ranging from Truffle Fries to Wild Tuna Poke to Chorizo Seared Brussels Sprouts to the best Veggie Burger I've ever had.
Our next stop for health-conscious food is Tommy's on Coventry. I've been eating here since I can remember, and it is a MUST for any trip to Cleveland (they cater to vegans, meat-eaters, and everyone in between) . They're famous for their milkshakes (I get the vegan Chocolate - YUM), and everyone in our family tends to get a falafel sandwich (I get mine on their house-made rice bread) or Broccoli Risso. When I stopped eating gluten & most dairy several years ago, the Broccoli Risso wasn't an option anymore. It's part casserole part risotto, with rice, mushrooms, broccoli, and cheese. So what's a girl to do? Experiment in the kitchen! I've come up with an EASY, delicious gluten-free version (it's not dairy free YET - I'm still working on that part). You throw it all together in the crockpot, walk away, and in 6 hours your meal is ready!
BROCCOLI "RIZZO"
Ingredients (choose organic and locally sourced when available)
5 cups frozen broccoli florets
1 cup short-grain brown rice
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (gives it a cheesy flavor)
12 oz. cream of mushroom soup (I used Pacific brand. It is Gluten Free, but NOT Dairy Free. I'm working on this for next time....)
1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Daiya Mozzarella)
1. In a crockpot, combine all ingredients, except for 1 cup of frozen broccoli.
2. Set on low, cook for 6 hours.
3. Add the rest of the broccoli, season with salt & pepper, allow to cook for 15 more minutes.
4. Makes 6 side dishes, or 4 meals.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 213 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 4 g | 7 % |
| Saturated Fat 2 g | 9 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 5 mg | 2 % |
| Sodium 741 mg | 31 % |
| Potassium 105 mg | 3 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 17 g | 6 % |
| Dietary Fiber 4 g | 17 % |
| Sugars 4 g | |
| Protein 6 g | 11 % |
| Vitamin A | 28 % |
| Vitamin C | 53 % |
| Calcium | 6 % |
| Iron | 6 % |
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