See Ya Never

Anthem - Boston, MA
http://www.anthem-boston.com/

Orecchiette with roasted veggies and steak

     The Boston Marathon came and went... and so did the all you can eat pasta deals. Sad face. This was the second year that David and I (as non-runners) took advantage of the all you can eat pasta deals that restaurants in the area offer the night before the race. Last year we went to Bambara, which was honestly better than Anthem. Even though it's pretty pricey, Anthem has a beautiful, modern-rustic space in the heart of Quincy Market, and it's often teeming with tourists.
     For the marathon, Anthem had an unlimited pasta deal, but you had to pay extra for meat with each additional bowl. So we got steak added to the first bowl, which was delicious, and we were sad for the rest of the bowls. However, I really liked the combo sauce made of marinara and pesto that they added to the orecchiette pasta. It gave the pasta a much more rich flavor than straight marinara would have. They also mixed in some roasted squash, zucchini and carrots. Bonus.

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BISq - Cambridge, MA

http://www.bisqcambridge.com/

Bazz Hook-Up Board

     After work/school, Zach and I met up for our bi-monthy feeding. We both wanted to try out Bisq, which is a tiny, hip, "restaurant and wine bar" that recently opened near GG. Bisq seems to be semi farm-to-table and focuses on unique, natural, whole ingredients, similar to Commonwealth (which Zach and I also went to once). It's a wooden furniture and mason jars kind of place that serves up a non-Spanish version of tapas, or small plates. 

Top: N'Awlins shrimp toast, Bottom: Lamb ribs

     The waiter sold us on the Bazz Hook-Up Board, which is their head chef's version of a charcuterie board. They had three homemade meats: something similar to a procuitto, a blood sausage like variety, and another resembling salami. All of them were served with toast and absolutely delicious. Salty, melt-in-your-mouth meat. The board also had a chicken liver patte topped with house-made granola, kale and (what I think was) a pomegranate sauce. Crazy combination, but it worked. There was also a glob of lard that was whipped with cinnamon sugar. Yes I said lard. I think it was cinnamon sugar and it was strangely sweet, but delicious, especially when spread on the toast. THAT was melt-in-your-mouth because it was straight fat. That's ok, right? Lastly, they had a few small pieces of house-pickled okra and a whole grain mustard. I liked the pickles because they helped cut the fat in your mouth after eating the other board items. I wished there were more. 

     For the meal we ordered the lamb ribs... obviously. I don't think I've ever had lamb ribs, and these were incredible. I don't know how they even got them onto the plate without the meat falling off the bone because it was out of this world tender. They were super succulent and topped with small pieces of crispy kale and a sour orange glaze, adding some unique texture elements. That glaze was a surprisingly fabulous addition to the lamb. The sweet but sour flavor was delicious with the savory flavory of the lamb. As the second dish, we order the N'awlings barbecue shrimp toast which was mind-blowing. It seems next to impossible to deconstruct this. It was served as two pieces of toast with a thick, rich, cheesy layer that had grilled small shrimp in it. It wasn't barbecue as in the tomato-based barbecue sauce you're probably thinking of, but rather it's considered barbecue because it was cooked on a barbecue. On top they drizzled another slightly sour but sweet glaze and some "sexy scallions." So good. 

     These types of restaurants are difficult to describe because the flavors of things are so intricate and complex. It beautiful. I couldn't believe that lamb. It was so good. Like mind-alteringly good. 

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The Banshee - Dorchester, MA

http://bansheeboston.com/home/

Black angus burger and pub fries

O'Malley's Gaelic fries

     After a year and a half at UMass Boston, I finally hit up The Banshee, the local, favorite bar of a lot of my classmates. After my last grad GIS class I was teaching, all of the students and I went out for some food and beers as our final farewell. I anticipated standard bar food, but this was far from. The Banshee was a cozy little dark Irish pub with a really chill vibe. I loved it, and the menu was so much more than I expected with a little bit of everything from pizzas to burgers and bangers and mash. I'm still in this I-need-a-burger-everyday phase (where I'm not actually eating burgers everyday but I want them) so I ordered their black angus burger that was served with sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms on a brioche roll. The burger was beautiful. Thick and juicy and the sautéed goodies were the perfect addition. It was served with a side of great salty fries...some soft, some crispy, some a little burnt. I ate half of it all partially because it was 9pm and partially because I destroyed a plate of their O'Malley's Gaelic fries. These were their pub fries topped with cheddar cheese, butcher's cut smoked bacon and a drizzle of ranch. It was stupid good. Stupid good and stupid artery clogging I'm sure but that cheese though...

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The Linden Store - Wellesley, MA

http://www.bisqcambridge.com/

The Linden Special

     There aren't many surprises in my life that are more exciting than when customers offer to buy us lunch when we're working. This time we were doing a job out in Wellesley and the wifey offered to get us some deli sandwiches from The Linden Store. It was their favorite local deli. My lightweight days made me appreciate a deli sandwich I can sink my teeth into more than the average person, so I was pumped. I ordered the Linden Special which was mortadella, prosciutto, salami, provolone cheese, marinated peppers, tomatoes, and oil. It was simple, but delicious. There were so many delicious salty meats that paired so well with the marinated peppers, again that cut the fat of the meats. I think it would've been a little better with some more greenery. Maybe some spinach or arugula. But it was still tasty. A step up from Jimmy Johns for sure. 

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Greenhills Irish Bakery - Dorchester, MA

http://www.greenhillsirishbakery.com/

Irish Breakfast Roll

     A pro to working with such diverse crews is that a lot of them often know where to get great food from their home countries. We finished an onload far too quickly down in Dorchester a couple weeks ago and Mark knew just the place to stop for second breakfast. There's nothing wrong with second breakfast. It was this hopping place called Greenhills Irish Bakery serving up a variety of pastries, breads, and INCREDIBLE breakfast sandwiches. I got their small Irish breakfast roll which was a homemade buttered roll that nuzzled a fried egg, Irish bacon (which is more like what we consider ham but better), Irish sausage and black and white pudding. I couldn't believe how good the sausage was. It was 100% different than the type of sausage you normally buy here in that it was less greasy, more meaty and tasted like it had more spices in it. It was the same story with the blood sausage/black and white pudding. The blood sausage had an incredible flavor partially due to the caraway seeds, which are not a commonly used spice. In both sausages, I really felt like I was tasting the meat itself rather than fillers or fat. Throw it all together with the salty Irish bacon and the egg and it was something dreamy. 

We'll Take the Toucan Pizza Please.

Classic Cafe - Arlington Heights, MA

http://www.arlingtonclassiccafe.com/index.html

The Albanian Omelette 

     I started "training" for a triathlon back in January, and today was race day. It was great. David, Rachel and Catherine came as my little cheering section, and it was perfect. It was a super hot day, but I was ready and super excited for it. Before I knew it, it was over, and I took second in my age group! That was fun. My most proud accomplishment I think was taking third out of all the women competitors for the swim portion. The swim was the hardest part for me to train for because I was slightly over it after swimming in high school for so long. So swimming laps again... alone... with no music or things to look at... wasn't easy from a motivational standpoint. Anyway, this has nothing to do with food. However, after the race we went to the Classic Cafe in Arlington Heights for brunch. This cafe was in a cute little section of town on what seemed to be a main street, but was relatively quiet. It was a family neighborhood restaurant with maybe 15 little tables and had a cute combination of young girls working their first jobs and older ladies who've been waitressing for eons. 

Appleman Tri, Littleton, MA

           Our toast came out first, which was kind of funny. I've never seen that before. I mean, it came out way early, way before the rest of our food, kind of like an appetizer. It was just your standard store bought "wheat" bread with real butter packets (yay!).  For the meal I ordered the Albanian omelette because it had leeks in it! You rarely see leeks at restaurants. Now that I think about it, I'm not quite sure why. They're delicious and add a really unique flavor to egg and potato dishes. This omelette also had meatballs and feta cheese in it. I liked that there were meatballs rather than sausage because sometimes I feel like sausage can make an omelette greasy and that's not what I wanted post race. My only complaint would be that I felt like the feta cheese may be on its way out. I know it can sometimes have a little bit of a bite, but this was definitely sharper than it should've been. The home fries were good. Big chunks of potatoes, slightly cooked with no intention of crispiness, which is fine. They just needed a little salt and pepper. What in the world is that reddish seasoning everyone and their mother puts on homefries? Cajun? Paprika? I need to know these things. 

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Wicked Restaurant and Wine Bar - Dedham, MA

http://www.wickedrestaurant.com/

The Tuscan

     Now that I'm not a lightweight, I generally enjoy going to restaurants when given the opportunity. So when David asked if I wanted to go to this Wicked place to meet a couple of his friends, I happily agreed! Wicked is a very trendy little spot in a big shopping plaza out in Dedham. They've hopped on the band wagon when it comes to locally-sourced, organic ingredients which I think is awesome. It was pretty dimly lit inside, but there were a lot of red, yellow and orange lights and accents throughout giving it a real fire-y feel... appropriate for the pizza focus.

     For an appetizer, we ordered two little baskets of french fries which were so delicious. I don't eat fries often, so when I get them and they're fabulous it makes me happy and feel like they were worth it. They had tons of salt on them, and I like salt. There were a bunch of fry nubs, and I like fry nubs. They were hot. I like it hot. I just really like when there are a bunch of smaller fries and nubs because that means more crispy surface area within a certain volume.

     For dinner, David and I split a pizza. I was in the mood for your standard greasy cheesy pizza, but what we got was much different, but really interesting. We ordered the "Toucan pizza".... well that was David's first attempt at the Tuscan Pizza. It was adorable. Anyway, this pizza had roasted garlic and white bean puree, mozzarella cheese, house smoked pork belly, tuscan kale, red peppers, roasted fennel and a fig glaze. There were so many different things happening on this pizza that it became a little overwhelming for me. The white bean puree didn't bring much flavor, but it added a pastey texture to the base of the pizza that I wasn't real keen on. The combination of the smoked pork belly, kale, peppers and fennel was the best part, in my opinion. You know, pork belly is loaded with fat, so it added this salty, rich flavor to the lighter veggies. As far as the fig glaze, I definitely could've done without that. It was really sweet, and it didn't seem to mesh with the rest of the ingredients on the pizza, especially the salty pork belly. I like figs, but it was almost adding a dessert-y element to it. It could've gone really well with the rest of the ingredients (minus the pork belly) if the pizza had goat cheese on it instead. Don't get me wrong though, the pizza was delicious and unique, the crust was simple, and had the perfect amount of tearability. That's not a word, but I don't know how else to describe what I'm thinking because I'm thinking of tearability. The fries were awesome and the atmosphere was lively and inviting. If you're out that way, I'd definitely recommend a stop at Wicked. 

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The Galley Diner - South Boston, MA

http://thegalleydiner.com/

Kielbasa, homefries, eggs and toasts

     Sometimes I add restaurants to my list for some reason, and then I forget why. Maybe I read about them someone, maybe someone told me about them. Who knows. In this case, I think I read that they were voted Best of Boston in 2014 for something. After my trip home to Michigan, David picked me up from the airport and took me to breakfast (but I chose the place). Since I was heading to school, we stopped at the Galley Diner in South Boston. On the way there, we both definitely thought we were going to wrong way because we were heading down some slightly run down residential streets. We turned the corner, however, and there she was. A white cinderblock building with an old sign out front. This place was your typical back alley diner, with a few tables and a long bar with stools, where the workers have been on deck for 25+ years. They were super nice and the food came really quick, which is always a plus when you're getting breakfast. No time for messing around. 

Outside of The Galley Diner

     I ordered the kielbasa, 2 eggs, homefries and toast. The kielbasa was good, but it was much more fatty than I'm used to and not as good as the kind my family gets. I'm a little spoiled in that respect though because my grandpa knows where to get the good stuff back in Detroit. The homefries were pretty good, but I would've liked a little bit more of them, and more of them with some crispy edges and things. In the most lame way, my favorite part was the pumpernickel toast. Why? Because it was real butter. They used real butter on the toast which wins you HUGE brownie points from me. You just don't see that all that often. Overall, the Galley Diner was good, but nothing crazy special. Admittedly, I did order your standard run of the mill breakfast, but I think it's safe to say they're a good place to go if you're looking for a quick, satisfying breakfast when in the area. 

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Fire+Ice - Cambridge, MA

https://www.fire-ice.com/

     Birthday. It's my birthday. Well, it was and for your birthday, Fire+Ice gives you a free meal (if you sign up for their newsletter... which I did... along with nearly 10 others in order to get free birthday food). So on my birthday, I went there with David, Mary, Jimmy and Eric. Fire+Ice is very similar to Mongolian Barbecue in that you fill a bowl with meats, veggies and things and take it to a big circular stone grill where they cook it in front of you. Basically it's a big stir fry station and it's amazing. Plus, it's unlimited, so you're meant to feel almost miserably full when you leave (right?).

     The Fire & Ice we went to in Harvard square is one of 5 locations throughout the country, so it's not as big as the Mongolian Barbecue chain. The restaurant itself was in the basement but the general atmosphere is pretty lively as people are wandering around grabbing food and the chefs are situated in the middle cooking up 10-20 dishes at a time. Because each bowl is different and unique, it's tough to describe each. However, overall, I didn't think it was as good as Mongo. Fire and Ice had a decent amount of meats, but most of them were coated in some sort of marinade or spices. Normally this would be fine, but there's a station with a bunch of other sauces you choose to throw in to the whole dish, so it was tough to choose a sauce that would go well with, for example, the "chili lime chicken." Honestly I can't remember if that was a flavor of chicken they offered, but there were a few meats with very specific flavors that made me question how you'd pair that with a sauce. They had a bunch of different sauces, but many I wouldn't have thought to put with this kind of food, like alfredo or honey mustard. I assume, however, that this allows for more customization, in that, you don't necessarily have to get a typical stir fry like dish (more like Mongolian) but that you can also create a dish like a chicken, broccoli alfredo or something. I was bummed though that they didn't have as many shaved meats, like shaved pork. I like them thinner, and I think that's more typical of a lot of authentic stir fry. And they didn't have lamb. That was the saddest part. 

     All the dishes I made were very tasty, and I loved the fresh fish options they provided, like big hunks of tuna. They also had a sandwich bar, where you could get full burgers and other things if you wanted to. I didn't partake in that (or the salad bar) but this place provided a huge variety of cuisine options. I'd definitely go again, and maybe take a photo next time. Until then, this old, blurry picture from an MSU Crew fundraiser at Mongolian Barbecue will have to do. Go Green!

A Donut A Day

Life Alive Cafe - Cambridge, MA

http://www.lifealive.com/index.html

     Life Alive is a place that is totally up my alley, and it really shouldn’t have taken me this long to get there. Joan and I met there one evening to catch up and the line was out the door from the moment we got there. Behind the counter, the shelves were lined with herbs, spices, and teas, and all of the workers totally gave off the hippy vibe. I loved it. It was awesome to see such a focus on health from their menu, hear the fresh juices being pressed and watch people enjoy whole, healthy foods. Life Alive strives to "renew your energy and connection to life by soulfully serving you the most fantastic, vibrant, organic, therapeutic, whole food you could ever imagine in an inspiring environment that honors local artisans, the community, and our global ecology." That might sound a little lofty to some, but it touches on a lot of things I have a passion for. 

The Swami

   For my meal I ordered The Swami. As a base, they served brown rice unlike any rice I've seen before. It was more round and sticky than normal rice. Much like little footballs. Tossed on top was a mix of tamari almonds, raisins, shredded carrots, broccoli, dark greens, & pearl onions all saturated with their sweet curry miso sauce. All of those ingredients fall within my list of favorite things. I loved the sweetness that the carrots and raisins brought (especially mixed with the sweet curry), but I also enjoyed the balance the rich greens and broccoli brought to the dish. As an added bonus, they sprinkled the dish with some nutritional yeast which I have only had once before on some kale chips Joan had one time. I really like the flavor of nutritional yeast! If you haven't tried it, don't be afraid. It's got a little bit of a cheesy flavor, even with the slight sharpness that some cheeses have. I enjoy it.

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Brandano’s - Everett, MA

Don't judge me for my half eaten ice cream photo

     After an hour of some serious bounce time at Skyzone, I suggested ice cream to David and Michael, and they were all in. We headed to some place in Everett called Brandano’s. They had it all. Ice cream, soft serve, slush, sundaes, Spanish flavored things. It was crazy. Now one of my favorite cereals ever is Grape Nuts, so when I saw a Grape Nut custard, I had to have it, and it was fabulous! It had the rich and smooth flavors of custard, but also had these literal grape nut nuggets dispersed throughout. The nuggets had softened up a bit, so it wasn’t the stark contrast in texture between smooth custard and crunchy nuts. Ya know? Those things are normally super hard. After experiencing Grape Nut custard at this place, I’ve since seen it at one or two other places. How did I not know this was a thing?!

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Union Square Donuts - Somerville, MA

http://unionsquaredonuts.com/

They're bigger than they look

     Anytime you see an article for Best Doughnuts in America, Union Square Donuts is bound to be on that list. Everyone and their mother in Boston raves about them, and I’ve been meaning to try them

Oh how convenient... 

someday. Well… one day I needed to make a Post Office run from work, so I went to where I the Post Office used to be in Somerville. At first I was so mad when I discovered it had moved. However, when I arrived at the new location, I was no longer mad. Why? Directly next door to Union Square Donuts. It was a message from the universe. It was time. I went in and immediately consumed 3 donut holes. Best donut holes I’ve ever had. How can one perfect a donut hole? Not a clue. But the rich buttery nugget melted in your mouth, and the slightly thicker than normal glaze caressing the fried outer shell sealed the deal... literally.

See... enormous

    The actual donuts themselves are literally twice the size of your average Dunkin’ Donuts donut. They’re wider, taller and fatter. I went with the toasted coconut, and it rocked my world. I swear I sat wide-eyed at my desk for 15 minutes in shock. The flavor in these donuts was powerful. I’m not sure how to describe it. But in comparison to Donuts with a Difference in Medford, the flavors were on another level. Much stronger and richer. The texture of these donuts were lighter and more airy than Donuts with a Difference, so they squished down a bit more. I think I truthfully like when my donut holds it’s shape a little more, so in that respect I favored Donuts with a Difference. However, taste always trumps texture, so in that case USD takes the cake (or the donut for that matter). 

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The Druid - Somerville, MA

http://www.druidpub.com/

Toasted cheese sandwich and the best fries ever

     Ok, I’ve been to The Druid in Inman Square a couple times but never really blogged about it because I’ve never ordered a meal. I’ve always just picked at other people’s plates. It was my last payroll, and Frances and I had a post payroll date. It was time for my formal introduction to the famous Druid (it’s an authentic Irish pub and half of the people at Gentle Giant are Irish). The inside is pretty dark, with dark woods surrounding the bar and a creepy celtic light statue that hung from the ceiling. It’s all very mysterious and fairytale like. Something that needs to be experienced rather than explained. 

     We started with some Old Fashioned drinks which I have never had before. It was really tasty, but I wasn’t even 3/4 of the way through it before my face started to feel a little tingly. Frances said they may have a heavy hand when it comes to pouring her and her party's drinks (she’s good friends with the bar tenders there). 

     I think The Druid may have won two titles for Best of Boston in my opinion. One… is their fries. They’re incredible. They’re the perfect texture (you know, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside), but it’s their flavor that takes them to a new level. Rosemary is the key ingredient here. Rosemary and pepper I believe. The spices just make them so fragrant and savory. It’s outrageous. I can’t believe that the fries from Saus keep getting named as the best fries in Boston when you’ve got these babies kicking around. 

     The second title I think The Druid should get is the Best Bread Basket (I know that's not an actual title, but it should be). They serve some sort of darker Irish soda bread. It’s incredibly moist and chewy inside, but the outside has the texture like that of a scone. It seems dry, but the inside is such a treasure and treat. It’s not sweet or rich as though there’s butter in it. It’s just hearty yet simple. Plus they serve their bread with room temperature butter, which always earns a gold star in my book. 

     For my meal I went with the toasted cheese sandwich WITH bacon (Frances said it was a necessity). It was melted Dubliner cheese (which is the best), tomato and bacon on simple white bread toast. I did wish the cheese was a little bit more melted, but they dropped my first sandwich, so I think they felt bad that I had to wait and tried to rush the second one along a little. Either way, you can never go wrong with a grilled cheese, especially from an irish pub. Best Irish place in Boston I say :]

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Sunset Cafe - Somerville

http://thesunsetcafe.net/

     This was date number two for Frances and I my last week at GG. I was ok with getting food, but sad that it was my last week. Sunset Cafe is a decent sized place on Cambridge Street that literally never has anyone in it. The entire time we were there, no other customers came in. Sunset is a Portuguese and Mediterranean restaurant that is fairly fancy inside with a creepy painting of a man that seems to stare at you no matter what angle you look at him from. Shortly after we sat down, the one waiter brought over this beautiful plate of olives, pickled vegetables, butter and an oil and balsamic dip for this basket of what seemed like fresh baked rolls. Considering they probably get one customer every other day, I’m sure it couldn’t have been freshly baked, but I was still impressed at how delicious it was.   

Fried calamari

     As an appetizer we ordered the fried calamari. I’d say it was just mediocre. It was overcooked, making it difficult to chew and there was a bit too much breading for me. It kind of took away from the flavor of the calamari. Overpowering if you know what I mean. 

     For the meal I ordered a sandwich (that I can't remember the name of) which was literally marinated and grilled pork on a french baguette. The pork was delicious, the baguette was delicious, but the two together seemed a little silly. I think maybe the addition of some veggies, some sort of sauce or some other completing component would’ve made the sandwich more substantial. Like I said, the parts had great flavors. The pork was moist and rich and the bread was fresh with crisp edges, but together they made nothing splendid. Regardless, it all came at a great price. For five dollars, I got the delicious bread basket, the plate of olives, dips, and veggies, and an enormous sandwich that I had to take home to finish. Frances got a huge sandwich called the steak bomb with steak, prosciutto, mushrooms and cheese on a baguette all for eight dollars. You really can’t beat that. I’d definitely recommend Sunset Cafe if you’re looking for a decent amount of food for your money, but as far as an authentic Portuguese experience, I’m not sure if this is the place. That being said, we didn't order the standard authentic Portuguese dishes. Nah I'm sayin'?

Just Do It. Just Lick the Plate.

Flatbread Company - Somerville, MA
http://www.flatbreadcompany.com/

     Sometimes I do things that are fun and realize how much I dislike how busy life is. Doing something fun and enjoyable shouldn't seem like it's a rare occurrence or not the norm. I need to find a way to adjust my life. Find things that I have in excess and cut them off. Rearrange things. Make more time to enjoy things. Anyway... after many many attempts to meet up, Griff and I finally got together for some food at Flatbreads in Davis Square. He had told me eons ago that this place was good, and I have wanted to go ever since. Truth be told, I totally thought Flatbreads was a dive bar with a janky bowling alley or something. It's on a side street and is inside, what I thought was, a small brick building. I had no idea when I walked in that it was going to be so big and open. Directly in front of you as you enter are the bowling lanes. We didn't end up bowling, but the balls you use are really tiny. It looks super fun though and provides a great background noise for your meal.
     The dining area to the left is one huge room with a ton of wooden tables. All the table tops and seats are wood and metal and fit in with the rustic feel of the place. It was also relatively dimly lit, but there were a ton of colors all around that stuck out of the darkness. There were different colored lights that illuminated other objects throughout the room along with many signs painted in bright, vibrant colors. The main feature in the room, however, was the clay wood-fired oven and the stacks of wood next to it. You could see a nice roaring fire in the oven as the pizzas bubbled off to the side. One of the workers was almost always stoking the fire or putting in a pizza that had been prepared right next to the oven in their open kitchen area. It all had a very simplistic feel. My kind of place.

     Onto the food. To start we ordered one of their salads that was on special. It was their normal mesclun
and organic sweet lettuces, shaved roasted beets, and shredded pickled cabbage and carrots. There were supposed to be grape tomatoes in it, but I found zero. It was delicious anyway, so I didn't complain. I also don't recall the waitress saying what the dressing was, so I played my own game of guess the flavors. I definitely got some sesame seeds, and I thought it tasted rather asian. Gingery perhaps? Upon checking their menu out when I got home, I saw on their menu that they add toasted sesame seeds to their other salads and have a homemade ginger-tamari vinaigrette. I win. It was delicous. Truthfully the dressing was my favorite part. It was just so light and refreshing.
     For our first pizza, we ordered a small Somerville Community Flatbread with their wood-fired cauldron tomato sauce, organic caramelized onions, organic mushrooms, whole milk mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. The tomato sauce was the best part of this pizza. You can't often say that about a pizza.  It was perfectly sweet and chunky (another thing you can't often say about pizzas). I also loved that there were a ton of mushrooms all over the pizza.

          The second pizza was their sauce-less Homemade Sausage pizza with their own nitrate-free maple-fennel sausage, organic sulfate-free sundried tomatoes, caramelized organic onions, organic mushrooms, whole milk mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. At first I thought a sauce-free pizza was silly, but oh boy was this pizza delicious. I think not having a sauce allowed me to focus more on the toppings, and it truthfully wasn't necessary. The sausage had the texture more of cooked ground beeg, which I wasn't expecting. But it had this amazing sweet and maple-y flavor. The sweetness of the sausage plus what we believe was a subtle sweetness in the caramelized onions gave this whole pie a completely different flavor than any other sausage pizza I've had before. It wasn't dessert-like though, as you still got the savory flavors from the fennel in the sausage, the mushrooms and the sundried tomatoes. Gosh the flavor that those sun dried tomatoes took on when they roasted a bit and the edges crisped up in the oven was fabulous. Mmmm!

     One thing I really liked about their pizzas is that they let the toppings be the stars of the show. Now don't get me wrong, I love some delicious, melty cheese... but sometimes pizzas can have too much cheese and you may not get to experience what the toppings have to offer as much. You may not agree, but that's ok. But on both of these pizzas, I realized that I was able to notice little things about the flavors that I may not have noticed if it was loaded up with cheese. Like some of the herbs, the fact that the tomato sauce was chunky, or how I never realized I liked smaller pieces of mushrooms on pizza because you get some in every bite. 

     Oh and I didn't even mention the crust! The crust was incredible! They make an organic bread dough that they sprinkle with homemade garlic oil and blend of organic herbs. It was real thin on the bottom and got a little soggy the longer it sat, but it was still delicious. My favorite part was the crust around the edges. It seemed very different than pizza dough in that it was way more flavorful, much softer and more chewy. Almost like a deliciously chewy dinner roll you'd get in a bread basket at a restaurant. I wanted so badly to butter up the crust like my mom and I used to do when I was younger. 

     All in all, a great atmosphere, great company, and delicious food. I'd love to go back and try bowling with those small balls. Ha.


Greek Corner - Cambridge, MA
http://www.greekcorner.us/

     This restaurant adventure was another one of those week long discussions/decisions that Mary and I had.
Mary really wanted some Greek food, and well... it doesn't take much to persuade me. I know this place was on the Food Network at one point, and it was voted as Best of Boston 2008 for Greek Food. One of my old coworkers loves Greek Corner, and I've truthfully had some Greek salad and a grilled cheese from there before, but I've always wanted to go back for the real deal. Today was the day. We went directly after our Saturday workout so we could try all of the things. I was really excited to try some things similar to what Grandma Dini used to make and compare them.

     As an "appetizer" we ordered the Sampler Plate, which had dolmathakia, tsatziki, taramosalata, spinach pie, hommus, tabouleh, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant salad and olives. This plate was presented with a large dollop each of hommus (Greek spelling), tsatziki, and the taramosalata and all the goodies were places on top of each spread. Dolmathakia are grape leaves, and they were pretty good! Even though they didn't have meat like my grandma's do, they were probably the closest I've had to what I consider "real" grape leaves in that they weren't absolutely soaked in olive oil. They were much lighter and very tasty. The tsatziki sauce was incredible! If you're unfamiliar, tsatziki sauce is a creamy sauce made with Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon, dill and cucumber. It's often paired with gyro meat, but truthfully, it's incredible to just dip pita bread or veggies in. The taramosalata was something new to me. It was basically a red paste that was red caviar blended with bread and spices. We couldn't really figure it out because it was such a smooth consistency leaving us to wonder where the "bread" was. It had such a great flavor that wasn't fishy, but more dill-y. The spinach pies were also amazing. They had some sort of a "dark" flavor that Mary pointed out. I noticed it too, but we were unsure what it was. Perhaps it was just a very rich tasting spinach. Man the phyllo dough though was so delicious, golden and flaky. The hommus was very different than I'm used to but still incredible. I can't pinpoint the flavors, but it had much less tahini and garlic kick in it, and it was a little thinner and more gritty than most hommus. The tabouleh was also a much better representation of my family's traditional tabouleh than I'm used to in that there was more of the 70% parsley and veggies to 30% wheat germ ratio. A lot of grocery stores and restaurants make it into more of a grain based salad with waaaaaay too much wheat germ in my opinion. Not Greek Corner though! They had great ratio, making it the light refreshing salad it's supposed to be. The eggplant salad was delicious too and was very light. It was kind of a mushy mix of eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and lemon maybe? All of these things were served with pita bread that we dipped in all of the sauces individually, together, and in combination with the tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta. All of the flavors on this plate were phenomenal together. We were literally in shock.
     For the "meal" we split one Corner's Special Gyro with ground beef and lamb. It was served in a hot pita

bread with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, parsley and tsatziki sauce. One bite in, and I never wanted to eat anything else ever again. The meat was out of this world. It was cut in large hunks rather than thinner shavings. It was hot and the edges of the meat crisped up to give it a great flavor. It had some of the most amazing seasonings I've ever had in meat like this. I've always loved lamb thanks to my family, and this really hit home. The intense flavor of the meat went perfectly with the cool tsatziki sauce. Gosh and the pita it was wrapped in was so thick, warm, and grilled, providing the grilled and slightly burned in a few places taste. The whole gyro was the ultimate package. So so so happy with that choice.
 

   Instead of getting regular fries with our gyro we ordered a side of the Greek Fries which are big, thick-cut and long fries with the skins on. They're served with a little oregano, lemon juice and a ton of parmesan cheese practically poured on top. I couldn't really taste the lemon on them, but I was a huge fan of the parmesan that was warmed up by the fries. We dipped those fries in every sauce and dip we had left; the hommus, tsatziki, and the taramosalata. So many great flavors.
     For dessert we split one piece of baklava and one piece of what they call Galaktoboureko. Apparently the Galaktoboureko is a Greek pastry consisting of a semolina based custard that is wrapped in phyllo dough and topped with sweet syrup. This was served to us warm and was absolutely mind blowing. The texture of the insides kind of resembled a combination of bread pudding, custard and thicker tapioca. But it had a lightly sweet, eggy and vanilla flavor. The phyllo dough it was wrapped in was more moist than most phyllo dough you experience on things like baklava. The top and side of the dough was slightly more crisp, but the bottom piece of phyllo dough had soaked up a lot of the moisture from the custard and was much softer itself. Every bite was just as good as the last. We were so happy with this new discovery.

     The baklava was definitely one of the best pieces of baklava I've ever had. Splitting it made our individual pieces pretty small, but it still provided outrageous flavor. A lot of times when you get baklava, they're really
heavy, both physically and in your stomach. Often they can be really soaked top to bottom in thick honey... which is delicious... but after today I discovered that I like it much better when it's less heavy. I'm not exactly sure how they made it, but the top of this baklava had very little honey in it, allowing the phyllo dough to stay light and flakey. The bottom of the baklava was were the honey was, but even then it was much thinner than most honey, making it all a lot lighter and more enjoyable. The top of the baklava was sprinkled with a dash of cinnamon that I'm not sure is commonplace. Either way, I loved the flavor that the cinnamon added. Totally took it to a new level.
     This was such a great meal from start to finish. No complaints whatsoever. 

I Aint Never Had A Beef Like You

b.good - Cambridge, MA
http://www.bgood.com/index.php
   

Frank's Potatoes

     Eons ago, after a cleverly crafted tweet, the b.good truck came to my work and delivered free chocolate

milkshakes to us. It was THE BEST way to end the work week. So, that was my introduction to b.good and I've been following them and getting their emails ever since because I'm technically part of their "family." I'm not sure if I've explained their story yet, but their focus is making fast-food "real" by making it the way it should be... by people, not factories. I still hadn't visited one of their actual restaurants yet, when I got an email about Frank harvesting his potatoes, and if you came in before Sunday, you'd get a free order of fries. Also, I still had 2 other free orders of fries loaded onto my "family" card that I hadn't taken advantage of yet. Well... it's impossible for me to turn down free food, so one Saturday after the workout, Meagan and I went over to b.good to take advantage of two orders of free fries. On the wall right when you walked in, they had a picture of Frank on his farm and a little blurb about his potatoes from Hatfield, Massachusetts. Along with Frank were photos and information about two other families that b.good was sourcing their beef and other ingredients from. I'm a real big fan of this. Locally sourced and "real" ingredients. It's comforting to know who I'm supporting when I'm eating out. Not to mention, the environmental impacts of buying local.
     As I mentioned before, we went for our free fries and they were phenomenal! They came out looking just as I expected. Real. All different shapes, sizes, and textures. As if an individual, rather than a machine, had imperfectly sliced all different sizes of potatoes. The first thing Meagan said was "they're kind of creamy," and she was totally right. The outside was slightly crispy, but the potato inside was so moist and practically creamy. They also had some sort of delicious seasoning on them, perhaps with a little paprika? I'm unsure. But I do know that I can't wait to go back one day and try their burgers.


Coolidge Corner Clubhouse - Brookline, MA
http://www.thecoolidgecornerclubhouse.com/index.php

Mile High Nachos

     Remember my "nacho average run" pre-CRASH B? Well... I'm slowly checking off the six restaurants that I visited with "the best nachos in Boston." Very very slowly. I've currently only been to one. However, Coolidge Corner Clubhouse was highly recommended by everyone and their mom, so one Saturday evening after sitting outside at MixFest downtown, Meagan wanted to go get food. We scooped up Jimmy and headed to Coolidge Corner Clubhouse where I could finally put their nachos to the test. I was pumped. The place looked like your standard sports bar, but a little older. By that I just mean there weren't seven thousand TVs and the look and feel wasn't very modern. I will instantly love a place if they offer me something free before my meal. For example, bread, popcorn, peanuts, or in this case, small packets of breadsticks. I care not of the quality because it's free and delicious. Jimmy and I decided I'd order the half plate of Mile High Nachos, he'd order a greek salad and we'd split both. That's a lie. We didn't agree on the half plate size. I'm pretty sure he rolled his eyes when I told the waitress I only wanted the half order.
     The greek salad was actually really awesome. It had a bunch of grilled chicken, green peppers, a few tomatoes and they used a mix of romaine lettuce, spinach and a bunch of other mixed greens. I love when places do that. Makes me respect them a little more. Maybe because it makes me think that they value nutrition and are willing to spend a little more on greens rather than just romaine or iceberg lettuce. I'm weird.
     The nachos were, in fact, a mile high. Never have I ever seen a place do such an incredible job layering cheese and chips. The entire bottom of the plate was covered in cheese, and it seemed like each chip in the entire stack had cheese on it. It was incredible. And it was a good blend of cheddar and monterey jack cheeses. The meat chili that came on top was great too. It was practically all meat and full of flavor, but I wished there was more. It also came with jalapenos and salsa with huge globs of guacamole and sour cream thrown on top. There was no skimping on these guys. I'd definitely say they're the best nachos I've had here in Boston so far. They beat out the nachos from Cambridge Brewing Club, the Hill Tavern and Tavern in the Square because of the cheese layering technique and the delicious chili.


Sloppy Joes - My Kitchen, Cambridge, MA

   

My Heavenly Sloppy Joes

      I do like sloppy joes... I do. But when they're at some sort of function, I'm never going to be super excited about it or anticipating seconds before I even finish my first. Don't get me wrong, they're tasty, but generally, I feel like they're pretty standard and generic. However... I stumbled upon a sloppy joes recipe on pinterest (from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network) and thought I'd try it out for myself. Real homemade sloppy joes. No packets. No cans.
     Conveniently, that week Whole Foods had a sale on grass-fed, free range, antibiotic and hormone free 90/10 ground beef from some family farm in Missouri. I picked up about a pound and a half of it and knew it was sloppy joes time. First of all... this was the most amazing ground beef I've ever eaten. "The look of it, the taste of it, the texture... "(-Goldmember) was so different than any other ground beef. There was very little fat that cooked out, and it almost smelled game-y. The taste and the feel of it in my mouth felt so clean. I know that's really really weird, but it was just different and eye opening. I had no idea that ground beefcould be different in so many ways.
     Anyway, I threw in some kidney beans, a ton of spices, onions, garlic and a few other key ingredients (similar to the mountain meatballs recipe Jake and I made a while back) like molasses and Worcestershire sauce. I'm sure if I followed her recipe exactly it would've been delicious, but I made a few additions and substitutions, as always. I omitted the jalapeños and red peppers (simply because I didn't have any on hand), and instead of using a mix of tomato sauce and tomato paste, I used only a tomato basil tomato sauce from Trader Joe's (it's my favorite). I also added from fresh basil from my mom's garden. I would definitely say that this is up in my top 10 favorite dishes I've ever made. It's incredibly easy and incredibly delicious. I spent everyday at work dreaming about getting home to eat it. Here's my version of her recipe.

Sloppy Joes

1.5 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 3/4 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4/5 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. Brown the meat and the onion in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard.

2.  Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes more.


Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins - My Kitchen, Cambridge, MA

She's pretty

     I want to bake everything... all the time. Brownies, cookies, cakes, muffins. You name it. But I can't for lightweight reasons. So whenever the opportunity arises where I can make a recipe I've been wanting to make for a while, and I can count on other people being there to enjoy 95% of the fruits of my labor, I seize it. Thank you Head of the Kevin 2! For the breakfast post HOK2 I decided to make these peanut butter banana oatmeal muffins. The picture looked great, they had great ingredients and they really caught my eye when I found them on Annie Eats. I've made similar breakfast banana-y muffins before, but these ones took the cake. They were so easy to make and incredibly tasty, especially when they were fresh. With a slight hint of peanut butter in the muffin, creamy peanut butter on top and the sweet taste of banana all throughout, it kind of felt like a treat but was still full of nutrition. An energy powerhouse.  I think it also helped that I used some super ripe bananas that were plenty sweet. This is key.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. applesauce
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
6 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 cup low-fat buttermilk (I mixed 1% milk and a tbs of lemon juice)

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin cups with paper liners (this recipe made about 15 muffins for me). In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with a fork.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, banana, peanut butter and buttermilk until smooth. 

3. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients gradually and mix just until fully incorporated.

4. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup - My Kitchen, Cambridge, MA

     

   

I wish you could've smelled these shrooms

     It's finally getting a little chilly outside and it's making me super eager to make soups. It's a very exciting time. I've had this Adventures in Cooking recipe for a Hungarian Mushroom Soup on the back burner since the spring. A little more rich than my normal soups, this one is up there in the top 5. I made it with sliced baby portabella mushrooms, sliced large portabellas, and a ton of paprika and dill. I wonder if the paprika and dill are what make it Hungarian. Hmm... Also, instead of sour cream like the recipe called for, I used greek yogurt (which I feel like is practically the same thing), and it gave it an awesome creamy texture. I'm pumped to have a huge pot of this in my fridge for dinner all week.

Final product

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

8 Ounces Crimini Mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 Ounces Small Portabello Mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Cups Vegetable Stock
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt)
2 Cups Onions, chopped
5 Teaspoons Hungarian Paprika
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Dried Dill
1 Teaspoon Fresh Dill, finely chopped (I used only dried dill)
1 and 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Marjoram

1. Sauté the onions in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 cup of vegetable stock, paprika, thyme, marjoram, dried dill and soy sauce. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the mushrooms soften and become dark in color (This smell will blow your mind).

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then whisk in the flour and continue whisking while the mixture cooks for another 3 minutes. Add the milk and continue cooking over low heat for 10 minutes allowing the mixture to thicken, stirring once every minute or so. Empty the mushroom mixture into the milk mixture. Add the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of vegetable stock and the lemon juice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and watch mixture until it stops boiling. When the boiling ceases, stir in the sour cream, salt, pepper, and fresh dill if you have it.

"I Don't Want You to Think I'm a Gluten"

Boston Burger Company - Boston, MA
http://www.bostonburgerco.com/

The Green Monstuh

       Some people eat food for the nourishment, some for the energy, some because it tastes good, and some become they're in a emotionally committed relationship with it. I eat for all of the above. It's not everyday that a you get a visitor that shares the same affinity for such substance. Jake arrived on Saturday and immediately we were planning dinner. There were so many options. To celebrate his arrival, we headed over to Boston Burger Company on Boylston Street to meet up with some of his friends. There is a Boston Burger Company location right in Davis Square, but I'd never been (and now that I think about it, I don't understand why my coworkers don't go there, because this was an incredible experience). It seemed like a relatively classy-casual burger joint with a hosting staff (which isn't standard I'd say) and the beautiful aromas of freshly pressed beef patties. BEEF. It's what was for dinner.

Cajun Fries

          There reached a point after we both sat down where we both had to set the menu down and come up for air. There were so many types of burgers, all very different, and it was nearly impossible to decide. I was real tempted to try out their conch burger, but I was so scared. Maybe next time. Finally I settled on the "Green Monstah" with their homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, and "cheddah jack cheese." Woah buddy. This thing so plump and juicy and was loaded with the guac. The combo of the guac and the pico de gallo gave it this awesome southwest flavor with a little heat from the cheese. It was incredible. At first I told myself I wouldn't eat the whole thing... but I was just being dumb. The burger also came with their homemade potato chips that were also the bomb. Super simple and lightly browned, like the chips they probably throw away at most potato chip factories because they're "burnt." Well... those are my favorite... and these were my favorite.
     We made the right choice when it came to ordering only one side of fries. These fries weren't normal fries. Oh no. These were deee-lux fries. Choosing between the Greek Fries, Pizza Fries, Nacho Fries, Cajun Fries, and Buffalo Cheese Fries was no easy feat. Finally we decided on the cajun, and man oh man was it a pure stroke of genius. They weren't your standard french fries with cajun seasoning though. They were more like potato wedges sunked in this mildly spicy cajun sauce with sauteed onions and peppers. It was absolutely incredible. They were the best ones on the table.

Raising Cane's - Boston, MA 
http://raisingcanes.com/

Smash Box Boss

     I know I'll probably get some lightweight hate for these couple of posts, but I don't care. Life is a celebration! And when you rage your face off at a concert, I'm sure you burn a few cals. So Jake and I stopped in at Raising Cane's after the show. He was ecstatic that there was a Boston location, and I was ecstatic that I was finally going to try it after being tortured by the Raisin Cane's smell billions of people would bring into City Sports. Raisin Cane's seems to me like a pretty standard fried chicken "fast food" joint but up a notch or two. The smash box was apparently the best. Needless to say, we smashed it. It came to the table piping hot and consisted of something like 4 or 6 chicken strips, coleslaw, fries, texas toast, 2 tubs of special sauce and a large drink. Why is it that every "special sauce" ever created is impossible to figure out? What in the world makes it so tasty? And why is it so delicious when paired with super hot fried chicken? The chicken was just the best and the breading was nice and light and not too greasy. This really hit the spot... especially for a Tuesday night. I felt like a rebel.

Jacob Wirth - Boston, MA
http://www.jacobwirth.com/index.html

     The night had finally arrived. We had been waiting months, but it felt like years. After being a total moron and showing up late, Jake and I dove head first into this beast of a menu at Jacob Wirth. This restaurant is a German restaurant downtown nestled around Chinatown and the theater district.downtown. I had a groupon that was good for one appetizer, two entrées, and a dessert. As a "True Boston Classic," Jacob Wirth looks just like what I would picture a big German bar to look like, where people would be dancing in traditional German garb. The ceilings were super high and there were simple white christmas lights hung from the ceiling. It was perfect.

     After obliterating 2 baskets of cornbread, the appetizer we went with was Jake's Nibbler which included samplings of grilled knockwurst and brats, served over saurkraut, red cabbage, and german potato salad with a side of bittersweet red beer sauce. The knockwurst and brats were incredible. They were so juicy and had a distinct smoky flavor. Some people may think it's gross, but I absolutely loved the way the casing snapped when you bit into it. That's the real stuff for sure. The red beer sauce didn't have much of a beer flavor, but brought a coolness (like that of salsa) to the brat/saurkraut combo. The saurkraut was unlike any other saurkraut I've ever had. It seemed bubbly. I'm guessing the way they ferment the saurkraut made it still seem a little zing-y, or like if you made it into a drink it's be fizzy like soda. Weird description, I know. It was delicious.

     For my entrée I went with the Jaeger Schnitzel, which was two breaded fresh veal tenderloins served over mushroom and sweet pea handmade spaetzel with a Jagermeister sauce. I might as well stop with my description here because I have no idea how to explain how amazing this was. I don't eat veal often, but I wanted to try it again. The tenderloin seemed so delicate and was perfectly fried to a crisp only on the outside. Inside the meat was juicy and so tender. The spaetzel (tiny German dumplings) it was served over was all savory flavors with the mushrooms and peas in addition to the sauce it was resting in. I was a little nervous about the Jagermeister sauce tasting a lot like Jager, but I truthfully couldn't find the Jager flavor at all (I really wasn't that upset because whatever they did to give it flavor was spot on). Filing a fork with a piece of the veal, a mushroom, the spaetzel and a little sauce was as if you had personally aligned all of the planets. All was right in the world.
     There's no way we could've decided on one dessert... so we naturally got two. The first one was a German Chocolate Whoopie pie with a pecan coconut icing in between the two cakes. Unbelievable. The cakes were slightly warm and light, and the pecan coconut icing was so sweet but was hands down the best frosting I've ever had with a German chocolate cake. The second dessert were these two warm apple pastries served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They were like mini apple pies in a light crisp pastry dough.  On top of the pastries and the ice cream these drizzled this delicious dark cherry sauce. It brought a totally different flavor to each bite when you'd get a little of the sauce. It was like adding peppermint to a chocolate shake. Completely different.

Carrot Cake Granola - My Kitchen, Cambridge, MA

     When you know you probably shouldn't actually be eating real carrot cake, you have to make some sacrifices and make incredibly delicious carrot cake granola instead. I was on the hunt for granola recipes without oils or added sugar and found this one, which ended up being only about 75 cals per 1/4 cup. That's pretty good for granola. I was extremely impressed. It really does taste like carrot cake and is super easy. I found this recipe on a blog called iheartwellness and modified the nuts and fruits quantities to make it better (I think). However, I do think that this granola is deceptive. It doesn't seem crunchy at all when you pull it out of the oven, but it'll harden up if you let it cool out in the open air. However, if you put it in a sealed jar, I think the moisture of the banana softens it up a little bit. If I was looking for the crunchy granola in yogurt idea, I'd just pop it in the toaster for a minute or two to toast it up and let it cool again before using it. Either way, it's delicious crunchy or not.

Carrot Cake Granola

2 cups oats
1 medium carrot, grated
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbs shredded coconut
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 raw walnuts, chopped
1/4 raw almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1 banana mashed
2 tbs honey
1 tbs agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

2) Mix together the dry ingredients (except the raisins) in a large mixing bowl along with the shredded carrot. 

3) In a separate mixing bowl, mash the banana and stir in the remaining liquid. Add the dry incredients.

4) On a parchment lined cookie sheet spread the mixture out evenly and bake for 30 minutes or so. Rotate and stir every 10 minutes or so. 

5) Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Add the raisins.