Hello there! Happy freaking NOVEMBER! Up until a few weeks ago, I was still in shock that summer was over. But now, I have fully embraced autumn. I’m so excited November and December… we’ve got a trip coming up in a a couple weeks, a visitor coming not much later… and then the holidays! I was so caught up in the spirit that I purchased this decorative cinnamon broom from Trader Joe’s, and I’m pretty much obsessed. Our apartment smells like hot mulled cider, but not in a cheesy, Glade candle kind of way… it makes me want to just curl up on the couch and read! Unfortunately, I still have quite a bit of work to get through before I can do that without feeling guilty, but cozy times are on the horizon.
This weekend was a good one. Friday was mostly spent writing a paper, but I took a break to make this uh-may-zing beet pasta. It’s pink! The sage and orange zest- spiked ricotta + pistachio toppings were incredible.
On Saturday afternoon, I met my friend Caitlin for brunch at Sweet Revenge. This adorable West Village spot has been on my list for a few years, and I was so glad to finally go!
There were a couple things that looked interesting… I debated getting a savory oatmeal skillet before settling on a gigante burrito bowl with scrambled eggs, black beans, roasted potatoes, jalapeño cheddar, and avocado. This didn’t exactly fit my definition of “gigantic,” but it wasn’t bad.
We happened to be sitting right next to a dessert case filled with fancy cupcakes… alas, nothing was gluten free. We did have success a few blocks away at Birdbath Bakery, which I’m happy to report now serves delicious gluten free cacao nib cookies. Caitlin and I split one, and she told me she never would have known they weren’t made with “real” flour. Thumbs up for GF cookies that aren’t a) as dense as bricks, or b) tiny, and as hard as bricks.
After Caitlin and I parted, I was en route back to the apartment when I got a text from B asking if I wanted to meet him at Home Depot. We ended up turning the evening into a spontaneous date night, starting with drinks at a brand new wine bar and restaurant in Midtown called Kurant. Because it was their grand opening, all drinks were 50% off. Their wine list was fabulous, and B and I each got a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon- French for him, Californian for me.
We were definitely crashing their Friends & Family opening night, but the staff was so nice! They brought us over a plate of appetizers: sliders, mozzarella sticks, crab cakes + fried calamari. Everything was breaded so I couldn’t try them, but B said they were tasty!
Ever since our great gluten free pizza experience at Ribalta, I’ve been craving grilled cheesy bread. We’d been planning to try a new pizzeria, Milkflower, which received rave reviews and was rumored to be able to prepare any of their pizzas with a gluten free crust. We arrived at the restaurant and were seated right away, only to be told that someone had started a false rumor on Yelp… no gluten free pizzas, although they do serve gluten free toast. Womp womp.
We moved our party a few blocks over to Pachanga Patterson, one of my favorite places for tacos. We each got orders of mushroom tacos (which are finally back on the menu after a years-long hiatus!) and tequila drinks. It was in bed by 9:30 for me!
After breakfast on Sunday mornings we usually go to our favorite coffee shop to read and study, but because of the marathon (congratulations, runners!) we couldn’t go to our usual spot. We drove around for a while trying to find a new one, but by the time we found one that had available seating and free WiFi, we discovered that a) their coffee was not.good, and b) it was time for lunch! Fail.
Quick lunch-of-leftovers at home: butter lettuce, seared tofu, sundried tomatoes, carrots, peppers, mushrooms from the pickle bar, blue cheese + vinaigrette. Super random, but it worked.
I was still craving pizza in a major way. While looking for a recipe to use some of our CSA produce, I found this cauliflower crust pizza that I’d pinned a little while ago. I know, unconventional pizza crust is so 2012. Instead of using almond flour, I used the almond pulp I had in the fridge, leftover from our last batch of almond milk. We improvised toppings: leftover pasta sauce + crushed tomatoes, red peppers, shredded carrots, parmesan, and tons of basil from our garden.
My first couple bites of this were disappointing. But then B made a good point: as long as you don’t compare it to “real” pizza, you can enjoy it as a dish in its own right. And after that, I did! We split the pie, which is made with one whole head of cauliflower, 3 eggs, and 1 cup of almond meal. So it was a nice and hearty meal.
I’ve literally got to run out the door to class… Mondays are long!