Native Foods Blog

Chicago Public School Day

by Chef Kendall Huff 

Native Foods Cafe

 

Recently I had the pleasure to work with 4 little new friends on spreading the plant- based love.  I was invited to be the mascot and assistant for one of Native Foods biggest fans! A few local schools in the city planned a healthy cook-off against each other to express the importance of eating healthier.  It was right up my alley!

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After a few meetings of eating and getting to know what each team member liked to eat/cook and why, we decided to rock out a Seitan Chili served over a bed of warm quinoa noodles.  And they made the recipe!

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We tested and sampled a few chilies before we could all decide on our flavor and consistency. And yes, these little Chefs’ knew exactly what they wanted.  No garlic and lots of beans!!

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We kept our flavors simple and our ingredients fresh, the best way to cook. Not only were the kids excited about the great recipe they had created, but they also got to individually talk about the nutritional value and vitamins in each piece of the recipe.

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They made quinoa so exciting it was inspirational. Not only was I super proud and thrilled to be apart of this, but I also got to hang out with the most creative and inspiring little Chefs I have ever met!

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Thank you Team Alcott!!  

 

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And here is the recipe:

 

Chili

1 each small onion, diced

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 (15oz) can white beans, drained

1 (15oz) can red beans (kidney beans), with liquid

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained

1-Tablespoon garlic powder

1-Tablespoon chili powder

½ Tablespoon onion powder                       

3 cups ground seitan

 

2 boxes quinoa elbow noodles

 

Toppings:

Tofutti Sour cream (optional)

 

 

Here’s what the team did:

 

1- In a larger soup pot, on medium heat, add oil, onions. Cook for 3 to   4 minutes. It will start to smell yummy!!

2- Add white, red, black beans, diced tomatoes, seitan and spices. Stir all goodies together.

 3- Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and cover. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes.  Don’t forget to set a timer!!

4-  When the time goes off, remove the lid, CAREFULLY!! Watch out for that steam!

**If you like your Chili a little thicker, add ¼ cup of flour or Tapioca Starch (For those Gluten Free Kids out there) and stir it in.  Continue to cook for 5 more minutes and delicious!! It’s time to eat!!

 

Health Points to Note:

 

Fresh Garlic-

The ‘Stinky Rose”- It is a natural antibiotic and helps protect the body. A free and tasty bodyguard!

 

 

Black Beans-

Are high in fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins.  When eaten with brown rice, they are a complete protein!!

 

 

Kidney Beans-

Are packed with Vitamin K, which is used to feed and strengthen our nervous system, heart and bones! They also help prevent those after school sugar rushes…Hint hint Moms!!

 

Quinoa-

The Power Protein!!  1 cup contains 9 grams of protein. Great substitute for eggs, meat and dairy!  Try it in noodle forms, in granola bars or steamed. Any way and you’ll feel like a Power House!!

 

Seitan-

“Wheat Meat”

Speaking of Power House, seitan will supply you with the same amount of protein per oz as a sirloin steak. But comes without the saturated fats and cholesterol! And has WAY less the calories!

 

Tofutti Cream Cheese-

Made from soybean oil and tofu. This sour cream has less fat and still contains that creaminess needed for chili!!

 

Quinoa Noodles-

All GMO Free!! And they are gluten free!!! Who could ask for anything more??

 

 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

by Native Foods Cafe

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from the Native Foods Family!  We hope you are all having a peaceful day with friends and family... enjoying a plant-based meal, or perhaps a Native Wellington.  The turkeys thank you too!

Check out this wonderful video from Farm Sanctuary:

 

 

 

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Thanksgiving Dinner at Native Foods Cafe!

by Native Foods Cafe

 

Join us for our 8th Annual Vegan Thanksgiving Buffet!  

Available at select locations.... and we have some reservations left....

Call today to reserve!  (Scroll down for phone numbers....)

The Thanksgiving Menu:

The Native Wellington
Mushroom Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Native Stuffing
Cranberry Compote
Green Bean Casserole
Green Salad with Maple Glazed Pecans
and Pomegranate Pearls
Polenta Butternut Squash Terrine
Wheatberry Waldorf
Cornbread with Butter
Double Chocolate Brownies
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie

Thursday, November 22nd • $24.95
Children under 12, $14.95

Seatings available:

Costa Mesa • 11:30 am - 6:30 pm • (714) 751-2151
Tustin • 11:30 am - 6 pm • (714) 259-0400
Westwood • 11:30am - 7 pm • (310) 209-1055
Wicker Park • 11:30 am - 6:30 pm • (773) 489-8480
Portland • 12 - 6 pm • (503) 968-9999
Boulder • 12 - 6 pm • (303) 442-0213

Call for your reservations today!

 

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A Week in the Desert: The Creosote Bush

by Native Foods Cafe

The Desert Facts continue with the creosote bush, also known as Larrea tridentata or chaparral...  there is an 11,700-year-old creosote bush in the Mojave Desert!

• Creosote is known as "gobernadora" in Mexico, Spanish for "governess," due to its ability to secure more water by inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. 
• In the Sonora desert, Creosote is called hediondilla, which means "little stinker."
• The Creosote Bush has branches that live up to 90 years!  And there is one living creosote bush that is estimated to be nearly 12,000 years old!
• The  FDA  has issued warnings about the health hazards of ingesting chaparral or using it as an internal medicine, and discourages its use. Health Canada issued a warning to consumers to avoid using the leaves of Creosote species because of the risk of damage to the liver and kidneys. But many holistic doctors praise chaparral for its detoxification capabilities in small doses.
• Creosote emanates a very unique odor when it rains... Almost a smoky smell, very unique. Also, if you rub it's leaves together in your palms, it will release the same odor as well.
• The leaves of the creosote bush are coated with a resin to prevent water loss in the hot desert. The resin of the creosote bush also protects the plant from being eaten by most mammals and insects. 
• Creosote was used by Native Americans in the Southwest as a treatment for many maladies, including sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chicken pox, dysmenorrhea, and snakebite. The shrub is still widely used as a medicine in Mexico in the form of a medicinal tea to cure such ailments as flu, stomach cramps, cancer, colds, and others.  

 

Native Foods Cafe Palm Springs re-opens on Tuesday, November 20th!  See you guys in the desert soon!

 

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Winners of our Win a Weekend Stay in Palm Springs Facebook Contest!

by Native Foods Cafe

 

Congratulations to our Grand Prize Facebook Contest Winner Margie Weiner!  She won our hearts with an amazing poem about the Grand Opening in Palm Springs.... scroll down to read it! Margie and her family will be joining us this weekend for a wild time in the desert.

 

And congratulations to our 15 Runners-Up as well!

Winners, please email contest@nativefoods.com to claim your prize!

 

Native Foods Cookbook

Sam Friedlander

Chaz Donovan

Michael Ashley Schulman

 

2 Tickets to the VIP Pre-Opening Party this Weekend

Trace Twarowski

Tracy Goyak

 

$25 Native Foods Gift Card

Arvin Torres

Diana Sevastyanova

Tracie DeMotte

 

$10 Native Foods Gift Card

Cam Leibrand

Bryce Wilson

Sony Trieu

Kathleen Johnson

 

Native Foods Party Platter

Evelyn Cypress

Kirsten Drake

Lauren Rucka

 

And the grand prize poem.... 

Twas the night before the Grand Opening by Margie Weiner

Twas the night before the Grand Opening when all thru Native Café


The Tofu and the Seitan 
were giggling with the Tempeh



The decorations were up
, the gravy was stewing


The vegan beef wellington was ready, 
as the cows were happily moo’ing



The rosemary and sage and basil were dried


“I think he is here!," a little boy cried



He flew in to Palm Springs, swiftly and quick


And everyone knew in an instant 
it must be St. Chick!!!



His feathers were snowy white
, and his beak a bright yellow


He said “I hope I am not late for dinner”
...as he ate his dessert first… a bowl of vegan jello



“St. Chick! St. Chick!” 
Yelled a little boy named Connor


“We are so happy to have you here,
 you are our Guest Of Honor”



St. Chick jubilantly muttered 
“Yum Yum and Ho Ho...


Delicious Soy and Corn
 And never GMO!”



St. Chick shouted with glee
“Native Café is my number one winner!


I am so happy to not be eaten for dinner!”



He smiled and pulled an envelope
 Out of his nifty kit


And said, “To all of my vegetarians, 
here are some lovely Gift Certificates!”



And with that he enjoyed the 
Grand Opening Celebration


And he raised his glass in a toast 
“To Our Palm Springs Vacation!”



He took to the sky and soared out of sight


and as he flew away I heard him chirp
“Happy Grand Opening to all, and to all a Peaceful Night!”

 

 

 

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A Week in the Desert: The Burrowing Owl

by Native Foods Cafe

And we continue with our week of desert facts!  Mostly desert animals....  Cause they're so cool.  Today we are spotlighting the burrowing owl.  The burrowing owl is so adorable, it's ridiculous.  With long ballerina legs, bright yellow eyes and a pancake face... OMG!  

 

And they have some very interesting habits....

Hand-Me-Down Homes   They  nest and roost in pre-made burrows, like the old digs of prairie dogs

Day Owls   Burrowing owls are easier to spot because, unlike most owls, burrowing owls are often active during the day. But they still do most of their hunting from dusk until dawn, when they can use their night vision and hearing to their advantage.

True Carnivores  Burrowing owls have a varied diet of small mammals, such as moles and mice, insects, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Dung Decor  Burrowing owls will collect a wide variety of materials to line their nest, the most common material being mammal dung, usually from cattle. At one time it was incorrectly thought that the dung helped to mask the scent of the juvenile owls, but researchers now believe the dung helps to control the microclimate inside the burrow and to attract insects, which the owls may eat.

 Danger Rattle  Juveniles can mimic a rattlesnake when threatened in the burrow, and adults give a short, low-level "chuck" call to warn of approaching predators. 

Native Foods Cafe re-opens on November 20th!  Come join us in the desert and enjoy the biodiversity of this incredible region.  And see some burrowing owls!

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A Week in the Desert: The Phainopepla Bird

by Native Foods Cafe

 

In continuing with the celebration of the re-opening of Native Foods Cafe Palm Springs, we have some more cool desert facts for you guys!  Today we are presenting the Phainopepla Bird.  Besides being pretty darn cute, they are kinda really cool too:

A female Phainopepla.

1. Its name is from the Greek phain pepla meaning "shining robe" in reference to the male's plumage.
2. Phainopepla have a specialized gizzard that shucks berry skins off the fruit and packs the skins separately from the rest of the fruit into the intestines for more efficient digestion. So far this is the only known bird able to do this.
3. The eggs are incubated by both the male and female, which about takes fifteen days. The chicks are then reared by the parents for up to nineteen more days.
4. The Phainopepla can imitate the calls of twelve other species!
5. The Phainopepla has a very special relationship with Desert Mistletoe, a parasitic plant that grows on the branches of other trees.  It eats the berries of the mistletoe, and cannot digest the seeds.  So if it happens to defecate on a branch or tree, the seeds can then germinate and produce a whole new crop of mistletoe berries, therefore ensuring its next meal.... amazing!
6. The Cahuilla Indians used to ground up the mistletoe berries and use the powder to treat wounds and as a natural Visine to treat irritated eyes.

Mistletoe Berries in Palm Desert.

Palm Springs is such a cool place with an amazing desert ecosystem.... And you can come explore it for yourself this weekend!  Enter our Win a Weekend Stay in Palm Springs Contest on Facebook! It is for this weekend to celebrate the re-opening of Native Foods Cafe Palm Springs.  But hurry, contest ends tonight at midnight!

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A Week in the Desert: The Desert Antelope Squirrel

by Native Foods Cafe

We are re-opening our flagship Native Foods Cafe location in Palm Springs and we are beyond ecstatic!  In honor of the Palm Springs location, we are going to give you lots of fun-filled facts about the desert surroundings.  First off is the Desert Antelope Squirrel!  (Be sure to check out the cool contest at the bottom...)

This is one cool little creature.  Here are some interesting tidbits:

• A Squirrel Apart. There are several types of Antelope Squirrels.  The ones in the deserts surrounding Palm Springs are called San Joaquin Antelope Squirrels.
• The Trees are for the Birds!  The antelope squirrels are ground squirrels (compared to those that live in trees). They live in desert or dry scrub areas.
• It’s Getting Hot in Here…. Since it's very hot, the Antelope Squirrel has a special adaptation. The Antelope Squirrel is able to resist Hyperthermia and can survive body temperatures over 104°F.
• Wake-Up Call Please!  They do not like mornings and are not early risers… and are usually not seen until after sunrise, however they do forage in the morning and evening, avoiding the midday heat
• The Dirty Dirty.  They love dust baths to prevent parasites from taking hold.
• You Don’t Wanna Mess with Crazy.  When predators are in the area, the San Joaquin Antelope Squirrel has an alarm call, which involves convulsive body movements.
• Hold Your Breath!  Due to heavy agricultural cultivation, and the use of rodenticide which drifts in the air into their habitat, the San Joaquin Antelope Squirrel is now a threatened species.
• There’s No Place Like Home.  The Antelope Squirrels are social creatures, and have been documented as seeming lost and confused when transported out of their home habitat and placed somewhere new.

 

And don't forget, if you would like to join us out here this weekend, enter to win on our Facebook Page... but hurry, the Contest ends tomorrow!  Click Here to Play!

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The Turkeys Love Rye Special Meal!

by Native Foods Cafe

 

The Turkeys Love Rye Special Meal is available today through Sunday only!

A traditional holiday delight that warms your heart and your appetite!  Toasted marble rye stacked with warm thinly-sliced seitan, Native stuffing, cranberry-orange sauce, lettuce and dijon-mayo with a side of mushroom-shallot gravy.  Served with your choice of a side!  $9.95

November 9th-11th only!

 

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Win a Weekend Stay in Palm Springs!

by Native Foods Cafe

 

Facebook Contest!

Win a Weekend Stay in Palm Springs!   Nov 16th-18th

Come celebrate the re-opening of Palm Springs with us!

 

Just POST on our Wall why you want to celebrate with us! 

Click here to play!   http://www.facebook.com/NativeFoods

Get creative and wacky!

 

Grand Prize includes:

Two nights at the Riviera Palm Springs

Desert Adventure Jeep Tour onSaturday

Two tickets to the Native Foods Cafe VIP Pre-Opening Party

A Gift Basket filled with lots of fabulous goodies

Spending cash

 

15 Runners-Up will win the following:

A Native Foods Cookbook

2 Tickets to the VIP Pre-Opening Parties

$25 Native Foods Gift Card

$10 Native Foods Gift Card

Native Foods Party Platter

 

Contest ends Tuesday, November 13th at midnight PST.

 

Grand Prize weekend is November 16th-18th.

Travel to and from Palm Springs is not included.

This contest is in no way endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.

 

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