Staff Picks - Eat Your Vegetables!
Did you know that October is Vegetarian Awareness Month? OK, so it is the end of October and we are a little late to the table on this one. This tenth month on the calendar, it turns out, is more than just about carving pumpkins, dressing up like former presidents (or presidential wannabes), and hitting up the neighbors for candy. It is also the time to reflect on the benefits of a plant-based diet. Of course, those benefits (which include everything from lower rates of heart disease to slower global warming) are up for debate. Nonetheless, October is a great time to back away from the Italian beef and try something a little less . . . eh . . . "meaty".In honor of Vegetarian Awareness Month, we asked the Chicagoist foodies for their favorite flesh-free meal recommendations here in the Windy City. Feel free to share your own in the comments below. And yes, we do know that October is also National Pork Month. Go figure.
Caitlin Klein: No!!! Don't make me!!! I cook all my vegetables in bacon fat or chicken stock for god's sake. Vegetarian is not in my vocabulary.
Sigh. Fine.
Pick Me Up Cafe, Wrigleyville: This Cafe serves breakfast all day, but if sizzling breakfast meats aren't your idea of a good time, you can get the "Gorp" Omelet, which is a huge envelope of goat cheese, onion and red pepper. Uhhh... I don't know if vegetarians eat eggs. Do you? If you don't, and you want a late-night (or very late night) dinner, opt for a bowl of Pick Me Up's well-known vegetarian chili with a grilled cheese for dunking.
WHEN IS NATIONAL MEAT MONTH?
John DiGilio: I am not sure that a city known for its hotdogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and sausages is ready for a whole month of meatless fun. What will Harold's Chicken Shack afficionadoes do? Still, with the utmost love and respect for my carcas-consuming friends, I encourage everyone to try a meal free of meat once in a while. Your hearts will thank you for it!
Hiding Veggies In Grilled Cheese - News
I second Molly's veg@non-veg pick of the truffled grilled cheese. Pretty. Fantastic. Stuff. Here's another: The Gage, Loop: At first glance, the lunch menu at the Gage doesn't look great for grazers. But hiding in plain sight among brisket,
Fall salads typically call for vegetables to be roasted or grilled to caramelize their natural sugars and to soften them for easy slicing and dicing. They can be hearty enough to serve with warm crusty bread as a vegetarian meal.
Kids meals include grilled chicken, steak on a stick, gyro, chicken tenders or grilled cheese; fruit cup or Greektown fries, cooked in trans fat and cholesterol-free canola oil; and a kids drink, $4.79 plus tax. Rainforest Cafe, 110 E. Crockett St.,
Find five meals that most of your family will eat and that have a small number of ingredients, like beans and rice, spaghetti, or grilled cheese with cut-up veggies and dip. Often it's the stress of finding something everyone will like that leads to
I wish he would eat a greater variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables, but it is a major battle to get him to eat something new or different. Many families will find helpful information in the report, with its “toolbox” of ideas,