General Info – Vegan with a Side of Beef

Eating Gluten Free/Vegan Through NYC in 2023 (#2)

Our next stop was just a short walk from the bakery. We were headed to the historic Essex Building – advertised on it’s webpage as “A Vibrant Slice of Old New York.”. A building bustling with two levels of fresh food markets and cafes and people, lots of people.

Our destination: Riverdel The Original Vegan Cheese Monger. We found it on the first level, a vegan cheese shop! First words out of my mouth, “So it’s all vegan? Really?” Bradley just smiled and said “Read the sign, Mom.”

Remember what I said in my previous post about the bakery and all of the options? I was living it again, but this time in a cheese shop. The woman at the counter asked if she could help me. I replied, “You’re just going to have to give me a few minutes to take this all in. It’s been years since I could have cheese.” Again, it was a bit overwhelming. I wasn’t limited to a couple choices. There were wheels and blocks of cheese, some covered in herbs or nuts. Herbed cheese, chili cheese, smoked cheese, cheese spreads… and I could eat any of them! Kevin and Bradley just stood back as I took it all in. This was wild, no restrictions, no dietary warnings.

I ordered a cheese flight. Five flavors! I picked a ‘Seasonal Horseradish Dill’ – which was as good as it sounds! It was my favorite. Next ‘French Onion’ (Bradley’s choice), which was more of a spread. ‘Smoked Gouda’, a favorite of Kevin’s. ‘Cheddar’ covered with almonds. (It reminded me of a cheese ball, which I haven’t had in years.) Lastly, ‘Colby Jack’, a regular staple in the Halfman house.

We took the box with our chosen cheeses, and gluten free crackers, to the second level of the building where we could overlook the shops and watch the hustle of the people as we enjoyed our cheese flight.

It’s been over a dozen years since I’ve had cheese and I thought I was kind of over it. But the bursts of flavors along with the different textures brought back my days of being a cheese lover. I think I could be a cheese lover again.

Bradley has been talking about this place for over a year and has been chomping at the bit to get me there. I’m so glad we got there on this visit. This was fun!

Check out the pics!

That’s right. It’s loaded up with vegan cheese!

Our flight of vegan cheese. Be sure to request gluten free crackers if needed!

Links to Riverdel The Original Vegan Cheese Monger and Essex Market can be found below my disclaimer.

Thanks for stopping!

Enjoy.

Brenda

Disclaimer:

These recipes and tips are not guaranteed to work or be safe for everyone. Allergies are extremely complicated and vary for each individual. It is still your responsibility to read labels to ensure your safety. I cannot be held liable for any ill effects from using my tips to avoid your allergies. (Sorry guys, I don’t foresee any problems, but Momma’s gotta cover her backside, ya know?) Just read your labels! Do your research!

https://www.riverdelcheese.com/

https://www.essexmarket.nyc/

A Dedicated Wand

Looking for a great cup of coffee with a little peace of mind on the side? Courageous Coffee Cafe and Bakery, located in Portland, MI, has just what you may be looking for. What, exactly, is it that you’ll find? Like it says in the title of this post, they have a dedicated wand. Dedicated to those clients unable to or choosing not to consume dairy products. That means, when preparing your beverage, they can assure you that the dedicated wand is used only with almond milk. This eliminates the chances of cross contamination and at the same time, eases your mind.

It’s a cute little shop with a cozy seating area where you can enjoy your drink alone or with friends. It smells wonderful. They carry a variety of coffees, espressos, teas, frozen drinks, “other” drinks and baked goods. (My coffee, by the way, was great!)

Going out for food or drinks, when dealing with food allergies often feels a bit like a crap shoot. A coffee shop with a dedicated wand allows you to feel like you’re not gambling with your health. If you’re able, stop into Courageous Coffee Cafe and Bakery and let them know how much their concern is appreciated.

Courageous Coffee Cafe & Bakery, located in downtown Portland at 129 E Bridge St. (on the corner of Bridge and Maple streets). Their link is below my disclaimer.

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping.

Brenda

Disclaimer:

https://www.courageouscoffee.com/

Grand Grillin Restaurant

About five weeks ago, Kevin and I were on Lake Lansing Road in East Lansing. We saw a sign, ‘Opening Soon’ and below that, it said, ‘Home of the Vicki Chicken’. (Me: “What in the world??” Or something like that.) I saw the food cart. They hadn’t opened their indoor dining room yet, but were selling their food out of a small food cart. We decided to find out what, exactly, Vicki Chicken was and also take advantage of the sunny, unseasonably warm November day to eat lunch outside. Now, we just had to hope they would have something I could eat.

We walked up and saw it was called Grand Grillin. (Located at 740 W. Lake Lansing Road East Lansing, MI.) At the top of their menu, in large letters, it read, ‘Wraps or Salads’. So far, so good; I should be able to get a salad if all else failed.

I told the server I was allergic to dairy, egg and wheat and asked what he thought I might be able to eat. Another server walked up. They were both very accommodating, bringing out their bottles of sauces so I could read the ingredients. They said they had a gluten free pita bread, and brought me the package so I could read it. It was free of gluten, dairy, egg, soy and nuts! Woohoo!! (It’s the MYBREAD brand. Sold in Fresh Thyme and Gordons Food Service.)

Sold in Fresh Thyme and Gordons Food Service.

It looked like the Thai Wrap would be safe for me to eat, but they wanted to be sure. One of them went inside to ask someone to come out and talk with me. They came back with either a manager or the owner. She never introduced herself, but she was wielding a large binder and told me they’d just had a dietitian come out and she’d given them a complete allergy guide on all of their ingredients. She said they were still streamlining their system, but we should be able to navigate the binder together. It was a beautiful thing, seriously. People that really wanted to help, that understood the challenges in eating out with food allergies; that actually went through the effort of compiling a food allergy guide, before they opened their indoor dining restaurant. After flipping through the binder, it was decided that the two servers were right; I could eat the Thai Wrap.

Thai Wrap: Vicki Chicken grilled in Thai sauce, cabbage, carrots and cilantro, topped with sea salt peanuts. Delicious!!

I haven’t had a pita bread wrap since I’d been diagnosed with my food allergies, and it did not disappoint. It was everything I remembered and so good! This whole experience was so good. I look forward to getting back there soon!

Check out their link below.

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping.

Brenda

Disclaimer:

https://www.grandgrillin.com/

Original Flatbread Pitas

MYBREAD

Home

Fresh Thyme link

Tourists in a City Near Us

Bradley’s home from out of state. Recently, I asked him how long it had been since he’d been to the downtown shopping district in St. Johns. He said, probably a couple of years. Time to be tourists in a city near us!

The weather was mild that day, mid 30’s with no wind. We parked the car near the old railroad tracks and set off on foot. We didn’t have to walk far to get to our first stop, the Waypoint Coffee Company. (Hot coffee while walking outdoors in January, was going to be just what we needed.) I got a Vanilla Bean Latte with almond milk and Bradley, the Cardamom Latte.

We walked along the side streets and found “Cupcakes and Kisses”. Inside, it smelled glorious. We asked the salesperson if they carried any foods specific to our food allergies. (It’s always worth a try, you never know just when someone may surprise you.) While we weren’t able to find anything either of us could eat, the place was definitely full of everything Kevin could. We picked him up a treat and headed on our way.

Along Clinton Avenue we window shopped and browsed in some of the open stores. We ran into a couple of “around the section” neighbors who had also stopped downtown for coffee. (Their coffee shop of choice was the Global Coffee Company, located on Clinton Ave., which apparently carries some awesome lemon poppy seed muffins.) At the Clinton County Arts Council Art Gallery, I found some pretty handmade greeting cards and a perfect stocking stuffer for Kevin.

Finally, we arrived at “Oh Mi Organics”. I’d been talking this place up to Bradley for years and I was glad I could finally get him there. Megen and Brent Hurst, owners of Oh Mi, both greeted us as we came in; letting us know they were available to answer questions or to just talk about their products. Walking around their shop, I let Bradley take it all in. (After years of dealing with and eating for your food allergies, it really is hard to wrap your head around being in a shop, particularly a confectionary shop, where you can eat everything they carry.) More than once, he’d point and ask, “I can eat this too?” It was fun to watch him. We also spent a fair amount of time talking with both Megen and Brent, learning not just more about their products, but about the other small businesses that have started to come to the downtown shopping district, the “Eat Healthy, Eat Local Foundation” (founded in 2018) and the plans they have for the shopping district over the coming years. Our visit was finished off with buying a flavored hummus, 2 No Bake Dream Bars (If you haven’t tried them, you have no idea what you’re missing.) and a 6 pack of gourmet chocolates; Neopolitan (a favorite ice cream flavor for both of us), Samoa Cookie (like the Girl Scout cookie), Mint (Yum!), Rose, Baklava and Bavarian Cream. You really can’t go wrong with any of their gourmet chocolates. Before we left, Brent asked Bradley to try their iced coffee; asking how it compared to some of the iced coffees he’s had living in both Chicago and New York City. Bradley said it definitely rivaled those he’d had in both cities.

Bradley and I after out visit to Oh Mi Organics. (Look at those happy faces!)

Our Oh Mi Organics purchases. Obviously, we didn’t wait to start eating them before we got home to take a pic.

We’d now spent several hours on our tour and we were hungry. At the time of our “tour”, dine-in still wasn’t an option; so we had to do take-out. We placed an order with the St. Johns Brewing Company. Our food choices, Prime Rib Burnt Ends and the Classic Burger did not disappoint. In fact, they smelled so good, we didn’t wait to eat until we got home; we ate in the car.

This pic doesn’t do our food justice, but we we’re starving at this point and ate in the car.

The afternoon was great. Time spent outdoors, visits to local small businesses and good food.

Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

Disclaimer:

https://www.waypointcoffee.com/

WELCOME TO THE CCAC

https://www.ohmiorganics.com/

https://www.eathealthyeatlocal.com/

https://www.stjohnsbrew.com/

Something from my Facebook Page

Went on a fall color tour this past Sunday. Went up to the Charlevoix and Boyne Mountain area. Colors were gorgeous! Also found a restaurant Kevin, Bradley and I could all eat at. It’s ‘My Grandmother’s Table’ in downtown Charlevoix. I got the ‘Native American Three Sisters Stew’ – a gluten-free, vegan option! Bradley found a gluten-free, egg free option and Kevin got a pasta dish. We all enjoyed our meals!

Kevin, Bradley and I with Boyne Mountain in background.

Colors on the drive.

My lunch at “My Grandmother’s Table”, downtown Charlevoix, a bowl of
Native American Three Sisters Stew.

That’s all for now. Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

FYI: My Facebook page is named the same as my blog, Vegan with a Side of Beef

Disclaimer:

Let Me Tell you about My Mother’s Day!

I know it’s June 3^rd and Mother’s Day was weeks ago, but did I tell you what my kids gave me? Why am I bringing this up now? Several reasons: 1.) to brag my kids up a little and 2.) do a little shameless advertising for one of them. (My blog, my prerogative. lol.)

So, what did I get, you’re all asking? (Play along kids, it’s more fun for me that way.) I’m glad you asked!

Bradley was unable to be home, but he gave me a call and also sent me an Amazon gift card – always the perfect fit and color!

The others were able to come for an afternoon visit, bringing the grandbabies and bearing gifts as well.

Brent, Jamie and Maylynn made their gift stop at ‘Oh Mi Organics’ in St. Johns, MI. (Read that as Jamie made that gift run, the other two stayed home.) She did an awesome job picking out some wonderful treats for me: a box of truffles and a “Dream Bar” (the name is no exaggeration) – all of them gluten free and vegan friendly. They also gave me a gift certificate so I can make a visit out there myself. (I’ve put a link to their website at the end of this post.)

Trust me, this picture does not do this little piece of heaven any justice. You have to try this! It was incredible!

Abby, Brad and Duke gave me a handcrafted rug for our fifth-wheel camper; just in time for camping season. (The camper on the rug looks just like ours.) Handcrafted by Abby, my Curly Girly who just happens to be the proprietor of (This is the shameless advertising part I mentioned earlier.) Curly’s Crafts. Look her up on her Facebook page, Curly’s Crafts to see pics of all the different rugs she’s made. Don’t see one you want? Send her a pic of what you’d like and she’ll make it happen! And, as if rug dealing isn’t enough for her, she creates personalized shirts too, which you can also see on her Facebook page. Send her a pic of what you’d like her to make and she’ll take good care of you. Remember, Father’s Day is right around the corner.

Close up pic. (I cut a little bit off on the front of the camper. My bad.)

As I wind up this post, I want to send out a big Thank You to my kids and lots of hugs and kisses. Look right below this paragraph for the link to ‘Oh Mi Organics’ – so many different foods for people with food allergies/sensitivities. And remember, you don’t have to have food allergies to enjoy their food! It feels great to eat “clean”. If you aren’t near the St. Johns area, you’ll see you can find their foods at a variety of locations sprinkled throughout the state of Michigan.

https://www .ohmiorganics.com/

Shop local and support small businesses!

Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

Disclaimer:

JUST Egg Price Drop

This is timely news. I’ve just been posting about their product and I find this! Good news indeed!!

Click on the link below, if that doesn’t work – copy and paste.

https://vegnews.com/2020/1/just-aims-to-drop-price-of-vegan-just-egg-down-to-just-4.99-per-bottle

Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

Disclaimer:

Odds and Ends

Just a couple of tidbits.

First, some good news that Bradley recently found and forwarded on to me. Tim Horton’s is testing JUST’s plant based eggs in their Canadian stores! This is exciting, because while I don’t expect restaurants to eliminate chicken eggs, knowing I have a vegan option available means Kevin and I could go out to breakfast occasionally. I don’t know if, or when, they’ll start serving them in the U.S., but I’ll keep an eye out for more information and I’ll keep you posted.

Now, I have to come clean. I’ve never tried JUST plant based eggs. I’ve seen them in both Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme but have never had the courage to buy a bottle. I have read multiple reviews on them and they’re all favorable. So… the next time I’m in a store where they sell the JUST plant based eggs, I’m going to buy them. That’ll be another post….

Check out the story at the link below.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/25/plant-based-eggs-land-their-first-major-fast-food-deal.html

Second, something we can all sink our teeth into; just a little snack Abby and I found at T.J. Maxx. (They sell a lot of specialty foods, many of which cater to individuals with food allergies. (READ your labels!) Some are good, some not so good and then some are ‘heavenly hunks’.

They’re just that, a heavenly little treat, LOADED with flavor. These, seriously, have to be the best tasting store bought vegan “chocolate” treat I’ve ever had. I know this judgement comes from someone who has not had real chocolate since October of 2011 (not that I’m keeping track), so I know my tastes have definitely changed; but, I have to tell you, Abby agreed with me wholeheartedly. She said they made her mouth water and the only way they could taste even better would be to enjoy them with an ice cold Coke. Specifically, an ice cold fountain Coke, preferably, from McDonalds. Agreed. On our way home, we each ate two of these heavenly vegan ‘hunks’ with our McDonald’s fountain Cokes. I put the remaining ‘hunks’ in the cupboard to have another day. Bad idea, they don’t store well in room temperature. Next time I’ll store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Pick some up if you see them, they will not disappoint!

Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

Disclaimer:

Just Found A Great Place to Eat!

A few weekends back, a group of us went Christmas shopping in Grandville. While we were there, four of us checked out CoreLife Eatery www.corelifeeatery.com. It’s a fast-food restaurant with an emphasis on clean, healthy eating. They serve food made from scratch, with special attention paid to food allergies. “You are what you eat” seems to be their mantra.

There was a line when we walked in the door. The menus, which resemble a newspaper supplement, are available as you get in line. They’re chocked full with color pictures of each of their entrees. Under each pictured entrée, you’ll find a complete list of its’ ingredients and allergen information. As if that isn’t helpful enough, they line their waiting area with signage – five to six feet tall – featuring the menu in LIFE SIZE. I loved that! Their menus – both of them – made choosing what to order enjoyable without the worry of hidden ingredients or cross contamination.

Part of the life-size menu. In retrospect, I probably should’ve stood beside it to better make my point.

The wait in line was 10-15 minutes, which passed quickly as we checked out the menu(s). Their ordering process is similar to that of Qdoba or Chipotle; you build your own entrée.

I ordered the Spicy Thai Chicken & Rice Noodles and a glass of lemonade. The chicken had great flavor, with just the right amount of “heat”, biting my tongue just enough to make me want more. The cool rice noodles helped to quell the fire on my tongue, so I could keep eating.

My delicious lunch. That’s their menu, setting beside/under my lunch.

The lemonade is self-serve and they offered six or seven varieties with names like honey-ginger, beet and cranberry cayenne lemonade (I forgot the rest.). I was able to try a little of each in my cup before choosing the cranberry cayenne – which was delicious.

Wanda had the Ranch Flank Steak Rice Bowl, Darlene the Spicy Chicken Rice Bowl and Tay ordered the broccoli cheese soup. We all really like what we got and agreed this was a restaurant we’d definitely go to again.

So the next time you’re out and about, looking for good food that’s good for you, check to see if there’s a CoreLife Eatery nearby. You won’t be disappointed. (These are a chain restaurant and I’m not finding a lot of them around yet, hopefully their presence will continue to grow.)

Merry Christmas!

Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

Disclaimer:

My Newfound Restaurant…is Closing.

To those of you that follow my Facebook page (Vegan with a Side of Beef), sorry for the repeat info, but not all of my subscribers follow my FB page.

In last week’s post I told all of you about “Marie Catrib’s” in Grand Rapids’ Eastown and literally within days of that post; they announced that they’re closing on Oct. 20^th (about 4 weeks from now). To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement. I’m just so bummed. You can check out the link below regarding their closure.

If any of you still want to try their incredible food, better hurry – time’s running short.

In the meantime; I’ll begin searching, again, for another restaurant that serves really good vegan food.

Marie Catrib’s restaurant announces October closure

Thanks for stopping.

Brenda

Disclaimer: