Garden Cafes in AZ photo credit: Jessica Ingwersen
Ola my friend! My vegan season is starting soon and I am so happy to share this undertaking with you. However, I had to make a stop in Arizona before starting. There you will find some of the highest food and service quality. Arizona introduced me to one of the best garden cafes ever. Read further for more details.
Everything I ate did not make this post because . . . . I gobbled the food up before I even considered taking a picture. For example, I had beans, beef, and pickles from the countryside and nearly passed out from happiness and from being full.
So here are some of the highlights of my good eating in the Arizona valley. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Parker Burrito (The Coffee Shop, Gilbert AZ)
The Coffee Shop is a garden cafe known for the best cupcakes in AZ. Eating there was a lovely experience. The place was packed and yet the service was great. The food tasted amazing. The Chocolate Covered Blonde Brownie caught my eye and I had to go back and order it. One bite sent me to another level of contentment. If you ever get a chance to go, be sure to try the Parker Burrito. You may not be able to finish the whole thing in one sitting because it is massive. It is flour tortilla stuffed with Chicken, Spinach, Potato, Egg, Mushroom, Swiss, and Sour Cream with Salsa on the side.
On another note, I love garden cafes. They are one of my favorite spots to enjoy great food and a relaxing vibrant atmosphere.
Check out The Coffee Shop website here.
Huevos Rancheros
Huevos Rancheros means “Ranchers Eggs”. These are crispy corn tortillas topped with a fried over-easy egg and salsa. My tia says that without the salsa on the top it is not Huevos Rancheros. You can keep it simple or you can tap into your creative side and experiment with your favorite toppings i.e. beans, vegetables, meat, etc. Check out Billy Parisi’s Traditional Huevos Rancheros here for more ideas.
My first time eating Huevos Rancheros was in Arizona. My tia from Mexico prepared this dish and I was hesitant on the runny egg. But, I gave it try. I am glad that I did because I really enjoyed it. Of course I am thinking of making my own version of Huevos Rancheros. I am so excited and I won’t forget the (homemade) salsa tia!
Blueberry Pancakes and Scrambled Eggs
Blueberry pancakes using fresh blue berries is underrated. The end. Well, let me also say these pancakes with 100% agave are so delicious. Yes, this may be a weekly special in some of your households but I’m definitely adding these to my breakfast menu. I will use my homemade vegan pancakes as the base.
Homemade California Sushi Roll (Vegetarian)
Sushi is so easy to make. I honestly didn’t know. Now I know and I am unstoppable. I am already planning my Hawaiian Tempura sushi rolls. They’re going to have pineapples, red bell peppers, vegan cream cheese, cucumber, and perhaps smoked salmon. Coat these in a nice light batter and fry . . . . ok back to these homemade vegetarian California sushi rolls.
These are officially Vegetarian California sushi rolls with a Mexican twist thanks to the Tajin. Topped with a drizzle of liquid aminos (soy sauce alternative w/ less sodium), Chick-fil-a sauce (face palm), and Tajin. I found out that saltine crackers go great with these (Thank you Diana!). I must try with my homemade vegan crackers.
Great job Tia with these!
Wild Caught Salmon & Fresh Spinach Salad
Let me focus on the salmon: baked salmon topped with a special mustard sauce and capers. Pretty awesome! The spinach with grape tomatoes along with the garlic toast were the perfect partners making this meal complete. So yummy.
Oranges Whoops Tangelos, Minneolas, Lemons . . . .
I ate so many oranges lol. If you know me, I am always buying oranges. Well I had access to an orange tree my entire time in Arizona and I didn’t get tired of eating this refreshing fruit. Wait, the outer images are tangelos and the ones in the middle are lemons and tangerines. These oranges are so delicious and full of juice. These are perfect for orange juice. I couldn’t peel most oranges without juice gushing out. I was given a bowl and towels to eat these oranges because they are so juicy. Love it and I’m going to miss these oranges so much.
Until Next Time
Well, what do you think? Sometimes, you have to travel and try some yummy food before starting your vegan season lol. Do you have any great restaurants or foods in Arizona to recommend? Please drop a comment below or email me. I would love to hear your feedback and/or stories. If you’re interested in coming up with your own list of food guiding principles and want some thought starters then check out AdaezeEats Manifesto here.
Well, I will take my leave for now. I look forward to our time together again soon. Be inspired to have an appetite to Live and Live well.
Adaeze
Leave a Reply