Last week was a busy one. There was lots of work and no days off. I’m on my tenth day in a row and I just woke up from a deep two-hour recovery nap of intense dreams and little ganas to get up. As a matter of fact, I am still a little groggy. On top of my regular workweek I proceeded to do some catering with my father. Over the four days working with Dad, the menus varied greatly. On Thursday alone we did three events. However the highlight for me was a last minute vegan luncheon that my dad passed on to me while I sat on the Blueline up to L.A. the night before. After giving me the task at hand; vegan snacks for fifteen to twenty musicians and crew to graze on while rehearsing, I was pleased to make a shopping list. While such a request is simple, I am always excited to cook for people who love and appreciate vegetables as much as I do.
The opportunity to celebrate veggies was enough to have me smiling. However, when I got to the studio and discovered that the food was for some musicians that I happen to love, I was extra joyful. Better yet, they were rehearsing right outside the kitchen. So, I got to listen to and cook for Rodrigo and Gabriela- sweet. A good day to say the least. I didn’t do anything too out of the box because I wasn’t sure what the groups’ palate was like. No two vegans are the same you know? Unfortunately, I think this can be a common misconception and chefs just throw out a bunch of bread and lettuce when asked for a vegan menu. I think sometimes chefs forget that many vegans love food, perhaps even more than some omnivores. So, I aimed for simplicity, quality and diversity. A little Latin, a little Mediterranean and a little Asian. Turns out they really enjoyed the food too! Here are a few of the snacks that I put together…
Fresh hummus trio of:
Roasted red pepper, Kalamata olive and Garlic hummus with fresh pita chips
Hummus trio- roasted red pepper, kalamata olive, garlic and fresh pita chips
Black Bean, grilled corn and grilled poblano pepper salad
Black bean, grilled corn and gilled poblano salad
Mediterranean style grilled vegetable wraps with goddess dressing for dipping
Mediterranean style grilled vegetable wraps with goddess dressing for dipping
Teriyaki baked tofu
Teriyaki baked tofu with sesame seeds and micro greens
Ovenhappy 
