Meatless Monday with Eat Well Meal Plans: Woodberry Kitchen’s Winter Veggies

A trip to Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore is always a culinary adventure. Seasonal and local foods of the Chesapeake region are the focus of the restaurant. For me, the time spent getting to the restaurant is for speculating which seasonal produce will show up on the menu and how Spike Gjerde and crew will be presenting them that night.

January through March are probably some of the more challenging months to eat local around here. There’s not much growing. On one snowy January evening Woodberry’s Meatless Monday menu offered a variety of root vegetables: turnips, beets, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, and radishes. Some of these are roasted or braised with something sweet like honey or maple syrup or baked with soft ricotta-type cheese. Caramelized onions and shallots show up in many dishes. There was sauerkraut, house-made of course, and fresh cabbage braised along with some apples.

Honestly, I get a little frustrated. I’d love to take a couple bites of just about everything. Several small plates arrived and gave me enough variety to study WK’s take on showcasing the flavors of winter.

These eats provided inspiration for experimentation at home with some earthy root vegetables.

Braised Butternut Squash and Golden Beets over Polenta

2 tablespoons butter

1¾ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

8 ounces golden beets, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces

¾ cup vegetable broth or water

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

❶ Prepare Basic Polenta (www.eatwellmealplans.com/basic_recipes.php).

❷ Melt butter in a large pan with a lid. Add butternut squash and beets and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

❸ Stir in broth, honey, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 12 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Serve vegetables and their broth over polenta.

Meatless Monday with Eat Well Meal Plans: The Cafe – A Key West “Find”

photo courtesy www.keywesttravelguide.com

When traveling, I love to discover a quiet eating establishment off the beaten track. Preferably a joint where the locals go for great food at a reasonable price. A great vegetarian restaurant earns a double score. I really appreciate the effort it takes to put together delicious vegetarian dishes with the depth of flavor easily achieved in dishes which contain meat.

During a recent respite in Key West, Florida, I visited my favorite vegie eatery, simply named  The Cafe.  The offerings include choices from uncomplicated Steamed Organic Brown Rice and Sautéed Mixed Vegetables to more elaborate Hand Cut French Fries with truffle oil, black pepper, and parmesan cheese.

Diners with a larger appetite might investigate the Polenta Cakes – with goat cheese, roasted red peppers & parmesan over chilled tomato sauce with sauteed spinach or a stir fry –  the creation of which is all up to you. Choose vegetables with brown rice or noodles, tofu, seitan, or seared tuna. Now select a sauce: Szechuan, Thai Curry,Peanut, Oriental (garlic, soy, molasses & ginger), or Teriyaki.

The Cafe caters not only to vegetarians and vegans, but also to those flexitarians who would like some fish in their dish.  The atmosphere is casual and the location is close to popular Duval Street, but far enough from the noise and busy foot traffic. I’ll be back on my next visit to look for anything new to try on the menu and to savor my old favorites once again!

The Cafe

509 Southard Street
Key West, FL 33040-6835
(305) 296-5515