You worry about me. You worry that I have not been eating lunch, because I have not been sharing photographs of my lunches as regularly as I had been. That is because I have not been eating lunch. You see, I share every detail of my private life here on this public forum, so if it’s not mentioned here, that’s because it doesn’t happen.
But then again, what is there to life other than Pilates, Boots, and the occasional Vegan Lunch, anyway? Who needs to sit nude on a rock, chin in hand, contemplating Truth and Beauty and Self? Not I. Any nude rock-sitting I do will not be wasted on such triviality. And you’d better believe I have better things to fill my hands with than my chin.
Here is how I filled my stomach on Tuesday, 2 December, at Candle Cafe:

Seitan Chimichurri
South American marinated seitan skewers
with creamy citrus herb dressing

Cumin Seed Crusted Tempeh
Served over a black bean and quinoa cake,
sauteed lacinato kale and butternut
squash-ancho chile puree
Drizzled with a tomatillo salsa
The Tofurky I had for Thanksgiving didn’t yield the quantity of leftovers that a traditional turkeyful Thanksgiving dinner always does, so I was deprived of the comfortable thrill of the myriad of leftover variations. However, the good people at Veg City Diner recreated the magic by serving this bounty today:

Open Faced Turkey Sandwich
Oven-Roasted Filet, Mushroom Gravy and Stuffing on Toast,
served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Spiced Apple
Although the vegan turkey part of this platter was enchanting enough on its own, and really did remind me of its non-vegan counterpart, the potatoes were even more remarkable. They took an already fantastic dining experience and turned it into a supersonic, extra-crispy deluxe extravaganza. Know why? Because they were faux-tatoes … crafted entirely from by-products derived from animal entrails! And they tasted just like real potatoes, fresh from the soils of Idaho!
Pilates and Boots … take a back seat! Lunch is back — and it’s knockin’ your socks off! Way to faux!