After another LOOOOONG morning at the Natural Foods Expo, lunchtime rolled around and Kyle and I were beyond tired (read: ready to throw in the towel). We came, we saw, we conquered, and we were exhausted.
Rather than return for another 5 hours of crowds and chaos, we decided that we had pretty much enjoyed everything Anaheim had to offer. Game, set, match.
With grumbling tummies (I don’t know how), we said goodbye to the Convention Center and set out to find a real meal.
A quick search on my blackberry revealed we weren’t too far away from the Costa Mesa Native Foods. SWEET!
I ordered the Scorpion Burger.
This sando is made with Chef Tanya’s original homemade tempeh blackened with chipotle sauce and topped with lettuce, carrots, avocado and onions.
It was much spicier than I remembered, but I enjoyed the kick in the pants mouth. Chef Tanya should really package the rub on this…it might even convince me to make my own tempeh dishes at home.
Here’s a shot of my sammie doing the splits (with one bite missing). I licked my plate (and fingers) clean.
Kyle got the Portobello and Sausage Burger with juicy grilled portobellos, homemade seitan sausage, pomodoro, caramelized onions, sweet roasted garlic, creamy pumpkin seed pesto and mayo.
He enjoyed it very very much, along with the side of sweet potato fries.
After a few minutes of browsing the cute shops surrounding the restaurant (dubbed crazy hippie spots by Kyle), we headed back to my G-ma’s to pack up our stuff and head back to Santa Monica.
After two days straight of snacking on packaged samples, I was craving fresh fruit like nobody’s business, so I practically bee-lined for the fruit basket upon entering the apartment.
While I got to work uploading photos and unpacking, I decided to sample a new VitaTop flavor.
It smelled like Christmas when I opened it. Must be the cinnamon. My family has a tradition of making cinnamon coffee cake on Christmas morning, so it was sensory nostalgia from the get go.
I heated it in the microwave for a few seconds to get it warm, just like real coffee cake. Mmmm…
It wasn’t quite like a true muffin top, because it was more airy and light. Muffin tops (in my opinion) are the more dense and less bready portion of the muffin (so this was more like the muffin bottom).
The first ingredient is water (weird?), and from there on it lists whole wheat flour, apples, natural chicory fiber (inulin), applesauce, etc. While it’s not vegan (it has trace egg whites further down on the list), the ingredients are not terrible. There are more than I typically like, but it’s healthier than coffee cake if you are going to have a breakfast treat. And while I rarely take note of calories or those kinds of stats, you should know that the entire muffin has a mere 100 calories with negligible amounts of fat. In other words, you I could eat a dozen no problem. I would definitely put them in the “diet” category of products (not that there’s anything wrong with that, I’m just calling it like I see it).
By the way does anyone else think of Seinfeld when they think of muffin tops?
So yeah, the Vita was my pre-dinner snack.
And then eventually, I made a wrap.
Ingredients:
- Alvarado Street Bakery sprouted tortilla
- Earthbound Farms organic spinach
- organic tomatoes
- organic sprouts
- seitan
- Pita Pal hummus
- honey mustard
So big! Seitan overload.
I was far too ambitious with this wrap for sure. It ended up being a fork and knife kind of meal.
I had a big hunk of brownie for dessert – a chocolate deception brownie. And once my stomach was satisfied, I allowed my body to succumb to the waves of somnolence that I’d been fighting all day. Zzzzz.
wow, i am seriously SO envious of your experiences at the Expo– seems like something I would LOVE to be a part of.
that brownie would probably put me to sleep as well. sweet dreams!
I agree 100% with your assessment of vitatops. I like them, but they’re definitely “diety”food. AND, I always think of Seinfeld when someone mentions a muffin top. 🙂
that wrap looks amazing! i tend to overestimate the amount of food wraps can handle, too. BUT i manage somehow. i say, the more filling, the better! 🙂
Aww! Native Foods is my favorite restaurant! My omni boyfriend and I go there all the time 🙂 Glad you got a chance to go!
Top of the muffin, TO YOU! 😀
haha-more like a muffin bottom. love it. and yes i ALWAYS think of seinfeld.
Ever since my tour of vegetarian restaurants in Asheville last week, I’ve been kinda nuts about sprouts. I love the idea of adding them to a hummus wrap:)
I didn’t know Native Foods is a chain…I’ve been to one, and wasn’t too impressed. MOstly because my bowl came piled with half-cooked sweet potatoes and cooked carrots, both of which I detest.
Haha, you’re totally right. It’s not a muffin top, it’s a muffin bottom.
The burgers and that wrap look absolutely delicious!!! And yes, I do think of Seinfeld when I think of muffin tops, LOL. Too funny!
what’s ironic is that my hubs and child were in Costa Mesa at the Block at Orange on Sun afternoon. I had to work but they were meeting friends of my hubs. I should tell them about Native next time!
looks awesome!
🙂
WOwwww I’ve never heard of that expo- sounds like heaveeennnnn….one thing i MISS about home is the plethora of “hippie” places!! haha Boston is def NOT on the veggie burger/seitan/portobello burger bandwagon ;D
The apple crumb is my favorite Vitatop! There’s only one store around me that carries it!
Holy good day! Despite the fact that the muffin top isn’t vegan, yet still looks yummy (what a shame!), I too think of Seinfeld when muffin tops are mentioned! Hahahaha. Such a great show! 🙂 Thank goodness for being raised in the 90s! I always overdo it when it comes to wraps! I think, “I can eat this cleanly, and then it all falls out the other end. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of mediterranean wraps and actually do a wrap with pita bread instead. But, yum! I’m still super jealous of Expo West! I have to do that some day! 🙂 Too bad school is always in the way, Boo!
Aly
You were in my ‘hood! That’s the Native Foods I go to 🙂 I love The Camp – soooo granola! Across the street is another fun shopping center called The Anti-Mall; there is a Buffalo Exchange in there <3 and a fun little boho-hippie restaurant called The Gypsy Den
i loved the entire area! we went in all those cute little shops. i was tempted to try out that raw restaurant too…have you been there? its not too far from my g-ma so i will definitely be back!
Muffin tops totally=Seinfeld in my head too!
Courtney
Saaaaad — Native Foods was the one restaurant that I really wanted to visit when I was in LA but didn’t get to. The food looks so good! I’m glad you’re able to enjoy it if I can’t, though.
STOP TEASING ME WITH NATIVE FOODS DELICIOUSNESS, THAT BOMB-LOOKING WRAP AND NEW VITA TOP FLAVAS (so i’ve never been that huge of a vita top fan, but do remember them being yummy and can guarantee Espana aint supplying ’em!!)
hahah 🙂
sorry girly 🙁 ps one of these days ill write back about bcn recs (sorry i suck at responding!)
awwww…guess theres a return trip to CA calling your name…
Scorpion burger looks YUMMMMY!
I have not yet tried 118 Degrees. Every time I think I’ll go, as soon as I park my car I remember something insanely good I’ve eaten at Native Foods and inevitably change my mind and go there instead!
you sound just like me. id do the same thing.