kibee b'ziat (pressed potatoes & cracked wheat)

Kibee B'ziat: Pressed potatoes and cracked wheat stuffed with onions, walnuts and raisins. From Tripoli Restaurant, in Brooklyn.

batata b'tahini (cauliflower & potato in garlic sauce)

Batata B'tahini: sauteed cauliflower, potato and garlic in a tahini sauce. From Tripoli Restaurant, in Brooklyn.

seleck b'loubia (celery & black-eyed peas)

Seleck B'loubia: celery and black eye peas sauteed with onion, garlic, pepper, and cilantro. From Tripoli Restaurant, in Brooklyn.

carrot ginger soup with roasted potato topping

Carrot ginger soup topped with roasted cubed potato (a great alternative to croutons) and parsley. All ingredients chopped by yours truly (and others) at a fabulous knife skills class at the National Gourmet Institute in New York. After slicing and chopping for hours, we enjoyed this (and other) fruits and vegetables of our labor.

lentil cookies

"Lentil cookies" from New Sunshine Restaurant in Staten Island, NY. They weren't super sweet, so maybe croquettes would have been a better name, but tasty either way!

Sri Lankan feast

The vegan dishes of the day from New Asha Restaurant in Staten Island, NY. Coconut pumpkin curry, dal, fried sweet and sour eggplant, and chili-fried vegetables, with fresh roti on the side. Well worth the trip!

ancient grains granola

Six grains of cereal, with banana and soy milk. Raisin bran, rice krispies, cheerios, and Ancient Grains granola (courtesy of Nature's Path) = rice, oats, spelt, kamut wheat, quinoa, and amaranth. The granola was crisp and sweet, with a deep nutty flavor - a great topping for cereal.

bucket of tater tots

"Bucket of Tots" with vegan mayo sauce, from Sticky Rice in DC. Warning: not for individual consumption.