Daily Loaf

Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar.

World Cafe- Fridays, 7:30-9:30 pm. This week’s question: “How has being the change I want to see in the world changed me?” For more info, visit the World Cafe website. Starbucks Cafe- 4th St. N. and 89th Ave N., St. Petersburg.

Ellenton Farmers Market- Saturdays; 8 am – 1 pm. Ellenton Farmers’ Market will be the largest year-round market in florida that specializes in “green” natural, organic and environmentally friendly products that makes for a healthier lifestyle and a better environment. Located just North of the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton, Florida (exit 224, Old Exit 43, off I – 75).

Guided Hike at Weedon Island Preserve- Saturday, August 15; 9:00 am – 11:00 am. Guided hikes through coastal mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Preserve are held on most Saturdays of the month. Join us to learn about the coastal environment and the early residents of Weedon Island Preserve. Be sure to bring water and a snack for this 2-hour hike. A hat and closed-toe shoes are also recommended. Reserve your space by 2 pm on the Friday prior to the tour of choice. This event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Recommended ages: 6 and up. Weedon Island Preserve- 1800 Weedon Drive N.E. St. Petersburg, FL 33702. (727) 453-6500.
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Every year I obsess about the first few weeks of school. Not because I’m worried about my children’s teachers — I’m more concerned about lunchtime.

My kids do purchase the stuff made at school, but there are also times when they’re fortunate to have fabulous food prepared for them by their gourmet cook father. Yes, we do send leftovers and those wonderful Thermos containers that keep food hot are a godsend. But all too soon there will be days when a quickly made sandwich ends up in the bag.

What causes me consternation is not that my kids will get odd looks when they bring a frittata or curry soup that might not appear on a regular school lunch menu; rather it is that the kind of sandwich my children prefer always gets a comment from a new teacher or another child in class who isn’t familiar with our sandwich filler choices.

My kids like Nutella. For those not familiar with it, Nutella looks like a chocolate spread, so to the untrained eye my children are eating a chocolate sandwich. In these days of hyped up healthy eating-isms, chocolate is bad!

At some point, early in the year, I find myself explaining: Read the rest of this entry »

Today I ate lunch at Cafe Hey, a small hole-in-the-wall cafe downtown. My first thought was I can’t believe I’d never heard of this place before! Vegetarian and vegan options, free trade coffee and tea, house-made baked goods — it had my name all over it. Plus, the price is right. Most sandwiches range around $6.99, and for only a $1.50 more you can have yourself a steaming hot cup of authentic cuban coffee. Hell yeah.

Of course I had researched Cafe Hey’s menu online the day before, when I found out that was where my friend and I would be headed. I love the names of the sandwiches — Turkey in the Grass, the Ric Ross and Summer Lovin’ are a few that jumped out at me. In the end, however, I went with a cup of the soup of the day and half of the hummus vegetable sandwich wrap. Read the rest of this entry »

Bread pudding is one of my favorite throw-together, quick and easy recipes. If you have at least these three items on hand, you can make the base pudding: bread (preferably day old and dry), eggs, and milk or heavy cream. It’s also a great go-to because it works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. It just depends on the extra ingredients you throw in: sweet for breakfast or dessert, savory for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Plus, prep time is ten minutes or less. How great and versatile is that?  Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for somewhere new to grab lunch on your break from work? Then be sure to check out The Tutored Chef at The Art Institute of Tampa. It is a student run restaurant by a class of some of their talented culinary students. Almost all of their delicious creations are made from scratch and each week the students rotate cooking stations and take turns serving patrons.

Their menu features simple classics, as well as diverse ethnic dishes: Read the rest of this entry »

Stopped by the beautiful new Publix Greenwise Market in SoHo for some lunch today. After reading Laura Reiley’s cautious optimism about the massive selection of prepared foods, I thought it might be worth a try now that the market has almost a month under its belt to get the kinks worked out. If anything, it seems like the kinks have taken over.

Get past the confusing system of ordering everything from its own section, the areas delineated only by small, laminated “Order Here” signs that are often hidden by waiting diners and you’ll find a staff that has the haunted look of the harried and fearful. Or the defiant glare of workers pushed past the breaking point, just daring you to comment about the slow service. Or the downcast faces of truly practiced restaurant workers who want to avoid eye contact until they finish the task in front of them. If you’re looking for a quick, healthy lunch during a brief work break, it’s a horrifying experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Roy’s — one of the prestige brands of Tampa’s OSI Restaurant Partner’s — has opened for lunch at the Tampa location (4342 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, 813-873-7697). On the whole, it looks like the menu devised by chef/partner Kiel Lombardo is largely smaller portions of the usual nighttime fare. Lots of options, though.

Check out the full lunch menu after the break — Read the rest of this entry »