RAW VICTORY!!! Best CPK Meal Ever!

[kailaniece]

So I've been taught to frown at bringing your own food into a restaurant, but Sunday I had such an amazing experience that it was totally worth it. I was invited to go out to eat in between a dress rehearsal and concert at the California Pizzza Kitchen. I knew I'd be out of the house from 10am-10pm so I was armed with lots of fruit, raw chili, raw taquitos (from whole foods), raw corn chips, and raw flax crackers to cover breakfast lunch and dinner options for the day (better too much than too little). Everyone ordered their chicken salads and pastas while I asked for a plate and bottled water. I knew I was being a little "bad" but when the other food came out I loaded up my plate chef-style with the taquitos, chili, and corn chips, with a little bit of red cabbage as a garnish. It seriously looked like the waiter had presented it to me with the other dishes. My colleagues were impressed and enticed by the chili's aroma and the loook of my plate. They tasted and suggested that I take my plate to the manager and get them to add it onto their menu. WHAT A GREAT VICTORY!!! :-) Plus for someone who LOVES restaurant eating and watching top chef and sort of pines for this feeling whenever raw, eating with all of those other dishes and blowing them away felt AWESOME!!! I feel inspired to buy some fancier plates for my house and start inviting people over for raw dinner parties (maybe even surprise them and tell them it's raw while they eat). YAY!!!!

(by the way, the chili recipe I derived from Ailssa's recipe was the bomb-diggedy. I'm still eating it... I should probably freeeze it huh...)

Lots of Hugs!

K

[tanishamarshall]

Wow that is great that you were brave enough to take your own food and not even order anything. Sounds like a pretty good tasting meal...

Congrats on not making any excuses to not be raw...

[Veganforlife]

Love It!!!!!!!!!!!!!:d

[Eva]

That is great. I got a laugh from your story telling. It's clear you had a grand ole time! :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

excellent!!! i would have loved to have seen pics!

[lavendarJ]

kailaniece-
Sounds like you had a eating good time; I went to Red Lobster with my family and asked for a large plate and arranged a salad that looked better than anything on their menu.... people were looking at the salad and probably wondering if it was a new menu item.

Big Congrats to you.. That's a big victory to sit up in CPK...that was an old favorite of mine...Big victory in my eyes to not sucuumb to that old temptation...Wow

[spicyfull]

RAWk on........

[sherilynn]

I love it !!! Did you happen to take it to the manager? :)

I haven't tried any of Alicias recipes yet but love Chilli so have to try that.

[2inlovewithraw]

yoou said you got the raw toquitos from whole foods. where were they and do you know the name brand. i am very interested. thanku

congrats on a great day!

[kinsey1000]

Wow, what a great story! I will try that sometime. I need to get alissa's book to! Shame on me.....

:) :o

[Raw Angel Mom]

What a creative idea!

Congratulations, you managed to inspire your friend

[Snownoir]

Thats pretty sweet. I'm making her chili tonight. What variations did you do?

[kailaniece]

I love it !!! Did you happen to take it to the manager? :)

I haven't tried any of Alicias recipes yet but love Chilli so have to try that.

No, I didn't.... I figured it was enough to get away with eating my own meal without buying any food without rubbing it in their faces.... but maybe next time. I actually went again in between rehearsal/concert yesterday and made a list of all the veggies I liked that I saw in dishes on their menu and brought my own raw caeser dressing (the one in alissas book that is her (or someone's I can't remember favorite caesar dressing raw or not) to mix again. Once again I was pleasently pleased with my food. I surprised all the guys at the table when I finished every bite of my ruffage :-) AND again they were jealous because they'd just forced down salami and turkey sandwiches loaded with mayo and cheese and stuff and they felt ick ....

[kailaniece]

yoou said you got the raw toquitos from whole foods. where were they and do you know the name brand. i am very interested. thanku

congrats on a great day!

I'm actually due for another trip to Wholefoods this weekend. I believe they were made by Leaf (which I think may be a restaurant here in LA) who may or may not distribute outside of the area. I'll double check when I make my next trip :-)

[kailaniece]

Thats pretty sweet. I'm making her chili tonight. What variations did you do?

Basically I took out the veggies I didn't like (bell peppers and the sprouted lentils) and added ones I enjoy (extra ear of corn to make up for missing lentils, portabello mushrooms for that meaty texture, more garlic. . . etc.) I also just made Alissa's Marinara Sauce recipe instead of the "paste" with the dates etc. because I'd actually made my own makeshift chili out of marinara leftovers before I'd even found her chili recipe. There are also these cashew veggie burgers/patties made by JUST GOOD ENERGY that I also found at Whole foods which add a nice meaty taste and texture. Basically I took all the stuff I LOVE about chili and stuck the raw counterparts in (I never really liked beans in my chili anyhow, it was all about the meat and the chili power). So just go with the flow. Letting it sit overnight really let the flavors come out and allowed the mushrooms to absorb some of the liquid for that extra thickness that makes SAD chili sizzle :-)