I’ve lived in America 11 years and up until a few months ago I hadn’t taken a train journey in this country. I’ve been on an amazing coast to coast road trip, I’ve visited about 25 states of this great country, but I’d never been on a train.

And then Amtrak called. They wanted to send me on a foodie adventure where I’d travel on Amtrak, and dine at the best restaurants at my destination. I said yes right away. And that’s how my first American train trip happened!

Read on for an account of my Amtrak adventure, and an amazing lunch at my destination, and a killer recipe from that restaurant!

Portland to Seattle on Amtrak

Amtrak said I could pretty much travel to any destination I wanted. The decision was easy. I picked Seattle. Seattle is an easy 4 hour train ride from Portland. Perfect for a quick weekend trip. Besides, I love the food scene in Seattle, which made it the perfect choice for my little foodie train adventure.

Now, we cant visit a city as vibrant and picturesque as Seattle without some special camera equipment, can we?! I’d always wanted to try out Lens Baby lenses (a company  based right here in my wonderful hometown of Portland, OR). So I rented a few from Pro Photo Supply in Portland to take on my trip to Seattle. I got the Sweet 35, Edge 80, and Fish eye. I loved the Sweet 35 and Edge 80 and used them a lot on the trip. Really fun effects, as you can see below.

I loved my train ride. For a good part of my trip, I just sank back into my seat and watched the beautiful Pacific Northwest pass by. Then I walked around taking photos, chatting with fellow passengers and hanging out at the cafe car.

Walking around Seattle and Lunch at Cafe Flora

As I didn’t have much time in Seattle, my only agenda for the day was eat, walk around, take photos. I was up early and meandered into Biscuit Bitch at Pike Place for coffee. Their name intrigued me, and I walked in to take a look. Their biscuits and menu looked interesting, and they even had veggie sausage patties, but I didn’t eat anything there. I was saving up for my much awaited lunch.

I asked my readers on Facebook and Twitter for vegetarian friendly restaurant recommendations in Seattle. The suggestion poured in. People recommended Cafe Flora repeatedly. So I decided I’ll go there. And I’m so glad I did – the food and atmosphere were lovely. My friend and I were seated in the beautiful, airy atrium. Cafe Flora is an all vegetarian restaurant, so there was plenty of choice for us! Here’s what we had..

 Masala apple fizz

Vegetarian French dip – portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, on a seeded baguette with mushroom garlic au jus. Served with seasoned yam fries. See Cafe Flora’s recipe below.

Spinach mushroom scrambled eggs with roast potatoes

Truffle pizza

We enjoyed our lunch so much at cafe Flora, that we decided to get a pizza to go so we could snack on the train later! And the truffle pizza we ordered got its own seat on the train ride back to Portland! The other passengers were jealous, I could tell

Cafe Flora’s Portobello French Dip Recipe

Adapted from Cafe Flora Cookbook

I loved the vegetarian French dip at Cafe Flora so much that I’m sharing the recipe with you. Its from the Cafe Flora Cook Book. The original recipe involves several steps; here I have simplified it a bit.

This recipe is truly brilliant – a sandwich made with buttered, griddled  rustic baguette,  roasted portobello mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, gooey melted cheese, all served with the most amazing mushroom garlic essence or au jus for dipping. Its the best vegetarian sandwich ever.

Serves 4
Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 portobello mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
1 rustic baguette (I used 3 demi baguettes instead)
1/2 stick butter
4 slices Swiss, mozzarella or provolone cheese
1 1/3 cups mushroom essence (recipe below)

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 350f. Mix together 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic in a bowl. Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms (save them for making the mushroom essence). Brush both sides of the portobello mushroom caps with the garlic oil mixture. Sprinkle salt and pepper.

2. Place the porobellos, gill side down, on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.

3. When the mushrooms are done, let them cool a little so you can handle them. Then cut each mushroom cap into about 8 slices. Set aside.

4. While the mushrooms are baking, work on the onions. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to low, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally till the onions are soft, brown and sweet. About 15 minutes. If the onions stick or burn while cooking, sprinkle a little water on them.

5. Cut the baguette into 4 equal portions. Slice each portion lengthwise in half, so you can make a sandwich. No you’ll have 8 pieces. Spread butter on all baguette slices.

6. Heat a large skillet, and place the baguette slices, buttered and cut side facing down. Griddle the bread till the buttered sides turn golden.

7. Now take 4 of the griddled bread slices, and place them on a baking tray, cut side facing up. Top each slice with one fourths of the portobello mushrooms, one fourths of the caramelized onions, and one slice cheese. Repeat for remaining 3 baguette slices. Bake in a 350f oven till the cheese melts. Top with the remaining 4 baguette slices. Bake for another 2 minutes.

8. Serve the sandwich with warm mushroom essence for dipping (recipe below)

Mushroom Essence Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 pound whole crimini mushrooms, stems on
6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons tamari

Method
1. Place the mushrooms and garlic, along with 6 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then lower heat and cook on a low boil, till the liquid has reduced to about 2 cups. This will take about 45 minutes.

2. Strain the liquid, and add the tamari. Can be refrigerated or frozen.

A traditional Mexican chile relleno (stuffed chile) is usually a poblano chile stuffed with meat and cheese, dipped in batter and deep fried. My Portobello mushroom and zucchini relleno recipe is a little different. It is a lighter, simpler, vegetarian, vegan relleno, and it requires no frying. This recipe can get even simpler if you use store bought ranchero or enchilada sauce.

Ground annatto gives the rice its brilliant orange-yellow color. Annattos are the red seeds of the Achiote tree, often called ‘lipstick tree’ because of Annattos coloring properties.

This is a good make ahead recipe. You can make the ranchero sauce and the Mexican yellow rice ahead of time. Simply cook the vegetables the day of, heat up the sauce and rice and assemble everything!

Watch this video to see how to make Portobello rellenos stuffed with peppers and rice. It’s in Spanish, but the method is simple to watch and follow

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Portobello and Zucchini Rellenos in Ranchero Sauce with Mexican Yellow Rice

Serves about 4

For the ranchero sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves over garlic, minced
½ jalapeno, or according to taste
½ teaspoon scant, ground cumin
½ teaspoon dry oregano
One 14 can crushed tomatoes OR 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
Salt

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add the onions. Cook on medium heat till they are soft. Add the garlic, and jalapeno and stir 2 minutes. Then add cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and salt. Cook the same on medium heat for about 3 minutes. If you are using fresh tomatoes, they will take longer to cook.

Serve the sauce chunky or puree it in a blender. I pureed it.

You can make this sauce up to 3 days ahead.

For the vegetables
6 small portabello mushrooms (weighing about 8oz total)
1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1 large zucchini, cut into small cubes
½ cup cotija cheese (feta, grated pepper jack or cheddar will also work)*
Salt

* I didn’t use the cheese

Wipe the portabellos with a paper towel. Then using a small spoon, gently scrape out the dark gills. Using a small, sharp knife, remove the stem.

Brush a little oil all over the mushrooms.

Heat a skillet on medium high, and cook the mushrooms, gill side down, in a single layer for 2 minutes. Then flip the mushrooms and cook the other side another minute or till cooked through. While the second side is cooking, sprinkle salt and half the oregano over the mushrooms cavities.

In a same skillet, heat a little more oil, add the zucchini and remaining oregano. Saute on high heat for about 2 minutes or till the zucchini is tender but still a little crunchy, and not mushy. Sprinkle salt, and the cheese.

For the yellow rice
1 large or 2 small vegetable bouillon cubes*
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon achiote powder, also called ground annatto (substitute with ¾ teaspoon turmeric or saffron)
1 cup long grain rice
Chopped cilantro for garnish

*I used 2 small Herb Ox brand vegetable bouillon cubes; they are tasty and have no MSG. Maggie or Knorr stock cubes will also work.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in warm water and set aside.

Sauté the onions in butter or olive oil in a medium saucepan. When the onions are soft, add the Achiote powder and rice. Stir on low heat for a minute.

Pour in the bullion water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low, cover the pan, and let the rice simmer for 10 minutes or till the rice is cooked, but the grains are still separate, and not mushy. Cooking time may vary depending on the rice.

Fluff rice with a fork. Garnish with cilantro.

To assemble and serve
Spread ranchero sauce on a platter. Arrange the mushrooms, gill and stem side up, over the sauce. Spoon a little zucchini and cheese into the mushroom cavities.

Serve the yellow rice on the side, along with sour cream (optional), extra cheese and extra chopped cilantro.

I received the below facebook message one day from my friend, Aditya. Being the great mushroom aficionado that I am, how could I have posted all  but one portobello recipe on this site?!  Ive featured other mushrooms on Veggie Belly, like the shitake mushroom soup, morel mushrooms over polenta, beech mushroom flat bread, and my recent morel mushroom pasta with fiddleheads. But the mighty, meaty portobello has been in all but one recipe on veggie belly. I defenitely had to remedy that!

Aditya, this one is for you  ♥ 

These portobellos were larger than the palm of my hand! But they turned out to be the perfect size for these sandwiches/burgers; they shrunk just enough while cooking on the grill, to fit in the kaiser roll. Portobello or portabella mushrooms are delicious in burger style sandwiches because they are meaty in taste and texture. They are often called the ‘steak of all mushrooms’! They also take to grilling very well. I used beefsteak tomatoes in this sandwich, again, for their meaty texture. But any tomato will do.

Grilled Portobello Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwich/Burger Recipe

makes 4 sandwiches

4 large portobello mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
salt & pepper
4 kaiser rolls or burger buns or 8 slices of any other loaf bread
2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise or my white bean asparagus hummus
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 slices beefsteak tomato
4 slices fresh mozzarella (or whatever cheese you like)
4 large pieces of store bought, jarred roasted red pepper
1 cup salad leaves or lettuce of your choice

Heat an outdoor grill to 400f.

Wipe the mushrooms clean. Using a spoon, scrape off the gills from the mushrooms. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Brush the olive oil and vinegar mixture all over the mushrooms.

Place the mushroom caps on the grill and grill about 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip the mushroom caps, and grill another 2-3 minutes. (If you like your cheese melted, place cheese slices on portobello caps (gill side) after you have flipped them). Remove grilled mushrooms to a plate, and cover to keep warm. If you are not using an outdoor grill, broil the mushrooms in the oven; about 3-4 minutes (or till browned a little) per side.

Cut the bread roll in half. Spread some mayonnaise or my white bean asparagus hummus  on both halves. Sprinkle some basil on top. On the bottom half of the bread roll, arrange the grilled portobello mushroom, tomato slice, mozzarella slice, and roasted red pepper. Top with lettuce or salad greens. Place the other bread slice on top. Secure sandwich with a toothpick. Serve with a side of soup or salad and fries or chips.

This is a copy cate recipe for Nando’s halloumi and portobello pita with chilli jam.

Ever since I had this pita pocket at Nando’s Restaurant in England , Ive been wanting to recreate it. I loved their Peri-Peri spice – they put it on everything including fries! And you can buy Nando’s Peri-Peri sauces online in the US – http://www.nandosusa.com/.

My friend D called to say she was dropping by tonight after a tough day at work. So I thought the grilled Halloumi will be a special treat for her. At the same time I wanted something easy enough for me to put together on a working day. I couldnt think of anything better than this pita! D loved it and even took some back for her husband to try!

Spicy peri-peri on grilled lemony Halloumi…what can I say

Halloumi Cheese – 10 oz, cut into slices
Portobella Mushroom – 6 caps
Olive Oil
Lemon juice
Peri-Peri spice – 1 tbsp, see below for recipe
Roasted red pepper
Pita Bread – 3
Mann’s Rainbow Salad - 1 cup. Substitute with shredded carrot, red cabbage and broccoli
Chilli Jam – recipe below

Cut the cheese into 6 slices. Using a spoon, scrape the gills from the mushrooms. Drizzle olive oil on the mushrooms and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. The halloumi doesn’t need oil or salt, so sprinkle just some freshly cracked pepper on it. Heat a grill (I used an outdoor grill) and place the mushrooms and halloumi on it. Grill about 4 minutes each side, depending on your grill. Remove the mushrooms and halloumi and squeeze some lemon juice on them. Then sprinkle the Peri-Peri spice over.

Toss the rainbow salad with olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Refrigerate till use.

To make the pita sandwich, warm the pita bread. I put it in the microwave (15 seconds per pita). Cut each pita in half to make pockets.

Spread some chilli jam inside the pocket. Place one grilled mushroom cap and one grilled halloumi slice inside. Then fill the pockets with the rainbow salad and some roasted red peppers.

Chilli Jam

Vidalia Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
Garlic – 3 cloves, finely chopped
Pickled Jalapenos – 10-15 slices, less if you don’t want it hot!
Sugar – 3 tbsp
Apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp
Olive oil – 4 tbsp
Water – 1/4 th cup

Heat the olive oil, add the onions. Cook onions on low heat till slightly brown and fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on medium-high for about 5 minutes. Let the jam cool and then blend till smooth.

I picked up a very nice Peri-Peri spice when I was in London. California Tortilla also has a killer Peri-Peri sauce which I love. But you can easily make your own spice blend.

Ground Peri-Peri – 1 1/2 parts. Substitute with cayenne and paprika
Dried Basil – 1 part
Dried or powdered Onion – 1 part
Dried or powdered Garlic – 1 part
Salt

Mix all ingredients together.

This is my veggiefied version of Ina Garten’s Grilled Herb Shrimp. Ive made this recipe several times. Ive also made the shrimp version for my carnivore friends. Everyone always loves the herb and dijon marinade! It tastes great in pasta too. Use fresh herbs, it makes a big difference.

Extra Firm Tofu – 1 package
Onion – 1/2 large, finely chopped
Garlic – 4 cloves, minced
Basil – 1/4 cup chopped
Parsley – 1/4 cup chopped
Dijon Mustard – 2 1/2 tsp
Dry Mustard – 1 tsp
Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Pepper
Olive Oil – 1 tbsp (Ina uses 1/4 cup olive oil)

Mix together all ingredients except the tofu. Place in a bowl.

Wrap the tofu in several layers of paper towel. Place a weight on top for 1 hour to extract the liquid. Then cut the tofu into triangles.

Heat a large non stick pan. Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer and ‘dry fry’ them. Press the tofu triangles so that they let their water out. When one side is slightly browned, turn the tofu once and cook the other side while pressing out the water. I learned this method from veganyumyum’s site. Check it out for a detailed explanation of dry frying tofu and “tofu geometry”!
When the tofu is done (if you stop hearing the angry hiss from the tofu while pressing down, youve probably gotten most the water out!), place the triangles in the herb-dijon bowl. Carefully toss the tofu in the mixture to coat. Let the tofu marinade an hour (or overnight if you have the time).

When you are ready to eat, heat a large non stick pan. Spray with olive oil spray. Place the tofu, along with the herb-dijon mixture in the pan. Grill both sides on medium, turning once.

Remember, the tofu is already cooked. We just want to cook the onion and garlic in the marinade!

If you have a lot of the herb dijon mixture stuck to your pan, deglaze with a splash of white wine (or even water) and drizzle over the tofu.

Mushroom Medley

Button Mushrooms – 1 box
Crimini (baby potobellos) – 1 box
Garlic – 2 cloves
White wine – couple of splashes
Basil – 2 tbsp chopped
Parsley – 1 tbsp chopped
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Marinara sauce – 4 tbsp
Salt
Pepper

Clean and chop the mushrooms. Heat a non stick pan and add the oil olive. The pan should be very hot. Add the chopped mushrooms and spread them evenly on the pan. Cook them on high without moving the mushrooms around too much. If you stir too often mushrooms will release a lot of water.

When the mushrooms are golden, add the garlic, salt, pepper, basil and parsley. Then add a few splashes of white wine and let it reduce on high heat.

Turn heat off and stir in marinara sauce.