2014 EPCOT International Flower (FOOD!) and Garden Festival: Food Ingredients Rundown

Ah, I have yet to blog about the actual garden events at this year's Flower and Garden Festival, but, since this is a blog (mostly) about food, I thought I would do a quick summary all of the offerings at the Outdoor Kitchens- specifically, which items are gluten free, vegetarian, or vegan. It's your one-stop menu shop right here, gluten free ladies and gentlemen. I decided to put this together because it is the type of summary that I would find useful, and I thought others might feel the same way. I have not seen anything in quite this format out there. Each of the Outdoor Kitchen links below will take you to the original post with more information, food photos, and reviews of what we personally tasted.

So, in case you are thinking, "I'd like to go, but is there anything I could eat?", here is a run-down of this year's festival stats.

There are: 

11 Outdoor Kitchens, plus Intermissions Cafe in Festival Center

17 Gluten Free Food items

1 Gluten Free Beer

2 Vegan Wines

23 Vegetarian food items

11 Food items are gluten free AND vegetarian (maybe more, depending on some which I did not ask about)

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Gluten free offerings

Pineapple Promenade: Pineapple soft serve

Fleur de Lys: Confit de Canard; Macaron à la Fleur d'Oranger

Hanami: Frushi, Popped Rice Cakes

The Smokehouse: Smoked Beef Brisket with Collard Greens and Jalapeño Corn Bread; Smoked Turkey "Rib"

Primavera Kitchen: Caprese

Florida Fresh: Watermelon Salad with Pickled Onions, Local Baby Arugula, Feta Cheese and Balsamic Reduction; Shrimp and Stone Ground Grits with Andouille Sausage, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, and Cilantro

Lotus House: Beijing-Style Candied Strawberries

Jardin de Fiestas: Taco al Pastor; Flan(?)

Urban Farm Eats: Pickled Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Cream, Mizuna, and Pistachios; Land-Grown Eggplant Scallop with Romesco Sauce and Spaghetti Squash; Ghost Pepper dusted Tilapia with crisp Winter Melon Slaw and Mint Oil; Redbridge Gluten-Free Sorghum Beer

Intermissions Cafe: Grapes; Side Salad(?); Caprese; Fruit and Cheese plate

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Vegetarian offerings

Pineapple Promenade: Pineapple soft serve

Buttercup Cottage: Field Greens with Plant City Strawberries, Toasted Almonds, and Farmstead Stilton; Fresh Baked Lemon Scones with Berry Preserves and Crème Fraîche

Fleur de Lys: Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal

Taste of Marrakesh: Baghrir

Hanami: Frushi, Popped Rice Cakes

Primavera Kitchen: Caprese; Three Cheese Manicotti; Torta di Ricotta

Florida Fresh: Watermelon Salad with Pickled Onions, Local Baby Arugula, Feta Cheese and Balsamic Reduction; Florida Kumquat Pie

Lotus House: Beijing-Style Candied Strawberries; Vegetable Spring Roll

Jardin de Fiestas: Quesadilla de Hongos con Queso; Flan de Chocolate Abuelita

Urban Farm Eats: Pickled Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Cream, Mizuna, and Pistachios; Land-Grown Eggplant Scallop with Romesco Sauce and Spaghetti Squash

Intermissions Cafe: Vegan Trio; Grapes; Side Salad; Caprese; Fruit and Cheese plate

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Potentially plant-based/vegan items (no meat, fish, eggs or dairy) 

Note: this is NOT designated in the Festival Guide; so the items listed below are based on my educated guess for those of you interested in a plant-based diet. Some of the vegetarian dishes might meet your needs with modifications- typically, omitting the dairy ingredient (of course, many of you know this already, but here's a starting point in case it helps).

If you follow a strict vegan diet (no honey, vegan sugar, etc), I really cannot vouch for any of these items, as I do not know about how they've processed certain foods, etc. But the Disney chefs are very helpful and accommodating, and can answer any questions you might have. Don't hesitate to ask. Each of the Outdoor Kitchens has a phone, with access to a Disney Chef.

Potentially plant-based/vegan items

Pineapple Promenade: Pineapple soft serve

Intermissions Cafe: Vegan Trio; Grapes; Side Salad(?) 

Urban Farm Eats: The Vegan Vine Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon; Eggplant Scallop(?)

Lotus House: Beijing Style Candied Strawberries(?)

Further suggestions for plant-based/vegan modifications are listed below.

I've created a handy dandy cheat sheet below. (I love spreadsheets… I put everything in a spreadsheet). Again, this is just a guide to get you started- you should inquire for yourself at each booth regarding any ingredients you wish to avoid. I couldn't figure out quite how to get a document into this blog post, so I took screen shots of the table and inserted them as photos. I hope it works well enough- clicking on each one should give you a larger image.

2014 EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival Food Offerings (click for larger image)

2014 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival: Hanami (Japan Pavilion)

Japan Pavilion at EPCOT

Japan's booth is named Hanami, which means "flower viewing". How cool is that? Quite appropriate for the Flower and Garden event (of course).

Honestly, I could skip the Japan booth. I love Japanese food, but it is easy enough to come by out in the real world, so I don't have a need to try it at EPCOT when there are so many other exotic cuisines to choose from. But, in the interest of hitting every booth, of course we stopped here.

Passport Page for Hanami

I ordered the Frushi which is gluten free, and although it is not marked as such, I believe it is also vegetarian/vegan. Frushi is fruit sushi- the pink wrapping is soy paper, and the filling is coconut rice, pineapple, strawberries and melon, topped with raspberry sauce and toasted coconut. The whipped cream is from a can (I didn't note the brand), so be careful about that if you have food sensitivities to milk, corn, soy, or artificial flavors.

I also ordered the popped rice cakes, which are not marked as gluten free in the passport, but the Chef happened to be there in the booth, and he assured me that the rice cake dish IS gluten free, even though it was not marked as such in the passport.

Each of these items is VERY sweet. I would classify the Frushi as a dessert item. I would classify the rice cakes -with raspberry sauce, sprinkles, red bean paste, and green tea whipped cream- as equivalent to an 8-year old's birthday cupcake on steroids. Seriously. That was just sugar on a plate. Wow. It was fun to try a few bites, but unless you need a sugar rush or have a burning desire to visit your dentist, I'd say don't bother. If you are looking for dessert, go get flan at the Mexico pavilion!

Frushi: Fruit sushi (gluten free)

Popped rice cakes with green tea whipped cream (gluten free)

In my opinion, the coolest thing about the Japan Pavilion during the Flower and Garden show is not the food, but the Bonsai. Do yourself a favor and walk back through the Japanese gardens to take a look at the bonsai on display. I admit, I do not know as much as I'd like about bonsai (I do have some bonsai books on my "to read" list at the library), but even knowing nothing about the art, I was blown away by the trees on display. Here are a few photos, although they really do not do the trees justice- they were much more stunning in person.

Koi pond at Japan Pavilion

Bonsai on display at Japan Pavilion

Cypress Bonsai on display at Japan Pavilion

Several Bonsai on display at Japan Pavilion

These are just a few of the trees- there were many more on display.

Just for fun, here are a few links to more information about Bonsai:
American Bonsai Society
Bonsai Experience: Types of Bonsai Trees
US National Arboretum: Bonsai Gallery

2014 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival: Pineapple Promenade

Day Two of the Flower & Garden festival was wet and rainy, so I did not bring the iPad with me. It was challenging enough to try to stay dry, hold on to an umbrella, balance tiny plates of food, keep the food dry, and take photos (with the phone) all at the same time. Oh yeah, this was the PERFECT time to try "live blogging" for the first time- ha! Always an adventure.

Mary Poppins Topiary at UK Pavilion

My friend Rebecca warned that it might get windy, and I could fly away :)

Winnie the Pooh Topiary at UK Pavilion

Tim says, "Tut, tut, it looks like rain."

After visiting flower & topiary displays, our first booth was Pineapple Promenade, which we informally dubbed "the Dole Whip booth". They are calling it "pineapple soft serve" during the festival, which made me uncertain if this was THE Dole Whip that has a devoted cult following at Disney. I asked a cast member, and he said yes, the "pineapple soft serve" at the booth IS Dole Whip, but Dole opted not to sponsor the name brand for the festival booth, so it has reverted to a generic description in EPCOT during the Flower and Garden Festival. Never fear, it is still known as Dole Whip over in the Magic Kingdom and at the Polynesian resort.

One advantage of rain: fewer people in the photos :)

Although the pineapple soft serve is not noted as gluten free or vegetarian in the event passport, from what I've read on other blogs, Dole whip is both vegan and gluten free.

Here is a link to the manufacturer's web page, which lists the ingredients in Dole Whip. As always, if you have severe allergies to a particular ingredient, you should double check with a chef on duty during your vacation. Ingredients in many prepackaged foods (whether at Disney or your local health food store) are known to change based on manufacturer's availability, etc.

Passport page for Pineapple Promenade (say that 5 times fast)

Tim ordered the Sweet Potato Cinnamon Waffle with Dole Whip- er, I mean pineapple soft serve. It was melting quickly on the hot waffle, and as I mentioned, I am also balancing an umbrella and taking a photo here, so bear with my less-than-perfect photo:

You know I love waffles. I have to say, this teeny tiny sweet potato waffle (smaller than the palm of your hand) was the cutest waffle I've ever seen. 

I tried a little of the soft serve/Dole Whip. I thought it was VERY sweet- much sweeter than I expected. Personally, I don't think I could eat an entire serving of Dole Whip. Tim also found it too sweet on its own, but said it balanced very well with the waffle. 

There were pineapples growing in several areas throughout the festival grounds. I think pineapple plants are SO cool. One of these days, I will plant pineapple tops in my yard and watch them grow. 

And just for fun, because this is, after all, the Healing Kitchen, here is a link to more information about the health benefits of pineapple.

2014 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival: NEW! Urban Farm Eats

This is the booth that was the vegan booth during the 2013 International Food & Wine Festival. Honestly, I was not a fan of the vegan booth, so I consider this an improvement. 

Right next to this Outdoor Kitchen is an aquaculture demonstration booth, which demonstrates tilapia farming in conjunction with hydroponic vegetables.

NEW! Urban Farm EATS

Passport page for Urban Farm EATS

I'll post the Passport pages for each booth, so you can see the full menu descriptions.

Eggplant "Scallop" with Romesco Sauce, Microgreens, and Spaghetti Squash (gluten free, vegetarian, grain free)

Ghost-Pepper Dusted Tilapia with Winter Melon Slaw (gluten free, grain free)

Pickled Beet & Goat Cheese Salad (gluten free, vegetarian, grain free)

Cucumber Mint Lemon Spa Water (vegan, gluten free)

Tip: we kept this water cup with the mint, cucumber, and lemon, and refilled with water from the fountains. That way, we had refreshing spa water all day, and it was more economical and eco-friendly than buying bottled water at the park.

Another eco-tip: try to keep your plastic utensil, and re-use at each booth. All of those plastic utensils being thrown in the trash after two bites just makes me cringe! I wish Disney would at least have recycle bins for the plasticware. 

2014 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival: Festival Center

And it begins! 

First stop: Festival Center. This is where you can attend lectures, demonstrations, and ask IFAS Master Gardeners all of your gardening questions. This is also where you can pick up an event passport. By the way, there is a stamp for Festival Center, even though there is not a designated box for it. Ask for a stamp at the front booth (this is also where you will come for the "Completed" stamp in your passport).

Entering Festival Center

Inside Festival Center

Passports

And, we're hungry! Here are the offerings at Intermissions Cafe- including two vegan options. 

The prices are higher here, but the portions are much larger. Although we have not yet been out there to explore on THIS trip, from past experience, the offerings at the Outdoor Kitchens are tasting size. The offerings here in Festival Center seem to be full size portions.

Fruit & cheese plate (vegetarian; this should also be gluten free)

Caprese push-pop (vegetarian; this should also be gluten free)

The Caprese push pop is adorable! And only $1- you can't go wrong there. I need to come up with ideas to serve in a push pop. Fruit salad?

Vegan trio (Hummus, tabbouleh, couscous, roasted red pepper coulis, pita bread) NOT gluten free (also not a trio, I count 4 items here, no? ;) 

Southwest chicken wrap with black bean spread. Obviously neither gluten-free nor vegan. Luckily I'm here with Tim, aka the Test Kitchen, so we will get to try all interesting options, even if they are not ingredients that I could eat (which would make for a very limited blog post, lol).

And on the allergy note, while you might make an educated guess as to what may be (or is clearly not) gluten-free, there is really no way to guarantee that there will not be cross-contamination with gluten or other ingredients in a festival/food booth type of setting. So, proceed at your own discretion and use your judgement regarding what works for your particular needs.

There is plenty to enjoy at EPCOT and the Flower & Garden festival without eating at the food booths. The entire Walt Disney World Resort complex is fantastic about accommodating food allergies, so you might choose to enjoy all of the festival gardening events, but choose to eat in a Disney dining location that can safely accommodate your dietary needs.

Ok, off to the Festival, and Outdoor Kitchens (The smaller, Spring version of EPCOT's International Food and Wine Festival booths). 

P.S. I'm not used to this mobile Blogger platform, OR taking photos with an iPad- so bear with me. Hopefully the photos improve as the day goes on :)

Raw Vegan Transformation- Inspiring!

Good morning!

Today I am sharing a video that I recently stumbled across on Good Life Project. The guest is Rich Roll, an ultra marathoner and author of the book Finding Ultra. I am not sure where I first heard about his book, it may have been on a raw vegan website, or it may have been on NPR- but I do recall that I immediately added it to my "to read" list. I periodically check the library for an available copy, but it is OUT every time I look.

When I stumbled upon this video, I was immediately captivated by Rich Roll's story. All I had previously known about him was that he changed to a raw/vegan/vegetarian (I really could not remember) diet, and at the age of 40, competed in an IronMan competition. That alone was pretty inspiring. I did not know about his history of addiction, his dissatisfaction with a high stress corporate job, etc. But it all ties together, and brought him to where he is now.

I would encourage you to watch this video- I found it inspiring on many levels. Of course I am most intrigued by the dietary change :) When he was describing how GREAT he felt after his juice cleanse, I was literally talking back to the screen, saying Yes! Exactly! That's how I feel too! At least that's how I feel when I'm eating clean and mostly raw. And remembering that feeling, while watching this video, got me re-inspired to make more of an effort with my current eating habits. I have been in a bit of a slump, and have not been cooking (or uncooking) much lately. Yet I know how much food can affect how we feel and how much the right food can make you feel like a million bucks- so, it's time to get back on track (my little pep talk to myself, there).

Of course, after watching this video, I immediately went to the library's website to see if Finding Ultra is available- I figured it's been a year now, it won't be in such high demand- but guess what? It is checked out. Clearly a lot of people are interested in this guy's story.

If you are interested, here is a link to his book on Amazon:

Garden of Life RAW meal replacement shake

I am trying TWO new things as we speak.

1) This shake:

and

2) Blogging from my iPhone.

I am a fan of Garden of Life products in general. They seem to use quality ingredients and put together good combinations. Although I have read about them, & researched their ingredients, I have not tried too many of their products myself, as I experienced so many sensitivities to so many ingredients that it was difficult for me to find ANY commercial product that did not contain at least one ingredient to which I was sensitive.

The good news is, I believe my gut has (finally!) come a long way in healing. I have been branching out with more and more foods, & experiencing only minor, if any, reactions.

So I am once again trying a few commercial products, & hoping I do ok with them. Today I am trying this Garden of Life RAW meal replacement shake.

Generally, I believe that if one is eating a healthy balanced diet, there is no need for additional supplements or protein shakes. I found that, for me, when I eat high raw, I feel amazing and have no need for vitamins or protein supplements. As I've shared before, my lab tests have borne that out, which is awesome.

However, I have NOT been eating well lately, and certainly nothing that could be considered "balanced". I have been lacking in both energy & motivation to come up with menu ideas or prepare anything- so my diet has consisted of nuts, apples, rice cakes, maybe a salad or piece of gluten free toast. Not a sustainable source if energy or nutrients!

So, I figured why not try a meal replacement shake? Especially one that is raw & vegan. It's got to be better than a dinner of rice cakes ;)

So, as I'm sitting here sipping my vanilla shake, I have to say, it's not bad! I blended the packet with 16oz of filtered water, and first tried it just like that, to see what it was like. It was surprisingly tasty. I decided I'd like it cold, & a little more flavor, so I added some frozen bing cherries. Very tasty. Decided I'd like it colder, so added some ice cubes- and we have a winner.

Cheers!

Raw Vegan Seaweed Soup

Wow!

Raw vegan creamy seaweed soup

I really, really liked this soup.

I was a little skeptical, but it was fantastic. Not to mention fast and easy!

I got this recipe out of a raw vegan cookbook... somewhere. Unfortunately, I did not write down which cookbook, and I regret that I cannot give proper credit! If anyone knows where this came from, please let me know and I will cite appropriately.

Seaweed is very high in iron, calcium, and other minerals. Seaweed also has strong anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as antiviral and anticoagulant properties. For more information on the health benefits of different types of seaweed, click here and here.

Raw Vegan Seaweed Soup
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
1 ounce wakame
5 cups filtered water
1 cup raw pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon sea salt

Soak the seaweed in the water in a large bowl for 10 to 15 minutes. Using a strainer, strain the seaweed over another bowl. Measure 3 cups of the seaweed water and discard the rest (or use it on your plants).

In a high speed blender, combine the 3 cups of seaweed water with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Using a ladle, remove any foam that rises to the top. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with some of the soaked seaweed.

Valentine Rice Krispy Treats (gluten free, corn free, vegan)

Good morning and happy Valentine's day!

Today I share with you cocoa and vanilla rice krispy treats. These treats use brown rice syrup instead of marshmallows, so they contain NO gluten, corn, soy, or animal products. Yum!

Easy Gluten Free, Vegan Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients
1/3 cup nut butter of choice (I used cashew, but I think peanut or hazelnut would be fantastic with the cocoa treats)
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups gluten free crispy rice cereal (I use this one) It also comes in cocoa.

Method
In a large pan, heat nut butter and brown rice syrup over low heat until melted and well combined.
Stir in vanilla extract
Turn off heat
Stir in rice cereal until well coated with syrup mixture

Spread rice mixture in brownie pan to cool.

Alternatively, you can use a rice mold to make all kinds of shapes. I find this easier than cutting out rice krispy treats with a cookie cutter. This is what my rice mold looks like:

You can find rice molds (sushi molds) in Asian grocery stores. If you are lucky to live in a city that has a Chinatown, you can find them in ALL shapes and sizes- and super cheap. I found my heart mold, which also came with a flower mold, for 99 cents in San Francisco's Chinatown. If you can not find them in a local shop, you can also find them on Amazon.