Happy Birthday to Me !! - Peace Cafe (Honolulu, HI)

The Apple Banana Cinnamon Mochi was delicious!

Today is my birthday!!! This week I met up with my mom in Honolulu, HI to celebrate :)  For dinner we headed to Peace Cafe, an all-vegan and pretty much all macrobiotic cafe.  They have a variety of ciabatta bread sandwiches and brown rice entrees.  They use organic and local ingredients and try their best to always offer a variety of choices with alternating seasonal specials, miso soups, mochi flavors, and muffins.  

Find their menu on a huge chalk board!  If you read the bottom left corner you can see that they support a greener way of eating by encouraging customers to bring their own drink and food containers.  I also like how you can order their sandwiches with brown rice instead of the ciabatta bread.  Extra bonus is that they serve grain coffee!

 They always have a counter full of homemade goodies like candied nuts, muffins, and kettled chips.

 They make their own granola and serve Kusmi Teas.  You can also see that they won the Silver Honolulu Hale Aina Award for Best Vegetarian Restaurant.

Their Mauna Kea Ice Tea is their most popular drink and very refreshing.  It's a green tea from the Big Island.

I had their most popular dish, the Heart and Seoul.  This is a vegan take on the korean bi bim bap with a choice of either house flavored TVP or fresh tofu.  It comes with vinegar flavored shaved carrots, sprouts, and kale, with arugula.  Although this dish usually comes with a scoop of spicy miso paste right on top, I opted out to make it a little more macro.  I also went for the fresh tofu which was probably the best thing about this dish.  Although this is a great macrobiotic set-up I feel that it was definitely lacking in a few areas.  First, the arugula seemed to be just a filler for the plate and I thought it would have done better with some other fresh greens or even a hearty kaboucha squash.  Second, the carrots also seemed like a filler because it was shaved really thin.  All in all it really just felt like I was eating a bunch of sides on a plate.  The sprouts were very good and like I said, so was that amazing homemade fresh tofu, but it needs a little more.  I blame Inaka Restaurant for spoiling me so :P

My mom had the newest entree addition, the BBQ Tempeh Plate.  The tempeh is topped with bbq sauce served with vegan coleslaw, cornbread, and black and brown rice.  

The Macroveg:  "I tasted each and thought this was better than my dish!  The bbq sauce had the perfect tang, the bread grainy and warm, and the coleslaw light and flavorful.  What I think it needed was more greens, perhaps some collard greens to emphasize that southern style."

  

MOM:  "The bbq sauce was good and I liked the coleslaw.  I know what regular bbq sauce tastes like and what I liked about this one was that it was not overly strong and tangy.  It was totally unexpected because I thought it would be a bland sauce.  I also appreciated how it was not spicy.  There was nothing special about the tempeh itself, but the sauce saved it.  I normally like my coleslaw, yes non-vegan coleslaw :S, quite sour and vinegary and Peace Cafe's coleslaw did not disappoint.  I also loved the crunchiness of the cabbage.  The cornbread is not as flavorful as my usual cornbread but it completed the dish.  The salad greens was definitely a filler which I did not eat.  Overall I give it a B for a vegan meal :P"   

  

Their desserts include mochi, cookies, and homemade vegan ice cream made with coconut milk.  You can order an affogato with a shot of espresso, one of their premade sundaes, or choose your own toppings.  Their ice cream flavors include vanilla bean, chocolate, and avocado.

We decided on the Berry Granola which comes with two scoops of their vegan ice cream, berry sauce and granola.  We had a scoop each of vanilla and chocolate.

 The Macroveg: "The ice cream was really good, I just wish the servings were bigger.  It was served in a really small shot glass looking cup.  It was also made it hard to eat with a spoon.  There was hardly any sauce and the granola was gone in one bite.  I liked the vanilla bean more than the chocolate [we ordered 2 scoops of vanilla but they ran out] but the combination of the chocolate with the vanilla was great."


MOM: "It was good, the ice cream was more flavorful than expected.  BUT very small servings of everything.  I liked the chocolate better."

Peace Cafe is a great place with the right mentality for trying to get us all to achieve peaceful harmony with other living things.  You see a lot of Japanese tourists stopping by to dine here probably because the cafe is japanese owned and word is spreading about their simple delicious meals.  However, as stated previously, they do tend to fall short on some of their dishes with plate fillers.  Also another biggy is that they were out of a lot of things come dinner time: miso soup, ice cream flavors, muffins, tempeh musubi, and mauna kea ice teas [my mom and I got the last ones].  So expect some limited options for dinner time and possible waiting for a table because the cafe is small.  Is it a must go to for Honolulu Hi?  I would say it's a nice stop if you've exhausted other better eats on the island like Down to Earth and Kale's [future blog entries on these places coming soon!], but Peace Cafe is probably a better place for lunch than dinner.  Parking can be found in a small parking lot behind the cafe or street parking right outside.  

Because a big winner of our dinner tonight was the bbq sauce on my Mom's BBQ tempeh dish, here's a macrobiotic bbq sauce recipe for you to try ;)

Macro Red BBQ Sauce 

1 C Red Sauce (6 carrots, 1 small beet, and 1 celery boiled for 10-15mins and blended)

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1/4 C soy sauce

2 Tbsp onion, minced

2 Tbsp brown rice syrup

1 Tbsp wet mustard

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1/16 tsp cayenne pepper powder

Mix all ingredients well.  Tempeh can be marinated in sauce before broiling or broil tempeh and scoop sauce on top.

The Peace Cafe

2239 S. King St.

Honolulu, HI 96826

808-951-7555

info@peacecafehawaii.com

Mon-Sat: 11am-9pm

Sun:  11am-3pm

Bay Area Trip Part 4: The Plant Cafe (Marina District)

This place has got to be one of the best places that I've EVER ate at.  The Plant Cafe uses 100% organic local ingredients.  Although it is not fully vegan, I honestly felt like I was eating at an all vegan restaurant because of all the vegan foods to choose from.  Much of our thanks has to go to Executive Chef Sascha Weiss who previously served as vegan Millennium Restaurant's Executive Pastry Chef and famous vegan Ravens Restaurant's Sous Chef in Mendocino.  So you can imagine the high expectations I had, and they were definitely met.

Quinoa Bowl- substituted brown rice, sauteed veggies in ginger miso sauce, with side of sauerkraut.

I scouted for the most macroveg dish on the menu and to my surprise found that every vegan offering was pretty much macro.  I finally decided on the Quinoa Bowl and here's my little tip for ordering it even more macro ;)  Ask to have brown rice substituted for quinoa, add tempeh, and order a side of sauerkraut.  Boom!  The perfect macroveg meal!  This was so delicious, the best part being the ginger miso sauce (stay tuned for a future post on my take on this sauce).  The veggies were sauteed perfectly and the tempeh was filling.  Definitely order this dish and you won't be disappointed.

Wasabi Burger made with The Plant Burger patty (lentils, beets, mushrooms, cashews, bulgur wheat), served on sourdough bun with tomato chutney, grilled onions, lettuce, raspberry aioli, side salad, and pickles.

My good friend Karly ordered one of the famous Plant Burgers, the Wasabi Plant Burger.  Immediately you are taken aback by the colors.  Never have I seen a more beautiful burger.  Made with just lentils, mushrooms, cashews, beets, and bulgur wheat, this is the ultimate macro burger with no flour!  Imagine that :P  I got to have a bite with some of that aioli and it was the best veg burger I've ever tasted, especially with the raspberry aioli.  There was so much flavor and the bun was very soft.  Only downfall is that the patty seems to fall apart easily so be sure to use that knife and fork.  Also, Karly pointed out that it's unfortunate that sweet potato fries are not an option with this burger, which I agree would seal the deal.

You can definitely see Chef Weiss's pastry skills from Millennium with The Plant's extensive display of vegan desserts and pastries.  Although I did not try one of the sweets that day Karly had a vegan chocolate cake and she protests that it's amazing. There were at least 8 vegan goodies including coffee cake, cookies, and brownies. 

Another great thing I love about The Plant Cafe is their juice and smoothie bar. Their juices have uplifting names like "healthy sunrise" and "good start," and their smoothies can be made with either organic soy or almond milk.  An additional bonus is their daily specials menu.  As you can see on the left, this includes a vegan soup and vegan entree (usually a tempeh special).  They also have a daily special kombucha flavor, that day it was watermelon :)  Kombucha on tap is amazing!  

Overall, I think The Plant is a must go for an SF trip.  They have multiple locations (including one in SFO Terminal 2!) and you can find something for everyone in your party.  The service is fast, friendly, and it's really easy to order substitutions.  If you're dying to try that infamous Plant Burger but can't make it out to SF, try this recipe below to make it yourself ;)

The Plant Burger-serves 6

3 small beets, peeled & chopped
1/2 c green lentils
1/2 c bulgur wheat
1/3 c raw cashews

1 cup mushrooms
1/2 c minced yellow onion
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil, divided
2 cups water, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the chopped beets on a lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until tender. 
2. While the beets are roasting, combine the lentils with 1 1/2 cups water in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
3. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add the bulgur then turn off the heat and cover for 10 minutes. The bulgur should absorb all of the liquid and be tender when done.
4. Heat one tsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add minced onion, mushrooms and thyme and cook for about 6 minutes. Both onions and mushrooms should be softened.
5. Place raw cashews in either a food processor or Vita-Mix and process until they become a flour. Then, add roasted beets, cooked bulgur, onions, mushrooms and rosemary and process until combined.  
6. Add cooked lentils and continue processing until everything has combined but still on the “chunky” side. Remove mixture from either food processor or blender and place in a large bowl.
7. Heat up the remaining oil over high heat. Divide mixture into six veggie burger patties and carefully cook each side for about 5 minutes, until golden and crispy.

The Plant Cafe (Marina location)
3352 Steiner Street
San Francisco, CA 94123  
Tel 415 931 2777
Fax 415 931 2719
Email contactmarina@theplantcafe.com

Mon - Fri 10:30am - 9:30pm

Sat - Sun 9:00am - 9:00pm

brunch Sat & Sun 9:00am - 2:00pm

UPDATE! Bay Area Trip Part 3: The Ferry Building Marketplace & Delica

Located within the historical Ferry Building (1898), the building itself is a spectacle for its architecture.

Pepples Donuts, 100% organic & Vegan

Far West Fungi

The Ferry Building Marketplace houses great artisan foods where you can experience the culture and true tastes of San Francisco.  You can literally find everything here!  Shops range from specialty foods, fresh produce, cute cafes, and speciality shops and bookstores.  You can definitely find some great vegan eats here as well.  The famous Pepples Donuts, 100% organic and vegan, has a kiosk at the entrance of the Ferry Building at a very small stand.  Although I did not get a chance to try one, I could see that it was delicious with 20 flavors such as matcha green tea, chocolate coconut, and vanilla cookie.  Another store that caught my eye was Far West Fungi.  They specialize in cultivating fresh seasonal truffles, wild mushrooms, and other unique salts and oils.  They also have Mini-Farms where you can take home a box to grown your own mushrooms!  I really wanted to take one back but was unsure whether or not it was allowed on the plane.  Will definitely check into that next time ;)  They have amazing mushrooms that you can't find anywhere.

Thank you Liz for once again being my model ;)

After doing some research online to see what vegan lunch options were available at the Ferry Building cafes, I decided on a place called Delica.  This is a European style delicatessen that serves delicious Japanese eats.  This place is not all vegan but has great macroveg options and yummy choices for nonvegs (my friends decided on eating here too after looking at all the other choices in the Ferry Building).  They have salads, deli items, curries, noodles, desserts, as well as a sushi bar and easy grab and go items like bentos and onigiris!  Here's the reviews:

Hijiki & soybean salad (Hijiki, mixed dried soybeans, edamame, konnyaku, daikon, wild mizuna, fried tofu, kuko w/soysauce) and Spicy Burdock Root Salad (Spicy mix of braised burdock and konnyaku tossed w/thin slices of white onion, celery, julienne carrots, and wild mizuna).

The Macroveg: "These were the only vegan salad selections and they were delicious!  Get both!  They had a 12 grain rice option but I brought my own mixture of black and brown rice."


JO: "There was not a single item I didn’t like in my bento box [Bento box had these 2 vegan salads in it]. Everything was perfectly flavored, nothing too salty. It filled me up quite a bit too. Loved the clean flavors."
BREE: "These vegan salads had the right balance of sweet and savory flavors. I enjoyed the texture and color of the dishes. Even though I’m not vegan, I continue seeking out these types of dishes at other restaurants that I visit. They’re that good!"

The Macroveg:  "You know I'm a sucker for making sure I try to eat something pickled at every meal to help with digestion.  Will this was my little kick to my meal.  KIMCHEE DRINK!  Never heard of it and I loved it.  I think Bree and I were the only ones who liked it but I think it's because we're really use to the pickled flavor.  But I agree with Jo that a shot of this would be good too.  The four of us shared one bottle and that was good enough.  Could I have drank the whole thing at once?  Probably not.  But  it's excellent to have sips of it throughout the day to regenerate."


JO:  "Interesting drink! I wish I liked it more because I know kimchee is healthy. It was SO tart though, a bit too much to be a full drink. If I drank it in shot form it would have been better. That being said, I would probably consider buying it again if I could– just need to put it in my fridge to drink slowly."
BREE: "I really enjoyed the kimchee drink! It’s definitely an acquired taste, with the subtle tangy flavor… but if you’re already a kimchee fan, then you’ll enjoy this too."
 
What was our overall experience visiting the Ferry Building and Delica Restaurant?


The Macroveg: "A definite must-go for a SF trip.  Eating by the bay was a great way to take in the sites.  Also a great way to plan a ferry trip as well ;)  I loved Delica!  Definitely reminded me of MCafe de Chaya in SoCal but with less vegan selection.  It's a great place to stop by and refuel your inner macro"


JO:  "It was great! Very interesting stalls with unique items, but all were approachable and not too  out there. Most memorable- the stall where you could grow your own mushrooms. Really wish I could have packed that in my suitecase to go home!  Delica had very appealing health foods – none of it was boring, there were enough flavors, and I loved the Japanese touch to everything."
BREE: "I really enjoyed the visit to the Ferry Building. All the boutique shops had many interesting goods to offer, and I was pleasantly surprised with the variety of fresh, local and organic products. I don’t have a particular favorite—they were all very unique!  Delica has a great menu to choose from. I found the noodles and salads to be very tasty!"

The Ferry Building Marketplace
Ferry Building Marketplace
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, California 94111
(415) 983-8030
(415) 983-8010 FAX
info@ferrybuildingmarketplace.com


Delica

DELI HOURS
Mon - Fri: 10 AM – 6 PM

Sat: 9 AM – 6 PM

Sun: 11 AM – 5 PM

SUSHI BARMon - Sat: 4 PM - 9:30 PM
Sun: Closed

Bar Area Trip Part 2: Gather Restaurant (Berkeley, CA)

Even the decor was sustainable!  From reclaimed wood to reused leather belt seats. 

Thank you Liz for being the menu display :)  

Located in Berkeley, CA right across from the college campus, this place boasts going beyond organic by supporting local farmers and using only sustainable ingredients.  Although this place is not completely vegan, it has a variety of vegan and gluten free options that are clearly marked on the menu (v, gf).  Chef/co-owner Sean Baker cooked in the kitchen of renowned vegan Millennium Restaurant, and in 2010 was named Esquire's Chef of the Year.  So don't worry about being the left-out vegan here, Chef Baker has got you covered ;)  His dishes range from sophisticated starter plates (salads, soups) to pizzas (these are not your everyday pizzas, they are fancy!) and of course flavorful entrees.  Read below to see what me and my team of guest bloggers thought of some of their vegan dishes.

Vegan Charcuterie (v, gf): Citrus-pistachio, coconut milk, fermented black  beans; Trumpet mushrooms-Cannelini, spring onion, horseradish, herb salad; Chickpea-dried habanero, english pea, cilantro; Mushroom tartare-spring veggies, radish salsa

The Macroveg: "For me this was the best dish.  Us vegans don't normally get this fancy treatment with our food so it was a great treat.  I would have to say that the chickpea was the best and the citrus was a little too sweet for me.  Be sure to request bread for the table, I made sure it was vegan ;), and enjoy this platter as spread."

LIZ:  "Totally not what I expected.  I guess the name Charcuterie is misleading, I was expected dryer things.  But the presentation was very pretty, as with all the food.  In everything but the mushroom tartare, the flavors were distinct and clean."
JO:  "Probably the most interesting dish of all! We were all curious what a vegan charcuterie would mean. The most memorable was the mushroom capriccio- it was a flavor I had never experienced in my life before."
BREE: "Great presentation and very tasty! I really enjoyed these uncommon flavor combinations."

Napoli Carrot Nasturtium Soup-vadouvan (v, gf)

The Macroveg: "Something was definitely not right with this soup when it first came out.  I agree with the girls that it was too salty, but I thought it also tasted more like burnt wood :S  Round 2 when they brought out a newly made soup with the salt omitted was so much better, but I still didn't find it to be anything special so I say skip this soup and get another starter."


LIZ:  "Haha, this was an interesting dish.  It speaks to the service of the restaurant though.  The first came out WAY to salty and we sent it back.  The servers were apologetic, and then brought another one out.  It was delicately flavored with ginger and carrot, but I don’t know where the nasturtiums went…"
BREE:  "This is a nice, savory soup. I recommend asking the server to skip the added salt. It was a bit on the salty side when I ordered."

Loca Lettuces Salad (v, gf): Cabernet vinaigrette, radishes, Campovida olive oil

LIZ:  "So big!  I was expecting something smaller, but it was a good, filling salad that was lightly dressed with a good variety of greens."
BREE: "Fantastic! Everything was so fresh. There was a perfect amount of vinaigrette to keep the salad light, yet filling."

Broccoli di Ciccio (v, gf option no crumbs): Sinese pepper, Meyer lemon, bread crumbs

LIZ:  "Very tasty.  I love roasted broccoli, and this had a nice seasoning with dried tomatoes, and breadcrumbs for extra crunch.  I think it was a little oily, but most of it stayed on the plate.  Not too salty."
JO: "Perfect combination of flavors. I usually like overcooked soft broccoli but this was crispy yet perfectly done. Very refreshing dish."
BREE: "The broccoli was well-done, and the whole dish had a spicy kick to it."

Mushroom Dashi (v, gf): Spring vegetables, whipped tofu, seaweed, "caviar" 

The Macroveg: "This was the only vegan entree and to my delight sounded pretty macro.  When you first see it you have no idea what you're looking at.  But what's floating the broth is a portobello mushroom wrapped in seaweed, filled with spoonfuls of different purees, and topped with dolops of whipped tofu (the whip was the best part!).  It was pretty difficult at first trying to maneuver a way to eat this since it was half soup--best way is to dig in with spoon and knife to cut the mushroom.  Overall, it was satisfying because the broth really fills you up and you literally have ten different tastes in one dish.  I mark it down for presentation because it was hard to eat and once you dug into the mushroom a whole bunch of other flavors started floating about and got lost in the broth.  I actually think this would be better without the broth and presented as a portobello steak!" 

JO:  "I had no idea what to expect when I ordered this, but that was half the fun. A little salty, but tasted very healthy and actually filled me up quite a bit. Loved the combination of mushrooms along with the frothy bit on top (forgot the name of it haha)."

BREE: "The broth was very flavorful. I can’t believe how many other flavors were packed into such a simple soup."

Vegan options include the chocolate hazelnut cake and the sorbet.    I decided to opt for chamomile tea which was a relaxing end to an awesome day.  But my friends got the roasted strawberries and pavlova, both which they found very tasty.  Except maybe Liz couldn't "gather" the unique taste of olive oil ice cream...not sure I would have either haha.

What was our overall experience at Gather Restaurant?

The Macroveg: "Gather is the perfect name for this restaurant because it is the perfect place for vegans and non-vegans to gather around a fancy meal.  I compare this to Madeleine Bistro in SoCal, but it does not surpass it.  There were a lot of flavors and the restaurant itself was beautiful.  That being said, would it be a must place for vegans to go to?  I say go if you have nonveggies with you and want a nice dinner, but perhaps skip if you have a limited time in SF and are looking to explore more popular vegan eats in SF.  As macroveg, I sometimes found the flavors really overbearing but that's because macrobiotics does not use much seasoning.  So prepare yourself for a feast bursting with flavors ;)"

LIZ: "Gather has excellent, attentive service.  Even though the space is large, it doesn’t feel big. It has a nice atmosphere with lots of natural light."

JO:  "One of the highlights of my trip to the States was eating at Gather. It was a dining experience because tasting the food took us on a journey. Rather than the restaurant simply being a setting for a get-together, tasting the flavors and the style of cooking became the main topic during our dinner, which is in my opinion the mark of a great meal."

BREE: "Excellent! Cozy atmosphere, pleasant servers, and bouquet of flavors in each dish puts Gather on the top of my list for favorite restaurants in SF.  The vegan dishes were very tasty! Even non-vegans would appreciate the body and flavor of these dishes."

*Be sure to make a reservation far in advance.  I called the beginning of the week for a Friday reservation and the only opening they had was at their opening time at 5pm.

Gather Restaurant
2200 Oxford St., Berkeley, California 94704
On the corner of Allston Way and Oxford Street
Phone: 510.809.0400, Fax: 510.295.2813

Dinner Every Day 5-10pm
Lunch Weekdays 11:30am-2:00pm
Weekend Brunch 10am-2:30pm

My first trip to the Bay Area! Part-1: Liz's Mom's Macro Breakfast

Over the weekend I flew up to the Bay Area to reunite with my best friends from college :)  One flew in from Hong Kong, the other from Pennsylvania, and the other two were from the area (Oakland and Mill Valley).  My next few posts will be all about the amazing eats that I experienced in the Bay Area with reviews, tips, and of course recipes.  You'll see how to navigate eating macroveg through this awesome city with restaurant reviews, hit or miss dishes, tips on where to go and what to see, and how to order to make a vegan dish even more macro.   Because my experience was so expansive I've decided to feature my friends as guest bloggers!  You'll also read their review of some of the restaurants and vegan dishes on the trip, and because most of them are not entirely vegan, you'll see which would be great to have some of your nonveg friends try as well.  So if you live out in the Bay Area or are planning on visiting, you're not gonna want to miss these next few posts ;)

Mixed Barley with seitan, tempeh, kale, kelp, and umeboshi.

My first meal in the Bay Area started off with an amazing home cooked macroveg breakfast from my friend Liz's mom.  According to Liz, they prepared for my visit by stocking the fridge up with delicious seitan, tofu, and 2 different types of tempeh!  They went beyond what I expected, it was amazing :)

Barley with Mushrooms, Onions, and Carrots

1 cup Barley
1/4-1/2 cup dried mushrooms
1/4 cup dried onions
1 cup chopped carrots, 1/4 inch thick

Soak the Barley all day in the rice pot with 2-2.5 cups of water.  That night, reconstitute the mushrooms halfway in some water and add to the pot with the carrots and onions.  Cook and let steam all night.  Serve next morning with an umeboshi plum and some dried seaweed.

Kale with Balsamic Vinegar
According to Liz and her mom, cooking kale with some vinegar will help diffuse the bitterness taste that you usually get from raw kale.  That morning the kale was cooked with balsamic vinegar which give the kale a very rich taste.  Liz also said that you can cook it with any type of vinegar.  I can't wait to try it with ume plum vinegar ;)

Broiled Tempeh and Seitan
Liz's mom sliced the tempeh and seitan, placed them on a pan, then drizzled soy sauce for taste.    The pan was then placed in the oven under the broiler for approximately 5 mins until it was nice and golden brown.  This was a great way to cook tempeh that I have yet to try.  Usually I cook it in a pan, but this really gave the tempeh a different texture and was very easy.  Will definitley be cooking my tempeh like this more often.  The tempeh brand used was Turtle Island Brand and the seitan brand Sweet Earth, both can be found at Whole Foods.

Homemade Umeboshi Plums, Umeboshi Paste, and Dried Kelp
I think I nearly died when I heard that they had homemade umeboshi plums, paste, and dried kelp!  A friend of the family apparently has an umeboshi tree.  All three were amazing and really helped give me the upper that I needed for our big day of SF galavanting.  Just sucking on an umeboshi plum alone will help give you so much energy ;)  Great travel tip:  travel with umeboshi plums!  They help you regain your lost energy.  This was a great way to balance off the yang in the barley as well.  Now if only I could get the details on how to make homemade umeboshi and dried seaweed myself!

I was able to enjoy this breakfast two times during my stay at Liz's house.  I found myself waking up looking forward to this breakfast!  Now I miss it!  Thank you to Liz's mom! for making such an amazing macroveg breakfast.  What made it even better was the company :)

Doesn't get any better than this ;)