Restaurant Review: Grasshopper

Grasshopper
Allston, MA

So funny, I think
VeggieBean and I
were shadowing one
another at various
Boston area restaurants
this past spring. We
visited Grasshopper on
Mother's Day, and
clearly Sarah had just been there too since a review of the restaurant popped up on her blog just the week before. And of course we both gave a nod to the ubiquitous veggie "chicken" fingers that most everyone loves--the pinnacle of battered deep-fried junk, but oh you just must find a way to rationalize them once or twice a year. So scrumptious.

If you haven't guessed,
Grasshopper is a vegan
asian restaurant. There
are a few around Boston,
but my kids have really
taken a liking to
Grasshopper. The menu
has all the Chinese
restaurant standard
fixtures: spring rolls,
wonton soup, lo mein. Plus
they have many unique
items, even desserts--can you say vegan strawberry cheesecake?!

The menu is ginormous,
and then they always
have delicious specials
every day on top of the
usual selection. It's
hard to choose! Luckily
we have a big family so
we can order a lot to
share. This time I tried
a kale, mushroom, seitan
& veggie stir-fry that
was excellent.

So is there anything NOT
good about Grasshopper??
Well, yes, actually there is:
They don't deliver! You can
eat in, or take out, but they
don't deliver AT ALL. But
it's worth the trip to eat in,
and they have great hours:

11am-10pm daily, except
noon-10pm on sundays.

So if you haven't already,
get yourself over to the
Boston borough of Allston
and have a good meal.

Grasshopper is located
at 1 N. Beacon Street.

617-254-8883

And check out their website,
because you can order online!

burnt out

Could you tell? The end of the school year had me burned out from lunches, cooking, eating...too many end of the year this & thats, the internationally traveling husband, and new activities for the kids.

Before I move along more interesting posts, I have to catch up, so here goes... longest post EVER...

Lunches & snack: Good Dog rounds; steamed broccoli; Ian's Alphatots; side of ketchup.













Upper left: cantaloupe; sandwich; cucumber slices; carrot; apricots/raisins.
Upper right: oyster crackers; cucumber slices; steamed broccoli; mashed potatoes; spicy baked tofu.
Lower left: carrot; steamed broccoli; pickle; apricot; chocolate chip cookie; smoked Tofurky, Vegan Gourmet monterey jack cheese, lettuce on flax lavash wrap bread.
Lower right (Maia's): cucumber slices; apricots; carrot; 1/4 sandwich; cantaloupe.













Maia's lunch: soy cheese slices; Tofurky slice; chocolate chip cookie; steamed broccoli; carrot; pickle; apricot.






















Upper left: pineapple; cucumber slices; leftover asian stirfry over rice.
Upper right: orange wedges; blanched spinach; hummus & cucumber sandwiches; chocolate chip cookie.
Lower left (Maia's): 1/2 english muffin sandwich; blueberries; grapes; carrot; pickle slices.
Lower right: english muffin sandwiches; carrots; grapes & blueberries; cucumber slices.

Ryan & AJ's lunches:
steamed broccoli;
Tofurky slices;
cucumber slices;
cantaloupe & grapes;
sandwiches.






Maia's lunch:
cantaloupe & grapes;
steamed broccoli;
Tofurky slices;
1/2 cinnamon
raisin bagel.





Lunch: cantaloupe; cucumber slices; broccoli cheddar crescent rolls; peanuts.

Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
water-
melon;
Tofurky
slices;
cuc-
mber
slices;
peanuts;
pickle;
carrots;
banana
blue-
berry
mini
muffins.





Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
spicy
sweet
potato
waffle
fries;
carrots;
green
beans;
side of
ketchup;
mini
banana
blue-
berry
muffins.





Maia's lunch: carrots; green beans; mini banana blueberry muffin spicy sweet potato fries; side of ketchup.

Ryan & AJ's lunches:
carrot; steamed broccoli;
cucumber slices; peanuts;
apricots/raisins;
sandwiches.







Maia's lunch: pizza rollup; steamed broccoli; carrots; tomato; pickle; watermelon.
Ryan & AJ's lunches: pizza rollups; watermelon; steamed broccoli; cashews; carrots.

Ryan & AJ's lunches: soy yogurts; dark chocolate square; carrots; english muffin sandwiches.

Ryan & AJ's lunches:
Sunshine Burgers on
buns; carrots; pickle;
blanched spinach;
pineapple.







Lunches: green grapes; Tofurky slices; steamed broccoli; blueberries; carrots; tofu spinach stuffed pasta shells.

Ryan & AJ's lunches:
cinnamon raisin bagels;
soy cheese cubes;
Tofurky slices; carrot;
pickle; watermelon.







Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
broc-
coli
onion
tofu
mini
quiches;
baked
sweet
potato
fries;
side of
ketchup;
water-
melon.






Maia's lunch:
watermelon;
mini broccoli onion
tofu quiche; baked
sweet potato fries;
side of ketchup.



Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
peanuts;
pickle;
carrots;
blanched
spinach;
water-
melon;
crack-
ers w/
soy
cheese
and
Tofurky
slices;
raisins
and
apricots.















Lunches: rice pilaf w/green beans; blueberries/mixed nuts; Tofurky slices; carrots.

Ryan & AJ's
lunches:
grapes;
sand-
wiches;
cucumber
slices;
peanuts.














Ryan & AJ's lunches:
banana blueberry mini
muffins; carrots; raisins;
grapes; steamed broccoli;
cucumber slices; peanuts.





Maia's lunch:
grapes; steamed
broccoli; carrot;
black olive; mini
banana blueberry
muffin; pickles;
cucumber slices;
cheddar soy
cheese;
snow peas.










Ryan's lunch: peanut butter & agave nectar rollups; steamed broccoli; carrots; pickle; black olive; mini banan blueberry muffin; pineapple mango salsa; cucumber slices.

Maia's lunch: blueberries; snow peas; pickle; Tofurky slice; rice cube with goma shio; blanched spinach; cucumber slices.













Upper left: rice cubes w/goma shio; blanched spinach; Tofurky slices; cucumber slices; grapes; mini muffin.
Upper right: grapes/strawberries; sandwiches; carrots; pickle.
Lower left: cantaloupe & grapes; kale & veggie sausage; carrot; pickle; brownie; mini muffin.
Lower right (Maia's): cantaloupe; blueberries; strawberries; kale & veggie sausage.













Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
1/2 an
apple;
steamed
broc-
coli:
english
muffin
pizza;
choc-
olate &
vanilla
soy
pudding.



















Lunches (left): baguette slices; steamed broccoli; chocolate chip cookie; apple slices; sesame tofu.
Lunches (right): english muffin pizzas; green beans; watermelon.

Ryan & AJ's lunches: cashews; carrots; orange slices; brocolini stem fried rice.













Lunches (left): sesame noodles w/spinach; strawberries/watermelon; edamame.
Lunches (right): english muffin sandwiches; apple rhubarb crumble; steamed broccoli; carrots.

Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
mini
banana
blue-
berry
muffins;
straw-
berries/
raisins;
pickle;
carrots;
eda-
mame;
cucu-
mber
slices.





So that's that for the school year! In a few months I'll have 3 boys in the same school in 3rd grade, 2nd grade, & kindergarten. And Maia will continue in preschool, but 3 morning a week.

Review: The All Natural Face

Review: The All Natural Face

Who would have thought
that I'd find an all-vegan
cosmetic and bath products
shop that just opened
nearby! The All Natural
Face has been a popular
online store for quite a few
years, but owner Crystal
Clark just opened a
storefront at 861 Edgell Road in Framingham, MA.

Now anyone who knows
me, knows that I am not
really into makeup and
stuff, or actually spending
any time on my appear-
ance at all. But I couldn't
resist checking this place
out. Upon entering the
(very purple) shop,
handblown beads, and
jewelry made from them,
taunt you at the front windows. Crystal also sells these via her Etsy shop from time to time, but she put that hobby on the back burner due to the demand for her natural vegan cosmetics.

Just the delicious smell
alone will keep you in the
store. I had to try the
mango soap (Ryan's
favourite food after all).
It is fantastic, but subtle.
I also gave the flavoured
lip gloss a go, and the
raspberry scented one
takes me right back to kindergarten where my girlfriends and I would hide under the tables at naptime trying out our collection of various fruity chapsticks. I also got a coconut one, and a cherry bomb tinted lip gloss...not too strong a colour, but considering I hadn't bought a lipstick since my wedding in 2002 I figured it couldn't hurt. And I've been using it just because it smells so darned yummy.

That's about as much soap
and makeup as I could
handle consuming in a week,
so I also purchased a
deodorant. I asked for the
strongest thing she had,
because I am out hiking
or running almost every
day, and sweating a lot, so
I was skeptical. But so far my new vegan roll-on crystal aluminum-free deodorant in lemongrass-grapefruit scent works almost as well as my old super chemical toxic variety, so I think I'll stick with it.

I'm sure I'll be going back
for more soap, lip gloss &
deodorant in the future.
And what a great resource
for cruelty-free makeup
for festivals or Halloween.
Also should Nate be asked
to wear any makeup (he's
been doing a bit of modeling)
I'll know where to go. The prices are very reasonable, and Crystal can tell you the source of each and every ingredient.

Check out TheAllNaturalFace Facebook page and "like" it to keep up to date on products available in the store or online.

The retail shop has
plenty of parking.
Call 978-261-3238
for more info.