Tag Archive for: vegetables

The Local Expedition Wood Fired Grill: A Picnic at Home

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/30/20

As the weather in Atlanta gets warmer, the sunny Spring days get longer, we are ready to grab our favorite blankets and have a picnic at home feast. Getting almost everything on the menu, The Local Expedition Wood Fired Grill has a whole list of extraordinary vegetables that changes daily, tons of protein options, grilled pineapple, and even epic, loaded, local fries to tempt even the healthiest! We spoke with Danny, who along with his wife own this new Sandy Springs location, as well as the original location in Alpharetta. When we asked about ingredients so we could share with you, he simply said that everyone find their own flavors in each dish, that is why they have “expedition” in their name. He explained you’d find a different flavor combo in every dish that differs from what your friends or partner might taste. Are you ready to go on a tasty exploit? So are we!

When it comes to vegetables and sides, they have everything you could ever want from fries, spaghetti squash, brussels sprouts, beet salad, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and more. Of the ones we tried, which were all good, the stand outs were the local fries and the spaghetti squash. Starting with the local fries, they are medium-cut potatoes with a crispy, heftier batter for more crunch, topped with cheese, and then lemon garlic and cilantro sauces drizzled on top. Insert mind blown emoji here. We were blown away by the flavor, overall bite of the local fries! It was perfectly cooked, crispy, and the batter gave it so much savor that the cool sauces and cheese on top gave it a creamy, dreamy balance. Definitely the lemon and batter stick out in our minds, and we can’t stop thinking about it! On the other hand, the spaghetti squash was a lighter option that married the savory squash with garlic, tasty oil, and spinach. It was crunchy, earthy, and very deep in flavor. We have no idea what was in there, but if you ask us, it tasted like something straight out of Italy. So. Decadent.

Plus, we sampled many others, here’s a taste of our journey! If you know us, you know we tried brussels sprouts, which were a good mix of crunch, char, and caramelized sweetness. Fresh and healthy, which was a great pairing with something a little creamy or rich! Speaking of those, the spicy and sweet fingerlings literally tell you how they’ll taste, spicy and sweet, a lot like your favorite Asian dish. They end up being slightly spicy and then sweet on the back that mixes well with the potato. The mac and cheese oozed super creamy with the right amount of cheese, pasta, and cream. A healthy option we loved were the roasted beets with quinoa and kale. It was roasty, earthy, tart, and slightly crunchy. Must love beets, which we do! Then, get into the Hawaiian spirit with the grilled pineapple. The right amount of char, sweetness, and savory come together in this side. Who doesn’t love grilled fruit for dessert? It’s a great addition to any meal. Finally, one odd combo we would really recommend you try: take some of the mac and cheese and the spaghetti squash and mix them together. You heard us right! You’re mind will be saying, “what is this and how can I get more?” It’s creamy, savory, sweet, and has every flavor you can imagine! Yes, we condone playing with your food.

Any meal exploration wouldn’t be complete without some proteins! Our favorite was the delicious, fall apart in your mouth, pulled pork. It was tender, savory, rich, and very flavorful. It tasted like it had a hint of brown sugar and paired perfectly with their sweet or spicy barbecue sauces. You can even mix them together! That’s what we did, and it really brought out the flavor of the pork. Just like a fine barbecue restaurant. We also really enjoyed the wings, with the perfect amount of char grill, crisp skin, tender chicken, and a sweet and salty rub. Yep, like salt and sugar were mixed together, which perfectly fit with the savory of the chicken. Their grilled chicken plate also had lightly charred, tender chicken. A good pairing with the rice and brussels sprouts. Even a little healthy maybe? Everything was delectable.

Want to bring the food up a notch? Grab the Cilantro Sauce! The absolute best sauce they have, a mix of cilantro, some type of yogurt, mayo, or cream that is reminiscent of a hearty green goddess. We’re a fan. It is a savory concoction that will knock your socks off. Mix the brussels sprouts, grilled chicken, wings, rice, or anything really. Mix it all together in one big tall pile and you have a flavor explosion, we mean expedition. They’re open for take-out and just so you know all of their staff have these cool face shields made of plastic that covers the bottom half of their faces. It makes you feel safe ordering there!

THE VEGGIE CONNECTION EVENT ATLANTA 2019

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/28/19

Smyrna Community Center

Saturday, August 31st at 10 am

Smyrna, GA – August, 31st  2019 – Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or veg-curious, The Veggie Connection Event is the place to be on August, 31st  from 10am-5pm. Georgians and visitors are expected to attend this veggie celebration of the best of everything plant based in and around the Atlanta, GA and surrounding cities.

This family-friendly event brings vendors from all over Georgia and surrounding cities with plant based specialty foods, eco-friendly products, cruelty-free fashion, newly published books, inspirational art pieces and more.

During this day-long celebration, vendors, partners, and sponsors will showcase a wide range of products, services and resources to help attendees discover why eating a plant-based diet and choosing vegetarian/vegan foods is one of the best ways to help protect our health, the planet, and animals.

The Veggie Connection a “Plant Based Network Event” takes place at the Smyrna Community Center in Smyrna, GA. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Purchase delicious plant based food.
Learn from chefs hosting cooking demos.
Hear from a vast array of speakers.
Dance and see artist perform.

For more information on the event, please email us at theveggieconnection@outlook.com, or visit us at www.theveggieconnection.com