**UPDATE: Native Foods no longer has this happy hour! Very sad as we looked forward to it every Friday. Maybe it will come back periodically?**

Last night I took the girls to Happy Hour at Native Foods. It opened about a month ago on Ocean Park Boulevard between 29th & 30th. We used to go to the one in Culver City once in a while. Like twice a year. Since it opened here a month ago, G’s been once and I’ve already been twice (two Fridays in a row!)

This time I took the kids solo. We parked our massive stroller outside, walked in & ordered at the counter. All the starters & sides are 50% off during Happy Hour. We ordered accordingly:

Saigon Roll. A really tasty wholesome wrap accompanied by a spicy/sweet dip. YUM! I love these.

Bowl of Black Bean Soup. I could take or leave the soup. I make a fair amount of soup myself in the wintertime and found this one to be just so-so. It had some croutons in there that immediately turned to mush. Plus, the flavor was very one-dimensional. Can you tell I’ve just watched “Around the World in 80 Plates?”

Seasoned fries. (I recommend the sweet potato fries but my kids don’t like them. Bea liked the seasoned fries.)

Sweet Potato Fries (Photo taken last visit…)

Native Chicken Wings with Ranch. (I got these instead of the kids’ chicken nuggets b/c I knew my kids wouldn’t eat the rice and they didn’t need the lemonade.)*

Mini Greens Salad. This is an excellent, pretty little salad that is piled precariously high in an adorable little bowl. I dumped mine out on the large plate so I could toss it in the dressing better. This is no lame-o salad you typically get for $5.00. (Keep in mind – you get it for $2.50 during Happy Hour!)

I also got a glass of chardonnay for 50% off. Nice!

NOTE: I do NOT recommend the kids’ Macaroni & Cheese. It’s in a milky/watery sauce. Last time I was there, neither of my kids liked it and they were really hungry.

I took the pix LAST Friday when we went with our friend Elsie. Last night I was the only ahem…adult there and I had NO free hands to take pix!

My bill came out to $16 and change. Of course I had to leave a big tip for the greasy booth we left behind but still a great deal! We were all stuffed full of mostly healthy fare (‘cept for the fries) + a nice glass of wine. Not bad.

NOTES:
- Although there is patio seating, wine & beer are currently only allowed inside.
- Be sure to get a Native Foods frequent diner card. I have been twice and already got a free non alc drink.

Btw: G is a meat-a-tarian and he likes it!

Native Foods
2901 Ocean Park Blvd.
(310)450-3666
Park behind (off of 29th Street), at a meter on Ocean Park OR take the #8 Blue bus which goes from Westwood to Main Street (and not sure where it goes from there). I highly recommend the bus so you can have a couple of glasses of wine!

NATIVE FOODS
Happy Hour:
Fridays
3-6PM
50% off all appetizers, beer & wine.

Let me know how you like it!

*Incidentally – they also have Native Foods in Boulder and at several locations in Chicago! Check their site for more.

Who’s hot?  Seems heat waves have been rolling across the country all summer. I’m BURNING UP!!

Actually, it’s a cool 73 degrees here. Sorry to mess with you East coasters. We don’t call ours the BEST Coast for nothing.

Watch: now we’ll have an earthquake or something.

Anyway, during our 2 hot days last week. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) I got sicka drinking tepid water out of my battered old Camelbak. And it was way before 5 so I had to think fast.

How about a refreshing iced tea?

People, this is so easy. So yummy. So refreshing & with just a touch of caffeine to get you over that late afternoon hump.

You can get all you need at Trader Joe’s (or any old grocery store.)

You need:

- green tea
- mango nectar (juice)
- fresh mint (OPTIONAL)
- ice cubes (not pictured – but I know you’ve seen them before)

I use a large saucepan to boil my tea water. When it’s JUST ABOUT boiling, turn off the heat. Dunk in the tea bags & steep for 3 minutes MAXIMUM.

This is something I just learned – green tea will tend toward bitter if you steep it too long.

Then I just let it cool on the countertop. I usually make it the night before. When it’s cool, I put the whole saucepan in the fridge overnight. In the morning I pour it into my glass Pyrex pitcher & keep it chilled.

Measurements are by eye. I add mango nectar to that pitcher until it’s almost full. I then pour myself a glass over ice and taste it. Then stir the rest with a spoon, adding more nectar if it needs it.

I don’t like it too sweet – just a hint of sweetness. I think I add 2-3 cups of juice to the tea.

You can also crush some mint leaves & drop them in if they don’t bug you when you’re drinking.

Refreshing & a little more special than water or a bottled drink.

Some nights you get home with ravenous kids – there is no time to chop/assemble & bake or even to boil pasta water. This is the dinner for THAT night!

I saw it on Pinterest a few months ago.

So far, about 50% of the recipes I’ve tried from Pinterest have convinced me that it’s the PHOTOGRAPHY that is good, not the necessarily the recipe.

Now I’m a little more careful about reading the recipe before trying it. It’s got to taste good.

This one was a pleasant surprise! Taco cups in won-ton wrappers. This is seriously the easiest, quickest dinner to throw together.

You need:

(I tried it with vegetarian ground “meat” but I didn’t care for it so ignore that in the photo!)

and

INGREDIENTS:
- won ton wrappers
- refried beans
- shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar etc.)

OPTIONAL:
- jalapeños
- taco sauce
- diced tomatoes
- diced onions

Preheat oven to 350.

Fill muffin tin with won ton wrappers.

Spoon refried beans into won ton wrapper.

Add any toppings you like. I tried some with meat substitute but nobody liked it so I stopped. I also put shredded cheese on half of them since M hates melted cheese.

Yesterday I made them with 1 sliced jalapeño (jarred) on each of mine. I then sprinkled taco sauce on top of that. Yes, that thick nasty taco sauce you get at Ralph’s. I don’t care!! I love it!! Spicy ketchup!!

Bake for 5-7 minutes. Won tons should be getting browned at the edges. Once you figure out how your oven works (I use the toaster oven to avoid heating up the house in the summer!) you can decide how many minutes.

There is always that tenuous moment when you present new food to the kids. It definitely helps if they haven’t snacked since lunchtime though.

She LOVED them!

Bea didn’t like them until I broke hers up. I don’t think she has enough back teeth to really chew them. Now she loves them! (Bea not pictured.)

M thinks she has long black hair when she wears this hat.

You know those nights you’re so sick of serving pasta with jar sauce? Yet, you know you’ll still be serving pasta out of some weakness of character? This is the recipe for you!

Our friend, Liana, made this over vacation. It’s the perfect meal for a large crowd – especially a large crowd who just hiked for several hours at altitude carrying toddlers. When we got home she threw this together & everyone loved it!

It’s so easy & satisfying.

You need:

INGREDIENTS:
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb dried pasta (I used whole wheat)
1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces (I use the stems too – peeled & sliced)
1 can diced tomatoes
a couple of handfuls of baby spinach
salt & pepper to taste
fresh parmesan cheese
OPTIONAL: crushed red pepper to taste

Heat water in large pot for pasta. When water has started boiling, add salt & pasta.

Heat your oil in a large skillet. I only have a medium sized skillet. But if I had a large one, that’s what I would’ve used!

Add garlic & cook for about a minute, stirring occasionally.

Add broccoli & stir to coat with oil.

Cover & lower heat to medium-low. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test a piece of broccoli – it should be just tender but still have some crunch.

Remove lid & add tomatoes. This will give it some “juice” too!

Top with a couple of handfuls of spinach, stir to combine & turn heat up to medium.

Meanwhile, cocktail hour Legos.

When spinach has just barely wilted, remove from heat.

When pasta is done, drain & drizzle with olive oil to keep it from sticking.

In a large bowl or pot, combine pasta & veggies. Adjust salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with sprinkled parmesan cheese!

Either my kids loved this or they were starving to death.

All gone!

I really owe Trish a heee-uge thank you for this cocktail which she had in my hand about 10 minutes after entering her house in Denver. It was HOT that day (as it still is…) and she made this gingery bev in a large mug.

Try this drink. It’s simple, has only 3 ingredients and is such a treat!

You need:

1/2 oz lime juice
2 oz vodka
4 oz ginger beer
ice cubes

Ok. Including the ice, that’s 4 ingredients. Sue me!

Pour your lime juice into a glass.

Drop in a few ice cubes, add the vodka, then fill up the rest of your glass with ginger beer. Stir!

Highball glasses are recommended but of course we ain’t formal like that (read: we don’t have highball glasses). That’s why ours were strong.

Can you use ginger ale in place of the ginger beer?
Certainly! You can use your old dishwater if you want to.

I found ginger beer at Ralph’s in the “fancy soda” part of the soda aisle.

Yummmmmmm we sure did enjoy these!

That lime looks downright lonesome there.