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Rainbow Veggie Platter and Easy Chunky Guacamole

Rainbow Veggie Platter and Easy Chunky Guacamole

Californians are blessed with an abundance of fresh produce, with everything from strawberries to citrus grown across the state. But there's a buzz at farmers' markets in late spring when a particular crop arrives.... get your toast ready everyone, because California Avocado season is here!
 
California grows about 90% of the U.S. avocado crop, which is available from late spring through early fall. There are over 4000 avocado farmers in the Golden State, and they have to be patient folks - did you know an avocado takes 14-18 months to ripen? It's true! 
 
The crew from CA Grown invited us to share our favorite Cali-based eats, so we called K.C. Cornwell from G-Free Foodie and asked for a recipe featuring our favorite green fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit. We swear.) 
 
 You could serve this chunky guacamole with chips of course, but we could stop at just one color, so K.C. styled this rainbow veggie platter for healthy snacking that's gorgeous too!
 
 
Easy Chunky Guacamole by G-Free Foodie
2 green onions, chopped 
1/2 red bell pepper, diced 
sea salt and black pepper 
2 ripe avocados, diced 
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Mash the onion, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt + pepper together with the back of a fork in a bowl. Add the avocados and citrus juice and stir to combine.  Serve & enjoy!
 
 
Our Rainbow Veggie Tray:
Easy Chunky Guacamole
California Olive Tapenade
Red Pepper Hummus
yellow + orange peppers
white, orange + purple carrots
snap peas
cherry tomatoes
Persian cucumbers
broccoli
 
CA Grown provided materials for this post. All words and ideas are our own. 

This Laguna Beach Steakhouse Serves An EPIC 40-Ounce ‘Lord Stanley’ Wagyu Cut

This Laguna Beach Steakhouse Serves An EPIC 40-Ounce ‘Lord Stanley’ Wagyu Cut

Chances are, if you’re choosing to go to a steakhouse, you’re looking to wine, dine, and be impressed by some perfectly cooked, high quality cuts of meat. We’re here to tell you that if you live in Southern California, we know a spot where that’ll happen every time – Selanne Steak Tavern. They have a 40-ounce cut of wagyu ribeye on the menu, and it’s sure to impress.

This “Lord Stanley” cut of steak can be found at Selanne Steak Tavern in Laguna Beach, California. This spot is owned by NHL legend and former Anaheim Ducks player, Teemu Selanne. Inside you’ll find the Stanley Cup and his many Olympic medals in a display case. On the meaty side, the Lord Stanley is Selanne’s crown jewel, crafted to life by Executive Chef, Josh Severson.

Chef Severson begins with a 40-ounce cut of Australian wagyu rib chop, which looks like a massive and delicious steak tomahawk. He then treats it with simplicity to bring out the meat’s natural flavors, adding just salt and pepper before searing it on a flat top griddle. The steak is then transferred to an infrared deck oven to get the temperature perfect every time.

Severson’s signature steak comes with a savory side dish of pan-roasted King Trumpet mushrooms. They’re paired with shallots, Cippolini onions, garlic, Madeira wine, and butter to round out and boost the mushroom’s meaty, umami tastes.The flavor train doesn’t stop there, though, as the wagyu rib chop gets basted with more butter and herbs before being topped with the mushrooms. The final touch to Selanne’s steak masterpiece is a healthy dollop of marrow butter, imbued with truffle and shallots for a knockout umami punch.

Selanne’s Lord Stanley takes steak and indulgence to the extreme. If you’re looking to treat yourself while in Laguna Beach, this wagyu dinner is the perfect way to do it

This Laguna Beach Rooftop Serves A S’mores Bread Pudding Dish You Need Right Now

This Laguna Beach Rooftop Serves A S’mores Bread Pudding Dish You Need Right Now

Nestled up against the sunny coastline of Laguna Beach, California, Skyloft, a well-known seafood and smokehouse is perched in a prime location, equipped with a spacious rooftop deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Still, while the sprawling ocean-facing views might take your breath away, they are no match for Skyloft’s one-of-a-kind S’mo Bread Pudding Dessert.

Executive Chef Arthur Ortiz starts this decadent FOODBEAST APPROVED creation with a handcrafted mixture of artisan bread, cinnamon and egg to create a soft base, before stacking his fortress of toasted marshmallows, melted chocolate ganache, candied pecans, and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.

Considering that s’mores have — and always will be — a perfect snack to bring to a beach bonfire, this iconic dessert has found a home at Skyloft, just a few feet from the shore.

Here’s The Best Short Rib Poutine In Laguna Beach

Here’s The Best Short Rib Poutine In Laguna Beach

Poutine, the classic mixture of fries, cheese curds and gravy, has become a quintessential dish of Montreal, Canada. In Canada, the popular, savory dish is frequented by the weekend’s late night/early morning crowds, hungry for some greasy sustenance to subdue their alcohol-fueled hunger pangs before slipping into bed, just in time to beat sunrise.

However, while it’s important to know and understand the history of poutine, you might be able to get your hands on some — without having to renew your passport, or purchase a plane ticket to Canada.

Enter Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drinks. Located in Laguna Beach, Calif., roughly 2,900 miles west of Montreal, you can find a picturesque homage to the Quebecian dish.  

Executive Chef Ryan Adams specializes in more than just poutine – still it would be wise to add 370 Common’s Foodbeast Approved Short Rib Poutine to the list of mouthwatering creations that will grace your palate during your visit.   

Chef Adams, who was voted Orange County’s Chef of the Year in 2014, has spent a great deal of time perfecting his poutine. It should only take one glimpse of a gooey cheese pull, or one taste of Adams’ gluttonously delicious house made short rib gravy, and fries. It’s no wonder this internationally-inspired dish has become a local celebrity.

5 Unexpected LA Restaurants That Dish EPIC Vegan Food, Including A Steakhouse

5 Unexpected LA Restaurants That Dish EPIC Vegan Food, Including A Steakhouse

If there's one area of food we here at FOODBEAST have yet to fully explore, it's vegan food.

In an effort to become a bit more educated, we invited our friends Margarita and Natalia to show us the best spots for vegan food in Los Angeles.

Margarita and Natalia, a.k.a. "Las2winZ" are twin sisters and Spartan Race athletes. They also own their own gym! Super legit. While we wish they could just be our full-time personal trainers, we learned a lot about eating vegan and general health as we trekked around Los Angeles for this vegan episode of Chomping Grounds.

First up is Sweetfin Poke. You might be thinking...isn’t poke made with fish? Sweetfin is actually one of the only poke spots in LA that offers vegan poke. We chowed down on their Miso Eggplant & Mushroom bowl with the twins after a workout.

Margarita & Natalia mentioned the hearty veggies in the bowl, along with the electrolytes in their go-to FITAID are perfect for restoring muscles after going hard at the gym.

Next on the list is Beelman’s in DTLA. Beelman’s has a cool and quirky bar vibe with an Asian twist. The twins’ favorite thing to eat here is the Viet-nom-nom Wrap. The star of the show in this dish is the vegan “citrus spare rib.” It’s crazy how this tastes just like meat!

Because even fitness gurus need to indulge time to time, Natalia and Margarita’s next spot on the list is Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

Van Leeuwen invests a lot into their vegan ice cream, and use pricey but worth-it ingredients like coconut cream, cashews, cocoa butter, and organic cane sugar to make sure their treats are rich and creamy.

The twins were craving savory food again, so they took us to By Chloe in Silverlake for their signature Guac Burger. You can’t go wrong with fresh guac, right?! Pro tip from Natalia & Margarita: don’t forget the fries!

Last but not least, the twins showed us their favorite spot for a nice dinner before a night out with their friends – Boa Steakhouse. Surprisingly, this steakhouse has a pretty substantial vegan menu, making it the perfect spot to eat with other friends who might be meat-eaters.

Before arriving, the twins guzzled a PARTYAID to prepare for a fun night out.

Natalia & Margarita’s favorite here is the Nidi Bolognese. Boa starts with homemade vegan pasta, layers it with almond ricotta, wraps it up in a nice little bundle, and tops it all with their rich mushroom bolognese.

After lots of eating and hanging with the twins, it’s safe to say there really is some incredible vegan food out there. Thanks for showing us around, Natalia & Margarita! Kick butt at the Spartan Race next week!

Because we’re feeling extra generous, we’re giving you the chance to try LIFEAID for yourself! Just head to lifeaidbevco.com/foodbeast and get two cans of your choice for only 99¢.

State Bliss

We believe in 6 days of hard work and then a day of rest. We hope you enjoy your rest with family and friends. See you in 24 hours!

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