<link href="style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <meta content="urn:uuid:eeb32e50-b335-423a-9bd6-fdbad6b4358a" name="Adept.expected.resource"/> </head> <body> <div class="booksection"> <p class="ltext"><a id="page_128"/>Elegant, stylish, contemporary, and nestled in the midst of Chicago’s Greektown neighborhood, Karyn’s on Green makes vegan sexy.</p> <p class="image"><img alt="" src="images/Page_128.jpg"/></p> <p class="normal1">Is this your first restaurant?</p> <p class="normal">No, it’s my third.</p> <p class="normal1">When did it open?</p> <p class="normal">January 2010.</p> <p class="normal1">How many restaurants do you hope to have in the future? Will you expand further?</p> <p class="normal">I’d like to have a food truck and open restaurants in LA, Vegas, and three more in Chicago.</p> <p class="normal1">What’s your favorite dish on the menu?</p> <p class="normal">“Crab” sliders.</p> <p class="normal1">What’s your most popular appetizer?</p> <p class="normal">Our arugula flatbread.</p> <p class="normal1">What’s the most popular entrée on the menu?</p> <p class="normal">Roasted portobello with root vegetable hash, sautéed greens, and crispy leeks.</p> <p class="normal1">What’s your most popular dessert?</p> <p class="normal">The peanut butter chocolate chip brownie.</p> <p class="normal1">What do you feel is special about your restaurant?</p> <p class="normal">It’s contrary to what people think of when they picture a vegan restaurant. It’s unique and very sexy. We have a bar with alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.</p> <p class="normal1">How often do you change your menu items? Do you have daily or weekly specials?</p> <p class="normal">The menu is fixed, but we do have daily and weekly specials that we announce on Twitter and Facebook.</p> <p class="normal1">Do you have gluten-free, soy-free, and sugar-free options on your menu?</p> <p class="normal">Yes, we have soy-free and sugar-free menu options. In addition, we have a separate gluten-free menu. Also, some raw options are available.</p> <p class="normal1">What do you do to reduce your environmental impact?</p> <p class="normal">All of our takeout containers are environmentally friendly. We buy as much local farm produce and goods as possible.</p> <p class="normal1">What are the most important lessons you’ve learned as owner or chef of this restaurant?</p> <p class="normal">Finding and inspiring the right team to work with is essential to run a successful business.</p> <p class="normal1">What led you to want to open a vegan restaurant, and/or what led you to the vegan diet yourself?</p> <p class="normal">A vegan diet was a revolutionary and educational experience for me. All the women in my family died young, and I didn’t want to follow in their footsteps. I was a vegan for a couple years, then a raw foodist. It has now been forty-five years [that] I have lived this way. There wasn’t enough of a variety of vegan restaurants when I was going through my transition.</p> <p class="image"><a id="page_129"/><img alt="" src="images/Page_129.jpg"/></p> <p class="normal1">In the time since your restaurant first opened, how has the plant-based food movement changed? Do you find more demand now for vegan food?</p> <p class="normal">I definitely think the market is expanding. Sixty-five to seventy-five percent of our customers aren’t vegan; they simply like the food and ambience.</p> <p class="normal1">In the time since your restaurant first opened, has your view of what kinds of food choices to offer changed? Has your view of what constitutes healthy or delicious food changed?</p> <p class="normal">No, I generally choose my menu by what appeals to me.</p> <p class="normal1">Where do you see the plant-based food movement going in coming years?</p> <p class="normal">I see more growing acceptance, more understanding of why we should eat this way. I spend a lot of time educating people at free information seminars twice a month at one of my restaurants. <img alt="" src="images/head.jpg"/></p> <h2 class="h2"><a id="page_130"/>Coconut-Squash Soup with Garbanzo Bean Garnish</h2> <h3 class="h3">Serves 8</h3> <p class="list1">2 butternut squash</p> <p class="list1">1 tablespoon olive oil</p> <p class="list1">1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained and dried</p> <p class="list1">½ teaspoon paprika</p> <p class="list1">½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste</p> <p class="list1">½ teaspoon raw sugar</p> <p class="list1">56 ounces canned coconut milk</p> <p class="list1">Water as needed</p> <p class="list1">Chili oil (garnish; optional)</p> <p class="normal2">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.</p> <p class="indent1">Slice off the stems of the squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 1½ hours, or until the squash is very soft. Let cool to room temperature.</p> <p class="indent1">Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet on medium heat (the skillet is ready when a drop of water sizzles in the pan). Add the garbanzo beans. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until they are browned. Drain the garbanzo beans. Transfer them to a medium bowl with the paprika, salt, and sugar. Mix well. Set aside.</p> <p class="indent1">Peel the roasted squash halves and put them in a large saucepan. Add the coconut milk. Simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender. Process on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the blender’s sides. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as needed to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Season with more salt, to taste.</p> <p class="indent1">Ladle the squash into serving bowls and top each serving with some of the garbanzo beans.</p> <p class="indent1">Top with a drizzle of chili oil if you like. Feel free to prepare the soup in advance; time only makes it more flavorful.</p> <p class="image"><img alt="" src="images/Page