Not Going Anywhere Without My Rothy's!

I’m in love!

I know, I know, I say that a lot.  But, I fall hard for things that make me happy, happy and this time, I’m crushing hard for Rothy’s!  

What are Rothy’s you ask?  

Allow me to introduce the new love of your life…

Rothy’s is a vegan, comfort, stylish shoe line hailing from San Francisco.

The more I learn about this brand, this company, the more I fall in love!

1. Vegan - what’s not to love?
2. Comfortable – 3-D knit technology means no seams, no rubbing, no blisters – just happy feet!
3. Stylish! Two styles are available the classic ballet flat & the pointy toe flat - each amazing!
4. Vibrant & colorful – they are constantly introducing new, fun colors & patterns
5. Recycled! These shoes are seriously made from recycled plastic water bottles and when they’ve given their all, you can return them back to the company to be recycled!  Be a part of the solution, not the problem.
6. Machine washable – personally, I have never felt the need to wash a pair of shoes, except for the odd tennis shoe, but after reading horror stories of people spilling coffee or landing in a stray puddle, I’m relieved these babies can be brought back to life on the gentle cycle.
7. Free Shipping/Free Returns – quite possible my four favorite words after vegan…

If I haven’t convinced you that these babies NEED to be in your fashionable wardrobe, maybe this will.

I jumped for the classic black pointy with white racing stripe (well that's what I call it) & "the look at me" hot pink ballet flat.  I love them both and I'm itching for more!  I feel a sassy red in my future...

I did feel the need to size up a half size with the pointy style, whereas the ballet fit true to size - this is not the norm for me with other brands.  I do however, like to add an additional sole insert, which was causing some cramping, but again, no issues doing that with the rounded toe.

Yes, they are pricey coming in at $125 - $145, but they hand assembled, resulting in high quality & durability.  You are helping to get over 500,000 stray water bottles off the streets!  These shoes have serious, sophisticated style while feeling like you're wearing slippers - slippers!  And, well, they are 100% vegan - vegans know you have to shell out a little extra coin to support companies who are doing the right thing.

Are you dying for your first pair?  Get $20 off now!

Tell them the Hoff sent you (not really, they have no idea who I am)

Keep it healthy & stylish!

Holistic Holiday At Sea

I just got back from a 7-day vacation in which I never stressed once about what I was eating!  That in and of itself is a real testimonial, considering all of my vacations start with a mandatory visit to HappyCow.net to find vegan or vegan friendly restaurants as well as a trip to the grocery store to stock up on, “just in case” food.  I’m exhausted before I ever start my trip!

Dr. Michael Greger, NutritionFacts.org

But Holistic Holiday At Sea changed all that this year.  HHS is a vegan cruise, to be more specific an oil-free (optional), gluten-free (optional) vacation paradise!  

And it gets better! 

The whole week is jammed pack with speakers, most notably Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Neil Barnard and Dr. Michael Greger.  As well as additional speakers covering such topics as animal welfare, laughter as medicine and how to eat vegan.  In addition to the daily talks there are cooking demonstrations by well-known chefs in the plant-based movement like Christina Pirello from Christina Cooks (PBS) and exercise/meditation classes.   No matter where your interests lie, health, animal rights, fitness, cooking or mind, body & soul – there is something for everyone. 

Me in Jamaica!

The cruise still offers ports of call and the speaker schedule does slow down so you can get off the ship without feeling you are missing anything.  Now for the islands, I did hit HappyCow.net to do some recon before I left and I’m so happy I did, because once on shore, I found that I had no cell service and the locals weren’t very familiar with the few vegan restaurants that were available.  Another option is to book vegan excursions through HHS, but don’t drag your feet, they book up fast.  However, I did find most of the people in our group stayed aboard and took advantage of the spa, salon, gym and pools while most of the ship debarked.  I think we were all exhausted from learning so much and just wanted to hang out and relax.

Did I mention that I lost 3 pounds!!!  Can’t say that with many vacations, let alone a cruise.  The food was good, I wouldn’t say amazing, but I was able to get oil-free and gluten-free at every meal without any hassle.  And every dish had the ingredients listed in case of  food allergies – many took a photo with their phone of the menus for easy reference.  Surprisingly, I was never hungry, each meal had four-courses, breakfast, lunch and dinner – 4 courses!  I never had to break into my emergency food stash while on board.  Oh, and you still get to have fun, there were pizza and ice cream socials almost every night.

This year there were 1,700 participants, we didn’t quite take over the 4,000 person cruise ship, but if things keep expanded like they are, a 100% cruise could be in our future!  It was so refreshing to meet so many like minded people, I made a ton of new friends.  Every meal I was meeting someone new and learning about their own unique vegan story as well as their life - people from all over the world and of all ages!

For those of you who like to mix business with pleasure, CME/CE credits are available for most classes. 

Next year is going to be a big year for HHS; it’s their 15^th anniversary and as such they are extending the cruise to 10 days!  By moving it up to February 15-25, 2018, they are taking advantage of President’s Day, which many get the day off from work.  They already have the speakers lined up and it looks to be another fantastic offering and learning experience.  And check out these ports of call - Martinique; St. Kitts and Nevis; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Freeport, Bahamas!

If you have trouble traveling vegan or as a healthy whole-food, plant-based, oil-free vegan, check out Holistic Holiday At Sea, this cruise will keep you on track and is the opportunity of a lifetime!

Keep it healthy!

 

2016 Party Platter

If you invite me to a Christmas party, you know I am coming armed with my own party platter!  I've been making them for years and they make party navigation huge a relief.

This year's platter consists of vegan "Ritz" crackers (store brand), lightly salted whole cashews, a can of black olives and baby gherkins.  All of which can be easily found in your local grocery store.

The next few things might be require a little research - depending on where you live.

First up, Kite Hill plant-based, artisanal cheese.  I've been dying to try their cheese for years and they do not disappoint!  This almond-based delicacy is so rich and creamy it had all the non-vegan partygoers scarfing it down.  From crackers to chips this spread is delightful!

Next up, Daiya blocked cheese, cut into cute little bite-size pieces.  I opted for the cheddar and people were popping them down like popcorn!  But, just like the real deal, this cheese doesn't taste so great when warm, so dig in early. 

Last on the plate, a little vegan chocolate.  Just in case, I get a sweet tooth and well let's be honest, there will be nothing there for me to satisfy it; I come armed with my own vegan goodies.  Luckily, there is a local candy shop that offers vegan delights in my backyard of Lakewood, OH, Sweet Designs Chocolatier!  Their truffles are to die for!  If Ohio is not in your neck of the woods, check out my Sweet Treats page for online sites catering to anything you need to make your Christmas sweet!

If you're looking for me, I'll be over by my platter.

Keep it "healthier" this holiday season!

Ghirardelli - What The Hell Did You Do?!?

Dear Ghirardelli,

I have been a faithful and loyal customer since becoming vegan many years ago and discovering that your Semi-Sweet Premium Baking Chips were "accidentally" vegan.  We were such a devoted household that should we get below two bags at any given time, we would freak out and make a special trip to the store just to stock up in case of an "emergency."

So, imagine my shock & horror when upon our most recent stock-up trip, that I discovered that you've changed the recipe to now include, whole milk powder!  What the hell Ghirardelli!?!?!

You had a great product that vegans could use - I've even sited your Semi-Sweet Chips in several of the recipes on this blog, but now you've alienated 1 million of us!*

Here's just a taste of our bitter disappointment.

If you'd like Ghirardelli to return to their dairy-free recipe, let them know!

This is a sad, sad day for the vegan and chocolate communities and I hope with all sincerity, that you go back to the old recipe and stop messing with a good thing.

Until then, you are dead to me.

Sincerely,

P.S. Healthy Hoffer's - do not fret, Enjoy Life has our vegan & dairy allergy backs - with their line of dairy-free baking chocolate!  Whether you need dark chocolate morsels, mini chips, or mega chunks - their dairy-free, casein-free, non-gmo, vegan certified products deliver the real deal.  I just scored a 5 lb. bag from Amazon!  Come to think of it, this may have been a blessing in disguise.  Adios Ghirardelli!


*Source: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/vegetarianism-in-america

In-flight Meal - Vegan Style Part 2

In "In-flight Meal - Vegan Style", I went very in depth about what I bring to sustain my voracious, vegan appetite during an airplane flight.  Great list of things to bring on your flight out, but what if you're round tripping it?  Sure, you can rely on a bunch of processed, prepackaged nibbles, but recently, I took this one step further...

On the day before my flight left, I hit up a local supermarket's grab-and-go counter.  To my delight, but not really surprise, there waiting for me was vegan sushi in a convenient travel container - perfect fit for my carry-on.  And with it, a little soy sauce and pickled ginger.  To my surprise, a bonus find of one of my personal favs - seaweed salad (very nutrient dense). I just had to be sure to grab a plastic fork from the in-store cafe on my way out.  I always request a room with a mini fridge, so storage was no problem.  The trick is to remember to grab everything as you're bolting to your plane the next morning.

I have since done this many times - hitting up Whole Foods or the local grocers depending on where I am.  The stress of making mad dash through the airport for vegan scraps prior to boarding is gone!  I love indulging on my fresh grab-and-go vegan finds and typically, my neighboring fellow travelers look on with envy as their questionable in-flight meals are served.

A little prep does a mind, body & spirit good...

Healthy travels!

A Ripple Can Make A Wave

There is a little park at the end of my street, where kids can play on the swing set and such & boys as well as grown ass men gather to play basketball.  It's the latter that leaves the park covered in trash on a daily basis.  Why anyone would choose to play, work or live in garbage is beyond me.

Whenever I walk by this park I make a point to pick-up any trash along my path and place it in the provided trashcan (yes, there is a trashcan as you exit the park!)  My hope is that the kids/men will see me and get the hint & be inspired...

This past Sunday, the park was in the worst condition I had ever seen.  Determined not to allow the ugly side of mankind mar the beauty of Mother Nature and all that she gives us so freely - the Garbage Chick in me sprang into action & I paused from my daily walk to clean every inch of that park (my park, your park, our park).  It was early morning; no one was around - so no inspiring today I thought.  Until, a friendly wave and a good morning, greeted me on one of my many trips to the trashcan.  Friendly banter ensued around what I was doing, followed by a sincere thank you.  But more so, this stranger was inspired to call his local councilman the next morning and demand a second trashcan be placed in the opposite side of the park.

Just when you think one person can't make a difference with a simple, small act...a wave starts to form.  That wave led to a second trashcan...who knows what else...

Do it for yourself...
Do it for others...
Do it for the animals...
Do it for the planet...

It doesn't matter why you do it, just be the change you want to see in the world.

Keep it healthy!

Vacationing Vegan In Venice, CA

 

Recently I returned to the land of my people (vegans) - California!  Venice Beach to be exact; to engage in sun, surf and the most abundant vegan food you could possibly imagine.  It was glorious!

Because the Santa Monica area is among the top 10 for vegan friendly cities in the United States, we only dined at only 100% vegan restaurants (let me tell you, that makes it really hard to come back to Cleveland and settle).  Here's where we gorged & the feast that ensued....

Veggie Grill - vegan fast food, where veggies take center stage...

2025 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403

Grilled Quinoa + Veg Burger: scratch-made blend of organic quinoa + kale + mushrooms, topped with chao cheese, house-pickled onions, arugula, veg mayo & drizzled cilantro pesto.
Chargrilled Street Corn: sweet corn grilled 'elote' style, garnished with southwestern vegan mayo, soy Parmesan & cilantro.
BuffaloWings: tossed in spicy Buffalo sauce with celery sticks & creamy vegan ranch dressing.   
Crispy Chickin' Plate: fried chickin', cauli-mashed potatoes topped with porcini mushroom gravy with fresh rosemary & steamed green beans.
Mac-n-Cheese: organic, non-GMO rice pasta slathered in VG-cheese sauce & topped with breadcrumbs.



So much to choose from that we had to come back...



Mondo Nachos: 'chicasa' taco blend of veggie proteins + caramelized onions, mashed avocado, VG-Cheese, jalapenos, soy cream + corn chips.   
Crispy Cauliflower: fresh cauliflower florets encased in panko breading, accompanied by a sweet + spicy orange dipping sauce.   
Mexi-Mini Wrap: 'Chicasa' taco blend of veggie proteins + caramelized onions, avocado, lettuce, spicy sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla.

Verdict: It's vegan fast food with a plethora of options to please any cravings.  Nice to hit for a meal splurge, but nothing to make a habit out of.  Once the novelty wears off, the food kinda tastes generic.






Real Food Daily - best food of the trip winner!

514-516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Sorry for the lousy photo quality - it was late, it was dark and I was beyond tired...

Lasagna Napoletana: Italian pasta, creamy cashew ricotta, spinach, crimini mushroom, marinara sauce, basil oil.   
Southwest Salad: romaine hearts, black beans, brown rice, jicama slaw, guacamole, pico de gallo, lime cilantro dressing, baked tortilla strips

Verdict: Loved the ambiance, loved the staff, loved the food!  Don't miss the bakery counter!

Kreation Organic - whenever I travel, I try to get as much fresh pressed juice in me as possible to keep my immune system up.  Since almost every vegan restaurant in town offers fresh pressed juice, this is really easy to do.  It also help that there are juice cafes like this one wherever you turn - love it!

1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd Venice, CA 90291

Enhance: Almond Milk, Maca, Coconut, Coconut Water, Cacao, Cinnamon.  
Trinity Twist: Beet, Apple, Carrot, Lemon.   
Feel Better Tonic: Lemon, Cayenne, Echinacea, Ginger, Himalayan Salt, Turmeric.

Verdict: Cute little shop, nice people, quality juice.

Vegan Joint - there's so many great breakfast options - and they serve it all day!

10438 National Blvd, CA 90034

Pancakes: served with maple syrup and vegan margarine.   
Create Your Own Omelet: select 3 choice of fillings and cheese: mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, kale, onion or avocado, served with breakfast potatoes and toast.  
Hashbrowns.
Smoked Apple Sage Sausage: Yukon gold potatoes, apples and rubbed sage.

Verdict: Love the low key atmosphere and the creativity of the dishes. This is actually a place we hit every time we are in the area.








Seed Kitchen - little vegan cafe within walking distance of Venice Beach!  Get it to-go & hit the sand!

1604 Pacific Ave. Venice, CA

Creamy Caesar Salad: romaine, crunchy croutons, cashew parmesan and pumpkin seed dressing.   
Mediterranean Burger: Eric’s original bean & grain burger with baby greens, tomato, red onion and red pepper aioli spread.

Verdict: Food was descent. Seating is limited, don't expect to dine in.  Parking is crazy at prime beach time (paid $30 to park).  No bathroom!



Cafe Gratitude - where you are what you order - "I am..."  I was a lot of things...just kidding.

512 Rose Ave. Venice, CA 90291

Open-Hearted: two gluten-free buckwheat flax pancakes with maple syrup and cashew whipped cream.
Trusting: barbecue tempeh scramble - gluten-free tempeh, seasonal vegetables, shitake mushrooms, spinach, scallions, cilantro, avocado with whole wheat toast.   
Grounded: baked heirloom potatoes 9oven-baked potatoes.   
Serene: cinnamon roll - gluten-free pastry, flax eggs, cinnamon, spice swirl, powdered sugar glaze.   
Charismatic: chai latté - chai tea, almond milk, cinnamon.


Just had to come back for dinner...this time with friends - Hey McDougall Girls!

Awesome: eggplant parmesan panini - herb-cornmeal crusted eggplant, grilled panini bread, marinara sauce, cashew ricotta, tomatoes, brazil nut parmesan, arugula, basil, side of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette.  
Surrendering: gluten-free brownie, vanilla coconut cashew milk ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, powdered sugar.


Verdict: Love the Zen vibe, good for when you're in the mood for ultra-healthy vegan. 



Vegan World - hit this little place after visiting Universal Studios - I went with dinner, while my bf opted for breakfast, which is served all day.

11044 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604


Pad Thai with soy shrimp, served with brown rice, salad & a Fresh Spring Roll: lettuce, bean sprouts, glass noodle, basil, soy chicken, cilantro, carrot
Country Hash Brown: chopped grilled potato with scramble egz & vegan Monterey Jack cheese.


Verdict: Great food, friendly staff, large menu.  Parking can be a challenge.

The Grain Cafe - opens at 6am!!! Perfect for the early risers like me who just want to get their tennis & breakfast on before the city wakes around 11am... 

4222 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019

 

Pancake Breakfast: 2 pancakes served with hash browns, "sausage" and tofu scramble.   
Classic Waffle with blackberry spread and powdered sugar.   
Veggie Crepe: spinach, mushroom, zucchini, red pepper in a roasted garlic sauce served with roasted potatoes.

Verdict: So much to choose from! Loved the fresh pressed juices & smoothies.  Don't be deterred that this is actually located in Crenshaw; I never felt unsafe.



By the time we got to the end of our trip, I was so over eating out.  Luckily, I planned a beach day for our last full day.  So, we hit Whole Foods (500 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica) which has a Vegan Cafe (enter store and go to the right corner, not the left where all the other food service stations are).  We both got a grilled veggie wrap that was OK with potato salad & kale chips - again just OK.  While there, we also nabbed some fresh pressed juice, cut fruit and vegan cookies & donuts (located in front of the registers with the other bulk bakery).  Great way to end the trip!  Sorry, no pics of our beach side picnic.  But I did grab this shot...

I hope this helps you plan your trip to the vegan holy land...

Cheers!

What I Eat In A Week: Summer Edition

The number one question I get asked is, "What do I eat?"  I realize that most people are just looking for inspiration to get them started on their vegan way or ways to spice up what they are already doing.  So here's a glimpse of what I ate in one week, Healthy Hoff style.

I tend to change what I eat through the various seasons.  It's currently summer and I'm stripping my meals way back and keeping it very simple.  I also tend to eat the same things daily for breakfast and lunch throughout the work week.  It does not get boring and I actually find myself craving certain meals, so give it a go.  Keeping it simple is key to keeping it healthy.

My cooking technique of choice at the moment is steaming - predominately with the help of my latest toy...The Instant Pot.  I'm using it so much, I'm seriously considering getting a second, which I hear is very common in the IP community.

While I gave some measurements to give you perspective, I don't measure anything.  I just didn't want you thinking I was cramming a bag of baby carrots down or something...  And not listed, I drink about a gallon of water throughout the day - water is my beverage of choice. 

So this is what I eat Monday - Friday up until dinner:


Breakfast: 

• Three cups of water first thing!
• Hoff's Overnight Blueberry Oatmeal
• Honey Tea

Mid Morning Snack

• 1 cup Baby Carrots

or

• 1 pint fresh Blueberries

Lunch

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Hoff's Lunchtime Lentil Soup

Mid Afternoon Snack

• 1-2 cups Cherries

After Work Snack
(I only have this if I'm working out, which typically means 30 minutes of tennis.)

• 1 Gala Apple

Monday Dinner

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Steamed organic Corn on the Cob, large baked Japanese Sweet Potato

After Dinner Snack

• Chaga Tea

Tuesday Dinner

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Mashed Potatoes mixed with organic Corn & Peas, topped with Mushroom Gravy

After Dinner Snack

• Hoff's Mmmmm Chocolate Shake!

Wednesday Dinner

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Steamed: Broccoli w/Hoff's Vegetable Mustard Sauce, Kale w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing & organic Corn on the Cob

After Dinner Snack

• 2 plain Rice Cakes w/Blueberry Jam
  

Thursday Dinner

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Steamed: organic Corn on the Cob, Cauliflower w/leftover Hoff's Vegetable Mustard Sauce

After Dinner Snack

•  Hoff's Dessert Oatmeal
  

Friday Dinner

• Giant salad courtesy of the grocery store salad bar w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Steamed organic Corn on the Cob

After Dinner Snack

• DIY Microwave Popcorn
  

Now on the weekends, I mix things up at little bit:

Saturday Breakfast

• Three cups of water first thing!
• Fresh Blended Orange Juice
• Hashbrowns with Black Beans and Sauerkraut (I know this seems odd, but it eliminates the desire for Salt & since it's fermented offers a bit of probiotic goodness.)

Saturday Lunch

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Steamed organic Corn on the Cob

Saturday Dinner

•  Hoff's "Fried" Rice

Sunday Breakfast

• Three cups of water first thing!
• Fresh Blended Orange Juice
• Plain Hashbrowns
• 2 plain Rice Cakes w/Blueberry Jam
  

Sunday Lunch

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Steamed organic Corn on the Cob

Sunday Dinner

• 2 cups Romaine Salad with Chick Peas w/Hoff's 1 to 5 Dressing
• Just didn't feel like cooking today - ordered a vegan pizza from Papa John's
  

That's what I ate in one week!  I hope it helped or inspired your vegan journey and remember the key to keeping it healthy is keeping it simple.

Keep it healthy!

Kicking It Vegan Style In San Francisco

When my friend, Das Baldwin, got the opportunity to house & cat sit in San Francisco and asked me to tag along, I jumped at the offer.  Full disclosure, I did it mainly for the food - San Fran is one of the top vegan hot spots in the entire U.S.

Here are the places we hit & the awesomeness that ensued...

Day 1


Herbivore - The Earthly Grill

Nice, laid back vibe, friendly staff and the variety of vegan options had my head spinning - breakfast, lunch, dinner, this 100% vegan place can please even a non-vegan.  We stopped in for a quick bite, because the price was right.  I had the Orange Pepper Chicken - chicken chunks and charbroiled, vegetables in a orange pepper sauce on a bed of basmati rice.  It was so awesome and huge that I had to get a doggy bag so I could experience the meal the next day and it still rocked!

Avatars

For dinner, we hopped over the Golden Gate Bridge to the little bay front community of Sausalito.  Nothing particularly vegan there so it took some internet digging to find a place to eat.  We found ourselves walking through the doors of a nondescript storefront into a cramped one room, packed restaurant.  Don't bother checking out the menu because there's nothing vegan on it, however, if you ask what they can do vegan, you will start a frenzied conversation with the rather eccentric owner which will result in possibly one of the best meals of your life and a challenge that you will lick your plate clean and not know what you're eating.  I was skeptical because I rarely leave a clean plate behind on any meal but I was highly optimistic & excited due to the extreme confidence in which my meal was being concocted.  What I received for a fusion of India meets Mexico - a taro root enchilada nestled in a delectable sauce and a side of basmati rice to tame the heat.  It was AMAZING and my plate was indeed licked clean!


Day 2

Seed + Salt

Plant-based, organic, ethically & locally sourced, gluten-free, dairy-free, no refined sugar, no trans
fats and no GMOs. What more could a girl ask for...oh yeah, great food!  I loved the open, bright, airiness of this place and the super friendly staff.  I chomped down on their signature S+S Beet Burger - beets, walnuts, lentils, mushrooms, brown rice, raisins, spices, smoked sea salt + ranch served on a GF burger bun.  I also had my first rice crispy treat in over six years!

Gracias Madre

I had been Gracias Madre's sister location Cafe Gratitude in Santa Monica on a prior vegan pilgrimage, so I was very curious to see how they reinterpreted the Zen-like atmosphere for San Fran. It's not really the same concept at all, but the place was packed for a Sunday night (maybe that's a Cali thing, because in Ohio you lock it up once the sun goes down in prep for Monday morning).  The staff was friendly, the food was inventive and the atmosphere was warm and cozy.  I opted for two appetizers as my meal: the Quesadillas De Calabaza: roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions folded into tortillas with cashew nacho cheese and pumpkin seed salsa (this was a little too spicy for my tame taste buds and the Gorditas: grilled potato-masa cakes topped with warm salsa verde, avocado, and cashew cream (this was a little too oily for my typical oil-free lifestyle.  The dishes were beautiful but a little too spicy for me.  I refused to leave without trying their Chocolate Cake complete with chocolate sauce and homemade strawberry ice cream (which tasted like real ice cream.  Again...AMAZING!

Day 3

Enjoy Vegetarian

This place really needs to change its name to Everything Vegan, because out of 120 items, only four Ling Zhi in Chinese, is a herbal mushroom known to have miraculous health benefits.  It also has a very strong, potent taste, which this soup did a fair job of taming. I only got the soup because I felt a head cold coming on and was attempting to give my immune system a boost (it didn't work).

are vegetarian, everything else is vegan!  Places like this are dangerous for me because I adore variety and I was like a kid in a vegan candy store.  We had three appetizers: Fried Spring Rolls, Chicken Nuggets (so real my anti-vegan friend was chowing down) and Steamed Dumplings.  Be careful with the soup, its really meant to be shared with the entire table.  Being newbies we each got enough soup to feed the Duggar family - Won Ton Noodle Soup w/ Vegetable & Reishi Medicine Soup.  I wouldn't recommend the Reishi Soup per say.  Having had Reishi Tea before, I knew what I was getting into.  Reishi, commonly known as

Since I went all crazy with the appetizers, I decided to go simple with my entree and opted for the Spinach & Pine Nuts Fried Rice - such a unique pairing of flavors and a very tasty dish.  I even enjoyed it for breakfast a few days later...  But, Das Baldwin got the best dish of all...the Vegetables Chow Mein, which was served with unbelievably tasty noodles (I think I ate half of her meal).  I'm giving this place my best restaurant of the trip award!




Day 4

Herbivore - The Earthly Grill

Despite my love of breakfast foods, I only made it out once during my trip for this coveted meal.  I made the most of it with the Herbivore's Combo Plate - which allowed me to sample a large portion of their early morning offerings - 1 pancake or sour dough french toast (we upgraded to get both), tofu scramble and house potatoes a bargain at $9.95.  The freshly made juices are also a big plus!






The Plant Cafe

After touring Alcatraz, on Pier 33, we snagged a ride down to Pier 3 to check out The Plant Cafe. 
While the main restaurant was closed, we were able to hit up their smaller cafe right across from the restaurant.  This place is not 100% vegan and the vegan options are limited - at least at the cafe.  Nevertheless, I was still able to get their soup of the day, which was a creamy, velvety squash soup and their signature Plant Burger: patty made in-house from lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews & bulgur wheat, topped with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, vegan aioli.  Be careful, none of their buns are vegan; (who offers a vegan burger with no bun!) you'll have to settle for sourdough bread.  And of course, I investigate their chocolate, chocolate cupcake (it passed inspection)!

Pssst.  If you're flying out of SFO, this place has a location in Terminal 2, one of the very, very few vegan options at this sad non-vegan friendly airport.


Herbivore - The Earthly Grill

I'm sure by now you've picked up on a pattern...the Herbivore was a five minute walk from the place I was staying.  Plus, the menu was so extensive and varied that I literally could have eaten here every day.  After a tired journey to and from Alcatraz, we decided to stay in for dinner and stopped by the Herbivore for a to-go order of pizza - baked on pizza lavash with Daiya cheese and choice of housemade tomato or basil pesto.  I customized mine with their BBQ chicken and red onion.  I loved how light the crust was.


This was merely a sampling of all the vegan goodness that San Fran has to offer, but I hope it gave you an idea of where to start.  Be sure to check out HappyCow.net to plot your vegan adventure!

Happy vegan travels!

Christmas Misson

I'm on a mission this Christmas to prove to my non-vegan friends & family that treats can be just as tasty without the animal stuff.

This year I am coming vegan armed with my own party platters with the help of some artisan specialty companies:

• The center piece of my masterpiece - handcrafted vegan cheese from Miyoko's Kitchen.  Divinely delicious, artisanal, organic, vegan cultured nut products; that I personally cannot taste the nuts!  Frankly had I not seen the package for myself, I would have not believed this cheese to be vegan.  Any one of their 6 party packs is sure to please even the pickiest of palettes.  
• To deliver the Cheese, vegan "Ritz" Crackers!
• Next up figs!  Unfortunately fig season runs from June to mid-October, so dried figs will have to do.
• Some Brazil Nuts & Cashews for a little crunch!
• For mellow, freshness...Blueberries!
• And to really bring the house down - The Ultimate Chocolate Collection courtesy of No Whey Chocolates.  This sampler box is loaded with vegan goodness!
  
  
  
  
  
  • Tri Nutty Delight- Magic with chocolate, almonds, peanuts and cashews
  • Cidery Caramels-White chocolate with a sweet apple cider soft caramel center
  • Buttery Pecan Cream- Dreamy sweet vanilla cream with just the right pecan ratio
  • Peppermint Dreams- Take me back to childhood peppermint patties with a new twist
  • Pumpkin Paradise- A new take on pumpkin fillings with walnuts and coconut
  • Sea Salted Caramels- Great combo of dark chocolate and caramel; topped with exotic Hawaiian Alaea sea salt
  • And more!
   

I know this sounds like a lot of food, but I'm actually dividing it up amongst 3 parties.  Fast, convenient, vegan goodness!

Who's Santa now?
 
Ho Ho Ho & Merry Christmas!