VEGAN RESTAURANT REVIEW

VEGAN RESTAURANT REVIEWS

One of our favorite hobbies when we are traveling is to find new quality vegan restaurants and health food stores. Here are a few we have discovered and would like to share with you. Since we are are not professional food critics we will not be grading these restaurants but simply sharing the ones we like the best. So all come with a HIGH recommendation, and are places we eat at whenever we are in the area.

TUCSON, ARIZONA
Lovin Spoonful - A  small quaint place with a great menu. Must say their corn chowder was as good as I've ever had. Also has a tempeh bacon wrap "double stuffed". Will be a regular stop when in the area.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Pomegranate Cafe - A long standing favorite of ours. We eat there whenever we can. Great place to take friends. Mary loves the street tacos. We absolutely love the cinnamon rolls (only served on weekends), plus their coffee drinks and smoothies are awesome

LOS ANGELES
Cafe Gratitude - The city is loaded with great vegan eateries but our favorite is Cafe Gratitude in Venice. Never had a bad meal there and have eaten almost everything on the menu. The biggest problem is to decide what to choose. Make sure you are hungry when you go there because you will surely eat a lot.

Gracias Madre - If you are vegan and like Mexican food this is your place. Everything from nachos to tacos to enchiladas. All amazing,, be sure to order guacamole is is to die for.

PALM SPRINGS
Natures - Fantastic cafe with an unbelievable menu. Smoothies, juices, tofu scramble, great salads and so much more. You could eat there everyday for a year and never order the same dish twice. A regular stop for us when we are passing through Palm Springs. Set up like a cafe with short order cooks.

Enjoy and feel free to share your favorites with us. We will be adding to this list regularly..

NEW MEAT LIKE VEGAN BURGERS

I have tried many of the commercial vegan meat-like burgers and would like to share some thoughts.
The first of which is that I am extremely glad they are on the market now. When I first started on the V path all I could get in restaurants were salads and baked potatoes. I've said this before, but it was boring and discouraging. The first generation of V foods were tasteless and had the consistency of cardboard, that image still sticks with many people even til today. The V options today are amazing in taste and texture. There is no longer any reason not to eat them based on poor taste or texture. Everyday something wonderful and new hits the market, it is an exciting time for vegans.


With that being said we still have to be vigilant to make sure we are eating the best possible V foods. Best to have organic, non GMO, and as unprocessed and chemical free as possible. As Dr. Jensen used to say eat whole, pure, and natural as possible.


On occasion you might like a burger meal, I know I do. So we have many choices starting with making your own, with one of the many great recipes available. We also could buy one of the organic "veggie"(black bean)  patties found in the freezer section. Many of these are great tasting and pretty healthy. However you might want one of the "meat like" burger patties that you might get in a fast food restaurant or to make at home. When we eat them we are usually cooking them at home on a griddler


Yes they are processed but some stand out among the others. One major requirement we have is that they are non GMO. These two fit that bill, and are on the top of our list..


BEYOND BEEF BURGERS are non GMO, and have a base of pea protein, rice protein and mung bean protein,.no soy or gluten...20 grams of protein. Even though it does contain canola oil it is non GMO... The redness that looks like blood comes from beet juice, pomegranate powder and lycopene color.(this is our V burger of choice). They also make a V sausage with a similar nutrient profile.


LIGHTLIFE BURGERS Are also non-GMO, and have a similar ingredient profile as Beyond meat burgers, pea protein based. Taste and texture are quite good and also  have 20g. of protein. They also make hot dogs , tempeh, crumble and other nice products.

CAULIFLOWER RICE

This is the most simple yet versatile recipe ever...

INGREDIENTS
1 head of cauliflower

INSTRUCTIONS
Using knife cut up cauliflower into pieces that will fit in food processor.
Put pieces in food processor...do not overload.
PULSE until cauliflower is consistency of rice...
May store in fridge 5-7 days...

MANY USES
Use anyway you would normally use cooked rice...
Use to make raw sushi...
Use as a base to make raw vegan pizza crust...
Use as a base to make raw crackers or bread...
Sprinkle on salads...
it is endless...tasty... and healthy

Q. & A... NEW PLANT BASED PRODUCTS HITTING THE MARKET

Q. What do you think about all of the new plant based products hitting the market?




A. Thanks for the question Marcia...




I am VERY excited about the new plant based products that are now available. When I first started my V journey all I could get in restaurants was a salad and baked potato... boring after awhile. The variety and improved quality today is great.I am especially impressed by the variety and quality of the mylks and cheeses. Even the vegan meats add some excitement to meal planning.




However the consumer must be smart, aware and discerning. Just because it is vegan doesn't mean it is healthy. French fries are vegan but we know they are really a junk food, and after all, junk food is still junk food, So we still must read the labels and be aware of what is on our plate. Check the sugar, fat, chemical and sodium content. So even though it may be good for the animals it may not be good for the humans.I simply say "buyer beware."




The jury is still out on the new craze of vegan burgers. Of course when you stick them on a white hamburger bun a cover them with sugary catsup you are ending up with a junk food. But as Dr. Jensen used to say it is what you do most of the time that counts. Once in awhile a bit of something off track will not harm you. So if you are inclined, treat yourself a bit, now and then. BUT will always keep it 100% vegan.


May peace be with you
Baruch Hashem

VEGAN CHEEZY SAUCE RECIPE

Here is a simple recipe to make a cheezy sauce that will spice up many of your dishes. Use as a dip, or coating for items you wish to dehydrate such as onion rings or kale.


Ingredients...
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 red bell pepper (cut in pieces)
4 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 clove fresh garlic
1 TBSP olive oil
2 limes juiced
dash of salt
water to thin mixture(make it to texture you desire)
dash of cayenne if you want it a bit spicy


Place all ingredients in a magic bullet and blend til smooth
Use as coating, dip oe dressing...enjoy

CONSTRUCTING A WELL ROUNDED VEGAN MEAL

When you become a vegan of are thinking of doing so, you will be bombarded with questions such as, " where do you get your protein" or "How do you eat a well rounded diet", What do you eat"? The answer is simple  " I get my protein and nutrients from my food just like you do".


The following are some guidelines and tips in constructing a thoughtful well rounded vegan eating plan.


Start by dividing your daily food into four major groups.



PROTEINS
FATS
CARBOHYDRATES
FRUITS AND VEGGIES


VEGAN PROTEINS
The average American consumes way more protein than is needed. The average person only needs 40-50 grams of protein per day. With a four part well rounded vegan diet that is totally realistic with almost no effort, Protein deficiency is not an issue in the U.S.

Black beans and other legumes - 100 grams of black beans yields around 21 grams of protein, You will also get fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate and other nutrients when you eat legumes.
Pea isolate protein powders - If you are into smoothies or soups dump a serving of pea protein powder to get around 25 grams of protein.
Oats - will provide you with 17 grams per a 100 gram serving, plus very tasty.
Quinoa - A great ancient grain providing you with about five grams per serving...tasty too.
Guava - is a protein fruit with about 3 grams per serving.
Pistachio nuts - will provide 20 grams of protein per 100 gram serving. The perfect salad topper of snack.
Other miscellaneous vegan sources include, tempeh, non dairy yogurt and kefer. You might notice tofu is not on the list here. I will address that at a future post. We are not so high on tofu.

VEGAN FATS
Fats are good brain food as well as helping in the construction of hormones. It is an essential part of the diet.

Avocados - A half of an avocado will provide you with about 10 grams of monounsaturated fat. That is a good fat the helps keep bad cholesteral down.
Nuts - They are very high in fat so best to eat less than a quarter of a cup per day which will provide about 17 grams of fat per day. If you are trying to gain weight eat more.
Seeds - My two favorite seeds are sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, both are quite low in fats but are nutritional powerhouses. I like to make them into seed butters and eat a tablespoon of each per day. Sunflower seeds are good as well but are extremely high in fat so limit them. Chia, flax and hemp seeds are great salad toppers as well.
Oils - Be careful with oils such as olive, avocado, sunflower etc. It is a very highly processed food and should probably not be used to cook with. A little bit sprinkled on a salad with lemon is okay,

CARBS
Carbs are an essential part of our diets but be careful no to overdo them. Also would be best if not overly processed such as white bread.

Grains - In general grains should be somewhat limited. Mostly ancient grains such as teff are the beat. Other grains that we find acceptable for many reasons are, quinoa, barley, amaranth. and millet.
Sweet potatoes and yams -No fat, no cholesterol, minimal sugar (6g), loaded with nutrients.
Sprouted grain tortillas - are a good substitute for bread.

VEGGIES AND FRUITS
Leafy greens - should be a staple almost everyday. Highest in nutritional values per calorie of all foods.
Cruciferous veggies
Root veggies
Veggies that grow on vines or stalks
All fruits in limited quantity.

I think you get the idea if it is a veggie...eat it...mix up the colors...make a rainbow salad daily...each color represents a different set of nutrients so it will round out your personal nutrient profile.

MISC. ADDITIONS
Make sure you add a few probiotic foods to your daily plan such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir,  kombucha, or other veggie  ferments such as kimchee. It will help you balance out you gut biome
We also suggest you have a daily serving of various sprouts as part of your plan. Put them in your salad or wraps..

So you see being vegan gives you an amazing array of highly nutritious and tasty foods. Won't be long before your friends and family want to eat like you.

May peace be with you.

THE FOUR DIMENSIONS OF VEGANISM...PEAS

Many people consider veganism as a diet. This is not the case, it is rather a way of living, a lifestyle if you prefer to give it a label.Of course eating is a major part of our lives so veganism does in fact encompass how we eat and what food choices we make.


We look at veganism as a four dimentional lifestyle with an underlying philosophy of "do no harm" or Ahimsa.
.


Dimension #1...PHYSICAL
The physical dimension of course starts with a healthy vegan diet. One that promotes cleansing, healing and prevention. As part of this we should include regular physical activity and activities that promote a quiet mind. In other words we are taking care of our own body and minds.Ahimsa.


Dimension #2...ECOLOGICAL
Our behavior, activities and outlook should be aimed at sustainability of the environment and the planet as a whole. what we do and the way we do it should cause no harm to the planet, the air and our water. The object is to leave it all better that how we found it. Ahimsa.




Dimension #3... THE ANIMALS
The animals are the true victims of our careless lifestyle and eating choices. If we look at animals as sentient beings with a unique soul and consciousness, we would give them the respect they deserve. We would not lock them up like prisoners. We would not torture them. We would not drug them to death and take their babies away. We would respect them. Ahimsa.




Dimension #4... SPIRITUAL
For us to get the most out of life we need to consider this dimension very seriously. We need to realize that we are simply part of the entire scope of nature and consider carefully how best we fit in to the greater scheme of things. Communimg with nature regularly, looking at the stars in wonderment, and living a life of service helps us answer the bigger question... what is our purpose?
Ahimsa.




This post is just an introduction to the four dimensions of veganism. Each of these dimensions will be examined in great detail as we go along.


DO YOU LIKE PEAS?
Why would I ask you say... well the acronym for the four dimensions of veganism is PEAS...
Physical, Ecological, Animal, Spiritual... so put some peas on your plate and give it some thought...




May PEAS be with you.  

THE VEGAN JOURNEY

Veganism is one of the fastest growing trends on the globe. New products, new restaurants, and new books are popping up everywhere, With all of this growth and activity there comes some confusion as to how to incorporate veganism into your life. So to help you manuever through the maze we have created this one stop site to provide you with good education, usefull tips and great resources.


We will be covering all the major topics and hot buttons related to the vegan  and holistic lifestyle including recipes, places to get good vegan meals, new product releases, fasting, weight loss or gain, supplementation,plus controversial topics such as 5G and how to deal with it. We will even answer your personal questions right here.




Just a few tips...
1. There are already many useful posts on this blog from the past, take a few minutes, look through them and pick a few that might interest you.
2. Check this blog out everyday for the latest and greatest tips and posts.
3. Be sure to contact us with any questions regarding your own vegan journey.




So remember every journey starts with the first step... so start today...may peace be with you.