Knowing Where To Go in Novato

Muir Woods is quite the Redwood wonderland in Marin County. We stopped and explored it while we popped up to Northern Cali for a little getaway. We were visiting some friends who lived in Novato and I have to say that I was impressed with the options I had in this little NorCal town!

Our first afternoon there we had a lot to see and do so we needed to grab a quick bite. I got that in a very satisfying way at Hi-Tech Burrito. They had a whole healthy burrito menu that included healthy tortilla options, great veggies and tofu for any of their custom Mexican wraps. Located in the Novato Fair Center, find at more about this chain at Hi-Tech Burrito.

On the main drag there were a number of places to dine and I dug the fun bar atmosphere at Finnegan's. They had a good sized menu that included a veggie burger and a nice veggie sandwich, big salads and a ton of different beers if you are so inclined to imbibe with your healthy meal ; ) For a bar menu I was excited that I didn't get crappy iceberg lettuce and gross fries ; ) Pop in for a pint and a meal at Finnegan's!

Another place in the cute little downtown area was Portelli Rossi. Italian cuisine in the heart of anytown USA ; ) It was super cute with a nice patio (we opted out on that particular day as it was 106 degrees outside!!). They had a great tomato and fennel soup that I enjoyed alongside my artichoke salad. They were very accommodating and I look forward to eating there again when we go back to visit our friends and their new baby. They are at 868 Grant Ave in Novato, CA, (415)892-6100.

Outside of Novato we had dinner at E&O Trading Co in Larkspur. A short drive away we had dinner and it was delish! I ordered a bunch of sides like portobella skewars, jasmine rice and this yummy and spicy naan. This place is a fusion of all Asian cuisine and I dug it as my finicky fiance ; ) Try it out if you find yourself in Norcal, E&O !

I'll be back next week reporting on more tasty treats in Northern Cali!

Veggie Friendly Virgin

I recently had the pleasure of flying Virgin Atlantic and working with many wonderful people that work for them. I can't express enough what a great experience I had with the lot of them as well as on their flights and upper class lounge. The service was extraordinary and the accommodations and food were like no other airline I've ever had the good fortune to fly. Not to mention the great endeavors they are involved in worldwide!

I had the honor of filming a documentary on their Sekenani School Project that fell under their Virgin Unite umbrella. Virgin takes a very proactive stance on world issues and looks to partner with the best people and companies to accomplish the biggest benefit to the communities Unite touches. They are a wonderful group of people with an extraordinary work and social ethic.

On the flights I was able to order a special vegan meal that was absolutely scrumptious. They offered up healthy beverage options throughout the flights as well as yummy veggie snacks. Be sure to order your meal on the super user friendly website before you travel. And no need to worry about packing your sleeping accessories as they give you a cute little souvenir bag complete with comfy socks and eye mask as well as comfy pillows and blankets for your on flight slumber ; ) If you fly upper class you get your own sleeping pod, comforter and pj's!

As for their upper class lounges, that's a whole other story! The Heathrow lounge was a hoot! Complimentary gourmet meals, drinks, wi fi, a pool table, library and more. I ordered a delectable pasta with veggies and then helped myself to a salad and some fruit from the self serve area. They also offer up massages, haircuts and more at the the spa and are very reasonably priced!

I really was blown away by their focus on health and hospitality and I so look forward to flying Virgin Atlantic or Virgin America again very soon!!

JG8D69D

1 More Shout Out for London!

I have only scratched the surface here in the city across the pond and I hope to come back soon so that I can cover some more ground. I could be here for quite some time and never eat at the same place twice, although I would love to ; ) From veggie burgers to veggie sushi, London has been quite the friend to this healthy voyager!

Having to take the tube and trains to many of my destinations, I had to pass through some of the major stations such as St. Pancras. In all of these major stations, it feels as though you are waking through a mall and it it you find a veritable gourmet food court. From Le Pain Quotidien (one of my favorite LA haunts),the Chop'd cafe and the local Mark & Spencer markets, there is no shortage of healthy choices to make before a long trip into or out of town. See a list or eateries and retailers on the St. Pancras Int'l Station website as well as info on the national rail stations.

Another health minded fast food locale is the ever growing Pret a Manger. Having now landed in New York, my first taste of the convenience based grubbery was in good old London. We were in a rush so this place was just the ticket with fresh, pre-packed sandwiches (like my yummalicious falafel, spinach and tomato sandwich on wheat) and alternatives to the regular empty calorie sides. I grabbed a fresh juice and parsnip crisps to go with my portable lunch. They print health tips and their healthy mission statement on all of their packaging, pretty cool; ) Hit Pret up in the UK and now in NYC!

Yo! Sushi was hands down one of the most conceptually fun places I have ever eaten. It's part sushi bar, part Jetsons and all lip smackingly good. There is a conveyor belt that goes around the entire perimeter of the sushi bar where they make their fresh food and set it on for you to grab as you wish. The colors of the bowls tell you the price point so you can eat as much or as little as you want and keep score ; ) They have an extensive menu with even more tantalizing treats and with that, they have calculated every possible bit of information on each of their dishes from calories to gluten content. This way the pickiest of eaters can eat without dealing with that new server that doesn't know which way is up let alone the ingredients in a a given dish. I hope to see one of these sprout up in LA soon but until then, check them out at Yo! Sushi.

On my last evening in town, my pals were in search of a Thai place that once we found it, the location was no longer there. So after quite some time of walking around aimlessly I was distracted by a cute character in neon. It was Topo Gigio, my favorite childhood European mouse! I then realized it was an Italian restaurant of the same name and despite my friends' protests, we got a table inside. I was tickled that the whole place was full of Topo Gigio dolls and drawings. And the menu surprised as well as my veggie counterpart and I each had a healthy serving of gnocchi and shared a pretty darn good artichoke appetizer. Needless to say, Topo Giggio pleased the kid and the grown up in me all at once ; )

Sadly, I had to head back home but I am more then stoked to get back to see good friends, perhaps catch a race or 2 and eat my way through the island once again!

A Foodie 4th!

Besides the fireworks, the grilled veggie burgers and hanging out with friends by the pool, celebrating the 4th without red , white and blue themed snacks is a no no! When else do you get to eat and drink that most glorious combo of patriotic colors? I've complied a few tips to add a little "green" to your 4th as well as some recipes that will complement the boatloads of bbq and beer you may be consuming throughout this festive weekend:

• Plan ahead on where you will be spending the 4th and see if you can carpool with friends. Check online for the nearest fireworks site and either take a romantic stroll or bike there to save gas, parking frustration and to burn off the days grub!
• Make smarter drinking choices like juices with organic liquor, organic wines and beers and most of all, drink responsibly.
• Opt to make a healthy dish to bring to the festivities. Pre-packaged sides and snacks are full of preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients. If you can't cook, bring organic bagged lettuce, organic dressing, a big bowl and you've brought a healthy side everyone will appreciate ; )
• And try one of these vegan friendly treats:

Herbed Couscous with Tomatoes
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium veggie broth or water
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or infused oil
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, parsley or thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring broth (or water) to a boil in a medium saucepan; add couscous, olive oil (or infused oil), tomatoes and tarragon (or parsley or thyme). Stir, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper.

From eatingwell.com

Red, White, and Blueberry Freezee

1 c Vegan Whipping cream
1/2 c Frozen blueberries
1 ds Lemon juice
1 x Sugar to taste
Small Strawberries for garnish

Mix together the whipping cream, blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a blender.
Top with a few strawberries. If you would like to spike it, a little rum should do the trick!

Flag Cake

• Soy butter, soy margarine or vegan baker's spray
• Flour
• One package (2 layer size) of vegan white cake mix (plus ingredients to make the cake --- listed on the box)
• One package (4 serving size) red vegan jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 3 1/2 cups (8 ounce container) vegan Hip Whip or other vegan whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
• 1 cup blueberries, washed
• 1 cup vegan miniature marshmallows

Grease 13 x 9 pan with margarine and dust lightly with flour. Prepare and cook cake mix according to package directions. Cool cake for fifteen minutes. Use large fork to make holes in the cake about every 1/2 inch. Pour jello into mixing bowl. Add the cup of boiling water and use scraper to thoroughly mix it until the jello is completely dissolved. Use the measuring cup to scoop out the jello and pour it over the cake. (It will run down into the holes, making the cake have pretty red stripes.) Put the cake into the refrigerator and let it chill for 3 to 4 hours. Use this time to cover your tray with aluminum foil if you wish. Once the cake is on the tray, you can decorate the sides of tray with star stickers. Put about one inch of warm water in the kitchen sink. Take pan out of refrigerator and dip just the bottom (don't let the water come up over the sides) into the water for about ten seconds. Put the large tray on top of the cake and hold on tightly! Turn the cake over so that the tray is on bottom and the pan is on top. Take the pan off. The cake should be resting on the tray. Frost the sides and top with whipped topping. Arrange the strawberries, blueberries, and marshmallows on the cake so that it looks like a flag. (You should have rows of red and white stripes and the blue "background" of blueberries in the upper left hand corner. Put your flag cake into the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it!

Have a very happy and safe 4th!!

Yummy UK

On this particular trip I made some incredible friends and they were kind enough to show me around their hometown. In and outside of the city, my new group of peeps made my stay extra fun and extra yum by taking me to some great local gems.

Karin, a veggie colleague and founder of the UK web phenom,Veggievision.com, met up with me one evening so we could chat and stuff our veggie faces! We strolled over to Eat and Two Veg, a chic veggie joint with some uber tasty vegan treats. I had a delicious soy mocha shake and we shared a killer chicken satay with peanut sauce. She had a juicy veggie burger while I tried to behave myself with a bowl of steaming tomato bisque. I could have ordered heaps more and will next time. If you're in London, Eat and Two Veg is a must!!

On another evening, I made my way up to Kettering to see a good friend. On our Kenyan trip, he kept raving about his friend's place, The Raj, and that when we got back to London I had to try it. And so I did!! After a short train ride and a beer at a cute pub in Market Harborough, we drove over to his friend's Indian feastery. It was really slick looking and the service was great. So much so that I didn't even order off of their scrumptious menu! I was made a special vegan dish that was chock full o' veggies and mushrooms in a special red sauce. I devoured the garlic nan that was on the table along with my mushroom rice ; ) The Raj is a definite thumbs up and I look forward to visiting them again to try the rest of their veggie delicacies!

Later that week, we were treated to a boat ride down the Thames and a fun evening at O2 in Greenwich. O2 is a huge venue with a concert hall, restaurants and clubs all under what looks like a super modern circus tent. My fellow veggie pal took us to Nando's, a Portugese restaurant with a great vibe. I went with his favorite dishes,the veggie pita with lemon and herb sauce. I'm a wimp so I didn't got with their famous peri-peri sauce but apparently it rocks. For a chicken joint, they had a hefty selection of veggie burgers and pitas as well as some killer sangrias. Nando's has locations all over the UK and you can get more info online.

On one of my last days there, a group of us took a ride on the London Eye. We were in the mood for drinks and snacks so we popped into the nearby All Bar One. It was a cool bar and grill with a nice selection of appetizers and meals. I noshed on some guac and plantain chips as well as some pretty kickin' hummus from their world tapas menu. Since we were planning on dinner a little later on, I didn't order a meal but their sandwiches looked very good and everything is homemade and as organic as possible. All Bar One is also a chain and a pretty good choice for a fun time out with friends ; )

Look out for some more on London town soon!!

London Calling

I recently read in a veggie magazine that London was in the top 10 least veggie friendly cities in the world. I couldn't disagree more!!!! Everywhere I went there was an AWESOME veggie option and I was there for a good while with a bunch of non-veggies so I should know. London, in it of itself is the bomb diggity, but the variety of veggie deliciousness made it one of the coolest veggie cities ever in my book!! So much so that it will take 3 posts and even more after future visits ; )

On my first night, we were so exhausted that we ordered in from Red Planet Pizza. I was staying in Kensington and they came highly recommended by our concierge. They weren't kidding ; ) They already offered a cheeseless veggie pizza and I added a bunch of extras. They had a ton of yummy options from Mexican pizzas to traditional and they were super accommodating, quick and yummy! With locations all over the UK, Red Planet delivers!

Dinner the following night was a combo of some veggies and some not so we sauntered into our neighborhood dim sum joint called Ping Pong. It was super cool and trendy inside and apparently a chain in the greater London area. Serving up all dim summy, shareable dishes, Ping Pong was a great place where carnies and veggies alike could dine in harmony. I got a ton of stuff like the plaintain chips, veggie wontons, spinach and mushroom dumplings and the spring rolls. There were at least 10 more things I could have ordered but I felt like a stuffed dumpling myself so I saved those items for my next visit. Check out all the veggie goodness on the Ping Pong website.

Ok, so traveling with other Americans, you can imagine they would eventually have a hankering for a juicy burger. The Gourmet Burger Kitchen was just the place! Again, another eatery with locations all over town, GBK was burger heaven, even for me! They had 5 different veggie burger options and with a name like Gourmet Burger Kitchen, you'd better hope these options would be out of the ordinary. And they were! All of the options could be veganized and I had the stacked portabella burger with thick chips (that's fries to us yankees!) and the best homemade bbq sauce i have ever tasted! They also offered a lentil burger, a falafel burger and many more heavenly and healthy choices. Look them up online at GBK!

As I mentioned, no matter where I went there was a vegan option. Every coffee shop had soy, every market had pre-packaged veggie meals and I never got a cross eyed look anywhere I dined when I mentioned I was vegan as there was always something for me. Walking by Charlotte cafe I decided to look at their menu for kicks and to prove my theory that Londoners know how to take care of their leaf eating friends. Within seconds I was in there ordering their soy beef sandwich to eat later that afternoon. The place was the cutest and the staff was incredibly sweet but the sandwich blew me away!! It was super tasty and mega filling as it was served on a hearty sunflower bun and filled with yummy coriander and herbs as well. I'm craving one right now!! Get one fedexed to you after you look Charlotte cafe up!

I have lots more on old blighty so stay tuned for more!!!