London Revisited

My last visit across the pond was a freezing one! The coldest, snowiest winter in the last 100 years and yes, it sure felt that way ; ) It was nice to see snow on the ground as well as on the countryside as we whizzed by in trains, but nothing felt as warm and cozy as a delicious meal! I was incredibly excited to go back to London and revisit some faves from my last trip but even more so for some new locations that had sprouted up since my last jaunt. There were so many places I hadn't gone that I made sure I squeezed them all in within the week we spent in jolly, frozen, England!

I must open with Saf Restaurant & Bar. Not only is it hip & chic, it is incredibly tasty, 100% vegan and offers lots of raw dishes.  I heard about it from Chef Tal Ronnen, and anyone who has tried his food knows that if he has anything to do with something, it's gotta be good!  I made a beeline toward Saf on my first free day. Ordering up a feats for lunch, I started with their phenomenal Pesto Au Poivre, a gourmet cheese made from cashews sure to knock the biggest carnivore's socks off. I followed that with a delicious TLT Ciabatinni (smoked tofu, lettuce, tomato, garlic mayo on yummy crusty bread). The menu changes with the seasons and makes it all the more fun and interesting. Their juices and cocktails are just as gorgeous as their dishes while their desserts, insane! See how beautiful the food is, salivate over the menu online at Saf!

If you're looking for a hipster, chill, artsy, music filled, vegan meal, then Inspiral Lounge is the spot for you! Streaming their own radio station and dishing out nothing but tasty treats, this lounge/cafe is located right by Camden Market. Lots of young, trendy, discount shops, Inspiral is a great place for a break and a bite. Their menu is great with your choice of entree, sides and salads, all for a nice price.  Beer, wine & desserts can be found here as well, perfect complements to the relaxed feeling of the riverfront locale. Stop in and be Inspiralled!

With locations all over the UK, Europe, and now the US, Wagamama is a fun choice for healthy, community style dining. With shareable, Japanese plates, diners have oodles of noodles to choose from. Something for everyone, Wagamama has a ton to offer veggies or any other special diet ; ) I went for the raw juice (cucs, carrots, tomato, orange, apple), yasai gzoyas & yasai yatzu curry. Yasai means veggie ; ) Suck it up & look for a location near you!

I LOVED the concept behind Tossed. A fast growing chain in the UK, Tossed is not only healthy, it's fun!  With a new location popping up somewhere all the time, each is quite different from the next. But the food offerings are awesome at any of them.  At Tossed, you get to choose your fiber base of pasta, brown rice or salad. Then you add your ingredients from all sorts of veggies and proteins. You choose you dressing and it all gets tossed! They also offer soups, sandwiches, juices, coffees and some pre-packaged meals if you're on the go but their you build it, we make it meals are the best! Keeping an eye on calories, low GI grains and keeping fat at bay, you really can't feel guilty going overboard at Tossed!

I've got some more updates on London as well as some more spots across England so come back for more!

March Madness Giveaway - Week 3!

Wanna be green & clean this spring?  What better way then to have you hand People Towels with you wherever you go! People Towels are a great alternative to paper towels or hand dryers in public restrooms as they save paper, time while looking cute as you dry up ; ) This week, I am giving a way a 3-pack for you to keep and/or share!

How to enter:  Follow this blog and leave your comment as to why you want to win and/or gift this book. Be sure to leave your email as well so that I may contact  the winner. Winners will be chosen next Wednesday, March 24th by random.org.

For more information on People Towels, visit their site!

Good Luck!!

Serving up a Healthy St. Patrick's Day

A few years after starting the Healthy Voyager blog, I decided to share more then just my travel tips and began to share holiday ideas and recipes.  I've made it a point to cover most of the biggies and fun ones and St. Patrick's Day always makes the cut ; )  This year is no different! I'm collected a few recipes to help you feel luck, as well as a bit healthier, this coming day of clover, green & liquor overload. In addition, you can find some more eco tips & fun recipes from past posts here: click here for 2008 and click here for 2009 ; ) This year, the recipes will not only be Irish themed, but will help prevent or help hangovers while keeping you healthy, slim & trim!

• Start your morning with these:

IRISH SCONES

1 cup white flour
1/4 pound vegan butter -- softened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg replacer
2 ounces sugar
2 ounces white raisins
Walnut halves (optional)

Mix flour and baking powder. Add butter, and blend until the mixture is butter-colored. Add sugar and continue to mix well. Add half the egg replacer and all the milk. Add raisins or some nuts, if desired, mixing well to make a sticky dough. Turn dough onto floured board and knead for at least 5 minutes or longer. Cut dough into rounds and place on greased baking sheet or hot frying pan. Brush tops of scones with remainder of the egg replacer. Place walnut halves on top, if desired. Bake at 350 to 375 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until brown. If preparing over an open fire, heat frying pan till very hot . Place scones in pan and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes.  

• To chow on before your big night out so that you fill up on some tasty starches. Starches slow down alcohol absorption ; ) This is also good to fight off your bludgeoning headache the morning after!

IRISH POTATO SOUP

9 potatoes, peeled and diced
6 stalks of celery, sliced
4 large carrots, sliced
2 small onions, chopped
3 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
3 better then chicken bullion cubes (or any vegan chicken bullion brand you like), dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
6 cups unsweetened soymilk
1/2 cup flour
1 stick of vegan butter

Combine the potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, water, and seasonings in a large pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Combine a small amount of milk and flour until smooth. Add this mixture and the rest of milk to the potato mixture. Stir in the butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until the soup thickens.

• For a sweet treat at your festivities or to bring to a party. Again, the potatoes help with alcohol absorption.

ST. PATRICK'S POTATO AND APPLE PUDDING

2 T vegan butter
8 oz self-raising flour
6 oz freshly mashed potatoes
4 T soymilk
5 medium cooking apples
Brown sugar
Whole cloves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 T Cider

Mix the butter into the hot mashed potatoes, add a good pinch of salt, and the flour, and mix well, then add enough milk to make a soft, slack dough. Roll out and line a 1-qt bowl with some of it, reserving enough for the lid. Fill with the apples, peeled and cored and finely sliced, and sweeten to taste with sugar. Add 2 whole cloves, the lemon juice and the cider (or water), taking care not to make it too wet. Dampen the pastry edges, lay the lid on and press down. Cover with foil and secure well. Steam, or cook set in boiling water up to the rim, for 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Serve cut in wedges with vegan whipped cream and/or vegan ice cream.  

• Have a nice cup of Milk Thistle Tea with your meal as it will aid in your liver's ability to process alcohol better ; )

• For the morning after, to replace electrolytes & rehydrate ; )

HOMEMADE GATORADE

2 QTs filtered water

1/2 cup Orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients together and serve chilled.

• Have some Ginger Root Tea, bananas & saltines handy for upset tummies.

Be sure to check out last year's posts for more health & greening your holiday tips as well as heaps more St. Patrick's Day recipes.  Have a very happy and healthy celebration!!

March Madness Giveaway - Week 2!

It's time for another giveaway! Get a head start and spring clean your body by winning a copy of "Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole" By holistic doctors Pulde & Lederman. Check out their site for more info!

How to enter:  Follow this blog and leave your comment as to why you want to win and/or gift this book. Be sure to leave your email as well so that I may contact  the winner. Winners will be chosen next Wednesday, March 17th by random.org.

Good Luck!!

Great Finds at Go Green Expo 2010!

I really enjoy attending all sorts of expos from health to adventure, fashion to food, as there is so much to learn, try & see! I was excited to be in town for the Go Green Expo, 1 of many they have year round in major cities around the U.S. The one here in LA is the largest green expo in the area so I did my very best to squeeze in all it had to offer in 1 day.  I've decided to share my top finds from this year's expo, so with no further a due, here they are!:

• Eco Panda Swim Suits - Not only are these swimsuits stylish, cute & comfy, they are 100% eco! Made from recycled nylon from fish nets, these suits for all shapes & sizes are sure to please the wearers as well as the lookers ; ) They also carry cute cover-ups, bags that tuen into your beach towel and other cute beachy accessories. Visit them & shop at www.eco-panda.com.
• Sovereign Earth Water Bottles - Weather you're an adventure seeker or just a concerned mom, don't let the quality of you water keep you awake at night. Not when you have a Sovereign Earth Water Bottle! Each bottle is produced using only 100% recyclable, food grade materials - non-leaching and BPA-free. The Sovereign Earth water filter removes up to 99.99% of common contaminants like chlorine, heavy metals, industrial and agricultural pollutants, and pharmaceuticals, leaving you with only the healthy vitamins and minerals naturally found in the water. Not your average water bottle and soon, medical grade filters will be available for those of you who are big time adventurers ; ) Buy 1 for everyone you know at www.sovereignearth.com.
• ReGreet Cards - Ever get a card that is so cute but you can't find it anywhere to gift it to someone on your list? Not in the mood to spend $4 for something that might just end up in the trash after the cake is all but gone? Well ReGreet has found a way to help both scenarios while also helping the environment!  Greeting card kits are sold so that you are able to re-use greeting cards while offering the same choice to your giftee if they choose to "ReGreet".  Check out their innovative, eco & money saving kits at www.regreet.com.
• People Towels - How frustrating when you've washed your hands in a public restroom and there are no paper towels or even so much as a hand dryer? Fret no more with People Towels? These colorful hand towels fold up nicely and come with their own little case that can fit snug in your pocket or purse so that you are drippy no more ; ) Clean & green! Pick out your People Towel today at www.peopletowels.com.
• OrganicKidz Bottles - I don't have kids yet but I loved this product line. These bottles are not only eco-friendl and super healthy (BPA free, etc), but they grow with your baby! Use a baby bottle nipple, a sippy cup top and then on to sports bottle top - all with the same bottle.  And if you need to measure anything like formula, cut juice with water, etc, the top is a measuring cup as well. I thought this was really innovative and I know what will be at the top of my registry once I'm preggers ; ) See what I'm raving about at www.organickidz.ca.
• Bayes Waterless Car Wash Soap - Not only will you save time with this product, you will save money & conserve water! No more rinsing, soaping, rinsing again & toweling off your 4-wheeled baby. Nope! Just 1 step saves you gallons of water & oodles of time. Keep your car sparkling clean and your conscience green with Bayes Waterless. Find this and other Bayes natural cleaning products at www.bayescleaners.com.
• Glee Gum - I grew up with Chiclets, Bubble Yum, Chewels, Big League Chew & the fruity one with the zebra ; ) By far, Chiclets were my fave and Glee Gum brings that back in an all natural way. No chemicals, artificial flavors or sweeteners, Glee is the best way to chew. Check out their flavors and other products at www.gleegum.com.
• Froobi Non-Stick Pan -Yep, a healthy & eco non-stick pan!! It's not Teflon or some other toxic material. The secret is that it's ceramic!  Healthy, even cooking without the headaches of scrubbin' off stuck on food.  Yay!! Lots to check out at www.froobi.com
• Harnessed Humidity - Ok, so it might be a little pricey but I like the idea. This water dispenser doesn't need a jug or a hook up to a tap. It just needs a little air! Taking the humidity from the air, this device harnesses water, filters it and dispenses great tasting H2O in minutes! Cold, hot or room temp, I was razzle dazzled. See how neat this machine is at www.harnessedhumidity.com.
• Fresh Snack Pack - I really like this next product for its simplicity. Wrap up your sandwiches in this reusable, BPA-free, non-leaching pouch and use it as a mat to enjoy your food on when it's chow time. Easy to wrap up, simple to eat on and a cinch to clean, save money & the environment with www.freshsnackpack.com.
• Go Green Oil Filter - Besides computer and cell phone trouble, car trouble takes the cake. Save money and frustration while saving the earth with the Go Green Oil Filter. GoGreen oil filters are reusable and have zero landfill impact. The earth-friendly GoGreen oil filter reclaims 100% of the oil in the filter, allowing you to recycle all the waste oil. Get one asap at www.gogreenoilfilter.com.
• SorbentGreen - Oil spill? No problem. Hazardous waste? No problem. Blood? Yep, no problem. GreenSorb is a phenomenal product for medical offices, mechanic shops, and even your home.  The patented materials are 100% eco friendly and toxin free. So much so that no matter what it absorbs, it renders it non-toxic. Oh yeah, that makes it much easier to dispose of as well ; ) See the demo at www.sorbentgreen.com.
• OmGym - Fun, portable fitness, all in one cool pouch. Work out, stretch or just have some healthy fun withe the OmGym. Use it at home or on the go! View all the ways you can use your OmGym at www.omgym.com.

My next Expo coverage will be from The Natural Product Expo West so be sure to check back for a ton of great healthy & eco food, health, beauty, home, lifestyle products & more in just a few weeks!!

March Madness Giveaway!

Spring cleaning isn't just for your closets & junk drawers anymore ; )  Spring time is a great time to get your diet on par with the season and get you healthy & vibrant in time for swim suit season.  One great way to get started is by cooking healthy meals with healthy cookware. It's time to get rid of that toxic, non-stick stuff and move toward ceramic or stainless steel.  And to get things started, I'm going to be giving away a brand new Emerilware Pro-Clad 8" Frying/Saute Pan to one very lucky reader!

Between today and next Wednesday, March 10th at 5pm PST, you can enter for your chance to start Spring Cleaning your kitchen and your diet!  How can I win this awesome pan, you ask? It's easy! Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment on this post with the first thing you would cook with this pan ; ). Please include an email address, so I can reach you if you win.  A random winner will be chosen by www.random.org and notified shortly after the contest has been closed. Be sure to also check out what else www.cookware.com has to offer while you're there!! In addition, if you're looking to spruce & eco up your kids bedding, their sister site offers some great eco bedding, toys, furniture & lamps ; )

Good luck!!