Have a Yummy Easter Feaster or Delicious Food Induced Passover Hangover!

Whether you celebrate Easter or Passover, spring is here and it's time to celebrate. My honey,bunny and I have put together some ideas to keep your holiday healthy as well as eco friendly this year; )

• Paint wooden or ceramic eggs. A night out at a place like Color Me Mine is a great alternative to dying eggs at home. No real eggs and no mess! Put them out later for your egg hunt and use them year after year.
  
• Vegan candies and deserts are available for online orders as well as at stores like Whole Foods and other specialty markets. I found a bunch of great stuff at Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe and Sweet Diet Delights.
  
• Look for paper basket grass as opposed to the plastic kind. This "green" paper kind can be used year round for other gifts, packing materials, etc.
• Bake vegan easter cakes in egg and bunny shaped molds. These are great in gift baskets!
• Give children great illustration heavy books like pop-ups instead of toys they will grow out of an create more waste. Books nourish their minds and create wonderful memories.
  
• Try some healthy vegan passover recipes. Here are 2 to share with your family:

Sweet Potato Kugel (serves 12)

6 small sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
3 apples, peeled and grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup matzo meal
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 cup fruit juice or water

Mix ingredients together. Press into baking dish and bake 45 minutes at 375ºF, until crisp on top.

Potato/Kale Casserole (serves 6-8)

3 lbs potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 lb kale, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes and mash. In a separate pan, sauté onion in oil, then add kale and steam, covered, until kale is soft. Remove from heat and mix with potatoes and seasonings. Pour into casserole dish and bake at 350ºF until warmed through.

• For Easter brunch , these dishes are a sure hit:

Mustard and Apricot Glazed ‘Ham’
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. horseradish
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Veg S.W. Ham (available from www.vegieworld.com), sliced into 1-inch-thick rounds

• Combine all of the ingredients except the vegetarian ham in a bowl and mix well.
• Brush the mixture over both sides of each slice of “ham” and arrange, overlapping each piece, on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
• Uncover the ham and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings

Yummy Pancakes

Mix
1 1/4 cups flour
2 T sweetener
2 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
Mix
2 T oil
1 1/2 cups water or 1/2 cup soy milk with 3/4 cup water

Make a hole in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it. Mix with a wooden spoon until blended. Lumps are good because it makes the pancakes light. If it's not very pourable, add more liquid. Also add chocolate chips or blueberries or vanilla extract here.

Heat a griddle over a medium flame and add some margarine. Pour the batter on thinly and wait for the top to bubble before you flip it. These are really good with syrup and margarine.

My honey,bunny and I hope we could help!! Have a great Easter and/or Passover!

Have a Greener St. Paddy's Day!

St. Paddy's is a wonderful day to celebrate drunkenness by way of green beer and food comas by way of corned beef. But there are ways to partake in the debauchery without falling off the proverbial health wagon. Here are a few tips to have a greener and healthier St. Patty's day this year!

• St. Paddy's Day morning, start off with a healthy glass of green juice by Odwalla, Naked, Trader Joe's or Bolthouse Farms. You will get a few of your daily servings of hearty veggies in one glass as well as boost your immune system for later, not so healthy action ; )
• Walk or ride your bike to your local Irish pub to save up some calories, gas and the environment as well as to help save lives after to much green fun ; )
• If you have to work that day, bring in some delicious and healthy Zucchini Muffins to keep with the green theme:

Zucchini Muffins with Cinnamon-Crumb Topping
Dry ingredients:
2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Wet ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cup shredded zucchini, packed
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
1 1/4 cups fat-free soymilk or other non-dairy milk

Optional Cinnamon Crumb Topping:
1 teaspoon margarine
1/2 tablespoon demerara sugar
1/2 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
(Use a fork to combine until crumbly.)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a muffin pan with paper or silicone liners or spray well with non-stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the Ener-G egg replacer powder with the water until foamy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Do not over-stir. Batter will be very heavy. Spoon into muffin cups, dividing batter equally among the cups. Sprinkle the center of each muffin with a little Cinnamon Crumb Topping, if desired, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

As a special tribute to St. Patrick's Day, sprinkle them with green sugar.
(recipe by SusanV)

• Host a delicious dinner before the liquor starts to flow like this Vegan Irish meal of Corned Beef & Cabbage, Red Dill Potatoes and Irish Soda Bread:
  

Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped or shredded (I used red cabbage this time)
4 carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths and quartered
2 ribs celery, thickly sliced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon mild horseradish
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6-8 ounces vegetarian "beef" or seitan or reconstituted TVP chunks (I used Lightlife Strips)
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon red wine or cooking sherry (really adds great flavor)

Sauté the onion in a large, non-stick pot until it starts to brown. Add the remaining vegetables, the broth, and the seasonings. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the "beef," cover, and cook for 15 more minutes, until vegetables are soft.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and "beef" to a serving plate and keep warm. Return the broth to the heat. In a small cup, combine the flour, water, and wine. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the simmering broth. Cook and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the broth has thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour the gravy over the "beef" and vegetables to serve.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Dill
Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut small red potatoes in half, larger red potatoes into quarters (all should be about the same size). Allow about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of potatoes for 4 servings. Place in a non-metal baking dish and spray lightly with canola oil (optional). Bake until potatoes are lightly browned and tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and dill weed, to taste.

Vegan Irish Soda Bread
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain soy yogurt

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the yogurt and use your hands to mix it in well. (Add more flour if the dough is sticky, more yogurt if it's too dry.) Shape into a ball and put on cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
(recipes by SusanV)

• Keep the calories low with these festively colorful libations:

Hard Limeade
(yields 1 glass)
3 limes, juiced
Lemon/lime seltzer
Square One Organic Vodka
Superfine sugar, to taste (I like Stevia)

Combine all ingredients in a glass with ice cubes.

Green Tea-Ni
1.5 oz. Square One Organic Vodka infused with green tea
1 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. organic Agave nectar or to taste
1/2 oz. orange liqueur

Put all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a little zest of lime.

Or throw some organic green food coloring into some organic, low cal beer!!

And have a safe and happy St. Paddy's Day!!!

Mt. Vernon Splendor

I thought I would throw in a nice historical park that has it's own dining facilities on premises. Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home, is beautiful and sprawling. The estate and presidential library as well as it's gardens and trails are enough to keep you there all day. Smart of them to have some options where we could refuel without have to set one foot off the park!

If you choose to have a fine dining experience or hold a special event on the estate, The Mount Vernon Inn is the right place. The quaint and cozy colonial like restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily while servers dress in costumes of Washington's time. The menu, much like the ambiance, is hearty colonial however, I was able to mess with the ingredients of the salads and charm the chef into creating a modern, less rich and more healthy meal, for me ; )

If you don't have the time or the coin to sit down at the inn, the food court had 4 places to choose from. The Federal City Deli offered up a veggie wrap and the Red Devon Grill had a juicy black bean burger on their menu. I was a happy camper when it came time to grab a quick snack as I knew leaving the park and hunting for a place to nosh would cut into our valuable sight seeing time.

Mt. Vernon is a must if you visit the D.C. area and you can plan your visit by logging on to their website.

D.C. Times 2!

There were so many great choices for a gal like me to eat at in D.C. and I'm sure I didn't even scratch the surface. However, I did find enough to bring this part two of D.C. to you!!

We stayed at a pretty swanky hotel and to my surprise, the neighborhood was chock full'o killer restaurants. On P St and 14th there was a beautiful Whole Foods and a bunch of eateries and coffee shops that were 2 blocks from our place. I was in love ;)

1 of the yummy P street places was Logan Tavern. It was a great place complete with bar and 2 dining areas with a rustic but classy vibe. They had a great beer and wine selection as well as excellent selections on the menu for peeps like me ; ) I ordered a tofu and veggie stir fry and eyeballed the veggie burrito for next time. See there yummy menu at Logan Tavern. Be sure to check out their other location, Logan at The Heights.

Just a few doors down on good old P street was Merkado Kitchen. This spicy Latin eatery was a great mix of Carribean, Mexican and South American food which was a welcomed style of menu for me since I was homesick for my native Miami that I had left about a week prior ; ) Everything was fresh as well as healthy and their veggie options were the bomb! The veggie enchilada, hold the cheese, was mouthwatering as were their salads. This establishment was great for me and my picky guy and I loved how many dishes I could choose from.

Finally, for my travel troop, it would have been a sin to them to not have fresh Atlantic seafood on their trip. Being a non-animal eater, I wondered if a seafood spot like Grillfish, would have anything for me but I was wrong! While everyone else munched on their favorite marine meal, I have a really good grilled portabella sandwich as well as an apple salad. They also offer vegetarian menus upon request. I was stuffed and I sacrificed no taste ; )

I'm hoping to get back here soon as I'm sure I missed some good feastin'!

Was up Washington??!!

What a year to be in the nation's capital. Mighty and awe inspiring by it's own right, being there during an election year was even more incredible. And with all of this history and power in one place, you can imagine it has to offer some killer dining to impress the world's dignitaries. Beyond the great sights, I was even more overcome by the great places to fill my tummy in D.C.! So much that next week's blog will also cover D.C. ; )

Since we walked most of the time while we were in town, I got to see so many cute cafes and places that I wanted to try. However, since we were only in town for a few days, time was of the essence so our meals during the day were pretty quick. Pizzeria Paradiso was just the place. This pizza hot spot has two locations and they are always packed. As so they should be since the food looked, smelled and tasted so good. They are famous for the gourmet, true to the motherland pizza pies and the Healthy Voyager was able to enjoy every bit of that as they offered a tasty Soy Mozzarella. I topped with a ton of fresh veggies like artichokes, spinach, basil and more. I was a happy camper taking my food to go and eating my yumminess on the run. Find out more at Pizzeria Paradiso.


Later that evening we joined up with some friends for cocktails and tapas. We strolled along U street and stumbled upon Tabaq Bistro. And what a happy accident it was! The atmosphere was insane as they had rooftop dining with full views of D.C. It was hazy and cold but the buildings and neighborhood looked great from up there. The food and drinks also matched the wonderful look and vibe of the place as well. The menu was Mediterranean tapas and small entrees. There was entire veggie menu for me to choose from as well as many other dishes for my buddies. I ordered from the small dish menu, the dolmas and 1 of their 3 hummus selections. I absolutely recommend anyone stop in to Tabaq no matter who they are with ; )


Now I will share with you my D.C. addiction ; ) Sticky Fingers Bakery was such a good time for me. So much so that I visited them and went out of my way to buy something from this cafe every day that I spent in town. The spot is a cool wi-fi cafe with a ton of great vegan baked goods from cupcakes to cinnamon rolls and more. They have soft serve vegan ice cream, a build your own vegan hot dog stand as well as a freezer case with savory sandwiches, small plates and other side dishes to go. I had a vegan sausage, egg and cheese mcmuffin every morning. They do mail order as well so if you don't get to d.c., they can come to you!

Lastly, but not leastly, we had a date night at Vegetate. This place was so hipster and chic and had a good thing going as they had a bar upstairs that offered vegetarian bar food during happy hour along with a cool dj spinning tunes. The dining area downstairs is a bit more reserved but nice nonetheless. The menu changes every day and is very nontraditional, gourmet and artistically presented. We enjoyed what we ordered but I did leave hungry. However, I wish I could have gone back for the veggie bar food at happy hour and I suggest you give it a try too. Peruse their site at Vegetate.

See you next week with some more D.C. dining!

Yummy Annapolis!

Quaint and historic Annapolis was beautiful as well as a dining delight! In the midst of all the vintage American architecture, it was not hard to find some modern day health grub ; )

Our first stop was a quick one where they had a Whole Foods, the holy grail of health food, and a Baja Fresh. For those of you that haven't had the pleasure of this healthy version of Mexican fast food, it is a must. As a Californian, Baja is a staple and oh so wonderful to find abroad. My usual is the tostada salad with no meat, no cheese or cream, and extra veggies. Another great menu selection is the veggie burrito bowl with all the flavor of the burrito and half of the starchy carbs ; ) They do not cook with lard, msg or any other unsavory additives - check them out at Baja Fresh. Another incarnation of yummy fast-ixan food, is Moe's which I found in downtown. They too have some yummy items, like the vegetarian Personal Trainer Salad. Visit Moe's Southwestern Grill for more info.

After walking all over one of our nation's best historical cities, we had a hankerin' for Thai food ; ) We filed into Lemongrass (167 West Street, Annapolis, MD,410-280-0086). Big on seafood due to it's close proximity to the Atlantic but also big on good curry and veggie options. Everyone was satisfied here as was the persnickety vegan ; )

Later on, I thought I might pack some snack for the next leg of our trip so I sauntered into Sun and Earth Foods. They had a nice sized market with a great little deli where a packed away a few veggie sandwiches, juices and goodies to munch on for the next few days. They are located at 1933 West St, Annapolis, Maryland 21401, 410-266-6862.

I absolutely would love to come back and spend more time here as I know they must have a ton more places that would keep my belly happy as well as my traveling team. Be it their famous seafood for those who enjoy it or their colonial like hospitality, Annapolis should be a welcomed addition to your traveler's check list.