Healthy Voyager Radio - Healthy, Well Traveled Kids

 

Listen to the Healthy Voyager Radio right here!! Featuring mom-trepreneurs Colleen Lanin of Travel Mamas and Catherine McCord of Weelicious:

Healthy Voyager Radio

Next week we chat with urban gardener, Mike Leiberman and The Happy Herbivore, Lindsay Nixon!!

Bon Apetit in Blackpool!

I was very excited to roll through the english countryside and head to Blackpool. Located on the northwest coast, this seaside town is a bit like English Coney Island. Beach front hotels, water parks, casinos and more, Blackpool is a great little beach resort town for northern England residents.  Unfortunately we were there in the dead of winter so no beach fun for us but getting there was a treat as it the terrain looked just like the illustrations in one of my all time favorite Christmas stories, The Snowman ; )  Our friends showed us all around town so now I'll share it with you!

Just outside of Blackpool, you will find the cute country town of Little Eccleston. In it you will find The Cartford Inn. Newly refurbished in 2007, this adorable inn is just the place for a warm meal and cozy bed. While vegan, gluten free or any other special diet isn't the most popular of cuisines in northwest England, the folks at The Cartford Inn are more then happy to accommodate their valued guests. The house chef makes everything in house with the utmost of care. Feel like royalty when you have a lavish meal by the fire then retiring to your comfy quarters for a hot bath ; )

If you happen to find yourself in town for an extended stay or an event, I highly suggest hiring Little Black Dress Catering. Owner and chef, Frances Macualey, can whip up anything you heart desires. I was blown away with her fabulous vegan offerings. I had the distinct pleasure of chowing down on her vegan curry cutlets, roasted root veggies, creamy mashed potatoes and winter squash soup. I'm salivating just thinking about it! To contact Frances for a meal that will send you into a tasty tizzy, email her at franlittleblackdress@hotmail.com  .

Number One South Beach is a waterfront resort with fine dining. This chic locale might seem like the least likely place for a great vegan meal however,  Number One caters to all special diets. The chef takes special care and pride in serving all of their non-omnivore guests and they do a great job of doing so. Depending on what's in season, you'll be treated right at #1SB!

I loved Blackpool and hope to visit soon after the snow and cold has gone south for the summer!

Healthy Voyager Radio - Cleaning & Eating Raw Foods

 

Listen to the Healthy Voyager Radio right here!! Featuring Mareya Ibrahim of Eat Cleaner Foods and raw chef, Bryan Au:

Healthy Voyager Radio

Next week we chat with mom-trepreneurs Colleen Lanin of Travel Mamas and Catherine McCord of Weelicious!!

London Encore

I've been to London several times and every time, I find more and more veggie yumminess.  It's quickly becoming one of the most veg friendly cities in the world and delicious to boot!  Gone are the days of poking fun at bland English food and welcome to a veritable taste bud frenzy. In addition to the last London post, here are a few more spots that I couldn't leave out of the mix ; )

One of my favorite things about London is the amount of quick food spots all over town. And by quick food, I don't mean fast food. I mean eateries that have fresh sandwiches, soups, salads and other treats that are made daily. A lot of them have refrigerators packed with selections for a healthy to go treat as well as counters for an on the spot experience. Eat is just one of those places with convenient location all over town. I especially love their veggie meal or sandwich of the week and I fell in love with their veggie gyoza soup! Delish!!!  Quick, healthy & affordable - you can't beat that!

Itsu is yet another chain of quick food. Itsu's spin is sushi, noodles, soups and salads with a modern feel to each locale. Their motto is "Health & Happiness" which I believe they deliver on consistently ; ) For us non-sushi eating vegans, their miso soup and veggie dumplings are choice. Top it off with their organic dark chocolate rice cakes for an after lunch sweet tooth squasher!

Nothing is screams iconic London more then a red double decker bus.  But what would be cooler then dining on one? Dining on a vegan one! Here in London town there are 2 vegan bus-taurants, Rootmaster & Vegan Routes.  Each offers up killer vegan food and can be reserved for private events. Comfy, cute and tasty, these novelty restaurants are worth the ride ; )

If you're in need of some yoga and meditation after running around from tube to tube, check out Alchemy. A holistic sanctuary in the center of the city that also boasts a cef and juice bar. So after a relaxing session of Kundalini, treat yourself to a Hemp Mountain Magic Super Smoothie with hemp seed milk, maca, banana, agave syrup, mesquite and cacao nibs.  After all that sight seeing and eating you're way through jolly ol' London, you will need it!!

Next, I visit the English seaside & college towns - join me, won't you?

Healthy Voyager Radio - Creative Crusaders

 

Listen to the Healthy Voyager Radio right here!! Featuring Vance Lemkhul of Vegcast and the Bizarro King, Dan Piraro:

Healthy Voyager Radio

Next week we chat with Eat Cleaner's Mareya Ibrahim and raw chef, Bryan Au!!

Making the Most of Mother's Day

Moms make the world go 'round from kissing boo boos to being a shoulder to cry on when our heart breaks ; ) Mother's day is that Sunday that comes once every year where we show her how much we love her, feed her and shower her with gifts. What better way to express our love then fixing her a healthy feast and gifting her with things that will help her live a healthier and greener life? We want mom around for many Motehr's Days to come so here is a Mother's day menu fit for a queen and a list of gift ideas that will help set her on a path to wellness!

 Gifts and goodies

• Green Cooking Pots - Toss out those pots mom has been cooking with since you were in diapers and get her some eco-conscious and stylish enameled cast-iron pots and pans.
• Gobble Green Vegan Home Delivery - Save your mom some time in the kitchen without sacrificing taste and nutrition. Order up a yummy vegan meal with via Gobble Green's delivery service, nationwide.
• Chocolatl -Mom will love the gift of delicious, rich, raw, vegan chocolate ; )
• Olsenhaus Shoes - Sexy, stylish, eco, vegan shoes. Nuf said.
• Ro & Co Bags - Get your mom the hottest vegan bag around. Clutch, hobo, whatever, she will love you for it!
• Nimli - Shop for clothes, bags and more for mom - a green, organic and conscious online store!
• Tallulah Jane Perfume -What goes great with new clothes, jewelry, bags and shoes? All natural perfume!
• PeaceLoveEarth Jewelry - A division of Annatarian eco-couture, PLE jewelry is eco, vegan and spiritual. The gift of a wish bracelet or a necklace will go over quite well after mom's afternoon feast ; )
• Sevi - EcoVegan body care and cosmetics - mom will be over the moon with these treats! 
• Village Tea Co. - Help mom wind down and kick her feet up with some delicious, eco tea.

 Mother's Day Brunch

Mom-osas

2  cups fresh orange juice
1  cup  fresh pineapple juice, chilled
2  T grenadine
1  bottle Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled (2 cans ginger ale or lemon-lime soda may be substituted for non-alcoholic version)

 Stir together first 3 ingredients. Pour equal parts orange juice mixture and Champagne into glasses.

Gingerbread, Apple & Vanilla Waffles


2 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 T baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/4 cups soy milk, unsweetened or vanilla
1/2 stick vegan butter, melted

Apple Compote
3 pounds of apples, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 vanilla bean, cut in two lengthwise
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 T lemon juice
2 T vegan butter
2 T apple brandy or dark rum (optional)

For the Apple Compote:
Add the apples, sugar, water, lemon juice, and butter to a large pot. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with a knife. Add the seeds and vanilla pod to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 25 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the brandy or rum. Remove the vanilla pod before serving.

For the Waffles:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. In another bowl mix together the milk, brown sugar, molasses, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Ladle the batter into a hot waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions. Keep cooked waffles warm in an oven set at its lowest setting. Put a scoop of warm apple compote onto each serving of waffles to serve. For an extra treat add vegan whipped cream, powdered sugar, or chopped nuts.


Italian Frittata


1 lb extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 lemon, juice of
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf, chiffonade

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu through your fingers until it resembles ricotta cheese. Be sure to sqeeze out all the lumps. Mix in the soy sauce, mustard, nutritional yeast and turmeric and combine well. In a small (8-inch) skillet, saute the onions in the olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and thyme, and saute for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic saute for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, mix and remove from heat. Transfer the cooked onion mixture to the tofu and combine well, foldin basil leaves and spinach. Place the tofu back into the skillet and press down firmly in place. Cook in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes. Transfer to the broiler to brown the top, about two minutes. Let the frittata sit for 10 minute before serving. Carefully cut into 4 slices and lift each piece with a pie server to prevent it from falling apart.

Mom, thanks for everything you did and continue to do! Happy Mother's Day!! xoxo