Vancouver Vittles!

Vancouver, B.C. is a great city just minutes across the US/Canadian border. By air or by road, it's a must to visit this hip town with beautiful greenery, a great "scene" and some awesome eats. For vegans and other health nuts, it's a tasty mecca filled with delicious options. From Van to Victoria, you won't be left hungry!

For a yummy lunch, Wild Rice is a great option for food as well as for eye candy as the decor is way chic! For veggies, they offer organic tofu as a substitute for most dishes. I had the chinatown sweep which was bbq tofu with stir fry chow mein, prrrrr. I split some veggie spring rolls while my mates chowed on some seafood. It's a cool place with options for all, check it out online at Wild Rice.

If you have a hankering for some kickin' Indian/Mediterranean/Moroccan, Sanafir is the place. It "gorg" as well as "delish". Green eaters need not have to worry as their veggie dishes are fantabulous! I'm a wus so I chose the non-spicy Thai veggie salad and split some naan and garlic hummus with my honey. Join Vancouver's hottest people for some "haute" dining at Sanafir.

One of my Vancouver staples is The Naam in Kitsilano Beach. For any meal, Naam never disappoints. Their breakfasts are hearty and flavorful and have A TON of vegan options so you're not left with some dry toast and oj ; ) Their lunch and dinner menu is chock full of stuff like burritos and nachos to healthy rice bowls and salads. Super rustic and cozy, Naam hosts all kinds of things like live music and artists diplaying their masterpieces.

New since last I visited B.C. is Sweet Cherubim. And man oh man is is good!!! It is so cute and the food is sooooo good that I went back a number of times and always stocked up on things to go. They are a veggie deli and bakery and everything is great! You can everything from the usual veggie burger and sandwich to Indian Samosas and Greek Mousaka. Fresh squeezed juices and homemade desserts, I could go on and on and I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Salivate while scoping out the menu at Sweet Cherubim.

I'm not done yet so join me next week as I chat up some more Vancouver area eateries, eh?

Vote! Vote! Vote! It's Good For You!!

This is a special Monday edition of the Healthy Voyager! Since tomorrow is such a big day for our nation, I thought I would send out some healthy advice earlier in the week ; ) No matter if you're a donkey or an elephant, exercising your right to vote is your gift to America so tomorrow, get out there and give, give, give!! Let's get America healthy again!!

I've got some great, hearty, American recipes to get you all hyped up and feeling patriotic (also great on these chilly Autumn nights!!) As for all my non-US readers, these are still some darn good recipes!!:

Veggie Pot Pie

3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp vegan margarine
1/2 C flour
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 C plain soy milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3/4 C frozen peas

Saute celery, onions, and carrots in butter for 10 minutes. Add the flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add broth and milk to mixture while stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until bubbly then stir in the peas, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into a 2 qt casserole dish and top with crust. Bake at 375 F for 30-45 minutes

All American Apple Pie

Crust:
2 ½ cups white flour
½ t. salt
3 T. sugar
½ cup vegan margarine
2 T. vegan cream cheese
½ cup ice cold water
Filling:
3 cups chopped apples (about 4 ½ pounds)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup brown sugar
½ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground nutmeg
¼ t salt
1 T. corn starch
1 T. soymilk, for brushing
2 T. sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make the Crust. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until well mixed. Add in the soy margarine and dairy-free cream cheese and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. With the machine still running, add the water gradually until the mixture just holds together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and shape each into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly oil a 9” pie plate and set aside.
3. Remove one of the discs from the refrigerator and roll out until about ¼” thick. Place in the prepared pie plate, allowing 1” of dough to hang over the edges. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice, brown sugar, spices and salt. Combine the cornstarch with a small amount of water, mixing to dissolve, and add this to the apples.
5. Place the filling in the prepared pie plate. Roll out the remaining disc to ¼” thick and place on top of the filling. Crimp the edges with the edges of the bottom dough, trimming any excess. Lightly brush the top crust with the soymilk and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

Hot Buttered Cider (alcoholic but remove Rum and it's kid friendly)

7 cups Apple cider OR apple juice
1/3 cup Brown sugar, packed
4 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon Whole allspice
1 teaspoon Whole cloves
1 Lemon peel, cut into strips
1 1/2 cups Rum
Vegan margarine
Thin apple slices

Combine apple cider or apple juice and brown sugar in a large saucepan. For spice bag, tie cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and lemon peel in a 7 inch square of 100 percent cotton cheesecloth. Add spice bag to cider mixture. Bring cider mixture to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove and discard spice bag. Stir in rum. Pour cider mixture into mugs. Float about 1/2 tsp margarine on each. Top each serving with one or two thin apple slices. Makes about 10 (6-oz) servings.

Eat up and then get out and vote!!

A Hauntingly Good Halloween!!

That's Dan and I replicating the famous Time Magazine photo last Hallows Eve ; ) This year we're picking another famous duo and it's a bit more Halloween themed! If you're like us, you live for the chillier nights, trees changing color and all of the clues that ring in the beginning of the holiday season. I happen to adore the season opener, Halloween!!! Here are a few tips and ideas for all of you healthy halloweeners:

• Make your own costumes. Each year Dan & I raid local thrift stores and put together our costumes by just recycling people's discarded clothes. We not only get great inspiration but we save a lot of moola by not buying pre-packaged costumes. If you or a friend has a sewing machine, you can alter and embellish the garments for a unique disguise. Plus you can avoid hearing, "OMG, we're wearing the same costume" at any spooky festivities!
• Use reusable cloth or canvas bags for trick or treating. You can wash them if their is any chocolate meltage and they won't tear or break saving you from disappointed little goblins ; ) Even better, personalize the bag and designate it as their personal trick or treat bag to use every year!
• Environmentally conscious Halloweenites may want to bring along an extra bag for trash. Many excited little ghouls may leave behind wrappers and half eaten treats. Be a good witch and pick up what you see along your evening and make up for the naughty little gremlins ; )
• Practice what you preach and hand out healthy Halloween treats like what they sell at Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe and Vegan Essentials.
  
• If you are hosting a party, make it green:
  

1. Feature organic, locally grown pumpkins for carving, apples for bobbing, and other pesticide-free, harvest season foods. Make sure you save the leftover apples and pumpkins to use in pies, soups, or other dishes.
2. Use dishes, cutlery, napkins and tablecloths that can be washed and reused instead of disposable plastic and paper tableware. Also, look into potato or corn based disposables if you cannot accommodate the party with your personal dishes.
3. Use recycled and recyclable materials to create your Halloween decorations. Bed sheets hung from the ceiling or tree branches make great ghosts, for example, and can be taken down, laundered, and returned to the linen closet when Halloween is over.

• And try this delicious, vegan treat to have at your party. It will be a scream!!:

Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
1/2 pound firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp soy milk
1 pre-made pie crust

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy, adding more soy milk if needed. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until set. Serve with a dollop of soy whipped cream if desired.

The Glowing Gecko (alcoholic beverage)

1 ounce Midori melon liqueur
1/2 ounce organic vodka
1/2 ounce organic rum
1/2 ounce Rose's lime juice
1 ounce prepared sweet-and-sour mix

Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake and strain.
Serve over ice in a martini glass.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!!!!

Scrumptious Sacramento

Initially we were in town to have dinner with the governator but we flaked on him to sight see on our own ; ) Well the sight seeing on our own part is true! Anyhoo, I would expect that the state capital city Governor Muscle calls home would cater to a healthy audience and I was soooo right!!

I opted out of my away from home treat, Starbucks, and walked into Chicory. I've always like the smell and taste of Chicory over coffee but it's availability is close to nil in most coffee houses. I was so excited for my soy chicory latte and my fresh veggie sandwich that instead of taking it on the run so Dan could go sketch the Capitol, I let him go while I enjoyed in inside their cute establishment. Definitely worth a stop if you're in town, Chicory is a great alternative to the competitive conglomerates ; )

After Dan's sketch we walked around downtown and came upon The Park. It's a cool area with bars, clubs and chic restaurants that included Ma Jong's Asian Diner so we decided we'd eat there. It was way cool inside and I am always happy when brown rice is offered! I ordered it in my garlic tofu rice bowl and it melted me ; ) I'm sure the place hops on a weekend and you can stroll over to one of their trendy clubs afterwards. Check out the Ma Jong's and The Park online.

For our last meal we looked around and decided on Cafe Bernardo's Midtown. I liked the look and style of the place and figured the food would be tasty based on their good taste ; ) We shared a nice sized salad and I scarfed a killer portobello mushroom sandwich (sans the mayo, sub balsamic, YUM!). Bernardo was casual and tasty and just what we needed before we headed back to LA. They have 3 locations and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner ; )

Sacramento is hip and becoming chic-er by the day. I look forward to my next visit to sink my teeth into some more sweet and savory meals!

Lovin' Lake Tahoe

I love mountain towns but Tahoe is more like a mountain city! With booming casinos, a ginormous lake for a multitude of water activities, and scenic views to die for, one could spend many happy days here. I must say that all of that stuff is great and the mountainous feeding frenzy is just as satisfying!

We stayed at the super cute Zephyr Cove Lodge in South Lake Tahoe. The weather was phenomenal so we had our morning meal the the lodge's restaurant. Sitting on the patio that overlooks the lake was quite nice as was the brisk mountain air. And the food wasn't half bad either!! I had some hearty oatmeal with a nice bowl of fruit as well as some fresh squeezed oj while Dan had his own concoction of breakfast heaven ; ) The lodge is typical Tahoe, look into the Zephyr Cove Lodge for your next jaunt up the mountain.

We hung out and drove shore side through South Tahoe, stopping for photos and assorted tourist stuff. We wandered into the Naked Fish as a light lunch sounded nice. I was going to go for my usual veggie roll but the names on the maki list made me giggle so I ordered the Fun Guy and Shitake Happens rolls! They were quite good as was the delish miso and tofu soup. Dan's not much of a sushi guy and they had some nicely portioned cooked meals for him ; ) I highly recommend the Naked Fish for good, light, healthy food and a few laughs ; )

Now, after an afternoon of running around in the thin mountain air, I had an appetite something fierce. And what better way to fill my empty tummy then with some carby Italian!! And Tep's hit the spot like you wouldn't believe. First of all, I loved the small town Italian restaurant feel of it. It felt a bit time warpish but it was oh so comforting. From the chilled salad plates at the salad bar to the red checkered table cloths and dim lighting, I was 6 years old again. And I was way impressed with their attentiveness to little old vegan me ; ) They had some real yummy salad bar ingredients and were quick to tell me that the soup was beef based (sad but glad they were knowledgeable and concerned) and my gnocchi with veggies in an eggplant marinara could have fed a small army. And fed them happily cause it was sooooo yummy ; ) Ok, so I don't want to overhype it because it's definitely not gourmet, but Tep's Villa Roma put a little birdhouse in my soul ; )

Again, our time here was short lived but I love it up here and will report from Lake Tahoe once again!!

Tasty Carson City

Carson City, Nevada is cute, quaint and a great little slice of the Old West. Surprisingly enough, every place we went to was exactly that however, very contemporary in their lovely veggie options!

What I love most about road trips is eating at mom and pop diners. It's the taste of Americana we miss out on in a big city and always a nice experience. We happened to find Mom & Pop's Diner in Downtown Carson City when we rolled in at breakfast time. They had diner staples which made Dan very happy but they also had some nice options for me. Diners are usually tough, greasy spoons where I order toast and some OJ but here at Mom & Pop's, I had a real meal!! I got a piping hot rice bowl that was stacked with delicious veggies with my choice of house sauces. I'm a whip so I went for the Texas BBQ but they had all kinds of spicy options ; ) Check them out at Mom & Pop's online ; )

We strolled around downtown and I emptied my wallet at various Christmas gift shops (I'm a sucker for holiday decor!!). Before I knew it, I was hungry so we checked out The Firkin & Fox. It was awesome! Located under an old hotel (apparently it's hanuted), this "new" old westy saloony grill had a great atmosphere along with funny slogans involving their funny name ; ) Again, you would think a bar would have limited healthy options but I had a bunch! They had veggie burgers and veggie stir fry but i opted for wrapping up a salad. They make wraps of any of the salads on the menu and it was extra yummers!! It was "Firkin" yummers! Check out their "Firkin" menu at the Firkin & Fox!

We walked some more and checked out Carson Cities historic sites and decided on one last bite before we headed up the mountain. I was in the mood for Italiano so we dined at B'Sghetti's ; ) I wasn't in the mood for pasta so I went for their big and tasty grilled veggie sandwich with a huge side of dipping marinara. I added a side salad and was good for the night! Dan ordered his usual Italian favorite, bruschetta, and I had a few nibbles - very good! They've got some of my faves on their menu, see if they have yours at B'Sghetti's!!

I love old west towns, especially when they've combined it with some new ideas like healthy eating. We were told that Virginia City would be something we would dig since we loved Carson City so maybe we'll head up there on our next trip but stop back in Carson City for some good eats!!