"..Over the past month or so, I have made over 20 vegan or vegetarian recipes (and have even written some!). I've served many meatless meals to my family, and I will say overall....the surprise has been tremendously pleasant!...

..a wonderful connection I have made with a smart, helpful vegan blogger named Kathy. In one of her posts, she talks a little more about our conversations." -Melissa d'Arabian's note on facebook.

Veggie Inspired. You may remember a previous post where I described Next Food Network Star winner Melissa d'Arabian as "Farmers Market Inspired". Well guess what, Melissa has taken it one step further and started experimenting with vegan and vegetarian ingredients and recipes! Melissa is not vegetarian, but has a refreshing foodie-curiosity that allows her to step-outside-of-her-box when it comes to cooking. Melissa is a sunny gem who perks up the kitchen and makes you want to start cooking yourself! Her energy is contagious. I'm so impressed with her creativity and spunk in the kitchen and I hope you will all take a closer look at Melissa. Her show Ten Dollar Dinners recently got renewed for a second season. I'm an avid watcher. Check out Melissa's full facebook post about her veggie experiments and a few inspiring vegan photos...


Melissa's Post:

"I've alluded to this before, but I've been experimenting with vegetarian and vegan cooking! I should begin by telling you that I am very much a meat-eater, and I will likely never become vegetarian, let alone vegan. BUT. So many people are, and they are folks who feel strongly about the choice, so I figured, the least I could do was explore, right? So, over the past month or so, I have made over 20 vegan or vegetarian recipes (and have even written some!). I've served many meatless meals to my family, and I will say overall....the surprise has been tremendously pleasant!
I'll talk more in the future about this little experiment of mine...the successes and the failures....but I thought I would post a link to wonderful connection I have made with a smart, helpful vegan blogger named Kathy. In one of her posts, she talks a little more about our conversations. maybe you'll find our discussions interesting?
have a great Friday." -Melissa d'Arabian, a note on her facebook account.

Melissa's "Ask Kathy". Melissa was also the inspiration for a recent Ask Kathy post: "Why vegan and not just vegetarian?" A must-read for everyone veg or not!

Become a fan of Melissa on face book.
Check out Ten Dollar Dinners show on Food Network.

A Little More Inspiration: A few of my vegan photos for all you curious chefs out there:

Lemon Poppyseed Chamomile Tea Bread:

California Lemon Pepper Salad:

Beet Avocado Pea Shoot Salad:

Peach Hemp Smoothie:

A while back, Andrew of the foodie blog Very Good Taste, posted an article called the Omnivore's Hundred. The "Omnivore's 100" is a list of Andrew's interpretation of the 100 foods every omnivore needs to try. The list gathered a loyal following as bloggers and foodies everywhere began following Andrew's instructions to re-post the list and join in the challenge. He instructs everyone to cross out things they'd never eat and bold the foods they have already conquered. Fun right? Well as much as I loved the idea, as I began to read the food list I knew I couldn't participate. Venison, snake, goat's milk and haggis. Definitely NOT vegan-friendly.

Vegan Hundred. I love the idea of challenging foodies to try as many new, classicly delicious and unusual foods as they can. So I give to you: the vegan's 100. One-hundred foods that every vegan (or any curious foodie) must try at least once. Check out the list and details on how you can participate in this foodie adventure...

The Challenge: Just as the omnivore list does, I challenge you to re-post this list and participate in the challenge! Cross out or italicize all the foods you would never eat, bold foods you have tried and update your list as you participate in trying all the foods on my Vegan's 100 list. Then if you'd like, post a link to your list in my comments section so others can see how you are doing. I tried to stay true to the original omnivore 100 by leaving on a few of the vegan food items on Andrew's list. However, since most of the foods were not vegan, there was a lot of space to fill! My criteria for food items were that they had to be either a unique whole food (like a lychee) or a notably stand-out-delicious way to prepare a common food (like scrambled tofu).

The Vegan's Hundred

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or social networking site profile, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out or italicize any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment on this post linking to your results.

I hope you will join this vegan foodie tasting adventure.
Post the link to your list in the comments-if you have any questions, leave them in the comments as well!

...lets show the omnivores that the question "what do vegans eat?" definitely has over 100 amazing answers...!

The HHL Vegan Hundred:

1. Molasses
2. Cactus/Nopales
3. Scrambled Tofu
4. Grilled Portobella Caps
5. Fresh Ground Horseradish
6. Sweet Potato Biscuits
7. Arepa
8. Vegan Cole Slaw
9. Ginger Carrot Soup
10. Fiddlehead Ferns
11. Roasted Elephant Garlic
12. Umeboshi
13. Almond Butter Toast
14. Aloe Vera
15. H and H Bagel NYC
16. Slow Roasted Butternut Squash
17. White truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Freshly ground wasabi
20. Coconut Milk Ice Cream (not store bought)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Orchard-fresh pressed apple cider
23. Organic California Mango (in season Sept-Oct only)
24. Quinoa
25. Papaya Smoothie
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet (habanero) pepper (just a bite!...hot!
27. Goji Berry Tea
28. Fennel
29. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie
30. Radishes and Vegan Buttery Spread
31. Starfruit
32. Oven fresh Sourdough bread
33. Sangria made with premium fruit and juices
34. Sauerkraut
35. Acai Smoothie
36. Blue Foot Mushrooms
37. Vegan Cupcake from Babycakes nyc
38. Sweet Potatoes and Tempeh combo
39. Falafel
40. Spelt Crust Pizza
41. Salt and Pepper Oyster Mushrooms
42. Jicama Slaw
43. Pumpkin Edamame Ginger Dumplings
44. Hemp Milk
45. Rose Champagne
46. Fuyu
47. Raw Avocado-Coconut Soup
48. Tofu Pesto Sandwich
49. Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne fresh-pressed juice...with Extra Ginger
50. Grilled Seitan
51. Prickly pear
52. Fresh Pressed Almond Milk
53. Concord Grapes off the vine
54. Ramps
55. Coconut Water fresh from a young coconut
56. Organic Arugula
57. Vidalia Onion
58. Sampler of organic produce from Diamond Organics
59. Honeycrisp Apple
60. Poi
61. Vegan Campfire-toasted Smores
62. Grape seed Oil
63. Farm fresh-picked Peach
64. Freshly-made pita bread with freshly-made hummus
65. Chestnut Snack Packs
66. Fresh Guava
67. Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
68. Raw Mallomar from One Lucky Duck, NYC
69. Fried plantains
70. Mache
71. Golden Beets
72. Barrel-Fresh Pickles
73. Liquid Smoke
74. Meyer Lemon
75. Veggie Paella
76. Vegan Lasagna (raw optional)
77. Kombucha
78. Homemade Soy Milk
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Lychee Bellini
81. Tempeh Bacon
82. Sprouted Grain Bread
83. Lemon Pepper Tempeh
84. Vanilla Bean
85. Watercress
86. Carrot you pulled out of the ground yourself
87. Vegan In-Season Fruit Pie
88. Flowers
89. Corn Chowder
90. High Quality Vegan Raw Chocolate
91. Yellow fuzz-free Kiwi
92. White Flesh Grapefruit
93. harissa
94. Coconut Oil
95. Jackfruit
96. Homemade Risotto
97. Spirulina
98. Seedless 'Pixie' Tangerine
99. Gourmet Sorbet, not store bought
100. Fresh Plucked English Peas

*Want more info? Foodista links and HHL links are shown in a double list below*

The HHL Vegan Hundred:

1. Molasses
2. Cactus/Nopales
3. Scrambled Tofu
4. Grilled Portobella Caps
5. Fresh Ground Horseradish
6. Sweet Potato Biscuits
7. Arepa
8. Vegan Cole Slaw
9. Ginger Carrot Soup
10. Fiddlehead Ferns
11. Roasted Elephant Garlic
12. Umeboshi
13. Almond Butter Toast
14. Aloe Vera
15. H and H Bagel NYC
16. Slow Roasted Butternut Squash
17. White truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Freshly ground wasabi
20. Coconut Milk Ice Cream (not store bought)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Orchard-fresh pressed apple cider
23. Organic California Mango (in season Sept-Oct only)
24. Quinoa
25. Papaya Smoothie
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet (habanero) pepper (just a bite!...hot!
27. Goji Berry Tea
28. Fennel
29. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie
30. Radishes and Vegan Buttery Spread
31. Starfruit
32. Oven fresh Sourdough bread
33. Sangria made with premium fruit and juices
34. Sauerkraut
35. Acai Smoothie
36. Blue Foot Mushrooms
37. Vegan Cupcake from Babycakes nyc
38. Sweet Potatoes and Tempeh combo
39. Falafel
40. Spelt Crust Pizza
41. Salt and Pepper Oyster Mushrooms
42. Jicama Slaw
43. Pumpkin Edamame Ginger Dumplings (Kitchen Club NYC)
44. Hemp Milk
45. Rose Champagne
46. Fuyu
47. Raw Avocado-Coconut Soup
48. Tofu or Chik'n Pesto Sandwich
49. Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne fresh-pressed juice...with Extra Ginger
50. Grilled Seitan
51. Prickly pear
52. Fresh Pressed Almond Milk
53. Concord Grapes off the vine
54. Ramps
55. Coconut Water fresh from a young coconut
56. Organic Arugula
57. Vidalia Onion
58. Sampler of organic produce from Diamond Organics
59. Honeycrisp Apple
60. Poi
61. Vegan Campfire-toasted Smores
62. Grapeseed Oil
63. Farm fresh-picked Peach
64. Freshly-made pita bread with freshly-made hummus
65. Chestnut Snack Packs
66. Fresh Guava
67. Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
68. Mallomar from One Lucky Duck, nyc
69. Fried plantains
70. Mache
71. Golden Beets
72. Barrel-Fresh Pickles
73. Liquid Smoke
74. Meyer Lemon
75. Veggie Paella
76. Vegan Lasagna (raw optional)
77. Kombucha
78. Homemade Soy Milk
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Lychee Bellini
81. Tempeh Bacon
82. Sprouted Grain Bread
83. Lemon Pepper Tempeh
84. Vanilla Bean
85. Watercress
86. Carrot you pulled out of the ground yourself
87. Vegan In-Season Fruit Pie
88. Flowers
89. Corn Chowder
90. High Quality Vegan Raw Chocolate
91. Yellow fuzz-free Kiwi
92. White Flesh Grapefruit
93. harissa
94. Coconut Oil
95. Jackfruit
96. Homemade Risotto
97. Spirulina
98. Seedless 'Pixie' Tangerine
99. Gourmet Sorbet, not store bought
100. Fresh Plucked English Peas

Here it is! Foods for your Mood mini-series part one of four: calming foods and recipes.

"To be calm is the highest achievement of self" -my tea bag tag. I hope you had a zen, relaxed and utterly calm day. However, if you are like most people and felt frazzled, stressed, anxious and just plain tense, listen up! One way to zen out your mood is to use calming foods. So take a deep breath in, and out and in and out and check out this list of calming recipes to soothe your hectic mind and body. Check these out...

Yoga, check. Calming smoothie, check.

*Don't forget to check out the entire Foods for your Mood mini series schedule here.*

Foods for Your Mood: Part One, Calming.

1. Complete List of Calming Foods/Ingredients *it's a must click!*
This is my personal list of calming foods and ingredients. Each food includes a reason as to why I consider them "calming".

2. Calm Chamomile Banana Smoothie
Luscious vanilla, soothing chamomile flowers and a pile of sweet ripe bananas. Add a dash of warming cinnamon and a few scoops of soy yogurt and you have yourself a super-calming smoothie. I call it a "zen-blended".

3. Vegan Rice Pudding
Rice is part of the BRAT diet. You read number one already right? Well then you know that rice is packed with mood-lifting complex carbs and tummy soothing 'blandness'. OK, bland isn't the yummiest word, but this rice pudding recipe will indeed make your rice yummy!

4. Sweet Potato Stuffed Roasted Peppers
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite calming foods. Mashed up they are soft and soothing to eat, and they contain those serotonin-boosting complex carbs. This warm side dish would calm me down after a long stressful day.

5. Ginger Snap Smoothie Sipper
Ginger isn't necessarily a 'calming' food. But it is a great ingredient to use when your digestive system is feeling ultra sensitive, such as in times of stress-when you are NOT calm. Choose ginger to sooth any stress-induced nausea. Ginger is a simple way to aid your digestion. And this smoothie tastes like a gingersnap cookie...can't beat that.

6. Fluffy Coconut Rice with Tofu Pillows
Who wants pillows for dinner?! I do. Rice, part of the BRAT diet, and a light coconut rice dish make this a very calming entree. Easy to digest complex carbs with a hefty dose of protein from the soft tofu pillows. If I could eat this dish on a cloud I would, it would only seem natural...

7. Calm Tummy Banana Cashew Juice Smoothie
Cashew juice has been known to calm a tummy. And so have bananas. So why not stick them into a smooth sweet taste-bud blasting recipe? warning: may cause extreme calmness and tension reduction. Do not drink while driving. 🙂

8. Spelt Sweet Potato Biscuits
Complex carbs? Check! Sweet potatoes? Check! Spelt? Check! These biscuits have it all, including using spelt flour instead of traditional wheat flour. Spelt flour is easier for some people to digest because it contains less gluten than wheat.

9. Almond Butter Toast, Jean Georges Style
Toast and bananas are both part of that BRAT diet. So why not be like Jean Georges and eat them together in the morning. Jean Georges seems like a pretty calm guy, even though he has a hectic job being a Michelin starred chef and restaurant mogul..

10. Lemon Poppyseed Chamomile Tea Bread
Tea cake. Tea cake. Tea cake. The phrase 'tea cake' makes me think of calm thoughts like afternoons tea, relaxing in the 'sitting room' and enjoying a warm pot of chamomile on a dreary rainy London day. So I don't live in London, but I can still make and eat the perfect calming tea cake right? So can you.

11. Double Chocolate Chip Shake
Chocolate. In a shake. Times two. And it's vegan. Calmness: yes.

12. ONE Cashew Juice Slushee Sipper
Cashew Juice is said to calm the tummy. Thus why not slush it up into a cold slushee beverage? Divine for a cool calm-fest.

13. Papaya Bowl with Lime
Papaya contains papain, an enzyme that aids in digestion. Papaya is also super easy to digest. Eat this papaya bowl on its own and get yummy fruit nutrients that certainly won't stress you out.

14. Yogurt Fruit Parfait
This parfait uses pluots. I'd change it up to use bananas. Banana vanilla parfait. Total calm in a pretty layered parfait glass.

15. Triple "S" Risotto
Sweet potatoes, sage and rice help to craft this creamy gourmet rice dish. So creamy it will make you want to curl up by the fire, grab a cozy blanket and turn off all electronic devices for the evening. Zen out everyone.

Get your Calm on. The hypnotizing romantic scent of vanilla and dainty chamomile blossoms. Tangy sweet vanilla soy yogurt, a splash of organic whole-blossom chamomile tea, creamy blended raw cashews, a pile of sweet delicate bananas, a spoonful of pure maple syrup and a warming dash of cinnamon. Sounds delicately deliciously fabulous right? You're calmer just reading about it, so why not try tasting my amazing recipe for Calm Chamomile Banana Smoothie. It put me in a super zen mood, let it do the same for you...

Calming Effects. This smoothie has a plethora of calming ingredients including: chamomile tea and flower garnish, bananas, vanilla, yogurt, coconut water ice cubes, cinnamon, and soy milk. The chamomile really infuses this entire smoothie with a sweet soothing aroma, accented by warm cinnamon and luscious vanilla undertones. The key ingredient in this smoothie is the pile of bananas you will be using. Gentle on the tummy and sweet to your taste buds. Be sure and use ripe bananas. Organic ingredients always preferred. Here's the recipe....

Calm Chamomile Banana Smoothie
vegan, serves two

¼ cup deeply steeped whole-blossom chamomile tea
¼ cup soy milk
¼ cup raw cashews
2 frozen sliced organic bananas (small-medium sized)
1 raw ripe banana (small-medium sized)
6 ounces Vanilla Soy Yogurt
*I used the Whole Soy and Co. brand
1 cup ice (coconut water ice cubes preferred)
1 dash cinnamon
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Garnish: dried Chamomile flowers

To Make:

1. Steep chamomile tea for at least 2-5 minutes. Stick in the fridge to cool for ten minutes.

2. Add all ingredients to blender.

3. Blend until smooth.

4. Garnish with whole dried chamomile flowers from a cut open tea bag, or loose tea.

Inhale the sweet smell of chamomile, drink, sip, zen out.

Tip: When freezing bananas, always slice thin so that they blend easily.

To kick off the first installment of my "Foods for your Mood" mini-series, today celebrates calming foods and recipes. Throughout the day I'll be posting recipes that 'calm'.

"Nothing is so bitter that a calm mind cannot find comfort in it." -Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD)

Why Calm? We all get frazzled, nervous, anxious, stressed out and tense once in a while. Some more often than others. Stress can wreck havoc on your body. It can make your digestive system feel like it's competing in the gymnastics competition at the Olympics. Stress can cause poor digestion, nausea, lacking appetite, overeating or insomnia. One natural way to 'get calm' is to include a few calming foods in your diet. Ahead, find out just what a "calming" food is, see my list and get a few cool calming quotes...

What is a "Calming" Food? Great question. 'Calming' foods are easy to digest, contain calming nutrients that actually relax your nervous system or boost your mood in some way and/or are easy/pleasurable/calming to eat (think creamy and soft rather than crunchy and rigid).

BRAT Diet. Haven't heard of the BRAT diet? A little nutrition 101 for you:
"The BRAT diet consists of foods that are relatively bland and low in fiber. Low-fiber foods were recommended as it was thought that foods high in fiber cause gas and possibly worsen gastrointestinal upset. BRAT is the mnemonic acronym for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast, the staples of the diet. Extensions to the BRAT diet include BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, and Tea) and BRATTY (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Tea and Yogurt)." -Wikipedia

What to Avoid. Avoid foods that contain simple carbohydrates like sugar (go for complex carbohydrates), high fat content or caffeine. Keep in mind that even healthy foods like fruits and veggies that are very high in fiber (like a giant chopped salad) may not be good to eat when your digestive system is feeling ultra sensitive and tense.

Two Notable Calming Characteristics.

1) Calming complex carbohydrates. Carbs increase blood sugar, which may have a calming effect on the brain. "Calm people can have high blood sugar levels, and even sound-asleep folks can have high blood sugar. What induces that sense of calm from carbohydrates is their ability to produce the neurotransmitter serotonin, the one responsible for a relaxed, calm feeling. Eat complex carbs for longer lasting effects." -YourTotalHealth, iVillage.com In other words, choose complex carbs instead of simple sugar carbs so you won't get that "sugar high, then sugar crash and burn" effect.

2) Vitamin B6. "Vitamin B6 is needed to help manufacture serotonin. Eating foods high in B6 will ensure that you have the tools for calming foods to do their work." -iVillage.com.

So here is my list of Calming Foods, including a very brief reason as to why I find them 'calming'. A few of these foods will be featured in recipes later today.

Calming Foods List

1. Bananas
Bananas are part of the BRAT diet. They also contain Vitamin B6. They are easy to digest and have actually been shown to interact with the lining of your stomach to produce digestive-enhancing mucous, helping to protect your stomach against acid. Bananas are also high in potassium, an important electrolyte for a hydrated, happy (and calm) body. Chewing the creamy texture is also a soothing experience.

2. Rice
Part of the BRAT diet. Rice is a calming complex carbohydrate that is relatively easy to digest. Rice is low in fat and high in complex carbs. Contains healthy mood nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins like B6.

3. Warm Tea
Part of the BRAT diet. Tea is a bland clear beverage that is easy on your stomach and low or free of caffeine. It is warming to the stomach and can sometimes influence a calming mood: examples of super calming teas are chamomile and 'Sleepytime Tea". Add some warm soy milk for added nutrients. Adding milk is also a good idea for those who find clear tea too bitter to drink plain. Plain tea can actually make some people queezy, so know your own body.

4. Toast
Part of the BRAT diet. Toast is a dried out, cooked form of bread. Bread is a calming complex carbohydrate. Complex carbs have been shown to enhance a 'happy feeling' aka serotonin in your brain. Toast is light and easy to digest. For optimum nutrients choose a sprouted grain or whole grain toast. However, know how much fiber your body is able to accept in times of stress.

5. Yogurt
Probiotics in yogurt can assist your digestive system in feeling its best. Good or 'healthy' bacteria or 'flora' will combat the 'bad' bacteria and in times of stress, you'll want to have as many healthy bacteria on your side as possible! Yogurt is also a creamy, soothing food to eat.

6. Applesauce
Part of the BRAT diet. Easy to digest, will provide for a quick boost of fructose sugar (fruit sugar) that can boost your mood. Applesauce contains fiber, but since it is basically an 'apple smoothie' (pre-mashed apples) it won't cause digestive struggles, as a whole fresh apple might.

7. Chamomile
Chamomile is an herb, flower that has been shown to have a calming effect of the nervous system. Chamomile tea is the most common form of intake. High quality brands will contain whole flowers in the tea bags.

8. Mashed Potatoes
Calming complex carbohydrate. Choose sweet potatoes for optimal taste, nutrients and mood-enhancing benefits. More calming complex carbs per bite. The mashed texture is both easy and calming to eat. Contains B6.

9. Papaya
Papaya contains papain, a fruit enzyme shown to enhance digestion. Papaya is also a sweet fruit that is incredibly easy to digest.

10. Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is calming. Need more explanation, OK: "Chocolate contains a neurotransmitter known as anandamide that has the ability to alter dopamine levels in the brain, causing a sense of peace and relaxation. This neurotransmitter is also released by runners after jogging for long periods of time and is thought to play a role in the “runner’s high”. Chocolate is also rich in tryptophan, the precursor to the serotonin which appears to play a role in relieving stress and promoting a sense of calmness." -Kristie Leong M.D.

11. Raw Cashews
I stuck raw cashews on the list because the are a 'crunchy' food that makes me feel calm. Plus, nuts are incredibly nutritious and cashews are the 'softest/creamiest' of the nuts in my opinion. The smooth white texture, the bland yet savory-sweet taste. The creaminess that forms as you chew. Nuts contain a lot of good-for-you nutrients like copper, magnesium and even tryptophan. ¼ cup of raw cashews contains 22% your RDA of tryptophan." -WFoods Index. Bonus, cashew fruit juice from ONE beverages has also been said to cause a positive effect on nerves and digestion.

12. Spinach
Popeye always seemed incredibly calm even when he was rescuing Olive Oyl from the depths of danger. Oh and there is this too, "Spinach contains magnesium, a mineral with relaxing and calming effects. Green leafy vegetables are also high in folic acid, low levels of which have been linked to depression in several studies." -Documentary ABCNews, EgoD.

13. Vanilla Bean
Soothing, calming and relaxing. Vanilla has an intense smell that seeps into your bones and makes you feel good. A Real Estate agent friend of mine heats vanilla extract in the oven at her open houses because it makes the whole house smell like fresh baked cookies and calms the prospective buyers. And fyi, you can't beat using a whole vanilla bean in place of vanilla extract...

14. Ginger and Peppermint
Ginger is known to calm nausea and aide in digestion. Peppermint can also relax the digestive system. Both are warming and stimulating and thus should be used with care in times of stress.

15. Coconut Water
How could I leave out coconut water. Pure fresh young coconut water is natures 'sports beverage'. It provides for optimal hydration and cools you off from your core. Calm, cool and hydrated sounds like a calm state of body to me.

Stay tuned for Calming Recipes later today!

A few fun "Calm" Quotes:

"Great events make me quiet and calm; it is only trifles that irritate my nerves." -Queen Victoria, in a letter to King Leopold of Belgium, April 4, 1848

"Nothing is so bitter that a calm mind cannot find comfort in it." -Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD)

"Always behave like a duck - keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath." -Jacob Braude

"If you can attain repose and calm, believe that you have seized happiness." -Julie-Jeanne-Eleonore de Lespinasse, O Magazine, October 2002

"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm." -Willa Cather (1873 - 1947), The Song of the Lark, 1915

"How sweet and soothing is this hour of calm! I thank thee, night! for thou has chased away these horrid bodements which, amidst the throng, I could not dissipate; and with the blessing of thy benign and quiet influence now will I to my couch, although to rest is almost wronging such a night as this." -Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)

Vegan Cookie Recipe! Why? Because on Monday, a plate of vegan Mint UFO Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies just makes sense. And this recipe, veganized from a family heirloom recipe, is flipping amazing...

Great Aunt Bea's Chewy Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe is a variation from the one my amazing Great Aunt Bea taught my sister and I, when we were around 9 (me) and 12 (sis) years-old. I remember it was a dark and stormy night. (Cue loud thunder crack) A summer thunderstorm turned the sky dark gray and lightening was striking the desperate purple clouds. Screeching wind was knocking trees against the windows in every shadow-filled room. Luckily, Great Aunt Bea had a knockout recipe up her sleeve. And mint chocolate chips in her cupboard.

Veganize it! The original recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter, a bag of mint flavored chocolate chips, oatmeal, walnuts, flour, eggs, sugar, etc. Those cookies tasted really really divine. However not so healthy. I remember the sugar high and crash from eating those cookies. But the real star of the cookie wasn't the butter, eggs and sugar, but that mysteriously scrumptious combination of mint chocolate and oatmeal. The nutty chewy oatmeal texture accented the rich deep dark mint chocolate perfectly. The famous mint-oatmeal cookies are a family favorite to this day. And now, I've veganized the recipe and put a healthy spin on the ingredients...

Trader Joe's Mint UFO's. Have you seen TJ's new Mint Chocolate UFO's? They are quarter-sized disks of pure vegan mint chocolate. They are delicious on their own, but I knew that baked into a cookie, they'd be fantastic! I was right, check out this recipe...

Mint UFO Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
vegan, makes 15-20 cookies-depending on size

1 ⅓ cups Turbinado Raw Sugar (100% evaporated cane juice)
*365 Whole Foods brand was used
2 cups white organic non-bleached flour
1 ¼ cups whole grain oatmeal (thick cut, Irish or old fashioned will work)
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts, raw/unsalted
½ cup soy milk
½ cup canola oil
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
⅓ cup Mint UFO's, roughly chopped (to be folded in the batter)
Mint on Top: About 15-20 UFO disks (one for each cookie)
optional: 3 tablespoon flax seed meal. (Nutritionally enhances the recipe. Flavor is only minutely impacted.

To make:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, sugar, oatmeal, salt, baking soda, and flax seed meal (opt'l). Mix/sift well.

2. Stir in all the liquid ingredients: soy milk, canola oil, vanilla extract. If dough seems dry add in a bit more soy milk. Dough should seem a bit 'wet' since you still have to fold in a lot of add-ins.

3. Fold in the chocolate chips and mint chip chunks. Fold in the chopped walnuts. It's OK if the dough seems really 'chunky'. It might be a bit tricky to spoon onto your pan, but the taste will be well worth it!

4. Spoon Cookie dough onto a lightly sprayed cookie baking sheet or parchment paper lined sheet.

5. Dot each cookie with a mint UFO on top.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Cookies will continue to harden after they are removed from oven. Extra large cookies may need a few extra minutes.

7. Let cool for 20 minutes, eat warm and chewy for the best possible flavor. (Dark stormy night not included.)

Ingredient notes:
*You may adjust the amount of canola oil you prefer. Use more for a super decadent chewy-crispy cookie, use less for a lower calorie cakier cookie.
*You can easily substitute a vegan white sugar for the raw turbinado, however try and use half white and half of a 'brown colored' sugar. The brown raw sugar adds a caramelized flavor that white sugar simply cannot match.
*Add More: Honestly, I love a chunky chewy cookie, and if you want to go extreme on the chunkiness, add in a bit more oatmeal, a bit more walnuts and even a tad more sugar to balance out the added chunks. An additional pinch of salt would be a good idea too.

Does your child's school need a healthy lunch revolution? Well you're in luck because Whole Foods is sponsoring the Healthy School Lunch Video Contest featuring Chef Ann Cooper, "The Renegade Lunch Lady". The contest is all a part of their "School Lunch Revolution" campaign currently underway.

***Win a $50 Whole Foods Gift Card!: Email me, or post a link in the comments section of your entered video, and you'll be included in my Whole Foods soponsored drawing to receive a $50 WF Gift Card!***

Contest details and an example entry video, ahead...

Chef Ann has been making school lunch programs healthier across the U.S. for the past decade. And now she wants to come to your school.

Chef Ann Cooper, The Renegade Lunch Lady! Whole Foods Market is working to help her raise awareness of her mission, and to develop a free online resource, which will empower parents, schools and districts to make the change to healthy school lunches for our children. As part of the campaign you have the chance to bring Chef Ann to your school or district for your very own action plan to improve your lunch program. Just create and post a 1 minute video showing why your school is in need of a School Lunch Makeover, and submit the link to: [email protected]

Learn more about WF's School Lunch Revolution program at Whole Foods website, also check out the new thelunchbox.org website.

Example Video Entry:

Contest submissions must be received by October 8th.

You can learn more about Chef Ann and the Video contest at: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/schoollunchmakeover/

Full Contest Details:
Win a School Lunch Coaching Session with Chef Ann Cooper!
Wondering what you can do NOW to create REAL CHANGE for your school lunch program?
Here's your chance to get Chef Ann Cooper, a.k.a. the "Renegade Lunch Lady," to your home town! Ann has been making school lunch programs healthier across the US for the past decade. This is your chance to bring her to your school or district for your very own action plan to improve your lunch program. Find out more about Chef Ann and what she does at www.chefann.com.
* Make sure your video is 1 minute or less
* Upload your video to your YouTube account
* Send an email to [email protected] with your
o full name
o email
o phone number
o home address
o school or school district name
o a link to your video.

Get Series-ously excited! I can't wait for my month-long "Entertaining Appetizers" Series I'll be starting next month, just in time for the holiday season. But before we delve into the world of making healthy vegan whole foods look 'pretty' and 'appetizing' for our guests, I want to do a mini-series that focuses on one person: you!

Foods for your Mood. One of my favorite vintage foodie blog posts (circa Jan 2006) was by Sarma of PFW and One Lucky Duck. It was simply titled "Mood-there's a reason it rhymes with Food." It's a great read. Like Sarma, I also believe that food can have an overwhelming impact on not only your emotional mood, but the way your body feels and acts. It's as simple as listening to your body. Are you tired, jittery, sluggish, tense, clogged or frazzled? Only you know best what mood your body is craving, and the right foods are there to help you get there! The four 'moods' or 'body states' I'll be featuring are: calming, energizing, purifying and comforting. For example, my peach-papaya smoothie shown above is a perfect 'calming' recipe. Check out the post schedule for this end of September mini series starting next week!...

Foods for your Mood Mini-Series: Post Schedule

9/22/09 Calming Foods and Recipes
This menu of food ideas is one to choose when you are feeling jittery, nervous or just plain frazzled! Maybe your digestive system feels extra delicate and needs some TLC. Foods in this menu may include probiotics, whole food enzymes and some sweet selections that are easy to digest and will hopefully leave you feeling a bit calmer than the day before.

9/25/09 Energizing Foods and Recipes
This menu of food ideas is perfect to a Friday post because they are perfect for when you are craving energy and have some extra calories to burn! Maybe you are gearing up for a long energized Saturday in the sun, or perhaps you simply want to fuel up for a special event. These foods will perk up your spirit and give you a boost of energy that leaves you at the top of your game.

9/28/09 Purifying Foods and Recipes
It's Monday, you had a long crazy weekend and perhaps you didn't have time to take care of your body as much as you'd hoped. You feel sluggish, tired and simply clogged. This menu of foods (and wellness techniques) will kick start your body into a natural purification mode. Stimulate your body with simple pure ingredients that taste delicious! Since your body is already feeling a bit 'clogged' you'll want to start your day with plenty of purifying juices and tonics. Raw food is the key to this yummy menu.

9/30/09 Comforting Foods and Recipes
Fall is here, and comfort foods will be on the brain for the next few seasons. So why not kick start the season of 'winding things down' with a few delicious comfort style recipes and foods. Soups, muffins and comfort style recipes will be highlighted.

So don't miss this delicious "Foods for your Mood" mini-series.
And get super-excited for "Entertaining Appetizers": a perfect selection of healthy vegan, crowd-pleaser recipes, perfect for the holiday seasons ahead of us. The "EA" series schedule will be announce in the next few weeks!

A few weeks ago, I delved into the intriguing question: "If my soy beans are green, why is my soy milk white?" I described how soy milk is commonly made with mature beige-colored soy beans, thereby producing a white colored soy milk. Yet young green soy beans are commonly used as edamame and not made into milk. But I had to ask, is it possible to make soy milk out of green edamame soy beans? My curiosity got the best of me and I set out on an adventure to a) make 'white' soy milk from scratch for the very first time and b) attempt to make 'green' soy milk from edamame beans. Check out my soy milk experiment...

First, here are the general ingredients I used:

Homemade Soy Milk
vegan

1 cup soaked overnight, soy beans (dried)
*I simply heated the edamame, no soaking needed
2 cups purified water (you may need less, depending on your beans)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1-2 tablespoon maple syrup
optional: ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
*I'd suggest doubling or tripling this recipe for you batch of milk
*I've heard that adding a bit of fresh ginger can help the recipe too

Photo Recipe! For this experiment the photos are essential to understanding the 'homemade soy milk' process. It's not as easy as it sounds! (PS, my taste test review at bottom of page)

The first step in making your own soy milk is to transform those tiny hard bean balls into soft hydrated beans:


Soak the dried soy beans overnight. The small hard round balls will expand into soft bean shaped ovals:

First I blend the soaked soy beans with water:

Blended soybean/water mixture:

Blending soy beans:

Warm the soy milk mixture and spoon off foamy fiber/bubbles that form at the top:

Straining beans through a cheesecloth is a lot harder than it sounds:

Squeezing soybean mixture through a cheesecloth, however the cheesecloth didn't do a very good job, so I used a wire micro-strainer to finish the job:

White homemade soy milk, I added sea salt and maple syrup to flavor it:

Next I repeated the process with the green, cooked edamame beans:
Green soy milk in blender:

Duo of green and white soy milks:

Dry white soy beans and cooked green edamame soy beans and milk:

White traditional soy milk:

The rarely seen green edamame soy milk:

Taste Test Review:
White Soy Milk: YUM! Very pure tasting, milk, creamy, super fresh. Love it! If this wasn't so hard I'd do it more often. Maybe I should buy a soymilk machine...hmm.
Green Soy Milk: Interesting. Sweet. Almost too sweet. It tastes like liquid edamame. Not as good as I had hoped, but I'm still glad I tried it. Maybe ice-blended into an edamame smoothie it would taste divine actually....

Purchase these bags in the online Zazzle store for LBB

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! It's never too soon to start planning for the fun. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about your costume and how in the world your kids or yourself 🙂 can collect all those trick or treat goodies. (Vegan treats I hope, Ecorazzi has a good list).

Halloween 2009. Here are the 2009 Lunchbox Bunch Halloween Trick or Treat bags, on sale now at Zazzle. They are high quality canvas, Eco-friendly and oh so adorable. Many designs to choose from featuring Little Lost "Fairy" Grape, Smarty "Ghost" Tomato and a special 'holiday only' character Shy "Mummy" Peanut! Check out the Halloween Bag photos ahead...

Here are the Halloween-tastic bags! Collect them all and share them with your Halloween friends. These fun Lunchbox Bunch characters are a great costume idea too.

Purchase these bags in the online Zazzle store for LBB. Click on the bag title below for direct the product link:

LBB Character Trio Trick or Treat:

LBB Trio Happy Halloween:

Smarty "Ghost" Tomato Happy Halloween:

Smarty "Ghost" Tomato Trick or Treat:

Little "Fairy" Grape Trick or Treat:

Little Lost "Fairy" Grape Happy Halloween:

Shy "Mummy" Peanut, Happy Halloween:

Store Link Here.

The pie is gone. By now, you've already been drooling over Gone Pie Bakery's delicious Pumpkin and Walnut Brownies that I reviewed in part one of my two part Gone Pie Vegan Bakery series. Next up, organic pie and cheesecake!

Gone Pie? Once I tasted these pies, I finally understood what the bakery name "Gone Pie" means...find out ahead. Plus tons of "OMG-YUM" photos and my review of GP's Berry Cheesecake and Sweet Potato Pie. Warning: Photos may cause uncontrollable pie cravings...
What's in a Name? Gone Pie. At first I thought it might mean that you have 'gone pie' like you are crazy for this pie. Next I thought the owner might be a math fanatic. Pi? But no, my personal interpretation of "Gone Pie" is: once you taste this pie, in a few minutes it will be gone! Yup, Gone Pie pies really are gone before you know it.

Must share this description with you. Here is the gourmet description of the two pies I reviewed, as written by Gone Pie bakery owner Barbara:

"A pair of little change of season pies, using the last local berries of summer and the first local sweet potatoes of fall. The first pie is a summer ending blackberry/blueberry vegan cheesecake. The cheesecake is in a lightly spiced brazil nut crust, with a citrus infused filling and a topping of blueberries and blackberries. The second pie is an early autumn sweet potato pie. The crust is again the spiced brazil nut crust. The filling speaks for itself -- a sweet creamy blend of sweet potato and spices." -Barbara, Gone Pie Vegan Bakery
Here are my pie reviews...

My Review: Gone Pie Bakery,
Pies: Organic Berry Cheesecake and Organic Sweet Potato Pie

Shelf Appeal: Beautiful pies. The berries look fresh, moist and uniform, while the sweet potato is glossy, bright 'sweet potato orange' colored and visibly moist. The pie crusts are elegant and perfectly molded. These pies could easily get the silver platter treatment at a fancy dinner party of holiday gathering.

Label Check: Organic ingredients that are healthy and vegan. I actually ate the sweet potato pie for breakfast two mornings in a row because it tasted so delicious, yet I could tell it's packed with healthy sweet potato, protein-rich organic tofu and sweeteners like maple syrup and brown rice syrup. I am in love with the crust, which is made from organic barley flour as well as brazil nuts (one of my favorite nuts. Brazil nuts are incredibly versatile. And healthy. Brazil nut nutrition info here.)

Pie Ingredients:
ORGANIC SWEET POTATO PIE
CRUST: organic barley flour, organic oats, organic maple syrup, brazil nuts, canola oil, arrowroot, spices.
FILLING: organic sweet potato, organic tofu, organic rice/soy milk, organic brown rice syrup, organic maple syrup, arrowroot, spices, sea salt.
ORGANIC VEGAN CHEESECAKE
CRUST: organic barley flour, organic oats, organic maple syrup, brazil nuts, canola oil, arrowroot, spices.
FILLING: organic tofu, organic maple syrup, organic brown rice syrup, organic rice/soy milk, organic tahini, arrowroot, lemon/orange rind, vanilla, almond.
TOPPING: organic blueberries/blackberries, organic rice syrup, organic maple syrup, organic succanat, agar agar, arrowroot, vanilla.

Taste Test:
Organic Sweet Potato Pie: Silky, sweet, pure sweet potato flavor. Melts-in-your-mouth texture, while still keeping a nice shape. Probably from the tofu. Light enough for breakfast or as a tea-time treat, yet sweet enough as an after meal dessert. The crust compliments this pie perfectly. Nutty, crumbly, tender and dense. As a sweet potato fanatic, I have very high sweet potato standards. This pie exceeds those standards. The sweet potatoes would be proud.

Organic Berry Cheesecake: Wow, totally unexpected taste and texture, but I love it! I've tasted a good many vegan berry cheesecakes in my day. Most are either way too hard (they try to be a dense cheesecake texture) or way too soft (poor ingredient selection). But Gone Pie's cheesecake is just right. It's not trying to be something it's not. Super light airy texture, with a warm savory-sweet vanilla light-citrus flavor. I could easily eat this cheesecake at any hour of the day and feel great about it. The berry topping is magical. Why? Because it tastes like the best blueberry jam you ever tasted with a fresh blackberry harvest on top. I was pleasantly surprised by how moist and flavorful this cheesecake stayed even after a day of sitting half-eaten in my fridge. Calling it 'cheesecake' is almost an insult to this light, healthy yet decadent pie treat. I am dreaming of this same pie featuring different fruit toppings...strawberries, peaches, pomegranate, winter mandarins or even holiday season persimmons. Yum.

Price Check: The special order pies run around $40 per pie. 10-12 slices per pie. That's around $4 a slice. And sad to say, but Gone Pie only delivers its specialty pies locally, in the NYC area. If you are lucky enough to be within pie-delivery-range, I'd definitely put Gone Pie on your holiday baked goods list. Awesome option for those busy days when you know you won't have time to spend a few hours in your own kitchen baking organic vegan pies. (And don't forget, you don't have to live locally to try Gone Pie. They deliver a selection of baked goods like cookies and brownies via USPS.)

Last Word: Good luck finding a tastier organic vegan sweet potato pie folks, and there is nothing cheesy about this vegan cheesecake. It's simply a smile on a plate.

Gone Pie: www.gonepie.com
Follow them on twitter!

More must-see photos of these yummy pie treats:

There's a little cafe up the street from me that has a very quaint 'vegan section' on its baked goods shelf. And there are a few 'good' freshly baked vegan goodies in my Whole Foods Market around the corner. But when I find a bakery like Gone Pie that specializes in 100% vegan baked goods, gluten-free optional, I know I'm in for a real treat. (Pun intended).

Gone Pie Bakery 1 of 2. Here is my two-part series review for Gone Pie Bakery. First up, Brownies-two flavors! Walnut Spelt and Pumpkin Spice. Part two, will be Gone Pie pies. Dig in and check out my review for Gone Pie vegan brownies (warning: photos may cause uncontrollable drooling)...

Gone Pie. I recently discovered Gone Pie Vegan Bakery when I was a judge at Veggie Conquest. Gone Pie gave out vegan chocolate chip cookies to every attendee, and they were a huge hit. I knew I needed to know (and taste) more from this company. So I was thrilled when Gone Pie offered to let me review a selection of their vegan delights. And oh boy, I was promised Sweet Potato Pie. Yes!

My Review: Gone Pie Vegan Bakery Brownies (two flavors: Pumpkin Brownie, Walnut Spelt Brownie)

Shelf Appeal: What's not to love, they look delicious in their delivery containers. Moist, rich, decadent. The chocolate frosting is glossy and smooth. Enough of the shelf-appeal, these brownies need a taste test!

Label Check: 100% vegan. The brownies I tried today were made with whole grain barley flour and spelt flour. (Gone Pie rarely uses wheat flour, and never uses shortening). Very nice. I liked how I could add extra chocolate fudge frosting if wanted a more decadent bite.

Ingredients:
VEGAN BROWNIES - WALNUT/SPELT-organic spelt flour, organic agave syrup, dates, organic brown rice syrup, non-dairy/semi-sweet malt sweetened chocolate, chocolate liquor, canola oil,organic tahini, organic potato flour, organic cocoa powder, chickpea flour, spices, pero grain beverage, baking soda.
VEGAN BROWNIES - PUMPKIN BROWNIES -organic pumpkin, organic spelt flour, organic barley flour, organic rice milk, organic sugar, organic brown sugar, organic cocoa, organic applesauce, non-dairy/semi-sweet chocolate, chocolate liquor, canola oil, vanilla, spices, n/a baking powder, baking soda, sea salt.
RICH DARK FROSTING -organic rice and/or coconut milk, non-dairy/semi-sweet malt sweetened chocolate, organic maple syrup, chocolate liquor, organic rice syrup, non-dairy/unsweetened chocolate, organic non-dairy/unsweetened cocoa, arrowroot.

Taste Test:
Pumpkin Brownies: Amazing! Ooey gooey goodness meets a blend of sweet sophisticated flavors in these Pumpkin Spice Brownies. They are a less traditional brownie, very moist, cakey with an amazing flavor accent of warm fall spices. The rich chocolate and mild pumpkin flavors are pure and delicious. The chocolate frosting smoothly layered on top is the perfect creamy accent to this bite. One of these pumpkin spice brownies paired with my spicy soy chai tea latte in the morning...look out Starbucks bagel and latte, you've got some serious competition.

Walnut Spelt Brownies: At first glance they look exactly like a traditional walnut brownie that you might find at your local non-vegan bakery. But guess what--these are vegan! Wow and yum. Clean chocolate flavor with simple walnut pieces on top. The texture is delightfully hearty, yet still smooth. I can tell they are made with high quality ingredients-no sugary filers here. I appreciate the fact that these brownies taste decadent, but are not overloaded with oil. (Other vegan brownies I have tried often make the mistake of thinking they need gallons of oil to make up for the fact that they are 'vegan' brownies) But not these! Gone Pie's brownies taste warm and moist brownie, tons of not-too-sweet cocoa flavor. And knowing how much good stuff is in these brownies means they are guilt free!

Chocolate Fudge Frosting: Creamy, gooey, rich and smooth. Pure chocolate flavor. Not too sweet. As simple and perfect as vegan chocolate fudge can get.

Price Check: 6-9 large brownies for about $21. That's $2.30-$3.50 per brownie. I recently bought a vegan brownie at whole food for $3.95! And guess what, GP brownies are better. So the price is reasonable from my experience. Better (healthier) vegan ingredients cost more folks, you get what you pay for.

Final Word: If you are a brownie lover, you must try these. 100% vegan, 100% yummy and 100% guilt-free.

Shipping? Yes, the ship USPS, so you can actually try them for yourself! More info on their website.

Gone Pie website: www.gonepie.com
Twitter: @GonePie

(Don't miss part two: Gone Pie Pies, up next)

You MUST check out more of my yummy Gone Pie brownie photos:

Pumpkin Brownies:

Walnut Brownies:

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

I normally like to reserve my blog for happy and healthy subjects, but once in a while I can't resist. This is one of those times. Read this post, then tell HGTV to drop Ortho Mice Killer commercials from their shows. Animal cruelty sponsors make me "booo" out loud (and change the channel). The consumer review I read right on the product website horrified me. Please read if you are an animal lover like me...

Tell HGTV to Drop Ortho Mice Killer Commercial.

Tell HGTV to Pull this commercial! These products represent and entire industry. I don't like thinking about it, but I get it. (Especially living in NYC.) But I have a huge problem with the fact that furry fuzzy mammals get thrown into the category of pest. It boggles my mind that many people keep these creatures as pets, while many of them are simply thought of as disposable pests.

HGTV Commercial. I was watching HGTV last night and saw a commercial for Ortho's new Home Defense MAX Kill and Contain Mousetrap. They call it the "clean" way to eliminate and kill mice. It has a "no see feature" and the commercial shows how you can easily drop the dead mouse in your trash can without ever seeing it. To me, it's such a perfect metaphor for how our society treats animals. No one wants to take responsibility or see the truth and consequences behind their actions. People will easily kill pests or eat animals only if they don't have to see the truth and reality about how that happens. (Sorry if I'm getting too dramatic, but animal cruelty is a subject I am passionate about.)

First, watch the video "commercial" online here. This isn't the exact commercial as I saw on TV, but both are selling the same inhumane product.

But the commercial isn't even the worst part. I felt compelled to post this consumer review I read on the main page of Ortho's product web page:

Consumer Review:
"We were hoping to make it quick and painless for them. After waiting an hour and going back out to check the traps, I noticed that one was tripped. Upon kneeling down to pick up the trap, I saw a tail moving
around on the inside and could hear little mouse cries for help. Not
sure of what to do at this points we decided that maybe he is just
stuck so we would let him go. As we lowered the trap lever, the back
end of his little body was sticking out of the opening. So we pulled
him out slowly by the tail and placed him on the ground only to see
that the trap had broken his back two legs. He tried crawling away with
all his might with just his two front legs. The poor thing probably has
some sort of internal injury as well." -notafan, consumer review on Ortho's website

A Humane Mousetrap: The Mouse Depot, allows the mouse to check in, but not "check out" ALIVE until you let it. http://www.themousedepot.com/

Best way to contact HGTV: tweet them an @reply of this post. HGTV Twitter: @HGTVofficial

Or you can contact HGTV on their site. (it's just a contact form though)
You can even copy and paste the letter that I sent them:

"Dear HGTV,
I was horrified by the commercial I saw on your channel last night for Ortho MAX Kill and Capture Mousetrap.
Please remove this sponsor commercial-it is inhumane and the consumer reviews online show that the product hurts the mouse and may not even kill them. There are much greener ways of 'pest control' such as humane mousetraps that DO NOT KILL the mouse. (And there were more negative review similar to this one:
""We were hoping to make it quick and painless for them. After waiting an
hour and going back out to check the traps, I noticed that one was
tripped. Upon kneeling down to pick up the trap, I saw a tail moving
around on the inside and could hear little mouse cries for help. Not
sure of what to do at this points we decided that maybe he is just
stuck so we would let him go. As we lowered the trap lever, the back
end of his little body was sticking out of the opening. So we pulled
him out slowly by the tail and placed him on the ground only to see
that the trap had broken his back two legs. He tried crawling away with
all his might with just his two front legs. The poor thing probably has
some sort of internal injury as well." -notafan, consumer review on Ortho's website
Sincerely, HGTV fan,
your name"

Thanks for listening. Boo mice killers.

Back to basics: When was the last time you truly tasted your food? Are your taste buds highly sensitive or are flavors dull, weak and muddy? Would you even know the difference? Your palate should feel clean and pure, ready to taste every layer of food that tickles your tongue.

Enter Marilu. I want to share with you one of my favorite passages from Marilu Henner's best-selling book Total Health Makeover. I read THM about ten years ago and fell in love with it. It's packed with healthy ideas and lessons. Including this one...

Marilu's Apple Experiment. Modern day foods can easily distort your taste buds. So I love to use Marilu's apple experiment to bring me back to center. I think of this exercise whenever my diet or palate is feeling a tad off-balance. It is also the core theory of how I like to remind myself how humans are supposed to eat. So grab an organic apple and check out Marilu's apple experiment. And more on why you should try it...

Reset Your Palate. Everyone needs to stop and 'reset' their palate once in a while. Modern day foods can put some serious wear and tear on your palate and take your taste buds on a wild ride. The culprits: salt, sugar, chemicals, alcohol, dairy, food additives and overly processed foods. You can either cut out (or down) on these havoc-wreckers, or deal with the aftermath accordingly, by giving your palate a breather to re-focus on true, pure taste. A confused palate can make it difficult for your body to recognize your true food cravings for things like water, electrolytes, carbohydrates, vitamins, fiber, healthy fats or protein. Irrational moody food cravings for sugary, processed, super salty or high-fat/calorie foods may arise. No fear, there is an easy way to re-center your palate and your "how do I eat?" mindset.

Here is the passage, as written in Marilu's Total Health Makeover book, page 27 (and in her THM 30 Day Diet book, pg 34):

"Changing Your Palate."
"As I worked toward centering my diet and simplifying my food choices, I went on a kick of not only trying to taste the food I was eating, but also trying to dissect each and every aspect of it. If I ate an apple, I wanted to savor the taste of the meat, the skin, the core and the juice individually. (In fact, I even ate the seeds, which are full of vitamins!) Together, these were the elements that made an apple taste like an apple. I wanted to know the difference in the flavors of each element. This experiment proved helpful in teaching me the principle of changing my palate, or reprogramming my taste buds."-MH

She follows up later by asking: "Do you really taste your food? When was the last time you actually tasted the simple grain flavors in a piece of bread?" -Marilu Henner

Try it! Grab an apple and the next time your palate is clear (don't do this after a big meal), eat the apple from skin to flesh to seeds and core. Taste it all and chew your food. You will be reminded of the simple flavors of food, and how a simple piece of fruit or veggies can be all you need to satisfy your hunger. You don't need to add salt, sugar, fat or other intense flavors to taste whole foods fresh from nature.

Want to take it a step farther? Try this same exercise with a cup of baby spinach. It's amazing the satisfaction you will get from eating raw spinach. You'll pick up a sweetness in the juices, a saltiness in the tender leaves and a bit of savoriness as well. Be like Marilu (and me) and try this with a few different fruits and veggies. When was the last time you ate one food on its own? (No dressings, dips are sprinkles.) It's an awesome experiment that will re-awaken your palate and hopefully remind you of how humans are supposed to eat.

Thanks to Marilu for being such a powerful advocate for healthy kids, a vegan diet and animal welfare. Marilu was the person who inspired me to go vegan. She rocks...

Simplicity is the blissful answer. Even in food.

Read my Veggie Girl Power with Marilu Henner Here!

Visit Marilu's website to learn more about her.
You can purchase any on Marilu's fabulous books online:


Book passage can be viewed online: Google Books.

Dull Palate:

Awake, Clean Palate:

I like this one too:

Last night I was lucky enough to be at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. Needless to say, it was awesome. I was in the standing-room only "fan pit" up front. Because, yes I like to have a little fun here in New York City.

Razzle Dazzle Me. When I woke up this morning I was up, but not awake. Ten hours of excitement and dancing in heels will do that to a girl! I've gotten into a habit of turning to fresh/strong juices and smoothies to get me going in the morning, rather than chugging three soy lattes like I did back in college. Caffeine can only take you so far. Perk you Up ingredients take me all the way to "ready for anything" mode. This morning I made an amazing Razzle Dazzle Me Smoothie that brought me back to life. You've got to try this delicious recipe. I'll also tell you my Top Ten favorite "fan pit" VMA moments from last night. A few pics too. Check it out...

First the recipe, then my VMA Top Ten...

Razzle Dazzle Ingredients. This smoothie is awesome! The dash of cayenne gives it a spicy accent that intensifies the flavors of all the rest of the ingredients which include: sweet-tart raspberries, antioxidant-rich wild blueberries, tangy apple cider vinegar, smooth soy milk, sweet acai juice, nutty flax seed meal and of course icy coconut water ice cubes.

Razzle Dazzle Me Smoothie
vegan, makes 2 servings

12 ounces Acai Juice
*original or superfood green blend
6 ounces soy milk
1 tablespoon soy creamer
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1 banana (frozen pref'd)
½ cup frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon Trader Joe's Blueberry Flax Seed Meal
1 cup ice cubes (coconut water ice cubes pref'd)
1 tablespoon Macro Greens powder
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1-3 dashes cayenne powder

Directions: Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth! If you need any PRO smoothie tips: see them here!

My Top Ten VMA 2009 Moments-From the Pit
1. Madonna.
2. Boo-ing Kanye after his mean gesture to Taylor. Then cheering for Taylor and Beyonce (after Beyonce's kind gesture).
State of Mind. Jay-Z and Alicia Key closing the show with Empire State of Mind.
4. Janet "dancing" with Michael "on screen".
5. Dancing on stage with Green Day.
6. Falling down in laughter as I tried to safely jump off the stage in heels, post Green Day.
7. Lady GaGa's many outfits and creepy-cool Paparazzi performance.
8. Pink's High Flying act.
9. Muse's LIVE on Broadway.
10. MJ tribute (dancers, music, lots of love)

"New York, Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, Theres nothing you can’t do, Now you’re in New York, These streets will make you feel brand new, The lights will inspire you, Lets here it for New York, New York, New York" -Empire State of Mind Jay-Z/AKeys

Cell Photos, because 'no cameras allowed':
Me in the"Pit":

Inside Radio City Music Hall:

I love good questions. I've found that kids ask the best questions, like "why is a tomato red?" "Why doesn't my cat cry?" or "why is a lemon sour?" But my favorite adults are those who have never stopped asking simple good questions.

Ask Kathy. To kick off my new "Ask Kathy" feature, I'd like to answer a question I received from Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian. Melissa followed up her email to me by asking a very simple, yet incredibly good question that I actually do not get asked that often:

Why vegan? Why not just vegetarian?

It is a fabulous question. Check out my answer...

The question as it was posed to me:

"Can you tell me the issue behind animal products that don't hurt the animal (unfertilized eggs, milk, etc). In other words, why vegan and not vegetarian?" -Melissa d'Arabian

Great question.

Why vegan, not vegetarian?
My Answer: My 'short answer' to the somewhat complicated question, "Why Vegan? Why Not Just Vegetarian?" is this: Honestly, it all starts with animals for me. I've had an intense love of animals since I was a child and after a lot of research into factory farming, I simply decided that any 'animal product' wasn't for me. And I've found nutritionally that I don't need animal products in my diet. I get all the protein, nutrients (and flavor) I need from fruit, veg, grains, legumes, etc. I know many vegans who choose this lifestyle for other reasons such as food allergies, health restrictions or simply because it makes them feel fabulous to eat vegan.

A side note, I understand that mainstream society still does not look up to 'vegans'. And to those people who still eat meat and other animal products, I simply encourage you to explore vegan foods and ways of cooking. I guarantee you will be delighted about many of the new recipes and foods you try. And when you do choose meat, I beg of you to look into choosing only grass-fed organic options. I did a post on this here.

I respect every persons diet and lifestyle, just as I wish for others to respect my diet and lifestyle. Never stop being curious and open-minded about foods and diets that may seem unfamiliar to you. Education and learning is my favorite form of PR for vegan living. (And feeding my friends and family delicious vegan recipes never hurts either)

More questions and answers: Have you read the Healthy. Happy. Life. FAQ's? Lots of info there.

Ask Kathy! If you have a good question, let me know. Email me (click the envelope icon in my blog navigation bar at top).

It's always a pleasure to read an email from a blog reader about how my recipes and posts have inspired them to embrace a healthier lifestyle. But the other night when I received a personal email from Next Food Network Star winner Melissa d'Arabian, I was beside myself with glee. Melissa is currently the host of Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners, which was just renewed for a second season. Melissa had read my blog post featuring my vegan interpretation of the Potato Torte recipe she featured on her premiere episode of Ten Dollar Dinners. I've been an avid watcher of Melissa's show since it began. I also blogged each episode of NFNS. I predicted she would win from episode one!

Melissa is Awesome. The fact that she took the time out of her busy schedule to write me was truly thoughtful. And there were a few things she told me that I was giddy (and frankly surprised) to read, including her Farmers Market inspiration. Melissa said:

"I just moved to the Seattle area, and have been inspired by the amazing farmer's markets here. And, I've been exploring some vegan cooking actually...working on a few recipes as we speak."

Exciting! Check out more of what Melissa had to tell me...

Besides being inspired by Farmer's Markets, Melissa also says she is enjoying exploring the many diverse cookbooks that were sent her way once she won The Next Food Network Star show. And one of the avenues she has been exploring ambitiously is vegetarian cooking! Fabulous. What sparked this curiosity? Of all things: PETA. Melissa said:

"PETA sent me a bunch of cookbooks and a heartfelt letter asking me to consider more vegetarian meals. I decided to educate myself more on the subject, and thus my experiment has been launched."

Bravo PETA. Honestly, sometimes I think PETA can be a bit extreme in its PR efforts, and almost be counterproductive in advancing the acceptance of a "vegan lifestyle". But hooray to PETA on this one. I'm so glad that PETA has opened a productive dialogue with such an influential new celeb-chef like Melissa. And I'm thrilled to see that Melissa is so open minded. Melissa also said:

"Ten Dollar Dinners was just renewed for a second season, so I'm excited about having some interesting new ideas to add to the mix."

"I make my crusts with half whole grain flour, but have never used spelt....I'll have to give it a try."

My Response on ingredients to try: I told her she must try spelt flour. As many vegan and gluten-sensitive bakers know-it is fabulous and quite high in nutrients. Other awesome vegan baking ingredients are in this post: 5 secret vegan ingredients. (Maybe Babycakes NYC should send her some of their spelt flour doughnuts. yum!) I also told her she should try Vegenaise and Follow Your Heart vegan cheese. And I certainly hope she has experimented with coconut water, a busy woman and mom like her needs to stay fully hydrated, right!? I also told her that I loved her applesauce granita idea. So simple, yet delicious and healthy. However, I didn't tell her my own NFNS audition tale, maybe she can read it herself if she needs a good escape at the end of one of her long, busy (but glorious) days.

This lady is for Real. Every first impression of creativity, grace, charm, kindness, intelligence and character I got from watching Melissa on TV seems to be absolutely true. This lady is for real! The sky is the limit for her. I can't wait to see what her curiosity and talent brings to her show Ten Dollar Dinners, next season! Be sure to watch (or DVR it) with me on Food Network. You can even become a fan of Melissa's on Facebook. She updates her status regularly with recipes, life and family quips, and updates about her new dream job on Food Network.

Food Network, Melissa d'Arabian

Permissions: In case you are wondering, I did indeed ask for permission from Melissa first before posting her quotes, she graciously allowed me to do so.

The Farmer's Market, Union Square NYC always inspires me (more of my FM photos here):

My Sweet Potato Torte veganized version of Melissa's recipe:

It's been many years since I've indulged in a rice crispy treat, until now! With my discovery of Dandies Air-Puffed Vegan Marshmallows, I was free to experiment with a new recipe. My end result: "Just Dandy" Rice Crispy Treats. They are vegan and gluten free. And you won't believe how delicious they taste. Here's my recipe...

"Just Dandy" Rice Crispy Treats
vegan, gluten free, makes 12-15 squares

5 ½ cups crispy brown rice cereal
*I used Erewhon brand cereal
2 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
2 tablespoon Almond Butter (salted, creamy)
1 bag Dandies Vegan Marshmallows (about 3 heaping cups)
½ teaspoon salt
optional: chocolate chips and/or almonds

Directions:

1. Place buttery spread and almond butter in a sauce pan on med-high. Melt.

2. Add Dandies marshmallows. Stir constantly until marshmallows are about half melted.

3. Reduce heat and add crispy rice cereal. Fold it into heated mixture until cereal is well coated and becomes thick.

4. Transfer mixture into a greased casserole dish. Pat down firmly until flat.

5. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Add chocolate chips or almonds to top if you'd like.

6. Stick in the fridge until hard, usually about 1-2 hours. Slice into squares!

Wrap in plastic and store in fridge.

Dandies Vegan Marshmallows are in the building! I adore Sweet and Sara vegan marshmallows, the ones I used in my vegan smores recipe, but there's a new marshmallow on the vegan shelf. And can you really ever have too many vegan marshmallow options?

Whole Foods Find! When I spotted Dandies Vegan Marshmallows at my neighborhood Whole Foods Market this week, I nearly had an embarrassing grocery store moment in which I shrieked out-loud in glee. Luckily I held back, grabbed a bag, and moved on. Until I got home, ripped open the bag, and began my Chicago Soy Dairy Dandies taste test...

Product Review: Dandies Vegan Marshmallows

Shelf Appeal: Packaged in a nice clear pouch. I like that I can pick up the bag, squeeze it a 'tad' and realize how squishy and soft these marshmallows are. So much softer than even those 'kosher' marshmallows I have seen at Whole Foods (those aren't even vegan). Cute little smiling marshmallow on front. Perfect packaging I should think!

Label Check: Ingredients- corn syrup, vegan beet sugar, corn starch, corn dextrose, water, carrageenan, soy protein, natural vanilla flavor, titanium dioxide (natural mineral), salt. The calories: 90 calories in a 28 gram serving. Ten servings per bag. Thus, don't eat the whole bag folks, that would be 900 calories of pure sugar. 🙂 Basically, the same caloriage as traditional marshmallows, but with NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS! Aka, ground up animal bones, aka gelatin, an ingredient in traditional marshmallows.

Taste Test: OMG. These can't be vegan! Are they really? They taste like fresh vanilla. Texture: fluffy air-puffed marshmallow. I'd love to try them in an even bigger size. Jumbo Dandies please? My vegan hot chocolate will never be the same. Sweet, melt in your mouth. Vanilla flavor is pure, mild and authentic. Squishier than the Sweet and Sara brand-a lot 'lighter'. Although similar sweet, natural taste. (And I mean 'natural' in a good way!) Love these little guys!

Price Check: OK, here's the rub. I paid $6.99 per bag. Not exactly cheap. I won't be buying these routinely, but for a vegan smores or rice crispy treat craving, these will be in! And they are actually the same price as the other vegan marshmallow brand Sweet and Sara. Both brands are delicious, and unfortunately-expensive.

Last Word: Hot chocolate, rice crispy treats, smores oh my! And they say vegans don't have any foodie fun...!

Read more at: http://www.dandiescandies.com/

More Yummy vegan marshmallow photos below...

The other night I heard someone make a joke about all the "California Natives" who say that they can't get any "authentic" or "good" Mexican food in New York City, because they've been spoiled by the plethorous amounts of it in California. I'll confess! I've said this same statement many times. But with awesome Mexican joints like Cafe El Portal in Nolita, La Esquina in SoHo and Dos Caminos near Union Square, I have to admit I've been satisfied in this town. But the one thing that never seems to live up to my California Mexican food memories is the rice.

Tomato Mexican Rice. I have an obsession with 'authentic' rojo rice. The kind that is orange colored, super fluffy and comes with a side of those kinda-watery vegetarian pinto refried beans. Tastes like a Baja sunrise and a salty California sea breeze. So since my quest for Cali rice has failed me thus far, I have begun crafting my own rice recipes. My recipe for Cali Tomato Mexican Rice is actually nothing like the California Mexican style rice I crave, but I love it anyways. It's got a dense tomato texture, and it clumps together in almost a sticky rice way. Perfect as a side or main dish. And yes, there is a secret ingredient...

Secret Ingredient? Tomato Paste. I use the whole freaking can of it! Super creamy texture and adds quite the tomato flavor boost.

Is MSG Bad?A blog reader recently told me to try Goya's Sazon in my Mexican rice. I bought some, took it home and THEN read the ingredients. Ingredient number one: MSG! Oh no, chemicals, yucky! Disgusted, I decided to read up on the 'famed to be horrible' food additive. To my surprise, the solid research on why MSG is bad is a bit sketchier than I had imagined. However, it is a food additive, aka chemical. And I am an all natural kind of girl. So here's my chemical free rice recipe. Stay away from that MSG stuff, and more importantly: read those labels!

Cali Tomato Mexican Rice
vegan, makes a big bowl of rice

2 cups of water
1 package Mexican or Spanish Rice Pack
*I used Near East brand OR 2 cups of your own blend of rice/spices
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup black olives
1 tablespoon jalapeno, diced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 small tomato, diced
¼ cup sweet corn
2 tablespoon vegan buttery spread (or more olive oil)
1 can tomato paste
1 teaspoon black pepper
*seed left on will create a spicier rice
¼ cup cilantro or parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups additional cooked plain Jasmine or white rice
*I used an easy microwavable pouch from Trader Joe's

Directions:

1. Saute onion, tomato, corn, jalapeno and olives in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt.

2. Add water, dry rice and seasonings. Add additional 2 tablespoon of oil or 'butter'. Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat, let simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Fluff rice with fork. Turn heat up to medium-high.

5. Fold in additional 2 cups of white rice (cooked)

6. Fold in tomato paste, cilantro and black pepper. Note, you can use less tomato paste if you want a milder tomato flavor.

7. Let cook uncovered for 5 minutes, fluffing every so often. Allow a bit of the rice to 'toast' on the bottom like a paella rice.

8. When rice is steamy hot and well fluffed, transfer to large serving bowl. Top with a nice handful of fresh chopped cilantro.

Serve hot! Also tastes great microwaved or re-heated the next day for leftovers.

Optional: fold in a cup of vegan Monterey Jack cheese.

Thanks to Hannah, an employee at Le Pain Quotidien, we now have an official list of vegan and vegetarian items at this fabulous Belgium style bakery and cafe. Though most the items she lists are not vegan, it's still nice to have an official confirm!

She even weighs in on the Banana Fig Muffin controversy, and sends her condolences regarding the loss of the famed beloved Green Tea Muffin. Check this out!...

Dietary Restrictions? Will Travel. Thanks to my newest favorite Le Pain employee, Hannah, I now have this official list. Here's what Hannah commented recently on one of my Le Pain posts:

"Hey all. I actually work at Le Pain - the newest store in Manhattan NY by the United Nations. Sorry for your loss (the green tea muffin). I'm personally sorry that many of you have experienced occasions of a few employees goofing up on info. I have to say, despite my better pastry knowledge, its not easy for any of us remembering what is/is not vegan, gluten free, wheat free, and other such dietary trivia - or even to be asked on the spot. To make it all easier for you, here is a run down of our menu items to study and cherish for yourselves.

APPLE CINNAMON MUFFIN: low fat, contains wheat, is NOT vegan but OK for some vegetarians.

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN: contains wheat, is vegan.

BANANA FIG MUFFIN: NOT VEGAN!! Contains wheat.

ALMOND MERINGUE: wheat free, is NOT vegan but OK for some vegetarians

ALMOND POUND CAKE: is NOT vegan but OK for some vegetarians

APPLE/PEAR T'OVR: Is NOT vegan but OFVTEE.

BROWNIE (my fav!): is NOT vegan but OFVTEE.

WAFFLE: contains wheat, is NOT vegan but OFVTEE.

BRIOCHE: is NOT vegan but OFVTEE.

CHOC. CHP. COOKIE: is HUGE but NOT Vegan. ok for some vegetarians

CROISSANT/PAIN AU CHOC./CHZ ALMD DANISH/CHOC. MOUSSE CAKE/MINI MOUSSE DUO/COCONUT MACAROON: is NOT vegan but ok for some vegetarians

COUQUE SUISSE: is NOT Vegan, is OK for some vegetarians. may contain almonds of peanuts - for those who are allergic.

GRANOLA BAR: is NOT vegan but OK for some vegetarians

MADELINE: is NOT vegan but OK for some vegetarians.

SAVORY CHEESE MUFFIN: (not avail. at all locations) is NOT vegan but OK for some vegetarians.

TARTS: NOT vegan. all tarts contain nuts EXCEPT the raspberry tart... wouldn't take the risk any way though.

that's all. i would do the breads but you should all know that already.

There are a few restaurants in New York City where from the moment you step inside, you feel as though you have just discovered a tiny, hidden, sparkling gem, and you say to yourself, "so this is where the cool people hang out." Dirt Candy, an east village vegetarian (vegan-friendly) eatery is one of those unique places. I dined there a few months back and have been raving about it ever since. I suggest you bring your non-veg friends, they'll never look at 'vegetarian dining' the same way again. It's palate-changing. Read my full Dirt Candy review here.

Vegetarian Rising Star Chef Award: Chef Amanda Cohen. The headline reads: Dirt Candy The First New York Vegetarian Restaurant To Win Starchefs.com Prize! Awesome. Dirt Candy's founder and executive Chef, Amanda Cohen, is the winner of the StarChefs Sustainability Award. Amanda and other rising stars from restaurants like Morimoto and Blue Hill, will be honored at the StarChefs Rising Stars Revue ceremony on September 22nd 2009 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in NYC. And that's not all, Bon Appetit named her one of the top 10 “Modern Vegetarian” restaurants in the country. Congrats Amanda! With creative menu items like Kimchi Watermelon Radish Donuts, Asparagus Paella and Popcorn Pudding, no wonder she is making waves in the foodie world. More...

Want to attend the StarChefs Awards Gala at the Mandarin? Tickets here.

Here is more official info on this news:

Dirt Candy The First New York Vegetarian Restaurant To Win Starchefs.com Prize: Chef Amanda Cohen is the first New York based vegetarian chef to win the coveted “Rising Star” award from Starchefs.com. With input from food media, past winners, and an illustrious advisory board, the premier culinary website Starchefs.com assembles a list of nominees from among the many thousands of talented New York chefs.

About Dirt Candy: Open less than a year, Cohen’s east village eatery has won popular and media praise from the blogoshere to local and national media. (Bon Appetit listed Dirt Candy as one of the top 10 “Modern Vegetarian” restaurants in the country, and the New York Daily news review named it the best new vegetarian restaurant in New York .) Now, with the Rising Star award, Cohen has added industry recognition of her culinary talent. Amanda notes that, “It’s really exciting to see vegetarian restaurants around the country getting recognized and appreciated, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

www.dirtcandynyc.com

Dirt Candy, 430 E. 9th St (Between Ave A & 1st ), (212) 228-7732

There is an easy way to cook gourmet meals, without breaking your budget or going to culinary school. You're foodie chops, will be in-step with the world's top chefs. Find out my fool-proof secret to cook gourmet, and I'll even give you a jump start list to help you impress your guests. Here's one of my tricks to get inspired...Chefs hat not included...

In-laws visiting? Celebrating a special birthday or anniversary? So this time you want to cook a gourmet meal, "Martha Stewart" "Tom Colicchio" or "Ina Garten" style by dining in and playing host or hostess. Sounds great right? But your everyday menus need to be jazzed up a bit to impress those with 'fancy palates' at your table. Including that worldly aunt of yours who is always bragging about her lunches at Per Se in New York or her dinner at The French Laundry in Napa.

What's the Secret to Cook Gourmet? Foodie trends and seasonal ingredients! You don't need expensive caviar, white truffles, Valrhona cacao or a 2000 Bordeaux wine to cook gourmet. Most of the 'key ingredients' I'll list are wallet-friendly. Example: who knew almonds were a current on-menu gourmet trend? Almonds are budget friendly indeed.

The world's top chefs use produce and flavors that are in season or just plain 'trendy' to accessorize their pricey menus. Simple ingredients including herbs, spices, fruits and veggies turn into gourmet spotlights on the menu. Pair the key ingredients with anything from tofu to pasta, and you will turn your 'everyday menu' into a gourmet meal. (And just like in the fashion industry, the foodie/chef trends change every season, so the inspiration is never-ending.)

Trendy, Seasonal Ingredients. Figuring out the trendiest, hippest, most seasonably tasty ingredients is as easy as this: peruse the pricey tasting menus of your favorite Michelin star restaurant. It's kinda like in the fashion industry, when J.Crew borrows a trendy new color or style from a Prada design.

Last season I posted this article featuring a list of the trendy seasonings and vegetables being used on the tasting menus of the world's best restaurants. This was the overall list of top ingredient trends: Roasted Figs, Creamy Parsnips, Tamarind, Watercress, Kumquats, Candied anything, Poppy Seeds, Earl Grey Tea Desserts, Sunchokes, Exotic Peppercorns (Green and Pink), Retro Soda flavored sorbet, Flavored Caramel, Cauliflower, Pomegranate, Lime-Salt, Exotic Grains (beluga lentils, couscous and quinoa)

But that was LAST SEASON, so I've done it again!
Here's what I found is trendy in the gourmet restaurant scene right now:

Top Trends on Top Menus Now:
Purple Foods (Purple potatoes, purple basil, purple mustard)
Sour or tart cherries
preserved lemon
bean cakes, (ex. chickpea falafel)
exotic peppers and chilies
roasted (anything)
almonds (curried, toasted)
bitter or wilted greens (ex. wilted arugula)
pumpkin
pickled foods (ex. pickled onions, watermelon rind)
radish (spicy, thinly shaved)
infused herb oils (ex. dill oil)
avocado
tapioca pearls
classic herbs: rosemary and thyme
savory-spiced desserts (ex. black pepper ice cream)
mint
ginger
exotic mushrooms (ex. woodear)
*do exotic mushrooms ever go out of style though???

Specific Menu Ingredients featured on a few Top Restaurants:

Daniel, NYC:
fresh almond
bing cherry
purple mustard
radish, shaved
dill oil
purple potato chips
rosemary-vegetable relish
ovoli mushrooms
figs
falafel
minted zucchini
sweet garlic
saffron rice
wilted arugula
chickpea falafel
roasted plum
poblano pepper

Gordon Ramsey at The London
pumpkin
candied cranberries
gingerbread desserts
black figs
candied ginger

Tom's Tuesday Dinner at Craft Restaurant:
lemon thyme
exotic chilies
sour cherries
black pepper desserts
mint
fruit chutneys
bitter greens

Blue Hill, NYC
preserved lemon
pickled onions
smoked eggplant
curried almonds
roasted potatoes
beans

The French Laundry, Napa CA
Pearl Tapioca
Marcona Almonds
Red Radish
Arugula
Sugar Snap Peas
Pine Nut-Maple Puree
Mango-Chili Relish
Cocoa Nibs
TelliCherry Pepper Cream
Cilantro
Greek Basil
Hass Avocado
Mache Sweet Garlic
Rosemary-Olive Oil Sable

Jean Georges, NYC
floral infused cherries
spicy radish
dill
Ginger Marinade
Papaya
Peppermint
Nuts and Seeds
Chili Glaze
Fresh Garbanzo Beans
crunchy potatoes

Le Bernardin, NYC
aged citrus vinegar
sea beans and potato crisps
hazelnuts
sweet peppers
toasted almonds
ginger
avocado
sunflower sprout
garlic chips
purple basil
woodear mushrooms
rosemary
thyme

Double Crown, NYC
pickled watermelon rind
mustard oil
basil seeds
roasted peanuts
garlic-chili-lime dressing
cloud ear mushrooms
pickled eggplant
mint
cilantro
green chili relish
spiced yogurt
pickled lime mustard
chamomile tapioca
black peppermint ice cream
cherry granita

Before heading off to the US OPEN this year, I was delighted to check out the new "Green Initiatives," that I read about on the US Open website. There was also a post in NY Mag's Grub Street blog titled, 'Sustainable Food at the US Open, by the Numbers.' It stated this: "the USTA has embarked on a green mission (Hybrid transportation for players! Organic T-shirts!) this year. Food-service provider Levy Restaurants is sourcing over 30,000 pounds of produce from farms in the metro area, plus North Eastern seafood."

Green Tennis? I was excited to check out just how accessible these new 'green' initiatives at the open would be. But I must admit, before I left I ate a sturdy whole wheat bagel smothered in almond butter and maple syrup. Even with tennis, I'm never optimistic when it comes to stadium food. And inspired by NY Mag's "organic numbers" I took a few tally's and counts of my own. Check out what I ate, saw and experienced at the 2009 US Open. By my Numbers...

"Green" Food? Where? Well just as I guessed, the green, sustainable food at the US Open was hidden away and pretty inaccessible. True, there were the easy-to-find sit-down restaurants and cafe, but they required a 'restaurant pass' or long wait in a line to get into. So, to no surprise, most hungry tennis fans, I'd say 90% of the ticket holders, chose to eat at the fast food vendors, featuring every kind of fried food you could imagine...

They had it all: pasta, pizza, wraps, hamburgers, hot dogs, seasoned waffle fries (the crowd favorite), french fries, pitas, Carnegie Deli eats, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Cuppa Spotta with Illy Coffee (no soy milk), pretzels, pretzel sticks, chicken fingers, mojitos, popcorn, sushi, burritos, soda, beer, wine in plastic cups and even a sad-looking chopped salad bar. I felt like I struck gold when I found a quiet pile of fruit and nut bars at the coffee stand, they were US Open branded. Besides some pathetic-looking fresh fruit, the fruit and nut bar was the healthiest and most economical munchie I spotted. The bar wrapper in my photo is empty, because it was gobbled up.

My Numbers: the food. Sitting in my Ashe stadium seat I did an unscientific tally on the food I saw coming up the bleachers. In about a 30-45 minute period here is what I saw stroll up the bleachers:
32 waffle fries (and Mr. HHL thought I even missed a few)
11 Souvenir Cup alcoholic beverages
9 beers or soda
8 burgers
8 coffees
7 Freschetta pizzas
6 giant pretzels or sticks
4 french fries
4 hot dogs
3 nachos
3 popcorns
2 chicken fingers
2 deli sandwiches
3 plastic cups of red wine
1 banana

...and the guy with the banana was wearing Birkenstock shoes. Nice touch.

By my Numbers: the Organic Wear.
So "organic T-shirts" was one of the features highlighted in the NY Mag post. However, I couldn't find ANY organic tees when I trolled the many souvenir apparel shops. So when I got home I searched the US Open tennis store for organic and here is what I found:

1 organic T-shirt.
Details: US Open 2009 Venus Williams Women's Organic Tee

By my Numbers: Paper and Plastic.
Too many to count: paper 'souvenir' logo-encrusted fans piled up on the non-recycled garbage.
Too many to count: Giant US Open logo-ed plastic bags. Why not give discounts to those who bring their own canvas bags?

By my Numbers: Green Transportation.
The Open website says this: "Hybrid vehicles will make up 52% of Lexus's player transportation fleet (up from 20% in 2008)."

I didn't see any hybrid's waiting for players. I saw a few lined up Cadillac's. But no hybrids in site.

My advice to Really Go Green at the US Open:
* Get soy milk for the coffee stands. Serve Eco-friendly, Fair-Trade coffee.
* Give discounts for people who bring their own bags for merchandise (a la the way Whole Foods does).
* Replace a few of the fast food vendors with local 'healthy' vendors.
* Smoothie and juice bar perhaps? Less alcohol, more juice! This is a kid-friendly event.
* Instead of selling Evian plastic bottles, have an Evian On-Tap station where people could fill up their own water bottles.
* Include (accessible) paper recycling stations.
* Give discounts on the 'healthier choice' food options. When the $6.50 waffle fries seem like the best bang for your buck, they are pretty irresistible.
* Highlight the 'green features' much better, it was nearly impossible to find the 'salad bar' and 'fresh fruit' for sale.
* Replace the grab-n-go cookies with more of those grab-n-go fruit and nut bars.

Side Note: I am a huge tennis fan. I love the US Open. I have a long history as a tennis player, USTA ball girl and high school Varsity Tennis player (photo in this post). I greatly enjoy the US Open each year I attend. But there are a lot of downfalls to this event. The "green initiatives" just didn't live up to my expectations. Tennis is such a healthy, fun and good-for-you sport. I hope the tennis fans can have a happy, healthy good-for-them experience at the Open.

More US Open 2009 Photos:

My favorite pizza is the kind I make myself: gourmet toppings, freshly made vegan pesto, finely shredded casein-free cheese and freshly pounded dough sprinkled with a dash of thick corn meal. Heavenly. But it's Labor Day weekend, and for most people, 'taking it easy' is a must. So for the final segment of my Back to School Series, it's time for a Pizza Party! But how do you make your pizza party vegan? Easy! Here is my Top Ten List of Vegan 'healthier' Pizzas in NYC and beyond: get your pizza delivered, eat it out, or maybe (because you really do love to cook) - make it yourself. Check out this Pizza Party list!...

Pizza Delivered, Vegan? Everyone enjoys the lazy-night fun of pizza delivery. And finding (or requesting) vegan 'healthier version' pizza has never been easier - if you know where to look.I'm often asked: how do I veganize my pizza party, and still make it delicious? Well here is my top ten list of 'healthier option' vegan-friendly pizzas in NYC (and beyond).

Top Ten Vegan-Friendly Pizza Ideas in NYC and beyond.

1. Do-it-Yourself Pizza!
Pizza night has a new meaning in our household. It means we roll out our own dough, slather on our own sauce, sprinkle on vegan cheese and pile on fresh cut, seasonal and organic toppings. I love it. Yes it's more work that simply dialing direct, but the result can't be beat.
Where: Whole Foods has some amazing fresh packed pizza dough. They even have multi-grain and whole wheat options. They also have fresh pizza sauce, but I prefer to make my own or just use tomatoes. Trader Joe's also has fresh dough in whole wheat and garlic herb flavors, although I prefer Whole Foods by far.
Veganized: Easy. Simply use vegan cheese (I love the Follow Your Heart brand Mozzarella) and use some soy-pepperoni or tempeh strips as your proteins. Or go all-veggie, with fresh veggies galore! Sometimes I'll pile on too many toppings. Soggy crust. Whoops. Choose a few faves and layer strategically. Try my recipes for a Beachy Green pizza or Classic Marinara pizza.

2. Lombardi's Pizza
Lombardi's is the very first pizza place in the USA. It's oven has a date inscription of 1905. And despite the long lines of tourists on weekend days and nights, they still serve a pretty yummy pizza in a well-operated joint. Very family-friendly.
Where: They deliver locally. Nolita/SoHo neighborhood of NYC. At the corner of Spring and Mott streets.
Veganized: Order it with no cheese. I pile on the toppings: olives, spinach, onions, mushrooms and roasted red peppers. So good! Order a house salad with oil/vinegar instead of the house dairy-containing dressing. I always say no cheese-allergic to dairy! They get the message.

3. Viva Herbal Pizzeria!
All vegan pizza in NYC. This place rocks! You can get a spelt, whole wheat, corn meal or traditional crust. They have so many delicious options you have to taste them for yourself. You can even order by the slice and have a tasting-fest! My fave pizzas are the Canja Pizza which is loaded with hemp seeds, oils and hemp based products. Check out this description:
"Canja ( Vegan ) diced onions, tomato and garlic marinated in hemp oil roasted hemp seeds, hempseed nuts, hemp herbed basil pesto, calamata olives tempeh and roasted garlic on hemp herbed spelt crust with hemp herbed miso tofu or choice of soy cheese"
It tastes salty and nutty. Totally original. I also love the Zen pizza. It is loaded with veggies and a delicious vegan pesto sauce. I like to add kalamata olives and get one of their delicious soups or salads on the side. Viva is a pizza must-try in NYC! Mr. HHL (not vegan) loves the Mexicalli pizza. Super spicy on a cornmeal crust. They have an awesome vegan chocolate chip cookie too.
Where: They deliver. Est Village located.
Veganized: It's all vegan folks. Yum.

4. Two Boots Pizza
Two boots is the local pizza joint with all the oomph. They are everywhere. 11 locations. There is even a Two Boots in Los Angeles, who knew?! Expansion soon? Hmm. I love Two Boots. My first taste of their pizza was when we ordered a large no cheese spinach, mushroom and olive pizza on Halloween before heading out in our costumes. We couldn't stop eating the pizza-it was so good! I love how they glop their spinach into little spinach balls. And their sauce it super fresh tasting. Cornmeal bottom crust is thin and delightful.
Where: 11 locations in NYC. They deliver!
Veganized: Simply ask for no cheese. But be very stern about it-make sure they hear you! Toppings I love: spinach, olives, mushrooms, portobella mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, garlic and onions. Yum.

5. Amy's Kitchen Vegan Frozen Pizzas
It's not delivery-it's Amy's! I love buying a frozen pizza and sprucing it up with my own fresh veggies and toppings. I'll buy the vegan Roasted Veggie pizza from Amy's (cheeseless). Then I will add fresh tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, capers, roasted peppers, lemon slices, olives and even some tempeh and vegan cheese. It's always delicious. For the adventurous: spreading some of my sweet potato mash on top of pizza is a must-try. It's delicious.
Where: In a freezer section near you, I'm sure. Any Whole foods will have it. Also, Trader Joe's sells a great knock-off version of the frozen roasted veggie vegan pizza.
Veganized: It's vegan. Simply add vegan toppings, heat and eat.

6. Whole Foods Fresh Pizza
I don't know about your Whole Foods, but mine has an awesome pizza oven where they serve up delicious flat bread pizza all day and night. I've tried the vegan roasted vegetable pizza and it was pretty yummy. Buy it by the slice and they toast it for you in their flaming hot oven.
Where: Bowery and Houston Whole Foods in Nolita/SoHo/Bowery area.
Veganized: The pizzas are nicely labeled. The vegan pizza will say *vegan!

7. Pala Pizza
I've visited Pala once. Nice spot right on First Avenue. Next to the new Thompson LES hotel. Fun place, yummy pizza. However, they are very strict about how you order. Modifications weren't terribly welcome the time I went. However, they do offer several interesting vegan options. One vegan option: they can substitute your cheese with soy cheese. They even indicate that they have both 100% vegan casein-free cheese or non-vegan casein-containg soy cheese. Complicated, but nice to know they know the difference.
Where: 1st Avenue and Houston street on the Lower East Side , NYC
Veganized: Order the Arrabbiata pizza: fresh cherry tomatoes, hot pepper, garlic , for $14. It's vegan. Add the vegan cheese if you'd like, but not necessary.

8. Slice
Heaven. That's what Slice is. They offer amazing organic, vegan options as well as traditional organic-themed options. They have the traditional pizza eats and some new-age ones too, like the 'beginner-hummus' pizza: Herb crust, caramelized onions, organic hummus, kalamata olives. Slice is a must try, even if you do have to hike all the way to the upper east side.
Where: Upper East Side. They deliver, but not downtown. However they do say on their website: " WE DELIVER ANYWHERE IF THE ORDER IS BIG ENOUGH!"
Veganized: Pretty easy. Just get the vegan casein-free cheese or go cheeseless. Watch out because the whole wheat crust contains honey. However their herb, spelt and rice crusts are vegan. The rice crust is gluten-free! Yay for G-free options for pizza.

9. Lasso Pizza
If you can't get into Lombardi's, simply walk one block down Mott street to Lasso. It serves up 'more gourmet' style pizza in a locals-only style atmosphere, and it's totally healthy-approved. They have some amazing salads like the one with arugula, green apples and candied walnuts. So good. As for pizza, I simply order the Marinara pizza, cheeseless.
Where: One block down Mott street from Lombardi's in Soho NYC. 192 Mott and Kenmare. They deliver too.
Veganized: Order the Marinara pizza. You can even add a few more veggie toppings, at an extra charge.

10. California Pizza Kitchen
I had to include a National Brand that is vegan-aware. CPK is it! They have pretty-good pizzas that are served in a casual, fast, family-friendly environment. They even have an awesome PDF that indicates all the menu items that are considered vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian and just lacto-vegetarian. Good job CPK.
Where: Around Gramercy in NYC. Or in a town near you nationwide.
Veganized: Here are the vegan options on the menu:
APPETIZERS
Lettuce Wraps (request with only wok‐stirred vegetables)
Tuscan Hummus (substitute Neapolitan crust for the pizza‐pita bread)
SOUPS
Asparagus Soup (no croutons)
Dakota Smashed Pea & Barley Soup
SALADS
Grilled Vegetable Salad
Field Greens Salad (omit candied walnuts)
House Salad (request without croutons, with olive oil and vinegar or
Dijon balsamic vinaigrette)
PIZZAS
Vegetarian with Japanese Eggplant (made with Neapolitan dough,
request without cheeses)
Tricoloré Salad Pizza (request without cheese)
PASTAS
Asparagus & Spinach Spaghettini (request without cheese)
Broccoli Sun‐Dried Tomato Fusili (request without cheese)

11. BONUS! Raw Pizza at Pure Food and Wine
I recently saw PFW tweet about their new flat bread pizzettes. I haven't tried them, but I'm sure they are amazing. Or as Rachel Zoe would saw 'amaze-balls'.
Tweeted: "Have u tried our new Pizzettes? almond rosemary crust, spinach pesto arugula, pizza margherita, crimini and kalamata with summer truffle"

Got a great vegan pizza place??? Leave it in the comments!

Happy vegan pizza parties!

Interested in an awesome freebie from my healthy kids brand The Lunchbox Bunch? Enter the Lunchbox Bunch giveaway featured on the totally fabulous mommy blog, Turn it Up Mom! I'm not even a mom, but I love her blog... Click ahead for the link and prize info...

Enter the giveaway here.

The prize: toddler tee (you pick the character), book and bag! Wow. That's a lot of fun in one giveaway prize!

Hungry? You will be! Silence that growling tummy with my Simple Spicy Arugula Open-Faced Bagel. My inspiration? Organic produce and local NYC vendors. This Saturday-friendly lunch is perfect for your healthy appetite. Plus, it will leave you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your day. Find out what I used to build this quick vegan lunch I crave...

Simple Spicy Arugula Open Faced Bagel
vegan

1 whole wheat bagel
*mine is an H and H bagel
2 tablespoon tofu cream cheese
*Mine is tofu scallion from Russ and Daughters
1 ½ cups organic arugula greens
4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 purple plum, sliced
sprinkling of black pepper

To Make:
1. Toast the bagel.
2. Spread cream cheese on bagel, top with pepper and tomatoes. Plate.
3. Slice plum and set on side of plate.
4. Loosely sprinkle arugula on top of your bagels.

Enjoy this delicious bite! Pairs perfectly with some iced tea or lemonade!

The world of foodie TV has really evolved since the days of Baking with Julia. With a simple click of the remote, foodies can experience Michelin-star cooking with Chef Eric Ripert, cut throat competition with Tom and Padma, fun in the kitchen with Brian Boitano and even a some green-themed cooking with Chef Emeril. Here's my top ten list of foodie TV shows you'd better be watching! Did your favorite make the cut?...

Foodie TV Top Ten List
*In no particular order

1. Avec Eric on Pbs
Known as one of the world's top chef's, Chef Eric Ripert serves up Michelin star food at Le Bernardin in New York City, on a nightly basis. But now he's coming to a television near you. You may have seen glimpses of Eric on Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations, or as a guest judge on Top Chef, but this is the first time Chef Ripert receives top billing on a cooking-focused show. Eric's first show airs this weekend on PBS. Check local listings here. You can even see a clip of the new show here.

2. What Would Brian Boitano Make? and Melissa's Ten Dollar Dinners On Food Network.
I love these new shows on Food Network. WWBBM: It's a half hour show featuring the San Francisco-based cooking adventures of Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano. Who even knew BB knew how to cook! BB likes to throw crazy parties and serve amazing appetizer-style eats. So far he's had a mini-dating show in his living room and derby girl party on his roof. Too cool. And Melissa's Ten Dollar Dinners show is great because I love Melissa! She dazzles the kitchen with her 'been-there-done-that energy and effervescent spirit. As I said in my NFNS show blogs: "I'd want to be girlfriends with her. Hang out and swap recipes and tips!" Both shows must not be missed.

3. The Next Iron Chef on Food Network.
The Food Network is adding yet another Iron Chef to their roster, and this time you can watch the casting process unfold in an all out battle in Kitchen Stadium. The series premieres on Sunday Oct 4th. Definitely something to watch for if you are an Iron Chef fan.

4. Top Chef on Bravo
Top Chef is the best cooking competition show on TV. Enough said. It's a must-not-miss for foodies everywhere.

5. Hell's Kitchen on Fox
Pure entertainment. Who doesn't love to watch Michelin starred chef Gordon Ramsey yell and scream at a gaggle of chefs competing for the top prize? Hell's Kitchen never fails to live up to its name as Gordon screams, rages, rolls his eyes and throws things around his prime time kitchen. Fun in a 'wow, that was harsh!' kind of way...

6. Simply Delicioso on Food Network
I recently discovered this half hour long gem of a show. Host Ingrid Hoffman, cooks delicious Latin-inspired food from her Miami kitchen. Ingrid is a joy to watch and she has a lot of great tricks and tips. I stuck this show on the list because I don't hear people talking about it that often, but I love it!

7. Emeril Green on Planet Green
This show cracks me up every time! Watching the great Chef Emeril trolling around a Whole Foods Market with his shopping cart, chatting with other shoppers about what they are cooking for dinner tonight. Emeril always has great menus on this show and all the pop-up green and nutrition tips make this show both entertaining and educational! Emeril is the best. So humble.

8. Martha Stewart Show and Whatever Martha
Foodies everywhere bow down to Martha Stewart and her unsurpassed perfection. And then as they wallow in their feeling of unworthiness, they can flip over to Fine Living Network and watch 'Whatever Martha'. On WM, Martha's daughter Alexis and her pal Jennifer dish about what makes Martha so wrong about being oh-so-right all the time. Martha's Show is Foodie TV perfection and Whatever Martha is a dose of fun reality.

9. No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain on Travel Channel
Yes, I am proud to admit that I am a vegan who adores Anthony Bourdain. I don't always agree with him, but I guess I just hate to love him. He is a genius writer and commentator. He travels the globe with an open mind and an open mouth. Actually I take that back, Bourdain is open minded about anything called 'street food' but call it vegan and he runs screaming like a little girl. And yet I love him anyways.

10. Dinner: Impossible on Food Network
Energy, speed, conflict, action and passion! This show has it all. And I adore the show's host, Robert Irvine, who has to complete impossible catering tasks with a sometimes not-so-skilled crew of helpers. Did you know that Robert actually got fired from his Dinner Impossible hosting gig after some 'controversy' regarding his resume. But then a write-in campaign from FN viewers prompted them to re-hire him! Power to the foodies. Awesome.

Honorable Mentions:

The Best Thing I Ever Ate on Food Network
This show has really grown on me. It's a perfectly edited show featuring Food Network personalities chatting about their favorite eats across the globe. Topics include things like dessert treats, breakfast eats and more. It's fascinating to see what top chefs consider to be amazing memorable food experiences.

Food Network Old Favorites that continue to dominate foodie TV...
Foodies just can't stay away from these Food Network favorites:
Ace of Cakes, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Barefoot Contessa, Anything with Giada, Paula's Home Cooking, Boy Meets Grill, Food Network Challenge, Triple D, 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray, Rachel's Tasty Travels...and many more...

Did I miss one of your faves??? Leave it in the comments!

I can't believe I almost forgot Martha on my list...never! Just look at that kitchen perfection...

It's organic California mango season! Did you know some of the world's best organic mangoes come from California? But get them while they last, because California mango season runs from September through October only! This "California Grown" mango fruit produce sticker really caught my eye. But after a little research online I discovered a shocking find: imported mangoes have a very hot secret that they are hiding. I'll tell you what it is ahead. Yes, organic and locally grown produce gets another gold star for quality...

Mangoes Imported to the USA. It's amazing what you'll discover about your food with a little online investigation. Here I was researching the cool sticker on my organic mango, when I discovered a very dirty little secret about imported mangoes: they are hot water treated! Some raw foodies do not consider them 'raw' after treatment.

Hot Water Treated Mangoes. While perusing the "organic mango" googled web I found this article on living-foods.com:
"All Mangoes may not be raw! Did you know that imported mangoes must be hot water treated and may not be considered raw? Read the USDA APHIS hot water treatment guidelines. Almost all imported mangoes must be hot water treated to kill pests (fruit fly) which also is known to diminish the aroma, affect the flavor and cause a pasty flesh as well as shriveling.. Yes.. They must hot water treat organic-imported mangoes as well. The guidelines state that hot water treatment is at a minimum of 115 F. degrees. Other sources online state that the temperature should be about 122 degrees F. Treatments can last for as long as 90 minutes!" -John Kohler, living-foods.com

Pulp Heated Degrees. The PDF (link above) says that the inside pulp will reach a temperature of 78 degrees when submerged in the 115 degree hot water bath. 78 degrees isn't above the raw-foods degree quota, but even still, I doubt all the inner pulp flesh stays as low as 78 degrees. Some mangoes, especially champagne mangoes have quite thin skin.

I did my own research and confirmed that this is true! I was a bit shocked that I had never heard this before. This is just another stepping stone confirming why you should buy organic local produce whenever possible.

And I am left to wonder...what other fruit and veggies are hot water treated?

But that's not all. Similar to bleach-treated baby carrots, the mangoes are treated in bleach-water:

"The certifying official shall check with the manager of the facility to be sure that he is aware of the requirement for using potable water. Whenever water comes into contact with fresh produce, the water’s quality dictates the potential for pathogen contamination. To reduce the risk of food- borne
illnesses, the water used for washing, treatments, and cooling must be
fortified with sodium hypochlorite (household bleach), and constantly
maintained at a chlorine level not to exceed 200 ppm." -PDF, link above.

Why? In short, the treatment is mainly used to kill fruit flies. Pest control. The bleach is used to purify the treatment water.

California Mango Tips: Don't wait until these mangoes turn yellow! The green skin tone is actually an indication that it is ripe. These mangoes are left on the tree for a nice amount of time, so the natural sweetness is unrivaled by imported varieties.

Bagel Run! I was roaming around the upper east side today-not my usual neck of the 'Manhattan' woods. But whenever I get close to 80th street and 2nd avenue, a detour trip to H and H Bagels is a total must. And I did confirm, they are brushed with water, not egg wash, so they are indeed vegan, water brushed bagels...

New York City Bagels. There are a few things synonymous with New York: Taxi Cabs. Times Square. Shopping. Tourists. Broadway. Crowded sidewalks. NYC Subways. Central Park. And Amazing Food including fine dining, street food, pizza and bagels. New York City Bagels are up there with Maine blueberries, Georgia peaches, Florida oranges, Parisian cappuccinos and San Francisco sourdough. It's not hard to find a bagel in NYC, but it is hard to find a good bagel. If you are desperately seeking pure bagel bliss, you'll probably do your research and head to H and H Bagels. Foodies in the know, or anyone who watched the Festivus episode of Seinfeld, knows that H and H bagels are known as the best in the city. So, are they indeed the "world's best bagels," as their slogan claims? My review...

UPDATE 9/4: I wanted to confirm that H and H bagels were brushed with water and not an egg wash, so they would be vegan. And today I got this reply from H and H: "Good morning, our bagels are brushed with water." -HandH customer service.

Yippee! Egg wash free bagels. Just don't order the 'egg' flavor bagel if you want it vegan! On to the review...

Good vs. Bad Bagels. If you think all bagels taste the same, you've obviously never had a good bagel. Or you've lived in New York your whole life and have never had a bad bagel. (Highly rare). Well let me clue you in to how a bagel should taste: Warm and chewy. Airy center with a few air pockets in the soft and moist inside flesh. Chewy sturdy crust on the outside. Highly aromatic scent. Slightly sweet, slightly salt. When toasted, the crust becomes super crisp and chewy, while the flesh stays soft. "A bagel's fresh taste and chewy texture come from the moisture rich center which is protected by its baked skin." -H and H

A look inside the whole wheat H and H bagel:

But is H and H really the best bagel establishment on the planet, as they claim themselves to be? H and H's slogan is: World's Best Bagels. Lets get to my review of the world famous H and H bagels...

My Review: H and H Bagels, Upper East Side NYC

Shelf Appeal: Walk in the H and H store and you might think you are in the wrong place. It's a humble local-feel atmosphere with very simple set-up. Nothing flashy, nothing loud. Just a few simple silver colored cafe tables in the entrance and a big bakery window filled with goodies, cookies and treats. But where are the bagels? In the back. A lineup of wire baskets are filled with heavenly smelling bagels. So get your bagels and off you go. Don't expect to hang out in a big Starbucks-style seating area. However there is a Starbucks one block up...

Label Check: My research found that my favorite bagel, the whole wheat everything, has 160 calories per serving. Two servings per bagel. 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and 0-.5 grams of fat. So since I'm guessing you will eat the entire bagel: 320 calories, 12 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and 0-1 gram of fat. Who knew bagels have 12 grams of protein? Not bad. Yes they are high on carbs, but you are eating a bagel.

Here is the nutritional label for an H and H plain bagel (although for more fiber and nutrients-go with whole wheat):
Nutritional Facts: H&H Plain Bagels
Ingredients: High gluten flour, water, brown sugar, salt, fresh yeast.
Serving Size: ½ bagel
Calories: 150
Total Fat: 0g, % Daily Value
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 230mg
Total Carbohydrate: 32g
Sugars: 4g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Protein: 6g
Vitamin A: 0%
Vitamin C: 0%
Calcium: 0%
Iron: 10%
Thiamine: 25%
Riboflavin: 10%
Niacin: 10%
Iron: 10%
Potassium: 60 mg

Taste Test: I must say I adore these bagels. The smell of them is enough to make my mouth water. Then when you bite into a warm bagel it is chewy, soft, salty, silky and pretty much perfect. I never eat bagels without some tofu cream cheese or almond butter, unless they are H and H bagels. Eat them plain and they are divine. My fave flavor is the whole wheat everything. Also tasty is the pumpernickel and blueberry. I'm not a big fan of white flour bagels though. And you'd be surprised by hour smooth this whole wheat dough is! Trust me, it doesn't even taste like what most people call 'whole wheat'.

Price Check: A dozen bagels will run you about $13. That's about a buck a bagel-a little over. On the pricey end for sure, but not really. Freeze the bagels and they will last you a while. That's a lot of bagel bliss for $13 bucks.

Last Word: I've tried a lot of bagels in NYC. Some other brands are good and even great, but H and H never misses and has that 'special something' that makes the taste pure New York. ...Maybe it's the water...

Wrapping up Part 6 of my Back to School Series, I've got ten high-energy ideas for After School Sports Snacks and Sips. High in electrolytes, flavor and nutrients, these ideas will fuel your little sports star well into the Championship game! The list has ideas for pre-workout, during workout and post-workout eats and sips. Check them out and get in this game!...

Back to School Series: Sporty Ideas

1. Coconut Water
Coconut Water has been called 'natures sports drink'. And it is so true! One serving has more potassium than a banana. Potassium is an important electrolyte for hydration. CW is a natural isotonic beverage. It has the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. Fun Fact: It can even be used to replace blood plasma in emergencies. Coconut water us an outstanding beverage for pre, during or post workout hydration.

2. "Better" Party Mix
Salty snacks and after school sports go hand in hand. (You lose a lot of sodium when you sweat!) You know the kids are going to grab chips, pretzels and anything that's salty and high in carbohydrates. I remember the classic 'Chex party mix' always being a big hit at sports events. So I decided to amp up the nutrition level of this the 'hexagon-shaped' party mix. It's healthier than the original and even more delicious. Great for pre or post workout munching.

3. Char's Half-Frozen Minted Lemon Water
My perfect during workout water-booster is this combo: mint and lemon. It's so simple, yet so divine. It's a must try for your water bottle.

4. Frozen Grapes
Grapes are high in potassium and high in easily accessible carbohydratess for an instant energy boost. Snack on these frozen grapes before your workout and they will give you a nice natural sugar-high from Mother Nature. Plus the frozen sorbet-like texture is great for cooling you off on a hot day. I call them 'natures BonBon'.

5. Kitchen Sink Granola Bars
Granola bars are fabulous for athletes. They contain simple sugars for an instant energy boost, yet the healthy fat from the nuts, and fiber from the grains provides for long term energy. The fat and fiber acts to slow the digestion of the carbohydrate ingredients. Plus they have a nice amount of protein to make the perfect snack trio: carbs, fat and protein. And because they are relatively easy to digest, you can eat them at anytime of your workout and not feel weighed down.

6. Practice Snack: Salty Apples
Salt! Fruit! It's a two-in-one snack that you've probably never tried! Instead of munching salty chips after a long hard workout, try salty fruit. A few pinches of sea salt on apple slices is a delicious and healthy way to get that salt you crave, without loading up on unhealthy fats or simple carbs. (Say on a big bag of white potato chips.) Salty Apples are excellent as an after-workout snack.

7. Spring Green Fruit Salad
This divine post-workout fruit salad has it all! Protein from the nuts, healthy fats from the avocados, electrolytes and carbs from the fruit, and fiber from everything. Plus it's hydrating and did I mention delicious.

8. "Play in the Sun" Fruit Salad
Fruit is an excellent source of electrolytes like potassium. Bananas, melons and kiwis are all high in potassium. So when you workout, try turning to fruit to replenish your nutrients-naturally. I love fruit as a pre or post workout snack.

9. Banana Smoothie
Bananas are high in potassium and a fabulous fruit for pre or post munching. Well why not end your workout with an amazing banana smoothie! This specific recipe contains other ingredients to calm you tummy down, but I think it is great for a post-exercise 'calm down' - Cool down.

10. TMT Pita
Here is a yummy recipe for a post workout meal. It's high in protein from the tempeh and high in fiber from the whole wheat pita and veggies. Plus the mache lettuce and tomato slices are high in veggie nutrients like antioxidants. It's even light enough to eat a few hours before a big game too. Oh and that vegan cheddar cheese makes the carb/protein/fat trio in sync.

Frozen Grapes never disappoint a crowd! I like to think of them as 'nature's sorbet-filled BonBons'. Check out the top three places I've eaten Frozen Grapes, a classic poolside snack or after school sports 'court side' snack. And get a how-to for perfect frozen grapes...

Glorious Grapes. Grapes are a delicious healthy snack. Read more about grape health benefits here.

Top Three Places I've Eaten Frozen Grapes

1. Court Side.
Frozen Grapes make the perfect after school sports snack. Remember that same 'gourmet-fancy' teammate of mine, Charlotte, who used to bring the Minted-Lemon water? Well when it was her moms turn to supply the court side team snacks she'd bring the most amazing spreads. The biggest hit of the snack table: Giant frozen globe grapes. We all loved them and they were gone before they could have time to thaw.

2. Poolside.
Delano Please! One of my favorite spots in the world is the Delano in South Beach Florida. It's such a beautiful hotel with a modern, trendy, yet relaxing vibe. For a special treat during a special stay there we rented a poolside cabana. One of the perks when you rent a pool cabana? Free frozen grapes delivered to your cabana door! Yum. Now you just need someone to feed them to you. Read my complete review of the Delano Hotel here. Yes the photo at right is a very fuzzy shot of me eating frozen grapes at Delano.

3. Party side.
It's not a 'cool' party unless frozen grapes are served. Back when I lived in Los Angeles, I re-discovered frozen grapes because a roommate of mine ate them every night after dinner. And I soon noticed frozen grapes popping up all over the party scene in LA. Bring out a silver platter of frozen grapes at a summertime outdoor party and everyone will go nuts. Grapes are symbolic of luxury, fruit with a long history of class. They are beautiful! Give frozen grapes a pretty perch at a party and they will give the chips and dip some serious competition...

Frozen Grapes Recipe

1 large bunch firm, organic grapes.
*black or purple work best
*Perfectly ripe and sweet grapes are the best choice. Quality matters.

To Make: Wash and dry grapes with a vegetable wash or cold water. Set the on a tray or sheet-no need to cover them. Freeze overnight or until firm.
*Some people like to de-stem their grapes before freezing. I don't. I think the grapes actually stay 'happier' when they freeze on the stem.
*Eat grapes while still frozen! Once they start to thaw they will mush up a bit...
*Use organic!
*Globe grapes (the huge ones) are delicious frozen, but some people can't stand biting through the seeds.

Enjoy!

Silver Platter Grapes, for your viewing pleasure:

Here's a simple way to jazz up your water: Half Frozen Fresh Minted Lemon Water. This is a classic flavor combo that I discovered back in high school when I played on the Varsity Tennis Team.The story goes...

Char's Water. One day at tennis practice, one of my 'fancy-gourmet' teammates, Charlotte, brought her water bottle stuffed with ice cubes, lemon slices and mint leaves. It created quite a buzz on the courts so she gave us each a taste and wow! It's amazing what a little mint and lemon can do for your bottled water. The entire team picked up on the trend and we'd all stuff mint and lemons in our water. How chic of us. The mint and lemon flavors got me though many long, hot, sweltering tennis practices. Here's the simple recipe with tips. And I'll even share a photo of me in my tennis team days...

Half Frozen. This water tastes best when it is cold. But it's also nice to have the sun warm the lemon and mint so it seeps into the water. So here's my trick. I'd fill my water bottle about ¼ of the way full with purified water. Then I'd stick it in the freezer overnight. Then in the afternoon before practice I'd grab my bottle, stuff it with lemon and mint and fill it to the brim with water. Then I'd tote it to practice and it's stay cold, but the sun would still warm the mint and lemon and turn it into a 'sun tea' of sorts, minus the tea. You can also just stick the water, mint, lemon and a few ice cubes into a bottle. It will still be delicious!

Fresh Mint. Very very important. You must use fresh high quality mint. If it's not bright green and aromatic, don't use it. The quality of mint will really influence the quality of the water flavor. Fresh organic mint is ideal. I've also found that organic lemons have a brighter flavor than non-organic. Plus, since you will be using the rind, the organic is a safer bet.

Charlotte's Half-Frozen Fresh-Minted Lemon Water

14 ounces of water
ice cubes or frozen water as ¼
handful of fresh mint
2-4 slices of lemon
*about ½ a small lemon will work

Optional Add-ins: plain coconut water, aloe vera, sea salt, fresh berries, cayenne, sparkling water or additional citrus slices (grapefruit/orange/lime)

Enjoy!

Circa 1998. And here's that photo I promised you (I'm on the right)...

Square meal. Hexagon snacks! If you're like me, you have fond memories of chowing down on that classic hexagon party mix as a kid. At birthday parties, after school sports or studying at home on a rainy day. But like most kids, I didn't give much thought to the ingredients...

Hexagon Party Mix 2009: It's super easy to bump up the nutrition level of your snack mix recipe. The first step is to switch up the hexagon shaped cereal brand that you are using. Why use grains like rice, corn and wheat when you can use organic grains like quinoa, kamut, amaranth, buckwheat, spelt and millet! My recipe for "Better" Party Mix is crunchy, sweet, savory and salty. It's also vegan. You and your guests will love the flavor. But more importantly, you'll crave the good-for-you-feeling after you munch this mix...

Comparing Cereals: Chex vs. Heritage Bites. Same shape. Same crunch. Different ingredients. OK, to be blunt, there a lot of cereal options out there that are much worse off (nutrition wise) than General Mills Chex. Actually the Wheat Chex cereal isn't all half bad with 5 grams of fiber per serving, made from whole grains. But why stop with whole wheat grains when there are a plethora of other grains available today. That's why it's clear to see how Nature's Path Heritage Bites are a better option when it comes to a crunchy hexagon shaped cereal. Heritage bites contain buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, millet, kamut and spelt. Talk about a multitude of super grains! Plus it is sweetened with organic evaporated cane sugar instead of basic sugar. And Heritage Bites are organic.

Classic Party Mix. The classic recipe that was made famous by the Chex brand over 50 years ago, contains a trio of Chex cereals, butter, nuts, seasonings and bagel chips. Well I've created my own version by using healthier ingredients. I'm taking goji berries, flax seed, sunflower seeds and maple syrup! And trust me, the flavor is outstanding! Perfect for a study time munchie, sports team snack, after school bite or a big bowl party mix. Make a lot and munch it all weekend...

"Better" Party Mix
vegan, makes 5 cups

3 cups Heritage Bites from Natures path, organic
1 cup salted cashews
2 tablespoon roasted sunflower seeds
½ cup mixed nuts (any variety)
1 ½ tablespoon Goji Berries, dried
¼ cup pretzels or rice crisps
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1 teaspoon vegan buttery spread
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple Syrup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 dashes garlic powder
2 dashes paprika
2 dashes cinnamon
2 dashes onion powder
2-4 dashes black pepper
optional: ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

Directions:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl: nuts, seeds, cereal, berries and pretzels or crisps. Toss well

2. Melt buttery spread, maple syrup, and olive oil in a small cup by microwaving for ten seconds. Stir in all the spices and soy sauce.

3. Pour spice/liquid mix slowly over cereal mixture. Toss very well.

4. Sprinkle flax seed meal over mix and toss well.

5. Serve OR for extra crispness I highly suggest toasting mixture in the oven at 400 degrees for ten minutes.

Store in a large bowl in the fridge or in individual snack baggies. Eat cold or toast and serve.

Thirsty? You will be...
The folks at O.N.E. Coconut Water have done it again! Brand new, coming to a store shelf near you: ONE Coconut Water with a Splash of Pineapple, Passion Fruit, Pink Guava or Mango. Four flavors to choose from. They've taken pure fresh young coconut water and added a splash of fruit juice. No artificial flavors here-the flavors are achieved by using fruit juice. So how did this new product do in my 4 flavor taste test? Well lets just say, my coconut water ice cubes, may never be the same again. Click ahead for my complete review. And find out my favorite flavor...

Coconut Water. Splashed! It's hard to imagine, but there are a few people out there who haven't caught on to the coconut water trend. Well they need to give coconut water a try, and there's no way they can resist these new fruity tropical flavors the ONE brand has created. Adults will swoon over this tuff, but just think how great hese new splashed flavors would be for kids. The package is a tad smaller in size and the flavor a bit sweeter than traditional coconut water. Stick these in your kids lunches instead of a juice box. After all, one tiny 8.5 ounce box has around 8% your RDA of potassium.

My Review: O.N.E. Coconut Water with a Splash of...
Flavors: Pink Guava, Pineapple, Passion fruit, Mango

Shelf Appeal: So darn cute! I am totally loving this new smaller sized package. So chic and totable! And unlike the traditional 11 ounce size Tetra Pak, I can easily drink the 8.5 ounce size at any sitting without feeling like it's a few sips too much. And the sleeker size fits easily in my palm for optimal chugging power. And I'm also loving the bright shiny fruit-colored packaging. Shiny blue, in the ONE tradition, but now with bright cheerful fruit colors on the front. And that Eco-friendly Tetra Pak always makes me smile.

Label Check: About 75-79 calories per 8.5 ounces. Still light. There's around 8-8.6% your RDA of potassium in each serving. My favorite part of this label-check is the fact that all the 'flavor' comes from real fruit juice. The pineapple flavor is splashed with pineapple juice and the mango flavor is splashed with mango puree. You get the idea. There is also an additional benefit of Vitamin C in each serving. The Pineapple flavor has 172% your RDA of vitamin C in each 8.5 ounce box. And as always, coconut water is fat free, cholesterol free and 100% natural. You certainly can't say that about some of those 'colored sugar water' beverages out there!

Taste Test: Lets talk taste. I've tried other flavored coconut water beverages. Let me get specific: VitaCoCo's flavors did not do it for me. And sometimes there would be an odd film of 'flavor' coating the VitaCoCo mouthpiece. However, ONE'S new flavored coconut water is delicious and totally cravable and tastes super pure! The best flavored coconut water beverage I have tasted. Breakdown of flavors: the pineapple is light, tropical and tart with a Pina Colada-esque taste. Happy Hour mixer approved! The Pink Guava flavor is exotic and reminds me of my Hawaii vacations where I'd pick fresh guavas off the trees and eat them. The mango flavor is surprisingly zesty and the Passion Fruit flavor is sweet-tart and playful. All of them are yummy and intense with fruit flavor. No shrinking violet flavors here. My favorite? The Pink Guava. One sip transports me to an island hideaway where I am laying on the beach, a soft tropical breeze hitting my face. So glad the Pink Guava flavor made the cut. Lychee or Papaya would've been yummy flavors too!



Price Check: retail price $1.29-$1.49. Nice right? Since the size is smaller, the price per box is less expensive. I love that!

Last Word: It's coconut water with a "splash" of fruit flavor attitude. Wow, I can't wait to taste my smoothie when it's made with "splashed" coconut water ice cubes...yum!
More at http://www.onenaturalexperience.com/

Where do I Buy Them? I have to say, I am finding it hard to find these new guys anywhere in stores-even here in NYC, land of beverages everywhere! But I did find one retailer selling them on Amazon. And look for these new flavors in your usual ONE retailer-coming soon I'm sure. Heck, ask the store manager and maybe he'll order them ASAP!

Weekend Getaway Smoothie. Lay in a sunbeam, slide on some dark shades and sink into a lounge chair as you sip this Totally Tropical Smoothie. Summer breeze, sunshine, the sound of ocean waves crashing in the background...or on your iTunes earphones.

Totally Tropical Smoothie. The glowing pink color reminds me of a tropical sunset. I make it two ways, zesty or creamy, to suit whatever liquids you may have in your fridge. Here's the recipe...

Totally Tropical Smoothie, zesty
vegan, serves 1-2

1 ¼ cups fresh squeezed OJ
½ cup lemonade
1 cup frozen strawberries (add a few fresh if you have them)
½ cup frozen papaya or peaches
1 frozen banana
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
¼ cup coconut water ice cubes
1 tablespoon shredded coconut

optional: a few raw cashews
optional: splash of aloe vera juice

Creamy Version: substitute lemonade/OJ with 1 ½ cups soy milk and ¼ cup apple juice

Directions:

Blend until smooth!

Adjust liquid to match your desired thickness.

Sip. Smile.

(Ocean wave sound, sea breeze and seagulls over-head, not included.)

Smoothie Advice/Info: Wondering why I add apple cider vinegar? Find out and get more quips and answers - Read my Smoothie FAQ's!

Get my Twenty Smoothie Tips and make all your blended bevies better!

Vintage End of Summer Story:

Over the weekend I was walking along Broadway, past a few random New York University dormitories around Astor Place. The streets were flooded with incoming students, their nervous parents and "student ambassadors" as stated on their t-shirts. The incoming NYU students were giddy with excitement, their suitcase traffic jams spilling from the sidewalk out into the street, no apologies. The lively students created a warm optimistic buzz in the air. Even the moody taxicab drivers were hesitant to honk amidst the dorm registration traffic jam. A new school year ahead, congrats to the students. But wait, is it really fall soon?! I'd better squeeze a few late summer smoothies in, while I still can!..

Summer speeds by, the seasons transition-and so do we.
September beckons as the thick humid days of summer melt away. The blistering orange sun peels away at the seams uncovering a dull blue sky spewing moody rainstorms and presenting us with hazy fog-layered mornings. The summer season slips away like a summer intern at 5pm sharp; a sneaky and careful path of retreat turns to abrupt, amidst a cloud of thunder. These soggy days of summer seep into my skin and leave me feeling a bit like a plum tree after a late summer harvest: worn, bare branches, frazzled leaves left scattered about. There's no hiding from the dull looming gaze of end of summer sluggishness. Take a deep breath in and let it squeeze your skin until you can't take it anymore. Only then can you renew, restart and come clean for fall.

Late Summer Detox. Spring cleaning gets all the great PR. But what about the late summer doldrums? Even worse. Brush the tired, hazy, soggy feeling away with my simple tips to detox for the coming season...

Why? Lets re-cap the summer lifestyle: we've been doused with AC, we've swam through soupy messes of humid night air so hot it made our clothes stick to our stomachs. We've eaten everything from BBQ veggie burgers and greasy sweet potato fries to tall ice cream sundaes, a cherry on top. We've grilled our veggies over a hot sweltering stove or grill. We've soaked in the sun for a long lazy weekend. Days at the beach or days watching sports live or in HD. "It's hot outside" was our excuse for being anything but spry. Sludge gathers on the windows of tall buildings. Kitty cat and doggies' fur becomes thick and milky with dander. Pollution hangs in the air. Smog from somewhere finds its way into our lungs. We crave crisp, clean, and fresh things. And so a primal craving comes to detox this season.

Seasonal Detox. I was once told by a spa worker at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington DC, that many of her regular clients come in four times a year, every season to get a full facial/massage and day to renew. Hmmph, how that would be! Quite a pampered life. But while I was inspired by the idea of seasonal detox, I knew that I didn't have to have a full retreat day at a luxurious spa to do a little seasonal revitalization for the mind, body and spirit. I can renew on my own time, with a few easy tips. Here are my ten tips for having your own late summer detox spa, in the comfort of your own home...

Summer ends, party's over...

Summer treats close their season...

Fun in the Sun comes to a close...

1. Juice it Away. All good things start with a great juice. I never regret starting my day with a fresh juice, smoothie or bowl of fresh-cut fruit. Fresh lively enzymes, pure flavors and nutrients galore. Take a few days and commit yourself to starting your day with fresh juice or fruit. For detox, you may want to include these ingredients: lots of ginger, lemon juice, aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, milk thistle, cayenne, wheat grass, acai, papaya or pineapple for fresh fruit enzymes, kombucha tea and juiced greens like parsley, spinach, arugula and watercress. Bottom line: stay hydrated during your detox. High quality water and fresh juices are key.

2. Dead Cells: Gone. Scrub away the dead skin cells of summer. I find myself brushing my cat's fur and thick mounds of skin cells, dander and milky hair peel away. I can only imagine how this same effect happens on my skin as well. Buy a skin brush, or get a nice sea salt scrub or sugar scrub (Trader Joe's sells a few very nice aromatherapy scrubs for a good price) and in your morning shower scrub away the dead. If you are using a brush, skin brush your entire body before you get in the shower-dry skin sloughs off easier than wet. Did you know that 20% of the detox process is done through the largest organ in our bodies, the skin.

3. Epsom Salts. I take a lot of epsom salt baths in the winter. But in the summer I skip them. By the end of the summer I can feel a difference. Epsom salts are excellent for detox. So force yourself to do a few epsom soaks this time of year and you will feel the difference. More on epsom salts.

4. Live Snacks vs. Dead Snacks. During the summer it is easy to eat a lot of dead salty foods like chips, roasted nuts, salty fried foods and such. Now is the time to put down the dry soy chips or potato crisps and think about snacking on live, raw foods, Raw nuts, fresh fruit, live nut butter spreads, live nut and bean milks, fresh veggie sticks, live juices and seed and nut granola bars.Think low in salt and high in water content and enzymes. Cut back on the fried and the dried, aka chips and crisps.

5. Probiotics Regimen. During your seasonal detox, I highly recommend supplementing your diet with high-in-probiotics products. Basic yogurt is great, but I prefer a probiotics super-pill or my favorite: BioKPlus soy yogurt shots. Expensive yes, but when I drink them for ten days or so, I always feel the difference.

6. Chill Out and Logout! You may think that you've had a lot of time to relax this summer, but sometimes it's all a big laying -in-the-sun illusion! A lot of down time can actually leave you feeling even more sluggish and tired. My answer? I'll turn to long walks and anti-technology meditation sessions. I'll force myself to go on a long walk to the store or to pick up dinner to go. Why should the delivery guy get all the good-for-you exercise?! I'll pull out my running shoes and walk, walk, walk. Clearing my mind and muscles is the key. Next, I'll turn off my phone, resist my computer and close my eyes in silence for 20 minutes. Do it with your hubby or a co-worker. Just sit in silence to hear nothing but the late summer rain trickling outside your window and the soggy car tires zooming down the street. (My version of silence. Silence is hard to come by in NYC.)

7. Virginize Your Happy Hour. Summertime means sunset drinks and happy hour celebrations. Well during your detox, take a pause from your happy hour and start a new habit: happy hour juices. Drink all natural tonics, juices and elixirs for an evening buzz. Try super ginger juice or a tart berry lemonade. Stick some muddled mint in your iced tea or chug fizzy fuzzy peach spritzers made from seltzer, lemon juice, chopped peaches and lots peach nectar. And trust me on that ginger-it will give you a ginger buzz that you will crave!

8. Salads. Raw salads are what I crave this time of year. But not just wimpy tiny side salads. Big, giant, full of mixed veggies salads. I chop up anything and everything for my detox salads: fennel, carrots, spinach, arugula, radishes, bell peppers, sweet onions, cabbage, endive, pea shoots, edamame, watercress, tomatoes, avocado, mango, oranges, grapefruit, mushrooms, beets, peas, chilled beans, corn, apples, parsley, sprouts, olives and more! I adore my giant raw salads-especially this time or year. I'll top them with some tempeh or tofu cubes for added protein.

9. Coconut Water: Instant Hydration. I had to add this tip, because I am a coconut water believer. For hydration, you can't beat it! Try coconut water. If you aren't already hooked, I suggest you try it. Fresh young coconuts are the best source, you can even buy coconuts from Whole Foods. But if you opt for a brand my favorites are ZICO and O.N.E. One Natural Experience. And it is...

10. Hot/Cold Water Therapy. Love this tip. I try to do this in the shower everyday. But during a detox session it is a great way to get your blood flowing and toxins moving.

Those are my end of summer detox tips. I hope they help you to feel spry and refreshed in your transition to fall.

Every kid needs an after school milk and cookies session once in a while. But nowadays, vegan chocolate chip cookies with soy or nut milk is the smart way to indulge. And haven't you heard: vegan treats have never been tastier!

Grade A Kids. Wrapping up Part 5 of my Back to School Series, I've got ten sweet treats for your grade A kids! Teaching your kids that a special sweet treat is OK once in a while is a fabulous lesson in moderation. Teach your kids to have a healthy relationship with treat foods rather than a love/hate one, and you will be doing them right! And in most cases, vegan treats are a lot healthier than traditional after-school-snack treats. Check out my list, you're sure to find something yummy to treat yourself with...

Standard Student Treats. Packaged, processed, artificially colored, HFCS sweetened, fake, fried, fatty and just down right toxic. There are a lot of not so good for you treats out there, and when you are a peer-pressurized student, those treats seem to find their way on your lap. Frosted donuts, sugary sodas, fluffy cupcakes and cookies the size of your head. Treats can quickly put you into overdrive when it comes to sugar, fat, calories and even trans fat quotas. Read those labels moms and dads! And then teach your kids to read labels. Or better yet-select your sweets from a few of my faves for back to school treats..

1. Just Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Everyone needs a perfect vegan chocolate chip cookie in their recipe repertoire. This is mine.

2. Chocolate Pudding Hand Pies
Perfect for toting to school, or a nice after-school treat. These pies have a hearty healthy crust and the chocolate pudding inside is simply delicious. Shun the Red 40 artificially flavored pies, and grab one of these!

3. Vegan Bakery Treats. Outsource your Dessert.
I really hope you have a bakery in your town that makes a few vegan treats. In NYC, we have Babycakes. Vegan Doughnuts. Quite a treat indeed. I encourage you to chat with your local baker and say you are interested in a few vegan options. Who knows-maybe some experimental vegan muffins or cookies will be the talk of the town and put a new bakery store on the map! And these doughnuts are proof that vegan can mean decadent.

4. Chai-Berry Short Cup
It tastes like a strawberry milkshake. But it's not. This sweet treat smoothie is packed with protein and fresh fruit goodness. And who doesn't love a cool hydrating smoothie after a long day of classes? Definitely dessert worthy, yet healthy enough for breakfast!

5. Peanut Brown Butter cookies
One of my favorite cookie flavors as a kid was peanut butter! Loved them. Those cute little fork criss-crosses on top. Well here is my healthier vegan recipe for delicious nutty peanut butter cookies.

6. Zesty Lemon Custard Bars
This recipe won me the 'best disguise of tofu' award at the Tofu Takedown in NYC. Everyone loved them and questioned as to how much tofu I even used! But there is actually a nice hefty portion in each bite. I love this lemon-fresh recipe and your kids will too.

7. Vegan Campfire Smores
Yes vegan marshmallows do exist. And yes they are really good. And so yes, you can easily make your next campfire vegan-friendly. Trust me, the kids won't even know the difference. The only comments might be are that the dark chocolate and gooey marshmallows taste extra delicious.

8. Vanilla Cinnamon Rice Pudding
This rice pudding is good enough to eat! A lot of kids might be hesitant to try rice pudding, but give it a try and hopefully they will be impressed. Drizzle some maple syrup and cinnamon and how on earth can they say no? For a special treat, add in the seeds from a whole vanilla bean-wow does that perk up the flavor. And rice pudding can even be eaten as a healthy breakfast. Use brown rice and add lots of fresh chopped fruit. Sweet.

9. Meyer Lemon Custard Island Parfait
Here is your two minute treat recipe. If you are short on time and want to feed your kids a healthy treat in a snap, check out this recipe. Yogurt is the main ingredient, but a few sneaky add-ins give it a whole new flavor that's sweet-treat approved.

10. Black and White Cookie Cupcakes
Headed to a birthday party? Need a lot of cupcakes? You want to make them yummy and vegan right? Well here's a unique recipe to try. It was a big hit at my nephew's third birthday party. You can give the kids all the chocolate they crave, without all the sugary frosting. Just a nice clean dollop of white glaze on top. Another great feature is that both the kids and adults will rave about them.

Check out more sweets and desserts here.

Bliss. Bliss is granted to all the doughnut lovers out there (vegan or not). All week I had been hearing the buzz about Babycakes NYC brand new vegan doughnuts. Thus, being the diligent foodie that I am, I skipped down to check them out this Saturday morning.

Vegan Doughnuts? If you expect vegan doughnuts to be bland, wimpy or hard-as-a-rock, think again. Moist-yet-crisply-coated, natural-flavor-infused and bouncy-textured are all phrases to describe these decadent gems. And FYI, they are indeed baked, not fried. Nice! Babycakes has put itself on the map as a doughnut destination location. But if you can't make it to NYC for a taste-test, here's the next best thing: my review and tons of doughnut photos....

Doughnut Tweets. Here's what Babycakes has been tweeting about all week in regards to their new doughnuts:
"Doughnuts for today: Cinnamon Sugar, Powdered Sugar and Lemon Coconut Lil' Guys and Chocolate Dipped Big Guys!11:36 AM Aug 28th from web

"Doughnuts today... Raspberry Glazed, Toasted Coconut, Cinnamon Sugar, Powdered Sugar and Jelly! Mmmmm."

Vegan Foodie Excitement. You don't know how excited I get when I hear buzz about a new vegan treat in town. And when I hear that the new treat just happens to be 'vegan doughnuts' from Babycakes, I do cartwheels. (Well not really, my apartment is too small for that. Giddy jumps of joy will have to do.) Mind you, decadent vegan treats are not an everyday thing, but as a worthy sometimes treat: yipp-ee. Here's my review...

My Review: Babycakes NYC Vegan Doughnuts
Flavors: Cinnamon Sugar, Powdered Sugar with Jelly, Lemon Coconut, Chocolate Dipped.

Shelf Appeal: Well you've already read my review of Babycakes NYC adorable lil' shop on the lower east side. So you know I love everything about their branding, store setup and the decadently 'vanilla-cinnamon' store smell that knocks you over upon entering the bakery. Divine. The cute little donuts were all lined up happily on the shelf with inviting little flavor signs. "One of each please!" 🙂

Label Check: Vegan. Made with high quality ingredients, as is the Babycakes way. Ingredients like: extra virgin coconut oil, spelt and potato flours, xantham gum, agave syrup, and other vegan baking ingredients. So while I don't know the secret doughnut recipe, I can assure you, there's some good stuff in there. BUT, nothing low-fat or fat-free here. It is a doughnut. Decadence is a must. Vegan doughnuts. From Babycakes. That should tell you enough about the label.

Taste Test: Um, yum? Super yum. Spine-tingling, warm-feeling inside on a cool foggy morning yum. Let me give each flavor the attention it deserves. Cinnamon Sugar: super moist. Crusty fine-milled cinna-sugar outer layer. Reminds me of when I used to make cinnamon toast as a kid. Chocolate Glazed: Deep dark chocolate flavor. Melty. The chocolate was perfectly moist/sticky/shiny. Are you sure these are vegan!? Lemon Coconut: Exotically lovely. Bright, fresh lemon flavor shines through and screams 'natural flavorings!' Nothing artificial here. Light angel-like coconut coating. Lovely. Powdered-Jelly: Super decadent texture. The powder wasn't as fluffy and saturated as on a typical powdered-sugar doughnut. But that's quite OK with me. The jelly was gooey and sweet like a fresh raspberry jam. Again, natural flavors shine here. The moist doughnut cake was the perfect vessel to display the flavorful fresh-fruit, chocolaty, cinnamon-riffic brilliance of these pure flavors.

Price Check: $3-$3.50 The little ones were $2.95 I believe. So that's around $36 a dozen. Not cheap. But as a one or two doughnut treat-well worth it. And believe me, vegan baking ingredients can be quite pricey. And FYI, the very famous and popular Donut Plant just a few blocks from Babycakes sells their donuts for about the same price.

Last Word: Forget the Sex in the City themed NYC trips. I'm predicting Vegan Treats themed NYC trips in the forecast. Whole tourist buses, trolling the sights, smells and tastes of the vegan delights this great city has to offer. Book your trip today! First stop: Babycakes. Have a cinnamon-sugar doughnut for me.

Lots more Babycakes Doughnuts Photos:

Remember those hand-held fruit pies that you ate as a kid? There was a chocolate flavor too. Well despite the pleasant childhood nostalgia, there's not much nice to say about those artificially flavored and colored pies. The Hostess 'Cherry Pie' ingredients tell it all: Red 40. 50% your RDA of saturated fat per pie. Yuck. So I decided to test out my own recipe for Vegan Chocolate Pudding Hand Pies. First I made some soy chocolate pudding. Then I made some hearty-grained biscuit-style dough. Put them together and my pies were born. The flavors were dreamy, although I do have a few tips for making them even better next time. Check out my recipe and what I'd do differently...

The Good. I love my crust. It had more of a biscuit flavor than a pie crust flavor, but I liked that. I loved the complex flavors of the dough. I put a lot of healthy ingredients in the dough, so the guilt factor of eating 'chocolate pie' goes way down. I also loved my filling. I've been making variations of this vegan chocolate pudding for a long time, so I knew it would turn out nicely. I added a pinch of cayenne which created a mild spiciness reminiscent of a Mexican hot chocolate.

The Bad. The ratio of crust to filling was a little off. I was rushing a bit and didn't roll my dough out thin enough. A thinner dough would've allowed me to pack more filling into each pocket. So thinner dough for a thinner crust is a big change I will make for next time. Also, I used all whole wheat flour in the dough. This made for a hearty, nutty flavor, but browned and heavied the crust a bit too much. I might change up the flour a bit and use half whole wheat and half white. Or perhaps use all spelt, or some garbanzo-fava flour. Experimentation is wide open for this recipe. I also over-baked these little pies a tad. Watch out for that. Ten minutes should do it.

Fruit or Savory Filling. Next time I will try a few of these hand pies with fresh fruit filling. Or maybe use a really good jam. Apricot. Peach. Plum. Raspberry. Strawberry. Yum. Actually, if you used peanut butter and jam this would make an interesting treat substitute for a pb&j sandwich. Also, a savory cheese or veggie 'pot pie' style filling would also be nice. This hand-pie is great for packing in school lunches. A high energy treat for a kid craving some healthy carbs. So many options, so little time. But for today it's chocolate pies and that's nothing to frown at.

Nutrition Facts. Before I get to my recipe you must see the nutrition facts on one of those classic fruit pies:
Hostess Cherry Fruit Pie Ingredients: Enriched Wheat Flour [Flour, Ferrous Sulfate (Iron), B Vitamins (Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Folic Acid)], Cherries, Water, Vegetable Oil Shortening (Soybean, Palm, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed), Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Modified Corn Starch. Contains 2% or Less of: Soy Flour, Salt, Whey, Soy Protein Isolate, Calcium and Sodium Caseinate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Agar, Locust Bean Gum, Dextrose, Sodium Phosphate, Cornstarch, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable and/or Animal Shortening (Soybean, Cottonseed and/or Canola Oil, Beef Fat), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Propionate and Sorbic Acid (to Retain Freshness), FD&C Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1.
Calories 480
Calories from Fat 180
Total Fat 20 g (31%)
Saturated Fat 10 g (50%)

OK, enough of the yuck, lets get to the yum!...

Chocolate Pudding Hand Pies
vegan, makes 7-8 medium sized hand pies

crust:
2 cups flour (mixture of whole wheat/white)
2 tablespoon organic sugar
¼ cup vanilla soy yogurt
⅓ cup water
¼ cup almond meal
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup canola oil
*extra flour for sprinkling

pudding:
1 black 16 ounces silken tofu
1 cup soy milk
1 box Dr.Oetker Chocolate Pudding Mix
3 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
¼ cup dark chocolate bar pieces
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup vanilla or plain soy yogurt
extras: organic powdered sugar.

Directions:

1. Make your pudding by combining all the pudding ingredients in a pot on the stove (except the soy yogurt). Heat on med-high, stirring constantly until a bubbly mixture forms.

2. Turn heat to low and continue stirring for a few minutes. You should have a nice lumpy thick mixture.

3. Transfer the mixture to your blender. Blend on low-medium until all the pudding runs smoothly. Be very careful when blending any heated substance. Vent lid and never aim blender towards your face.

4. Transfer the now smooth pudding to a large bowl.

5. Fold in the soy yogurt.

6. Transfer about 1 ¼ cups in a smaller bowl. This smaller amount is all you will need for your pies. The rest you can store in the fridge for later!

7. Place the small container of pudding in the freezer for 5 minutes to cool it off while you prepare your crust dough.

8. Combine all your dry crust ingredients in a large bowl. Mix.

9. Add in your liquid ingredients and mix until a nice dough is formed. Make sure it is dry enough to roll out-otherwise add a bit more flower.

10. Roll out dough-whatever method works for you. I like to split my dough into two pieces and roll out one while I place the other in the freezer to stay firm for a few minutes.

11. Roll out as thin as possible on a floured surface. Corn tortilla thickness would be perfect.

12. Using a medium sized bowl, cut out pie dough circles. Transfer to a greased baking sheet-carefully.

13. Repeat for all your dough.

14. Grab your chilled pudding. Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoon of pudding into each pie circle.

15. Fold over circle into a half moon shape. Crimp the edges with a fork.

16. Brush outside of pies with a bit of oil/lemon glaze if you wish-optional.

17. Bake at 400 degrees for ten minutes. You want them to be golden brown, but not over-done! As they cool they will harden a bit.

18. Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

As promised, my brand new recipe for Just Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies is revealed. Everyone needs a crowd-pleasing, slightly unique cookie recipe to grab on a rainy day, and this one will blow you away. My inspiration? One of my product finds of the week: "Just Almond Meal" that I purchased at Trader Joe's. It's a fine milled powder made from 100% ground almonds. Enough chatter, lets get to this recipe! And more yummy photos....

Perfect Cookies? Yes. These cookies were perfect. I can't tell you how warm, gooey, chewy and flavorful they tasted just out of the oven. Creamy melting chocolate chips all over my face. And I stuck them in the fridge for the next day-they still tasted amazing. Lovely. Really.

Trader Joe's Inspired. I honestly didn't mean to do this, but almost every item I used was purchased at TJ's. The only non TJ's item was my Silk Live Vanilla Soy Yogurt. Makes for an easy shopping trip.

Just Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies
vegan, makes about a dozen

1 ½ cups 'white' whole wheat flour*
¾ cup +2 tablespoon organic natural sugar*
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt*
½ teaspoon cinnamon*
¾ cup "Just" Almond Meal*
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract*
¼ cup canola oil*
1 ½ tablespoon soy creamer*
¼ cup vanilla soy yogurt
2 tablespoon hand-chopped almonds, roasted and salted*
1 ¼ cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet/vegan*
1 ½ tablespoon flax seed meal, (blueberry flavored* or plain)
*Purchased at Trader Joe's

Directions:

1. Combine these dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, almond meal and flax seed meal. Combine well.

2. Add in liquid ingredients: soy yogurt, canola oil, soy creamer and vanilla extract.

3. Fold in the chopped almonds and chocolate chips.

4. You should have a nice wet cookie dough that is suitable for spooning onto a baking sheet. If the batter seems a bit too wet add a few pinches of flour. Too dry, add in some soy milk or water.

5. Spoon 1 ½ tablespoon balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or ungreased parchment paper.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes.

7. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before handling. You can also transfer to a cooling rack if you have one.

Storage: Store on counter-top for a day-store in the fridge for a few days-freeze for longer.

Taste. Try. Live. This past week I've discovered a plethora of creative, delicious and inspiring new finds to share with you. Here are ten must-see inspirations for your healthy, happy life. A few hints: a super-antioxidant tea, green and glossy urban beauty, a fun new show from Food Network, yummy vegan goodies delivered to your door, 2 new Trader Joe's products I love, a few awesome recipe and blog links and a super "cool" beverage book to quench your thirst for creativity. Check out my ten finds of the week...

Kathy's New Finds, Reviews and Discoveries: 8/27/09

1. Trader Joe's Finds: Just Almond Meal and Persian Cucumbers
Two new awesome products from TJ's this week.
Persian Cucumbers: I was a little hesitant to try these funky new cucumbers at Trader Joe's. They looked like pickles, but claimed to be sweet, crunchy and seedless. Well I tried them and they are amazing. Super crunchy, fresh-tasting and indeed seedless. No mushy seeds. Lovely in a summer salad. In the fridge section. Near the carrots and mushrooms.
Trader Joe's Almond Meal: Maybe not new to you, but it's new to me! I bought a pack of TJ's 'Just Almond Meal' which is 100% pure ground almonds. I used it in a few cookie and cake recipes and it worked magic! I substituted ¾ a cup of flour in each recipe with ¾ a cup of this almond meal. Yum! My chocolate chip cookies have never tasted better. I will be posting a recipe for my Just Almond 'n Chocolate Chip Cookies, later this week. Vegan baker must try!

2. Cool Waters Book by Brian Preston-Campbell
So one of my fellow judges at Veggie Conquest had a few samples of his 'water creations' at the event. So yum. And healthy. I had a delicious orange colored fig infused water and the Lemon Rosewater was awesome! So if you want some creative beverage ideas and beautiful beverage photography, check it out in the product link. Brian's website is great for food photography lovers.

3. Gone Pie Vegan Bakery
I was lucky enough to taste-test Gone Pie's vegan chocolate chip cookies at last weekend's Veggie Conquest cooking competition. Oh boy were they yummy. Vegan and gluten free. And you don't even need to live in NYC-they will ship these yummy goodies to your door! Still not convinced? Check out these Oval Office reviews of Gone Pie goodies (more GP raves here):

"I'm lactose intolerant. Intolerance is my way. So when I tried and eaten these Gone Pie dairy-free brownies, I couldn't believe they weren't bake cooked with cow butter. They take me back to the brownies of my youth days. Now when I was at Yale...."
-- George W. Bush

"Pumpkin brownies taste good on collectible plates!"
-- Barack H. Obama

4. POMx Tea in new flavors!
I am a big fan of the POM brand. And I was lucky enough to receive new flavor samples from their line of bottles Antioxidant Super Teas. The five new POMx flavors are: Pomegranate Lychee Green, Pomegranate Peach Passion White, Pomegranate Blackberry, Light Pomegranate Hibiscus Green and Light Pomegranate Wildberry White. The light teas have only 35 calories per 8 ounces. POMx has more antioxidant potency than red wine, green tea, grape and acai extracts. And of course it's the only tea that contains POMx.

5. Green Windows on Bond Street
Everyone needs a little beauty to brighten their day. Here's a bit of urban beauty at its best. I will walk out of my way to pass the new residential building, 40 Bond in NoHo NYC. It's so deliciously beautiful. Green glossy glass perfection. Here's the formal description from the 40 Bond site:
"Effortless Luxury Living is the essence of 40 Bond, a sophisticated new concept in urban living created by Ian Schrager."
"The building, designed by the eminent Swiss architects Herzog de Meuron, is an architectural masterpiece."

6. The Discerning Brute Blog: for your 'ethically handsome man'
Another awesome dude that I met this week was Joshua Katcher, author or the blog: The Discerning Brute. It's slogan: "Fashion, food and etiquette for the ethically handsome man." This blog is awesome. I haven't seen many guy-friendly Eco-conscious, vegan themed blogs. And he updates pretty frequently which is nice. Send all your ethically handsome guy and pals over to this site. Great slogan too.

7. Brian Boitano Rocks.
Did you catch the brand new Food Network show: "What Would Brian Boitano Make?" It was awesome. Fun, entertaining and full of great ideas-most of them pretty healthy, although not vegan. I loved BB's 'goat cheese' balls appetizers. I could easily make this into a vegan appetizer by using vegan goat cheese. Hm..first I need to learn how to make that gosh darn yummy vegan goat cheese-like the kind I tasted at VC!

8. Happy: The Bear that Made it up the Ladder.
A happy story to round out your week. This poor little bear got caught in a skateboarding park ditch. Luckily, some nice human friends helped him out be placing a ladder in the ditch. And also luckily, this smarty bear figured out how to climb up the ladder! Smart bear. Cute pics.

9. Revolution Foods
This is an awesome company doing great things to help ids get healthy. Bravo!

10. Recipes. Recipes. Recipes.
I loved all of these recipes. Check them out...
Tofu Rancheros from Ellens New England Kitchen.
Chocolate Mouse Cake from Lemonpi.
Sour Cherry Pie from Hungry Face.
Coconut Ice Cream from Novel Eats simply vegan.
Indian Style Zucchini Patties with Tamarind Chutney from Chocolate Chip Trips.
Beet Salad with Maple Mustard Vinegarette from Two Blue Lemons.
Fresh Corn Polenta with Oyster Mushrooms by Vegan Chow.

Got an awesome new vegan, healthy, wellness, happy, beautiful, fun find or discovery??? Leave it in the comments of contact me.