Confession, I'm bored with black bean veggie burgers. And tofu burgers don't really excite my palate. How do I get a veggie burger that combines the healthy protein and nutrients of soy with the moist tender texture of a bean burger? With a furrowed brow I head into the kitchen to solve my bean burger dilemma. In a quicker then expected time my recipe came together. The result: my Mean Green Edamame Soy Burgers with a Spicy Slaw. Delicious! Thick green soy bean and fried rice burgers are moist and full of Asian flavor. Add some spicy-sweet crunchy slaw and I am in veggie burger heaven. Who says a vegan burger can't be over-the-top fantastic? Click ahead for the full burger recipe and make all your friends green with envy...

Mean and Green. This healthy soy burger combines a healthy edamame rice burger with a zesty spicy slaw salad. Add in a few tangy marinated heirloom tomatoes and a dab of Dijon and your burger is served! Don't forget the thick slice of red onion. You can use any type of bun you'd like. This burger is hearty enough for a grill or perfect for a stove-top saute pan. It only takes a few minutes to brown on both sides. This is a must try for all the greenies, veggies, vegans and edamame lovers out there. Take these patties to your next BBQ party and all your carnivore friends will be green with envy!!!

Edamame patty before cooking:

Spicy Slaw in Burger:

Heirloom Tomatoes:

Mean Green Edamame Soy Burger
Makes 3 burgers

Burger:
1 cups cooked edamame beans
1 cup Asian fried rice/veggies, cooked
*Brand option: Trader Joe's 'Fried' Vegetable Rice-frozen section.
½ tsp. lemon pepper
1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon agave syrup
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 cup sesame rice crackers
*brand option: Trader Joe's Savory Mini Thins

Tomatoes:
1 cup mini or full size green and purple heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dry white wine
pinch of pepper

Spicy Slaw:
2 cups shredded white cabbage
2 tablespoon Vegenaise
½ teaspoon cayenne powder
2 tablespoon agave syrup
½ medium orange, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon cashews, roasted/salted

Additional:
olive oil for brushing
handful of Italian flat parsley
3 white or wheat burger buns
3 thick circle slices red onion
3 teaspoon spicy Dijon mustard
3 teaspoon Vegenaise
3 slices vegan Monterey Jack cheese
*I like Follow Your Heart brand

Directions:
Cook edamame soy beans.
Cook rice/veggies.
*steam in microwave or use dutch oven on stove top.
In a large mixing bowl, toss edamame, rice, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper.
Let marinate while you prep tomatoes.
Slice mini tomatoes in half-or large tomatoes into slices.
Toss tomatoes in a bowl with olive oil, vinegar, wine and pepper.
Let tomatoes sit.
Now prepare the slaw by combining all slaw ingredients in a bowl. Toss well. Cool in fridge until needed.
To make the burgers, first drain rice/bean mixture of excess soy sauce/liquid.
Pour drained bean/rice mixture into food processor.
Add mustard powder, agave syrup and orange juice.
Blend on high until smooth and thick.
Transfer mixture to large bowl.
Add sesame rice crackers to food processor (no need to wash the container of burger residue)
Blend into fine crumbs.
Fold rice cracker crumbs into burger mixture.
Using hands, form into 3 burger sized patties.
optional: chill in fridge for ten minutes.
Cook burger for 1-2 minutes on each side in an olive-oil greased pan or grill.
Add cheese slice and allow to melt over low heat for an additional minute.
Cheese melt tip: Add an ice cube to the pan or grill-cover and allow ice steam to melt cheese.
Warm oil-brushed buns in toaster or over hot grill.
Next, assemble burgers.
Layer:
Bottom layer burger-spread on 1 teaspoon vegenaise.
Add a pinch of flat Italian parsley, chopped.
Add onion slice.
Add 2-3 tablespoon spicy slaw.
Add burger with cheese.
Place mini tomatoes (or tomato slice) on top of cheese. Spread 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard on top bun. Place top bun on tomatoes.
Secure with a mini-tomato-stuck bamboo skewer.

Wrap in foil to serve later, or serve now!
Slice in half.

Enjoy!

Serve with spicy sweet potato fries for maximum meal bliss.

I was craving a snack. Something to munch. Something with protein. Fiber. A little spice. A little sweet. Something dense. Something savory. Flimsy chips or plain nuts would be easy to grab, but so bor-ing. I want a simple, healthy-hearty snack. Something fast. Easy. Satisfying. Hmmm. Beans. Nuts. Those sound good. Nutrient dense. But still boring. Toasty, spicy, sweet. Yum. Ingredient makeover? Yes! So, I crept into the kitchen, grabbed some cashews, poured some canned garbanzo beans into a hot pan and started adding spices, flavors and other yummy things. The result: Toasty Chicks and Cashews. Good cold, delicious toasty hot. Spicy, sweet and totally snackable! Here's the 5 minute recipe...

Toasty Chicks and Cashews
makes about 3 cups

1 can organic garbanzo beans, drained
¼ cup salted cashews
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chili pepper
½ teaspoon onion or garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoon agave syrup
2 tablespoon olive oil
optional: 1 tablespoon lemon juice for moister chickpeas with a zesty flavor.
optional: ½ teaspoon liquid smoke for a smokier flavor.
*I basically did a mix-match of spices. I loved the flavor that came out, but if you want to modify it a bit I'm sure it will be just as tasty and healthy!

Directions:
1) Drain beans very well.
2) In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil and turn heat on high.
3) Add half the portion of beans and coat well in oil.
4) Allow beans to toast to brown. Toss a bit and let toast again.
5) Add in additional oil and beans. Toss well.
6) Shake pan and toast outside of beans a bit more.
7) When the beans have some nice brown edges, add in the remaining ingredients (except the cashews)-add the agave first. Toss well. Then add in all the spices.
8) Toss well-coating the beans evenly with spices.
9) Reduce heat to med-high and allow to cook through. A little more browning is a good thing. When the beans look just about done-and have absorbed all the liquid, add in the cashews. Toss cashews with beans-they should soak up any remnant spices and moisture.
10) Brown the beans and cashews as much as you'd like. However, if the beans start getting mushy-you know they are done. Try to pull them from the heat before the much occurs though.
11) Let cool slightly before serving. Serve over salads or on their own.

One of my passions as a blogger and vegan foodie, is to create an increased awareness about special diets in the culinary world. More specifically: on restaurant menus. Special diets can include folks who are vegan, vegetarian, diabetic, gluten free, kosher, or people on low fat, low calorie or low sodium diets. Food allergies, also terribly important. The first step when evaluating a new restaurant is the look at the menu. But for a person with a special diet, this process can either be heavenly or hellish. Living in NYC, I see a lot of menus. A lot. So I've become an expert at scanning and deciding whether or not a restaurant is going to be a special diets success. And I have a few tips for you. The five hot features I look for are: Symbols, Sections, Verifications, Glossary and Hidden Gems. I'll elaborate on these terms ahead, and give you a few examples of what I think are innovative and successful special diet menus. Read on to get menu-educated....

Five Hot Special Diet Menu Features. There are five types of menu features that I really get excited about. Symbols, Sections, Verifications, Glossary and Hidden Gems. Let me elaborate...

Symbols. First, when I see a restaurant taking the time to put a special symbol on their menu representing items that are low-fat, low-calorie, vegan, dairy-free or vegetarian. A perfect example of this is the little carrot that Le Pain Quotidian puts next to all its vegan menu items. Listen up menu designers: A simple (v) on the menu is a great way to indicate whether or not items are vegetarian or vegan-just be sure to specify what the symbols stand for!

Sections. This is when a menu designates a bit of its precious space, aka menu real estate, to a special diets section. This section may show low-cal items, vegetarian options, live/raw items, low sodium options or even gluten free items. Hosting a special section-no matter what cuisine you are serving allows customers to see right away that you are thinking of everyone. It's the same idea as when family restaurants have "kids menu" sections. The customers can know: "Oh, awesome-I can bring my vegetarian friend here because I see a vegetarian section!" Without special sections, diners are forced to modify and double check just about everything they order. More time for the waiters. I hate when I am forced to order the Chicken Salad with "no chicken!" An example of a restaurant with a great special section is Caravan of Dreams. For the raw diet diners, they put all their live/raw menu items in separate sections from the cooked items. Another special section can be found at Craft NYC. Though I am still harping on Craft to get a vegan entree or pasta on their menu, they have effectively arranged all the veggie, mushroom and grain dishes in separate sections-so you can easily create a fabulous tasting menu of veggies, mushrooms and potatoes-like I did on my last visit.

Verifications. The next menu feature that really charges a grin on my face is the restaurant that goes out of its way to inform customers of its dietary standards, nutritional features or cuisine policies. What a fabulous feature when a restaurant prints right on the menu, in full sentences, the features and assurances about certain menu items. Examples: *does not contain dairy or *contains 19 grams of vegan protein. On Jamba Juice's online menu you can group they menu items by special diet and in the menu item description it will tell you facts about that item. The Protein Berry smoothie says: packed with 20 grams of protein. And since it's in the vegan menu items section online-you are assured that it is vegan. Real Food Daily in Los Angeles, states on its menu: "Our orange juice is freshly squeezed every 24 hours." I love that. Full disclosure makes for a happy customer.

Glossary. I love when I open a menu and I see a nice big glossary along the edges or back of the menu. Sure it may not look as clean and sleek, but diners love to learn! And if someone doesn't know what wasabi, tempeh, seitan, agave or spelt flour are-they can quickly find out! Josie's in NYC has an awesome glossary on its menu. Another great glossary is on the Angelika Kitchen menu, also in NYC.

Hidden Gems. I love when a menu that is clearly devoted to carnivores and 'everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" eaters, has at least one or two options that are clearly special diet friendly. It lets me know that this restaurant is thinking outside the mainstream. My favorite example is at Cafeteria in Chelsea nyc, a restaurant with fried chicken, mac n cheese, burgers and fries all over its menu. But it also has the silent gem: the Vegan veggie burger. Not only is it 100% vegan (as stated directly on the menu) but it is fabulous. And you can even sub out your greasy fries for a mixed greens salad. Another hidden gem is at Crif Dogs nyc. Not your typical hot dog joint-since they serve what many say is the best veggie dog in the city. And lastly, even Starbucks-is has a few hidden gems. They now serve a gluten free pastry. And were one of the first big coffee shops to embrace dairy free beverages. However, I'm still waiting on the the blended soy frappachino or chai I crave.

A note about this list below: I tried to not only include typical healthy menus, but also menus that have features for a variety of special diets. This is just a very small sample of some notable menus.

My Special Diet Friendly Menu Awards.

Best All-Around Menu: Babycakes NYC.
Why: Yes, Babycakes builds its branding around catering to special diets, thus is why they get the all around best award. Babycakes is in my opinion the most special diet aware joint in the city. Not only does their menu discuss the issue of food allergies and special diets, but their staff does as well. If you order an item containing spelt, the cashier will actually confirm with you to make sure that you don't have spelt allergies. If you order a frosted cupcake item, the cashier will remind you that the frosting should be kept refrigerated. Written menu and spoken word assurances. Rare, but amazing.

Best All-Around Runner-Up: Josie's West, NYC
Why: I chose Josie's because it is a restaurant that is not vegan-but vegan friendly. They serve meat and fish. Josie's is a place that you can take just about anyone for a delicious healthy meal. They are branded as organic and dairy-free. Family-friendly. They have a vegetarian friendly section on the menu. They also have a glossary. And if you ask the staff, they will easily tell you what is what on the menu.

Notable Mention Menus
1. Counter. Newly designed menu has a "vegan" section on the brunch menu. Also indicates "raw" items on the dinner menu. Easy to read.
2. GoBo. Glossary and informed staff.
3. Spring Street Natural. Has a (v) indicating vegan menu items-which there are a lot of.
4. Le Pain Quotidian. Has a carrot symbol indicating vegan menu items.
5. Craft NYC. Has menu grouped by type of foods. Sections.
6. Teany. Has a (v) for vegan options.
7. Jamba Juice. Online menu allows you to sort menu items by "special diets"
8. Angelika Kitchen. Awesome glossary. Awesome.
9. The Pump Energy Food. Sections galore. Even has a guilt-free section with low-sodium ingredient options.
10. California Pizza Kitchen. Though the menu isn't very special diet friendy, the website is. They have an allergen info pdf and a vegan friendly pdf. Maybe with some nagging their menu will be more vegan friendly-I mean they are called California Pizza Kitchen.
11. Cheesecake Factory. Not a vegan friendly menu design. But for the 'weight management' special diets, they have a whole section. I really wish CF would make a vegan menu items section-since they only have a vegetarian items list on their FAQ'S web page. Long way to go, but at least they have begun to improve options.
12. Whole Foods Market Fresh Foods. Has a nice vegan symbol on all vegan prepared food items. Ingredients plainly listed.
13. Mexican Mentions. I have to give a few Mex restaurants shout-outs. Mexican restaurants are usually pretty easy to predict when it comes to menu items. Rice, beans, tortillas, guac, salsa, ect. But I have to applaud California Tortilla and Chipotle for making both the allergens info and nutritional info easy to access. Their online sites have a lot of menu info. Yay. And San Loco has a star next to all vegetarian menu items. Baja Fresh has nutritional info online, but them actual menu has no indicators. And Qdoba is awesome in terms of full disclosure. All allergen and nutritional info is made available.
14. Native Foods. One of my fave California Vegan themed restaurants takes the time (and space, on its menu to remind customers that everything is dairy-free-even the mayo!
15. Trader Joe's. Not a menu, but awesome online special diet pdf's for their grocery items. On-product indicators with symbols are also top-notch.

*This was a short list with a few good examples. If you have any favorite menus-let me know!

I was thrilled when long time vegan and superstar event coordinator Jessica Mahady approached me to be a judge for challenge #1 of her vegan cooking competition: Veggie Conquest. Challenge #1 takes place Aug. 22, 2009 in Chelsea, NYC. Tickets for both chefs and tasters, are available now. Whether you are a vegan chef, foodie or just love the thrill of competition, this event promises to be loads of fun! It's like Iron Chef for vegans-since a 'secret ingredient' will be revealed a week before the event! Too much fun.

Judges Panel. My fellow judges include the brilliant food stylist, Brian Preston-Campbell and self-declared "hotshot and jack-of-all-trades" Joshua Kutcher. Veggie Conquest is a must-be-there event for all NYC area foodies. I hope to see you guys there. Click ahead for more event details and links...

Veggie Conquest Event Details:

Veggie Conquest is a monthly vegan cooking competition. Chefs prepare (at their home) a dish based on a secret ingredient for each event.

Judges and tasters at the event choose the top dish, prizes are awarded and everyone chows down and has a great time!

You can come to the events as a chef or a taster. You choose your role when you buy your ticket.

No matter which role you choose, you’ll get an e-mail from Veggie Conquest a week before the event, revealing the secret ingredient and course to be made (appetizer, entree, or dessert). It will also be posted on our blog and Twitter.

Veggie Conquest Website

Buy Tickets
$5-$10 for chefs and tasters

Follow @VeggieConquest on twitter and be the first to know the secret ingredient!!
http://twitter.com/veggieconquest

Veggie Conquest on Facebook.

About Jessica Mahady, event coordinator and founder, and contact info.

Judges info pages:
Kathy Patalsky
Brian Preston-Campbell
Joshua Kutcher

...And don't forget my own vegan cook-off resume including winning the "best disguise of tofu" award at the Tofu Takedown, hosted by Matt Timms, last spring in NYC...Tofu Takedown post here.

On last night's, week eight episode of The Next Food Network Star, the contestants were still at the Eden Roc in Miami! Lucky ducks. Here is my episode review. Find out why I disagree with one of the judges, and why I think $15 is insulting...

Foodie Elite. Wow. What an amazing cast of chefs to cook for. Morimoto, Sunny Anderson, Bobby Flay, The Neely's, Rick Bayless, Emeril, Tyler Florence and more. Talk about nerves! The contestants had $1K to shop with. So why oh why did Jeffrey only spend $317? Why oh why? Grab some $100 olive oil, some aged balsamic, aged cheese (since they all eat it on the show), a trio of the $30/lb mushrooms. Heck, I would've made a huge gourmet mushroom dish-maybe a few white truffles shaved on top. That $317 really bothered me. That's like taking Obama to McDonald's for your one time lunch. OK, so that was a little harsh. Bad example. But I just wish Jeffrey would've pulled off a better meal since he beat out Debbie. Oh, and if you did the math, the contestants had $50 to spend on each VIP guest. But Jeffrey spent only just over $15 on each guest-for three courses. Ahhh! Morimoto (and the other VIP's) deserve more than a $5 course. Insulting. OK, I've vented. Now onto my other issue...

Judges Words. On the show blog, judge Bob (who I love) keeps calling Jeffrey the zen-master. I don't see it. He sweats a lot. He gets that nervous look on his face and freaks me out-as a viewer. I think Bob is correct when he calls him vanilla, unsurprising. I don't really see the excitement in what he might do next. Awesome insight. I just don't think Jeffrey is that Zen. Melissa has greater moments of "ZEN" than Jeffrey. OK, can you tell yet who I indeed think and want to win!

Last word: GO MELISSA! Wow, what an awesome lady. Sweet and can be, but with a backbone that bites-in a good way. When she started talking about her mom who committed suicide I was shocked! How can someone be so bright and sunny and have gone through something like that? It just emphasizes the strength and determination in her character to succeed and to bring light into her world and those around her. Melissa will win. Yes she will.

Oh, and did you know that casting for the next show has begun?! Check it out on the foodnetwork.com. And yes, the July 31st NYC casting will be on my list this week. Trying to bring a vegan face to the Food Network! Or at least to the audition room...

Please sign my petition for more 'special diets' programming on Food Network. Such as raw, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, organic, diabetic, low-fat, sugar-free, local, low sodium and more.... 79 signatures so far. Sign it here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/food-network-special-diets-show

Watch it: Sunday nights on The Food Network.

The much-hyped summer-season-only sorbetto and gelato bar at MarieBelle's NYC was on my must-do list for summertime. Luckily, my husband and I just happen to be in SoHo on a really hot Saturday, and we stopped by MarieBelle's. I had planned on quickly running in and out of the store-just to pick up a gift for a friend. But that irresistible MarieBelle sorbet, packed into shiny silver tins, was calling my name. My taste buds shouted: "must taste (and blog) the fruit sorbet!" Click ahead for my review of the plum and banana sorbetto flavors...

Real Fruit Flavors. In my opinion, the best sorbet is the kind that actually tastes like the fruit it is flavored with. When peach sorbet tastes like biting into a juicy peach and when coconut sorbet tastes like freshly shaved tropical coconut. So did my banana and plum flavors live up to my high sorbet standards?

NYC Sorbet. I must admit New York City has a lot of delicious sorbet. There is IL Laboratorio on the lower East Side. Then there is Ciao Bella in Nolita. Both within walking distance of each other if you want to go sorbet-bar hopping. Both delicious. And also in walking distance-just down the street and around the corner from Ciao Bella is Public restaurant with their 6 sorbet dessert. It is indeed my favorite sorbet dessert in the city. Six tiny containers are filled to the brim with different flavors and colors of sorbet. Heavenly.

But what about MarieBelle sorbet?

My Review: Marie Belle Sorbet (and Gelato) Bar
*I review the plum and banana sorbet

Shelf-Appeal: Well MarieBelle's is simply beautiful on the inside. A quaint little cocoa bar in the back serving up hot and cold highest of quality tea, coffee and cocoa. Then the Tiffany blue trimmed store that makes you feel like you are in Paris. And the gelato/sorbet bar is also adorable. Right in front, the frozen treats are kept in shiny silver pots with elegant labels. There are three granite counter bar stools inside and a lovely bench outside. Oh, and the sorbet didn't look so bad either-little flecks of fruit in each spoonful. Bella!

Label Check: I hate this part when there is no nutrition labeling. But to me, it tasted like a fruit smoothie in calories/sugar wise. Not too sweet-at all! Totally light and delicious. And full of real seasonal fruit. I'm not too worried about that small size I had. My guess: 200 calories in a small. Fat free.

Taste Test: Divine! The banana flavor was cool and creamy and tasted like biting into a creamy frozen banana. It was the perfect compliment to my favorites flavor: plum! I have fond childhood memories of eating plums off the tree in my Cali home. So this fresh plum flavor sent me back. It truly tasted like biting into a plum-only frostier. It was all about the fruit in this sorbet-awesome. Yum. Delicious.

Price Check: Two small sizes was about ten bucks. But for this high quality summertime treat-it was worth it. I want to go back at least once before summer ends.

Last Word: I hope they have the lychee flavor next time-I'm dying to try it. Maybe I'll have to keep going back until they do-what a tough job.. 🙂

Gelato Side Note: My husband had the Cardamon dark chocolate flavor. He loved it. A little messy, but that's all part of the fun!

It's a common code among healthy cooks everywhere: when you find a veggie that your 'vegetable-shunning' kid, client, customer, husband or wife actually likes-embrace it! Recently my husband confessed his adoration for broccoli in the form of Broccoli Cheddar Soup. So since broccoli is one of the healthiest veggies around, I knew I wanted to wow him with this broccoli-dense cheesy-goodness soup. I even tossed in a jalapeno for a little spice!

Broc and Ched. There is something about broccoli and cheddar cheese that goes hand in hand. (And, yes my cheese is vegan) Maybe its the silky melted orange color against the dark green firm tree shaped veggie. Or maybe it's a memory of eating melted cheese-topped broccoli somewhere along the way in childhood. Whatever it is, this classic combo makes for a delicious vegan soup. Mine is a little spicy, a little creamy and a lot delicious. Here's my recipe...

A Lot Creamy. A Little Chunky. I like my broccoli soup creamy smooth, but I also love to get a few bits of whole chunky broccoli bits. So that's how I make it, a little chunky, a lot smooth. You'll need a food processor or "Vitamix" style blender. I actually made this soup with my Oster Fusion blender.

Spicy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
vegan, makes a really big pot
*halve recipe for smaller portion

6-8 cups raw broccoli, florets and stalk, chopped
1 large jalapeno
*for less heat, de-seed first (you can also omit this ingredient for a non-spicy soup)
1 shallot, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
3 cups vegetable broth (salted)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup soy creamer, plain flavor
*I used the Wildwood brand
3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, rough chop (skin on)
1 cup parsley
1 bay leaf
½ cup olive oil
1 cup soy milk, plain flavor
2 tablespoon Vegenaise
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
*vegan, I use the Follow Your Heart brand
Garnish/on hand: fresh basil, fresh parsley, extra cheese shreds.
*Lower-Fat Modifications follow recipe.

Directions:
*There are numerous ways to make this soup-but these basic ingredients will help you succeed.

1) Chop your broccoli-including most of the stalks-don't throw them all away! Leave out about 1 ½ cups of tiny broccoli florets for adding whole to the soup later. The rest of the broccoli will be pureed.
2) In your soup pot, saute over med-high heat: 2 tablespoon of your olive oil with the shallot, onion and jalapeno. When cooked lightly, add in lemon juice, veggie broth, remaining oil, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium.
3)Bake your potatoes using an oven or microwave. Rough chop them and add them to your pot.
4) Add in the broccoli. Remember to leave out a few florets for later use though.
5)Cover with lid, when broccoli is tender, turn heat off.
6) Transfer contents of pot into a large mixing bowl. Allow to cool slightly. Add to the bowl the fresh parsley, soy creamer, vegenaise and soy milk. Fold new ingredients into the hot soup mixture.
7)In batches, puree the soup in a Vitamix or other food-processor style blender. Soup should be smooth-no lumps or chunks. Warning: only blend warm soup in blender with extreme caution! Never aim blender toward your face and always start on the lowest setting possible. Never overfill the blender.
8) In the soup pot, add the broccoli florets, a dash of veggie broth and saute covered for about a minute until tender.
9) Add the pureed soup back into the soup pot. Add a bay leaf and a few pinches of chopped basil (optional).
10) Simmer uncovered for at least twenty minutes to cook out all the air bubbles. Stir constantly for the first few minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving or storing.
11) Serve with a garnish of 1 teaspoon soy creamer drops, a pinch of fresh parsley, a basil leaf and of course some shreds of cheddar cheese.

Lower Fat Modifications: Use half the amount of olive oil, and substitute the creamer for more soy milk.
You can also use less cheese, but now why would you want to do that? 🙂

Enjoy!!..and more photos below...

If you missed this week's GOOP Newsletter, you missed the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow trying her hand at being an on-screen chef. Not exactly Julia Child yet, but pretty impressive. I obviously wasn't fond of the chicken portion of her meal (I still greatly miss the veg-head days of Paltrow), but at the 4 minute mark she started tossing together a gorgeous Farmer's Market inspired salad with a champagne, shallot, maple and mustard vinaigrette. It sounded (and looked) amazing! Throw in some sweet English Peas, a la my visit to Craft NYC, and I am in!

Gwyneth's Cookbook? So does this confirm the rumor's about Gwyneth's foodie aspirations? The NYTimes recently compared her to Martha and Oprah. While Perez said Gwyneth would be releasing a cookbook called, My Fathers Daughter, in bookstores in 2010. Come to think of it, Gwyn did mention her dad several times in this video. G, please add a few vegan recipes or a nice chunky macrobiotic section to your cookbook for your veg fans! Oh, and anyone know where Gwyneth got that gray top she's wearing in the video? I love it! Click ahead for my top 5 Gwyneth Paltrow related blog posts...

Top Five Gwyneth Paltrow Related Blog Posts

1. Gwyn's Gym. Will Gwyneth open an NYC gym in the future?

2. Spain: On the Road Again. Even if Tony Bourdain bashed this show featuring Gwyneth, Bitman and Batali. I loved it. Here's my rant on the fab PBS series.

3. GOOP: 150,000 subscribers road mark. I'm sure the number has greatly grown by now, but this was news a while back!

4. CLEAN Dr. Junger. Gwyneth followed the ways of CLEAN author Dr. Junger. Here is my Famous Tweets post on this awesome doc who enjoys Yacht dancing in Bora Bora from time to time.

5. GOOP: Are you Getting it? Have you subscribed. Here's why I do, and you should.

I first heard about the exotic fruit, lychees, three years ago when planning my wedding. We wanted a signature wedding drink to be served at the reception, and the coordinator at the Mandarin Oriental Miami suggested a Lychee Blended beverage. With my obsession with smoothies, I was sold on the word 'blended'. However, the 'lychee' part fuzzied my brain a bit. What is a lychee? Well, needless to say, lychees have become much more mainstream in the past few years, but I am still finding people who have not tasted or even heard of them. Lychees are delicious in drinks and desserts. Use them in salads the same way you use canned mandarins. They are high in Vitamin C and only 6 calories per fruit. Still unsure? Well, let me just say that those "Lychee Blended's" were the hottest drink at the wedding. More popular than the champagne even! Lets learn more about lychees and their nutrition facts...

Lovely Lychees. Lychees are pretty. They have a rough, almost spiky rose-colored rind. They grow on exotic fruit trees. And inside the leather-like skin is a pure creamy white flesh, smooth and silky to the touch. Lychees fresh and canned have an almost grape like texture. You will want to remove all the outer rind and inside nut when eating them. Or do the easy and still delicious thing and buy canned lychees.

Origin of Lychees. Lychees are extensively grown in the native region of China, and also elsewhere in South-East Asia. You may not be able to find fresh lychees in all supermarkets, however Asian markets and specialty stores usually carry them.

Lychee Serving ideas. I love lychees in almost any beverage. My favorite are Lychee bellini's. Simply add crushed lychee pulp/juice to champagne. 3 parts champagne to 1 part lychee pulp. Add a whole lychee for garnish and rim the champagne glass with sugar. Yum. You can also serve lychees for dessert. Stick them in a vanilla custard pudding, a lychee upside-down cake or even the popular lychee rice pudding. Lychees, used sparingly can even add a hint of exotic sweetness and depth to a raw salad. And guess what, kids will love lychees chopped up in a fruit or veggie salad. Just use them as you would those canned mandarins!

Lychee Bellini Twecipe: 3parts champgne, 1part mashed Lychee Pulp/Juice from canned lychees. Rim glass with sugr. Garnish: whole lychee.

Nutrition in Lychees. Believe it or not, these sweet little gems do have a few nice nutrients in them. Nothing over the top, but nice indeed. Talk about a sweet treat from mother nature! Lychees are good sources of Vitamin c, copper, fiber, and Vitamin B6. They even have 2 grams of protein per cup. There are 6 calories in one lychee.

Here are the complete nutrition facts from nutritiondata.com:

Nutrition Facts: Lychees
serving: 1 cup
calories: 125
fat: 1g
protein: 2g
carbs: 31g
fiber: 2g
Vit C: 226% RDA
Vit B6: 10% RDA
copper: 14% RDA
Potassium: 9% RDA
Magnesium: 5% RDA
Manganese: 5% RDA
Folate: 7% RDA

More facts about lychees on Foodista:

Yesterday was National Junk Food Day and I asked my twitter friends what their favorite 'healthier' junk food was. My fave response is the tweeter who named 'broccoli' as her fave! Nice.

True Junk Foodies. The folks over at Southern Living Magazine posted a slide show of their employees' fave junk foods. Cheetos, Combos, Little Debbie's, Ritz Crackers, Famous Amos and Kraft Mac all made the list. Yikes. I decided to help them out by posting a Top Eight 'Junk Food' brand substitutions list. Check it out, and a few more twitter responses...

'Junk Food' Brand Substitutions. The folks over at Southern Living did a slide show of their favorite junk food treats. Oh boy, the responses are not very healthy or happy. So I decided to help them out and offer healthier brand substitutions for their responses. Their faves include, chips, snack cakes and other vending machine food specialties. Lets get this 'healthier junk food' party started.

Eight Healthier Brand Substitutions for 'Junk Food Day' Snacking:

8. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Cheez-itz Squares
Healthier Brand: One Lucky Duck Snacks
Product: Cheese-y Quackers
My Review: Love these! Raw, Vegan and satisfying. Another amazing raw snack from Sarma and her PFW crew.

7. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Ritz Crackers
Healthier Brand: Back to Nature
Product: Classic Rounds or Multi-Grain Flax
My Review: The Multi-Grain Flax crackers are amazing! Filled with healthy stuff too.

6. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Combos
Healthier Brand: Trader Joe's
Product: Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels
My Review: Tasty, simple, natural ingredients. My husband (a former Combos-fan), loves these.

5. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Cheetos and Cheetos Puffs.
Healthier Brand: Robert's American Gourmet
Product: Tings
My Review: I love Tings. Not much nutrition, but much better than Cheetos! Vegan too.

4. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Kraft Blue Box Mac n Cheese
Healthier Brand: Road's End Organics
Product: Cheddar Mac and Chreese

3. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Snack Packaged Doughnuts
Healthier Brand: Nutrilicious
Product: Donuts and Holes
My Review: Good vegan substitute for donut-fans.

2. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Little Debbie Nutty Bars
Healthier Brand: Luna Bars
Product: Nutz Over Chocolate
My Review: If you like 'bars' this Luna Bar is my fave.

1. Unhealthy Junk Food Pick: Famous Amos Cookies
Healthier Brand: City Girl Country Girl Cookies
Product: Chocolate Chip with Almonds
My Review: These cookies are amazing. Good stuff ingredients-nothing artificial-lots of healthy almonds.

Now for Part Two of this post: Twitter Responses:

Here are a few of my fave responses to my tweeted question: What is your favorite junk food or healthier junk food???

"caramel nut brownie Luna bars! I'm totally addicted to those..."
via twitter

"I thought every day was National Junk Food Day LOL!"
via twitter

"Creme Brulee!!!!"
via twitter

"I'm obsessed with Peanut Butter, Fluff, and Choc. Sprinkles all mixed up-I guess it's a little better than some "junk" food.."
via twitter

"mine is seriously broccoli. I can't get enough of the stuff!"
via twitter

Follow @lunchboxbunch on twitter.

The fab thing about a "veggie" sandwich is that the flavor/ingredient combinations are endless! All you need is a little inspiration to break you out of your tomato, lettuce, onion and avocado cycle. My farm stand-inspired Veggie Stack Sandwich recipe includes crunchy sweet Fuji apples, fresh green grilled asparagus, a spicy carrot slaw and vegan Mozzarella cheese. I stacked it up super high. The sweet, salty and spicy flavors were like a burst of sunshine in my mouth. This is not a wimpy veggie sandwich. Here is my recipe and some inspiration for your next "Veggie Stack" sandwich....

Veggie Stack. The idea of a veggie stack sandwich has been around for decades. You simple pile on the veggies and even fruit and slice away! My favorite 'vegan sandwich' to-go in NYC is from Cafe Angelique in SoHo. They stack up the sandwich with so many layers that I always wonder how they manage to slice the bread! Back when I was a little California girl running around the beaches of Nor Cal, I fell in love with a Veggie Sandwich at a local beach side deli. It had pickles, lots of California avocados, romaine lettuce, spinach, tomato, artichokes, onion, peppers, olives, spicy mustard and Munster cheese - all between two soft layers of Santa Cruz Sourdough bread. I wasn't vegan back then, but I was addicted to it! Since I was still a food-exploring kid, it made me realize that a sandwich can be cravable and amazing-even without meat. And oh boy I loved that sourdough bread with the super soft insides and chewy firm crust outsides. Bliss!

How to Stack. The key to stacking and slicing a big veggie sandwich is care, sturdy bread and toothpicks! I will usually add two toothpicks to my sandwiches for extra slice support. A firm, yet gentle palm will also help you slice a stacker. The two most important factors to a Veggie Stack sandwich are: good fresh sandwich bread and delicious fresh ingredients. My rule: if it tastes great on it own, it will be divine in a sandwich. If you don't like shredded carrot slaw on its own, don't stick it in your sandwich!

Banishes the Sandwich 'Blahs'. Get creative with your veggie sandwiches, use a variety of your favorite ingredients. Crazy combos can sometimes turn out to be new favorites! Beat sandwich boredom with a custom ingredient Veggie Stack Sandwich! Any great ideas? Let me know! But here is my recipe for today...

Veggie Stack Sandwich: Farm Stand Asparagus, Carrot, Fuji and 'Cheese'
vegan, makes one sandwich

2 slices of whole grain or multi-seed sandwich bread
*I used Whole Foods 365 brand Birdland Seeded Bread.
Mozzarella Cheese Slices, enough for one layer on bread
*I use Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese
5 grilled or sauteed asparagus spears
3 tablespoon Spicy Carrot Slaw
*Recipe Below
3 thin slices Fuji apple
mixed greens, a handful
2 slices Vidalia or Sweet white onion
Optional:
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon Vegenaise
S & P

Carrot Slaw
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoon apple Cider vinegar
1 dash cayenne powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon grape seed or olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped flat parsley
Toss and chill in fridge for 10 minutes before adding to sandwich.

Stack Sandwich directions:

1) Lightly toast the bread.
2) Add any spread to bread.
3) Add the cheese first if you want to place the bread and cheese under a broiler for a few minutes to have a 'Melty' Stack sandwich. Otherwise add the cheese in order of its weight compared to the other ingredients.
4) Add the heavy veggies first: the asparagus.
5) Add the onions.
6) Add the carrot slaw.
7) Add the mixed greens.
8) Add the flat sliced apples on top-they will mesh well against the flat bread.
9) Add any optional salt, pepper, oil, vinegar to the top of apples.
10) Add the top layer of bread-a few toothpicks, and slice!

Enjoy!

Twecipe Codes DefinedTwecipes are the latest internet trend in the foodie world. So what is a twecipe? Twecipe- A micro-recipe written in 140 characters or less. Sometimes cryptic. Sometimes open to interpretation. Always textable and tweetable.

My First Twecipe. This morning I decided to write and tweet my very first twecipe. According to NYMag's Grub Street, it's the cool thing to do since Martha and Rick Bayless are doing it! My very first twecipe went something like this:

"Twecipe: Acai Grn Smothi 1.5C acai jce 1C soymlk 1C frznblubry 1 frznbana 1T agave 1C cocoIce 1 scoop grn pwrdr - Blnd til smoth! 🙂 *vgn"

Twecipes R Gr8? What do you think about this new trend? Love it or hate it? Take the Twecipe Poll. Interested in learning twecipe code words like One tablespoon = 1T. Click ahead for twecipe codes defined...

Martha is Doing it. Martha Stewart is becoming a master twecipe guru! She tweeted this recipe for Pina Colada's today:

"PINA COLADA Fill blender ½ w/ice + C pineapple juice, ¼ C Coco Lopez (coconut cream), ⅓ C rum ~ blend til frothy.about 3 hours ago from HootSuite" -Martha Stewart Tweet.

So if Martha is doing it, it has to be a "good thing" right?! I like this trend. It's fun, modern and challenging! Plus once you get the hang of it, you'll save a lot of time reading and writing out full length recipes! OK, so you'll probably have trouble twecipe-ing a full Thanksgiving Dinner, but for a few smoothies, sauces and entree recipes I think it's an awesome new idea.

Twecipe Measuring Lingo:
One cup = 1C
1 ½ cups = 1.5C
½ cup = .5C
1 tablespoon = 1T
2 ½ tablespoon = 2.5T
1 teaspoon = 1t
2 ½ tsp. = 2.5t
1 liter = 1L
sprinkle = sprnkl
dash of salt and pepper = dshS&P

Twecipe Ingredients:
Water = H2O
Flour = flr
Blueberries = blubry
Frozen = frzn
Recipes = rcips
Vegan = vgn
Soy milk = soymlk
Tempeh = tmph
coconut Ice Cubes = CoCoIce
Salt and black pepper = s&p
Extra virgin olive oil = evOO or xvOO
Garlic = grlc
Cayenne powder = cayne pwdr
Agave syrup = agve srp or agave
Raw sugar = rawSgr
Banana = bana
Whole Wheat Pasta = WWPasta
Extra Firm Tofu = XFtofu
Tomatoes = tmatos

Directions in Twecipes:
Diced = dicd
Chopped = chpd
Mix well = MxWel
Grate = gr8
Stir = str
Bake = bke
Boil = boil
Broil = broil
Freeze = frze
Peeled = peeld
Zest = zst
Whisk = wsk

Twecipe Kitchen Gadgets and Tools:
Refrigerator = fridg
Microwave = mcrowv
Blender = Blndr
Toaster = Tostr
Oven = Ovn
Food Processor = FoodPrcsr

Example phrases:

Saute tofu in medium-hot canola oil for 5 minutes = tfu n mhot canlaOil, 5min
In a large mixing bowl = ina LgMixBowl
Blend until smooth = Blnd til smoth
Bake at 350 degrees = Bke350
Grate the Cheese = gr8 chez
Salt the water = salt->H20
Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour = N fridg 4 +/-1hr

Do you have any twecipe lingo to add? Add it to the comments!

Love or Hate Twecipes?

Today I made one of my most popular recipe posts: Spicy Lasagna Verde. I timed myself and it took me 49 minutes! That included making the pesto from scratch, sauteing the tofu and veggies, grating the cheese and assembling the layers. Now I'm challenging you to beat me! Here's how to participate in the challenge: Make my recipe for Spicy lasagna Verde, submit your time and a link to a finished product photo in the comments section, or by email. Deadline extension: Enter by 5pm Friday, 7/31/09. Pass this post along and challenge your friends, blog-buds and family to compete against you! There will be prizes awarded to the category winners! Click ahead for prize and winner category details...

The 2009 Spicy Lasagna Verde Challenge!

Enter by 5pm EST 7/31/09

To Enter the Challenge: Post your time and a link to a finished product photo in the comments section of this post. Or email the entry info to [email protected].

Winners: Check back for the winners to be announced this weekend. I'll need the winners to email me to claim their prize.

Winner Categories:

1) Best Finished Product Photo.
*Awarded to the yummiest-looking photo by all entrants.
PRIZE: A Lunchbox Bunch Reusable Grocery Bag - any design in store! See the store here.
*PLUS, I will post your finished product photo in my winners announcement blog post. I will also post a link to your blog/website/twitter page if you have one.
2) Fastest time
*Awarded to the entrant who posts the fastest time-honesty please!!! 🙂
PRIZE: A Lunchbox Bunch Reusable Grocery Bag. See pic here.

3) Random Winner
*Awarded to a random participant in the contest-chosen at random.
PRIZE: A Lunchbox Bunch Reusable Grocery Bag. See pic here.

Here is the link to the Spicy Lasagna Verde Recipe.

RULES: You must follow the recipe, however dietary substitutions are allowed. For example, if you want to use spinach instead of mushrooms, or walnuts instead of pine nuts, that is OK.

Good Luck!!!

Lunchbox Bunch Bag by Kathy
View other Reusable Bags

In last night's, week seven, episode of The Next Food Network Star, the contestants are still in Miami! I am pleased to say that my top three picks from week one are indeed the three remaining contestants. (I'm patting myself on my back for that one!) Here is my episode review. And Find out the number one reason (or person) why I watch and love this show...

Where did Bobby go? I've said it in the past, but it really is true. Bobby Flay makes this show great-unmissable. You never know what snarky/sarcastic (and fully deserved) comment Bobby with blurt out, or what classic Flay-style exaggerated eye-roll will become the highlight of the judges session. Bobby with his prissy, high-standards ways makes the judges table worth watching. Yes, I do enjoy and greatly respect the other judges too, but Bobby really plays by his own rules and goes with his gut. And sometimes that means eye rolls and outbursts! (I love it). He is totally lovable to watch. That being said, I kinda missed Bobby this week. True, he was on the show, but it wasn't the Bobby we all know and love. No eye rolls, loud outbursts or sarcastic remarks (memorable ones at least). This week Bobby turned his party-boy attitude down about fifty notches and turned into Bobby the mean challenge-making judge. He sat with his sunglasses firmly plastered to his face, under an umbrella with the other judges, quietly sipping a blended beverage. Quite frankly, I missed crazy "shrimp tackling-catch phrase" Bobby.

Ah, Memories. So just in case you missed it LAST week, here is the link to my fave quote from all the shows thus far: Watch the Episode 6 Re-Cap Video on the Food Network website and at the -01:04 minute mark you can hear Bobby's now famous shrimp tackling quote. Video Link Here.

Back to Week Seven Reactions:
* Melissa, my # 1 pick since the beginning, is still doing fabulously. She was a bit frantic during her on-air sabotage session, but who wouldn't be. At least she kept a smile on her face. And I agree with her that she will have immediate 'street cred' with all the moms and stay-at-homers out there because she has been there done that.
* Debbie. I actually got back to loving Debbie this week. I personally don't think she had any bad intentions when it came to the capers. And her on-air session was awesome. "I'll just use my hands!" ...she said with ease. Good job Debbie.
* Jamika. She was too sensitive for her own good. Beautiful smile and warm person, but she took herself too seriously, and it showed on-camera. The judges were right when they said it was painful to watch her get frustrated with the challenge.
* Jeffrey had a moment of bliss for me this week. After he won the Red Lobster Challenge, and went back to the hotel room, he openly showed a lot of emotion. He looked sincerely ecstatic and thrilled by his win. For me, that was a breakout moment. It showed that cool and calm "zen master" Jeffrey was human too and could go from zen to excited. His other high-energy moments always seem a bit forced. But when he won that challenge-it was true energized Jeffrey.

So here are this week's rankings, by moi:

My The Next Food Network Star rankings (Week Six):
*+/- indicates how they moved on my rankings

1. Melissa n/c
2. Debbie +2
3. Jeffrey n/c

On Who Went Home: Voted Off: Jamika As I said above, she took herself too seriously and her sensitivity broke her. It's funny, because I said last week that Michael lacked confidence on camera last week, and was thus voted off. I think at the core of Jamika's issues was also a confidence thing.

...and the remaining three contestants have lots of confidence! Confidence is key!

Be sure to check back each week when I'll update my rankings and let you know who I think should be winning. Hopefully, the judges will get it right!

Oh, and did you know that casting for the next show has begun?! Check it out on the foodnetwork.com

Watch it: Sunday nights on The Food Network.

Dr. Alejandro Junger is the author of the new book Clean. (In short, it's a wellness book/detox theory book and guide.) You may have heard about Clean in Gwyneth Paltrow's latest GOOP newsletter. She says: "This thing is amazing." Well, I recently fell in love with Dr. Junger over his various tweets on twitter. Yes, I plan on reading "Clean" very soon, but why not start with a few of his tweets. My favorite: "dancing on the deck of a big yacht in bora bora" 12:55 AM Jul 15th from web
...Click ahead to read more of my fave tweets from Dr. Junger...

My fave Dr. Junger Tweets on Twitter:

Paradise: "http://twitpic.com/aerfb - IMG_2627" 1:44 AM Jul 15th from TwitPic

Fishies: "http://twitpic.com/aeolk - IMG_2632" 1:07 AM Jul 15th from TwitPic

"boss and all crew lost 50 kilos plus all together. Success !!!!!" 12:59 AM Jul 15th from web

"dancing on the deck of a big yacht in bora bora" 12:55 AM Jul 15th from web

"@reags real food is better, some people are too busy. Products are all naturally obtained, they make it possible for people to cleanse" 10:48 PM Jul 10th from Tweetie in reply to reags

"@zap2itbrill works well on couch potatoes, better if you work out." 4:44 PM Jul 9th from Tweetie in reply to zap2itbrill

"@Blue_Wode & @HolfordWatch yes, Gwyneth gave me too much credit. Her liver and kidneys should get more credit." 12:54 PM Jul 9th from Tweetie

"@cmgalvez hey, if you have questions about detox let me know. Detox is real and it is happening everyday! My program just encourages it." 11:31 AM Jul 9th from Tweetie

""i'm hungry ", how many times a day do you think that. but, is that really HUNGER, do you even know what HUNGER is ?" 12:56 AM Jul 3rd from web

"I have a suitcase full of goodies: E3Live,agave,sea salt,vitamins,minerals,herbs,coconut oil,brazil nuts,bee pollen,probiotics,and more" 12:25 PM Jul 1st from web

"the surest way to cause happiness in others is to accept them and love them for who they are. expectations become toxicity" 6:45 AM Jul 1st from web

"at jfk, awaiting flight to LA. after that, Bora Bora, to organize a cleanse-fitness program for a group aboard a big boat" 5:43 AM Jun 27th from web

"I really enjoyed talking at the open center, such a smart crowd !" 12:46 AM Jun 27th from web

"Two Ambassadors signed up for the Clean program. More to follow" 10:57 AM Jun 24th from web

One long tweet in sections...:
*"They are working on improving population health, and billy stood up and said "you can't tell people to eat right if you are not"10:57 AM Jun 24th from web
*Billy Zane has been appointed Goodwill Ambassador for united nations> Yesterday he showed me how he is inspiring everyone in there10:56 AM Jun 24th from web
*Correction, I didn't GET the Ambassadors to do it, they ASKED for it themselves after seeing the websites and testimonials10:16 PM Jun 23rd from web
*Went to the UN today with my friend Billy Zane to talk about the Clean Program. Got two Ambassadors to agree to do it.8:11 PM Jun 23rd from Tweetie"

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. ( John Wooden)" 12:38 PM Jun 23rd from TwitterBerry

"we make a living by why we get, we make a life by what we give" 3:37 AM Jun 23rd from web

"it's raining in NY, great time to start to Clean. Enjoy the "city shower" everyone..." 4:07 PM Jun 20th from web

"where is your attention right now. wherever you put your attention determines your experience at that moment" 6:33 PM Jun 19th from web

And you can read more of Dr.Junger's tweets on twitter: www.twitter.com/drjunger

About Dr. Junger. From his Facebook Profile:
"Dr. Alejandro Junger was born in Uruguay. He graduated from medical school there in 1990 and moved to New York City for his postgraduate training. He completed three years of training in Internal Medicine at NYU Downtown Hospital and three more years of fellowship in Cardiovascular Diseases at Lenox Hill Hospital.

His drastic change in lifestyle and diet from his move to New York City soon reflected as irritable bowel syndrome and depression. Becoming a patient of the system he was practicing was such a shock, that it started a journey to search for an alternative solution to his health problems.

His findings are the subject of his first book, Clean. In it, Dr. Junger describes how he became aware of the toxicity of our planet. He also explains how detoxification and cleansing have been around for thousands of years, but knowledge about them has been lost at at time when it is more important than ever before. Most importantly, Clean is a manual for readers to learn how to turn our detoxification systems on full speed while supporting our bodies to maximize their effectiveness.

Dr. Junger now lives in New York City, where he practices at the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and is also designing an Integrative Medicine Service at Lenox Hill Hospital, for which he was asked to be the Director of Integrative Medicine."

I've been dying to try Liquiteria's Grilled Soy Gouda sandwich for a while now. My usual Papaya Paradise with Spirulina smoothie needed a side sandwich. And what better day for a grilled cheese sandwich than a hot sunny Sunday afternoon? Liquiteria's menu calls this sandwich "NY's best kept secret". So does it live up to the cheesy hype? My Soy Gouda taste test...

7/20 UPDATE: There is some controversy about whether or not the Soy Gouda contains casein. I called Liquiteria and they confirmed that it IS vegan and casein free. SuperVegan.com review says it is not vegan. Hmmm.. who to believe?! I hope it is vegan. Any info guys? I'll keep you updated on this...

Simple Vegan Sandwich's in NYC. There are a few must-have to-go foods that I must have in my neighborhood. A few good smoothie shops with vegan smoothies. A fab vegan burrito place. And a few cafes or coffee shops that make must-eat vegan sandwiches to-go. Luckily, I have found two that I love thus far: Think Coffee with its Vegan Sandwich (yes, that's what they simply call it) and Cafe Angelique in SoHo with their delicious Vegan Angelique. It is so good. And now finally, I decided to try Liquiteria's Soy Gouda sandwich. Did it taste yummy enough to get added to my to-go sandwich rotation?

Grilled Soy Gouda. Here is the menu description: "GRILLED SOY GOUDA (NY'S best kept secret) smoked soy Gouda cheese, plum tomatoes, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt on organic whole wheat bun."

My Review: Grilled Soy Gouda
from Liquiteria, NYC

Shelf Appeal: Small, wrapped in foil. Very nicely grilled. Crisp ridges in the thin bun. Looks simple, almost unassuming. But slice it open and that gooey soy cheese comes flowing out of the toasted bun, and I can't wait to dive in.

Label Check: No calories or fat content on the menu. Darn. But this sandwich is pretty small, so I'm not too worried about the calories. It has a whole wheat 'bun'. The bun is super thin, so it's probably only 100-120 calories for the bun. Then there are a few slices of healthy fat avocado. Plus a tiny drizzle of healthy fat olive oil, some pepper and tomatoes, sea salt and of course the star of the sandwich: soy Gouda. Passes my 'healthy' test. Plus, I split it with my husband and had a smoothie on the side-so this was quite a perfect Sunday lunch.

Taste Test: Smoky smell to the creamy Gouda. This is soy cheese? Awesome. The sandwich flavors are very simple and even the bite is very one-layered: soft. But still, I like it a lot. Usually I like a lot of big crunchy items like lettuce, raw onion or other thick veggies in a sandwich, but this tiny hot grilled panini goes perfectly with a frosty cold smoothie. So, it works-deliciously. The sea salt, pepper and olive oil are really all the seasoning this panini bite needs.

Price Check: $5.99. Honestly, it seems a bit steep for this tiny sandwich, but it's still worth it. The soy Gouda seems very high quality-I can't find this in Whole Foods. And they do use the panini press, which I also don't have at home. And I know they use high quality ingredients and in a super-clean environment-Liquiteria style. I'm getting my $6 worth.

Last Word: I will indeed get this again. Preferably to split with my husband on a sunny day, with a side of smoothies in our hands. Yum. I love Liquiteria.

www.liquiteria.com

UPDATE 9/9/09: Banana Fig: Not Vegan. Tis the final official review from the folks at Le Pain. Apologies from them regarding the confusion.

"We've discontinued the Ginger Green Tea Muffin." The counter man said. Gasp!

Tales from Le Pain. I adore Le Pain Quotidian. If you don't have one in-town, my condolences. Hopefully they will be coming to you soon. I go there every weekend for a morning muffin run (or dine-in brunch). However, I was shocked and saddened by the news today. My beloved Ginger Green Tea Muffin was outed. The replacement? A newfangled vegan Banana Fig Muffin. But does this new treat on the bakery shelf live up to my muffin standards? Find out in part two of my muffin tale....

7/20 UPDATE: Le Pain Quotidian confirmed to me that the Ginger Green Tea muffin will indeed be back on the menu in the future. Yippee! Now I don't have to work tirelessly to attempt to re-create the recipe! Banana Fig Muffin tale and review ahead...

Banana Fig. I peered through the bakery-shelf glass searching desperately for my favorite muffin, with its light green tea muffin-top dusted with an opaque ginger sweet powder. I searched and searched and saw nothing. "Are you out of the Green Tea muffins today?" I asked. But instead of the "yes" reply I expected, the counter man bluntly informed me that the Ginger Green tea muffins were no more. Just a passing special on the ever-changing muffin carousel at Le Pain. My eyes widened and I turned to my husband who was equally shocked. His jaw dropped open (mirroring my expression) and when he saw the wide-eyed look on my face he began to snicker a little at my dramatization of the news. I quickly replied to the counter men, "what is that?" I pointed desperately at a 'new' looking muffin on the shelf, sitting where my Green Tea muffins usually sat, right next to the stand-by blueberry muffins. The counter man replied. "Banana Fig." And yes they are vegan. All the muffins are organic and usually vegan at Le Pain. I quickly decided to get four of them to-go. To last us the weekend. I am quite fond of banana and fig flavors, so I had high hopes. But would these new bronzed-looking dark horse muffins fill the void of the utterly perfect Ginger Green tea muffins???

My Review: Banana Fig Muffin
from Le Pain Quotidian, NYC

Shelf Appeal: Honestly, these muffins do not look incredibly appealing. They are a tinge too dark, almost burnt looking. They are a dark glossy banana muffin with a thin slice of dark baked fig on top. It looks mysterious and I wondered if it would taste, well, good!

Label Check: Vegan. Organic. No calorie data online. But I'd guess they are around 350 calories each. The larger, sweeter blueberry muffins are 400 calories each. Huge chunks of fig and plentiful strands of banana are easy to find in the muffin. High quality flour is used-it's got a dense texture-earthy flavor. Le Pain is of course known for their high quality flour and breads. It tastes homemade, so it's not oily or overly sweet. The high quantity of fruit really ups the moisture and fiber, while keeping the sugar/flour calories down.

Taste Test: Nice! The texture is dense and heavier than the ginger green tea muffin-less fluffy. The top is glazed over and glossy. The figs are dried up, yet still moist. The banana is apparent and the two fruit flavors mingle quite nicely together. Not nuts, no overpowering spice flavor as in some banana breads. It actually almost has a molasses flavor to it. It tastes cozy. Like my mom baked them. Smaller than the other muffins. But that's OK since they are more dense.

Price Check: Same as the other Le Pain muffins. Around $3. I always think that this is an awesome price for such awesome vegan muffins in NYC.

Last Word: Bring back the Ginger Green tea muffins! But do keep these yummy Banana Fig Muffins too. But then again, I can get Banana bread at Babycakes NYC too...(They don't have Ginger Green tea.)

Reusable Eco Bags. I am really excited about the reusable eco-friendly grocery bags in this product line. You can tote them to the Farmer's Market, Whole Foods or the beach! Other products include kids aprons, t-shirts and greeting cards. If there is a character/product combo you would like to purchase and do not see-please let me know!

Zazzle Store Link Here: The Lunchbox Bunch

The Lunchbox Bunch is a healthy kids brand that I created a few years back. It features a wacky crew of fruit and veggie characters. The mission of the brand is to turn ordinary kids into healthy eating, kid-chef superstars! Each with a curiosity to taste, love and learn about a wide variety of healthy fruits and veggies. Click ahead to browse my products...

Zazzle Lunchbox Bunch Store
Lunchbox Bunch Online Web Store

Dinnertime! When you are looking for a super-simple comfort-food style meal, look no further than my one pot wonder dish: Mexican Couscous Power Bowl. As Rachel Ray would say, it's a "Go-to" meal for sure! You can keep almost all the ingredients in your pantry and prepare it in a snap. It's packed with fiber, protein, nutrients and zesty Mexican flavor! Ingredients include: pinto Beans, corn, green chilies, cilantro, whole wheat couscous, garlic and citrus juices. Still not sold? One word: plantains! Yum-me. So click ahead for this Catina-inspired dish to fight your busy-day blues...

Mexican Couscous. You've all heard of Mexican rice. Well how about trying Mexican couscous? I use whole wheat couscous for the extra fiber and nutrients, plus it has a warm nutty flavor that stands up to the other hearty ingredients in this dish.

Plantains. I'm a little obsessed with plantains. I love them. Sweet and gooey with a crisp caramelized edge surrounding each sinful slice. I don't understand why more Mexican restaurants don't utilize plantains of their menus. They are super cheap and super delicious. The plantains side dish at Dos Caminos restaurant NYC: divine. So yes, this dish has plantains built in. No they are not deep-fried or even hard-core sauteed. But that sweet creamy plantain flavor soaks into the entire dish and gives this couscous a flavor not usually associated with 'couscous'.

Cheese Please. You don't have to add the cheese. But it would be a shame not to! I add Follow Your Heart Monterey Jack vegan cheese to this dish and even a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan to add some top layer texture. Parm on a Mexican dish? Yes, it works.

Power Bowl. I call this a 'power bowl' because it really is packed with good stuff! The pinto beans provide a nice dose of fiber and protein. And the whole wheat couscous as well. The corn, cilantro and plantains each have their own nutrient contributions as well. And the olive oil adds a nice dose of healthy fats to seal the deal. I like to pair this dish with a fresh mango and avocado salad to add some fresh antioxidants and raw food enzymes to my meal. Lets dig in!!!

Mexican Couscous Power Bowl
vegan, serves 4+

1.5 cups dry whole wheat couscous
2.5 cups veggie broth
1 can whole corn, drained
1 can diced green chilies
1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced thick (½")
1 can vegetarian pinto beans, drained
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 small red onion, diced
1 small orange, peeled, de-seeded and diced
5 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 tablespoon veggie buttery spread
3 tablespoon Mexican Spice Blend powder
2 bay leaves
4-6 slices of Vegan Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoon Vegan Parmesan cheese
optional: 1 jalapeno, diced
Also optional to increase heat: Add ¼-1 teaspoon cayenne powder.
side ideas: corn tortillas, vegan sour cream, guacamole, salsa, Gave-Rika dressing, Avocado-Mango Raw Salad.

Directions:
1) Add the olive oil, plantain, agave syrup and onion to a large pot.
Saute on high until edges of plantains are nicely browned.
2) Add in the diced chilies, garlic, salt, pepper and optional jalapeno.
Saute for a few minutes on high.
3) Add in the corn, beans, buttery spread, bay leaves and Mexican Spice blend.
Toss well over med-high heat for a few minutes.
4) Add in the veggie broth, diced orange, lime juice and cilantro.
Bring to a boil. Stir gently.
5) Add whole wheat couscous to boiling water.
Reduce heat to low. Cover pot with lid. You may want to remove bay leaves now or after the next step.
6) Let simmer covered on low for 2-3 minutes.
Uncover and toss mixture. Couscous should have plumped and cooked by now. If the mixture seems a bit too dry, add more veggie broth. If the mixture is too wet and not fluffy yet, add another handful of couscous, toss and re-cover lid.
Fold in 3 slices of the Monterey Jack cheese.
7) When the mixture has begun to fluff up nicely, remove from heat. Top with 3-5 slices of vegan cheese and a bit of parm cheese. Cover with lid and allow heat to melt cheese as it sits for a few minutes.
8) Serve in a bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro, Parmesan cheese and the optional Gave-Rika dressing. Plate with a Avocado Mango Raw Salad on the side. (Recipes below)

Optional Gave-Rika 'dressing'
¼ cup agave syrup
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon Vegenaise
4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped fine
Whisk all ingredients together and allow to sit in fridge until ready for use.

Side Salad: Avocado Mango Raw Salad
1 avocado
1 orange, diced
1 mango, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper
Directions: Toss well, serve.

VegNews is mid-way through their voting period for the 2009 Veggie Awards. Voting ends July 31st. Please vote and write-in www.Healthy-Happy-Life.com for favorite blog and website. Your support is greatly appreciated! You can even win some cool prizes just for voting in the awards. Here is the link to vote in the Veggie Awards 2009.

Click ahead to see the prizes VegNews is offering voters...

VEG NEWS PRIZES to Veggie Awards Voters:
vote here.
*write us in for fave blog and/or website!! Thanks so much for your support!

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First Prize: HIS & HERS URBAN BAGS
Fine-tune your fashion sense with two ultra-chic designer bags by Matt & Nat, full of sophisticated loot for the style-minded guy and gal. “His” holds a signed copy of Skinny Bastard, a LiViTY Fedora hat, and luxurious LUSH shaving cream. “Hers” offers a signed copy of Skinny Bitch, a chic cosmetic case from Micio Mambo, and LUSH’s Dreamwash Shower Smoothie.

Second Prize: VEGAN ICE CREAM STARTER KIT
Create the ultimate dairy-free fantasy in the comfort of your home with this stellar starter kit. Salivate over every page of your signed copy of The Vegan Scoop before taking one of the gourmet recipes for a spin in your brand-new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. Dole out a double scoop in a Daisy Dog Studio ice cream sundae bowl, and top off your masterful creation with a drizzle of Chocoreale sauce, delivered in a trio of mouthwatering flavors. (two winners)

Third Prize: CHOCOLATE SMORGASBORD
Indulge in the definitive vegan chocolate goodie box custom designed just for the Veggie Awards by Pangea Vegan Store. Guaranteed to fulfill your dark-chocolate desires, chocolate-covered sandwich crèmes, rich chocolate candy bars, chocolate peanut butter cups, rocky road bark, chocolate-dipped pretzels, and white-chocolate chips make for one decadent experience. (three winners)

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Turn your kitchen into a pie-tossing pizzeria with Follow Your Heart’s Pizza Kit. Included are one perfect pizza crust, mouth-watering pizza sauce, and two packages of Vegan Gourmet cheese. Throw on your favorite toppings, bake, and bask in your culinary creation—the ultimate vegan pizza. (four winners)

The Details: Ballots must include identifying information and be at least 50% complete to qualify for prizes. Entries must be received between July 1 and July 31, 2009 at midnight. Nominees are based on the companies receiving the most votes in the 2008 Veggie Awards, and we encourage you to submit write-in votes. Happy voting!

Veggie Awards 2009 vote here.

*write us in for fave blog and/or website!! Thanks so much for your support!

Molasses in a frosty beverage? What will that taste like? The answer: think Ginger Snap cookie, minus the 'snap'. In my quest to create a few quick, easy and delicious recipes including the good-for-you ingredient molasses, I knew I wanted to create a yummy smoothie. Molasses-Acai just didn't sound right, but a frosty Vanilla, Ginger Snap Cookie flavored beverage sounded irresistible. The result is my Ginger Snap Sipper Smoothie. And I've created three variations to the basic recipe (spicy, silky and thick) so there is definitely something for everyone. Get my recipes...

Ginger Snap Cookie in a Cup. I was dying to experiment with a molasses blended beverage. I was a bit concerned that the molasses would be too pungent for a light beverage and I would only be able to add about a tsp. Not really enough to qualify as a molasses-themed smoothie. But I successfully added one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses to the recipe and it tastes delicious! Like a cookie, without the crumbs.

Liquid Base: Vanilla Chai. I had a feeling that one of my favorite smoothie liquid base's would be perfect for this smoothie. And I was right! The Bolthouse Farms brand Vanilla Chai Protein Smoothie beverage is perfect for this recipe. Really, it combines with the ginger, banana and molasses perfectly!

Alternative Liquids. If you don't have Bolthouse Farms on hand there is another option. Use a 1:1 ratio amount of a liquid chai tea concentrate (sweetened) and a vanilla full-fat soy milk. (Low fat soy milk would be too watery). Then if you need more 'sweet', add a bit of agave syrup or brown raw sugar to the blend. But try to find the Bolthouse blend. It is perfect for this recipe.

Image Note: The recipe shown in the images is recipe variation #1, the light and silky version. More of an iced beverage than a true thick smoothie (variation #2). Recipes below!

Ginger Snap Sipper Smoothie
Variation #1 light, refreshing, sweet and silky

10 oz. Vanilla Soy Chai beverage
*I like Bolthouse Farms, but you can use a 50/50 combo of vanilla soy milk and chai tea concentrate
2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger powder
1 frozen banana
½ fresh banana, ripe/black-spotted
¾ cup ice

Blend until smooth
Garnish with cinnamon sprinkles and a fresh shaved ginger slice.

Ginger Snap Thick Smoothie
Variation #2: frosty, thick, sweet and creamy

9 oz. Vanilla Soy Chai beverage
*I like Bolthouse Farms, but you can use a 50/50 combo of vanilla soy milk and chai tea concentrate
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoon agave syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger powder
1 frozen banana
1 fresh banana, ripe/black-spotted
1.5 cups ice

Blend until smooth
Garnish with cinnamon sprinkles and a fresh shaved ginger slice.

Boldly Spiced Ginger Snap Smoothie
Variation #3: Thick OR Thin, spicy and energizing!

Add the following to either of the above recipes variations:
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon nutmeg
additional teaspoon of ginger
additional teaspoon of cinnamon

Blend until smooth
Garnish with cinnamon and cayenne sprinkles and a fresh shaved ginger slice.

Note: You can even use fresh ginger in this smoothie. Just add 1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger to the blender. But still use the powder because it gives it that nice ginger snap cookie flavor.

Blackstrap Molasses is my new obsession. It's that pungently-sweet, thick, black goo that gives ginger cookies, BBQ Sauces and baked beans a unique bold flavor. Molasses is nutrient dense, a good source of vegan iron, caused a Boston city Molasses flood in 1919 and it's even in the title of one of my favorite Broadway musical songs. Talk about a fascinating food. Click ahead to discover more and learn all about blackstrap molasses for health...

Molasses Origin: Pure sugar cane. Cane sugar is a plant, so it has trace amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. But do you ever wonder where all those healthy 'sugar' nutrients go when the processing is complete? Clearly they do not stay in plain white granulated table sugar. The answer: Molasses!

What is molasses? Blackstrap molasses is a thick dark residue 'goo' left behind after sugar crystals have been spun off from
sugar cane. It is the by-product of the sugar refining process. Just as the wheat grain gets hulled and discarded when wheat flour gets refined into white. Sugar cane gets a similar stripping of nutrients, however in this case the manufacturers are bottling the residue and making it available as a product for consumers. Fabulous idea indeed.

What is the 'best' thing about molasses? As a vegan, my opinion is that the best thing is the high iron content in molasses.

The Vegan Society reports that, "Up to 22% of the iron in meat is absorbed, while only 1-8% is absorbed from eggs and plant foods." While most studies also show that iron deficiency is not more common in vegans and vegetarians than the general population, it is still an important topic.

Got Iron? Most veg*ns know that they must take special care to make sure that they are getting sufficient amounts of iron and Vitamin b12. But, meat eaters should also make sure that they are getting all the iron they need as well. Iron is:

"Iron is a trace element which is needed by the body for the formation of blood. The human body normally contains 3-4g of iron, more than half of which is in the form of haemoglobin, the red pigment in blood. Haemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Iron is a constituent of a number of enzymes. The muscle protein myoglobin contains iron, as does the liver - an important source during the first six months of life. The body's iron balance varies mainly according to dietary intake, as losses from the body are generally small - although women lose iron during menstruation." -Vegan Society

How Much Iron do I Need?
There are several different recommendation charts out there.

The US uses a chart like this:
AGE RANGE
1-3: men: 7 mg/day women: 7 mg/day
4-8: men: 10 mg/day women: 10 mg/day
9-13: men: 8 mg/day women: 8 mg/day
14-18: men: 11 mg/day women: 15 mg/day
19-50: men: 8 mg/day women: 18 mg/day
51+: men: 8 mg/day women: 8 mg/day

The UK uses one like this:
children: 6.1-8.7 mg/day
teens: 11.3-14.8 mg/day
men 8.7 mg/day
women 14.8 mg/day

Women and Iron. It's interesting that on a daily basis, adult women need almost twice as much iron as men (according to the UK), and over twice as much as men according to the US chart. So when you see the nutrition labels for molasses with a % RDA for iron, it does not account for whether or not this is the RDA for men or women. Just another reason to ask yourself (especially women), am I getting enough iron? The exact amount of iron you need may vary greatly from person to person. Talk to your doctor about your specific situation.

Molasses and Iron. My Plantation brand Blackstrap Molasses says that one Tablespoon contains 20% RDA of molasses. But based on whose needs? Lets break this down with a little math...

1 tablespoon of molasses=20 g.
There are 17.5 mg of iron in 100g of molasses
So...
100g/5=20g so 17.5mg/5=3.5mg
There is 3.5 mg of high quality iron in every Tablespoon of molasses.

Depending on what your individual RDA for iron is, I'd say molasses is a good source of iron. Men may only need about 2.5 tablespoon to get 100% RDA, women may need around 5-6 Tbsp. So obviously, neither sex should depend on molasses as their sole source of iron. 6 tablespoon of molasses a day is not something I'd recommend or personally enjoy!

*values and RDA's have been verified with several online sources citing molasses nutrient information.

Blackstrap Molasses Nutrient Facts
per 1 Tablespoon
Note: You will find that the nutrient analysis data for different brands of molasses and sources of nutrient data, varies a lot. *I used a good average used for nutrient data below. Nutrient analysis for most foods is a variable science.
calories: 42-80
manganese: .54 mg (about 15% RDA)
copper: .42 mg (about 21% RDA)
calcium: 176.3 mg (about 18% RDA)
potassium: 511 mg (about 14.5% RDA)
magnesium: 45 mg (about 11% RDA)
iron: 3.5 mg (RDA depends on individual)

Nutrition Summary: Blackstrap Molasses is an excellent source of copper, calcium and manganese. And depending on your needs, it is a very good source of high quality vegan iron. To increase your iron-absorption, always consume a bit of Vitamin C with molasses. Vitamin C aides in iron absorption. Molasses is a sugar/sweetener, so it should be limited in your diet and still be grouped with the other added sugars you may consume.

Where do I Buy Blackstrap Molasses? I buy mine at Whole Foods. I currently use the Plantation brand of Blackstrap Molasses. From the Allied Old English Company. Other brands can also be found at various supermarkets worldwide. I also like the Wholesome brand of sweeteners. They offer a Fair Trade Molasses. You can see

Recipe Ideas: I am in the process of posting a few awesome recipes including molasses as an ingredient. The recipes will include: Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies, Gingersnap Energy Smoothie, Spiced Molasses Rum Cakes with Mango Walnut Drizzle, and even a classic Ginger Snap recipe. Keep an eye out for these upcoming recipes. All vegan. All molasses-yummy!
Onto the fascinating History of Molasses....

History of Molasses. You may have heard of the Molasses Act of 1733. Or recall something faint of it from your high school history class. Well molasses is traced back to the Portuguese:
"Melasus (sic) was first seen in print in 1582 in a Portuguese book heralding the conquest of the West Indies."

Molasses was exported to the USA from the West Indies to make rum. High taxes were levied on molasses by the British via the Molasses Act of 1733. Molasses was very popular by the Colonists. It wasn't until after World War One that white sugar prices dropped drastically and many Americans made the switch from molasses to grain sugar. About.com states: "By 1919, U.S. per capita consumption of white sugar was twice what it was in 1880, with most Americans completely switching from molasses to granulated white and brown sugar. "

Great Molasses Flood. On January 15, 1919, a large molasses tank burst, and a wave of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 mph (56 km/h), killing 21 and injuring 150. The event has entered local folklore, and residents claim that on hot summer days, the area still smells of molasses. Read more about this fascinating event here.

Molasses to Rum. One of my favorite songs from the theater world is the song "Molasses to Rum." from the musical 1776. The song comes when Edward Rutledge, delegate from South Carolina, is unhappy with the line in the declaration of independence about slavery in the united states and expresses why. There is something so mysterious and hypnotic about that song. This past spring I saw 1776 at the Papermill Playhouse hear NYC. James Barbour sang Molasses to Rum and it was more than spectacular. He sings it on his Broadway in Concert CD, if you are curious to hear it. You can even buy it to download here (single song or full cd, it's fab):

Sites Referenced:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/molasseshistory.htm
http://www.vegansociety.com/food/nutrition/iron.php
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp#h4
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=118
http://www.alliedoldenglish.com/plantation.php
history: http://www.wikipedia.org/

A few weeks ago I tweeted that my blender died and I was going through a temporary serious smoothie withdrawal! Not good. What brand did I end up buying? A snazzy Vita-Mix? A used-by-the-pro's Blendtec? Or the new low-priced dual-function Oster Fusion? You might be surprised in my split-second choice. Read my story and blender review, and get FREE SHIPPING on VitaMix...

Free Shipping. Use this Vitamix link and get Free Shipping on a Vitamix!

Buying a New Blender. Now! After a few days of unfulfilled smoothie cravings, I ran into a local department store and grabbed the best blender I could find on the shelf. There was no Blendtec or Vita-Mix on the shelf. The top of the line blender in the store was an Oster brand blender called the Fusion. The Oster Fusion is marketed as a dual purpose blender. For both frozen drinks and food-chop purposes. It cost me $80 retail, a welcoming price in comparison to the $400-$500+ Vita-Mix and Blendtec blenders. So, does this cheaper dual-purpose blender stand up to my rigorous blending standards?

Best Blenders. Any smoothie junkie, raw foodie or healthy chef knows that there are blenders and then there are dual-use multi-function super-blenders! The two most consumer friendly, well-known brands are Blendtec and Vita-Mix. Both brands offer high power, diverse use machines for all your blending and food processing needs. Make smoothies, soups, salsas, dips, desserts and more. I've used both brands and yes, they are fabulous. But the big drawback is the price. But obviously some folks are just not ready to make a $400 investment in a blender. Especially when a $20 Hamilton Beach brand seems to blend up a strawberry-banana smoothie just fine, (until it breaks). So lets look at the stats of all three brands...

Vita-Mix Blender. 5200.
*Over 52 'kitchen tasks' in one.
*Seven year high quality warranty.
*Metal-to-metal (not rubber or plastic) container-to-base construction.
*High performance, cool running motor, propels the blades.
*4-Prong hardened Stainless-Steel Blades.
*Speed controls from 11mph to 240mph blending speeds!
*New BPA-free container. Made from an all-new material developed this year by Eastman called Tritan™.
*11.5 amps / 1380 watts

Blendtec Total Blender.
*3 year blender warranty. Lifetime on blade.
*2-Prong stainless steel blade.
*BPA-free plastic container.
*Six pre-programmed blend cycles.
*13 amps / 1560 watts

Oster Fusion Blender.
*Heavy Duty Glass jar. 6 cup capacity.
*6-Prong stainless steel blade.
*Reverse action capable blending.
*Pre-programmed smoothie vs. food chop settings.
*1 Year limited warranty. Does not cover normal wear and tear.
*600 watts/1000 ice crushing capability
*cool optional Oster Milkshake blade.

Power and Quality. When comparing blenders the big differences I find come in the category of power and quality. The Oster Fusion is the most powerful blender in its 'department store' class. Blenders in this $40-$60 range usually have around 400-450 watts. The Oster Fusion, at $80 retail, has an impressive 600 watts of blending power. However, for optimal power the price goes up. The Blendtec and Vita-mix blenders have 1380 and 1560 watts. Big differences.

Quality. Quality, aka how long will this blender perform well, is a huge factor. The Oster Fusion has a pitiful 1 year limited warranty. While the Vita-Mix has an impressive 7 year warranty. Blendtec, 3 years, lifetime on the blade. So how will the Oster perform two years from now? It remains to be seen...

Blend Test: Oster Fusion.
Smoothies: Awesome! Does the job and does it well. I love the pre-programmed features. All I do it press the button once and my smoothie is blended perfectly at the end of the cycle. I was a bit shocked at how easy this process was.

Food Chop: I blended a roasted corn chowder soup on the food chop cycle and it was great. The power seemed a little duller than the Vita-Mix and Blendtec's I've used in the past. But with a few extra pulses, the job was done well.

Cleaning: Easy to clean. I like the fact that I can still get a glass container. I'm not a huge fan of the plastic containers-although the new BPA free plastic containers sound like a very worthwhile upgrade in the Blendtec and vita-Mix blenders.

Price: Well this is an obvious difference. I found the Oster Fusion online at Amazon for $70. I paid $80 retail. This is a fraction of the cost of the vita-Mix and Blendtec which start at around $400.

What Blender to Buy? So the big question is: are you willing to pay a higher price for the better machine? And by better I mean better warranty, more power and a few more cool features and style/usability accents. If you are willing to invest in the top of the line high quality machines I suggest you buy a Blendtec or Vita-Mix. Both brands are fabulous. Although, the 7 year warranty with Vita-Mix really stands out for me. However, if you want almost equal results right now with a pretty-bad warranty and possibility that your machine will break or wear down in a year or two, get the Oster Fusion. At under $80 it really does an impressive job. With the Fusion, you can test out your smoothie and food-chop skills and decide if you want to invest in a higher quality model-eventually.

..in today's economy, you may want to buy the Fusion now and save up for a Blendtec or Vita-Mix. But if you are ready to dive into a $400 blender... You will be ensured a long few years of smoothie blending perfection. Hooray.

..oh and that Milkshake Blade for the Oster sounds like a must-buy. I need to try this.

My Kitchen Gadgets. My big investment kitchen gadget is my pricey Super Angel juicer. I love it. So yes, I do go all out in some areas of healthy kitchen gadgets. I'll probably switch back over to a Blendtec or Vita-Mix when the Fusion dies. But who knows, if it holds up well I may surprise myself again. My smoothie this morning was fusion-licious.

Here are a few Amazon links if you are ready to order one of the blenders I have reviewed:

Blender Brand website Links:
Blendtec
Vitamix
Oster Fusion

*disclosure: This post contains a Vitamix affiliate link. Ready to buy the best blender ever? Get free shipping by using my link!

Did you watch last night's episode of The Next Food Network Star? The contestants traveled to MIAMI! The stayed at the Marriott's Eden Roc hotel. Here are my week six rankings. And my "only one person thought of a veggie option appetizer?" reaction to the Nikki Beach Club South Beach Party. And find out what too much drink and not enough food, tipsy judge and Food Network chef blurted out this classic quote: "People are tackling people for a shrimp!" Hilariousness....

Get Bobby Some Snacks! The stand-out highlight of this episode for me was watching a tipsy Bobby Flay strut into the chef's area/prep area with a cool comment of" "So hungry. We've got lots of hungry people out there." Then Bobby steals a chicken skewer, gives a 'cocky Bobby' head tilt and shouts, "Get that food out!" ...as he struts back to the party. Hilarious. My favorite Tipsy Bobby Quote "People are tackling people for a shrimp!"

Watch the Episode 6 Re-Cap Video on the Food Network website and at the -01:04 minute mark you can hear Bobby's now famous shrimp tackling quote. Video Link Here.

Week Five Reactions:
* Melissa is my hero. She is the only contestant who bothered to do a vegetarian option. True it had cheese on it (not vegan-friendly), but still much better that the other all meat and fish options. Thank you Melissa! Moms always think of these things don't they? Melissa is my choice to win the show-and I predicted this from episode #1.
* Debbie. Selfish this week. She only cared about her own dishes. She was not a team player, even though her food seems to be awesome. Maybe she's not so 'Food Network' and more 'Martha Stewart'. By this I mean, Food Network chef's work together a lot, and to fit in you have to be a team player! A Martha Stewart type chef/host, likes to do things on their own-without the confines of a network brand to box them in. I love both types of chefs, but Debbie, my advice: you need to soften up next week to get viewers support back.
* Michael. He got the vote-off. Sad. I loved his energy, but his lack of on-camera confidence killed him. Yes he is an over the top personality, but at least his authenticity shown through.
* Jamika. I'm still split on her. I still don't feel like I know her culinary point of view, that catch phrase the show keeps repeating. However, she in uncontroversial in all ways thus far. That is both good and bad. Her food seems to be doing well though.
* Jeffrey was awesome in the JetBlue challenge. But other than that, he still doesn't totally connect to me. And store bought chips in Miami? Not cool.

So here are this week's rankings, by moi:

My The Next Food Network Star rankings (Week Six):
*+/- indicates how they moved on my rankings

1. Melissa n/c
2. Jamika +2
3. Jeffrey +2
4. Debbie -2


On Who Went Home: Voted Off: Michael A little frustrating to see the only young and fun person go home, but I guess Food Network knows what they are looking for and Michael just wasn't it. I'm sure Michael will have no problems finding a place to freely voice his unique culinary perspective and larger-than-life in-person style. Good Luck Michael-I'd be a proud guest at one of your dinner parties any day of the week. I'll bet they are unforgettable!

Be sure to check back each week when I'll update my rankings and let you know who I think should be winning. Hopefully, the judges will get it right!

Oh, and did you know that casting for the next show has begun?! Check it out on the foodnetwork.com

Watch it: Sunday nights on The Food Network.

While wandering through the Farmer's Market I spot a perky wooden crate overflowing with late season asparagus. The tall green spears are crisp and clean in their tidy little rubber-banded bundles. Like fresh cut flowers almost. Asparagus is an elegant vegetable, classy enough for the snazziest of dinner parties, and a simple asparagus side dish is often on the menu at the finest of fine dining restaurants. But is there any cause for nutrition-fueled buzz behind those dark buds of green? You bet! Click ahead to read all about facts and the health benefits of asparagus. I'll even give you a few tips on how to encourage kids to eat it, happily....

Asparagus Facts. Did you know that asparagus is a member of the lily family? I guess my flower comparison was valid! And FYI, also in the lily family are leeks, garlic and onions. And did you know that asparagus comes in a variety of colors, the most exotic being the white asparagus. And this is amazing: an asparagus can grow 10" in 24 hours, under ideal conditions!

Questions about Asparagus.

Can asparagus be eaten raw? Apparently, yes. Although I wouldn't recommend it on a taste value level. Maybe a very thin slice could be yummy if marinaded with oil and balsamic vinegar. Hmm...

How do I cook asparagus? You can steam, fry, saute, boil, bake or roast asparagus. You can also grill it. Grilled asparagus is an amazing summer treat. Add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of s and p and you are in grilled green spear bliss.

What are some good asparagus flavor accents? Lemon and garlic are excellent flavors to add to an asparagus saute. Any vinegar or acid will help break down the thick asparagus stalk flesh. This makes for a more tender bite. Asparagus also goes will with spicy chilies, along side white vegan cheese in an asparagus melt sandwich, or even on top of a colorful vegetable pizza. Just be careful not to overcook your spears. No one likes mushy asparagus, no matter how you flavor it!

How to get kids to eat asparagus. There are a few ways. First try giving it to them straight-up. Say, this is yummy asparagus, it will help you grow big and string. Saute it in a bit of olive oil and vinegar. If that doesn't work... Tell them they are eating tiny bean stalks, like the kind in the Jack and the Beanstalk story. Pair it with some mashed sweet potatoes so they can actually stick the stalks in the dirt before eating them. That's how I get kids interested. Interest usually leads to eating. If that doesn't work, try tossing asparagus slices into a pasta dish. Asparagus goes well with so many flavors: marinara sauce, garlic, creamy, lemony or even an Asian stir fry pasta. Still having trouble? Fold it into a burrito or taco on fiesta night. Many kids will eat the head of the asparagus, but hate the chewy stalk. So appease them by giving them only the top sliced head of the asparagus. If all else fails, puree it and stick it in a recipe. Blend it right into the marinara sauce, or into a rich creamy pea soup. Generally I'm not a huge fan of hiding healthy foods into kids meals. But sometimes a mom has to do what a mom has to do...

And here are the nutrition facts for asparagus...

Nutrients in Asparagus. Asparagus spears are high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.

Asparagus Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: 5 ounces, around 6 spears
Calories: 20
Protein: 3 grams
Carbohydrate: 3 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Vitamin A: 8% RDA
Vitamin C: 20% RDA
Thiamin: 15% RDA
Riboflavin: 6% RDA
Niacin: 6% RDA
Calcium: 2% RDA
Potassium: 400 milligrams
Dietary Fiber: 3 grams
Vitamin B6: 10% RDA
Folacin: 60% RDA
Magnesium: 4% RDA
Copper: 4% RDA

A great resource on asparagus:
http://www.asparagus.org/maab/faq.html

or complete asparagus nutrition facts click here.

As a teenage girl, I went through a phase of being a true fat-phobe. Fat in my food scared me. And I wasn't alone. It's a common fear among young girls discovering nutrition and dieters of all ages. After a few years of being afraid of all fat, something had to give. Starving my body of monounsaturated fats and oils left me feeling depressed, tired, cranky and moody. My hair, skin and nails were bone dry. And my cholesterol tests showed I was wrecking havoc on my body. Here is my story about how this fat-free teenager learned to love her California girl avocados, almonds and olive oil....

Fat. It's a fascinating topic in nutrition. And I'm not talking about body fat, but the kind you eat. Before I begin my story, lets go over a few nutrition basics of fat.

Three types of Fats.
Monounsaturated Fats. "Good Fat"
Saturated Fats. "Bad Fat."
Polyunsaturated fats. "Not as good as Mono fats"
Cholesterol: HDL=good cholesterol. LDL=bad cholesterol.
*I call HDL the "happy" cholesterol to help me remember.

What is recommended:
AHA Guidelines:
* Limit total fat intake to less than 25–35 percent of your total calories each day;
* Limit saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total daily calories;
* Limit trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total daily calories;
* The remaining fat should come from sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, fish and vegetable oils; and
* Limit cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg per day, for most people. If you have coronary heart disease or your LDL cholesterol level is 100 mg/dL or greater, limit your cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams a day.

How Much for Me? Everyone is different, so the exact amount of fat that is perfect for your body will probably be different than your neighbors. The AHA gives this example: "A sedentary female who is 31–50 years old needs about 2,000 calories each day. Therefore, she should consume less than 16 g saturated fat, less than 2 g trans fat and between 50 and 70 grams of total fat each day (with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils)."

How Much is 50-70 grams? Well, that is two avocados or one avocado (31 grams of fat) plus 1-3 tablespoon of olive oil (14 grams of fat per Tbsp). To put this in perspective of the typical 'unhealthy' American diet...One Mcdonald's Cheeseburger has 6 grams of saturated fat, 12 grams of total fat and 300 calories.

The above mentioned 2000 calorie diet, should then have a maximum intake of about 15.5 grams of saturated fat. However, the lower your diet is in saturated fat the better. So if you ate one avocado (4 grams saturated fat) and 2 Tbsp's Olive Oil (2 grams Saturated fat per Tbsp), you'd have 8 grams of saturated fat, way under that Max amount. (FYI, 15.5 grams of saturated fat is about two McDonald's cheeseburgers worth.) I'm glad I stopped eating those years ago.

Saturated Fat Sidenote: *see coconut oil note at end of this post.

Cholesterol and Fat.
The American Heart Association Says: "Knowing which fats raise LDL cholesterol and which ones don't is the first step in lowering your risk of heart disease. In addition to the LDL produced naturally by your body, saturated fat, trans-fatty acids and dietary cholesterol can also raise blood cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats appear to not raise LDL cholesterol; some studies suggest they might even help lower LDL cholesterol slightly when eaten as part of a low-saturated and trans-fat diet."

Now that we are on the same playing field of what the experts say, this is my story...

Avocados, Almonds and Olive Oil for this California Girl. I grew up eating avocados, almonds and olive oil. Easy to do when you are from California. One high-fat Avocado has 4 grams of protein, 15 grams carbohydrate and 31 grams of fat. However, avocados contain mostly good monounsaturated fat (19 grams in 1 avocado). Almonds are similar. They contain 163 calories per ounce, 14 grams of fat and around 9 grams of monounsaturated fats. Only 1 gram per ounce of saturated fat. Olive oil is similar as well. Per tablespoon it has 14 grams of fat total, 119 calories, about 2 grams of saturated fat and 10 grams of monounsaturated fats. All three of these foods are locally available in California. And all three are foods I ate a lot of as a child.

Society's Influence. Impressionable Minds. Somewhere along the road of youth I started obsessively reading nutrition labels, glancing at Cosmopolitan Magazine and Model-Splashed Clothing Catalogues, believing skinny celebrity propaganda and I also had one too many perfume ads plastered across my bedroom wall. The dieting propaganda and lack of positive female images in the media was enough to make anyone, including myself, a little confused about what 'healthy' meant. "Low-Fat" was in, according to the covers of magazines, and I took their advice a bit too far. I started to second-guess anything with the word 'fat' associated with it. 20 grams of fat in my large side of guacamole? Uh-oh.

Fat Phobia. In high school, like many girls, I wanted to 'lose a few pounds' and I was convinced that I was eating too much fat. Bad idea for someone with a perfectly healthy weight and happy disposition. Thus for a few years I turned into a true fat-phobic person. I'd beg my mom not to put ANY olive oil in my steamed Kale and Garlic. I'd ask for dressing on the side of all my salads. I banned cheese and only ate fat free frozen yogurt. High fat ice cream was out. I banned my favorite: guacamole and opted to only eat spoonfuls of fat free salsa when my friends and I dined out at Mexican Restaurants. I banned the tortilla chips as well. Maybe 2-3 per bowl of salsa. Never a fan of butter, I'd make sure my toast was dry with only a bit of sugar-free all fruit jam, and any foods that appeared greasy, cheesy or oily got a thorough wipe-down from my napkin to sop up all the excess grease before I dared eat it. Yup, I was a fat-phobe. A teenage girl phase indeed.

Fat-Phobia Pays its Price. It's true that while I was cutting back on calories and just about banning all fats from my diet I lost a few pre-college pounds. Whoopi. (Can you hint the sarcasm here, I hope?) But what I didn't realize was that this fat-free eating was wrecking serious havoc on my body, including my cholesterol levels, mood and even God forbid-my hair, nails and skin! Gasp.

Fat-Free Toll. So during those few years of fat-phobia some scary things started happening. Yes, I lost weight-at first, but I also lost my good mood. Eating a high protein/carb diet left me incredibly cranky. When I'd eat a big snack before tennis practice I'd realize that it would quickly get burned off (with no fats to slow down digestion) so I'd be very susceptible to mood swing highs and lows. I'd eat, get a huge spike of energy and quickly fall flat. Crankiness and lethargy ensued. And note that the only thing I was doing to my diet was cutting out large chunks of fat. I had dry sin, my childhood eczema resurfaced and my hair and nails were bone dry. This was not the beauty-forward diet I was seeking.

College Cholesterol Wake-Up Call. It wasn't until college that my fat-free phobia really hit me. It was the results from my routine first-year of-college student physical. You'd think a healthy weight, fat-free vegetarian would have fabulous levels of everything right? I expected everything to be perfect, but I was shocked when one of the blood tests showed that I had less than stellar cholesterol readings and pitiful HDL numbers-my good cholesterol was incredibly low. Not good. Especially for someone who has a genetic family trait of high cholesterol.

What to do When Faced with Poor Test Results? When you get a medical test result that is poor you have two options of action: One, nothing. Two, something. Being me, I chose to do something the best I could. I added a lot of avocados, almonds and olive oil back to my diet. I decided to give it a try. The first thing I noticed was that my mood improved. My hunger was less erratic and my dry skin eczema disappeared. Yay! But the biggest change was that I was happier. I wasn't depriving myself anymore and the increased fat in my diet really helped even out my energy levels - which is huge for a new college student. And guess what, the next semester, my blood test showed that my HDL levels skyrocketed. My doctor was very impressed, and so was I.

My Story. This is my story. I am a one-time fat-phobe who will never go back to that state of mind, or that fat-free diet. But for me, this now comes quite naturally. As a vegan, I find it very easy to avoid 'bad' saturated fats from animal products, and find it easy to include various healthy fats from nuts, avocados and olive oil to my diet. No, I don't go overboard. I still watch my calories and total fat on a daily basis. If you want to be healthy you really have to be aware of how much of what is entering your body. However, for me, fat deprivation is no way to live. If I want to eat an entire avocado in my salad, I will and then I will simply not crave any more high-fat foods that day. So all in all I've found that my body regulates itself quite nicely. You'll probably find that as well. If you eat a meal higher in olive oil and nuts and healthy fats in general, you'll feel full for a while and maybe only need a few more carbs and proteins to get you through the rest of the day.

Fat-Fear No More. Whenever I am around teenage girls or new dieters of any age, the first trend I notice in their meals is having a fear of fat. No matter what the food, if it has fat in it they will cringe and run. True they don't have any problem with drinking two gallons of artificially colored sports beverages or high sugar sweets like candy and fat free frozen yogurt, but a slice of avocado and they freak out. I know these girls well because I was one. But hopefully, they will learn that true healthy eating doesn't start by banning certain foods from your diet. Healthy eating really starts by adding healthy foods to your diet and eventually you'll lose interest in those unhealthy foods. Why? Simply because you'll feel better eating the good stuff.

Me vs. You. Everyone's story is different. Everyone's body and chemistry is different-especially when it comes to cholesterol. I know plenty of skinny folks with high cholesterol and even a few overweight folks with average or healthy levels of cholesterol. But this story is what worked for me. Getting rid of my fat-phobia improved my health greatly. And if you are a fat-phobic person or know any teenagers with that 'fat is bad' mentality, I encourage you to forward them this post. They may not change the way they eat, but at least they will hear my story. They will see that I successfully added healthy fats back into my diet and guess what, I didn't gain weight. In fact, when I first made the switch away from fat-free eating, I lost a lot of weight. And I lost that horrible feeling of deprivation. This is my story, and I'm glad to share it with you.

*note: I'm not even going to get into coconut oil right now. But you may notice that coconut oil is labeled as high in saturated fat. This type of oil is still controversial and so I will not bring it into this discussion.

When I dine out at a fancy-schmancy restaurant, I often find one of my favorite salads on the menu: Fennel, Arugula and Citrus. I love it. Thin citrus-marinated fennel slices, crisp spicy arugula, sweet slivers of oranges and sometimes accented with crisp onion or creamy avocado. No cheese please. But a restaurant fennel salad isn't cheap. Perusing NYC restaurant menus, I found this appetizer salad costing anywhere from $7.50-$29, the pricier salads included cheese garnishes. Wowsers, right? Well, I made a delicious variation of fennel salad for under $3 retail value per person. And that includes ingredient extras like avocado and onion. Very nice. Click ahead for my healthy twist on the classic recipe fennel salad recipe...

Fennel Bulb. I am in love with fennel. Eating raw fennel just makes my entire meal taste better because it cleans my palate and eases digestion. Read more about fennel, super food, here.

Citrus, Arugula, Avocado, Onion. OK, so the fennel is the headliner ingredient in this salad, but don't forget the delicious accent flavors that are included. Creamy avocado, spicy light arugula leaves, a thinly sliced red onion and a delicious layer of sweet oranges. A hint of lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper make this salad soar with summertime flavor.

Fennel Marinade. The only 'dressing' on this salad is really the marinade in the fennel. I also like to drizzle a bit or olive oil right over the arugula and avocados. My fennel marinade is not simply a lemon/olive oil blend. I also add in a drop of Vegenaise. The white vegan topping adds a subtle creaminess to the texture and it also enhances the natural white color of the fennel. It looks and tastes beautiful! Oh, and don't forget that fresh crushed pepper. If you are someone who loves spice, you can add in some cayenne or paprika. However, both of these spices will change the marinade color to a light orange-pink.

Gourmet Taste on a Budget. So I recently had a Fennel Salad at Jean-Georges' Mercer Kitchen in SoHo, NYC. It's one of my favorite things on the menu. It was $9 and had mushrooms (and cheese which I request to be not added). They shave the fennel super thin. So delicious! But I wanted a larger portion of the salad (with my veggie add-ins) at an at-home price. So here's how the cost breaks down: avocado: $1 per half, orange: 50 cents, arugula bulk: $1, red onion: 50 cents, 'dressing marinade' and fennel fronds garnish: around $50, lemon: 25 cents, half an extra large fennel bulb: $1.50. So basically, two servings of my salad costs around $5.50. That's only $2.25 per salad. No too shabby.

Here is my delicious, simple and at-home-gourmet recipe...

Gourmet Fennel Citrus Salad
vegan, serves 2 (easily doubled to serve more)

1 ½ cups fennel bulb, sliced thin
*about ½ an extra large fennel bulb
1 orange, peeled, de-seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced thin
3 cups organic arugula
½ avocado, sliced
fennel marinade 'dressing':
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Vegenaise
garnish: fennel fronds, fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
Slice all your veggies.
Rub avocado with a bit of lemon juice to preserve color.
Optional: Chop arugula leaves into smaller bits for an easier eating experience.
Place the sliced fennel in a large bowl.
Add vinegar, lemon juice, Vegenaise, salt, pepper and agave syrup.
Toss well until each fennel slice is well coated.
Set aside.
Start plating.
Lay a layer of arugula on the plate.
Lay a circle of avocado spears in a circle around the edges of the plate-on top of the arugula.
Drape a handful of red onion slices over the avocado spears and arugula.
Drizzle a tablespoon or so of olive over top of the salad.
Next, Spoon a nice portion of the marinated fennel on top of the salad.
Place your orange slices on top of the fennel and around the edges of the plate.
Garnish with a few fennel fronds and a lemon slice.
Grind some fresh black pepper on top.
You can drizzle the leftover fennel marinade on top of the salad if you'd like.
Enjoy!
More yummy fennel salad images below...

It is frustrating when the only facts, findings and statistics about vegans and vegetarians are sketchy and uninteresting. So I decided to make my own Vegan and Vegetarian Trends Survey to discover a few of the lifestyle and dietary trends among Veg*n's. There are 25 questions in the survey.

What's a Veg*n? The term veg*n describes the group of people who are either vegan or vegetarian. Please take this survey, and pass it around to your family, friends, co-workers and online veg-friends. Check back in a few days for the results and highlights from the survey!

Thanks for your support! Please take the survey and pass it on!

Survey URL: http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/ajK4Xqa/-Vegn-Vegan-and-Vegetarian-Diet-Trends-Quiz-2009

A few of my favorite words (and foods) have been officially added to the 2009 Webster's Dictionary. Among the additions are Goji, Acai and Locavore. Click ahead to read the official definitions and more 2009 word additions...

Healthy New Words. I'm so glad that goji and acai have been added. However, my blogger.com spell check needs to catch up to these new word additions!...Also, I'm starting a trend to make Bee-gan (a vegan who eats honey) a 2010 Webster's addition word!

2009 Word Additions:

Acai-a small dark purple fleshy berrylike fruit of a tall slender palm (Euterpe oleracea) of tropical Central and South America that is often used in beverages ; also : the palm

Goji-the dark red mildly tart berry of a thorny chiefly Asian shrub (Lycium barbarum) that is typically dried and used in beverages

Locavore-one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible

Other 2009 Merriam-Webster's Dictionary word additions:

1. acai
2. carbon footprint
3. cardioprotective
4. earmark
5. fan fiction
6. flash mob
7. frenemy
8. goji
9. green-collar
10. haram
11. locavore
12. memory foam
13. missalette
14. naproxen
15. neuroprotective
16. pharmacogenetics
17. physiatry
18. reggaeton
19. shawarma
20. sock puppet
21. staycation
22. vlog
23. waterboarding
24. webisode
25. zip line

For more, visit the Websters Dictionary Website

I get a lot of questions about my use of Agave Syrup as a sweetener in my vegan recipes. So here is my Agave Syrup 101 post. It is a must read for anyone who is health-conscious or simply curious about what they put in their bodies. I encourage all professional or amateur chefs to read this post as well. There is a wide world beyond white sugar. Click ahead for Agave Syrup 101, it includes health benefits, directions of use, sweetener comparisons and the history of this healthy sugar substitute...

Sugar Confusion. I'm never surprised by the presence of confusion when it comes to sugar and sweeteners. With so many natural and artificial sweeteners on the market today, navigating the sweetener aisle can be a bit daunting. Options include: stevia, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, molasses, white sugar, sucanut, raw sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup and even those frightening little pink, blue and yellow packets marked ominously with zero calories. Sweet foods should have calories. Anything otherwise, goes against nature and will likely include chemicals. Stevia is the new natural zero-calorie sweetener, but quite frankly, the bitter metallic taste doesn't appeal to me. There are a number of sweeteners that I use on a regular basis, but if you are just starting to experiment, I highly suggest you try agave syrup. It's user friendly, minimally processed and has a lower Glycemic Index rating than most sweetener options.

Vegan, for sure. No Bone Char, guaranteed! All vegans have heard about the possible use of animal by-products, in this case animal bones, in the processing of many low quality white sugars. Some granulated and even brown sugar, mostly made from cane sugar, are filtered using animal-bone-based charcoal, also known as bone char. Yuck. Agave nectar is completely plant-derived, vegan and bone char free.

What is Agave? The agave plant, which resembles an aloe vera or cactus plant, grows in dry regions and specifically thrives in Southern Mexico. Most agave syrup is produced from the Blue Agave plant. In Mexico, the nectar from the plant has been known for years as 'honey water'. Agave has only gone mainstream in the United States over the past few years. Agave syrup can be found as a sugar option for tea and coffee at many mainstream health-valued restaurants and cafes such as Le Pain Quotidian an even smaller cafes like Teany in NYC. (Agave syrup lines the shelves of the 'sweetener section at Teany'. Yippee. Agave sweetened foods can be found all over the supermarket and store chains like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's carry a wide variety of agave syrup brands and products.

Agave Syrup Taste. Agave Syrup is similar to honey or maple syrup, but the taste is lighter and pure-tasting in sweetness. Agave's texture and consistency is a bit thinner than honey, but thicker than maple syrup. While honey provides a strong floral 'honey' flavor, and maple a strong woody-sweet 'maple' flavor, agave's taste is a bit more pure and simply sweet. Thus, it makes the perfect sweetener to replace the simply sweet flavor of traditional sugar.

Agave vs. Maple Syrup. Maple syrup is indeed a fabulous natural sweetener. however it has a very distinctive flavor that may not be appropriate for all recipes. The main problem with maple syrup, however, is the price. Maple syrup is usually almost twice as much as agave syrup. This is a very appealing reason to get excited about using agave syrup: cheaper than maple syrup. I also find that maple syrup doesn't go well in my hot beverages, agave does.

How to Replace Sugars with Agave Syrup:

Honey: Replace every cup of honey with a cup of agave. 1 to 1 ration in sweetness.
Maple: same as honey, 1 to 1 ratio for use.
Corn Syrup: Replace each cup of corn syrup by using ½ to ⅓ as much agave and increase other liquids in the recipe by up to ⅓ of a cup.
White Sugar: For each cup of white sugar replaced, use ⅔ of a cup of agave and reduce other liquids by ¼ to ⅓ cup. This substitution will also work for Demerara Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, Evaporated Cane Juice, or Sucanat.
Brown Sugar: the same as white sugar, only you will not need to reduce the liquids because brown sugar has a higher moisture content than white sugar.

Other notes: Agave syrup may cause baked items to brown more quickly, so you may want to reduce the heat by 15-25 degrees.

Ancient healing properties of agave: The Aztecs used a blend of agave nectar and salt to dress wounds and heal skin disorders or infections. Modern medical study has confirmed agave's remedial properties. Agave nectar applied to the skin has been found effective against pyogenic (pus producing) bacteria. Adding salt to the nectar further boosts its anti-microbial property. Agave nectar has also been proven effective against enteric (intestinal) bacteria.

Fear Mongering and Agave Controversy. I receive a lot of emails regarding a Dr Mercola anti-agave article that was distributed online. I personally agree with nutrition experts like Andy at SmallBites (he also works at PFW in NYC) - in seeing Mercola's article as extremist and fear-instilling. In Andy's intelligent agave article he writes "sugar is sugar is sugar" - read Andy's response to Mercola's article: http://smallbites.andybellatti.com/?p=5459

Nutritional Considerations:

While I personally think that agave syrup (like most natural sweeteners) is fine in moderation, with consideration for sourcing and use - there are a few nutritional consideration in regards to agave that you may want to take into consideration.

Health Benefit: Low GI. Agave syrup has a lower glycemic index that granular sugars and even other natural sweeteners like dehydrated cane juice, date sugar or maple sugar crystals. A lower glycemic index means that agave syrup is less likely to cause a spike in your blood sugar. And many scientists have argued that spiked blood sugar can trigger the fat storing mechanism in the body. Thus making agave syrup a better option if you are trying to control or lose weight.

"Safe for Babies. Parents are vigorously warned not to give honey to children in their first year of life. This is because honey frequently contains a bacteria that can cause botulism. While this bacteria is harmless to anyone over the age of one year, it can produce toxins in an infant’s immature intestinal tract, causing sickness, hospitalization, and in rare cases, death. Agave syrup is not known to cause botulism in babies." -allaboutagave.com

Newman's Own Organic brand has a new line of chocolate. It's different than Newman's chocolate you may have tried in the past. It's called Newman's Own Organics Signature Series Chocolate, bars and chocolate cups. The chocolate is made from cocoa beans grown on Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms. But does this green, organic, environment-friendly chocolate stand up to my picky gourmet chocolate loving taste buds? Click ahead for my product review...

Green, Eco-Friendly Gourmet Chocolate. First off, Newman's new line of signature series chocolate is good for the planet. Organic and Rainforrest Alliance Certified. It bears the USDA organic seal. The USDA Organic Seal assures that at least 95% of the ingredients are organically certified. And that's not all, Newman's Own brand has given a lot of money to worth-while causes over the years.

Newman's Own Organics. Good People. "Newman’s Own Organics was established as a division of Newman’s Own in 1993, and became a separate company in late 2001. Paul Newman has given over $200 million to thousands of charities worldwide since 1982."

Great company, but how is the chocolate?...

Product Review: Newman's Own Organic Signature Series Chocolate bars
Flavors: Dark Chocolate, vegan, (made on shared equiptment)

Shelf Appeal: Nice. Sleep new packaging with an inner gold wrapper. I love the fact that the chocolate bars will be available in two sizes: 3.25-ounce and 2.25-ounce. Flavors include: Dark Chocolate, Super Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, Mocha Milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Espresso Dark Chocolate, Orange Dark Chocolate. The only vegan ingredients flavors are the dark chocolate varieties. And I love the large squares with big N's on each square.

Label Check: Organic certified. Rainforrest Alliance certified cocoa bean farms are used. For the most health benefits, go with the 70% Super Dark Chocolate flavor. Super Dark ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (organic chocolate liquor*, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cocoa butter*, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], organic vanilla). Bars are around 300 calories. When it comes to chocolate, this is some of the good stuff.

Taste Test: To quote my husband: "oh my God! This is so good!" He tried both the peanut butter cups and dark chocolate bars and loved them. And I have to agree. These are not ordinary chocolate bars. And they are better than the traditional Newman's chocolates. This new Signature Series is creamy, dense and has a pure intense chocolate flavor. Not too sweet and not too bitter. And the espresso flavor was bold like a bar of a mocha coffee drink. As store-bought chocolate goes, this is some of the best I've tasted.

Price Check: Around $2.50-$3 in price. Depending where and how many you buy. Competitive pricing with other organic chocolate bars.

Last Word: Tried Newman's Chocolate before? Try it again-the new signature series. It's different. Watch out chocolate snobs, this in-store brand is boutique store quality.

Learn more about the chocolate at: Newman's Own Signature Series Chocolate website.

And I even found this awesome-sounding book from Newman's Own. It is a Guide to a Good Life. Sounds like a good read:

More chocolate images below...

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Bright perfectly shiny apples are not naturally so appealing, but they are coated in spot-sealing wax. And now those bright perky never-seem-to-dull orange baby carrots are not what they seem. Click ahead to find out why this baby carrot addict just may be halting her baby carrot habit...

Baby Carrot White Blush. A fresh picked carrot will naturally whiten with air exposure and age. A picked apple will dull and spot and wilt. A picked banana will spot brown and turn soft. These are all natural aging processes of fruits and veggies. But it seems that the 'baby carrot people' who manufacture, grow and sell baby carrots have found a way to halt the aging process of carrots. They successfully stall the 'white blushing' of carrots by....rinsing them in chlorine. Yup. Cue the gasps and boos from the vegans, organics and veggie lovers everywhere.

Is it true? This was my first question. And yes it is. Organic carrot growers have the same problem with carrots, but they use a citrus based rinse called Citrox. However, the amount used for the carrots is very small. Here is a statement fro a industry insider:

"I work for a company that sells organic carrots, and while we do put all of the products through a chlorine-water wash, the amount of chlorine is under .04% and it is done as a food safety precaution and not a way to make the carrots last longer."-Liz

Chlorine everywhere. So yes baby carrot bleach scared me But then I started thinking about all the ways chlorine is used. In swimming pools, in our drinking water and to disinfect surfaces and supplies at restaurants. Sigh. What to do right? Since this chlorine carrots process has been approved to be 'safe' you really have to make the decision yourself. Quite frankly, I am more frustrated about the fact that this chlorine process is so hidden by the naturally branded carrot companies. I went to three baby carrot websites, an there was nothing on the chlorine process. If it is so safe, why don't they talk about it and practice full disclosure?

Carrots and other Produce. I've been reading up. And it seems that baby carrots are not the only produce items to be bleach dipped. Again, another reason to eat organic and think about growing your own produce if yard space allows.

Further Reading. So again, you have to decide for yourself. Here are a few more resources. As for me, a total baby carrot addict (I eat ½-1 bags every day with dinner or snacks), I will be holding back on the baby carrots. We'll see if this new knowledge brings leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

Resources:

The Origin and Evolution of Baby Carrots. Awesome page detailing anything you'd want to know about baby carrots.
Bad Bad Baby Carrots. Recent post on the topic.
Baby Carrots and Bleach. A good blog post on the topic.
Baby Carrots Soaked in Chlorine. A good forum discussing the topic.
Carrots and Bleach: Yum Yum. A great blog post in response to this news.

And here is the official statement of the process that baby carrots go through:

"To date, white blush has been controlled primarily by washing freshly processed carrots with chilled water, usually in a hydro cooler, followed by refrigeration and/or by packaging of the freshly processed carrots in specialized containers, including some that maintain modified atmospheres within the containers. Chlorine has also been added to the chilled water treatments for sanitation purposes, and primarily to control microbial bacteria growth on the processed carrots. However, depending upon the above variables, the onset of white blush may only be delayed for a few days. Therefore baby carrots tend to have a shorter shelf life."

source: The Origin and Evolution of Baby Carrots.

Big Island Flavor. Little Kid Delight. Wiki-Wiki is the Hawaiian word for quick. So I call this my Wiki-Wiki Volcano Couscous. It's quick to make, but explodes with fun tropical flavors. Kid-friendly. Vegan. A simple plating technique turns whole wheat couscous into a dish any kid or adult will love. Tangy sweet red chili sauce 'lava' flows from this yummy healthy couscous dish. Let paradise explode with this recipe....

Couscous, before it 'explodes' with lava sauce:

Whole Wheat Couscous. If you are still using white grain couscous, think again. As you may know, couscous is imply tiny beads of pasta. It cooks incredibly quickly and is easy to eat and customize with various flavors. But many stores are now selling whole wheat couscous. Just like regular whole wheat pasta, it is higher in fiber and nutrients. I actually think the nuttiness makes it taste better than traditional white grain couscous! So first and foremost, get the whole wheat version of couscous.

Volcano Sauce Lava. I used Traders Joe's Sweet Chili Sauce as my lava. But you can find many variations of red sweet or sour or spicy chili sauce. You could even use a plum or tomato sauce as the lava. Just as long as it is orange, red or yellow the theme will work! You can even let the kids pour their own lava sauce over the top of this exploding mountain.

Here's the recipe...

Wiki-Wiki Volcano Couscous
vegan, makes 4 volcano's

1 ¼ cups whole wheat couscous
2 ½ cups water or veggie broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup salted cashews
¼ cup white onion, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon agave syrup
1 bay leaf
1 orange, peeled and sliced
1 orange juiced
optional: ½ cup crumbled silken tofu
optional: Use pineapple instead of orange if you want an even more tropical flavor.
Lava Sauce: Sweet Mild Chili Sauce, Plum Sauce or Light Marinara Sauce
*I used a Trader Joe's brand. It had a very mild chili flavor with a lot of sweetness. A little goes a long way.

Directions:

In a sauce pan heat water/broth, oil, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Add in chickpeas, cashews, half of the onion, agave syrup, half of the parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, orange juice and optional tofu.
Cover and let boil for 1 minute.
Uncover and add in couscous.
Stir and cover.
Reduce heat to low.
Allow to cook for 1-3 minutes.
Uncover, stir.
Re-cover and turn off heat.
Let sit for 5 minutes.
Uncover, liquid should be absorbed.
Fluff with fork.
Fold in raw orange slices and the remaining parsley and onion.

Spoon couscous into mountain/volcana shaped cups.
Pat well.
Cover with serving plate and allow to sit for a few minutes.
*I used a small sized coffee mug I bought at Le Pain Quotidien.
When you think couscous has molded-about 5-10 minutes sitting, flip over plate.
Gently remove cup and couscous mountain will be left.
Sprinkle a bit of fresh pepper, parsley or salt on top if you'd like.
You can pour the 'lava' sauce on top yourself, or plate it next to the plate for the diner to pour themselves.

Bowing to the Volcano Tiki Gods before eating is always a good idea. (Well, it's fun anyways.) You can even make up your own tiki song to sing before eating. Luau post or pre meal is also a fun idea.
Itunes has many Tiki Hawaiian music to play at your feast.

Aloha!

Here is the last post in my Healthy Makeover Summer Series: Readers Choice! You guys voted and the winner was: Sticky and Sweet BBQ Tempeh and Tofu!

BBQ Sauce from Scratch. Oh Yes. Before today I was officially a BBQ Sauce virgin. I gazed from a distance at those mysterious pots of thick, sticky and smoky burnt red colored BBQ sauce. BBQ sauce was a mystery to me. Until now. After a day in my Healthy. Happy. Life. vegan test kitchen I've come up with an awesome recipe that I hope you will give a try. Here is my 'way better than bottled' Smoky, Sticky, Sweet Vegan BBQ Sauce recipe (with sweet BBQ peaches on the side)...

Thick BBQ Sauce. My number one condition for BBQ sauce was that it had to be thick! None of that watery dribble. I wanted it to be heavy, rich and thick.

Dark Burnt Red Sauce. The next condition was that it had to be dark red-purplish sticky burnt brown. I do like the lighter orange colored transluscent BBQ sauce, but I was going for that molasses-inspired opaque BBQ sauce. And I got my wish.

Less Sugar. More Flavor. After perusing the aisles of Whole Foods to get some BBQ sauce inspiration I noticed that most bottled sauces contain a lot of sugar and not a lot of good stuff. So I decided I would make my sauce with a thick tomato paste base and use half black strapped molasses and half agave syrup as my sweeteners. Molasses is rich in iron, manganese, calcium and copper. And it's so fun working with that thick black goo known as molassas. It's like tar. Only good for you. And tasty. I also use a lot of spices to add a depth of flavor that simple sugar just can't match.

OK, enough stalling, here is my recipe...

Kathy's Smoky, Sticky, Sweet BBQ Sauce
vegan, makes about 1 ½ cups

4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoon Black strap Molasses
2 ½ tablespoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
*I like Colgin brand. It says it's vegan on the bottle
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon spicy mustard
2 teaspoon soy sauce
3 tablespoon organic tomato paste
1 ½ tablespoon Arrowroot Powder
*thickens the sauce like corn starch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne (adjust for heat)

Optional Tweaks:
*For a sweeter sauce add more agave or 2 tablespoon brown sugar
*Taste test sauce and add more salt if you prefer
*For a zippy-er flavor replace the lime/lemon juice with 2 teaspoon orange juice

Directions:
Combine all liquid ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients one at a time. Make sure to add the arrowroot powder slowly to avoid clumping.

Set aside until ready for use.
Store in fridge if you are not using immediately.

BBQ Sauce Uses:
Easy to use on an outdoor grill. Or you can use my indoor cooking preparation for tofu and tempeh below.

BBQ Tofu and Tempeh
vegan, makes 3-4 servings of BBQ tofu or tempeh

1 cup Kathy's Smoky Sweet and Sticky BBQ Sauce
2 Cups of tofu or tempeh, cup into ½ thick triangles
olive oil (for pan)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:
Heat a saute pan to med-high.
Add 3 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Add enough of the tofu or tempeh to fill the saute pan.
Coat both side of the protein with some of the pan oil.
Add 1 tablespoon water-for steam, and quickly cover with lid to braise.
Allow to cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on tofu or tempeh cuts.
Remove lid, and flip the triangles.
The flipped side should be well-browned and slightly crisp.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the cooked side up of the tofu/tempeh.
Cover with lid and allow to cook for another minute.

Next, reduce heat and brush each triangle with about 1 teaspoon BBQ sauce.
Flip triangles.
Coat top side with about 2 tablespoon of BBQ sauce.
Add 1 teaspoon water and cover with lid again.
Steam for about a minute.
At this point you can allow the sauce to simmer and marinate on the triangles covered or uncovered. Covered softens everything up, while uncovered leaves a hint of crispness to the proteins and sauce.
When the pan starts to really brown up, turn heat to super low and prepare to plate the dish.

For a stickier sauce you will want to let it burn a bit in the pan. Just a bit though!

Garnish: BBQ peaches. Peaches preparation follows photos.

Tofu:

Tempeh:

BBQ Peaches Recipe

1 cup sliced peaches
*I like white peaches best for this
BBQ sauce cooked pan.

Directions:
Simple drag the peaches across the bottom of your just-used BBQ sauced pan.
The cooked sauce remains will stick to the peaches perfectly and slightly warm the outer sides of the peach. Just be careful and use a fork. Don't burn your fingers on the still-hot pan.

Peaches:

More sticky, sweet, gooey good photos below:

If you're a reality TV fan like me, you've probably seen enough of BRAVO TV's Real Housewives of NYC to be familiar with the Hamptons. However, you may think that the only people who deserve a weekend at the Hamptons are the rich, famous or connected. Well think again. About 80 miles east of NYC lies a summertime playground that anyone with a little sense of adventure must explore. And FYI, the Hamptons are indeed an ideal destination to achieve wellness bliss. And thanks to Vital Juice, you can achieve your blissful itinerary in a stress-free way. How? Click ahead to find out, and see a few of my Hamptons photos...

Vital Juice's Guide. VJ has just published a 2009 Hamptons Survival Guide. Check it out here. It's awesome. Here are a few of my wellness-inspired highlights from their guide:

*Head to Physique 57 for a $37 class inspired by ballerina moves. Kelly Ripa supposedly loves it.

*For only $35 you can try Rebecca Kordecki’s boot camp at one of the hottest hotels in the Hampton's: The Surf Lodge.

*$125 buys you 90 minutes of surf lessons at the Flying Point Surf School.

*Need some yummy healthy farm-grown eats? Try Sag Harbor Farmers’ Market, Community Farmers Market at Hayground School or the East Hampton Farmers’ Market. See details in the VJ PDF guide.

* Yummy eats include: Annie’s Organic Café and Market or juicy Naam (Venus with Watermelon? Yes please.)

*And more healthy eats can be found at Joni's or Babette's. Yum and yum.

Check out VJ's 2009 Guide to the Hampton's for details on these summer fun ideas above.

How do I get there? The number one problem that travelers have when it comes to the Hampton's is getting there ! You can train it from Penn Station via the LIRR. Cost is around $29-$40 round trip. (Although tickets can sell out fast on a busy weekend.) You can take your own car (if you have one), you can private car it (LimoRes per say) or you can take the Hampton Jitney bus. All routes take you to the same place...the fabulous Hamptons!

Where to Stay? Honestly, I'm not an expert in this area. I have a few friends on Long Island so accommodations has never been a problem for me. However, there are a handful of overnight options in and around the Hamptons. And if you want to stay at the Surf Lodge, like Leo DiCaprio and Jerry Seinfeld, I highly recommend a well in advance reservation. Good Luck!

Vital Juice's 2009 Hampton's Survival Guide.

Here are a few of my Hamptons Photos...

Did you watch last night's episode of The Next Food Network Star? Here are my week five contestant rankings. And my "who I think crashed and burned" reactions to the Rachel Ray show demo. And I have to ask, are the judges seeing things that we aren't???....

Who crashed and burned: Jamika and Jeffrey. Both indeed "hard to watch". Jeffrey? You are so 'chivalrous, right? Why not throw Jamika a bone? Jamika, throwing a pity party is not going to get you the prize. The kitchen is hot, but you have gotta sweat it out and rise above the flames.

Week Five Reactions:
* Melissa did great in the brussel sprouts kids challenge. She has a lot of cool tips that I'd love to hear. And I like her over-powering energy. It's easier to tone it down than tone it up.
* Debbie. She always makes amazing food that I really want to eat-when it's vegan. Those sweet potato chips-yum! And she did great on the RR show demo. But I agree with Bobby that she needs to stop explaining her food choices with "I am Asian so I add ginger..." etc. She's so cool and calm, lets just hope she doesn't turn 'chef nerdy' and stays 'chef fun'.
* On to Michael. Still a very likable guy with some awesome recipes. His big problem: confidence! Get some Michael, or you might be saying bye bye to your stardom.
* Jamika. She showed a lot of weakness this week. And quite frankly I thought she was gone. But judge Bob T loves her! Are they seeing something I'm not, because i still just don't get his "raw talent" comment. Sorry Jamika, I do totally empathize with your stressed-out level though when you feel like you aren't producing your best work.
* Jeffrey was my BIG annoyance this week. I started out liking him. Then I was bored. Then confused. Now annoyed. His personality comes across as fake and he didn't even try to throw the demo to Jamika. Yes, she could've stuck her neck out, but Jeffrey and his "chivalrous" persona should have thrown her a bone. Quite frankly, I think Jeffrey should've been in the bottom two with Jamika.
* Katie got voted off. It's always the healthy girls that get kicked around! This decision made me mad. I think Katie's 'big' personality when talking to the kids was right on. Her chicken looked horrible, but all in all still better than Jamika and Jeffrey in my book.
* And PS, I was thrilled to see tofu in the kids challenge. But not-so-pleased that it was grouped with squid and brussel sprouts as a 'kids hate these foods' food. C'mon. Give kids my Coconut Rice with Tofu Pillows and they will beg for more!

So here are this week's rankings, by moi:

My The Next Food Network Star rankings (Week Five):
*+/- indicates how they moved on my rankings

1. Melissa n/c
2. Debbie +1
3. Michael -1
4. Jamika +1
5. Jeffrey +1 (still last)


On Who Went Home: Voted Off: Katie This shocked me a bit. I think Katie deserved to go to Miami. But in the end there will only be one winner. And I still think it will either be Melissa or Debbie. I like Melissa, but Debbie seems to be the front runner.

Be sure to check back each week when I'll update my rankings and let you know who I think should be winning. Hopefully, the judges will get it right!

Oh, and did you know that casting for the next show has begun?! Check it out on the foodnetwork.com

Watch it: Sunday nights on The Food Network.

Let's wrap up part eight of the Healthy Makeover Summer Eats Series: Fourth of July eats! Here's the duo of two healthier vegan versions of a few red, white and blue eats: (Flag Fruit Plate and Red, White and Blueberry smoothie)....

Red, White and Blue Eats: 4th of July.

1. Red, White and Blueberry Smoothie: Raspberries, fresh strawberries, acai juice, soy milk, fresh blueberries, coconut banana cream on top. Vegan.
*Healthier than a traditional frozen shake, or artificially colored frozen red, white and blue treat.

2. Fresh Fruit Flag Plate: Fresh cut white peaches, strawberries and blueberries. A simple fruit plate is always a winner!
*Healthier than most platter snack plates. 100% fruit means 100% healthy. And delicious. Use organic fruit or was very well.

One more to go in the Summer Eats, Healthy Makeover Series!
Next up, Readers Choice post! Voting closes on July 6th, 12 AM!

Sometimes a simple fresh fruit plate is all your need for some delicious summertime snacking. Here is my Fresh Flag Fruit Plate made with white peaches, strawberries and blueberries....
Red, White and Blue Fruit. There are quite a lot of fruits and veggies that are red. Tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, red peppers, radishes, apples, cranberries, red pears and cherries. But the blue fruit gets narrowed down a bit to blueberries and a few purplish blue items like acai, purple onions and grape. Now what is white? White grapefruit. White inside of apples. White pears. White asparagus. But my favorite? Sweet white peaches. Peaches are low in calories-only about 37 per peach. And such a sweet hydrating snack. Pair them with creamy juicy blueberries and sweet succulent strawberries and you are in for a super healthy flag-colored treat. (USA flag that is... )

Fresh Fruit Flag Plate

1 cup organic blueberries
1 white peach
1 cup organic (or well-washed) strawberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice (for peaches)
Optional drizzle:
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
Slice the peaches thin and the strawberries into rounds or halves. Arrange the fruit on a white plate in rows.
Alternate red, white and blue.
Then squeeze a bit on lemon juice over the sliced peaches to maintain a nice white color.
Add the optional drizzle to the top of the fruit.
Or you can use it as a dipping sauce.
I place a bowl of toothpicks next to the plate for easy access. Toothpicks are more delicate for the fruit instead of a big fork.

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy!

The best way to kick off a hot and happy 4th of July weekend? A patriotic smoothie of course! This Red, White and Blueberry Smoothie brings together the flavors or ripe raspberry, acai, blueberry, fresh strawberry and coconut banana creamy fluff on top. Try out the recipe for this fun smoothie and cool off the healthy way...

Firecracker Smoothie. I used to adore those red, white and blue firecracker Popsicles. The tangy flavors all layered on top of each other tasted like a day at the beach. So I decided I had to try out my favorite food (smoothies) in a similar firecracker red, white and blue colored recipe.

Red, White and Blueberries. This smoothie combines ripe red frozen raspberries, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, acai juice, frozen blueberries, banana, coconut and sweet vanilla soy milk. The top white layer is a soft a fluffy coconut banana cream. Yum!

Red, White and Blueberry Smoothie
vegan, makes 2-4 smoothies, depending on size.

Red Layer:
¾ cup frozen raspberries
½ frozen banana
2 fresh strawberries
½ cup coconut water ice cubes
¾ cup vanilla soy milk
1 tablespoon agave syrup
Blue Layer:
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup acai juice
½ cup coconut water ice cubes
¼ cup fresh blueberries
White Layer:
1 frozen banana
1 fresh banana
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1 tablespoon agave syrup
3 tablespoon fine flaked coconut
¾ cup coconut water ice cubes
Garnish:
5 strawberries, sliced into rounds
½ cup fresh blueberries
pinches of coconut flakes

Directions:
First chill your serving glasses in the freezer.
Cold glasses will help the layers stay separated better.
First blend up the red layer.
Add all the ingredients, but blend the fresh strawberries in last.
Place the red smoothie into a container and place in freezer until needed.
Next, blend up all the blue ingredients.
Again, always blend the fresh fruit in last.
Pour it into a separate container and place in freezer.
Net, wash out your blender very well to create your white layer.
Add all the white layer ingredients and blend until frothy and smooth.
For a fluffier, icier white layer add more ice.

Assembly:
Now you can remove the red and blue layers from the freezer, as well as your frosted glasses and begin assembling the smoothies.
Place enough red smoothie in each glass to fill ⅓ of the glass.
On top of the red layer, place one thinly sliced strawberry round.
Next, pour another ⅓ full amount of blue smoothie mix in each glass.
Next, add 4-5 fresh blueberries on top of the blue layer.
Next, spoon the white layer smoothie into the glass until it is filled to the brim.
Garnish: Place a sprinkling of coconut, one blueberry and one strawberry slice in each glass.

Serve with clear straws and enjoy!

Tips:
*The raspberry smoothie should blend up the thickest, aka heaviest. That is why it goes on the bottom. The white layer is the fluffiest and the blue is in between.
*If you don't have coconut water ice cubes, use regular ice cubes, but you may want to add an additional drop of agave in each blend and even a very small pinch of sea salt.
*You can add some plain yogurt to either the raspberry or white layer-a nice healthy addition.
*To get a bolder ed or blue color, use more of the fresh strawberries and blueberries. The tiny specks of fresh fruit bring out tru red and blue colors!

What a yummy way to celebrate red, white and blue!

...and yes I know it's more like pink, purple and cream, but close enough! The taste makes up for the slightly off coloring. 🙂