Plant Based U

Fat-Free and Low Fat Vegan Plant Based Recipes

raw vegan

Raw Vegan Blender Applesauce

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This is a really easy recipe 80/10/10 style recipe that you can use as a quick breakfast, a snack, replacement for cooked applesauce in baking or a raw dessert. If you have a few bruised apples laying around, it also takes care of those too!

Raw vegan apple sauce is also very kid friendly for a quick meal or snack for your little one. I use ceylon cinnamon in this applesauce recipe. It is OUT OF THIS WORLD! You can check it out here  at our store. It doesn’t have a dry bitter flavour like the regular hard cinnamon sticks you find at the grocery store. Ceylon cinnamon is made from a different cinnamon tree and actually tastes like sweet cinnamon, almost a mix between powdered sugar and cinnamon. It’s sugar free of course and tastes great for many different dessert toppings.



Fat Free Raw Vegan Blender Applesauce

Serves 1 or 2

Ingredients:

3 medium apples, peeled and cored
1 banana fresh or frozen
1 date, pitted
1/2 cup water
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon (this is the true sweet cinnamon you can get it here at our store)
dash of allspice

Directions:

1. Place apples, water, banana, cinnamon and allspice in a Vitamix (or food processor) and push down using the tamper, and blend until creamy. Using a frozen banana will give you a nice cool applesauce.

2. Garnish with sliced or chopped apple, raisins, shredded coconut or additional cinnamon.

3. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.

Makes 3 cups

Additional Tips:

I use this when I also need some applesauce for baking, and just omit the date and cinnamon if it would affect the recipe. It’s a great way to use up some extra apples and banana when you don’t want them to go to waste!

Raw Vegan Plant-Based Mexican Cilantro Corn Chowder

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Raw Vegan Mexican Cilantro Corn Chowder

This recipe is featured in my 2 part Savory Raw Dinner Recipes DVD set.  It is super easy and very delicious!

When I was thinking up raw soups to make, that would look great and I would enjoy eating, I got the idea of packing in more and more veg into it instead of having it be all heavy from nuts or lots of avocado. The solution was to add some fresh yellow bell pepper, for flavour, bulk, and colour. It really adds to this simple combination of corn and avocado and took it to a whole new level.



Whenever I show people pictures of this soup, they can’t believe it’s raw and think it looks so great. Well it tastes even better too. You can also get very creative with the garnishing.  I went for a very simple look to display the solid soup ingredients and garnishes. Of course if you make the recipe you can add as much as you like. You can also make this a little spicier by adding more chili powder.

The beauty of raw soups, is that they are quite fast to make (aside from cutting fresh corn off a cobb, you can use frozen if you must) and you can blend them until they are the temperature you want in the Vitamix. So they can be room temperature, warm or quite warm. Just blend for 30-60 seconds for room temperature 1-2 minutes for warm, and then once you get past 2 minutes you are essentially really heating the soup and can cook it a little.  So keep this in mind, depending whether you want a room temperature raw soup, or a transitional warm “raw” soup.

This plant-based corn chowder will please even the most skeptical people of raw vegan soups. Just blend it a little longer so it’s warm and not cold if you’re using corn and bell peppers straight from the fridge.

Please let me know what you think! I love your feedback. For more delicious recipes check out my Savory Raw Dinner Recipes 

Creamy Raw Mexican Cilantro Corn Soup

Ingredients:

3 cobs of corn
2 yellow peppers, cut into chunks
1 small onion, cut into chunks
2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 small avocado or 1/2 large
1/2 cup cilantro diced
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp herbamere/salt
1 1/2 large limes juiced
1/2 red pepper, diced
diced chili peppers or chili pepper powder to garnish
green onions to garnish
Directions:

1. Cut the corn off the cob. (Make sure you have a sharp knife, a bowl or plate to catch the corn, and a towel. It’s messy!)

2. Put half of the corn, both yellow peppers, avocado, onion, garlic, half of the cilantro, cumin, lime and salt into the Vitamix or food processor.

3. Use the Vitamix tamper to push ingredients down into blade and blend until creamy. (If you don’t have a Vitamix and need to add a little water to make it blend, do so)

4. Pour into 2 bowls. Add remaining corn, and red peppers. If you like it spicy add diced chilli peppers.

5. Garnish with cilantro, red pepper, green onions and a sprinkle of chili pepper powder.

Serve!

How did you like this soup? Did you know you can use the base of this as a raw salad dressing too?

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Italy – Venice, Florence, Rome and Sicily

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Florence Italy – by Veronica Grace

(originally written for another blog of my journey’s in summer of 2010)

Italy is a wonderful and diverse country with with an abundance of fresh home grown Italian produce and cuisines that vary from region to region.

I spent a few days in a number of cities checking out the sights and enjoying some delicious Italian fruits that summer.  So much so that I definitely plan on returning for a few months in the near future!

The Italians are very proud of their country, their heritage, their cars, name brand designers, their cuisine and the quality of their produce. Going to Italy is really stepping into a whole new world where everyone expects the best and only buys the best even if it’s a little outside their means. Most of the main cities seem to host locals who look like they just stepped out of a designer catalogue! The tourists of course are the easiest to spot, they’re the ones in shorts and a hat with a camera wrapped around their neck and their mouths gaping open .



In Italy the Italians have a reputation of driving VERY fast, often on winding and narrow single lane roads (that are in fact two way roads) and drive fast cars or high-end scooters like Vespas.  They also do not seem to obey traffic lights right away or crosswalks.  Almost all of the crosswalks in large cities like Florence or Rome are not used, you must simply find a relatively “safe” time to cross, take a deep breath and FIRMLY walk out onto the street and have traffic stop all around you and just get across. If you panic or run you will be in more danger than if you deliberately just cross the street calmly and confidently.  Italians don’t like to be slowed down, cities have a lot of traffic and crosswalk lights only impede traffic further so it seems they are not used hardly ever! If you’re from New York you may find this fact a little less intimidating than if you are from a small rural town!

Trevi Fountain, Rome – by Veronica Grace

Most of the people I met anywhere (outside of hotels and taxis) spoke very good English, a lot better than I anticipated and I’m sure it’s due to the large amount of tourists they receive from all over the world every year.  Some of the top sights in the world are in Italy so it’s no wonder they cater to English speaking travelers all over Europe, North America and Australia.

Deciphering Italian Menus

You will likely come across chalkboard signs or menus that have sections like Antipasti (starters), Insalata (salads), Primi piatti/il Primo (small first course), Secondi piatti/ il Secondo (main dish), Contorni/il Contorno (side dish) and Dolce (dessert).



If you plan on eating out, you will likely be ordering from the Antipasti section things like bruschette, caprese salad (without the cheese if you’re vegan/plant-based) , olive tapenades etc. From the Primo: small portions of spaghetti, risotto or gnocchi, nothing from the the Secondo section, possibly something from the Contorno section if they have white beans, grilled vegetables, steamed asparagus, roasted potatoes, french fries, or long beans and you will probably be too full to have Dolce (dessert). 🙂

If you plan on avoiding the restaurants entirely then it will be a bit easier since you will be certain there aren’t any added things like butter, cream or cheese.

Eating raw vegan in Italy is fairly easy when the produce is so fresh and delicious. If you have a market to go to and can wash and prepare some fruit and salads in your room you will have no problem.  The only issue is salad dressing.  There is no such thing in the Mediterranean! Italians use lots of olive oil and vinegar or lemon for salad dressing.  Perhaps bringing some with you or making it in a travel blender would be best for low fat salads. Avocado is not fresh and abundant here.

Bruschetta, Eggplant dip and Beans, Tuscany Vineyard Tour – by Veronica Grace

Eating vegan or plant-based in Italy is fairly easy, but only if you include bread and pasta at restaurants since no one in Italy would really understand why you would choose to not eat meat, fish, dairy AND pasta.  They love their pasta and fresh bread. You will find spaghetti and gnocchi everywhere.  There is also quite often minestrone soup on the menu, which is basically just vegetable soup in a tomato broth, sometimes white beans in sauce or grilled vegetables.  But predominantly vegan food served at restaurants is dried pasta and bread. (Fresh pasta is made with eggs, it is against Italian law to use eggs in dried pasta). For those who are gluten free, Italy is quite gluten free friendly, and now all children are tested for celiac disease since their culture relies on pasta and bread so much. Just ask.



You can also ask for risottos to be made plant-based with no cheese, if you find a vegetable based one like mushroom or asparagus. Seafood risotto is the most common so stay away from that.  Cafe’s will likely have it premade, sit down restaurants will make it to order so you can always inquire if they will make it without the parmesan. Pizza can be made to order in many places without cheese, but is not as common at the tourist ready made pizza places (except in Rome). Pizza marinara (just tomato sauce and oregano) can be ordered almost anywhere pizza is made fresh, pizza bianca is dough brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with herbs, or you can make your own with tomato sauce and mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, olives etc. without cheese.

If you’re a vegetarian you will likely have zero problem eating in Italy, since you can basically eat any pasta with cream or cheese, mushroom risotto, bruschette, minestrone soup, salads, vegetarian pizza etc.

Simple Italian Phrases

If you can, learn some basic phrases like this to get by:

“Sono vegetariano” I’m vegetarian
“Vorrei un piatto di frutta” I would like a fruit plate
“Vorrei un’insalata” I would like a salad
“Posso ordinare questo senza carne o formaggio” Can I order this without meat or cheese?
“ma senze pesci” but without fish
“ma senza formaggio” but without cheese
“Ha delle verdure grigliate?” Do you have any grilled vegetables?
“Vorrei  un piatto di pasta secca, non frescha” I want to order some dried pasta, not fresh (because fresh pasta has eggs in it)
“Vorrei della minestra di verdure, per favore” I want to order the vegetable soup, please
“Una pizza vegetariana senza formaggio, per favore” A vegetable pizza without cheese, please

Like I said most people speak English, but maybe if you are eating at a small mom and pop restaurant, or in the country side it might be useful to know some basic Italian if you plan or ordering at restaurants.

Campo Di Fiori Market, Rome – by Veronica Grace

Italian Markets

You should be able to find fruit markets or produce stands in every city you visit in Italy.  All the locals buy their produce here, and there are always vendors selling pre made items to tourists, such as fresh juice, cut up fruit in cups and possibly some meat or fish items. The markets open early so make sure you head there before 1pm, preferably before noon for better quality produce and a good selection.

Italian Grocery Stores

Like most of Europe there are not many “large” grocery stores or supermarkets.  Most are fairly small, selling essential dried and canned items with milk and meat products, a few vegetables and fruits to tide people over or for tourists who want to get everything in one place.

Italian Restaurants

*A special note about Italian restaurants. A lot of them charge a “cover charge” per person for eating at their restaurant.  I guess this could be like an extra automatic gratuity. Sometimes 3 to 4 Euros per person.  Often you will see menu chalkboards advertising: “No cover charge!” this is a good sign.  If it does not say this it will be added to your bill. Also menu items include taxes and gratuity of 10%, only tip extra if you feel it necessary.

Most cafes will be open continuously from breakfast to lunch, serving various things like English breakfast, Italian espressos, pastries, panini, pizza, and premade pasta dishes.




For dinner most restaurants are not open until 7pm (19:00) unless they are on a tourist street and are a cafe, then they will be open earlier but they sell basic low quality tourist food.

Italian Juice/Smoothie Bars

You will find a few places selling fresh squeezed juice whether it’s on the street or in a proper shop. Juice bars will have everything listed in Italian so it would be good to learn the Italian words of the fruits you like so you can look at their combinations and see what you want.  They usually offer smoothies with yogurt or milk, so make sure to mention if you want it plant-based/vegan without dairy.  You can usually find at least one smoothie without dairy, like apple, orange and banana or with berries.  They seem to use blenders to make juices and not juicers as often. So don’t expect juices to be exactly the same as you’d find somewhere in the USA.

Gelato in Tuscany – by Veronica Grace

Italian Sweets Vendors

In the Mediterranean you will find that a lot of people eat fruit for dessert or a snack so you will usually see cups of cut up fruit being sold for a few Euros.  Things like cantaloupe, pineapple and grapes together or just watermelon.  Very easy to find in large cities and especially on hot days! They will usually sell other types of desserts as well.

*Traveler’s Tip For Sight Seeing*

Buy ALL of your museum passes or tour tickets online before you go to Italy. There can be huge lines at places like St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, The Colosseum in Rome and the Ufizzi Museum in Florence. The Italian sun can be hot and standing in huge lines to buy a ticket and then enter is no way to spend your holiday.  We skipped the line at EVERY major attraction and it was awesome! You just google the ticket you want, find a website that sells it, pick the date and entry time you want to go to the site and purchase it online.  Print the ticket and bring it with you to exchange for a real ticket at the ticket office upon arrival. They are a little lenient in time too, so 15-20 min before or after your time seems to be no problem either.


Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Venice, Italy

Venice at Dawn by Veronica Grace

Venice was the first city I went to in Italy and I had spectacular weather, low humidity and pure sunshine.  Make sure you get a map and have your hotel tell you how to get to and from San Marco’s Square as basically you will be going there every day for tours, shopping or restaurants.  Better yet, picking a hotel that is within a 10 minute walk to San Marco’s would be good too.  Mine was about 20 minutes away walking and going back and forth several times a day was a good workout dodging the masses of tourists on narrow streets!

Burano island, Venice Italy – by Veronica Grace

Tours in Venice

Murano, Burano and Torcello: boat tour was well worth it. Inexpensive and a good way to see some little islands outside of Venice and get some beautiful photos of their painted houses. Stops for 40 minutes on each island to look around. 20 Euros each: https://www.venetoinside.com/tours-activities-in-veneto/tour/half-day-excursion-murano-burano-torcello/

Torcello Island, Venice, Italy – by Veronica Grace

Walking Tour of Venice was not very exciting, but it came with a semi private canal tour  https://ca.viator.com/Venice-tours/Walking-Tours/d522-g16-c56 San Marco’s Basilica was packed, you cannot take photos, you must cover up your shoulders and legs (ladies) and was pretty quick. Personally I think it’s overrated. The Grand Canal Boat tour was great, the guide was excellent and it covered much more ground than a gondola tour simply because the boat can go faster.

Doge’s Palace: really nice to walk through, not very packed and you can skip the line and buy a ticket online in advance. 18 euros each http://www.tickitaly.com/galleries/doges-palace-venice.php This ticket also gets you into all the other museums in San Marco’s Square and can be used within 3 months, only once at each other museum.  Your time for Doge’s Palace must be reserved ahead of time though.  Well worth it.

Venice Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants

None!

Just modify menu items, no meat or cheese on salad, no cream/cheese in mushroom risotto, no cheese on pizza (although I heard pizza in Venice is not that great and of the low tourist quality variety) spaghetti pomodoro or marinara, and fresh orange juice or watermelon are a few things you can find almost anywhere. Sometimes cafes will have premade risotto or gnocchi that has cheese in it, so opt for a more sit down restaurant if you want made to order food.

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Florence, Italy

Statue of David – by Veronica Grace



I spent 2 lovely days in Florence and wish I had had more time! The city is very walkable, so find a hotel within a few minutes of the Duomo and you will be near most of the attractions you want and all the shops and restaurants. The Duomo is free admission too, so that’s a huge plus and if you want to take some photos without all the tourists standing outside go around sunrise or 7am to get some great shots.

Florence Tours

Tuscany by Vespa – this was the most exciting tour I did in Europe. Learn how to ride a scooter and tour Tuscany.  Not for the feint of heart or those unexperienced with cycling or riding things like atvs, jet skis or scooters.  It is safe, but Italian drivers can be crazy so you need to keep your cool when they pass you on little country roads. No city driving at all and very fun.  120 euros each: http://www.florencetown.com/eng/tuscany-tours/single-day-tours/77/tuscany-by-vespa–original-1-day-tour.html

Museums in Florence

Pitti Palace – the Boboli Gardens were well worth it and you get some great shots of Tuscany, Florence and the palace. There are 2 tickets, 1 for the minor exhibits and the gardens and one for the art gallery inside the palace.  You will likely not be able to do both in one day, it’s a lot of time walking, if you want both come on 2 separate days. You can buy tickets on site no problem.

Galleria de Accademia – really good smaller museum who’s star attraction is the Statue of David. It is very impressive in person and in immaculate condition. You can spend about an hour or two here.  Buy your tickets online in advance to skip the line.

Ufuzzi Gallery – I did not have time to go to, but it is very crowded and busy all the time much like the Louvre.  Buy your tickets in advance and plan to spend most of a day here. Researching what you want to see in advance would be helpful too.

Florence Grocery Stores

They are a little harder to find in Florence, and fruit shops are scarce in the tourist areas. You will have to walk around on some side streets and find a vendor selling a few items or find the weekly market.

Florence Vegetarian Restaurants

Il Vegetariano 
Via delle Ruote, 30 R (if you’re at the grocery store on this street you’ve gone too far)
39-055-475030
Vegetarian and Vegan friendly, has a raw and cooked veggie salad bar and vegan dressings
Closed Mondays, opens for dinner at 7pm.

This restaurant is really lovely, lots of space, affordable and a great vegan friendly salad bar you can load up your bowl with. No cover charge to eat here.  I think they are open for lunch too but may close around 2pm. Definitely my pick.

La Fonte 
Via Lucignano 15, Montespertoli (FI 50025)
+39-0571-609514
Vegan-friendly, Macrobiotic, Organic, Beer/Wine

Serves dinner only except on Sunday which is open lunch and dinner. Closed Mon-Tuesday.

Eating Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian in Rome, Italy

Colosseum by Veronica Grace

I spent 3 days in Rome in the Campo De Fiori area, I really recommend finding an apartment in this area. (The hotels in Rome are very pricey so I opted for a vacation rental apartment with a kitchen.) You can walk to the market every day in this campo and get all kinds of local fresh fruits and vegetables until about 1pm when they close down. You get a much better selection here than at any corner store or grocery store. They are closed on Sundays.

Campo Di Fiori, Rome by Veronica Grace

When In Rome, Drink From The Fountains

A man shows me how to drink from the fountains in Rome

You will find fountains EVERYWHERE in Rome. On the sidewalks, near churches, in parking lots, in monument complexes. All of it is free and completely drinkable. So bring your own water bottle and you can fill it up with cold water wherever you are and save money on buying bottled water. The locals assure us the water is very clean and Rome is proud to still be a city of water and marble after over a thousand years.

It was easy enough to just walk to most places from here, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Vittorio Emanuele monument, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are all within a reasonable walking distance from here.  If you get tired you can always take a cab or transit back. If you see 3 or 4 places each day you will have lots of time to take photos, enjoy the scenery and shop.

Free Audio Tours in Rome

I saved some money in Rome by buying tickets online in advance for the Colosseum and downloading Rick Steve’s free audio tours for Rome and listening to them on my iPod. Click here to download them. It’s really worth it for the Roman Forum especially, otherwise you won’t enjoy it as much and won’t be sure what ruins you’re looking at! Most of the other monuments are free to look at and you can come back again and again to avoid some of the crowds.

Rome Taxis

Do not take taxis from tourist places, you will pay a ridiculous price. (So ignore the guys standing outside the Colosseum!) If you get taxis that are on the go or at a taxi stand in the middle of the city it will be much cheaper than ones at any piazzas or monuments.

Rome Grocery Stores

They are available, you will find some things like apples, bananas, oranges and some vegetables, but the Campo Di Fiori market has a much better selection.

Rome Vegetarian Restaurants

REWILD Cruelty-Free Club 
Via Giovannipoli 18 (at Via Cristoforo Colombo)
39-06-97613910, 380-3279309
Vegan, Organic, Italian, Western, Fast food, Beer/Wine

All vegan menu includes sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, crèpes, ice cream, pizza, bruschette, piadine, pudding and custard, hot and cold chocolate, smoothies, Italian tap beers, and more. Has wi-fi, live music and shows. Lunch is possible by advance booking. Cash only. Open Mon-Sun 8pm-2am.

Bibliothe 
Via Celsa 4, Roma (00186) (at near Piazza del Gesu and Pantheon)
066781427
Lacto, Indian, Ayurvedic, Italian

Rome veggie restaurant serving Ayurvedic food, whole grain organic pasta, and dosa. Offers a vegan meal-of-the-day consisting of 4 courses. Desserts may contain dairy. English speaking and will accommodate special dietary requests.

Pugliamonti 
Via Urbana, 104
346-321-83-76
Vegan-friendly, Ovo, Lacto, Italian

Vegetarian and vegan food.  All reservations with arrival before 20.30, will receive 50% discount (excluding drinks). Call to confirm open hours as hours may fluctuate. Open Mon-Sat 19:30-23:00, closed Sun.

Eating Plant-Based Vegan and Vegetarian in Sicily, Italy

Taormina Sicily – by Veronica Grace

I spent a short 3 days in Sicily, seeing Taormina on the East and Palermo (where the Mafia is from apparently!) on the West.  My advice would be to spend at least a week here if you want to see a few of the towns in between and enjoy some of the beaches.




Taormina is quaint town, but interesting as it’s built into the upper cliffs and has very beautiful views of the bays and beaches below.  It’s pretty touristy with lots of high end shops and restaurants.  There are two things that will frustrate you here. The first, driving can be stressful, even with a GPS the roads go off in all directions and if you miss your turn you have to drive a while to be able to turn around because the roads are on cliffs. The roads here are unlike any you have likely ever seen and they seem to build roads out of thin air supported from beams underneath. Parking is a nightmare, so you need to find one of the large parking garages before you get to the pedestrian walking street in the heart of old Taormina. The second thing is that grocery stores are really small and often only have 3 or 4 types of fruit, so you will have to try a few to get enough of what you want. It’s not that big and you can walk to them, but bring backpacks so you can carry your groceries back with you.

Driving out of Taormina on the highway is fine around Sicily, the roads are not as narrow, there are 2 lanes, and if you just stay in the slow lane and let the crazy drivers pass you, you will be fine.

Palermo Sicily 

Palermo on the other hand is like Taormina’s disfigured ugly cousin… and I mean that in the most literal sense. The area around Palermo is pretty and has some nice views, but being in Palermo you will ask yourself how you entered a third world country without even knowing it. Driving here will push your nerves to the limits.  Traffic lights are scarce, traffic signs are only suggestions, and people will park 2 or 3 deep on the sides of busy roads and you will have to be careful not to hit other side view mirrors while you weave in and out. Make sure you know where your hotel is and how you will get there, street signs are poor here and you can go in circles if you’re in the downtown area as a lot of roads are only one way.  Hotels also don’t really have parking so you need to find a parking garage.  They will take your keys and cram your car in along with the rest of the lot, but at least your car is safer there than on the street. (From being scratched or hit). Tuck your side mirrors in once parking as well!

Aside from the chaos and unpleasantries of how Palermo looks physically, the people are very nice and you can find street food everywhere! Everyone has a fruit shop and sits on the street in a chair with their fruit and vegetable displays until late at night.  There’s a great selection of local produce for cheap.  There is so much fruit in Sicily just rotting on the trees because they cannot afford to pay people to pick all of it because the profits are so low when they sell it.

You won’t need to find grocery stores here, you’ll see fruit being sold everywhere you walk in the down town area.  There are also some vendors selling vegetables like boiled potatoes and corn in big tubs, but these are not good, they are cooked in really salted water and will not meet your expectations, so stay away!



You can also drive around Mt Etna and see a lot of people have fruit trees or orchards off the road, often with fruit sitting on them.  You can take a few pieces of fruit or possibly even go and ask to pick some for a fee.  It seems that they have so much fruit they don’t know what to do with it, and they don’t even eat much of it either.  Heaven forbid they do not get their pasta and fish intake!

Tours and Attractions in Taormina, Sicily

Mt Etna – by Veronica Grace

Taormina – Legendary Sicily

This was an excellent tour. The owner, Eddie has a Ph.D in Geology and is an expert on volcanoes and history. He will tell you some amazing stories and show you things you’ve never seen before. He’s probably the best tour guide I’ve ever had, and he’s a tour guide second and geological expert first!

Alcantara Gorge – by Veronica Grace

I went on the Etna-Alcantara off-road tour. This is a great full day tour, so be sure to pack your tupperware of fruit or make a sandwich! Check out his website http://www.legendarysicily.it/escursioni-naturalistiche-inglese.php

Well that’s all for my in depth report on traveling to Italy.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Let me know what you think and if you’ve had any adventures in Italy.

10 Tips For Eating Out Raw At Restaurants

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Depending where you live, you might be more or less able to continue your raw eating habits when dining out with friends and family.

Just because you are a raw foodist, it does not mean that you have to eat all of your meals alone or at home (unless you want to). Some people in your life might even be put off with the fact that you no longer socialize the way they do. Although you are living a healthier (and hopefully happier) life than some of your friends with unhealthy eating habits, there’s no reason to make an outcast of yourself.

Many times your friends and family just don’t understand, they think it’s too hard to stop eating the foods they grew up with and have come to love. They think what you are doing is hard work, unsatisfying, isolating etc.

Well, why not show them they are wrong? You’re still the same person, you just have a more informed view on food and health. So find a compromise and demystify these negative attitudes they have about raw food being “rabbit food” and “not people food”.

With vegan and vegetarian restaurants popping up all over the world, it’s no longer unheard of, and vegan diets are gaining ground.

Now, you might not have access to a raw food restaurant full of imitation SAD comfort food dishes, but here are some tips on how you can still socialize and eat out once in a while.

 

10 Tips for Eating Raw at a Regular Restaurant

1. Call the restaurant ahead of time to see if they can accommodate any special raw meal request, many restaurants have a large supply of vegetables and in season fruits. A larger restaurant or chain might accommodate you better as small vegan restaurants often have less produce and offer primarily cooked meat replacement dishes.

2. Find a restaurant that has an all you can eat salad bar or buffet style restaurant with a salad bar.

3. Order a fresh fruit smoothie or juice to start (if available), or bring your own in a travel container.

4. Let your waiter know of you dietary needs and ensure they understand what uncooked, and vegan food means.

5. Ask your waiter for suggestions of salads or appetizers on the menu that can be modified. Also ask about any cold soups available that are made with raw ingredients.

6. Bring your own low fat salad dressing. Restaurant dressings are riddled with preservatives and excitotoxins. The standard olive oil and balsamic vinegar might be ok once in a while, but know that any oil served in a clear glass container becomes rancid when exposed to light and is not very fresh.

7. Ask if the restaurant has fresh avocado or seeds for your salad, or bring your own.

8. Ask the waiter to talk to the kitchen to see what raw fruits and vegetables they have available and be creative to make a dish not on the menu. A lot of restaurants serve fruit cups for breakfast, so check if they have any left.

9. If your friends want to order an appetizer and you’d like to eat with them, bring your own raw hummus and ask the waiter to cut fresh carrot and cucumber slices for *chips* so everyone can try it.

10. If you’re feeling tempted by desserts at the end of your meal, bring some dates and have a few to satisfy your sweet tooth (if you haven’t eaten enough fruit before the meal).

If you have access to a raw food restaurant, or perhaps have some friends that are interested or used to this type of fare, here are some tips for eating out at a raw food restaurant and not compromising your taste buds or digestion.

10 Tips for Eating Out at a Gourmet Raw Food Restaurant:

1. Check out Happy Cow or yelp.com for restaurants in your area.

2. Look at the restaurant menu in advance (either in person or online) and analyze the menu for healthier options. Most raw restaurants base all entrees around oil and nuts and can be very hard to digest.

3. Order a fresh juice or smoothie to start (or several if they are tiny!).

4. Talk to the waiter to find out what dishes can be made without added oils or salt (if you’re concerned).

5. Order a salad or salad roll for an appetizer and don’t mix oils, nuts/seeds, or avocado in the same meal, choose 1 type of fat (for best digestion and low fat lifestyle).

6. Try to fill up mostly on fruit and salad before ordering a tempting dinner entree.

7. Look for dishes that contain vegetables or fruits for the base of the meal instead of flax crackers or nut breads. Or ask for a hummus or dip to come out with carrot and cucumber slices instead of the bread and crackers.

8. Plan ahead of time to use this meal as your higher fat meal to balance out your overall fat intake for the week. i.e Try having a no fat day the day before or after this treat day.

9. Share an entree item with a friend if you just want a taste and not the whole heavy meal.

10. Ideally, say no to dessert, (or at least no to the pie crust portion or nut “cheesecake”). Ask if they have raw sorbet or banana ice-cream instead for a healthier treat.

If you keep in mind your overall health goals and observe your energy and digestion after having a higher fat meal or treat you will be better in tune with your body’s needs. Maybe you have no problem digesting raw gourmet meals, maybe only once in a while. Try to give your body a break after these days and stick to fruit meals, juices and smoothies to get enough hydration and fiber back into your body after a dehydrated gourmet treat.

You can eat out with friends and family and have fun being social, but make sure you select food that you will be glad you ate (as a treat) and not regret afterwards. Keep your experience positive and stick to your healthy lifestyle.

It will be worth it in the end.

Vegan Chocolate Cherry Blender Ice Cream

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With Summer coming soon you might be craving some sweet warm weather desserts. My favorite is always a fresh homemade blender “ice-cream”, which uses frozen bananas for a creamy texture and natural sweetness. Instead of my old staple of “vanilla” I decided to switch it up with some frozen cherries and I have to say I’m absolutely hooked on this recipe! Chocolate cherry anything was basically my weakness growing up, but this version is all natural and actually good for you so there’s no guilt!

All you need are a few simple ingredients, unsweetened almond milk, frozen very ripe bananas, frozen cherries, cocoa powder and a blender. I recommend using a Vita-Mix if you’re planning on making blender ice-creams frequently (along with smoothies, blended soups, salad dressings and home ground flours). But you can also use a regular blender or food processor (just make sure to let the bananas defrost a little and chop them into smaller pieces to make them easier to blend.

In my Vita-Mix this recipe is ready in about 30-60 seconds (reg blender a minute or two) so it’s easy to whip up. You can also serve it as a snack or a light meal instead if you want to! I often make blender ice-cream for my family or dinner guests and everyone raves about how delicious it is, they can’t even tell it’s vegan. All they know is it’s some delicious soft serve ice-cream. I hope you like it too!

Vegan Chocolate Cherry  Blender Ice Cream

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, or other non dairy milk
1 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder
1 large frozen banana (make sure it’s very ripe before freezing, this makes your ice-cream naturally sweet)
1 cup frozen pitted cherries (often found at the grocery store or Costco)

Directions:

1. Place ingredients into blender or Vita-Mix in order listed. (If using a regular low powered blender make sure to let the frozen bananas sit for 2-3 minutes on the counter to partially defrost. Then slice them into small chunks so they become easier to blend. Also cut the cherries in half.)

2. Blend the ingredients on medium low to medium speed. If using a Vita-Mix use the tamper to plunge the frozen fruit down into the blades until well combined (30-60 seconds). If using a regular blender or food processor stop the blender periodically to stir as needed. Blend until smooth and cocoa is evenly distributed.

3. Serve immediately. Blender ice-cream is best eaten fresh, but can be frozen if needed.

Variations:

Instead of cherries you can add different berries such as frozen blackberries, raspberries or strawberries. But you made need to add additional sweetener if using tart berries such as a tablespoon of maple syrup.

For regular chocolate ice-cream, substitute another banana for the cherries.

Have you ever had banana ice-cream before? How do you make it? 

Vitamineral Green Smoothie Recipe

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So can you use green powders in green smoothies instead of fresh greens? Why yes you can!

I think a lot of us are guilty of not getting enough green leafy vegetables in their diet day after day. Myself included. Sometimes I don’t have enough room in the fridge to have salad ingredients every single day, and sometimes I get tired of chewing salad every day. So I often opt for a green smoothie to get more greens in my diet and it’s pretty fast and simple.

You kind of need a decent blender to blend the fresh greens though otherwise they can end up a little chunky or not so smooth. So you may consider using green powders in your smoothies instead for texture.

Or you may not have access to the best fresh greens all year round so a green powder is a more attractive option for you as well.

You can find a variety of green powders at the health food store and on Amazon.com. Some are based on wheat grass, barley grass or a mixture. I picked up a new one the other day to try out called Vitamineral Green. I’d heard people talk about it before and really liking it so I thought why not give it a shot.

I first tried mixing Vitamineral Green into some water and stirring well in an attempt to drink it.  I figured I could manage it. I was dead wrong! It’s not very edible this way! So instead I’ve been playing around added it into smoothies instead of my regular baby spinach or baby greens or kale.

As soon as I started drinking this green smoothie I immediately felt more alert and had a very positive reaction to it. My body definitely enjoys getting more greens!

This is my favorite version that I came up with so far and it definitely tastes like a fruit smoothie with some greens in it, instead of a strong green drink so I think you’ll enjoy it.

Veronica’s Vitamineral Green Smoothie Recipe

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup filtered water
2-3 large bananas (I use 3 so it’s filling)
1-2 heaping tablespoons of Vitamineral Green (I use 2, but you can work up to it)
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen cherries or blueberries

Directions: 

Place ingredients in a Vitamix or blender in the order listed and blend on high for about a minute until smooth and creamy.

*Note: You can adjust the thickness of the smoothie as desired by added more or less water and banana. If desired you can add some ice and blend again.

Other Tips:

Make sure to add enough water and sweet fruits such as banana or mango to help mask the strong flavor of Vitamineral Green or other green powders.

You don’t have to use Vitamineral Green, you can use another green powder. Be careful as straight wheat grass or barley grass powder may be stronger in taste. Use a small amount of Vitamineral Green or green powders to start until you get used to them. Gradually increase until you use 1 – 2 heaping tablespoons per smoothie.

Try using 1 banana and 1 fresh mango and frozen berries.

Try 1 Hawaiian papaya 2 bananas and frozen berries.

Try 3 bananas, 1/2 cup almond milk and a scoop of cocoa powder.

 What’s your favorite green powder to use? How do you drink it?

Pomegranate Apple Green Salad With Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

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The other day I went to a raw food potluck in Calgary and someone made this delicious salad that had a bunch of mixed vegetables and pomegranate seeds and it was quite delicious. So I thought why not make my own pomegranate salad for the holiday season?

To easily peel a pomegranate, you can cut it in half and fill a large bowl or sink full of water. Start peeling off the outer peel. The seeds will sink and the white parts will float so you can scoop them out and discard them. Once you’re done peeling everything apart you can drain the water and you’re left with pomegranate seeds.

(Or you can go to Costco and buy packages of fresh pre peeled pomegranate seeds in the refrigerated produce section if you don’t want to peel one.)

This is a really lovely salad that I designed to be really simple to make yet seem a little fancier. It’s got antioxidants from the pomegranate and the raspberries and omega 3’s from the walnuts (in the dressing).

I prefer to make all of my own salad dressings and not use any oil in them at all. So I used walnut pieces for healthy fats in this dressing. If you don’t have fresh raspberries right now, you can also use frozen. Just let them sit out for a few minutes to defrost a little first.

So let’s check out the recipe:

Raw Vegan Pomegranate Apple Green Salad

(With Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette)

Serves 2 side salads or 1 medium/large salad

Salad:

4-6 cups mixed greens
1-2 apples peeled and sliced
1-2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
3 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup mandarin orange juice (2 oranges)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp broken walnut pieces
2 large medjool dates, pitted
1 tbsp Trader Joe’s orange muscat champagne vinegar/other fruit vinegar/apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp Herbamare or salt *optional

Directions:

  1. Arrange the salad ingredients in side salad bowls or a large serving bowl.
  2. Place the salad dressing ingredients into a Vita-Mix or a blender and process until smooth.
  3. Drizzle dressing overtop of salad.
  4. Serve.

Additional Tips:

Feel free to double this recipe if you’re entertaining.

What’s your favorite holiday salad? Have you ever used pomegranates in a recipe? 

The Best Raw Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe! (Plant Based and Oil-Free)

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*Plantbasedu.com was formerly LowFatVeganChef.com

Today I have the PERFECT savory salad recipe that I want to share with you. This raw vegan Caesar salad dressing probably my most requested dressing recipe. My friends and family cannot get enough of it. Whenever I make it for potlucks (even for omnivorous barbecues) it’s the FIRST salad to be devoured and people can’t stop raving about it.



They don’t care that my dressing is oil-free, dairy free, or vegan, they just know it’s freaking delicious and they want to know how they can get the recipe!

Well I don’t usually give away my top secret recipes, aside to my close friends, but I wanted to share this recipe with you today.

I don’t know if you’ve ever made your own Caesar salad dressing at home before, but there’s one ingredient in traditional Caesar dressing that just grosses me right out.

Do you know what it is?

Anchovies!

I know… who wants to eat blended fish in a salad dressing…

But this recipe is very close to tasting like a traditional Caesar salad dressing. There is one key ingredient that makes my version very tasty and savory.

It’s miso paste and this gives it that strong tangy flavour that vegan Caesar dressings are sometimes missing.



You can buy miso paste at the health food store or asian markets. There are many different types of miso, but my favourite for salad dressings and gravies is Genmai (Soy and Brown Rice) Miso Paste. You can also use miso paste to make Japanese miso soup or other sauces. If you don’t have access to miso locally, you can also get it from Amazon, so don’t worry. *For a soy free version I have now seen CHICKPEA based miso sold in glass jars at the health food store. So definitely check that out too.

Check it out below. I know you are going to love it 🙂

Raw vegan Caesar Salad

The Best Raw Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing/Dip

 

Yields about 1 cup, which covers more than 2 heads of romaine hearts chopped.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw cashews (or raw sunflower seeds)
1/8 cup raw sesame seeds (or raw pine nuts) or 2 tbsp tahini
1/8-1/4 cup sunflower seeds (depending how thick you want it)
3-4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp mild miso (I use Genmai soy and brown rice miso)
1/4 tsp kelp granules or other seaweed seasoning *optional
1/2 tsp of dried dill
2 dates or 1-2 tsp agave or other liquid sweetener
1/2-2/3 cup filtered water (to thin as desired)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Using a hand blender or in a regular blender, combine all ingredients(starting with 1 date or 1/2 tsp agave nectar) and purée until very smooth.
  2. Taste test. Add additional dates or agave nectar, garlic or lemon if desired to achieve the taste you are looking for.
  3. Add additional water to thin dressing if desired.

Additional Tips:

This dressing will thicken after refrigeration; you can thin it by stirring in 2-3 tsp water if desired. When thick, this dressing can be used as a veggie dip.

Cashews are higher in fat than sunflower seeds, so it’s up to you which you would prefer to use. Cashews will yield a creamier dressing, but be higher in



calories.

Do you love Caesar salad? Have you ever tried a vegan version?


Raw Vegan Summer Piña Colada Recipe

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“If you like piña coladas and being caught in the rain…” goes the song by Jimmy Buffett… I think almost everyone knows the lyrics to this song. Even when I was a kid we would sing the words to this song and we had never had a piña colada before haha!

But the song sure made them sound good, didn’t it?  I have to confess I never really liked regular piña coladas, I didn’t care much for their extra sugary, synthetic, milky flavour (or the alcohol).

What I have for you today is an exceptionally simple, yet amazingly delicious raw vegan AND much healthier version of a piña colada. It’s so good, you’ll never lament over those old creamy dairy based Summer beverages again. My piña colada is much better for you too!

photo credit: The Green Lean Bean

You can buy Thai coconuts at health food stores and Asian markets. These are young GREEN (not little brown) coconuts that have had their outer husks shaved off mechanically to reveal the white part surrounding the actual coconut. Thai coconuts contain a clear coconut water that is full of electrolytes and is very refreshing. They also contain either thin coconut jelly, or firmer coconut meat (this depends on how old the coconuts are, the older they are the thicker the inside coconut meat will be.)

Sometimes you can buy the coconuts with the very tips shaved off so you only need to poke a straw in the middle to be able to drink the coconut water. Others are full sealed so you will need to use a heavy knife to crack open around the top of the coconut.

Here is a youtube video showing just how easy it is to open a Thai coconut. (Not you do NOT have to buy a machete to do this, but you will need a heavy knife that has a sharp heel to it.)

I would say the recipe below can serve 2 people, but I’m not going to lie, I drank the whole thing! It’s that delicious. So I recommend buying at least 2 Thai coconuts if you plan on sharing your piña colada with others as well. 🙂

 

Raw Vegan Summer Piña Colada Recipe

 

Serves 1-2, yields about 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 medium Thai coconut – water and meat scooped out
2 cups pineapple chunks (about 1/2 small fresh pineapple)
1 large ripe banana (frozen is best)
1/2 cup of ice

Directions:

Place ingredients in the order listed into your VitaMix or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Add more ice if desired. Serve with a fresh pineapple wedge and a straw.

Enjoy!

*Note that this is a high fat recipe, coconut meat is high in fat and contains saturated fat. So enjoy this treat, but you don’t need to eat coconut based foods every day.

Have you ever had a Thai coconut before? Have you ever used them in recipes?

Want to Peek Inside a Successful Raw Fooder’s Kitchen and See What They Eat Every Day?

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Have you ever wondered what exactly a raw foodist eats? Or more specifically what a successful LONG TERM raw foodist eats? I sure have. There are SO many different versions of a raw vegan diet that the differences from one person’s meals to the next is astonishing.
Well my good friend Nomi Shannon (author of the amazing raw recipe book The Raw Gourmet) has compiled day to day journals, recipes and dietary regimens of 48 long term raw and high raw food eaters.

 

The list includes well-known raw foodists such as:

 

  • Matt Monarch (from the Raw Food World)
Plus, a variety of people who eat a 50-90% (aka. high raw) raw diet such as:

 

Although you may not be able to bust in and check out their kitchen, but I’m going to let you in on the next best thing. Nomi Shannon’s new collection called  “What Do Raw Fooders Eat?” is now available and it’s going to blow your mind with just how jam packed full of fascinating information it is. Nomi had 48 raw fooders keep meticulous food journals for an entire week and submit them along with their personal dietary habits and health stories.

 

Nomi also compiled a MASSIVE number of bonus ebooks that she includes along with her “What Do Raw Fooders Eat?” collection. All in all you get hundreds and hundreds of new raw food recipes, everything from simple juices, smoothies and salads to gourmet raw food recipes for entertaining. It’s quite impressive.

 

Right now she’s doing a special promotion for me and my readers, and the first 300 people to order get all of these bonus recipe ebooks and videos absolutely free. (A $393.67 value!)

 

Insane right?

 

Check it out here:

 

 

This special bonus offer of $393.67 worth of freebies ends as soon as it hits 300 orders. They’re going fast….