London

Just returned from a whirlwind trip to London (I was there only 72 hours). I had a great time, but deviated majorly from the raw vegan path of righteousness. Dim Sum and Lebanese food were just too tempting.

I did, however, have one raw meal. On Saturday I met up with the lovely and talented Antony Heaven, of Antony In London (livingrawfooduk.blogspot.com). We ventured north to grab lunch at Dragonfly, a stunning (at least by the looks of their website) raw food restaurant that we learned went out of business when we approached the vacant storefront. It was very disappointing. But, we then headed over to Camden to eat at inSpiral Lounge. It's a vegan cafe with some raw options. It was satifying enough, but just know, should you ever dine there, that you can select THREE side orders and ONE main. Aparently I didn't get this through my American head fast enough, much to the chagrin of the icy sales associate. Still, it's worth the trip if you're in the area.

Travel Essential - Outer Body Experience

Home from Brazil after 10 wonderful days. I wholeheartedly believe that travel is the best education money can buy. With every country I visit, I become more adept at the art of living, and I am incredibly grateful for my travel opportunities.

One thing I refuse to do, while traveling, is to use the cheap (and toxic) grooming products that are provided by hotels. I firmly adhere to the principle of only putting on my skin products that I am willing to eat. So, in an effort to pack light, I brought just one bottle of Simply Divine Botanical's "pink grapefruit" scented all-in-one product called Outer Body Experience. It can be used as shampoo, face wash, and body wash. It's, quite honestly, all you really need in the shower. And, after using it alone for 10 days straight, I can vouch that it's a fantastic product.

Brazil IV - Restaurants

While there is no shortage of steakhouses in the city of Rio de Janeiro, vegan restaurants are far and few between. Luckily, thanks to Happy Cow, I was able to find one vegan/organic restaurant and even one raw restaurant.

Vegetariano Social Clube - Culinaria Organica is a fantastic vegan restaurant in the exquisite neighborhood of Leblon. Their menu is quite diverse and they have a fantastic selection of sweets. Quite honestly, I have had a salad both times I've dined there. Salads are very hard to come by in Brazil, as is any green vegetable. On this tangent, it's worth mentioning that garlic sprouts, locally called Nira, are one of the most common green vegetables I have seen at all different types of restaurants. Luckily, Vegetariano Social Clube offers more diversity.


(why did I take the picture from this angle?)

Universo Organico is a raw restaurant that is worthy of accolades by any standards. If they had a location in New York I would dine here more frequently than any other raw restaurant we already have here. The flavor combinations are sensational and they use very good quality ingredients. They even have a zucchini lasagna. Universo Organico is just a few doors down from Vegetariano Social Clube, but it's tucked inside the plaza of a theater, so it can be difficult to find.



Go to Rio!!!

Brazil III - Caldo de Cana

There are wonderful farmer's markets in Rio. Each neighborhood has its own market on a certain day of the week. Although, it is relatively simple to go to a market in another neighborhood on a different day of the week because everything in Rio is so close. I encourage all tourists to go to a farmer's market on a visit to Rio. It's a completely different experience than going to a market in the States. First of all vendors approach customers far away from their stands and try to lure them over by offering a sample of the freshest and tastiest from their harvest that day. "Try my mango," one will shout, and the next thing you know there's a ripe piece of mango in your hand. Another vendor slips a strawberry into your hand, all in an effort to coax you to their stand. I always appreciate people who value flavor and quality of agriculture over size or cheap cost.

Anyway, we came across a truck that was loaded up with, what looked like, bamboo stalks. It turns out that they are sugar cane sticks.









Vendors take out the sticks and put them through a huge juicer that looks like a cross between a wood chipper and a pasta maker.



The result is a delicious treat of pure sugarcane juice that is mixed with a squeeze of fresh lime. Not nearly as sweet as one would think. But, I had a bout 3 glasses right then and there.

Brazil II - Agua de Coco

Another one of nature's magical gifts from the palm tree is coconut water. Brazilians take full advantage of the bounty of fresh coconuts, and there are 'Agua de Coco' stands on every corner of Rio de Janeiro. It's common to see joggers finish their run at one of these stands where they rehydrate the natural way. Some people even ask the vendor to split the coconut in half, after drinking the water, so that they can scoop the meat out for a snack.

So far, I have had at least one cocunut per day. What I like most about the coconuts in Rio, as opposed to the young thai coconuts we get in the states, is that the Brazilians leave them in their green husk. It bothers me so much that, in America, they come stripped of the husk and then dipped in formaldehyde so that the white fibers don't turn brown. Why can't we keep them in their natural state? And, since I'm asking, why aren't there coconut kiosks in Central Park and along the Hudson river promenade?

Brazil I - açaí

For the past few days I have been spending the holidays in beautiful (and sunny and warm, hahaha) Rio de Janeiro. That's right, home of samba, Copacabana beach, and the future site of the 2016 Olympics . I'll admit, I was initially concerned about what I would be able to eat in the land of steakhouses and fried shrimp on the beach. I wanted to have fun, obviously, so I mentally prepared myself to be flexible, and to accept the fact that I was not going to be 100% raw vegan on my vacation. While this has certainly been the case, I have also found that Rio has an abundance of delicious, healthy, and fresh food that will satisfy anyone who is lucky enough to spend time in this magical city.

One of my favorite Brazilian treats is açaí. Açaí is a small, round, black-purple fruit that grows on a palm tree of the same name. This superfood has a rich history in South America, especially Brazil. In the traditional Caboclo populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm is described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up a major component of their diet, up to 42% of the total food intake by weight. In northern state of Pará Brazil, açaí pulp is traditionally served in gourds called "cuias" with tapioca and, depending on the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet - sugar, rapadura, and honey are known to be used in the mix.

In southern Brazil, especially Rio, açaí is consumed cold in a bowl. Many cariocas (citizens of Rio de Janeiro) eat açaí for breakfast or before a workout, as it boosts energy and has a lot of protein. Juice bars are everywhere in the Zona Sul and açaí is one of the most popular menu items. Each morning for breakfast we've gone to a different juice bar where we get açaí blended with coconut meat and we top it with sliced banana and granola. It's a great way to start the day.

Restaurant Tips

I just got down to West Palm Beach a couple of days ago. Since becoming a raw vegan 4 or 5 months ago, I've experienced looming dread about my impending holiday travel. In NYC it's rather easy to stay the raw course - one, because i'm in my everyday routine of cooking, and two, because there are a handful of raw food restaurants/juicebars/health food stores to support me on this journey. Middle America....well, I feel for you. It is truly much more challenging to remain a raw vegan in the land of Applebee's and Chilli's.

I knew that once I got down to West Palm I was going to have to go out to restaurants with family and friends. With some creativity I have been able to stay 90% raw at each of my restaurant dining experiences (without resorting to a "chef's salad").

Japanese Cuisine -
Nearly every city in the US has a Japanese restaurant nowdays. True, most guests are eating spicy tuna rolls with the mysterious "crunch" topping. But, it is also quite easy to order two dishes that will accomodate a raw lifestyle:

1) A "naruto" roll. "Naruto" simply means "without rice." If you ask the sushi chef to prepare you a naruto roll, he will thinly slice a cucumber and use it in place of the nori and rice to wrap up vegetables with. I generally ask for carrots and avocado rolled up. (note: this picture was pulled from Google images and obviously has some tuna in it).

2) Seaweed salad. This salad is almost like pomme frites at a French bistro. In Japan nearly all sushi comes with a side of seaweed salad tossed with sesame oil, sesame seeds, a scant toss of chilis, and some lemon juice. It's incredibly delicious and easy to come by.

Latin Cuisine-
In many parts of the country (Florida certainly), Latin or "mexican" food is very easy to come by. Although it might initially appear to be a vegan's worst nightmare, one of my favorite foods is cherished by nearly all Latin American cultures - avocadoes!!!! I generally ask for the freshest guacamole and eat it plain, or with corn chips (not raw, obviously). I've even been known to make a burrito with just guacamole. There's one restaurant in West Palm that I can't wait to check out called Roccos Tacos where they make the guacamole tableside with a mortar and pestle. Several of my favorite restaurants in NYC do the same and it's delicious.



In sum, don't be afriad to go out to conventional restaurants with family and friends. Just be creative with the menu and don't hesitate to ask for substitutions.