Tag Archives: vegetarian

Açai @ Foz de Iguaçu

29 May

One of the food trends in recent years is Açai… the power fruit of Brazil.

It’s in vogue because if all the nutritional benefits it provides – particularly for their anti-aging and weight-loss properties. The way açai is mostly served in the US is in the form of juice. Sambazon is a well known brand widely available, even here in Puerto Rico.

But açai is eaten in a very different way in Brazil… the berry pulp is provided frozen and served with granola and pieces of banana. I was expecting a fresh fruit plate but I should have expected it because the first time I had açai sorbet in Puerto Rico, I had it served to me exactly like this – with banana and granola. Actually, it was that experience that led me to know La Hogaza granola for the first time too.

Açai fruit with granola and banana is DELICIOUS!!!! It’s tangy, creamy, crunchy… it just makes perfect sense. It was a real pleasure to sit pool side at our hostel and enjoy one of the true and distinct flavors of Brazil.

If you don’t have fresh or frozen açai berries… try the combination with an açai sorbet.

Have you tried açai berries like this before?? Do you enjoy it too??? Tell me all about it…

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Easy-No Cook Spinach Dip

25 May

It’s been a while since I’ve given you any dip recipes… haven’t you noticed?

Partly the reason has been I am in the midst of remodeling my apartment, including my kitchen, and between that and the miles I’ve racked up in several airlines in the last few months, there’s been little entertaining at home.

While cleaning my office I ran across a few recipes I had written but have not shared with you yet. I made this originally for a lecture on Vegeterian Appetizers at the Yoga Center.  This Spinach Dip is a quick put together, especially if impromptu company drops in on you. It’s made from staples I always have in my fridge and freezer.

EASY NO-COOK SPINACH DIP

1 small package of frozen spinach
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp Garlic Salt – optional
Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. Thaw the spinach well and wring as much water out of it as possible. Cut it a bit with a knife or kitchen scissors to make the pieces smaller and easier to eat later on.
  2. Mix well with the rest of the ingredients.

If you use vegan cream cheese, vegan sour cream and Rice Parmesan cheese, this recipe is suitable for a vegan diet too. It’s just a matter of knowing the right products for your diet.

Serve it with crackers, pretzels or even carrot sticks.

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Veggie Bites of Wisdom #2

24 May

Part of my reason for being vegetarian was because it practices respect and love for life all through the day,

 so three times a day, you make a decision to eat things that have not been killed.

~ Natalie Portman

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Buenos Aires Vegetarian Restaurants – Spring

23 May

Adriana, our tour guide in Buenos Aires, was full of suggestions on where to eat vegetarian in the city.

One of her suggestions was SPRING… a vegetarian restaurant with the perfect format for a Devanand vegetarian – TENEDOR LIBRE. “Tenedor Libre” is the Argentinean terminology for “all-you-can-eat”. I am not a volume eater, but my travel companions certainly were.

We went to Spring one day just because it was the closest option to our hotel. A short 6-8 blocks only… we were not prepared to what we were going to find there.

Spring is a buffet-style restaurant with a prix-fixe for lunch and dinner. Eat as much as you want at the restaurant and pay the same low price. Drinks are extra… This was just what the Devanand guys needed. You could pick from a wide variety of dishes. I think we counted over 50 options, among them – a great salad bar with greens, raw veggies, cooked veggies, prepared salads, cheeses, sushi, pastas, pizzas, casseroles, potato dishes, tofu dishes, rice and fritters. It was at times overwhelming; especially when the lunch rush traffic is right behind you in a hurry.

Here is a sample of my favorite combination – large salad, scalloped potatoes, and gnocchi with a creamy tomato basil sauce. The brown fried rice, the French fries and the cooked broccoli were also huge favorites among the group. I got to order once a non-alcoholic wine, which was very much like a bottled grape juice. And we would all finish with a lemon sorbet… creamy and refreshing all at the same time.

I personally ate at Spring 4 times – I was in Buenos Aires for 7 days, so that’s a nice average, no??? But I happen to know people who went to Spring for both lunch AND dinner a few days in a row. Yes… the food is that good. And the value of the “tenedor libre” is undisputed. We would make Spring our meeting point if we ever got separated in our sightseeing or shopping trips.

If you’re a vegetarian traveling in Buenos Aires, YOU MUST visit Spring Restaurant. You will never regret it. We all need to thank Adriana for the tip. This makes me guilty we should’ve left her an even bigger tip!!!

Have you been to Spring in Buenos Aires too?? What was your favorite dish there??? Have any other vegetarian restaurants in Buenos Aires for us to try next??

Spring Restaurant

Bulnes

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Canada welcomes Vegetarians – Boston Pizza

21 May

Back in February, I was supposed to go to my usual skiing trip to Vermont. We were looking so much for it for months… thinking what we would do, what we would buy, what we would EAT during our trip.

Unfortunately, snowy winter weather was not on our side. Without sufficient snow in the mountains of Vermont, we had a decision to make – do we cancel our travels or do we go somewhere else?? We decided we would visit Quebec and Montreal instead. We love adventure, we love travel… and Madelyn loves to speak French too!!! Mais oui!!!

After arriving at the Burlington Airport, we directed ourselves towards Quebec City. Our first stop after crossing the border was a very Canadian place… BOSTON PIZZA?!?!? Ey??

Apparently is a Canadian chain of casual dining restaurants and we say so many of them in route that we just had to try… and they were the safest option for this vegetarian gal too. I was super pleased I was ordering in French and translating to everyone what the waitress said. I was in CANADA!!!!!

I ordered the Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip with Pizza crisps. It was DIVINE!!! I had to order extra pizza crisps to finish it off. Of course, to accompany a dinner of cheese and artichokes, a green side salad would only be right.

If you live around Canada or visit Canada in the near future… the Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip get a 2 thumbs up from KarmaFree Cooking. Give it a try!!!

Have you had it already??? Tell me what you thought about it…

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