Tag Archives: vegetarian

Buenos Aires Vegetarian Restaurants – Naturaleza Sabia

18 May

Can a vegetarian eat well in Buenos Aires, the land of the Parrillada??? OF COURSE!!!!

From the moment I started mentioning to people I was traveling to Buenos Aires, people were questioning and worrying, where would you eat?? I never worry about these things because I know that I will learn how to navigate the local menus to be able to:

  1. Eat the local favorites
  2. While still maintaining my vegetarian diet and lifestyle intact

They say in life there are NO COINCIDENCES… Adriana, the tour guide I had been in contact with over email, happened to be a long-time vegetarian too. She even had a vegetarian restaurant for a little while a few years back. She offered to provide us with information on vegetarian restaurants in the city… JACKPOT!!!

Adriana took us on a walking tour of Buenos Aires… we WALKED for about 7 hours that day. We visited all the major touristic points in the city on foot – the Recoleta Cemetery, Ave. 9 de Julio, Florida Street, Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada where Evita saluted her people… and believe me, after all that non-stop walking you get hungry.

So Adriana took us deep into the San Telmo area for lunch to savor our first vegetarian restaurant experience in Buenos Aires – Naturaleza Sabia.

Naturaleza Sabia is a nook of tranquility from the bustling streets of Buenos Aires. The décor is simple and serene. I loved the chalkboard menu with all the favorites of the day…

They welcome you with a selection of dips with crostini – lentil, broccoli and carrot. They were all delicious, but my favorite by far was the lentil one. Kinda like a lentil hummus, if you will. I particularly loved the toasted sesame seeds on top.

We stayed in the realm of the vegan dishes to make sure no egg was included in any of the recipes.

My mom and I ordered two dishes to share – the House Salad and the grilled tofu with mixed vegetables sautee. This tofu is one of the best tofu dishes I’ve had in my life. The tofu was well seasoned and the crust in the outside gave it real nice character. It was really nice…

Between the dips, the salad, the tofu and the strawberry lemonade I ordered, I was too stuffed to be able to order dessert. I was even looking forward to the rest of our walking tour to be able to take care of the stuffiness…

Buenos Aires may be “the land of meat”, but they certainly know their vegetarian stuff too at Naturaleza Sabia.

Naturaleza Sabia
Balcarce 958 1064 San Telmo, Capital Federal, Argentina
(0)11 4300 6454

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The Shape of Foods Help our Organs?? – EGGPLANT, AVOCADOS and PEARS

16 May

This is part of a series on how our food can help certain organs that resemble their same shape. I already shared with you how the following foods benefit these organs:

Carrots – Eyes

Tomatoes – Heart

Grapes – Heart

Walnuts – Brain

Celery, Rhubarn, Bok Choy – Bones

Beans – Kidneys

Sweet Potatoes – Pancreas

Now, look at the Eggplant, Avocado and Pear… they’re all shaped like a WOMB. So according to this theory they’re good for feminine health, for the womb and cervix. To be honest, I searched and searched the internet to find data that supported this theory… I couldn’t find anything specific to womb or cervix.

However, I did find some interesting facts important to women’s health and issues over all:

  • According to some internet research, avocados are great for our sex drive because they contain high levels of folic acid to help metabolize proteins giving you an energy boost. They are also known to benefit a women’s libido due to the high potassium content. That potassium content also helps with fatigue, depression and poor digestion.
  • Avocados are a complete food, providing fat, protein and carbohydrate – every vegetarian’s dream! They contain healthy fats we could all do with in our diets. But the fat is GOOD fat; in the form of monosaturated. They contain good levels of vitamin B6 to help you fight stress and give you the energy to keep going.
  • Avocados are excellent for the skin. Research shows that substances in the pulp of avocados appear to trigger DNA to produce more embryonal collagen – the soluble kind we start our lives with, producing smooth and supple skins.

  • Pears are a good source of Vitamin C and copper, both are antioxidant nutrients that protect the body against free-radicals and aging. They’re also a good source of fiber to help regularity and lowers cholesterol levels. Fiber also binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, preventing them from damaging colon cells. A study in postmenopausal women showed a 34% reduction in breast cancer risk for those consuming the most fruit fiber compared to those consuming the least.

  • Eggplants contain powerful antioxidants too. They help letting nutrients in and wastes out, especially in brain cells. They also help to relax blood vessels, improve blood flow and reduce cholesterol levels, particularly if taken in juice form. Even the National Diabetes Education Program, Mayo Clinic and American Diabetes Association recommend an eggplant based diet as a choice for management of type 2 diabetes.
  • Eggplant has been found to be especially useful in the treatment of colon cancer due to the high amount of fiber found within eggplant. But, the fiber found in eggplant has other uses–like helping people lose weight. Eggplant keeps dieters feeling full for a longer period of time and prevents from being as tempted to snack between meals.. Eggplants are filled with water and it’s important in the maintenance of healthy skin and hair.

Here are some recipes to help you increase your eggplant, avocado and pear intake:

Guacamole

Avocado and Tomato Sandwich

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Greens and Pear Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

Eggplant Milanese

Babaga-hummus

Eggplant and Mushroom Sandwich

Pasta with Eggplant Puree

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Veggie Bites of Wisdom #1

15 May

Nothing will benefit human health

and increase chances for survival of life on Earth

as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.

~Albert Einstein

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Taquería Los Pioneros… Ándale, ándale!!! Arriba, arriba!!!

14 May

Ever since Cinco de Mayo week I’ve had the worst taco cravings EVER!!!

I was traveling in Dallas recently and with all the work we had, I was not able to enjoy as much TexMex fare as I wanted. So as soon as I landed back in Puerto Rico, all I wanted was TACOS. And the best tacos in Puerto Rico are at Los Pioneros.

I learned about Los Pioneros from my Mexican friend Carla. She worked with me in P&G and Los Pioneros was her favorite place to get her Mexican food fix whenever she was feeling home-sick. To me, the measure of great ethnic food is if people from that region/country love it. If Mexicans loves Los Pioneros, then it has to be as authentic as can be.

I don’t know why I don’t visit Los Pioneros more often, because I drive by it almost every time I visit the Yoga Center. They’re located on Piñero Ave. in Puerto Nuevo. It’s super casual… you order at a window and sit in one of the wooden tables with benches until they call out your number.

Los Pioneros have a full menu of Mexican delicacies… but I usually go for the Vege-Tacos. They have 3 options to choose from:

  • Tacos de Nopales – Cactus Tacos
  • Tacos de Espinacas y Setas – Spinach and Mushroom Tacos
  • Tacos de Calabacitas – Zuchinni Tacos

I have ordered the spinach tacos, but by far my favorites are the Nopales Tacos. They remind me so much of the nopales sauce I had in Guadalajara over my chiles rellenos. They’re cooked with slices of mushrooms, onions and large pieces of jalapenos. If you’re not too find of eating chiles directly like me, I suggest you look thru your filling to make sure there aren’t any big pieces of jalapeno you prefer not bite into.  Can you see the piece of jalapeño right there, with the stem still attached???

They’re sold individually and you order as many as you want. They give them to you in a platter and you go to a station where you can pick your favorite condiments to eat them with: Lettuce, raw onions, and your selection of salsas that span from the mild tomatillo to very, very spicy versions I don’t even dare to look at. Remember I am the spice WIMP.

I usually order just 2 tacos, but the last few times I have been left wanting more… like a pregnant woman that just can’t get enough of her craving. And for the record – I AM NOT PREGNANT!!! But I have made a conscious decision I will start ordering 3 tacos from now on…

So if you live in San Juan’s Metro Area or if you’re visiting and get a Mexican food craving… all you need to do is visit Los Pioneros and you will not be disappointed at all. It’s not a vegetarian restaurant, but their vegetarian options are as authentic as they can be.

Have you eaten at Los Pioneros?? Do you agree with my recommendation??? What do you love to order??? Please share your vegetarian recommendations, because if they’re not, I won’t be able to try them on my next visit…

Los Pioneros
1511 Ave Piñero
Río Piedras, PR
787.781.6495

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We came to show Eskimos how to make ice…

11 May

It’s incredible… how daring we are sometimes.

My friend Tania visited Paraguay for the first time about 6-7 years ago. During that first trip she learned from our Yoga friends over there how to make Eggplant Milanese using cornstarch and oatmeal as the breading. We all loved the fried eggplants when she first made them at the Yoga Center.

Flash forward to March 2012… here you have Yazmín and I making Eggplant Milanese in Paraguay. Not helping them make them… noooo, making them ourselves to treat everyone after our short retreat near Asunción.

How dare we come and cook something for them that they actually taught us how to make??? We are daring indeed…

Something I have learned over the years I’ve known how to make these Eggplant Milaneses:

  • No need to actually use a mandolin. They actually come out better when cut not as thin. After a nasty mandolin accident making these milaneses at home recently, I now cut them with a knife and they come out even better than with a mandolin even if they’re a tad uneven.
  • No need to marinate for a long time. Soy sauce is fine, but you can only marinate for about 30 minutes and you’ll be fine. A tad of sesame oil adds a nice twist too. And when they marinate less, your end up with a juicier fried eggplant.
  • Season the milk and the oatmeal very well before breading the eggplants. When the milk and the oatmeal are well-seasoned, it compensates for the short marinating time. Add generous amounts of powdered garlic, salt, paprika, pepper… your choices are endless.

I’ve been having cravings for these eggplants since I left Asunción. Time to run to the store and make some more…

Thanks Tania and the great cooks in Paraguay for their wonderful culinary inspiration always!!!!

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