Danielle Bussone

Chow Thai in Boca Raton, FL – A Favorite Among Vegan Diners!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 31, 2014 in Boca Raton, I-95, Thai, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 0 comments

So there we were, my running partner, Mark, and I, scrambling to find a restaurant to accommodate our specific tastes on a Friday night. With no long run scheduled for the next morning, we were looking for something somewhat exotic and spicy. We contemplated the trendy and overpriced Japanese place up the street and then decided on the all-you-can-eat Japanese place nearby for the same value. Much to our dismay, it had closed so we were at a loss. Then it suddenly occurred to me…a few blocks north of us, on S.R. 7 or 441, just south of Palmetto Park Rd. , in South Boca Raton, FL, there is a Thai restaurant that the local vegan Meet up group raves about. I know, I know, Thai food isn’t typically vegan friendly, with either fish or oyster sauce present in most, if not all of their dishes, sauces and dressings, not to mention egg in the Pad Thai. I had eaten at this very place a few years back and I did indeed enjoy it. With my palate being even more refined, I thought, why not revisit this establishment, long hallowed by discerning vegan patrons.

Chow Thai Vegetable Soup

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Taste of India, Charleston, SC, Teaches Us How To Make Bhindi Masala

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 29, 2014 in Charleston, I-26, I-526, Indian, Vegan | 0 comments

This is a video shot by VegginOutAnd About! at the Taste of India Restaurant in Charleston, SC, on how to make Bhindi (Okra) Masala:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tablespoons high quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup freshly chopped tomatoes, plus a tablespoon for garnish
1 cup fried okra
1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili powder (you may use cayenne)
1/8 teaspoon cumin powder
1/8 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 cup onion sauce
chopped cilantro for garnish

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Veggin’ Out at Mooney’s Mediterranean Café in Winston-Salem, NC!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 29, 2014 in I-40, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Winston-Salem | 0 comments

by Laura Blankenship

Step into Mooney’s off of fourth street in Winston-Salem and the first thing you’ll notice is the chic interior for such a quaint little café. Actually, if you’re there during the middle of lunch, like my dining partner and I, the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s jam-packed and you’ll worry about your chances of getting a table. Luckily we snagged one of two vacant ones in the house; business is bustling and turnover is fast during lunch, where mostly business people from downtown are on their lunch breaks.

Mooney’s Mediterranean Café In Winston-Salem, NC
Interior

During lunch, customers order at the counter from the menu above it written in chalk on a blackboard. With tons of options–vegan, vegetarian, and meaty, too–in small handwriting and the long line that was moving fast, I didn’t have long to deliberate and quickly picked something that sounded vegan and delicious: the Tempeh Pita.

Mooney’s Tempeh Pita

During my lengthy conversation with owner Ameen David, I learned that my wrap was developed by a strict vegan employee, Stephen (minus his consumption of two eggs a week per doctor’s orders, Ameen recalls). The Tempeh Pita isn’t the only menu item developed by his employees. Leah, one of Mooney’s servers, and her boyfriend, a chef at a neighboring downtown restaurant, suggested that Ameen start using olive oil rather than butter in the couscous when they became vegan. He listened. And every time his wife saw him, Ameen says, he was eating this sandwich that wasn’t on the menu. “What is that?” she asked. Thus the Falafel Burger, the brainchild of an employee named Scott, was born.

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Veggin’ Out and About Dedicates A Page To Organic Eateries!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 14, 2014 in Features, Living Plant-Strong! Profiles & Articles | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Organic Garden Café

VEGGIN’ OUT AND ABOUT DEDICATES A PAGE TO ORGANIC EATERIES!

In 2014, Veggin’ Out and About! has decided to dedicate a page called “Organic Standouts” for restaurants that go the extra mile in offering organic, non-GMO, pesticide free foods for the health of our population and planet. Too often, even restaurants that offer 100% vegan meals continue to prepare their foods with genetically modified corn or canola oil. They sweeten with high-fructose sugars derived from genetically modified corn, genetically modified sugar beets or cane sugar processed with cow bone char. Ninety percent of the soy produced in the US is genetically modified. Many restaurants which serve vegan meals, particularly Asian, are still using genetically modified corn starch and soy products.

Lately, the speak I’m getting from many restauranteurs is “Our produce isn’t organic, but it is sourced from local farmers.” So, are they are saying it is it’s OK to eat produce which has been modified to include genes from a foreign species (such as salmon genes in tomatoes), drenched in pesticides and treated with toxic herbicides as long as it comes from local farmers? I hardly think soiling one’s own back yard fixes the problem.

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Gotta Run!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 11, 2014 in Features, Gotta Run! | 0 comments

HIDDEN AND FORBIDDEN:

ANIMAL INGREDIENTS IN THE UNSUSPECTING FOODS WE LOVE!

by Andrea Medalie

Andrea Medalie

In a perfect world, everyone would follow a strict plant-based diet. Struggling to find a vegan-friendly establishment would no longer be an issue. Stressing out about animal ingredients in our veggie foods would be a thing of the past! All the guesswork would be taken out!!! Vegan restaurants would abound! The most difficult choice we would face would be WHICH one among so many! Ahhh…. a girl can dream, can’t she?

Fortunately, the word “vegan” is not so esoteric anymore. In fact, veganism is becoming more socially acceptable these days. Heck, the word is even being recognized and pronounced correctly for the most part by our non-vegan counterparts. Thanks to healthier trends, celebrities and famous athletes around the world, veganism is growing steadily in popularity and is here to stay!

It’s true that there are more and more dedicated vegetarian, vegan and raw restaurants popping up but overall, they are relatively few and far between. Thus, when dining out, we must rely on mainstream restaurants, especially when our most of our friends and family remain omnivorous (they have yet to evolve). It is important for all parties to be flexible and keep an open mind in order to arrive at a destination that will accommodate everyone satisfactorily while avoiding the cliché garden salad/baked potato combo that vegans often get stuck with. It’s impressive to see items marked as “V” on many menus but that could mean vegetarian and NOT vegan. DON’T assume that veggie dishes are “safe” using descriptions and common sense alone. DO assume that all potential dishes contain animal ingredients unless proven otherwise. Food prep peeps LOVE, LOVE, LOVE throwing animal ingredients into the mix to “elevate” the flavors. They just can’t help themselves. I say nonsense! For these so called flavor enhancers only mask the subtle, earthy flavors found in foods from mother nature from herbs to vegetables, soups to grains. Be proactive: Calling ahead or checking menus online is always a plus! (more…)