FL | Veggin' Out And About

Tampa Bay’s 4th Annual VegFest, 2013, Beats the Heat and Packs In the Crowds!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Nov 14, 2013 in I-275, I-4, I-75, Tampa Bay, FL, Tampa, FL, Veg Fests, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 0 comments

By Stacy Perry

Tampa Bay’s Fourth Annual VegFest, 2013, was held in Tampa’s Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park. It was organized by Florida Voices for Animals, a non-profit formed to “raise awareness about animal cruelty issues” and to give the public ways to help. This was my first year to attend and it was pleasantly busy, conveniently happening on the same day as a nearby breast cancer walk was finishing. Hungry participants of the walk floated over to check out what was happening in the park — ahhhh, serendipity. Well-behaved dogs on leashes were invited to the event too.

Tampa Bay VegFest T-Shirt

There were several food booths on one end of the venue, selling Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian, Mexican, specialty popsicles, frozen banana ‘ice cream’, and baked goods. If there was something non-vegan at this festival, I didn’t see it.

Gone Bananas “Ice Cream” Vendor

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Garden of Vegan in Delray Beach, FL, Offers Vegan, Gluten Free Fare With NO GMO’s!!! Unfortunately this Restaurant Has Closed.

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 22, 2013 in American, Delray Beach, Garden of Vegan, I-95, Organic and/or Non-GMO, Vegan | 2 comments

by Andrea Medalie

So my running partner (non-vegan) and I had just finished a grueling 10-mile race in Wellington, FL on Sunday when suddenly we were ravenous! We needed to refuel and fast! Not typically a breakfast person, my hunger made me want to sink my teeth into a hearty, healthy rib-sticking morning meal as my sweet reward! Since we weren’t from the area, a quick internet search yielded not just a vegan-friendly place but a vegan-dedicated little gem called The Garden of Vegan, just a few blocks away from bustling Atlantic Ave. in trendy downtown Delray Beach, FL.

Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm, breakfast from 9-11 weekdays, 9-12 on weekends, the Garden of Vegan promises no GMO, no dairy, no wheat, no soy and no gluten!! Many raw items are available too. Score! They have basically taken all the guesswork out for us vegans who struggle to find suitable plant-based nutrition. However, they do use cashews and walnuts in a few dishes, so heads up to those with tree nut allergies.

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Vertoris Pizza House of Bradenton, FL Offers Healthy Vegan Menu!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 13, 2013 in Bradenton, FL, I-75, Italian | 0 comments

by Stacy Perry

A brick oven pizza place with a completely separate vegan menu? Yes… and it includes appetizers, entrees, pizza and pasta. North of Sarasota, Vertoris is a quick jog off I-75. Take exit 217, then west on 53rd Ave, south on 14th St. West and it’s in the third block.

Vertori’s offers your standard dough (this is the one we tried — delicious) as well as 9-grain and gluten-free options prepared thin or hand-tossed. The 9-grain option will add $1-$3 to your pizza, depending on the size you order, and will be welcomed by those seeking a whole foods option. Vetoris goes all out to accommodate the dietary needs of their customers as described in this clip taken directly from their website.

Vertori’s offers Vegan and Allergen-free Italian Pizza Cheese

Vertori’s Pizza House has begun offering a Vegan Italian Cheese Blend to complement their various pizza sauces and crusts. The Italian cheese blend is free of cholesterol, trans fats, animal products, hormones, antibiotics and free of common allergens including soy, casein, lactose, gluten, egg and nuts. It has 33% less fat than dairy-based cheese and has no artifical ingredients. Choose this blend over Vertori’s 100% whole wheat, spring wheat, multi-grain, gluten-free or gluten-free/dairy-free pizza crust for a nutritious and delicious meal. (more…)

Smell The Bread Café, A Newcomer To The Plant-Based Scene in Sarasota, FL!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Sep 22, 2013 in American, I-75, Organic and/or Non-GMO, Sarasota, FL, Smell The Bread Café (Non-GMO) | 0 comments

By Stacy Perry

Located about 3 miles off I-75 on Clark Road, Smell the Bread walks the talk! This cozy place is committed to environmental and ethical stewardship, from their GMO-free pledge to their locally-sourced coffee roaster; and yes, the coffee is fair-trade and organic. They offer several vegan sandwiches (served on bread made in-house), a daily vegan feature Monday through Friday, and vegan salads with house-made dressings. If you’re traveling with a meat eater, Smell the Bread also offers a handful of items in which certified humane-raised chicken is the focus; this can also be added to any salad for an additional cost.

Smell The Bread, Exterior

When I was there last, I ordered the Harvest Roast Panini and my dining companion ordered the vegan feature of the day, the Meatball Sandwich with homemade ricotta and pesto. Their six regular plant-based sandwiches range from $7.95 to $8.95, their daily vegan specials are $8.50.

Harvest Roast Panini

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Elite Eats at Caliza in Alys Beach

Posted by FullDISHclosure on Jul 14, 2013 in Alys Beach, FL, American, I-10 | 1 comment

by Amanda Trevelino

If it’s true that we eat first with our eyes, it hardly would matter what food is served at Caliza. This architecturally award-winning pool and al fresco restaurant in Alys Beach, Florida, is all about limestone, lanterns, glitz and glamor. It’s such an indulgent-looking destination a person might be surprised to find a vegetarian menu among the surf and turf sophistication. The veg menu exits, I promise, but you’ll probably have to ask for it. Better yet, request it when you make your reservation, because sometimes the helpful staff actually has to rummage through drawers to locate it among the wine lists and the full menu of richer options. Don’t worry; it’s worth a little extra effort to enjoy a clean, sophisticated well-composed dinner at this seriously chic poolside setting. (more…)

Raw and Juicy Organic Juice Bar and Café

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jul 12, 2013 in American, I-10, Organic and/or Non-GMO, Raw and Juicy Organic Juice Bar and Café, Santa Rosa Beach, FL | 0 comments

by Amanda Trevelino

There was a time when Seaside, Florida was known as the town Jim Carrey made famous in the movie The Truman Show. But these days, people might instead say, “You know, it’s the little resort town with all the Airstream food trucks.” True enough. But those who pass by the barbecue and hot dog hawkers will be rewarded with fresh, raw juice, smoothies, gluten free sandwiches, sophisticated lunches and packaged vegan treats worthy of any movie star or health-conscious vacationer. The Raw and Juicy Airstream has been keeping it real at the corner of the town’s amphitheater along Scenic Highway 30A for years, and it never disappoints.

Well, okay. It might at first seem a little disappointing to hand over $8 for a Green Goddess juice, but that’s only until you go home and try to blend your own concoction of organic, locally grown kale, celery, cucumber, apple, lemon and parsley. Afterwards, you not only will be grateful to buy these invigorating, unpasteurized, unprocessed sips of health; you will probably want to do it as often as possible. (more…)