-State/City | Veggin' Out And About

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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Organic Garden Café of Beverly, MA Offers Medicinal Food!”

Posted by Danielle on Oct 16, 2013 in American, Beverly, Eclectic, MA, Organic and/or Non-GMO | 0 comments

by Pegge Bochynski

Nestled in the seaside town of Beverly on the North Shore of Boston, Massachusetts, is a culinary gem—Organic Garden Café founded in 1999 by Robert Reid. According to the cafe’s website, Reid’s sister-in-law was fighting terminal cancer in the mid-1990s. Her illness launched him on a journey to seek an alternative diet that would support her in her battle. His extensive research led him to develop an organic, raw food diet packed with living nutrients. In a sense, he was somewhat ahead of his time. Over the succeeding years, studies have shown that similar diets featuring locally sourced, unprocessed, and antioxidant rich ingredients are essential to living a long, healthy life. Reid’s mission to help people access healthy, “medicinal” food became the basis for opening his Beverly restaurant.

Organic Garden Café

Organic Garden Café is located on Cabot Street, a busy downtown thoroughfare. It’s housed in an intimate space with twelve to fourteen tables—mostly for two—placed closely together. A refrigerator case at the back of the establishment contains a variety of homemade vegan desserts, as well as take-out items, including the café’s own veggie burgers. The menu is a vegan-lover’s dream. Breakfast, lunch (weekdays only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and dinner items are prepared from scratch every day and feature certified whole foods, many of which come from local farms. Dishes are not cooked in the conventional sense. Instead food is prepared using no- or low-heat techniques. The result is fare that pops with melt-in-your-mouth flavor.

Because of the restaurant’s popularity and limited space, reservations are suggested. When we arrived around 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, only a few tables were occupied. But by the time we left, the place was nearly full. After we were seated, we surveyed the extensive menu options. There were so many delicious looking choices that it was difficult to decide. The guest of honor (the person whose birthday we were celebrating) selected the Nut Butter Squash Ravioli ($17.95). Made from thinly sliced red beets, the flavorful “raviolis” were stuffed with nut butter, covered in a vegan cashew alfredo sauce, and sprinkled with rosemary, walnuts, and tomatoes. The luscious dish was both light and satisfying. (more…)

Lamplighter Roasting Company of Richmond, VA Offers Good Food And Locally Roasted Coffee!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 16, 2013 in American, Eclectic, Richmond, VA | 0 comments

by Michael Carpenter

Looking for a made to order breakfast or lunch item with a locally roasted coffee?

If you are in Richmond, then check out Lamplighter Roasting Company. Located in a repurposed service station in Richmond’s historic fan district, Lamplighter has an eclectic artsy atmosphere with indoor and seasonal outdoor seating. On the sunny day when we visited the outdoor seating was busy but a table was open for us. Looking around we noted many milling around enjoying a cup of coffee and the weather while others were enjoying lunch and a game of chess.

Lamplighter opened in 2009 with the goal of offering a world class coffee experience. This cafe not only offers fresh food, but free public tastings the last Friday of every month.

We ordered the TLTNA $7.75 with tempeh and plum BBQ sauce. Many of the vegan BBQ sandwiches I have had in the past tend to be messy, however this had a good amount of sauce giving it a hint of BBQ without making it overwhelming or messy. The tempe had enough crunch combined with the avocado for a creaminess to make it a satisfying meal. Combined with a tasty fruit cup on the side this was a perfect light lunch.

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Charlottesville, Virginia Vegetarian Festival Serving Up Healthy Choices!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 13, 2013 in Charlottesville, VA, Charlottesville, VA, Eclectic, Features, Veg Fests | 0 comments

by Lisa Harris

The Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival, held at the end of September (28th), although not as crowded as years past was still very pleasant and packed with useful information and services that were beneficial to those interested in eating healthier, gardening, fitness, pet care and the environment as a whole. Children played freely, adults ate and mingled, and dogs both large and small rested under the slightly overcast sky.

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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.