Veggin' Out And About

Getting Fit 2015! We Are Never Too Old To Become The Persons We Were Always Meant To Be. Take The Challenge – It’s Time For Change!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 2, 2015 in Living Plant-Strong! Profiles & Articles | 0 comments

I was healthy until I wasn’t. When a surgeon inadvertently severed a crucial part of my anatomy during a procedure he assured me he could “do in his sleep,” my life plummeted into an abyss of illness and infirmity. For six years I was on a roller coaster of pain, medications, multiple surgeries, complications, and near-death experiences. Thanks to discovering plant-based nutrition I was able to give my body the nutritional support it needed, which allowed me to hang on until a final procedure, performed by a talented group of surgeons from Florida Hospital in Orlando, repaired the problem. Finally I am able to live a normal life. While not entirely pain free, I am at a point where my life is manageable and I no longer need antibiotics just to stay alive.

After years of relative inactivity and with my 60th birthday come and gone, I am looking forward to doing things I could never dream of six years ago, when I needed help from my 94-year old friend just to shop for groceries! With my 61st birthday only two weeks away I thought, “What better way to celebrate the new year than to run a marathon!” Then my better judgement stepped in and scolded, “Baby steps, Danielle, baby steps!” OK, then, a half-marathon.

Optimistic beginning on the Virginia Creeper Trail. Phoenix, Coal (our beloved monsters), Rich and I are beginning the first day of training. We completed three miles, one mile of it at a slow jog. We don’t care about how fast we finish, just that we finish! It is cold! I’m in long johns, pants, two sweaters and a thick jacket. Next time I’ll know not to wear so much clothing. By the time we finished I was burning up!

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VOAA Introduces Newest Member Of Our Restaurant Review Team!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 1, 2015 in Living Plant-Strong! Profiles & Articles | 0 comments

Veggin’ Out And About! is delighted to welcome the newest, as well as youngest member of our writing team. Catherine Deborah Davidson-Hiers is an accomplished writer, equestrian, musician and athlete. Favored with great charm and humor, CD brings to the table a quirky style that is all her own. A new vegan, she has a burning curiosity about the health components of plant-based cuisine and an insatiable thirst for information. Look for CD’s articles and restaurant reviews. This kid is going places!

About Catherine Deborah

Over the summer between her first and second years in college, Catherine Deborah (CD) worked as a lifeguard in Florida during one of the hottest summers in record.

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Spotlighting Candle 79 — Plant-Based Dining At Its Finest!

Posted by CD Davidson-Hiers on Jan 1, 2015 in American, Candle 79, Fusion, New York, Vegan | 0 comments

by CD Davidson-Hiers

Candle 79 Evening Exterior

Candle 79 is one branch of a triad of higher-end restaurants in New York City that offers a selection of organic vegan options. The entire menu is vegan, and that was a novelty I had to quickly adjust to after asking Elena, the manager, “so…your ice creams don’t have dairy, right?” She smiled and said again that dairy is an animal product, so no.

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Danielle Bussone’s Book — Time For Change — Whole Foods For Whole Health! Just Released on New Year’s Day, 2015!!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 1, 2015 in Living Plant-Strong! Profiles & Articles, Time For Change | 0 comments

A Note From Author, Danielle Bussone

Becoming a vegan was a life-saver for me. A surgeon inadvertently severed a crucial part of my anatomy, creating for me six years of pain and suffering, numerous surgeries and hospitalizations, multiple life-threatening complications, and a few near-death experiences. Discovering plant-based nutrition turned my health around and allowed me to not only survive, but to thrive.

In my book, TIME FOR CHANGE – Whole Foods For Whole Health, I tell my story of injury and recovery. I also explain why a plant-based lifestyle is an appropriate option for everyone; why one should consider adopting a plant-based lifestyle, or at least add more fruits and vegetables to one’s current diet, in order create a healthier and more energetic body.

TIME FOR CHANGE is comprehensive primer on to how to deal with the minor inconveniences of this life-style choice, how to deal with social situations, what new foods you’ll encounter, how to stock your kitchen, tips on preparing and cooking vegetables and, finally, delicious recipes to get you started. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your health will improve by making some small changes to the way you currently eat. I’ve lost 65 pounds, I no longer have acid reflux, and I no longer need blood-pressure medication (or any medication at all). I am well and healthy, and the foods I prepare are delicious and satisfying. Please join me in making the next years of our lives the most productive, energetic and radiantly healthy years ever!

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Ethiopic In Washington D.C. – Ethiopian Food Doesn’t Get Better Than This!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 28, 2014 in DC, Ethiopian, Washington | 2 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Our second stop in our celebratory trip New York City, Veggin’ Out and About! visited Ethiopic in downtown D.C. By now you should be aware that we at VOAA have noses for Ethiopian cuisine and like hungry blood-hounds we single-mindedly pursue the scent to unearth some of the healthiest, most delicious food on the planet.

Ethiopic – Located Near Union Station in Washington, DC

As vegans we’ve learned that Ethiopian cuisine is always a safe bet. When visiting an Ethiopian restaurant it is never necessary to ask whether the vegetable dishes contain animal products; they won’t. Ethiopia has a long history of plant-based dining in their culture. Because of the numerous fasting days dictated by their church, in which no animal products are allowed to be consumed, animal-free dishes are a natural part of Ethiopian cuisine.

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FireFly Fare Serves It Up Vegan In Roanoke, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 27, 2014 in Fusion, I-581, Roanoke | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Our first stop on our sojourn to the Big Apple is a restaurant we’ve shamefully overlooked for far too long. Firefly Fare is located in downtown Roanoke in the busy Market Square and is the very best place in the area to get good plant-based cuisine. We’ve stopped there many times to and from other parts of the country and it is high time we paid them their due.

Danielle at Firefly Fare, inside the City Market Building

Located in the historic City Market Building, smack dab in the heart of downtown Roanoke, it is less than 10 minutes from I-81. Parking is not always a given and you may have to circle the block a few times before something opens up. But it is worth that minor inconvenience to experience the fresh and flavorful cuisine served up at Firefly Fare.

Over time we’ve tried just about everything on the menu and I can honestly say there wasn’t a single thing we didn’t enjoy. Firefly Fare also offers a fresh juice bar with concoctions such as Gingered Grasshopper, a refreshing blend of spinach, celery, cucumber, kale, apple, lemon and ginger.

Firefly Fare Green Juice – Gingered Grasshopper – $5.68

Firefly Fare offers a set menu with daily specials. Their ingredients are sourced from local farmers, which also means the menu is likely to change according to what produce is currently available. From Farm To Table is the watchword for Firefly Fare. Good food comes from fresh ingredients and you can’t get much fresher than this, not unless your grow your own vegetables. (more…)

How to make Masala Utthappam by Dosa Garden Indo/Sri Lanken Restaurant

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 21, 2014 in I-278, Indian, Staten Island | 2 comments

Another exciting video! How to make Masala Utthappam from Dosa Garden in Staten Island. We hope to have the full recipe posted soon.

Avocado Grill in West Palm Beach Was Just What the Marathoners Ordered!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 9, 2014 in American, I-95, West Palm Beach | 0 comments

by Andrea Medalie

A serendipitous occurrence! After my marathon yesterday, we literally stumbled upon the Avocado Grill in downtown West Palm Beach on famous Clematis Street! The AG is a vegan-friendly farm to table restaurant with a bustling Sunday Brunch that coincided with the nearby race event just a few feet away.

Avocado Grill (to the left) in downtown West Palm Beach on famous Clematis Street!

My absolute favorite post-race reward, as you know, is French fries, guacamole/chips and beer! The fries were homemade with truffle oil, Parmesan requested on the side and the guac made with ginger, cilantro and jalapeño was to die for!! Mark had a beer on draft but I opted for a vegan spicy Bloody Mary… Low cal/carbs! (more…)

The Super-Charged Athlete: Finding My Vegan Feet

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 1, 2014 in Features, The Super-Charged Athlete! | 0 comments

by Kate Strong

Let Your Food Be Your Medicine And Your Medicine Be Your Food — Hippocrates

Vegan Fuel For Athletic Excellence

My journey to becoming a vegan was not through conscious decision-making. Throughout my life, I was led to believe that all ‘serious’ endurance athletes needed animal protein to develop muscle mass and milk to keep bones strong. Not once did I think to question these theories.I am a triathlete and enjoy participating in longer-distance events, such as Ironman. It was never questioned that I needed to eat meat and eggs and drink milk to sustain a healthy athletic body, it was a given.

That was until one day, whilst working at my guesthouse, two groups of people overheard my woes of an aborted morning run due to an asthma attack. I’ve had asthma since early childhood and even though I stopped using the medically prescribed pump for my asthma in my adult years, I have always suffered from it and sound like a steam train during any physical exercise!

Both clients suggested that if I eliminate dairy and reduced animal products from my diet, I would breath easier. Normally, I would have brushed aside these ‘absurd’ opinions, yet they were being shared by sane, intelligent people who’s opinions I valued.

Sunset Near My Home

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Kate Strong Joins The Staff Of Veggin’ Out And About!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Nov 30, 2014 in Features, The Super-Charged Athlete! | 0 comments

KATE STRONG – WORLD CHAMPION IN WOMEN’S TRIATHLON

TO JOIN VEGGIN’ OUT AND ABOUT!

We at Veggin’ Out And About! are thrilled to announce that Kate Strong (aka Strong Kate) will be joining our team of staff writers. Beginning December 1, Kate will be contributing a column about various aspects of being a world-class endurance athlete, including how a plant-based diet is a stellar and appropriate fuel for optimum athletic performance. Join us in welcoming Kate and stay tuned to her articles beginning tomorrow!

ABOUT KATE

Welsh-born international traveller, Kate Strong has spread her wings far and wide not only geographically but in every aspect of her life. Having graduated with a double Masters in Mechanical Engineering from French and English universities, Kate has had a diverse career path from working with fashion companies such as Gucci, Diesel and Benetton in Italy, at an environmental protection agency in Russia, to working as a Dive-Master in Mexico!

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