Try These Raw Cardamom Orange Flaxjacks

Last night J took me to PF Changs for dinner and we ordered their vegan Ma Po Tofu and vegan Stir-Fried Eggplant. Arriving just before a Florida downpour the place was packed but we happened to get lucky with 2 seats at the bar. The atmosphere was wonderful and the staff close to perfect. When the bartender asked how we liked the dishes, J pointed to the eggplant and said "awful" and then pointed to the Ma Po Tufu and said "awesome". The eggplant was way overcooked into mush and recommend you try one of their other vegan entrees such as the coconut curry vegetables. Be aware that their spring rolls are fried. They say that all their vegetarian dishes are in fact vegan. Here is a link to their menu.

For this last week most of what I've eaten has been cooked. You may not be aware of this fact but raw food is better for you and cooked food can really harm you starting with the fact that most of the nutrients are cooked out. So I hit the Internet searching for a raw food recipe and came up with this one from http://aelida.com/ for Cardamom-Orange Coconut Flaxjacks! . OMG it was so easy that I'm posting her link and photograph. These are an adaptation of raw vegan chef Ani Phyo's recipe but it works very well. Don't expect these to taste like Aunt Jamima's or traditional flapjacks as you don't cook these. They taste great! These are not "hot" so just get over it and try them for something different.

Cardamon-Orange Coconut Flaxjacks (makes 2 small cakes):

1/4 c plus 1 tbsp whole flax seeds

1/4 c dried (unsweetened) shredded coconut

small pinch sea salt (optional)

pinch ground cardamom

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

1 tbsp agave nectar

Grind flaxseeds to a fine powder in a spice mill or coffee grinder and place in a small bowl.  Grind the coconut if it is not already very finely shredded, and add to flax.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients until a “dough” is formed.  Divide in two and roll each half into a ball, then flatten into a pancake shape.  Serve topped with fruit or fresh fruit syrup.

If you'd like to read up on the differences of raw fresh produce vs cooked food you can start with this article.

How Industry Giants Are Undermining the Organic Movement

I get a ton of emails just like everyone but the ones I get from the Organic Consumers Association are packed full of information. Below I've pasted a paragraph from their article "The Organic Alternative: A Matter of Survival". When you know the difference between conventional and organic produce, hopefully you can make an intelligent decision about the food you put in your mouth. It is our body's fuel and you get what you pay for. Conventional produce lacks nutrition and it is really no-brainer once people educate yourself and stop being lazy about their health. This article brings into light how grocers such as Whole Foods Market, United Natural Foods and others promote and sell greenwashed and "natural" food more then organic. Conventional is cheaper but we get what we pay for.

Millions of health-minded Americans, especially parents of young children, now understand that cheap, non-organic, industrial food is hazardous. Not only does chemical and energy-intensive factory farming destroy the environment, impoverish rural communities, exploit farm workers, inflict unnecessary cruelty on farm animals, and contaminate the water supply; but the end product itself is inevitably contaminated. Routinely contained in nearly every bite or swallow of non-organic industrial food are pesticides, antibiotics and other animal drug residues, pathogens, feces, hormone disrupting chemicals, toxic sludge, slaughterhouse waste, genetically modified organisms, chemical additives and preservatives, irradiation-derived radiolytic chemical by-products, and a host of other hazardous allergens and toxins. Eighty million cases of food poisoning every year in the US, an impending swine/bird flu pandemic (directly attributable to factory farms), and an epidemic of food-related cancers, heart attacks, and obesity make for a compelling case for the Organic Alternative.

Heading North to COOL Ashville, NC

It has been very hot in Florida lately and the rain just isn't stopping. Without the ocean breeze the forecast should just say "sweat, try to breath or go to the beach". So J and are on our way up to the mountains after a busy 3 day work stop in Atlanta. Our final destination will be Ashville, NC but will make some other stops along the trip. Our goal is to do some bike riding, hiking, and check out the local scenery. My vegan food list will be shorter this trip because of the many places to dine! After a quick check on HappyCow.net I've noticed a few listings of places with veg options so we shall see how well they accommodate. Some of the reviews are older so we will also rely on some suggestions from our hosts. I'll be looking for the words "vegan options" or an * on the menu first. Then I'll ask the typical questions and post their answers, photos and reviews after we return. A few resturants we want to visit 8/10 - 8-13 are:

• Rosetta's Kitchen
• Laughing Seed Cafe
• Firestorm Cafe
• The Green Sage (maybe)

Check back mid August for an updated post. Please email me if you have any suggestions.

Thai Cuisine Restaurant with a Vegan Menu

The next stop on our journey was to pick up our Dad and find an restaurant that had vegan options. Both of us pulled out our cell phones again and started making calls. There was a vegan restaurant listed in Emmaus, PA but she was closed and in the process of finding a new location. After probing her with questions on where someone from out of town could eat she suggested the White Orchids Thai Cuisine restaurant. She gave us directions and told us that they will give you a vegan menu if you ask. Wow! That would never happen in any restaurant where I live in Jacksonville, FL. The restaurant owners here are to archaic in their thoughts. St Augustine, Fl would be an excellent location for a Vegan Bakery or restaurant!

When we arrived at the the White Orchid my Dad told us " I eat that stuff but you will have to order for me. " So we did and ordered a variety of items off their "Vegan Menu" to share. When the vegan tofu appetizer came out my dad had a strange look on his face but proceeded to dip a slice in one of their fabulous sauces. "This is good! What is it?" he said. That brought a smile to my face and a chuckle. Our total order included their Pad Prik King - Red Curry Stir Fry, Pad Gra"Prow - Thai Spicy Basil Stir Fry, Vegan Tofu Appetizer and Summer Rolls (not fried). Most dishes came with Jasmine rice but you could substitute. We didn't have desert because we had Vegan Treats in our car! I'd give this restaurant 5 stars. You can download their vegan menu off their website http://www.whiteorchidsthaicuisine.com/.

A Vegan Bakery In Bethlehem, PA ?

What a miracle! My sister "C" and I typed "vegan restaurants" into our GPS enabled cell phones and "Vegan Treats" popped up.

We were visiting family in northeast NJ and took a drive one day to visit my Dad who lives in a very small town in PA. Our goal was to take him to lunch but we gladly accepted the 20 minute detour to Vegan Treats. It is in the middle of a town called Bethlehem near remnants of old steel mills and a quaint town. Finding this bakery where everything is edible was like a miracle! Only strange thing was that the girl at the counter told us she was not vegan. (HUH?) I bit my tongue and started drooling instead. Maybe she was related but I'd like to think there must be vegan in Bethlehem looking for a part time job. Anyway - a picture is worth a thousand words. In the summer bring a cooler with you.