New finds

I have two new finds, Caravan of Dreams ( bigs thanks to my daughter Kristi for finding this gem) and The Organic Grill. First Caravan of Dreams, excellent menu, to die for desserts but not easy to find. I highly recommend this vegan/vegetarian restaurant on the LES, serving organic wines and sangria, fresh, seasonal and delicious menu items, (my daughter needed to confirm that the ravioli was vegan it was so good, and yes it is) it is on my list of good places. The Organic Grill is also on the LES and I have not yet tried it but the menu looks really good and I hope to try it soon, if anyone has eaten there let me know if it is worth the trip. Juicing is my new favorite thing and I would love to also hear about anyone's favorite recipes. Happy Father's Day to all Dad's!!!

I had the pleasure of sampling a few more vegan restaurants in the city with mixed reviews, Cafe Blossom on the UES is a winner, great atmosphere, great service and great food! We had the soy bacon cheeseburgers that came with yam fries, more than enough for any appetite and proclaimed a new favorite by my companion, give it a try. My second review is for Souen down by Union Square, this has been listed as a favorite by Alicia Silverstone on her blog so we thought we would give it a try, we were sadly disappointed. The cornbread had no flavor and was like a dry rock, the sauce to dip it in was flavorless and the sweet potato soup was bland and tasted like it was from a can. I will not be back anytime soon. We also checked out Cocoa V on 9th and was in chocolate heaven! The desserts were delicious, I had a red velvet cupcake that rivaled any from Magnolia Bakery or Cupcake Cafe and a truffle to die for, definitely check it out for a special treat for yourself or someone special.

I received some rather amazing news today. I went to my doctor last week for my annual check up and blood work and I received the results today in the mail. All of my numbers were excellent and improved from my last visit but what amazed me most is that my cholesterol number was 219 last October when it was last checked and it is now 32 points lower at 187! 32 points in 5 months - all from changing my diet to vegan!!!! If anyone is on the fence about changing their diet, pick up Alicia's book The Kind Diet and give it a try. Good Luck!!

Go, go, go to GOBO Restaurant, located at Third and 81st, met my good friend there for brunch, after great assistance by our waitress to figure out what my friend could eat based on her dietary restrictions, we started with smoked eggplant with pita slices and then indulged in fresh made veggie burger sliders and yam fries that melted in our mouths, followed by coconut rice, grilled veggies, and topped it off with triple chocolate cake and fresh pressed coffee - perfect way to energize up on a beautiful Sunday before heading over to enjoy the sun in Central Park - god I love this city!!!

I just returned from Brooklyn after a great meal at a new vegan restaurant and bakery called Sun in Bloom. Stop in and say "hi" to the owner Amy, she has only been open for 6 weeks but she is off to a great start. We had the burgers and sampled the desserts - carrot cake and strawberry shortcake, both raw and both delicious and based on what is in them I think that the calorie count is in the negative! Check it out - I will be back, rumor has it that Tiffany's (the jewelry store) ordered cupcakes for delivery for their executives, what do they know that we don't?!

I just started the super hero vegan menu on Monday and am not a savory breakfast eater, but have found that I can get my greens at a place called Pump that has a great greens juice. It contains kale, cucumber, parsley and romaine, easy way to include greens in breakfast. I add some apple and ginger to it and it is a yummy way to start the day. Anyone who lives or visits NYC should also check out Good Health Burger, mostly vegan, always delicious, as are the enchiladas at Candle Cafe - really good, and some of the options at Pret a Manger their lentil soup is excellent - they have begun to experiment with adding veg/vegan options based on customer requests.

And so it begins...

My daughter dubbed me the Viral Vegan when I started to spread my enthusiasm for the vegan lifestyle to all of my friends and family. It all started with the launch of Alicia Silverstone's great book "The Kind Diet", anything that lets me eat great desserts (and they are great) without the guilt of high fat and cholesterol is perfect to me! I started on October 24th, 2009 and have loved it ever since!! What I have found interesting is how many options there are for vegans, both in grocery stores and in restaurants. I would encourage everyone to pick up Alicia's book and give it a try - It's Good For You:)

VV