Is Beer Healthy?

I wasn't a big beer fan until a couple years ago. Don't know what happened, but suddenly I liked it. Especially Fat Tire by New Belgium (totally eco-vegan!). When I went gluten-free I got even more into beer, probably because of the novelty of finding the best GF options. That came to a halt when I started a cleanse back in April and I haven't felt the desire to drink much of it since. However, my boyfriend LOVES beer and drinks it like water, which got me curious about the health effects - what are the pros and cons of it? I explored the topic for my recent Organic Authority article called, "The Lowdown: Is Beer A Healthy Drink?"

Check out the piece then let me know what you think - do you like beer? Do your prefer wine? Or are you alcohol free?

Eco-Vegan Daily Download: tortillas, beer, and free desserts!

Mini Review

I just tried Food For Life's Brown Rice Tortillas for the first time and they are so yummy! What a great gluten-free option for making wraps, burritos, and quesadillas! You can have them uncooked, warm and soft, or baked/broiled and crispy (my favorite). Put them in the freezer and they can last a while, but with only 6 in a package they'll probably be gone before long!

Another gluten-free beer: New Grist

While shopping at Co-Opportunity this evening I stopped at their beer section to see what gluten-free beers they had. The entire selection is very modest, and after a quick scan I didn't see any of the GF drinks that I often find in Whole Foods. I was upset for a moment - how could my favorite market not have gluten-free beer? However, during my second scan my eyes landed on a bright label with some of my favorite works: gluten-free. I grabbed a 12 oz of New Grist and decided to give it a shot.

Barbrix - a hip restaurant with a romantic atmosphere and vegan options

Tonight I joined some old friends at Barbrix, a small restaurant/wine bar in Silver Lake. I wasn't thrilled about driving there from Venice on a Friday night, but once I sat down at the table I was glad I did. Unfortunately, since I didn't plan on writing a review on it, I didn't take my camera, so there won't be any original photos - these are from their website. Here are the reasons I really enjoyed Barbrix:

Summer cool down with gluten-free vegan beer

I've never been a big drinker, but in recent years I've developed a taste for beer and I like to have it on occasion. It all started when I discovered Fat Tire - not only is it delicious, but New Belgium is very sustainable and it's often on-tap in CA. That was my beer of choice until I went gluten-free and realized beer was full of it. I wasn't too upset about giving up that occasional treat, but was pretty happy to learn that there are a few gluten-free and vegan beers.

Pizza Fusion, Santa Monica: delicious beer!

Last night I went to Pizza Fusion because I was really craving it - I love their pizza (so much so that I ate it cold for breakfast)! I was going to get the New Belgium Fat Tire that I enjoyed at their grand opening, until they introduced me to something else.

Let me start out by saying that I really don't drink beer often because I just don't love it. In fact, I barely drink at all, aside from the occasional glass of wine, margarita, or mojito. However, after having the Fat Tire I realized that I do enjoy some beers enough to ask for them again. And then I tried Lindeman's Lambic Pomme.

Lindeman's Lambic Pomme is the perfect beer for me, mainly because it barely tastes like beer. It tastes more like a berry tonic - fizzy and fruity, with a slight beer taste. It's wonderful for someone like me who has a major sweet tooth. It is very filling and isn't too strong, so one glass was perfect with dinner. And as they say on their website, it's "perfect with rich cream sauces, hearty soups, aromatic cheeses and spicy cuisine - supremely refreshing" (all vegan of course).