The Four Seasons LA Goes Green and Vegan!

chef Ashley James with his vegan creations at Windows Lounge

I have a soft spot for The Four Seasons - about 5 years ago my family started a tradition to go to their Boston location for dinner every Christmas Eve. Since we've become regulars, the staff quickly learned about my vegan diet and now has an option for me each time I'm there - what started as a plate full of vegetables has turned into delicious dishes like creamy risotto, which you can see in this video. Thus, I was thrilled when a friend of mine told me that The Four Seasons Los Angeles was adding vegan items to their restaurants' menus - I knew I was in for a special experience but boy were my expectations exceeded. 

In this video, follow along with me as I try every healthy vegan dish (most of which were organic and/or gluten-free) at The Four Seasons LA's Windows Lounge and Culina restaurants, get an organic massage at their spa and try out their new green hotel room features:

Even More Exciting Vegan Food At Veggie Grill On Their New Menu

I've done a lot of coverage on Veggie Grill despite their limited gluten-free and soy-free options because it's one of my favorite restaurants to indulge at. So naturally I jumped at the opportunity to check out their new menu offerings while visiting Los Angeles - and boy am I glad I did. The following video is a teaser to the snazier version I'll edit when I get back to San Francisco, and since these items on available NOW at the Sunset Blvd location, you better get your butt over there ASAP to check out things like:

• Buffalo Chickin Salad or Burger 
• "Crab" Cake Burger
• Chickin with Cauliflower/Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
• Blackened Tempeh and Portobello Mushroom Steak (gluten-free)
• Chocolate Pudding Parfait 
• and more!

The first comment I received on this video was, "wow that is all vegan?!" and the non-veg journalist who dined with me today was in total disbelief that it was free of meat and dairy. Veggie Grill is that good!

Burgers and Brew in Davis, CA: Video Review

During a road trip to ski in Tahoe I was put in charge of finding a restaurant on the way (big surprise). By the time we were ready to eat it was past 10pm, but thanks to the Yelp app I found the perfect place in Davis: Burgers and Brew.

Healthy Vegan Food in Las Vegas: Interactive Map

image from Eating Vegan in Vegas

Las Vegas isn't usually the place to go when you're eating healthy. One would assume it's also not great for vegans either, but when you look closely and do your research both assumptions are quite false. You may have seen my reviews from my trips to Vegas in the past, but those were the old days - my diet has changed and the city is getting healthier and healthier, so I can't wait to go back and try it all out. 

This post was inspired by my boyfriend's trip to LV - he's headed there for a week and is doing the Crazy Sexy Diet cleanse with me. At first I was practically positive his clean diet wouldn't last, especially without me there to guide him, but after several hours of intensive internet scouting I found plenty of fantastic options so I figured I should share them with you too.

The following is a interactive map and list of restaurants that offer the healthiest food in Las Vegas - if you have a device like the iPhone click here to view the map on it. Each recommendation is vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegetable and grain based, and low in soy and oil whenever possible. Since the cleanse focuses on fresh foods and juices, I've listed those options as well. You should always confirm with the waiter/cashier to make sure the ingredients match your diet. If you're looking to do some vegan indulging (and who can blame you in the city of sin?!), check out my older posts, be sure to visit the Wynn hotels and Pure Vida, and visit the resources at the end of this list. 

Review: M Cafe de Chaya

Haven't had time yet to do a write up, but this video review of M Cafe de Chaya in Los Angeles should speak for itself (for now).

Video: Organic Delivery, Best Indian Food Ever, Funny YouTube Videos, Vegan Advice, VegFest and More!

The title kinda speaks for itself - aren't you curious where I had the best Indian food EVER?!

Video Review: Grilla Bites Ashland, OR - Organic, Vegan Food Made with Passion

Last year on my West Coast trip with Robert Cheeke during his book tour we stopped in Ashland, OR to grab some food for the road from their local coop. The town was so beautiful that we decided to crash there for the night - it's Shakespearian, organic, vegan-friendly vibe completely won me over. We sought out a place with WiFi so we could book a place to stay and update our websites, which is how we stumbled upon GrillaBites. The green certifications on the windows and vegan items on their menu lured us in, but we had no idea how much of a treat we were in for.

Video: MSG in Doritos, Cooking with a Vegan Zombie, How to Compost, Mind Upgrade and Free Organic Clothing!

You know what time it is: healthy and sustainable weekly roundup time! Learn what superfoods you should eat everyday, how to compost, what chips to ditch MSG-soaked Doritos for, how to make almond milk, where to get a mind upgrade, and enter to win $50 worth of organic clothing! Are You Ready For Dis?!

Video: How to Get Vegan Protein & B12, Give Up Caffeine, Achieve World Peace, And Win Free Food!

Sorry for the delay on this weekly roundup (usually get them up Monday mornings) but better late than never!

Video Review: z pizza - Vegan and Gluten-free Pizza Made with Organic Ingredients

Berkeley Vegan pizza

Forget Pizza Hut, Papa Johns and Dominos - go for something healthier and higher quality. If you live in a big city in the U.S. chances are there's a place call z pizza nearby, where you can get a delicious pie with fresh, organic ingredients. Today's video features z pizza in West Hollywood and their vegan and gluten-free pies, including an interview with the store owner and son of the founder.

Video: Natural to Eat Meat? Bras Cause Cancer? Vegans Can Be Bodybuilders? Organic Mexican Food? Another Giveaway?!!

It's Weekly Roundup video day!! As usual I had a ton of things to share, but there one ran a little longer than I had hoped - but don't worry, it's worth your time (though I'm biased)!

Video: Vegan Tour of Portland, OR with Robert Cheeke

I really should have posted this last week before Portland was flooded with vegans from Vida Vegan Con...oh well. This is a video I taped a year and a half ago when I visited PDX for the first time thanks to vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke - been meaning to edit it ever since but life got in the way until now. We went to so many restaurants and vegan shops in just 4 days, and each place is summarized in about 1 minute in this video. Here's where we went:

Video: Vida Vegan Con, Seed Bistro, Dancing Bodybuilder, Natural Allergy Relief, Giveaway & More!

Time for another weekly roundup (I love doing these!)!

Video Review: The Cinnamon Snail Organic, Vegan Food Truck in NJ

Food trucks are all the rage - somewhere between take-out and dining in at a restaurant, it's a fun and convenient way to eat. Unfortunately, vegan options are often lacking at these meals on wheels, aside from the occasional veggie burger, chili fries, dosa, or gourmet popsicle. However, there are a few saving graces (i.e. vegan food trucks) across the country - there's Seabirds Truck in the Orange County/LA area, Sunny Vibrations up in San Francisco, GMonkey in Connecticut and The Cinnamon Snail in Hoboken New Jersey (and perhaps others I don't know yet). Today I'm excited to feature the latter, a truck I didn't think I'd get to try due to it's seemingly random East Coast location - but taking a little detour on my way to NYC this summer was beyond worth it.

Video: Being Vegan is a Breeze at Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles

In April I was invited to try the new vegan menu at the beautiful Breeze restaurant, which is part of Hyatt's Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles. Despite being on a strict anti-candida diet at the time, I thought it was worth going to have a few bites of the promising dishes. And it was well worth it! A handful of non-vegan food bloggers and I were presented with a private, upscale, 7-course vegan meal, and we all loved it.

Video: Fashion Giveaway, New Vegan Movie, Man = Meat, Gluten-Free Bagels & More!

What better way to beat the Monday blues than with a weekly roundup?! Here's what I share in this week's video (hint - I'm giving something away worth $50!!):

Video Review & Interview: Pure Food and Wine, Raw Restaurant in NYC

It's so nice to be catching up on all my old videos! Like my last review on 118 Degrees, this piece on Pure Food and Wine has been on my mind since I tapped it last year. In fact, my sister has been bugging me about it because she thinks it's one of the best meals she's ever had with me, and I agree. Watching the footage again reminded me of how incredible the food is there (and how nice NYC is in the summer!). 

Video: Vegan Zombie, Healthy Meals Under $4 A Day, Gluten-Free Advice, Sugar-Free Ice Cream, & More!

Time for another healthy and sustainable weekly roundup video!

Weekly Roundup: A Crazy Sexy Diet, Cure for Erectile Dysfunction, Healthy Soda, & Magical Enzymes

Welcome to another health and sustainability weekly roundup!

Here's what I talk about in this video:

Eco-Vegan Weekly Roundup: A Green Hair Tip, Vegan Wine, Whale Rescue Video, Healthy Recipe, & More

I'm excited to introduce a new segment of Eco-Vegan Gal - the Weekly Roundup! Every Tuesday you can tune in for a summary of my favorite healthy and sustainable discoveries, consisting of tips, articles, videos, products, restaurants, books, and websites! 

This past week I found some great green things and here are my thoughts: