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!

Expo West 2012: Best Of Day 2 (Video) - Vegan, Organic and Gluten-Free Products

Friday, March 9, 2012 was officially Day 1 of Natural Products Expo West, though a lot happened on Thursday as well. Take a look at what I discovered in my second video from the show, featuring:

• Green Girl Next Door (blogger)
• Coco Polo (stevia sweetened chocolate)
• One Degree Foods (breads with full ingredient disclosure)
• Food for Lovers (vegan queso and mayo)
• Green Foods (green powders and vegan protein powders)
• So Delicious (practically everything dairy-free)
• Nature's Path (organic passion and delicious cereals and snacks)
• Ashley Koff (incredible nutritionist)
• Qrunch burgers (quinoa veggie burgers)
• Vegucated (vegan documentary)
• Healthy Voyager (blogger and author)
• Vegan Cuts (vegan daily deal site)
• Happy Cow (vegan restaurant site)
• Living Eco (eco-vegan shopping and interviews)
• Fair Trade USA
• AlterEco (quinoa chocolate)

Expo West 2012: Best Of Day 1 (Video) - Vegan, Organic and Gluten-Free Products

It has begun! Join me on my first day of Natural Products Expo West in this video, featuring the latest products from:

• - PROBAR
• - Pure Bar
• - Artisana
• - Purely Elizabeth
• - Beanfields
• - The Brooklyn Salsa Company
• - Califia Almond Milk
• - Bambooe
• - Navitas Naturals
• - Earth Balance
• - VEGA
• - Inner-Eco
• - OMG!
• - Poppy's Cleaners
• - NibMor
• - Pacari and Dr. Nita's
• - Cloud-Top
• - Bold Organics
• - Yoga Earth's Keen-Wah
• - Farmhouse Culture
• - EatPastry

Video Review: Healthy Snacks from Way Better - Sprouted Tortilla Chips

image from GoWayBetter.com

I'm always on the hunt for good snacks, so when I spotted Way Better Snack's attractive packaging at Rainbow Grocery I had to check it out. Upon closer inspection I discovered that they aren't your average tortilla chips - they are made with sprouted grains and seeds for extra nutrition. All ingredients are non-GMO and certified gluten-free, and most of them are organic. Sold. Check out this video for my thoughts:

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.

Healthiest Chocolate Ever: Organic, Raw, Vegan, Sugar-Free, Soy-Free & Gluten-Free!

Yes, the title is true. I have discovered the healthiest and most eco-friendly chocolate ever!!! Oh, and it's DELICIOUS too. Really, the best way for you to understand how excited I am about finding this is to watch the following video, but there's a little text below it if you can't/don't want to. Bottom line - this is one of the most exciting vegan products I've found in a long time.

San Francisco Vegan Drinks (Video)

Last night I attended my first SF Vegan Drinks hosted by VegNews and VeganSaurus and had a blast. Not only way the company great (Robert Cheeke was in town!) but I got to use my new camera. And when I say new, I mean it was gifted to me less than 2 hours before the event (thanks to my incredible boyfriend Owen). What perfect timing - I got to test out my camera on some internally and externally beautiful people! Anywho, check out the video to see how much fun SF Vegan Drinks is - if you're not in the Bay Area then you should seek out a vegan drinks in your area. And if there isn't one nearby then start one yourself, even if it begins with just you and your cat/dog/goldfish and a bottle of organic beer or virgin mojito!

How To Help Friends & Family Understand Why You're Vegan: A Guide

Question from a Reader:

My wife has been vegan for many years and I just joined her a while back (talk about a good way to improve a marriage!). 

I am getting resistance from friends (and our kids, college age) and wanted something to point to for them to see the benefits of being vegan.  I remember watching a video you had which was basically showing your transformation from pre vegan to vegan with oil and sugar, finally to where you are now, and I have to say the changes were so impressive! Can you point me to a video where you showed that?

Answer, Plus List of Resources:

Review: Coconut Curry Crackers From Livin' Spoonful (Video)

It's hard to find really satisfying, well-priced healthy snacks...well, I suppose it depends on what your definition of healthy is, but for me it means:

• plant based
• unprocessed
• organic
• gluten-free
• soy-free
• low or no SOS (salt, oil, sugar)

Try to think of some snacks off the top of your head, aside from produce and nuts/seeds, and you'll feel a little stumped. My favorite snack lately has been kale chips, but at $5-8 a bag it can add up, especially when I eat them all in one sitting (aka 10-15 minutes). Then there are nuts, which are great except that they too can get pricey and I get sick of them pretty fast. So what's a Eco-Vegan Gal (or Guy) to do? Personally, I go to different natural markets/sections of stores and see if I can find new treats, and luckily I did yesterday.

What Food to Buy on A Healthy, Vegan Cleanse (Video)

Since I've been sharing my cleanse journey and inviting others to join me, I'm often ask what to buy at the grocery store. It depends on what type you're doing, but in my case it's the 21 Day Adventure Cleanse from Crazy Sexy Diet, which focuses on alkaline, whole, plant-based foods. During my last trip to Rainbow Grocery I documented each item I purchased and made this video and list to give you an idea of what to buy on your next trip to the store.

Healthy Snacks to Eat on a Cleanse (Video)

Looking for something yummy, satisfying and filling to have in between meals during your whole foods plant-based cleanse? Here are some things you can pick up at natural markets like Whole Foods, online (see links), or save a little money and make them yourself!

Cleanse Update & Progress (Videos)

Just wanted to check in for those of you who don't follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, or YouTube (though I can't imagine you don't follow at least one of those!). My cleanse is off to a great start - on Day 3 and going strong/feeling wonderful! Plus, my boyfriend decided to do it with me, which has been really great (see Cleanse Day 2 video). I haven't had a lot of free time to write so I've been doing mainly video content - check out the following videos when you have a chance. If you're doing a cleanse as well and would like some support I encourage you to join the Google Group (which has 34 members) and stay tuned for live video hangouts on Google Plus and occasional UStream live Q&As. I love hearing from you so would love an update on your cleanse in this comment section or any of the above sites. 

Cleanse Q&A On UStream (Video)

Since I've been receiving so many questions about cleansing I decided to do a live Q&A session on UStream. It was a last minute decision but I still received 17 lives views, and since it went so well I'm going to do more and give you a heads up so you can tune in and interact with me next time. If you missed the live show, you can watch it here:

Foods to Eat While On A Healthy Vegan Cleanse (Video)

No matter if you're on a cleanse or trying to follow a healthy diet it's important to stock your kitchen well. You may be new to the whole foods plant-based way of eating or simply looking for ideas on what to eat for your January detox, either way here's a video of suggestions followed by a list of foods to buy on your next shopping trip.

Why Do A Cleanse? What Are Your Goals? (Video)

Everyone has a personal reason for doing a cleanse. Perhaps it's to lose weight, to control cravings, to feel better, to get in shape, to transition into a new diet...the list goes on and on. In this video I ask you to share why you are starting a cleanse and what your goals are, then I tell my own story. Be sure to check out the Google Group and join me on Google Plus so you can literally hangout with me and other cleansers!

The Cleanse: How to Begin Your Healthy Diet (Video)

So, you've decided to do a cleanse huh? Well, congratulations! It's especially exciting if you plan to do it at the same time as me and the other EVG community members. Whatever type of cleanse you choose, it's important to mentally prepare for it. I like the advice in Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet book - she recommends that you give yourself a week to transition and start cutting out the junk and adding in the wholesome, and this means both dietarily (is that a word?) and emotionally.

Check out this video for some tips from the book:

Diet for a New Year (Video): Cleanse With Me!

I don't really like the word diet because most people associate it with unhappily restricting food in order to lose weight.  However, when I do use it, I'm referring to a way of eating, such as the vegan diet. With that said, I do think most people could use a little tweaking to their diet, whether it means taking out junk food and/or adding in more nutritious foods, and the new year is a great excuse to do it. Or, perhaps you're just looking for an opportunity to challenge yourself or make a change - maybe go vegan, vegetarian, raw, become more eco-friendly, get off sugar or caffeine - so why not start off 2012 on a good foot and devote yourself to a month (or so) of habit building?

Video: Recipes for an Organic, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free Vegan Christmas

I'll be honest, even though Christmas is only 2 days away I have no idea what I'm going to do for it, let alone what I'll eat. I guess that's what happens when work prevents me from being with my family for the holidays... but shall I decide to cook on December 25th I've got plenty of delicious recipes to choose from that are free of animal products, gluten, sugar and soy - all thanks to an ebook.

Video Recipe to Celebrate National Hot Cocoa Day!

I'm so excited to share this delicious organic vegan hot chocolate recipe with you (gluten-free, soy-free and sugar-free!!!), so head over to Eco-Vegan Food to check out the written instructions and video!