I have always been a fan of Peanut butter but not almond butter or any other nut butters.

When I was sent Nuttzo, I read that the product was vegan friendly, kosher, and organic. I started adding Nuttzo to my protein shakes (made with  which I drink after training or when I am about to miss a meal.

Going into my Protein Shake.

NuttZo significantly improved the taste (with added on nutritional value) of my vegan protein shakes (I prefer Vega Sport Performance Protein).

Satisfying My Chocolate Cravings

The Chocolate version of NuttZo really helped me satisfy my chocolate cravings.

Since I am a fan of chocolate and at times I don’t have a vegan chocolate options or products, I opened the jar of Nuttzo Choc first and consumed it a lot quicker than the regular jar.

Unique Packaging

I am a big fan of simple and fun packaging. NuttZo is placed inside a jar but the labels are inverted than what we normally see on jars.

I really fell in love with the packaging especially when the ingredients can be easily found on the main label. Later when editing this post I reviewed the website and there is a practical reason why the label is upside down.

Who would of a thought an upside down Jar could easily trick the mind?

Ingredients

Being Vegan I have to make sure I consume protein and other great nutrients such as Omega 3; ingredients found in Nuttzo.

In trying to learn more about Nuttzo, I looked at their site where they provided 8 reasons to eat NuttZo CHOC. The reasons they provided where all tied to health and other benefits such as improving your mood, skin, and why every ingredient makes NuttZo such a great product.

More info on ingredients found here:

• Nuttzo Original
• Nuttzo PF (Peanut Free)
• NuttZo CHOC

I had these two samples of NuttZo delivered to my home in Puerto Rico where I enjoyed them and hope the product becomes available to ship to the Island.

If you want to find out more on where to find, try, and buy Nuttzo visit their cool website.

Disclosure: Even though our two Complimentary Samples where sent to our house on behalf of Nuttzo and Smack Media, we don’t feel that this influenced the writing of this post in any way.

Raul and I are always looking for local places to eat that can cater to both of our palates.

We recently were hired for @CIMAPR to help a local boutique hotel, San Juan Water & Beach Club with telling their online story. One of the most exciting things that happened with our new client is that their Executive Chef, Raúl Correa, was nominated for @FandW Food & Wine Magazines People’s Best New Chef Gulf Coast region. 

When I sat down to talk to the General Manager, José Torres, he told me they had a complete vegetarian menu and not just one for omnivores.

Vegetarian Menu Zest Restaurant San Juan Water & Beach Club

Anytime a restaurant can accomadate our family, that is a place that we can support. With a little help from our community, we are asking for you to vote for Chef Raúl in the Gulf Coast category and read more about his inspiration for cooking.

We are rooting for Chef Raúl and hope that if you are vegetarian or vegan, stop by Isla Verde and have your meal at Zest!

Qué Linda Está La Mañana.  That’s the start of an old song from Mexico. I say that today. Almost out loud. Before the sunrise.  Before the storm picks up again.  Before my power outage is restored. Before the cars slosh through the wet streets.

I love the mañanas. They are so peaceful.  The Way Life Should Be.

You can hear the birds chirping.  The crickets creaking.  And, even the train’s whistle miles away. The Way Life Should Be.

In the morning, I am closer to nature. Closer to the peace that eludes far too many of us during the day.  Or evening. The Way Life Should Be.

In the mornings, I can soak in prana.  Breathe the fresh air. Feel the cool breeze on my bare arms. Wiggle my toes in the sand — without burning them. Or ground my feet in the grass, and feel the dew tickle the souls of my feet.  The Way Life Should Be.

Being at one with nature seems so inherent. Yet, nature is almost invisible, today, in my culture. We shut out the nature that is all around us. We destroy our forests and jungles and enclose ourselves inside concrete blocks with windows that are sealed shut. Curtains and blinds further insulate us from our natural surroundings.

People prefer to spend hours and hours in the mall, or surfing for sales electronically.  Our fields are tended by mega-monopolies. Not mom and dad.

As we evolve into supra-material beings, we set aside our personal lives. And our interpersonal lives. Relationships are fleeting. Or flittering. Or twittering. We no longer stay with our flocks. Our herds are herd-less.

Our youth seek the packs to stay connected. So they join gangs. Or armies. Or navies. Or seals. They carry weapons. Our kids must pass through metal detectors to go to the classrooms.

In my state, you can vote with a gun license, but not a student ID.  War and murders are headlines and story lines in the media, but you have to do a google search to learn about philosophy, love, or how to plant a garden.

In some neighborhoods, you can buy beer around the corner, but no fresh vegetables.  It’s easier to join the military than get a full time job.  In many big name big box stores, you can buy ammunition, but not an organic apple.

I never understood why Adam and Eve couldn’t eat the apple. Nor why Cain killed Abel. Or was it vice versa? Or am I off a generation? I never understood the bible. But I understood that it sounded like paradise. Adam and Eve … naked … surrounded by nature.  In the beginning. The Way Life Should Be. Qué linda está la mañana.

Many of us have the bad habits of trying to eat things that might not be as healthy as we think they are. In the perfect world everything edible, with moderation, would bring nutritional value. Reality is everything, edible by humans does not necessarily mean nutritious.

I have been vegetarian for 6+ years and at almost one year of being vegan, I can say that I can still find many ways to improve what I eat.

My enemy Sugar

Every once in a while my archenemy, Sugar, starts to battle with me and more times than I want to admit, she wins.

I have found many healthier options when it comes to cookies, but I can still eliminate those options completely.

Vegan Beer and Spirits

Every once in a while I will have a drink or two making sure it is a spirit or beer that is made in a vegan friendly way. I use the Vegan is Easy app to help me decide which ones are vegans and which ones are not. But I would be better off not having any drinks.

To learn more about Vegan friendly spirits and beer, feel free to go to Barnivore Vegan Alcohol Directory and download their iPhone app.

Organic Farmer’s Market is Very Important

For quite some time we have been visiting the local Organic Farmer’s Market and making sure we get as much fresh, organic foods while supporting our local farmers.

My biggest commitment to nutrition is tied to giving a good example for my daughter to follow. In her case at 21 months old she is still breastfed and vegetarian.

As individuals we are prone to take the less healthy route when eating. But when we think about our role as parents, our minds shift and make sure we make the best choice; not only for our daughter but for ourselves as we are the primary caregivers.

Our biggest Challenge is the Family our Dog

I also see the importance in keeping our dogs healthy and the great options of dog food that are available for them. I started thinking on how to improve the quality of lifestyle of my Labrador Juanga. What I find curious is how people would sometimes feed their dog a more strict and healthier diet than what they feed their kids and themselves. In our house it is the opposite and we might need to fix that.

Nutritious and Healthy Drinks

At our local farmer’s market, we purchase juices from Martin and Itege, our Rastafarian Vegan Friends, who are encyclopedias of nutrition. Martin and Itege have a unique way of offering vegan and even medicinal drinks that have great taste and are nutritious.

Leading by Example

As parents we need to lead by example. Seeking options for kids that are fun to eat, with a high nutritional value, and with great taste is a challenge everyone should sign up for.

I try to give my daughter the best and there is a lot more to learn. I think we have done a great job, but we still have many more years of learning and exchanging information with those who care about nutrition.

In what ways do you identify and find great tasting food options that are healthy for your family?

The ladies at @Peace_n_loaf are teaming up with an industry magazine called, Pizza Today, in a charity  event called Slice of Hope. Slice of Hope is dedicated to raising money for breast cancer awareness and is counting with the donations made at participating pizzerias in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Look for participating stores near you.

I spoke to Stephanie and Vanessa at the Organic Markert, (Isa was home sick with a cold)  regarding the Slice of Hope charity event for this coming Friday, October 12. They will be open from 3-9 p.m. (their usual hours) and will be donating 15% of their sales to the Karen Mullen Breast Cancer Foundation.

You will be able to purchase your regular sized pies and if you don’t want an entire pie, you can purchase a nice sized piece of pizza with a drink for $5.00. I have eaten at @Peace_n_loaf on several occassions and their slices are not small at all.

Besides who wants to cook on Friday after a long day of work?

If you need further details, you can contact Stephanie or Isa regarding this event on Facebook , via Twitter, or Website.

It had been at least 7 years probably since my last experience with an alcapurria. Out of the many fritters that are created this one is my least favorite. I guess that most of the ones I had tasted in the past where either overcooked or had the disclaimer of a heart attack written all over it.

For those of you not familiar with an Alcapurria it’s a fritter made of:

“An alcapurria is made from a doughy mixture of mashed tubers and root vegetables that grow on the island. The dough surrounds a center of heavily seasoned filling. Cooks spoon the filling into the center, roll the alcapurria into a distinctive peg shape and deep fry it for several minutes.”

Since I stopped eating meat I have not been able to eat some of the typical Puerto Rican treats. When I find a variation of a Puerto Rican treat that is vegan I feel obligated to try it out.

Our friends Itegue and Martin who are organic farmers and also owners of Jugos Creazion started an Organic Market in Piñones which is every last Sunday of the month.

On a one occasion they mentioned that they would have vegan alcapurrias at the market and sadly I arrived when they where all gone. On another visit to the organic market Itegue mentioned they had a dozen alcapurrias for sale and ready to be cooked. I could not resist the temptation in trying this treat I had not eaten in years. I took Itegue up on the offer and carried the box of vegan alcapurrias to the car with a big smile.

Since I don’t cook, Lucy my loyal partner in many things, made sure she cooked them. She decided to fry them and although she says she did not do a good job frying (we don’t fry much at home) I really thought those vegan alcapurrias where delicious. On our last visit to the Mercado Organico of Piñones at the COPI we where able to try the Alcapurrias made by Martin’s Dad Mr. Castro and getting the completely finished product.

For some reason these alcapurrias where much tastier and better to enjoy than the versions I had tried years before which where probably fried in lard and a mystery of other ingredients that accumulated in the frying oil.

My first experiences with a vegan alcapurria left me with the need to have one every once in a while. Itegue also mentioned that we could even bake them to make them even healthier than the fried option provided that the outer dough is prepared for baking.

When it comes to Puerto Rican treats I have to say out of the vegan versions I have tried, the Alcapurria definitely took first place.

As I wait till my next encounter with an alcapurria I wonder what other Vegan version of a Puerto Rican meal or treat can we make or try?

Any suggestions?

So you can get to know Itegue a bit better here is her performing with the Equal Rights Band at the Organic Market in Piñones. Great healthy options, beautiful people, and some  pretty awesome entertainment for the family to enjoy.

We have known about Peace N Loaf’s Pizzeria since they opened but could not align with their time schedule when in the San Juan Metro Area. We usually visit San Juan early in the day and Peace n Loaf thankfully is open when most other vegan and vegetarian friendly places are closed. We have already mentioned consuming Isa and Stephanie’s artisanal bread at the local Organic Market In La Placita de la Roosevelt many times. Since we moved to the metro area about two weeks ago, we decided to go and have dinner at the first and only vegetarian/vegan friendly pizzeria.

The Atmosphere and Menu

When we visited the restaurant, the ladies were just coming back from vacation/business trip out in the states where Stephanie mentioned that they would be opening up another Peace N Loaf in her home town in Ohio. Raul and I loved the decoration and homey feel of the place. The menu was on the wall with their specials, appetizers, and creative use of space. The wall serves as a chalk board (with chalk board paint) and eliminates paper menus and reduces the printing of new menus if something changes.

The Food and Drinks

Raul and I have said this many times; Stephanie is a master at selling her bread at the market and so it was no surprise to us that the same service we get at the market was the same service we got at the pizzeria; Excellent! She explained the cheese options which were either vegan or regular mozzarrella. A majority of the ingredients used at the pizzeria are local organics and the best thing is that if you have any type of allergy, you can let them know in advance.

We ordered the Super Veggie (mushrooms, sun dried tomato, vegan cheese, black olives, green peppers, onions and red peppers) and hummus with bread and vegan jalapeño cheese. The hummus was so creamy that our daughter had a blast dipping away and eating. We did not let the hummus go to waste and ask for more bread. The drink options we chose were watermelon and parcha juice made in-house. Don’t expect to be served in paper plates or cups. No straws are kept in the restaurant. Stephanie has commented to us in previous discussions that straws need to be eliminated everywhere. The ladies have really made the restaurant as eco-friendly as they possibly can.

Once the pizza came out, it was delicious. The crust they use is free of potassium bromate and at times they do have gluten free pizza crust (Corrected below thanks to Stephanie). I like a thin crust with an even amount of cheese and sauce. The pizza was just the way I like it and our daughter enjoyed eating at the restaurant. If you don’t want pizza, you can order a melt.  You can even buy a loaf of bread and take a piece of the pizzeria home. At the end of our meal we finally got to meet Isa, after so many years of interacting with her via Twitter.

We will be visiting Peace n Loaf more often and one of our primary places to eat since we want to support local and vegan friendly places.

We give Peace n Loaf 10 stars and recommend you stopping by the only vegetarian pizzeria in Puerto Rico.

Contact Info

• Address
  • 1402 Avenida Americo Miranda Caparra Terrace, PR
• Phone
  • +1 787-293-7773
• Website
  • peacenloaf.com
• Map

View Larger Map

As we drove to the west coast and received the news, via a “For Rent” sign, that our favorite restaurant in Joyudas which caters to vegans and vegetarians was closed, we decided to stop by our favorite placita in Cabo Rojo to get some coffee and snacks for Grandma.

Plaza de Cabo Rojo

Like many other local coffee places in Puerto Rico, they did not have any Soy or milk substitute. I usually ask for my coffee with coconut milk at this particular stand and they did not even have that available on this particular afternoon.

As I watched the rest of my family have their toast & coffee, my uncle decided to walk around and search for a restaurant with vegan options.

My uncle stopped at Casabe and asked Gabriela, who seem to be the waitress/hostess, if there where any vegetarian or vegan options. She answered yes and explained the options and went even further by offering a dish created by the chef if the options available did not coincide with our needs.

Street of Casabe – Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

The Walk Toward the Restaurant

As I walked towards the restaurant, I was skeptical about the vegetarian and vegan options due to past disappointments. I was waiting for the moment I could prove this place was not fit for my Vegan lifestyle.

After we were seated, I started asking Gabriela many questions where many others waiters would have given up on me, Gabriela very nicely explained the process of how they prepare the options I could order.

As an appetizer she recommended a soup that was made of a few root vegetables I can’t recall including Yautia.

They won me over when they where thoughtful enough to make a small batch without any beef or chicken stock.

I have to say the soup was delicious even after the recipe modifications they made to fit my needs.

We also requested some potatoes for my 18-month daughter. They made sure we got her food first confirming they are a family-oriented restaurant.

Potatoes for the Baby

As a main course I requested the only vegan plate on the menu that made me feel like the food critic in one of my favorite Disney movies Ratatouille.

I had the Ratatouille plate that was delicious. This helped Casabe seal the deal in making me a future patron.

Ratatouille @ Casabe

After having a coffee and enjoying our meal I left with a big smile and wanting to return.

Casabe will become my go-to restaurant in Cabo Rojo that caters to vegans like me.

Cafe at Casabe Restaurant

Visit or Contact Casabe

Calle Barbosa #53 Esq. Baldiority
Cabo Rojo, PR

Phone: (787)851-1888 |  (787)851-1888

]]> http://veglatino.com/vegan-friendly-casabe-restaurant/feed/ 0 http://veglatino.com/fifi-vegan-brazilian-cuisine/ http://veglatino.com/fifi-vegan-brazilian-cuisine/#comments Sun, 03 Jun 2012 13:15:46 +0000 Raul Colon http://veglatino.com/?p=1914 One of the biggest issues we have as a family when we leave the house is finding options to eat.

Before I became vegan in October it was a lot easier for me to find vegetarian meals on the road.  Now as a vegan living in Puerto Rico it becomes a challenge to get a meal to eat on the road, when most eatiers only have red and pork meat.

The last farmer’s market we visited we meet Fifi who brought a Brazilian buffet of meals that where mostly vegan and completely vegetarian to the farmer’s market.

Since our good friend Gabo Pagan had recommended Fifi, Lucy quickly recommended that we order a meal from her.

The last time I ate Brazilian food might have been in 2006 just before I became vegetarian and since then most Brazilian places promote great meat options which as a vegan and vegetarian I stay far away from.

A Natural Marketer

While waiting for my turn I observed Fifi in action. She is very detailed oriented, looking at it from the lens of my military background I can say she has the precision of a Drill Sergeant so the food would be preserved and customers would be taken care of in the right order. On the other side the positive energy she emitted while explaining what all her plates where made of and included where similar to when my sweet grandmother where trying to convince me to eat one of the plates they had just prepared.

There was a level of caring about her possible customers you could see on how she recommended her plates. I opted for taking a variety of everything she had prepared.

It include everything vegan from grilled mushrooms, mashes of vegetables, and some awesome tasting Tofu with spices that brought me memories of my previous Brazilian meals.

Once I finished ordering while I waited for the Rain to stop. I told Fifi about Veglatino and minutes later she called me over so I could try a version of her veggie burger where she substituted a bun for Lettuce. This made it refreshing and tasty at the same time.

Fifi's Vegan Burger

I wish it had not been raining on that day so I could have gotten to enjoy Fifi’s food a lot more while I learned more about her. Fifi left a great first impression since not only did I get to meet someone who is full of energy but also has some amazing culinary talent.

If  you are in Puerto Rico and want to try out any of her meals feel free to visit her website and  get more info on what Fifi is up too.

I can wait till my next encounter with Brazilian Vegan Cuisine!

Fifi’s Website (lacozinhadefifi.com)

Sunset in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

When we are out and about, we try to always bring some food just in case there aren’t any restaurants that cater to our hunger pains. Sometimes if we know that we will be out, we will go to our regular places such as Sakura’s Restaurant for Vegetarian Sushi Rolls in Caguas, Puerto Rico or P.F. Chang’sin San Juan, Puerto Rico.

La Playita Restaurant

On one of Raul’s recent trips to San Juan, specifically Isla Verde, he visited our friend Melvin. They went out for lunch at

La Playa Hotel’s La Playita Restaurant and Wine Lounge that overlooks the water . Raul stated that they had vegan and vegetarian options to eat. And yesterday we headed out to Isla Verde to spend time with Melvin and enjoy the beach. As it is a holiday weekend, we decided to wait out the traffic and just spend more time watching the sunset to begin.

We were hungry by the time we bathed our daughter and decided to head out to La Playita. When we got there, which is just a short walk on the beach from our friend’s home, the restaurant and bar was full. There was live music for the clientele to enjoy and our daughter was ready to dance and she did.

Menu options at La Playita

I looked over the menu and they had more options than what I thought. They had Spinach and Feta Turnovers, about four come on a plate for an appetizer. Sauteed Mushrooms with vegetables served with pita, and homemade Hummus with pita bread. That was our starter dish. For dinner we had vegetable wraps that came with a side order of fries. The servings were enough for the four of us. They also have salads that you can probably ask to omit any bacon, seafood, or cheese if you are vegan.

Vegetable Wrap La Playita Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

I was so hungry that I ate more than my share of mushrooms, hummus, spinach and feta turnovers, and only ate half of my vegetable wrap. What I liked about the food was that it looked simple, but the taste was amazing. Sometimes the most simplest foods on a menu end up being the tastiest. I need to learn how to make those spinach and feta turnovers for us at home with probably a substitute cheese for Raul.

See More food pictures here

Our friend Melvin said that the first time they went to the restaurant was his first experience eating a great tasting mushroom dish. I was glad that he ventured into eating a new dish  because sometimes we just get stuck ordering the same things when we go out and don’t try different things. I am not a mushroom lover, but when it is prepared well, I can eat my share.

If you come to visit Puerto Rico and need a cozy, off the beaten path restaurant, that caters to everyone’s palate, I would definately go back to La Playita, in Isla Verde  to eat again.

You can download their menu here.

Have you ever gone to La Playita? 

Web Page La Playita