Vegan use for an Ice Cream Scoop

Every first and third Sunday of the month the family and I visit San Juan Organic Farmer’s Market where I get to mingle and interact with other Vegans and Vegetarians here on the Island.

I really enjoy chatting with Martin one of the vendors who creates a variety of natural drinks and is vegan like me. I am usually excited about try out the drinks he elaborates, some of the more commonly known ones are Flor de Jamaica, Tonico, Clorofila, and my favorite Horchata De Ajonjoli.

The other favorite thing I like to do when I go up to San Juan at the Organic Farmer’s Market is getting myself a coconut. Martin brings a limited quantity of coconuts that with his trusty machete he opens for those like me that enjoy having fresh coconut water.  The past few visits I have actually brought the coconuts back home and used them for many things. Analyzing many uses I have been giving a coconut inspired me into writing this post.

Decorative

On earth day Martin’s wife had a small workshop with kids where they painted the coconuts and made cups and planters. By using the coconut husk they where able to extend the use of the coconut. My daughter got to paint a coconut husk with her creative partner (Mom – @lucymfel).

Dog’s Toy

I have a big issue buying eco-friendly dog toys for Juanga my 2-year-old Black Labrador. He destroys pretty much any toy on the market in minutes. Not only does Juanga make sure that he licks every last molecule of coconut left he then uses it as a toy that I don’t mind if he destroys.

Snacks

After I finish drinking the coconut water Martin slices the coconut in half with his trusty machete. This allows me to get the coconut fiber and eat it as a snack on my drive back home.

Meals

Not only can it be used in snacks but also the coconut can be added to your food. A few days ago @lucymfel made a coconut, pineapple, and tomato salad with some Balsamic Vinegar.

Other Drinks

Other than coconut water I also use some of the fiber to include in sm

oothies but overall in my Piña Colada which I usually juice my own Fresh Pineapple and include fresh coconut. I am currently searching for a healthier way to make my own coconut cream. I found this recipe which I will

Birds

Once our Labrador has shredded the coconut, the birds usually come by and pick up the shreds for nesting.

Fire Starter

We live on an Island where if a Hurricane hits we might need to find other ways to cook our food without electricity. If you are also camping you might want to store the shreds of what covers the coconut husk as kindling or in other words a fire starter.

Water Filtration

The coconut has many properties to pick up everything from its surroundings. Which if used properly and with a fairly simple set-up you might be able to use for water filtration. The following post on how to create a water filter with coconuts.

• How to Make Water Filter for Removing Chloramine and other impurities

Charcoal

Apparently it can also be used as charcoal which in our case since as a Vegan I don’t hold many BBQ’s might not be as attractive but if you need to warm or boil water in an emergency it might not be a bad idea to know you can prepare the coconut shell as Charcoal.

Any other eco friendly uses for a Coconut you can think of?

Best Toy Nature Could provide a Black Labrador like Juanga

We are always willing to help any animal that comes our way or any organization that dedicates itself to helping strays. Terrie  who volunteers at the Animal Welfare of Culebra posted this today on their Facebook Wall about a TSP Project  (Trap, Spay-Neuter, Release) going on in May.

Here are the details and contact Terrie or Animal Welfare of Culebra for more information:

” Animal Welfare of Culebra (AWC) in partnership with the Humane Society of PR, All Sato Rescue, The Animal Project, Island Dog, the Municipality of Culebra, & others is sponsoring a large-scale TNR (trap, spay-neuter, release) program on Culebra.



We have identified 5 areas to target for stray cats (one including Flamenco beach) & will be trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, treating for medical issues, & then releasing back to live as a healthy, managed colonies.



We’ll have several veterinarians on island & vet techs as well as experts in TRN from the states & are seeking folks to help with a variety of jobs (catching, trapping, cleaning cages, feeding, watering, labeling, etc.).



This project will be ongoing from May 2-8 (surgeries on May 5 & 6th) & we’ll need folks helping from the 2nd (truck arriving from main island with supplies to unload/secure at La Cancha Bajo Techo-gym across from Palmetto) & then starting on the 3rd, catching & trapping-thus feeding, & cleaning.



This project can have a big impact on Culebra for the animals & people! Please won’t you offer a hand?
 “

Thanks to @rj_c for this picture

We walked with Osvaldo who showed us around the workspace where they cultivate the bromeliads, house fish, turtles, guinea pigs, and eleven rescue dogs who are part of their family.

Our daughter enjoyed all the plants and animals she got see, especially the cats (one of her words for all four legged animals including JuanGa.)

Bromeliads growing in Añasco, Puerto Rico Tropical Bloom

Grosellas

Jennifer had mentioned that she was going to make us some Grosellas and I had no clue what she was talking about.

Before their clients left with their new bromeliads, Osvaldo and Raul went Grosella or what you would call Gooseberry, picking. They grow on a tree in bunches almost like grapes and the tree was packed with them.

Grosellas or Gooseberries

I had never eaten a gooseberry but have seen a variation of the gooseberry that is yellow or orange on one of the cooking channels. I ate one raw and it almost tasted like a green pepper.

Jennifer said they are packed with Vitamin C and are usually cooked in water and sugar as a treat. That evening she made some with brown sugar and water. Put them in the fridge and let them cool a bit. What you get is a semi-sweet tart fruit.

BreadFruit (Pana) and Green Bananas (Guineos)

Cooking Grosellas

We packed up some breadfruit, bananas, and gooseberries for the ride home. This morning I decided that I was going to make my gooseberries with a little bit more flavor. I added some cinnamon, vanilla extract, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, and some freshly squeezed orange juice and added this to the water.

I let it cook and waited until the gooseberries took on a brownish color and had separated. I also tasted them to see if they were soft.

Grosellas (Gooseberries)

I put them in the fridge and since the gooseberry soaks up the flavors added in the water, you get a semi-sweet tart, cinnamon tasting treat. I didn’t measure anything; I just added and tasted. But if you want to have a recipe to follow, here is one that I found this morning on a site called @VeganInTheSun .

Grosellas or Gooseberries Treats

Thanks @TropicalBloom!

Thanks to Jennifer and Osvaldo for teaching me something new about the fruits and vegetables that grow in Puerto Rico. If you would like to visit Jennifer and Osvaldo’s shop in Añasco, Puerto Rico, write to them here , you can find them on Twitter @TropicalBloom and on Facebook  .

Tropical Bloom Shop Añasco, Puerto Rico

Have you ever had Grosellas or Gooseberries? 

What did you think of the taste and how did you use them in your cooking?

Thanks to Raul @rj_c for taking the pictures.

Margarita

Lately I have discovered a passion for plants. Throughout the process I realized that I can plant, grow, and depending what seeds I purchase, eat. Mostly I have been planting flowers and other type of decorative plants, until I tried to grow some plants with actual purposefulness. I mean not to underestimate the miracle that are flowers, but they are mostly decorative, and I wanted something more with a purpose.

Sweet Peppers

Plant and Grow

So on my “gardener” journey, I started experimenting with cultivating some plants that are either edible or they grow some type of produce. I planted herbs, a tomato plant , lettuce, peppers (Regular and sweet), culantro (coriander), mint, “Yerba Buena” (that stuff that looks like mint and it is use to make mojitos but its not mint), “Anis” and Albahaca blanca” (white basil.)

Sweet Peppers Bail Me Out

At first I thought it would just be cool to plant them and grow them and make it a hobby. Until one day I  was cooking a potato salad and I realized I had not bought some peppers. In my frustration that I’d have to change to mashed potatoes, I remembered that my sweet pepper plant had flourished!

It had green, red, and some yellowish ones. This was perfect I thought, so I picked them, really cleaned them with some water and soap, an proceeded to use them. Let me just say they were delicious and fresh. But a different kind of fresh; a fresh you can only get from just picked produce.

Coriander or Culantro in Spanish

The fruits of my labor

Then I realized that this hobby had turned into something else, something with an actual purpose. This plant completed my meal and it saved me from running out to the store to buy peppers. This part about not going out saved me gas, supermarket parking fee, time (important) and having to actually buy the peppers that would have costed me around $3 dollars. I thought I could be onto something. The thought that I had was not just in the monetary savings; I knew that they had grown naturally without any help of fertilizers or everything else they are used at the farms. It was easy, fun, and the space I used for them is minimal.

Where I live there’s not that much space for planting but I used pots and they are doing really well.

Grow what you can in limited spaces

I also thought this might be a good resource for saving some money and if you are vegetarian it helps a lot since organic food at places like “Freshmart” are  more expensive.

Here is an opportunity to  actually see  what you are growing and what you’re going to eat.

Some plants that can grow fast are: beans, pumpkin, corn and a variety of vegetables. And here on the island many of them have a perfect weather to grow.

Orange Roses

I may not be vegetarian, but fruit and vegetable are a great part of my meals, so slowly I might change and start  a project, where I can eat just what I plant. I’m betting I’ll be saving a lot when that happens, and the best part, I really don’t need a farm, just some time, pots, and good weather.

All Photo Credits thanks to Dwight Santana!

If you have not had the chance to eat their vegetarian pizza or artesanal bread made by @IsasBread and Stephanie at their establishment Peace n’ Loaf, you can get to the Local Organic Farmer’s Market in San Juan, Puerto Rico every first and third Sunday. You will find them also selling bread at the Mercado Agricola in Old San Juan and distrbuted through the Community Supported Agriculture boxes (CSA) via El Departamento de La Comida.

Better yet, if you want to learn how to make delicious artesanal bread and are in the San Juan, Puerto Rico area, you can learn directly from Isa and her staff. Their next class is Sunday March 25th, from 8:30 a.m. to -12:00 p.m.  Peace n’Loaf is located Avenida Americo Miranda #1402 Caparra Terrace. Space is limited and the class fills up quickly. Drop by the restaurant to sign up for the class or give them a shout on Facebook.

One of our contributor’s here at Veglatino,  @AnaLovebug,  posted a picture of a male dog who is three months old that is looking for a home. He is up-to-date with vaccinations and is ready to bring love to your family. If you or someone you know is searching for a new family member to cuddle with, I know this is your guy.

For those who don’t know what a sato is, it is the term in Spanish for a mixed-bred dog. You can contact Ana or Jose for more information through Twitter @jpadilla_ or leave a comment on the website and we can direct your inquiry to Ana.

Thanks to @Analovebug for the picture!

Iron Cactus, Austin photo by @rj_c

As the days get closer and you have probably mapped out where you will stay and what sessions of SXSW you will attend, one of the questions you might want to ask yourself if you are a Vegan or Vegetarian is where will you eat? We have listed some Food Carts that cater to Vegans and Vegetarians for when you are on-the-go.

Here are about six restaurants located Downtown in Austin that we found that serve and cater to vegans and vegetarians.

• Austin Java will serve you breakfast all day with products that are vegan and vegetarian friendly and non-GMO (They do not use products that are a Genetically Modified Organic.)
• Clay Pit if you want to do lunch and enjoy Indian Cuisine but check out their schedule before you reserve on the Open Tables system. Here is a list of their vegetarian options.
• Pita Pit offers you Lebanese style vegetarian options. They are also offering a vegan black bean patty.
• P.F. Changs If you would like to enjoy a sit down dinner and Asian cuisine.
• Serranos Tex Mex Restaurant will have vegetarian options for you . If you are a vegan just ask them to prepare your meals with out the cheese.
• Iron Cactus it has a great view of downtown Boston and Raúl’s experience during #SXSW was great both times  Raúl choose to eat there.
• Casa de Luz - recommended by Nando Caban-Mendez and Thom Singer according to it’s website their nutritionally trained chefs handcraft plant based, 100% organic, vegan, vegetarian, alkalizing, nutrient-rich meals that will improve your health.

There are more restaurants in the downtown area that will serve you vegan or vegetarian options.

Thanks to VegAustin.com for providing great information. If you feel like venturing outside the downtown area, this site will provide you with other alternatives. I would check the list to make sure the restaurants are still operational as there were some that we found out of business.

We also posted a previous post on Vegetarian and Vegan Food Carts which also can give you a few other options.

Are there other restaurants in the Downtown area of Austin that serve Vegan or Vegetarian options? 

Thanks for the Free Vegetarian Sandwiches at Short Bus during #SXSW 2011

Being that this is my second year that I will be assisting SXSW (South by Southwest)  I am preparing a bit more before arriving into all the SXSW madness.

My first time as SXSW I was vegetarian so I was consuming dairy products. Most establishments offer multiple vegetarian options and even most SXSW parties have vegetarian friendly snack food or options where you can eat for free.

For the last few months I have made a few changes into my lifestyle and stopped consuming Dairy. So this year I have a different challenge and that is finding vegan options at #SXSW.

Austin Food Carts Site and Mobile/IOS App

Creating my SXSW Guide post for my blog I ran into the Austin Food site and found that they have a mobile app.

Looking into the App I was happy to find two categories with Vegan and Vegetarian friendly food trucks.

App in iTunes Store

I will be definitely using the app during SXSW and try to make my way around the event.

At the moment there are 22 options listed as vegetarian and 14 options as Vegan.

Feel free to download the App and make it easy on yourself when you are in Austin.

Vegan

Arlo’s Austin

Biscuits + Groovy

Cheery Up Charlies

MamboBerry

Moses Falafel

The Flying Carpet

Vegan Yacht

Vegetarian (including list above)

Bufalo Bob’s Chalupa Wagon

Conscious Cravings

Hoover’s Soular Food Trailer

Sun Farm Kitchen

T.N.M. Gyros

Any other suggestions that are not listed here please feel free to share?

I have recently been following many groups on Gplus and Facebook that are geared towards veganism because Raul is vegan. I follow these groups because I want to be able to cook good food and a variety of recipes for him. I have also been following Dr. Greene’s WhiteOut page where they will ask a question several times a day and one particular question was about rice. Someone mentioned black rice and I was curious to learn about this particular grain of rice.

In the group Raising a Vegan Child, they posted information about the six foods that have fueled development. Rice was one of them and I mentioned that I would love to cook black rice. So they posted information about the benefits of black rice and I was on a mission to purchase some.

In search of Black Rice

As a child, my mother only cooked white rice. She colored it yellow or left it white. The only other time white rice took on another color was when she made calamari and it turned black. Sometimes my rice would be red with all the ketchup I would put on it.

On Sunday, we went to the local organic farmer’s market and then stopped at a health food store in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I started looking for black rice and in the Asian food section, there was black and red rice. The brand I bought and only one available at this store was called @LotusFoods. So I took a bag of each and decided that I was going to make some during the week.

@lotusfoods black and red rice

It looks like pegao

For those who don’t know what pegao is, it is the burnt rice at the bottom of the rice pot. Some people eat it and others throw it away. I used to eat it but it is really bad for your teeth. But most Puerto Rican’s will wait to eat the pegao and I remember many aunts and uncle eating this at family dinners.

Today I cooked the black rice according to the package and the grain is so black that it looked like pegao times ten! I did read on various recipes sites to make sure it was seasoned well. I added some kosher salt and curry with a touch of black pepper. I made black eyed peas, collards, mushrooms, and teriyaki flavored tofu.

My daughter only ate the black eyed peas, tofu, and I made asparagus for her. She couldn’t wait for the rice to be made. But since there is some left over, I will give her some to try tomorrow.

Verdict about Black Rice

I think with a bit more flavoring to the water or maybe sauteed onions or garlic, it might taste better than just salt and curry. But as I explore new grains and food, it is about trial and error. Don’t be discouraged by my bland outcome. Research some recipes and see how the people who are used to cooking black rice use it.

Have you made Black Rice or do you just stick with white rice?

What other rices have you tried at home?

When I decided to go vegetarian last year around this time, we had just started the Veglatino site, we were about a month in a half into parenthood, and I did not know if I would last the year or break down and pass some kidney stones. Along the way I had encouragement from my partner and our Facebook group friends.

Ask your community about what to eat

I went from cooking with faux proteins and to researching what other natural sources of protein we could by instead of the processed health foods. I read information from sites such as Real Food Tastes Good and learned about cooking without those faux proteins. I also learned that I was missing out on leafy greens and other vegetables not found in our local supermarkets. If you visit Diane’s site, you will learn alot because she is a Holistic Nutrionist with awesome recipes.

I started searching for more information about local organic farmer’s and thanks to our friends at @IsasBread. She inspired us to head out to the local organic farmer’s market and buy greens. The bread she makes is also sold at this market and her vegetarian pizza parlor called Peace n’ Loaf  . When we buy bread from Stephanie every first or third Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, we make sure we savor every bite.

The number one motivator

When my daughter started to eat solids last year, I researched about whole foods and baby lead weaning. I was able to move her from purees to pieces of food thanks to information on sites like WholeSome Baby Food.  The site provided me with charts to print out in order to track what she ate and made me want to seek other grains, vegetables, and greens for her try as she developed last year. With the help from parent mentors such as Gabriel, Sandra, and Chenille, I was able to incorporate new foods at the appropriate times for Daniela.

Earlier this year, I came upon a movement called, WhiteOut by Dr. Allen Greene. This movement re-inforced the action we took of stopping rice cereal after it constipated Daniela when she was six months old during her first week of solids. We had given her sweet potato and rice cereal with breastmilk.

Our poor girl was crying after two days of being constipated. We researched the issue and stopped the rice cereal. We did do barley cereal and then I stopped doing that after about a month. The information that Dr. Greene provides gives new parents modern information about what you should be feeding your child as a first food and staying away from those cereals. You could say it is going back to beginning of time when the first humans had no blenders or baby cubes to put pureed food in.

Eager to learn more about food

The question you are dying to know is, Lucy did you pass any kidney stones since you stopped eating meat?

Yes, I did because I went on a grilled cheese fest for like a week. So I have cut back on cheese consumption but have not gone vegan. I don’t eat as much cheese as I did last year, but I will eat ice cream or cheese every once in a while.

I did not pay much attention to what I was eating or where my food was coming from until I had my daughter. She was one of the motivating factors to change the way I saw, bought, and prepared food. Now that she is almost fourteen months old, everything I put in my mouth she wants to try.  I don’t just cook latino inspired recipes for us; we have extended our cooking recipes to span other cultures such as Thai, Indian, Italian, and Japanese.

Since Raul has been moving towards veganism, I have learned how to cook with out butter and creams. I have learned how to substitute eggs for flaxseed and chia seeds. I have to tell you that I made a Vegan Banana Birthday cake and Vegan Lemon Cupcakes for Daniela’s birthday. Our family members enjoyed the cakes with out worrying about all the sugar in a store bought or bakery made cake. I have also made a Vegan Carrot Cake that is to die for Raul’s Uncle’s birthday.

I hope to continue eating as I have been for the last year and taking it one day at a time as I explore a new outlook on food.

Happy Vegetarian Birthday to Me!

Photo by marystonecypher