I was lucky enough to share a few hours in San Diego with the inspirational young Kristin Lajeunesse — social media whiz and traveler extraordinaire — as her trip was nearing its end months ago. We met through her great work with Vegan Mainstream. The “Will Travel for Vegan Food” tour took Kristin to 48 states, and 500+ eateries! Over 35,000 miles later, the trip was a great success.

Those interested in delicious food, health, animal rights, and networking with fun people in New York City must get themselves to the Will Travel For Vegan Food End-of-Road-Trip Party + Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary Fundraiser from 7-10 pm August 22!

To celebrate the end of her life-changing journey, Kristin is hosting this fundraiser party at Top of The Garden Event Space at 251 West 30th Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001. The party will be catered by Jay Astafa, a young, up and coming vegan chef; there will be sweets from Vegan Treats; and, live musical and dance performances. Enjoy a high-end auction (details about products coming soon), announcements related to Kristin’s book deal, and honoring a few key people who helped make the road trip a success. Kristin also has a mystery keynote speaker lined up.

This sounds like so much fun, so don’t miss it if you are in NYC! All ticket proceeds will benefit the non-profit organization, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Reprinted from Vegan Mainstream

By Ellen Jaffe Jones, Guest Contributor 

My daughter recently said to me, “Mom, I hate to eat tomatoes at restaurants. I keep remembering how delicious and sweet the tomatoes were that we used to grow in our organic garden. Most tomatoes I taste now pale by comparison.”

This was the same child who wowed the nursery school field trip farmer by knowing the difference when he tried to stump the kids holding up the green kale leaf and asking: “What’s this?” All the other kids yelled, “Spinach!” It was my daughter who tasted sugar snap peas for the first time and asked, “Is this candy?”

“Teach Your Children Well,” as the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song goes. Children respond so well to early tactile and taste stimulations. If they are imprinted with early tastes for foods in their natural states, it stays with them the rest of their lives.

Having a garden is the best way to introduce them to nature and understanding that food doesn’t grow in a shrunk-wrapped package at the grocery store. As the snow (hopefully) melts, and the scents of spring beckon children outside, starting a cheap garden is a great way to keep them outside.

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I am grateful for every visit to San Francisco. Though it’s chilly, the veggie-friendly restaurants, beautiful historic buildings and artistic vibe bring happiness to many! And what other city boasts an organic cafe and a yoga room in the airport? SFO (the airport) is home to The Plant (which has other Bay area locations as well). The Burlingame location had rather cheery staff, and the airport was a novel place to buy a predictably overpriced kombucha along with their beloved Plant Burger, laden with beets, lentils and other unique ingredients.

Just as exciting for veggie foodies is The Source, a restaurant in Potrero Hill with a long wait on the phone and a line out the door. But our patience paid off as we indulged in Baked Vegan Spinach Artichoke Fondue! My entree was Sriracha Cluck Teriyaki, a dish spilling over with a meat substitute, veggies, and a perfect spice level. To top it off, we had the peanut butter cookie covered in chocolate that my flexitarian friend had been raving about for days! It is easy to leave your heart in San Francisco.

Photo - Ziggy Marley Organics

Ziggy Marley and siblings are carrying on the humanitarian traditions of their hugely famous father Bob Marley. Ziggy does everything from writing children’s books and performing conscious music to now running Ziggy Marley Organics. The company makes Coco’Mon, a line of organic, gluten-free, non-GMO coconut oils. The prices are high, but the flavors sound amazing – orange almond, lemon ginger, curry, and original. He’s also selling roasted, flavored hemp seeds which are similarly organic and GMO-free. To add to all that, Ziggy founded URGE (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment) to support education initiatives, and donates time to “End Polio Now.”

Ziggy’s brother Rohan Marley owns Marley Coffee, an international organic gourmet coffee company. The company provides workers with a living wage, and provides ethical farming and artisan-roasted coffee beans. A portion of the proceeds help build soccer fields and kids’ camps in Jamaica and other coffee-producing communities.

It would be incredible if we all aspired to doing such noble work for the world and its inhabitants.

Navitas Naturals’ new organic Dragonfruit Slices unleash the sweet flavor of the tropical superfruit in a chewy, dried-fruit leather style. The exotic-looking Dragonfruit has a well-rounded nutrition profile that includes omega 3’s, antioxidants, protein, iron, fiber, and an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Navitas, a Gold sponsor of Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA, launched this product at the event in March.

Dragonfruit Slices are definitely original. These nutritious, organic snacks provide a new superfood option with a sweet flavor and a chewy texture that’s ideal as a delicious snack right out of the bag. The taste of this superfruit is similar to pears, mangos and kiwifruits. Like any dried fruit, purple Dragon-fruit Slices can be enjoyed as an ingredient in many healthy recipes including salads, trail mixes, oatmeal, cereals, desserts and baked goods.

Made from the sweeter red variety of Dragonfruit (also known as Pitaya), a cactus that grows in tropical regions of the world, Navitas Naturals Dragonfruit Slices are 100% fruit. Offered in a 3-ounce bag for $8.99, this product is raw, certified organic, gluten-free, Non-GMO Project Verified and vegan. Navitas Naturals products are available at hundreds of stores around the country including Whole Foods Markets, Wegmans and HEB, as well as online and Amazon.

To create this unique superfruit snack, small-scale farmers in the lush tropical regions of Thailand select the finest red dragonfruit that is sustainably harvested from night-blooming cactus plants. The fruit is created only if the cactus flowers are pollinated at night by bats, moths and nocturnal creatures. The soft, pulpy center of each Dragonfruit is speckled with tiny black seeds, and this fibrous sweet pulp is carefully removed in slices that are sun dried at low temperatures to protect the nutrients.

Called kaeo mangkon (dragon crystal) by indigenous people in Thailand, Dragonfruit is famous for its bright colors and odd eye-catching shape – but it’s also well known for its powerful nutrition profile. Dragonfruit is a strong source of vitamins, including C and B, and it contains an abundance of key minerals including iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Dragonfruit Slices provide 2g of protein per serving, which is a lot for a fruit, and it’s also a rich source of essential fatty acids including omega-3. Dragonfruit offers many antioxidants including complex phytoalbumins and lycopene. It’s a bonus that the fruit is low in calories, and it’s comprised of complex carbohydrates that can easily be broken down by the body.

The Go Raw Life Center at 2751 Roosevelt Rd., #103 in Liberty Station (Point Loma area of San Diego) opened almost a year ago but was new to me. Some friends and I went for a delicious dinner of raw pad thai with kelp noodles, sunflower seed butter and almonds, kimchee, and organic salad. The center offers a juice/snack bar and daily prepared foods that can be picked up each day, including fresh salads, fruit bowls, entrees, snacks, desserts, and juices or blends. Juice cleanses are also available. They are open 7 am – 7 pm Monday through Saturday and 9-5 Sunday. Everything is gluten-free and organic!

The staff is very knowledgeable and eager to educate on all the benefits of a raw foods diet, which range from an increase in energy and blood flow to clearer skin and better sleep. They plan to add more educational talks, movies, and other events.

People often speak about food allergies, wanting to lose weight, and other reasons to stay away from ingredients known to cause health problems. Gluten and flours are high on the list of known allergens, along with corn, soy, dairy, nuts, sugar, soy and other ingredients. Luckily, the gluten-free fad has hit restaurants and stores. Trader Joe’s has gluten-free flour now and a whole list of gluten-free items. I wrote earlier about zpizza’s vegan and gluten-free pizza extraordinaire.

A newer spot in the San Diego scene is Local Habit, in the great central Hillcrest location that formerly housed Pizza Fusion. Local Habit is all about craft beer and organic food in support of local farms. They have many veggie options, and I was in a green mood, so I opted for the Roasted Brussel Sprouts with House Mustard and Chive along with a Micro Kale salad. Both were good, but I wished I had ordered a more substantial meal like pizza. My favorite part was the gluten-free and vegan Chocolate Almond Pudding with Whipped Coconut Cream (pictured)!

Smoothie o' Spirulina

Green drinks and powders are all the rage, and in health-conscious crowds there are frequent social media posts about kale, chard and other leafy greens. Spirulina, a blue-green microalgae, may not sound or taste appetizing, but it’s known for being incredibly nutrient dense and high in protein. It also boosts the immune system and reduces cholesterol.  I can attest to the immune system claims of spirulina; since I have been regularly taking the green powder (and higher amounts of vitamin C), I have fought off most colds and flus, usually within a day. My daily smoothie (see photo) usually contains almond or rice milk, spirulina powder, protein powder, frozen fruit, a banana, and other variable ingredients.

This article gives you the scoop on spirulina and says it is such a nutritional powerhouse that one could survive on the microalgae and water alone. Stay green!

Photo Credit - Edible Harmony

We all knew sugar was an addictive, unhealthy product. I posted to Facebook a few months ago that I was struggling with staying away from sugar, only to receive numerous comments from others going through the same challenge and trying various ways to moderate their sugar intake. It is often said that sugar causes depression, weight gain, and lower immunity. This photo shows many more reasons to stay away from the sweet stuff!

Stevia, coconut nectar, xylitol, and other sugar alternatives usually found at health food stores may become more popular by the moment. Maybe fresh fruit is the answer!

Photo of New Eden by William Hardy

On March 30, A Taste of Vegan festival is taking place from 11 am to 7 pm at Joyce Beers Community Center in Hillcrest. Admission is free and they will have cooking demos, food tasting by local vendors, speakers, a showing of the wonderful film “Vegucated,” and more! Vegan Jeopardy sounds fun, with prizes donated by Daiya Cheese, Evolution Fast Food, VegNews, Viva Pops, and WholeSoy and Company. Don’t miss the sales on vegan shoes, t-shirts and other items. The event is sponsored by the San Diego Chapter of Last Chance for Animals, a nonprofit organization which educates the public about animal rights issues and promotes a cruelty-free vegan lifestyle. LCA is celebrating its 20th anniversary!

Another interesting event in the San Diego area is the Intentional Vegan Community Launch and Festival on April 6-7 in Escondido.  This alcohol-free get-together includes hiking, dancing, a costume party, and a jacuzzi! This event is a “FUNdraiser to launch the non-profit, compassionate San Diego community New Eden – a sanctuary community where humans and animals can live together in harmony and healing. The focus is on unconditional love for all beings; supporting the vegan, conscious, sustainable life for health and compassion.”

The funds will helping fulfill IRS costs in gaining 501c3 non-profit status. They plan to create a vegan residential community on the property.