READ: Miami Twice: Miami Healthy Dining Hot Spots Part 2 by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

I’m super delighted to be able to report back on even more Miami deliciousness! While there are lots of things to do in Miami it is an absolute must to save time to dine on the local fare. It’s super cool at how many places have popped up over the last few years that are not only accommodating to special diets but are also incredibly delicious. So whether you are looking to partake in some Miami sightseeing toursor just passin’ through, make it a point to check out the rest of the fave spots that I was lucky enough to get my grub on at!

There’s nothing like a romantic Italian meal but an organic Italian meal takes the cake! EscoPazzo is THE premiere organic Italian locale in Miami to get healthy, delicious food. And what’s even cooler is that they have vegan and raw vegan menu items!!! Yum!! No matter who you may be struttin’ down South beach with, you can all enjoy a world class meal at Escopazzo. My personal favorites are the tomato and avocado tartar with pickled watermelon and micro mustard greens as well the vegetable lasagna with cashew cheese. OMG!

I had the good fortune of being able to do my first book signing of my cookbook, The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen, at Books & Books on Lincoln Road. Just before the signing, I dined with the chef at the Cafe at Books and Books. Chef Bernie is not only a hoot, and a fellow healthy Latino, he is a gifted chef as well. the vegan items at the cafe are fantastic! Full of the flavors of Miami, and my childhood, the veggie dishes are pure bliss. Using lots of grains, legumes and veggies, it’s pure, clean food with the tastes of Latin America. The carrot cake with mango sauce is a great twist, his quinoa and vegetable bowl is delish and there us even a mock chicken curry sandwich on the menu. Yumm!! Eat first, shop second!! Books and Books is a great place to spend an afternoon ; )

If you’re looking for a kick ass bar with healthy vegan food, The Lost and Found Saloon is the place for you. With it’s fun western theme, you might be surprised to find vegan friendly dishes there, let alone healthy ones. Not your usual bar food, Lost and Found does it up right. Their signature salad chock full of fresh greens, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, avocado, eggplant portobello mushrooms and topped with pepita encrusted tofu is enough to show you that this ain’t your traditional bar menu. And the list goes on! Chipotle black bean burgers, seasonal veggie plates, chipotle tofu melt, pinon and pepita encrusted tofu over saffron rice…Insanity! So much fun, so much yum, you gotta bring all your friends (veg or not) to get lost and found asap!

Fast food is gross so Evos has come to the rescue. Boasting their fresh real fruit smoothies, air baked fries and healthier options for traditional burgers, it’s much easier for folks to make the switch. with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, you too can enjoy an American classic meal of burgers, fries and a shake without the fat and guilt. Eco-friendly and cool, even their flavored ketchup rock! I fell in love with my thai vegan wrap and air fries dunked in garlic ketchup, mmmmm! Take that McD’s!

Just north of Miami and south of Ft. Lauderdale, you’ll find Hollywood. Home to Sara’s Kosher Vegetarian and L’Chaim Chinese restaurants. Owned and operated by a lovely couple, both restaurants are completely kosher and offer great veggie food. Sara’s is usually my first stop when i am home visiting as I crave their vegan Cuban sandwich all year long. at Sara’s, they’ve got it all from pizza, sandwiches, soup, salads and full entrees, all easily (and happily) veganizable. next door at L’Chaim Chinese, you can get vegan avocado spring rolls, veggie lettuce cups and basically anything on the menu made with tofu. So no matter what you’re in the mood for, Sara’s and L’Chaim have your cravings covered!

So that’s a wrap on Miami for now but it looks like the healthy spots are growing so I’ll be back to fill you in soon! Happy healthy trails!

Technorati Tags: cafe at books and books miami beach, chef bernie matz, dining, escopazzo, evos, Florida, food, Ft. Lauderdale, gluten free, healthy, l'chaim chinese, lost and found saloon, Miami, raw, restaurants, sara's kosher vegetarian, travel, vegan, Vegetarian

READ: Holiday Etiquette: Do’s & Don’ts Around Your Holiday Table

The holidays are meant to be a time filled with love, peace an understanding. But we all know that we still live in the real world and getting folks together can be challenging. There are bound to be differences in personalities, beliefs and lifestyles (especially with the stress of travel adding to things). While some holiday gatherings just involve a few hours over dinner, others last a few days.  This can induce a whole host of fears and stress for many, so much so that feathers get ruffled and the holiday can be ruined.

This year, here a few tips to get you through the holidays while still making them enjoyable and not stepping on anyone’s toes!

• While conversation is a must, and can be very enjoyable, over the holiday dinner table, specific topics should not be discussed.  While no one likes to dinner over awkward or superficial chatter, no one likes a meal to turn ugly.  Obviously the biggies to stay away from are politics, religion and sex (unless of course your group enjoys those topics). For the most part, not everyone will agree on such topics and it’s best to leave them alone. In fact, this includes veganism. The holiday table is not a place to stand on your soapbox unless it has been asked of you. In addition, it is not a place for attack on someone who is different.  If a topic comes up that you are uncomfortable with, politely let them know that you do not wish to discuss that particular topic at that time. Shut it down with a smile and offer up a new topic.
• Never assume that a host will be able to provide everything you need.  Always be prepared. It is impossible to make everyone happy and sometimes folks are left out of certain things.  If you have special dietary needs, be sure to let your host know ahead of time and offer to bring a dish that you can eat and share with the group. Or to be extra safe, eat before you got to the dinner so that you aren’t left starving during the meal.  The holidays are about enjoying the company of others so do your best to focus on that instead of what you can and can’t eat.
• If you are hosting a meal, be mindful of others. In fact, the best way to have a happy gathering is to share the experience. Potluck dinners are the best way to include everyone and the onus doesn’t fall on you to feed a bunch of folks who may or may not like your taste in food.
• If you aren’t feeling well or are in a particularly foul mood, admit it. Do what you can to handle your emotions before heading to a gathering. It’s not healthy for you or the other guests if you aren’t up for it or worse, taking it out on them. If you can pull through and try to have a good time, great. Otherwise, we all have bad days so do what you need to do to sort it out because nothing ruins your holiday and others like a foul mood.
• Nobody’s perfect – try to plan ahead. I know this sounds like common sense, but it’s really important to remember. If you want to have people over and you’re working, don’t go crazy trying to make everything – get some food at the deli or the gourmet shop. A lot of times, people don’t mind bringing a salad or dessert. The point is to get together and celebrate with people, rather than trying to make it perfect.
• Traditions can be changed. This might be hard for people, but there are a lot of people who actually dread the holidays, and some of that may be due to the way they’re celebrated. Maybe you don’t have to always be at Great Aunt Sue’s house, even though she’s hosted the holiday for years. Think of these things as being fluid and when they’re outmoded or outdated, come up with some new ones.
• Don’t let the details take over. It’s difficult to find the time to get everything done during the holidays, but it’s the people who are really important to you and those who take care of you, that you must remember. Try not to be so overwhelmed doing things like writing out Christmas cards that you can’t talk to your loved ones. Don’t brush people off because of the holiday madness.
• Always thank people. Whether it’s in writing or in person, you must put gratitude at the top. There’s never an excuse for not thanking someone for an invite or gift.

Remember that the holidays are about connection with others, understanding and love. The best rule, year round, is to treat others how you like to be treated, and there is no exception to that rule, especially over the holidays ; )

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Technorati Tags: etiquette, family, friends, gatherings, happy, healthy, holidays, parties, respect, topics, vegan, Vegetarian

READ: Healthy Holidays by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

Basically, healthy holidays is an oxymoron. Who wants to eat salad when you’re surrounded by hot cocoa, santa cookies, candy canes and awesome feasts? Pretty much no one however, there are ways around the 2 extremes, gorging or depriving.  Here are some tips to reach a happy medium over the next few weeks of holiday feeding and drinking frenzy!

• Let yourself enjoy the dang treats! – Look, you don’t have to eat the whole tray of cookies or a ginormous piece of pie to get the most out the holidays. AND you don’t have to “just say no” either. Allow yourself to have a cookie or 2, have a piece of pie and curl up with that hot cocoa by the fire. If you aren’t stuffing your face all day every day for the next 2 weeks, you’re ok. In fact, deprivation may cause you more stress in which case your body will produce more cortisol, a hormone that will actually cause you to gain weight. Those few bites of a holiday treat will not kill you and they certainly won’t be the complete demise to your waistline.
• Routine is key – Just because you’re on vacation, doesn’t mean that you should completely neglect your exercise routine. Sure, maybe you don’t work out hard core for an hour but if you can squeeze in a brisk walk around the neighborhood to check out the pretty lights, just getting moving can really help you keep yourself in check and not fall off the wagon entirely.
• Ho, ho, hydrate – Always have your BPA free or glass water bottle full and handy. Drinking water all day long will keep you full, hydrated and satisfied, helping you curb the junk food cravings.
• Sneak in the good stuff – Even if you are cooking up a crazy holiday feast, always sneak in veggies and whole foods whereevr you can. the more pure, whole and organic your food, the less it affects your body chemistry and weight.  Chop up yummy veggies like spinach, tomatoes and zucchini for pasta dishes; add sweet potatoes to your stuffing, make a giant salad full of delicious chopped veggies and legumes and fill up on that before the rich entree, etc.  If you’re eating 75%- 85% awesome, if the remainder is holiday treats, you’re good to go!
• Let yourself enjoy a long winter’s nap – REST! This time of year, stress is a biggie that leads to illness, fatigue and even full on burn out. Give yourself the gift of rest and relaxation so that you can start the new year happy, healthy and recharged.You are more likely to enjoy the holidays (and deal with family) if you get plenty of sleep and time to relax.
• Give yourself (and others) the gift of slack – No one is superman or wonder woman, no matter how how we try. Whatever can be put off, if even for a day, allow yourself to let it go and let others have the chance to chillax too. This is the time of year to relax with family and friends and reflect on the year. Let go of problems you can’t solve and enjoy the season. Give yourself and others a break, the new year is right around the corner!
• Be a kid – Yeah, let your inner child do something fun and silly over the holidays. In this day and age, sometimes we need to stop being so serious and the holidays are the best time to have some fun. Wear that crazy sweater, make a snow angle, get in a snowball fight, bake with your family….Whatever your holiday persuasion, do it and enjoy!

While all of these are probably no-brainers, sometimes we all need to be reminded to slow down and take it all in. Enjoy the season!!

www.healthyvoyager.com

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Carolyn Scott-Hamilton celebrated her 10 years as a vegan as well as an entrepreneur in 2009. After college, Carolyn moved to Los Angeles from Miami in 1998. Shortly after arriving and becoming vegan, she studied holistic nutrition as well as dabbled in the culinary arts before she opened Ineventions, originally a pr & event firm, it is now a full film, TV and web production branch under the umbrella of her original business. With the access and addition of the new business arm, Carolyn was able to start realizing her dream of traveling and eating all over the world and so the Healthy Voyager was born in 2005.

 

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Healthy Soups and Supers in San Diego by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

Whether you are doing a tour of California for a little r and r or frequently travel San Diego for ComicCon, the southernmost metropolis of California, is a great place to visit. Beachy, relaxed and beautiful, healthy food is easy to find in this bayside border town. From my first San Diego postmany years ago until now, lots of great stuff has popped up so I’ve decided to go back and check out some of the new places in and around town.

Happy People Healthy Food by Adrienne Kelly-Durys

Can healthy food make you happy? Or, can happy people make the foods we eat healthier?When I think about these questions in relation to the upcoming holiday season,it seems obvious that eating steamed veggies over brown rice, although healthy, wouldn’t be as festive as a big holiday dinner with all the fixings. But what if that same big holiday dinner, with all the potatoes and gravy, when prepared with love and positive intention could be just as nourishing?

Technorati Tags: christmas, cooking, diet, eating, exercise, food, hannukah, Healthy Holidays, new year, relaxation, stress, tips, vegan, vegetatian

READ: How To Keep Your Immune System From Taking Its Own Vacation This Holiday Season by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

Each holiday season, millions of people travel to visit friends and family and kill themselves trying to get to every holiday party, shop till they drop and eat like little piglets. A giant combo for getting sick and feeling miserable all winter long. Here are some of the things to look out for this holiday season and how to avoid the season of sick!

Sugar Plum Fairy: Immunity Killer  – Who can deny that we have entered the season of treats, sweets and general overindulgence. Sure, it’s totally fine to enjoy a hot cocoa or a slice of pie during the holidays but not every day. Do your best to eat healthy and clean as much as possible, building up your immune system with lots of veggies (dark & leafy are the best) and whole foods. Keep up your exercise routine as much as possible as well as your sleep schedule. Be choosy when you enjoy your desserts and processed carbs because with every bite, you’re suppressing your immune system. Snack safely and take your vitamins!

Sneezin’s Greetings – Flu season reaches its height in late fall and early winter. This is because viruses circulate better in the colder weather but it’s not only cold and flu bugs that become active during colder seasons. Other viruses, such as the norovirus and rotavirus, become more active during winter. Norovirus, known as the stomach flu, easily spreads through contamination in food, drink and surface contact. The virus is found in the stool and vomit of infected people. Rotavirus also causes diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. So If you’re sick, cough into the crook of your arm and steer clear of any physical contact

Jolly Holiday Crowds - Think of the holiday traditions: catching a show, shopping at a crowded mall, attending holiday parties. All this means you’re indoors in crowds and exposed to everyone’s germs. As people cluster indoors, they use the same doorknobs, banisters and surfaces after wiping their noses or sneezing. During the winter season, we’re more subject to crowding, touching something that’s not hygienic and crowding and we tend to get less fresh air, too. Because it’s so dang cold out, we stay indoors, windows shut, making any virus that may be present more easily spread. Be sure to practice frequent hand-washing (at least 20 seconds wiping both the top, bottom of hands and between the fingers prior to eating and drinking) or use hand sanitizers. Also, occasionally open the window to let fresh air circulate.

Over the river and through the woods…Germs travel too! – Air travel means if there’s a small flu outbreak on the West Coast, that virus could be in New York in less than five hours. Germs don’t pay to travel! When family members travel across the country, they’re bringing along pathogens that have been in their communities and exposing them to new places. And it’s not only the act of being in an enclosed cabin of a car, bus, train or plane. We’re also subject to making our way through the crowds in the airport. Again, frequent hand washing and low contact with strangers will help. And hey, if you’re not opposed, wear a mask to filter out airborne yuckiness!

It’s the most stressful time of the year - End-of-the-year projects, reports, final exams, shopping, family gatherings, money problems — it could be all that work before break that spikes a stress hormone in your body. So much so that the increased cortisol level induces likelihood of infection during the holidays. Cortisol is a natural hormone that responds to stress, lowering immunity and making you more susceptible to infections. It also contributes to weight gain! The interval between acquiring a virus and becoming sick takes about 48 to 72 hours. You may have become infected when you were stressed and the symptoms may start to show right when you go on holiday break. But  while stress may be unavoidable, try getting enough sleep, eating well and hydrating. Also, do your best to find things to do that bring you joy so as to counter act your stress. Prevent the stress hormones from wreaking havoc by better planning, avoiding traffic, buying presents earlier.

Technorati Tags: cold, flu, Health, holiday stress, illness, prevention, sick, winter

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Technorati Tags: Bancroft, Grail Springs, inspiration, Life with Direction, retreat, self help, Shayne Traviss, spiritual retreat, Spiritual Survival, Spirituality, vivid life, wellness, Wellness Retreat

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