Celebrity spokesman Alec Baldwin was in attendance, and although I didn’t get a picture with him this time, I can tell you from past experience that Mr. Baldwin is not only a top-notch actor, but he’s also a die-hard activist for social justice, environmental, and animal rights issues. I was close enough to smell his cologne, and gave him a wink as he ran out the door for his summer stage play in East Hampton! Always affable, with something funny to say, Alec Baldwin shared his thoughts on how great PCRM is and why we should dig into our pockets to promote their work. So I did! I gave some money and got Dr. Barnard’s new cookbook, The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook. With over 100 recipes, it’s a great deal and is chock-full of important information on heart health, diabetes, and weight loss.

Founded by Dr. Neal Barnard, PCRM is at the forefront of humane science. Having developed top-of-the-line studies and tests that help doctors treat humans with better science, PCRM has also saved the lives of countless laboratory animals by ending animal testing and implementing better medical practices. I’ve known Dr. Barnard since he was interviewed for Super Size Me back in 2003, and am always ready to lend a helping hand for any of their good works. Wether it’s their programs for getting better food into public schools or publicizing their amazing Airport Food Reviews, that every business traveler should check out, PCRM is doing great work and deserves recognition.

Top 10 Tips For Planning a Gluten-Free, Vegan Party

This weekend the nation watched as former 1st daughter Chelsea Clinton married her longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky. Not only was the wedding gorgeous and the bride beautiful, but the catering included vegan options and a gluten-free cake – how cool! If you admire the menu options and thoughtful way the bride and groom accomodated the diverse dietary needs of their guests, check out my Top 10 Tips For Planning a Vegan, Gluten-Free Party Menu…

1. Serve it Seasonal: Every season offers a cornucopia of veggies, especially in summer and early fall. Use locally grown produce to add a rainbow of colors and flavors that will create a visual feast.
2. Eat first, label later: Don’t worry about emphasizing that the party will be gluten-free and vegan. The food will speak for itself and the guests will be happily surprised to find out that their delicious meal was so healthy. If told beforehand, their preconceived notions might alter their experience.
3. Serve Salacious Salads: Offer a variety of salads with different ingredients and themes. Beans, pasta, potatoes, tofu, grains, tempeh, and lettuce salads can all be prepared with different dressings and herbs to create a truly stunning party buffet.
4. Fabulous Flavors: Place a wide variety of gluten-free, vegan condiments near the buffet or on the dinner table so that guests can add different flavors to their taste. Gluten-free soy sauce, lemon wedges, fancy sea salts in grey, black, and pink, mustards, non-dairy sour cream, vegan mayonnaise, fruit-juice sweetened ketchup, cornishons, caper berrys, relish, salsas, and hot sauces will give guests options for creating their favorite flavor profiles.
5. Devouring Dessert: Finish the meal with a decadent vegan, gluten-free dessert and your guests will rave about the amazing healthy meal they enjoyed. Whether chocolate, fruit, pudding, or cake based, vegan, gluten-free desserts can be delicious and inspiring to your guests.
6. Try a Theme: Decorate your party and choose recipes based on the time of year, holidays or special events. Summer barbeques with grilled vegetables, fruit, mushrooms and tofu spruce up any July 4th party. May 5th can inspire a Mexican themed buffet. The end of December can be a solstice celebration uniting Christmas and Hanukkah foods that are veganized and gluten-free.
7. Create a vegan drink list: Many alcoholic beverages are made using animal products to filter out impurities. Check with www.barnivore.com for a complete list of vegan and gluten-free wine, beer, and spirits.
8. Hot Potato: For a casual gathering, set up a baked potato bar. Using baked potatoes as a base guests can season with whatever toppings they desire. Shredded vegan cheese, tofu sour cream, steamed broccoli, vegan baked beans, cubed tofu, and chives can spruce up the lowly, delicious potato.
9. Mexican Madness: Celebrate May 5th with a burrito buffet. Corn tortillas and taco shells can be stuffed with beans, rice, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado slices, guacamole, salsa, shredded vegan cheese, olives, sliced green onions, and jalapeños.
10. Eating Ethnic: Choosing a menu from an exotic world cuisine may offer more vegan and gluten-free options. Sushi rolls and miso soup using gluten-free soy sauce make for the beginnings of a fabulous Japanese dinner. Many Indian recipes can be easily veganized by replacing the butter with Earth Balance or coconut oil, and chickpea flour papadum are delicious and gluten-free. Italian menus can easily be put together using gluten-free pasta, fresh vegetables, and shredded vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes for added flavor.

Over the course of our trip out west, I found a range of healthy fast food, west coast style mexican platters, boutique frozen yogurt, and high end restaurants that rival the best New York City could offer.

On July 4th I took my eager kid to Voodoo Donuts in downtown Portland. This local chain offers a huge variety of treats including several vegan options. While they’re not exactly “healthy” it was fun to have an unusual treat option. (Honestly, after 2 or 3 bites Laken handed his donut back to me and said “It’s too sweet – I don’t like it.” Music to my ears!)

Portland is also experiencing a growing boom of outdoor food courts. All throughout the city I found parking lots and parks filled with every kind of mom-and-pop (and pop-and-pop and single-mom) run kitchen on wheels imaginable. Cute trailers and shacks on wheels have been outfitted as kitchens and group together to share amenities. Bathrooms and picnic tables were always nearby, making the food court outings very family friendly. I was again surprised to find that nearly every food stand, cart, or trailer had at least one decent vegan option. I took my grandmother out for delicious biscuits and gravy one afternoon, and tried another South American cart’s friend plantains.

Since I grew up in PVM Portland (that’s “pre-vegan mecca”) I didn’t know what I was in for this year. It seems that every vegan with even a passing interest in cooking has opened up a culinary business in the thriving Rose City.

Even veg-celebrities have pulled up stakes to try their hand at

living in the mossy Great North West. I had a killer lunch with top vegan cookbook author-ess Isa Chandra Moskowitz (at right) at the Vita Cafe. Since I hadn’t eaten there in years, I asked for her recommendation. Isa said the Buffalo “Chicken” Wrap was a good bet, and I’m pleased to report she was right. The serving was huge and the buffalo sauce was spicy and savory, just the way I like my fake chicken.

To celebrate my dad’s retirement after 40+ years as a teacher and principal, we drove down to Eugene (Go Ducks!) for a few days of fun and a trip to the coast. I enjoyed seeing vegan items on the menu at the Drift Inn in Yachats (pronounced “ya-Hots”) and was even more excited to watch 2 whales feeding and playing just a few hundred feet off the shore.

My younger, more intelligent sister is working at local frozen yogurt shop in Eugene called  Vanilla Jill’s where the owners make their own treats from local ingredients. I met owner Megan Stevens (at left) and was impressed with their eco-ethos and flavor options. Their vegan lime-coconut flavor was creamy and delicious, so next time you’re in Eugene, be sure to check them out.

I also gave a little “How Veganism Will Save The World!” presentation for The Eugene Vegetarian Education Network. The organizers were very sweet, and the crowd was great. I’m looking forward to heading back for another signing when Vegan Cooking For Dummies comes out this winter.

One of the best parts of going home to Oregon is meeting up with old friends. One night we tried out         Los Gorditas, a true west coast style mexican restaurant. Huge portions, smooth beans, and Daiya cheese and Tofutti sour cream to boot! They didn’t sell beer, but the thoughtful entrepreneurs had a deal with the beer garden next door: take your food with you, get a beer, and enjoy their outdoor seating. Just promise to bring your plates back! There is also a totally vegan bar that serves great bar food called The Bye and Bye. It was so fun to order a “grilled cheese” to go with my beer.

For my final Portland feast, my sweet brother took me to one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten – and that says a lot considering I live in New York City. We have a few good vegan restaurants here.

But I was blown away by Portobello. This cozy establishment off SE Division offers a seasonal menu that was so enticing we had to share everything. The pizza, designed and cooked by a trained pizzioli, has a perfectly crisp-yet-chewy Neapolitan crust, and was topped with west coast style sun dried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, fresh basil and Daiya cheese. The fake faux-gras with bread and spicy mustard was the best I’ve ever tasted. Potato gnocchi has never been better, and the farm-fresh arugula salad tasted like it was picked right before we ordered. For dessert we tried 2: the blueberry tart and the toasted polenta-sour cream pound cake. The tart which was so rich and perfectly “buttery” that I could hardly believe it was plain old Earth Balance in there. The pound cake was rich and flavored with almond and cherries. I could have died right then and there.

So, if you’re into good food, the great outdoors, whale watching, great beer, incredible book stores, get yourself to Portland for your next vacation. You won’t be sorry, although you may come home a few pounds heavier.

I was honored to be on a panel titled: Heroes of the Health Freedom Movement. Along with nationally syndicated radio host Robert Scott Bell, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Kevin Trudeau, John Gray (who wrote Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus), Dr. Hal Huggins, and the amazingly funny and passionate Dick Gregory, I spoke about the challenges and joys of being a “thought leader” in the alternative health movement. Who knew I was a thought leader?!

I shared my story of challenging New York State Governor’s wife Michelle Paige Paterson on the prevalence of sugary, flavored milks in our public schools. Let me tell you, if you’ve never made a verbal stand against outrageous policy to a governor’s wife, it’s a little nerve wracking. But it was worth it!

I also shared my stories of trying to make changes and bring awareness to my son’s pre-school about the quality and health of snacks, party food, and food colorings. I’m happy to report that my son’s teachers are very accommodating and willing to work with me to make improvements. Still, constant vigilance is necessary to make sure that the best quality ingredients are brought into our schools.

After the lecture, which was attended by hundreds of expo goers, the panel adjourned to a reception where we all skipped the complimentary wine, and enjoyed sparkling water and conversation. My lecture on Sunday, titled “How A Vegan Diet Will Save The World!” was a blast!

This year’s Health Freedom Expo was a great success, and I would be happy to return for a third time. I encourage everyone interested in alternative, natural health to check out the website and stay informed about the state of our health freedoms.

Organized by the Health Keepers Alliance, this annual expo presents valuable information to the public and continues to inspire attendees and lecturers alike.

(P.S. Like my killer new turquoise bag? It’s vegan! EenaMaria is a great designer offering loads of cruelty-free bags at low, low prices on Target.com)

If you’ve never seen Whale Wars, the show on Animal Planet, you must watch and learn about what these dedicated humans are doing to protect the floundering fish populations in our oceans (pun intended.)

The night was great, and I was so excited to have delicious nibbles from Candle 79 and Vegan Treats to share with my buddies who were there:

Staying healthy on the road can be a challenge. This is one of the obstacles I help my personal clients to overcome. Not only do you need to navigate the dangers of the airport food-court, you’ll also be in a strange city with no access to the healthy stores, restaurants and treats you rely on at home. Even your home-away-from-home, wether it be hotel, motel, Holiday Inn, or a friend’s couch, might be a food desert. Ever tried getting something healthy and delicious from a room service menu? Not the easiest feat, I can tell you.

Over the last ten years, I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world and all throughout the states, united. I’ve mastered the best ways to make sure you always have access to mood, energy and health supportive snacks and meals when you’re on-the-go.

Let me paint you a picture:

You’re in Las Vegas for a fun-filled weekend or work-related conference, and you have tickets to see Elton John. (Lucky you!)

The hotel has three restaurants, but their menus mainly consist of caffeinated ice cream shakes, fried dough, meat, dessert and alcohol. Not exactly a recipe for pretty skin, rejuvenating sleep, and a sharp mind. Instead of relying on what the hotel has to offer, follow these instructions:

1. Rent a mini-fridge from the hotel. Just call when you book your room and ask to reserve a little refrigerator.

2. Go online before your trip and search for health food stores, farmers’ market or large grocery stores near your hotel. Try the following websites to hunt down a decent place to shop, and print out directions from your hotel and a phone number:

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

http://www.organicstorelocator.com/

3. As soon as you have a moment after checking in to your hotel, find the food store you looked up online and go shopping! If you don’t have a rental car, ask if the hotel has a shuttle service or just call a taxi. Choose healthy snacks, pre-made deli meals, fruit, and other bits and pieces that will help you get through your visit. I like to stock up on hummus, baby carrots, bananas, avocados, tortilla chips, whole grain (or gluten-free) crackers, dried fruit, nuts, small boxes of rice milk, and a really good bar of chocolate.

Your mini-fridge and shopping list will save you from relying on late-night BLTs, french fries and other overpriced, low-quality room service “food.”

If you’re overwhelmed with the obstacles to healthy living and vibrant energy you desire, contact me today to talk about how we can work together to overcome those pesky blocks!

Happy, healthy travels!

Alex

If you’ve read either of my books or seen Super Size Me, you’ll remember that I’ve helped a lot of people balance their mood and energy by adding and eliminating the right combination of foods.

The video was shot at my apartment in Brooklyn, NY on a cold, rainy February day. I invited my gorgeous pregnant friends Helen Darroch and Chloe Jo Davis (head vegan glamazon at Girlie Girl Army.com) to the shoot. We three girls chatted about food and mood while cooking up a delicious pot of Indian Kitchari (keep an eye out for the recipe in my new Vegan Cookbook for Dummies – out this Thanksgiving!) – the video will be amazing, and I’ll let you all know when it gets posted online!

The best part about having a video shoot in your home is that a makeup artist comes over in the morning to make you look great! I also loved having a crew in my house that cleaned up at the end of the day. The director and camera man had lights, sound and moved all the furniture around to create the right look. I have to say I liked what they did with my apartment!

Here’s a behind-the-scenes Energizing Mood tip I used for this video shoot:

On the morning of a big day, like when I have to speak, present or be on camera, I always have a protein-rich breakfast with a little bit of whole grains. My breakfast this morning was sauteed tofu on Ezekiel bread (flourless, sprouted grain bread) with a side of greens! That’s right, some sauteed greens in the morning do wonders for your energy. I felt prepared, centered and my energy remained stable throughout that hectic day – even though my son was up half the night before!

I’ll be shooting another video in early April for a (hush-hush) cooking show, so I’ll let you know about that as soon as I can. Great things are happening right now ~ it’s up to me to get enough sleep, eat right and get some down time so that I can really bring my A-game to all of these amazing opportunities.

Alexandra