Halloween Madness

Candy, candy, candy. If you’re a vegan, that could be a scary word that revolves around Halloween. But not to worry, there are options for you without having to go through the hassle of online ordering or hunting down a vegan store. In fact, much of the items sold at your local grocery store are vegan.

            The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) provide lists of vegetarian/vegan products on their website, http://www.vegan.org. These lists include everything from food to beauty products, and even candy. PETA has approved such goodies as Airheads, Blow Pops, and Skittles. Don’t assume you’d have to resort to the boring stuff. Living vegan is exciting even around this time of the year. It's the healthiest way to get by Halloween.

With that said, you don’t have to sacrifice your beliefs or sacrifice your cravings because even the healthiest of the healthy people get a sweet tooth sometimes. Actually, some of these candies are low in fat (or even fat-free!), calories, and sugar. Just make sure you continue to watch your servings. You don’t want to walk away from Halloween with a cavity and a belt size bigger.

So, no worries, veg-heads, carry on your healthy, cruelty-free lifestyles, even throughout the holidays.

Viet Garden // Gluten Chicken

Out of all the times I've been to Viet Garden (a mix of Vietnamese food and Thai food), I have never noticed under their veg options (yes, they have a whole section for it) there's two fake meat choices. Usually I get the Buddha's Delight, which is an assortment of vegetables with tofu in the house (brown) sauce for $7.50. There are five other veg selections. This time that I went, I noticed there was "gluten chicken" and "vegetarian pork stir-friend with mixed vegetables." Each $8.95 a piece. I decided to try something new. I asked the waiter what "gluten chicken" was, if it was tofu. He said sort of, but said it's "fake chicken." I said anything without cruelty, I will try! So I went ahead and gave it a shot. It was pretty tasty. It wasn't as dry as the "chicken" that they serve at the Whole Food's salad bar (which tastes awful, may I add).

Here is the gluten chicken with the variety of vegetables that they bring. They give you so many different types of vegetables with their veg meals! Yum.

Personally, I will stick with the Buddha's Delight. Although I am willing to try new things, as I did the gluten chicken, it just wasn't for me. Their tofu is so much better and so goooood.

I was never a pork person, even when I was a meat eater, but just to try it out, I might try the "fake pork" next to see what the fuss is all about.

Oh, and I usually start with the garden rolls delight. Shredded tofu and vegetables rolled in rice paper. It comes with two for $2.95.

Viet Garden

1237-1239 E. Colonial Dr.

Orlando, FL 32803

Shari Sushi Lounge

Shari Sushi Lounge has the best sushi I've ever had in my entire life... And I've eaten a lot of sushi. I've been there twice and as a veghead it is hard to find a lot of places that get creative with their sushi. Most places throw cucumber and carrots in a roll and call it a veggie roll. Not here. The first I went, I got a veggie sushi plate called the "vegetable moriawase" which includes one crunch rolls, assorted Japanese vegetable nigiri a hand rollthat was only $15 (photo not available). It came with about 20 pieces of all different types of rolls and a variety of exotic vegetables, some I have never even heard of.

The photo above was taken the last time I went. I asked the waiter what he suggested, and they are so good with making suggestions. He recommended a roll with crunchy asparagus (on the left). But the thing that blew me away is the crunchy sweet potato. I have never been anywhere that put sweet potato in a sushi roll, let alone CRUNCHY sweet potato. He even suggested a side of a special sauce that was much like duck sauce. He recommended I eat it with the sweet potato roll and man, I am so thankful because it was delicioso! And even better, during happy hour, everyday from 5-7 p.m. which means the rolls are only $3.75 each.

And don't forget the ginger! Can't go without the ginger. Love me some ginger. mmm, ginger.

Shari Sushi Lounge

621 E. Central Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32801

D.B. Pickles // Island of Capri Veggie Wrap

Yesterday, I went to D.B. Pickles in Ormond Beach with my family. They had quite a few veg options, including a portabella mushroom panini. I opted for the Island of Capri Veggie wrap.

Breaded eggplant, lettuce, and tomatoes, drizzled with vinagrette dressing, all wrapped up in tortilla bread. You will have to ask for no mozzarella and no pesto aioli sauce, as they are not vegan. I love breaded eggplant, but not a lot of places can get it right, but D.B. sure did! It was magnificent! $7.99

The meal is served with either macaroni salad, potato salad, or coleslaw. Gross. I instead substituted it with a side salad (which actually ended up being a regular-sized salad) with vinagrette dressing, for an additional $1.99. They also have french fries, and veggies as side item options.

With every meal comes the pickle bar, a combination of various types of pickles, and a couple of bean salads. Personally, I love the sour pickles, and the three bean salad. Noms.

D.B. Pickles
400 South Nova Road
Ormond Beach, FL 32174-6121

Ali Baba Persian Restaurant

Ali Baba Persian Restaurant on SR 434 in Longwood.

I went to Ali Baba today, a Middle Eastern cuisine. They have a buffet with a variety of food, and countless veg options. A vegetarian/vegan buffet is only $9.95.

There are five different types of buffets at Ali Baba. First, the salad bar. The salad bar includes chopped iceberg lettuce that contains sliced green peppers, sliced tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers. Ali Baba has their own homemade dressing that is to die for! It is a vinegrette style with a little more tang. They also have tabouleh, and Shirazi salad (chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and mint in olive oil and lemon juice). There is also a bowtie pasta salad.  (There are other salads, but they are not vegan.)

The second bar includes an assortment of different Middle Eastern dips, including hummus, kashk-o-bademjan (baked eggplant, but they top it with whey -- yuck!), and others.

Following that is a bar that we will attend to the most. It includes cous cous (nom), falafel, potato slices, three types of soup, and two types of rice. (Sometimes they even include grilled vegetables.) Today's soups, included lentil (vegan), creamy lemon (vegetarian), and ash reshteh (vegetarian). Ash reshteh soup is a blend of reshteh (very thin noodles), parsley, and red kidney beans. It is not vegan (includes whey), but it is vegetarian. The rice provided today was white rice (Persian style), and keshmesh rice or raisin rice.

The final bar is the cruelty bar (meats, meat, meat), and beside that is the dessert. (Two bars I never go near.)

First, I had salad. The iceberg with the amazing dressing (drool), the bowtie pasta salad that was topped with vinegar, alongside the Shirazi salad.

Next, I had cous cous with falafel and hummus, along with the potatoes. Absolutely delicious and filling. Their falafel and hummus isn't the best I have ever had, but it did the job.

The lentil soup included red kidney beans with bits of potatoes, and was mildly spicy. I hate spicy foods, but this was tolerable and tasty.

Majority of the bar is not vegan-friendly, but it just goes to show you in even a meat-eater's environment, we can survive. What's great about Ali Baba is, not only do they have display signs naming the item, but they also provide the ingredients, whether it is vegetarian, and if it's gluten-free. You'll be doing a lot of reading, but in the end, it's worth it. I left satisfied and full.

I also had two cans of Chabaa juice. One was peach juice, the other pomegranate. Both were very yummy, but I loved the pomegranate. They also sell mango juice (which was sold out), and pear juice, which I am opted to try next time.

They also have menu items, some of which are not at the bar. They provide hookah (outdoors only), and alcohol (beer and wine). On Fridays and Saturday nights, they have bellydancers. It's a great place to hold an event, or go to for special occasions. It's very spacious, and have enough seating to accomodate to large groups.

There is a small market to the corner of the store, beside the stage where the bellydancers perform. The market sells Middle Eastern seasonings, ingredients, and other products. They sell very nice hookahs, hookah tobacco, and charcoal. All at a decent price.

Ali Baba
1155 Florida 434 #105
Longwood, FL 32750

Ethos // Sheep's Pie

The first thing I have ever tried at Ethos Vegan Kitchen is the sheep's pie. It's sautéed broccoli, onions, peas, and carrots in veggie gravy topped with mashed potatoes, and is ovenbaked. It comes with a side of two slices of potato-chive bread. $9.95

It's right out of the oven, so it is so hot, and obviously so fresh. They give such a good portion I thought it was too much for me to eat, but it was so delicious that I ate it all. Even the bread was amazing, too!

What I love about this restaurant is that they can take literally any dish and make it vegan. Whether it's scrambled eggs or chicken, there is no cruelty here. People think vegans eat just nuts and grain, but that's not true. We eat real meals, too. And none of the food here is dry and tasteless like at other veg resaurants. They really take creativity to a whole different level here.

And the prices are amazing! You would think as a vegan restaurant, you'd be spending more, but it's not like that. You can walk away spending only $7.50 for one meal. That's better than a lot of meat-serving places.

Ethos
1235 N Orange Ave, Suite 101

Orlando, FL 32804