Last week I found myself flipping through my new International Vegetarian Cookbook that I got for Christmas. I was looking for a tasty dish I could make for a friend who can’t eat gluten. I have no problem finding and making vegetarian dishes. I usually make some Italian style meal which includes bread and pasta. However, I’ve never attempted a gluten-free vegetarian meal. This was going to be a good challenge.

It's been long overdue since I've updated the blog. It always seems like forever to recover from the holiday parties and get rolling again in the New Year.

I've had several amazing vegetarian experiences in the past month but I want to share the most recent first. This evening I was in Keene, NH and found myself absolutely famished. I've been trying to eat healthy, not indulge in the typical "fast food" all while maintaining within my small budget. The quickest thought that came to mind was Country Life Vegetarian Buffet on Roxbury Street.

I've usually enjoyed their meals on a Sunday when they prepare the most delicious buffet. Tonight I wanted to to see what their evening options were. However, I didn't realize they were only open for lunch. I walked in around 5 p.m. I noticed it was a bit quieter than normal but perhaps it was just slow tonight. I asked one of the chef's behind the counter if they were still open. He hesitated and said, "yes, well, er, until I leave". I still had no idea they closed at 3 p.m. but still had their doors open. He said there were no hot meals left but could offer me a bowl of Italian Minestrone. Without skipping a beat, I accepted.

Several minutes later the kind man brought me a bowl of soup and said, it would be free. I was confused. He said they had leftovers and it could be mind for no cost, not a problem. As kind an offer as that was, I simply could not take it for free especially since most of their prices are extremely reasonable. Not to mention, the chef had gone out of his to heat up the soup on the stove and serve me while he was trying to clean up.

The Minestrone was simply delicious. It was packed with most any vegetable you can imagine. I enjoyed a small whole wheat roll with the soup. On this freezing cold evening, it definitely hit the spot.

The restaurant was mostly empty except for an elderly couple a few tables over from me. The woman was crocheting and the man was reading. The classical music in the background made for a relaxing and quite enjoyable evening. This was the perfect place to unwind from a stressful and chaotic day.  

I finished the soup and paid, thanking them several times for accommodating me at the last minute.

Country Life serves a lunch buffet Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. They offer a Sunday Brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., which is not to be missed. If you are skeptical about how some vegetarian meals taste, I assure you this is the place to face your fears. Country Life offers a wide range of options for your sweet tooth, salad appetite or spicy cravings. The best part is they had dedicated their non-profit restaurant to the Standard American Diet (SAD), so you don't have to worry about what's in your food. There is nothing quite like eating delicious food and not having to worry if it's good or bad for you.

If you want to take a look at their website before heading over to try a meal its: http://www.countryliferestaurant.com/.

I've been going to Country Life for years. The people are always friendly and hospitable. The food is always amazing. If you get a chance to stop by, let me know what you think.

Happy Eating!

For the past few weeks we have all been sampling new holiday recipes from friends and neighbors or making our own new creations. The holiday season just doesn’t seem complete if we aren’t eating at least a cookie or chocolate every few days. It's hard to pass up decadent candies when there seem to be on offer in nearly every aisle of a store. 

Besides personal experiences and recipes I want to include reviews of local vegetarian restaurants in this blog. This will be one in a series of reviews called “A Fresh Look”.

I was reading the news this afternoon, on the first snowy day of winter, and I came across a local story I just couldn't pass up sharing with you. First, let me give you a little bit of background as to why I love this story.

For as long as I can remember my family and I have taken a trip overseas or to Canada for Thanksgiving. Being that we are a family of vegetarians its usually easier to take a short holiday to places that don't celebrate the day. This year we took a trip up to Magog and Montreal, Canada.

This past weekend I found myself yet again perusing the aisles of Whole Foods. This time it was in Connecticut. Before Whole Foods I was browsing a lovely outdoor gear, equipment and clothing store. As I was walking through this store I made a mental note of how many of the fun outdoor things I wanted on my Christmas list. I also realized how expensive everything was. The same goes for most items found in Whole Foods. Something was wrong with this picture. If you want to be healthy and live an active lifestyle as any doctor recommends it usually comes at a high cost. Obviously, that doesn’t go for everything. But I want to point out some examples.

This past Sunday I experienced for the first time a Vegan Thanksgiving potluck dinner in Boston with the Boston Vegan Association (BVA). (I’ve had many vegetarian Thanksgiving dinners before but never completely vegan) I discovered the event a little over a week ago when I was browsing through VegNews’ magazine website. I attended the Boston Vegetarian Society’s Food Festival a few weeks prior. I thought this would be another great opportunity to meet new people who shared a similar eating lifestyle.

It’s that time of year again and everyone is preparing or attending family and friend holiday gatherings. These are usually fun social events. You can mingle and catch up with people you may not have seen for a while. Or sometimes they end up being a dreaded year long event where you aren’t too keen on reuniting with certain family members and friends.  

This past weekend was something of a vegetarian dream come true. I attended the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury. I have to admit, driving to the food festival I had my qualms as to what this event could offer. I had never been to a food festival before and had no idea what to expect.