Souen Part I

Souen is an organic vegan macrobiotic restaurant just south of Union Square. According to Souen's website, "The idea of macrobiotic is very simple. It is thought that by eating balanced foods such as grains and vegetables that are more local and in season, we can maintain good physical and spiritual health and live in harmony with nature"

Souen's menu includes balanced foods such as soup, salad, basics (noodles, tofu, tempeh, seitan, pickles, steamed vegetables, hijiki), planet platters (see below), small plates, sushi, chef's specials, vegetarian plates, tempura, and a favorites section. For non-vegans they also serve fish and seafood. To visit their website click here. There are three locations in New York; Union Square, Soho and the East Village. I usually frequent the original location at Union Square. On a recent visit, I ordered the following items for take-out:

Chef Salad

Broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, daikon, avocado, cucumber, sprout, yam and seaweed on a bed of mesclun. Served with choice of carrot dressing or oil-free sesame vinaigrette. I really enjoyed the chef's salad with carrot dressing. The combination of all ingredients created a nice balanced salad.

Sesame and Carrot dressing

Small Planet Platter

Brown rice, bean (navy), hijiki seaweed, and steamed vegetables (kale, kabocha, carrot, taro, and cabbage). I almost always order the small planet platter because I love kabocha squash. One of my favorite root vegetables.

Yuba

Fine tofu rolls marinated in light soy sauce, then steamed. Very light and tasty.

Goma-ae

Steamed greens (snap peas) with black sesame sauce. These greens were steamed perfectly. I liked the crisp texture of the snap peas. I hate it when greens are steamed or cooked too long. When that happens, I feel like I'm eating baby food. Not here though!

For more delicious healthy food stay tuned for Souen Part II.

Viva Herbal Pizzeria

Viva serves kosher vegetarian and vegan food including salads, soups, pizza, sandwiches, and pasta. They also have a selection of Vegan Treats dessert such as cake, brownies, cheesecake, cookies, and whoopie pies. They offer between 6-8 vegan options on three different types of crust; cornmeal, spelt, and whole wheat. You can also add Chicago Soy Teese for an extra $1.50. The pizza slices at Viva are equivalent to two slices, therefore I usually ask the nice people behind the counter to cut them in half. Below are some of the slices I've tried. (Rating on a scale of 1 to 4 Stars)

Picante Slice ****

Whole Wheat crust with soy sausage, roasted red peppers, onion, and crushed red pepper flakes. This is by far my favorite slice. I love anything spicy, so this pizza is right up my alley.

Zen Slice ***1/2

Spelt crust with green tea herbed miso tofu, green tea basil pesto, shiitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, sundried tomato, roasted garlic. There is a lot going on with the Zen, but amazingly enough, it was actually quite tasty.

Santa Cruz Slice ***

Spelt crust with fresh tomato, broccoli, mushrooms, red onion, and tomato sauce. I love the combination of broccoli and mushrooms, but the tomato slices were just okay.

Santa Cruz with Teese ***

I've never tried Teese until now. I have to say that it was alright. I had high expectations for this vegan cheese product, but it didn't blow me away. I'll give it another try soon because we all need second chances right?

In the photo you will find Viva's address and phone number. To view their menu click here. Definitely give this place the next time you visit NY.

Tofu Stir-fry

I was craving white rice for lunch today, therefore I made stir-fried veggies with tofu. The meal consisted of pan-seared (cubed) tofu, french green beans (haricot vert), shiitake mushrooms, and onion. The sauce was made with tamari, sesame oil, sugar, salt, vegetarian mushroom seasoning, water and a little Bragg Liquid Aminos. For some added heat, try adding Siracha to the dish.

Saturday Brunch and More...

I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted tofu scramble or pancakes, therefore I made both! I made a lot of food, but wanted a little sample of everything (I love a variety when it comes to brunch). Plus, extra food=leftovers:)

Sunday Brunch Plate

Clockwise from the top; pan-roasted organic fingerling potatoes, smoky tempeh bacon strips, garden tofu scramble, 5-minute pancakes with maple syrup, 1/4 slick of Ezekiel toast with earth balance, 1/4 of a mini-whole wheat bagel with scallion Tofutti cream cheese topped and sliced cucumbers, organic blueberries, and an organic tangelo slice. This was a nice to treat to a gloomy NY day.

Mushroom Pasta

For lunch, I enjoyed this simple pasta with crimini mushrooms, petite peas, zucchini and Tofurky Italian Sausage.

Vegan Chicken Caesar Salad

Lastly for dinner, I had this vegan chicken caesar salad topped with nutritional yeast.

Fresh Fruit and Flowers

I always like to keep fresh cut fruit in the fridge for a quick snack (see another post about fruit here). Pictured above are oranges, lychee, watermelon, blueberries and cantaloupe (all organic except for the lychee).

I also brightened up the apartment with these flowers today:)

Hope you're enjoying the end of spring. Summer is right around the corner!