Last month I had the pleasure of presenting at Seed Food and Wine Festival in Miami. This was the first upscale plant-based food festival that featured gourmet dinners with wine pairings, celebrity book signings, beach-front brunch and of course, an all-day food tasting. In this blog, I want to share my favorite of the locally made treats I sampled at the event.
Chef Cristy’s Cinnamon Rolls
This is by far my favorite product from the festival. If you like the sweet and gooey part of Cinnabon’s cinnamon roll but are not a fan of the extra fat, calories and gluten, then you’re in luck! Chef Cristy came up with a fabulous recipe for a raw, vegan, gluten-free, organic cinnamon roll. Each package comes with three 70-calorie rolls, making it a perfect size for a decadent dessert. I also loved Chef Cristy’s Raw Velvet Rolls that are filled with sweet coconut-cashew cream. I still can’t decide which variety I like best, so I’ll have to keep buying them both. Fortunately, the Whole Foods Market in Boca also fell in love with these treats and just started to carry them.
22 Days Nutrition
They say that it takes 21 days to break a habit, and after 22 days it’s smooth sailing. That’s the phrase that drives Miami-based Marco Borges, the man who transformed the way Beyonce eats, works out and, consequently, looks. Besides being a fitness guru, Borges is the creator of 22 Days Nutrition bars – plant-based energy bars that are gluten-free, soy-free and protein-rich. Luckily, you don’t have to be a celebrity to afford these bars. They cost about $3 each and can be found at many grocery and vitamin stores around the area. If he knows the secret to Queen B’s beauty and sells it in a form of delicious snacks in gold wrappers, why not give it a try?
Tio Gazpacho
Being a conservative eater, it took Austin Allan many months of living in Spain to open up to the idea of trying the Spanish delicacy, gazpacho. But once he tried it, there was no going back. It was love at first sip. Today, Allan brings his passion to South Florida, beautifully packaged in a 16-oz bottle as Tio Gazpacho. You can choose from Gazpacho Clasico: a traditional Spanish recipe, Gazpacho de Sol: slightly sweeter twist on gazpacho (my favorite) and Gazpacho Verde, which has the boldest and spiciest flavor profile. If you’re looking for a way to get more veggies into your diet without needing a spoon or bowl, definitely check out Tio Gazpacho.
Peace A’ Cake
Peace A’ Cake is nothing more and nothing less than an amazing desert option if you want to have your cake and eat it too! When we were kids, sweets and cakes were treats we looked forward to. They were often used as “rewards.” Now as grown ups, many of us feel “guilty” when we indulge in these delicacies. We know they’re fattening and unhealthy, and every bite is followed by a sense of guilt and regret. Not anymore. Peace A’ Cake is a delicious, tasty cake your taste buds and your body will love. Each box comes with four portion-controlled mini cakes that are made with vegan and gluten-free ingredients, such as quinoa and brown rice flours, coconut palm nectar and coconut oil. There are no preservatives and no refined sugars. Basically, there’s nothing in it that’s bad for you. I love the double chocolate and white chocolate almond cranberry flavors, but try them all to find your favorite.
Enzyme DR.
I have been a fan of enzymes for years and I want to share a great new local brand: Enzyme DR, created by Miami-based Dr. Matthew Cooper. For those unfamiliar, enzymes are protein molecules that help us digest our food. They naturally occur in plants and can also be produced by our digestive systems. The challenge with enzymes found in food is that they die when food is heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw fruits and vegetables are high in enzymes, so they’re easier and faster to digest than a slice of baked or processed pizza. Even though our bodies produce digestive enzymes, their production decreases with age, so I recommend taking enzyme supplements when eating cooked foods to aid in digestion. Enzyme DR offers an effective blend of all-vegan digestive enzymes that are proven to help indigestion, bloating or gas. If you suffer from these conditions after eating heavy meals, I suggest giving Enzyme DR a try.
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About Alina Z.
Alina Z., aka “The Green Goddess,” is a certified holistic health coach, detox specialist and raw-food chef (she conducts occasional classes at Whole Foods in Boca). Prior to moving to Florida, Alina hosted her own TV show in Maryland—“Entertaining A to Z”—for people who didn’t have time to cook but wanted to eat healthy. Catch one of her web episodes at eHow.com, visit Alina’s website at alinaz.com, or follow her on Facebook (facebook.com/CoutureFood) or Twitter (@CoutureFood). The Green Goddess blog runs every other Wednesday at bocamag.com.
