Sweet on Sunday - Vegan Treats at the Magic Kingdom

We visited the Magic Kingdom this past week and spent a wonderful family day at the park. The crowds were minimal, and the Sprouts were able to ride their favorite rides repeatedly with very little waiting - the perfect way to do Disney.

It was quite warm that day, and I have to admit that I felt the tiniest twinge of longing seeing just about everyone else walking around with ice cream cones. As we walked past the ice cream parlor on Main Street on our way out of the park, Jim quickly turned around saying something about tofu . . . turns out that he'd glimpsed "Tofutti" on the menu!

Much to the Sprouts' delight (all of our delight, actually), they were serving both Tofutti and Rice Dream ice creams (one chocolate and one vanilla). And while neither of these are my favorite non-dairy ice cream (that would be my own followed closely by SoDelicious coconut milk ice cream), they were definitely tasty enough to feel like a special treat.

While I thought I'd made a great, new discovery, it turns out that my friend Jill at Vegan in the Kitchen has known about it for a while now. Check out her comprehensive list of locations that serve non-dairy ice cream and other vegan options throughout the Disney parks.

$10 at Infusion Tea for Only $5

Today's deal at Eversave is for $10 to spend on tea, veggie fare or yummy treats at Infusion Tea. You can check out my earlier review of Infusion here to get an idea of what's on the menu.

This is a great deal, but I probably have to admit that I won't be buying it. We love the food at Infusion, but honestly, we've pretty much stopped going because I get a less-than-friendly vibe there when we visit. If we're in that area, we typically prefer the super-friendly staffs at nearby Ethos or Dandelion. In fact, I just noticed that I let a past Eversave deal I'd purchased expire because I was so put off the last time we dined there.

Half Off Vegan Cupcakes at Raphsodic!!!

For those of you in the Orlando area, you've probably checked out Raphsodic Cooperative Company already and know what an amazing variety of vegan baked goods they offer, along with many gluten-free options.

With today's Living Social deal, you can buy a $20 gift certificate for only $10! If you plan to buy, please consider doing so through my referral link - then let me know when we're meeting for cupcakes!!!

Vegan Soul Food Saturdays at Raphsodic

Would a little vegan soul food hit the spot this weekend? Check out the new Soul Food Saturdays at Raphsodic Cooperative Bakery in Orlando. This special menu kicked off last weekend and is offered only on Saturdays from 11AM to 5PM.

On the menu this week . . . mac n cheese, collard greens, cornbread, waffles, sorrel and buffalo "chicken". Yum!

Sweet on Sunday - Raphsodic Cooperative Company

When your sweet tooth hits, take a drive downtown to check out Raphsodic Cooperative Company, a vegan bakery that offers an enticing variety of baked goods using all natural and organic ingredients. With a commitment to the environment and the community, Raphsodic features art, gift and gourmet food items produced by local artisans in addition to the vegan treats made in-house.

In addition to an all-vegan menu, Raphsodic also features a wide variety of gluten-free baked goods. Unexpected, gourmet flavors seem to be Raphsodic's trademark.

Recent offerings included cupcakes with exotic flavors such as lavender, pina colada, latte and pear-walnut blue cheese, as well as raw desserts such as lemon raspberry cheesecake, pineapple cake and coconut macaroons. Perhaps our favorite of all the goodies are their cookie sandwiches - two cookies sandwiched together with icing in delectable flavors like lemon or lavender.

As part of their commitment to the environment, all bags, boxes, wrapping papers, business cards, coupons, stickers and flyers are all made with high content post consumer waste recycled papers and soy and vegetable based inks. Raphsodic also provides regular donations to organizations that help animals, people and the community.

Ready to indulge your sweet tooth? Raphsodic is located on Mills Avenue just north of Colonial Drive. The are open from 11AM - 8PM on Monday and Tuesday, 11AM - 9PM on Wednesday, 11AM - 10PM on Thursday and 11AM to 11PM on Friday and Saturday.

Sweet on Sunday - New Gluten-Free Bakery in Winter Park

Jim has mentioned a few times that an acquaintance from his martial arts studio recently opened a gluten-free bakery in Winter Park, but it wasn't until recently that I learned they had added a few vegan items to their menu. So when I saw it the other day - practically attached to the store I'd stopped at for pet food -  I decided to treat the Sprouts to a cupcake at Natural Delights.

Once there, I was surprised to learn that not only were all their items gluten-free but sugar-free as well. Instead of refined sugar, all their goodies are sweetened with stevia, agave, dates or yacon syrup (a sweetener that was definitely new to me). In addition to the sweets, they also make smoothies and their Green Goddess (spinach, cucumber, green apple, green grapes & kiwi) is on my list to try on our next visit.

Very Vegan Valentine's Dinner at Infusion Tea

If you're in the Orlando area and looking for a special Valentine's date, check out the Very Vegan Valentine's Dinner at Infusion Tea this Saturday, February 12th at 7:00 pm. The four-course dining experience features a completely vegan menu and includes your choice of wine or tea pairings with each course.

Here's what's on the menu:

- Savory Winter Squash Soup served in Roasted Pumpkins

- "Heart of Christmas" Gourmet Mesclun Salad with Apple and Macadamia Nuts in Vegan Yogurt Dressing

- Portabello Wellington with Roasted Asparagus

- Chocolate Decadence Dessert

I'm guessing that the dinner is similar to the Fall Harvest Dinner that Infusion hosts each October. Jim and I attended this past fall for our anniversary, and the food was absolutely wonderful. I was also able to mix and match the wine and tea pairings, having a glass of wine with the first course and tea with the rest of them.

The cost for the dinner is $39 per person, and reservations are required. Call 407-999-5255 to make a reservation, or visit their website for more details.

Ethos Vegan Kitchen

I still can't believe that Ethos Vegan Kitchen wasn't our first restaurant review considering it's probably our favorite place to eat here in Orlando. When they opened three years ago, Ethos became Orlando's first vegan restaurant . . . and if you eat a plant-based diet, you know that nothing can compete with the thrill of being able to order anything off the menu! Couple that with a super-friendly staff and great food, and it makes it well worth the 25 minute drive it takes us to get there.

Ethos' diverse menu is filled with vegan comfort foods, so we're often tempted to make a less-than-healthy choice when we eat there. Occasionally we have the will-power to choose salad, soup or my favorite hummus wrap - but mostly we consider it to be one of our few real splurges food-wise.

The Sprouts love the pizza, which they usually top with spinach, broccoli and vegan pepperoni. On Saturdays, they always choose the lunch special of mac & cheese, and Big Sprout has been really into the Potato Broccoli Soup. My favorites are the Samson Burger, the Coconut Curry Wrap and the Hippie Wrap, while Jim likes the What's the Dilly Philly, Crispy Chickun Salad and Chickun Marsala.

Mac & Cheese with a side of broccoli

 Hippie Wrap

What's the Dilly Philly

On Sundays, we try to invent some reason to "be in the area" so we can swing by for their amazing brunch. They offer a rotating special in addition to menu favorites such as pancakes, biscuits and gravy and a breakfast burrito.

Located in Ivanhoe Row near downtown Orlando, Ethos is open Monday through Saturday from 11AM to 10PM and Sundays from 10AM to 3PM for brunch. Prices are extremely reasonable, ranging from $5.95 for the Hippie Wrap to $12.95 for the Pecan Crusted Eggplant. If you stop by, be sure to tell them the Sprouts send you!

Photography by Big Sprout.

Ethos Vegan Kitchen Turns 3!!!

Today, one of our favorite restaurants, Ethos Vegan Kitchen is celebrating their third birthday . . . and we're celebrating three years of having a restaurant in town from which we can actually order anything on the menu! Visit today and receive a free cookie as part of their celebration.

I'll be posting a full restaurant review later this weekend!

Infusion Tea

Today we met friends for lunch at Infusion Tea, and as always, I realized how lucky we are to have so many healthy options for dining out in Orlando. Infusion is a vegetarian cafe and tea house in the quaint College Park area of Orlando.

In addition to offering a wide selection of loose teas and great salads, soups and sandwiches, Infusion also plays host to a wide range of interesting local events, including a Thursday-night farmers market, art openings, live music and a variety of holistic events and meetings. With advance notice, you can order afternoon tea on a three-tiered silver platter and they also offer special packages for showers and "little diva" birthday parties.

Sharing space with Infusion is Artistree Co-op, a unique gift boutique and art gallery featuring art, jewelry and gifts made by local artisans. We always enjoy browsing in the shop while waiting for lunch to be served.

Here's what was on the menu today . . .

Mama Sprout
Milton Special - Organic field greens with roasted beets, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, tomato, cucumber, hummus and tabouleh topped off with a balsamic dressing.

Big Sprout

Pesto Panini - Roasted red peppers, artichokes, eggplant, spinach, tomato and vegan pesto pressed on thick ciabatta bread (he had his without the tomato).

Little Sprout

Cashew Butter & Jelly Sandwich - Cashew butter and strawberry preserves on whole wheat bread, served with a side of organic grapes.

If you're in the mood, finish your meal with a variety of local gelato (including several vegan flavors), baked goods or handmade chocolates from the Chocolate Provocateur. Chair massage by Take 5 Massage is also available on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 4PM.

EPCOT's Chefs de France

We ended up eating at Chefs de France at EPCOT today, which was one of our favorite park restaurants in our pre-vegan days. I have fond memories of Noah as a toddler enjoying salad, quiche and French onion soup there while sneaking sips of my iced tea.

Today, our menu options are much more limited. No one at the restaurant grasped the word "vegan", and when I explained that we didn't eat meat, eggs or dairy, they looked at us with pity thinking that we must have horrible food allergies. We had actually planned to bring a snack to the park and eat a late lunch on our way home, but we were having such a great time that we wanted to stay longer - which explains our dropping in unannounced with no reservation and no pre-explanation of our dietary requirements.

Back when we still ate a little cheese, I remember loving the vegetable lasagna there, so I asked if they could prepare it without the cheese. They were more than happy to oblige, although they did decline the cut the dish that the Sprouts were sharing in half because they were worried it would look sloppy on the plate. And, of course, they were right. Here's a picture of Big Sprout's dish after I served him his half.

So, I posted this not so you could see how unattractive it looked, but so you could see what was in there. The lasagna was three large lasagna noodles layered with a light red sauce (tasted like roasted red pepper) filled with chopped veggies, including eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomato and onions. It was nice to have a veggie pasta dish that was actually loaded with veggies. We all enjoyed it, but next time I'll definitely add a salad and take a closer look at the veggie sides that they have available.

Healthful Dining at Disney

We're headed to EPCOT in the morning for a field trip, and I've been trying to decide if we should bring a lunch or eat at the park. Before we completely cut out dairy, it was easy to find a good lunch almost anywhere. But a healthy, vegan lunch is harder to come by.

Fortunately, Disney really is on the cutting edge when it comes to accommodating special diets. My friend Jill at Vegan in the Kitchen just wrote a wonderful post about their recent experiences dining veg in the parks. Be sure to check it out if you're looking for healthy, plant-based options in the park.

We spent Big Sprout's birthday at EPCOT this year and were nicely accommodated at the Nine Dragons restaurant in China - right down to the vegan chocolate cake. A more recent visit to Tokyo Dining in Japan served up some delicious vegan sushi - the Sprouts' favorite - and a warning that the miso soup contained fish paste (who would have guessed)?

On an evening that we neglected to make a dining reservation, we ended up at the Sunshine Seasons food court, which offered a surprising number of veg-friendly options. Big Sprout chose a noodle bowl with tofu and veggies, while Little Sprout opted for vegetable soup and soy yogurt. Both enjoyed a Silk soy milk and a vegan chocolate chip cookie for dessert (yes, I went a little overboard!) Although we don't eat gluten-free, I couldn't help noticing a number of GF options, too.

Can you maintain a healthy, plant-based diet while visiting the Disney parks? Absolutely! The only question left to answer is where to eat tomorrow!