Yerbabuena

Christmas is a time to eat with family and friends, so why not make it healthy? J and I went to yerbabuena today. It is a nice restaurant in the heart of Madrid. It is a little small but the waiters are very very nice. The inside is relaxed, clean and comfortable.

We had a try it all menu. Seriously, I had to take a doggy bag. For starters we got some hummus, beet juice, pinapple and coconut juice with poppy seads, salmorejo and a small salad with vegan shrimps (truly amazing!).

Salmorejo & Shrimp Salad

 To follow up, some nachos with cheese, guacamole and some spicy tomato sauce. We were certainly full after this one.

Nachos with cheese

And then, our main dish. J got a vegetable cake with blue chese with some  more veggies on the side and I got some vegetable crepes with nuts, flaxsead, spices and with some veggies as a side too.

Veggie Crepes

 It may not look so big, but believe me... it got me full half way through it. J felt the same with his. I think we can't call ourselves cookie monsters anymore.

Veggie cake (it is under all the white)

Last but not least, desert. Cake or yogurt. Oh! I always have a sweet tooth so I chose an apple cake while J got some Kefir with honey.

Apple cake with some yogur and cornflakes.

Light and filled with cinammon. I absolutely loved it :) And the presentation? Fabolous! I have to admit that J's Kefir was much better than I expected. I'm not so much into Kefir because it is too acid for me.

Kefir with a honey heart ;)

So, is anyone's mouth not yet watering? ;)

El Vergel

J and I were feeling sooo veggie today :) We had an offer at El Vergel restaurant, so we decided to go today. It is located near Príncipe Pío at Paseo de la Florida, 53. Upstairs a veggie-shop, downstairs...where they cook all the goodies!

 

The restaurant is orange themed: walls, decorations, paintings and even napkins. Candles at the tables with books to read if one likes. Relaxing. The menu has many options but we took the sampling tasting menu.

Starters

As a starter they brought was some delicious fried-like vegetables and some bread to go with it. Soon after, 4 dishes (chef's choice) were brought to our table: goat cheese salad with caramelized onion, walnuts, raisins and lettuce, brocolli filled red pepper with cheese, black rice (as if with seafood), and two croquetas (a type of Spanish tapas).

It thrilled me that they brought us a goat cheese salad, it is sure my fave. I have to admit I was almost full by this point but we still had our main dish and dessert to go (I shouldn't have eaten breakfast!). I had ordered lasagna and J got seitan fillets.

 Dessert was nice, I had some vegan orange custard and J sipped along with a soft lemon milkshake made with yogurt.

Oh, and last but not least...tea! It was so nice to sit and talk after lunch. It was sure a delightful evening, and I sure recommend this restaurant. They offer daily menu for 10 euros which includes two main dishes, bread, drink and coffee or tea, quite a deal right?

And of course... I couldn't help treating myself to some of my favorite soy yogurt: Sojade.

Omega 3

There are 3 essential fatty acids that our body requires for a good nutrition. Most of them are easily found on vegeterian resources such as avocados, soy, nuts... One may also find eggs with omega 3 (chicks are fed with flaxseed).

VERY IMPORTANT:  the ratio between omega 6 and omega 3  consumption should be between 2:1 and 4:1. This might be quite dificult nowadays because most products have high amounts of omega 6.

Linwoods offers milled seeds, an excellent daily supplement

Using monosaturated fats and oils in cooking such as olive, canola or nuts oil is highly recommended. Also, oils rich in omega 3 like flaxseed oil may be used but NOT heated.

There are three types of omega 3 acids: ALA, DHA and EPA. DHA and EPA can only be found in fish. However, they can be synthesized by our organisms with ALA. So... we are ok ;)

I recommend buying flaxseed (6€/kg) and grinding it at home with an electric coffee grinder. It is not so  expensive as buying Linwoods already milled flaxseed (16€/kg).


Source of nutrient amounts: The Food Processor Nutrition and Fitness Software, ESHA (except as indicated)

Food	Serving Size	Omega-3 Content
flaxseed oil	1 Tbsp	7.5 grams
flaxseed*	1 Tbsp	2.8 grams
walnut oil	2 Tbsp	2.8 grams
canola oil	2 Tbsp	2.5 grams
walnut halves	1/4 cup	2.3 grams
soybean oil	2 Tbsp	1.9grams
soybeans	1/2 cup	.3 grams
pecans, chpd	1/4 cup	.3 grams
tofu	4 oz	.3 grams
soy milk	8 oz	.2 grams
wheat germ	1/4 cup	.2 grams
kale, boiled	1/2 cup	.1 grams

Type of Oil	Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratio
flaxseed	0.3:1
canola	2:1
walnut	5:1
soybean	7:1
corn	58:1
safflower	365:1

Resources:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2001sep/2001sepomega3.htm
http://jillharris.suite101.com/omega3s-for-vegetarians-a50504
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid#Other_sources
*source: Cyberdiet.com

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Make your own Soy Yogurts (:

Ingredients:





1 Natural Soy Yogurt
1 Liter of Soy Milk


Tools:



Small Spoon
Yogurt Maker

Instructions:

1 . Put one soy yogurt spoon in each glass.



2. Fill with soy milk until the glass is half way full.



3. Mix well with the spoon.



4. Fill the whole glass with soy milk and mix again.



5. Plug in the yogurt maker. Let the yogurts "cook" during 8-12 hours. The time of "cooking" depends on the weather. In summer, less time is required due to the higher temperatures. One may also cover the yogurt maker with a cloth to help keep the heat.

6. Put the tap on each yogurt and save in the refrigerator. Once they are cold, they are ready.



RECOMENDATIONS:
- One may use fortified soy milk products with calcium, vitamin B12 and/or D to ensure better nutrition.
- Herbalist natural yogurts are the best. I haven't tried with comercialized soy yogurts.
- This recipe also applays to cow milk yoguts. The same process is required.
- This yogurt may be enjoyed with honey, brown sugar, cereals, and/or fruit.

La Biotika

I'm sometimes in the mood of treating myself to a nice healthy meal. You know -  The type that makes you feel full but good inside.

I'm not thinking about a elegant or fancy restaurant. It's actually like dinning in you own living room. That's when "La Biotika" comes to my mind.

It is located in the center of Madrid, near Puerta del Sol, in Huertas. The outside of the restaurant doesn't call much one's attention, but as soon as you walk in, a small store of bio-products catches your eye, and the waiter welcomes  you in. The inside is simple with an open kitchen.

As soon as one sits down, the waiter brings water, bread, and some nuts. 

A minute later, the menus are handed out, and the fun begins.

The meal consits of soup, salad, a main dish with 3 different veggie-dishes, dessert, and tea. There are normally two differents soups to choose from. Also, one may picks a macrobiotic or a vegetarian meal. For dessert, they offer home-backed cakes (Algarroba is espectacular!), baked apple, soy yogurt or kefir. Teas vary from day to day.

Great place to enjoy with friends or family. Even better for dates, specially if your sweetheart likes vegetarian food. It's always crowded for lunch during the weekend, so it is better to make a reservation. At night, on the contrary, it's enought to go a little early (around 9 o'clock is fine). It also makes a good choice for celebrating birthdays. Once can order a cake... they are great.

It is a very affordable restaurant. Plus, every now and then they have 2x1 promotion for dinner during weekdays.

So... anyone feeling like some homemade vegetarian food?

Oh! Almost forgot. On Sunday afternoons they offer cooking classes, so the restaurant is closed.  They also have different events :)