Soya & Pomodoro Part 1: Downtown Miami’s Little Piece of Italy

By Jessica Michael

Walking into Soya feels like walking onto a street in Italy.  Granted, I have never been to Italy like Ashley has, it feels exotic and timeless.  The fact that the waiters speak Italian definitely adds to the charm!

We are by no means the first to review this restaurant; on the wall are “positive review” plaques from the New Times, Miami Herald and Zagat.  The reviews are well deserved, even if just for the transporting experience.

Soya is actually quite hidden away between northeast 1st street and 2nd avenue downtown.  We only stumbled on it because our original restaurant choice was closed for the holidays – or for good, we couldn’t tell.

First thing when you walk in, is the kitchen and staff.  To the left is the sit-down area which actually looks like it’s between two old buildings with a roof overhead.  I really thought places like this only existed in Manhattan, the more I dine out in Miami, the more I fall in love with it.

In the back is a nifty little book store which makes it even more lovely.

At Soya, I ordered the Soy Burger with fresh spinach, tomato & mozzarella on Ciabatta bread.  It was delicious, fresh and so big that I ate only half the burger and brought the rest home (which was still delicious later by the way).

Overall, Soya is a wonderful experience.  The waiters seem very busy and you will probably sit very close to your fellow patrons but it all adds to the excitement of the place.  If you can’t afford the expensive airfare to Italy, just stop by Soya & Pomodoro for a $10 or so lunch time “shot” of Italy.

New Year Resolutions: Vegan Weight Loss/Muscle Gaining Regimen

by Ashley Morgan

While it sounds incredibly kitschy, Jessica and I have decided to do the most cliché thing I can think of this time of year: take a New Year resolution that we have every intention of keeping. We are going to lose weight and gain lean muscle, all on a completely vegan diet. Jessica has me hooked on all of the success stories BodyBuilding.com has for women. There are literally dozens of stories coming from women of all ages, sizes and ethnicities, complete with their full diet and exercise programs used to come to these results.

The thing we noticed while looking at all of these stories was that they use tons of supplements and almost no vegetarian/vegan protein options. Jessica being the huge fan of Brendan Brazier that she is, we are fully aware that it is absolutely possible to build lean muscle without consuming animal protein. We haven’t started yet (don’t want to set ourselves up for failure on New Year’s Eve), but I am going to start eating better between now and Monday. We will begin the full plan on January 02^nd, so if you want to do it with us, by all means please do. And if you do choose to join in, please send us a quick message or comment, we’d love to hear from you to help keep us motivated.

(These are rough ideas of a plan that we haven’t yet started. These may and probably will be changed as we begin, but we will let you know of any changes made throughout the plan.)

The Diet Plan

Breakfast –

½ cup plain oatmeal

1 cup spinach, banana and strawberry smoothie, with one scoop vegan protein powder

Snack #1 –

½ cup hummus with raw celery

OR

Vegan protein bar

Lunch –

Lean vegan protein, such as tofu, tempeh or beans

Vegetables

Whole grain or seeds, such as quinoa, barley, brown rice or millet

Snack #2 –

1 cup almond milk with scoop of vegan protein powder

OR
Vegan protein bar

Dinner –

Lean vegan protein, such as tofu, tempeh or beans

Vegetables

Whole grain or seeds, such as quinoa, barley, brown rice or millet

OPTIONAL Snack #3 –

If you absolutely need another snack after working out, try an apple, ½ cup oatmeal or a vegan protein bar.

The Workout Plan*

(*this workout plan is taken 100% from Rebecca Bargeloh’s success story on BodyBuilding.com)

Day 1: 30-45 minutes cardio (130+ heart rate)

Day 2: Upper Body

Dumbbell Bicep Curl, 3 sets of 15 reps

Side Lateral Rise, 3 sets of 15 reps

Front Dumbbell Raise, 3 sets of 15 reps

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown, 3 sets of 15 reps

Day 3: 30-45 minutes cardio (130+ heart rate)

Day 4: Lower Body

Barbell Squat, 3 sets of 15 reps

Dumbbell Lunges, 3 sets of 15 reps

Seated Leg Curl, 3 sets of 15 reps

Standing Calf Raises, 3 sets of 15 reps

Day 5: 30-45 minutes cardio (130+ heart rate)

Day 6: Full Body

Pushups, 3 sets of 15 reps

Dumbbell Bench Press, 3 sets of 15 reps

Triceps Pushdown, 3 sets of 15 reps

Side Lateral Raise, 3 sets of 15 reps

Barbell Deadlift, 3 sets of 15 reps

Dumbbell Lunges, 3 sets of 15 reps

Barbell Squat, 3 sets of 15 reps

Day 7: Active rest day (clean the house, go for a walk on the beach)

Christmas Airplane Cookies

Merry Christmas to all! Today is a day to spend with loving friends and family, so what better way than making some cute cutout cookies together?

No recipe today, just a few pictures for inspiration =)

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas.

Kork Wine and Cheese- Sangria and Mimosa Saturdays!

By Jessica Michael

Kork is one of the hippest wine bars in downtown Miami (if not the hippest).  It’s not hip for its “new age” themes or sexy bartenders.  It’s hip because it’s laid back, the decor gives you the feeling of being inside an oak wine barrel, and the staff is incredibly friendly.

Armed with our Couptessa coupons last Saturday, four of us trudged our way downtown; braved the parking and slid into our seats for some UNLIMITED Sangrias and Mimosas.  From 12-4pm every Saturday, Kork has these unlimited Saturdays that are a great way to  have brunch with the girls, celebrate a birthday, an engagement, etc.  The first floor is the bar with a few tables and then downstairs is additional seating in the wine cellar.

If you didn’t get a chance to purchase the Couptessa coupon, no matter, you can still have unlimited Sangrias and Mimosas for $15.  Their salads are fabulous as well, loaded with goodies you expect to see at a fancy restaurant like figs and candied pecans.  Delicious!

Not only is this place fantastic, it also has a $5 happy hour on the weekdays (excluding Mondays).  The only downside to Kork is that it’s downtown Miami next to Macys.  The parking is either astronomical or hard to find.  We were able to finally find parking for $5 (Saturday rate) all day at a parking lot two blocks north of Kork and were pretty happy with it.

**Update: According to Kork, Valet will be available starting next week so you won’t have to worry about the parking anymore!

For more information go to http://www.wix.com/korkmiami/korkwineandcheese#! and tell them Veg On the Run sent you!  And… as always DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

POC Sushi Buffet, Weston

By Jessica Michael

At the risk of exposing this secret hideaway, I’d love to tell you about this amazing Sushi Buffet a friend took me to this weekend.  It’s quaint and looks like it’s not open but if you round the corner, you’ll find bamboo, tables and a “we’re open” sign.

The special part of coming here is that the sushi is crisp and delicious – it was the best sushi I’ve had in a long time and it didn’t have just avocado and cucumber!  Plus your take-home is by the pound; two rolls (for my husband) of smoked salmon was only $8.79!  That’s 16 pieces and I had also added two sashimi!  Those prices are unheard of unless you know a great local dive.

We came for the buffet which was “unlimited” sushi bar/buffet, Miso soup, Hibachi Veggies and dessert ($12.75).  The service is very good and extremely helpful.  Overall, this place is a “must-try” for any sushi enthusiast.

For more information on POC, go to http://www.pocbuffet.com/en/.  They have locations in Weston and Coral Gables.

Hibachi Grilled Vegetables

Miso Soup

Veggie Salad Sushi

Holiday Giveaway for Facebook Fans! (COMPLETED)

Announcing BERNADETTE CHAN as our winner! Thank you to everyone who participated. Please visit often and let us know what else you’d like to see on the site! Who knows when we might have another little surprise for our fans!!

Happy holidays!

The holidays are upon us! It’s such a wonderful time of year, but this year is especially special for Jessica and I as it is also Veg On The Run’s first Christmas! To thank all of our readers and fans, we are giving away a $20 $25 Whole Foods giftcard to a randomly chosen fan on Facebook.

The drawing will happen at 12:00 PM NOON EST, next Friday 16th December 2011.

Please make sure to “LIKE” us on Facebook to be entered into the drawing!

Visit our Facebook page here to be entered into the drawing! And check back at NOON EST on Friday, 16^th December 2011 to see if you won!

Tropical Eggnog: Vegan Coquito Recipe

by Ashley Morgan

The holiday season is filled with childish delights – those that make us recall our memories of Santa Claus and sleigh bells. Yet the Christmas season also brings headaches, crowds and the stress of getting the right gifts under the tree. Sometimes no amount of jingle bells and snow angels can get you into the spirit. Plus, dancing with sugar plum fairies is much more fun with a little rum. Once the kids are tucked into bed, take out your blender and whip up this treat for you and your guests to really get the Christmas mood started.

 

Coquito, the official holiday beverage of Puerto Rico, is basically a mix between strong eggnog and coconut milk.  The traditional coquito is made with sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream of coconut, giving it a thick texture and a tropical note. I’ve attempted to make a vegan shortcut version, utilizing vegan soy nog and Coco López coconut cream. It’s tasty, not quite as thick as the original, however many omnivore friends have enjoyed it tremendously.

 

Let us know what you think and what your favorite “after bedtime” indulgences are for the holidays!

 

Puerto Rican Coquito

3 cups vegan soy nog (Earth Balance or Silk work great)

1 (14 oz) can cream of coconut (Coco López)

½ cup white rum (Bacardi is vegan!)

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Blend all ingredients on high for one minute. Serve chilled.

 

Makes approx. 6 servings.