Vegan Options / Vegetarian

Sophia Belle

Trickle Down Economist
#1
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to eat. All kinds of food, I’ll try just about anything… I’ve spent so much time looking for the best Restaurants and steakhouses on Long Island and everywhere else that I travel… and I have loved every minute of it.

However, I’m taking on a new challenge. About 4 weeks ago I made a decision to go vegan. Focusing on my health and well being has become more and more important to me as I get older. I’ve been much more successful than even I thought possible. Between trying all sorts of smoothie combinations and learning to cook vegan meals on you tube, it’s been a great new learning experience.

I’m just reaching out to the UG community and lurkers that always email me info … does anyone have any advice on some really good vegan restaurants? Or restaurants with legit vegan options? I’m still hunting for the best restaurants, just within the parameters of a vegan diet/lifestyle.

Thanks in advance ❤️
 
#3
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to eat. All kinds of food, I’ll try just about anything… I’ve spent so much time looking for the best Restaurants and steakhouses on Long Island and everywhere else that I travel… and I have loved every minute of it.

However, I’m taking on a new challenge. About 4 weeks ago I made a decision to go vegan. Focusing on my health and well being has become more and more important to me as I get older. I’ve been much more successful than even I thought possible. Between trying all sorts of smoothie combinations and learning to cook vegan meals on you tube, it’s been a great new learning experience.

I’m just reaching out to the UG community and lurkers that always email me info … does anyone have any advice on some really good vegan restaurants? Or restaurants with legit vegan options? I’m still hunting for the best restaurants, just within the parameters of a vegan diet/lifestyle.

Thanks in advance ❤️
Try Tula Kitchen in bay Shore, been around forever and been doing vegan/vegetarian food before it got hot.
You could also try the following spots, The Purple Elephant in Northport, 3 Brothers Vegan Cafe in Copiague, Organic Corner in Massapequa.
 
#4
https://www.3brothersveganpizzacafe.com/
75 Merritts Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735

I've had their regular pizza but not vegan stuff and it was good. Main St Pizza is not vegan but it is great.

Are you sure you are interested in vegan as opposed to vegetarian? Vegan is very strict, for example honey for your tea is not vegan as it comes from bees or certain supplements like Vitamin D3 or certain waxes used on fruit such as apples.

I do mostly vegetarian, but will have eggs, cheese, and lots of seafood. Maybe couple times a year I'll have chicken and broccoli chinese, and ham in pea soup, etc. Maybe corn beef and cabbage on St Pats day. I have Sockeye Salmon once a week to get Omega-3's

If you do go total vegetarian (and especially vegan) you must take B12 either as a supplement and/or with B12 fortified foods as it is not supplied naturally in those diets. Do a search B12 vegan. I shake nutritional yeast (most brands have lots of B12) on salads, soups, pasta and even pop corn. Has a tasty cheesy flavor. I use Bragg or Bob's Red Mill brands. (Bragg has a nice shaker container that you can refill from other brands that come in bags if the store oi out of Bragg when you need more.) No refrigeration needed.

a good source of reliable info (not a quack and he is not selling anything) is Michael Greger MD nutritionfacts.org. He authored How Not To Die books which are plant based. Lots of blogs and videos, almost everything is backed up from controlled medical studies. (If you go to the site you can get info on B12 )

Good luck.
 

Sophia Belle

Trickle Down Economist
#5
https://www.3brothersveganpizzacafe.com/
75 Merritts Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735

I've had their regular pizza but not vegan stuff and it was good. Main St Pizza is not vegan but it is great.

Are you sure you are interested in vegan as opposed to vegetarian? Vegan is very strict, for example honey for your tea is not vegan as it comes from bees or certain supplements like Vitamin D3 or certain waxes used on fruit such as apples.

I do mostly vegetarian, but will have eggs, cheese, and lots of seafood. Maybe couple times a year I'll have chicken and broccoli chinese, and ham in pea soup, etc. Maybe corn beef and cabbage on St Pats day. I have Sockeye Salmon once a week to get Omega-3's

If you do go total vegetarian (and especially vegan) you must take B12 either as a supplement and/or with B12 fortified foods as it is not supplied naturally in those diets. Do a search B12 vegan. I shake nutritional yeast (most brands have lots of B12) on salads, soups, pasta and even pop corn. Has a tasty cheesy flavor. I use Bragg or Bob's Red Mill brands. (Bragg has a nice shaker container that you can refill from other brands that come in bags if the store oi out of Bragg when you need more.) No refrigeration needed.

a good source of reliable info (not a quack and he is not selling anything) is Michael Greger MD nutritionfacts.org. He authored How Not To Die books which are plant based. Lots of blogs and videos, almost everything is backed up from controlled medical studies. (If you go to the site you can get info on B12 )

Good luck.
Always a legit source of info. I appreciate all of that. I’m trying to follow vegan as much as possible. But if eggs or cheese happen to be in something, I won’t be upset. It’s no secret that the standard American diet is as unhealthy as it gets. For me, it’s more a journey for health and well-being. As part of this journey I also recently decided to give up weed as well. It’s about transforming my lifestyle for sure. Anyways, thank you for the valuable information.
 
#8
About 4 weeks ago I made a decision to go vegan. Focusing on my health and well being has become more and more important to me as I get older. I’ve been much more successful than even I thought possible. Between trying all sorts of smoothie combinations and learning to cook vegan meals on you tube, it’s been a great new learning experience.

Thanks in advance ❤️

I went vegan a few years ago, and coming from the keto and paleo diets my bloodwork has never been better. Congrats on making this decision to not only help the environment, but also heal your body. As for restaurants in LI, there are always vegan options available in Thai restaurants. Did you know that Thailand has the most vegan restaurants in the world because most of their population are buddhist? There is an app you can download called Happycow, think of it like a gps app for just vegan/vegetarian restaurants near you. If I am in a new area unfamiliar to me, I pull out my app just to see if there are food options nearby.

Also, most italian places, if you just tell your server that you have a dairy and egg allergy, they will point out vegan or veggie options if you ask for it. Pasta primavera is usually made with olive oil and veggies. Tell them to hold the butter and parmesan.

Hope this helps.
 
#9
The Witches Brew in West Hempstead is a coffee house since 96’ and a couple of years ago expanded to a full menu. All items in their lunch/food menus are vegetarian & I would say half can be made vegan. Also half their dessert menu is vegan as well.
It’s more of a dine in spot for the vibe but also has take out.

a lot of other great options were already mentioned above.
 
#10
I went vegan a few years ago, and coming from the keto and paleo diets my bloodwork has never been better. Congrats on making this decision to not only help the environment, but also heal your body. As for restaurants in LI, there are always vegan options available in Thai restaurants. Did you know that Thailand has the most vegan restaurants in the world because most of their population are buddhist? There is an app you can download called Happycow, think of it like a gps app for just vegan/vegetarian restaurants near you. If I am in a new area unfamiliar to me, I pull out my app just to see if there are food options nearby.

Also, most italian places, if you just tell your server that you have a dairy and egg allergy, they will point out vegan or veggie options if you ask for it. Pasta primavera is usually made with olive oil and veggies. Tell them to hold the butter and parmesan.

Hope this helps.
There is perhaps the best Thai restaurant around in Farmingdale. It is called Tiny Thai. Unfortunately it is indeed tiny and perhaps has only 12 tables (or so). Prices are very reasonable, place and staff is owner owned (all Thai) , very friendly with excellent service. When I used to work reasonably close I would have lunch there and if they were full would go to Lotus on the corner (RT 24 also called Conklin St). Became a higher end Chinese place that I don't go anymore for casual lunch. Plenty of street and back lot parking (obey signage — especially Head In Parking) as violations are enforced. At TT I would either have veg dish or sometimes squid based and a Thai beer. Hotness (as in hot spices) of the dish is rated with little pepper symbols (to let you know how it is normally severed in Thailand) that you can adjust down if you don't want it hot ( or like me up if you like it hotter).
 
#12
My AVAST anti virus refused to open this like as it is infected with some sort of script virus.
***Excerpted Quoted Material From The Above Article Concerning Myths About Vitamin B12 and it’s Source:


Busting The B12 Myth – It’s Not Made By Animals

B12 isn’t something that is found in animal protein or produced by animals – it is actually manufactured by bacteria and yeast. And, since animal foods (from meat to milk to curd), are decaying substances, they contain higher levels of B12.



B12 is made by bacteria and not animals

B12, back in the day, could easily be found in nature, where there’s an abundance of good bacteria. However, today’s sanitized environment – and the manner in which our grains, fruits, and vegetables are commercially produced – leaves little room for bacteria to thrive.

Microorganisms can’t survive in present conditions because of pesticides, irradiation of fruits and veggies, pesticides, chlorination of water and other reasons.

Technically, B12 can be found in fermented foods (like kimchi, idli, dosa, sauerkraut and miso, to name a few), but because of our unnaturally hygienic world, these foods can’t provide people with the required levels of B12.

Why You Need B12
Vitamin B12 is required in tiny amounts, but the lack of it can adversely affect your health. It plays a vital role in cell growth and development, and does a lot for our system:

Aids proper red blood cell formation
Necessary for proper neurological functioning
Required for DNA synthesis
Absorbing Vitamin B12
Just because you eat meat and dairy doesn’t mean you’re getting all the B12 you need – levels also depend on your body’s ability to absorb it.

“Both vegans and non-vegetarians can suffer from B12 deficiencies. Vegans may suffer because of low intake. Non-vegans, due to the inability to absorb B12.” SHARAN India

So this is how it works. B12 is absorbed by the gastric intrinsic factor (GIF) in the stomach. When a lot of meat and animal protein is consumed, the stomach is forced to produce more acid in order to digest the protein, and this high acid secretion destroys the lining of the stomach, and the GIF along with it.



Even non-vegans may run the risk of B12 deficiency

This is why non-vegans and transitioning vegans coming off a meat-heavy diet may have trouble absorbing B12, thus running deficient. (When this happens, supplements are not enough, and injections may need to be administered.)

Supplements & Sources
To battle probable B12 deficiencies, taking supplements and foods naturally rich in B12 is the way to go.

Fortified foods: There are plenty of B12-fortified plant-based foods, from soy and plant milk to cereals and grains. Read the label to be sure.

Tablets: Plant-based supplements, multivitamins and B12 tablets are an easy way to get your daily dose in one shot. Consult your doctor for recommendations.
Marmite & Vegemite: You either love or hate this spread, there’s no two ways about it! But if you love it, great news, because it is a good source of B12! Marmite is made from a yeast extract, it has a high concentration of the vitamin.

Nutritional yeast: Nooch, or the vegan’s answer to parmesan, is a good source, but, be sure to check the label, since all brands may not be fortified with it.
Shiitake mushrooms: Commercially available dried shiitake mushrooms have been shown to have high levels of B12.
 
#13
B12 was also manufactured by bacteria in the water supply prior to modern water treatments. Today, those natural B12 producing bacteria are not in the water we drink or (hopefully) in the water used to irrigate crops like lettuce. That's not a bad thing as so is the lack of less desirable bacteria such as cholera.

The best way to get B12 is with a supplement, really cheap, once a week is ok, instead of trying to figure out how to get it from other foods.

I remember many years ago when I was in my 30's and working 80hrs a week for my startup that I got totally run down. MD determined I was B12 insufficient and gave me a B12 shot and told me to take B vitamin supplements. Helped tremendously, was still tired from all the work but no longer totally exhausted and getting sick all the time.
 

justme

homo economicus
#16
Hotness (as in hot spices) of the dish is rated with little pepper symbols (to let you know how it is normally severed in Thailand) that you can adjust down if you don't want it hot ( or like me up if you like it hotter).
My wife signed us up for a cooking class when we were in Thailand. The instructor went on about how Thai food is balanced and how Americans eat their Thai far too hot.

And then that evening I was served one of the hottest things I’ve ever eaten.
 

Sophia Belle

Trickle Down Economist
#17
I went vegan a few years ago, and coming from the keto and paleo diets my bloodwork has never been better. Congrats on making this decision to not only help the environment, but also heal your body. As for restaurants in LI, there are always vegan options available in Thai restaurants. Did you know that Thailand has the most vegan restaurants in the world because most of their population are buddhist? There is an app you can download called Happycow, think of it like a gps app for just vegan/vegetarian restaurants near you. If I am in a new area unfamiliar to me, I pull out my app just to see if there are food options nearby.

Also, most italian places, if you just tell your server that you have a dairy and egg allergy, they will point out vegan or veggie options if you ask for it. Pasta primavera is usually made with olive oil and veggies. Tell them to hold the butter and parmesan.

Hope this helps.
Green Street Eatery in Levittown

Thanks to Happycow!!

Thanks to you :)
 
#19
Always a legit source of info. I appreciate all of that. I’m trying to follow vegan as much as possible. But if eggs or cheese happen to be in something, I won’t be upset. It’s no secret that the standard American diet is as unhealthy as it gets. For me, it’s more a journey for health and well-being. As part of this journey I also recently decided to give up weed as well. It’s about transforming my lifestyle for sure. Anyways, thank you for the valuable information.
Giving up the Zaza is where I draw the line!!! Good luck.
 
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