About milesnature

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my wife. We absolutely love the abundance of fresh produce and vegetarian/vegan restaurant options available to us here. Here's to your health!

I am frequently asked, “What do you eat?”

Explanations tend to sedate the enquirer, whose face washes over with regret. People want pictures.

Black Lentils, Red Rice, Steamed Red Kale, Steamed Cauliflower, Steamed Carrot, Avocado, Hemp Seeds, Lemon Pepper
Black Beans, Steamed Red Kale, Whole Grain Pasta, Bell Pepper, Vegan (Almond) Ricotta
Eye of the Goat Beans
Pearl Millet, Curry Red Lentils and Veggies, Steamed Cauliflower, Steamed Red Kale, Raw Cashews, Lemon Pepper
Black (Forbidden) Rice
Red Rice
Red Kale
Granny Smith Apple, Cinnamon, Raw Pecans
21 Whole Grain Bread, Small Pepper, Little Gems, Pickle, BBQ Tempe, Smoked Paprika Mayo (made with cashew butter)

Return of the vegans

10 years later… Health scares and chronic conditions have inspired us to go vegan, again. We’re talking healthy, whole foods vegan.

I’ve gone vegetarian and vegan before. I know the path requires building momentum and maintaining discipline which is not always easy or convenient. It’s a balancing act.

It feels good.

Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar

Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar

This place opened up recently in SF, near the armory on Mission St. It’s beautifully designed and feels expansive while being relatively small. We ordered a wide range of items, most of which were delicious.

  • The ramen was very satisfying. The spicy garlic broth was very reminiscent of traditional ramen broths.
  • The croquettes were made with sweet potato, a welcome spin on a traditional dish.
  • The Colonels Pipe roll, complete with an authentic tasting cream cheese, was super yummy.
  • The small plate of corn on the cob tasted fine but seemed altogether too expensive for what it was.

All in all, I would totally recommend going.

How do you get your protein?

No one cares about your protein intake until they find out you're vegan.We had to laugh when we found this gem on onearabvegan.com this morning.

Seriously though, people ask this a lot. The answer for which is well documented already. I’ll summarize my knowledge and what I believe nonetheless.

We have a protein obsessed culture with athletes at the top of the list. It’s funny how certain everyone is that the more protein we consume the better off we are. It’s common knowledge, right? Who told us that and can we trust the source? Where’s the evidence? (follow the money) The amount of protein we should consume is a contentious issue to the say the least and inconclusive scientific results just perpetuate this ongoing debate. It goes without saying that big business and government (with vested interests in dairy and meat sales) want to continue to disseminate misinformation.

After wading through all the B.S., my opinion and experience thus far tells me that we needn’t stress out about protein intake. Everyone is getting more than enough protein already. It’s everywhere. In fact, many plant sources of protein are actually higher than meat. Sure, not all proteins are equal but again, the jury is still out on that too.

There is no magic formula nor one perfect source. As you might expect, eating a well balanced diet with many different types of protein is best. However, when I’m feeling the need to seek out high sources of protein, I reach for:

  • Tempeh
  • Quinoa – black, red, rainbow (in the order)
  • Lentils – black, green, and red (in that order)
  • Beans – black, pinto
  • Chick Peas
  • Nuts and Nut Butters – almonds, cashews, walnuts
  • Tofu
  • Edamame
  • Seitan
  • Broccoli
  • Veggies
  • Spirulina
  • Field Roast vegan sausage and other meat substitutes.

There it is, another definitive list to help fuel the fire.

Magda Luna Cafe

ML-Vegan-Fajitas

Vegan Fajitas

Magda Luna Cafe | Menu

Magda Luna is a charming cafe with warm, friendly service. The home-made quality and care put into their dishes is both comforting and satisfying.

The vegan fajita plate was delicious. Everything on it was super fresh, including the lettuce, tomato, and onion. Details all too often neglected in my opinion. The beans and rice were spot on, especially for being vegan. The tortillas were excellent, thick, hearty, and flavorful. And the sauces, clearly made from fresh ingredients, are simple and yet complex with overtones of citrus. Overall, the food was clean and healthy without compromising on taste.

Most of their dishes are available 100% vegan. The rice and beans are always vegan.

Vegan Mushroom Sopes

Vegan Mushroom Sopes

Vegan Potato Taquitos

Vegan Potato Taquitos

Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

An Old World Jewish deli in San Francisco’s Mission District

Smoked mushroom Reubens and veggie hash offer vegans the rare opportunity to indulge in deli fare. Beckerman and Bloom run a stall every Tuesday at the Ferry Building, San Francisco’s big farmers’ market, which gives them a chance to get to know the farmers from whom they source produce.

Little China Kitchen

Little China Kitchen

Secret Vegan Menu

Secret Vegan Menu

  • Vegi Ham Fried Rice or Chow Mein (sauteed) – $8.95
  • Vegi Cashew Chicken (sauteed) – $11.95
  • Vegi Thai Basil Chicken (sauteed) – $11.95
  • Vegi Sesame Chicken (deep fried) – $11.95
  • Vegi General Tsao’s Chicken (deep fried) – $11.95

(Chicken made with Tempeh and Tofu)
We will do our best to accommodate your favorite vegi chicken dish.

Chipotle’s Sofritas – ok

Status

I had the opportunity to sample Chipotle’s Sofritas yesterday. The first bite was my last. I was, in a word, underwhelmed. The texture threw me off. Tiny pebble sized bits of tofu squeaking between my teeth. Perhaps, it’s better inside a burrito. I would make the pieces larger and add a rougher texture infused with more flavor.

It could be my bias against Chipotle. Their food, in general, is just ok. Why would Sofritas be any different? It’s a shame because I love tofu, especially hodo tofu. I do applaud their efforts for using sustainable foods (in whatever percentage that may actually be) and for creating a vegan dish which is very much appreciated. Sadly, Sofritas just don’t live up to their potential.