Some Vegan Art

Fresh Orange Carrot Juice

I just found out today that juicers are also a fairly popular household appliance here in Argentina and I actually have a juice machine at my disposal here in my new home! However, I have only attempted it once so far (with carrot and orange), because of the mess that entails and because of my reluctance to use all of my host family's food supply on juicing.

I know that most travelers will not be able to get that delicious fresh-squeezed juice whenever they like while abroad, unless they are fortunate enough to be in Buenos Aires. I was shocked at how many vegan and vegetarian restaurants there are in Buenos Aires!

I am definitely planning on making the 3-4 hour trip sometime in the near future to check out some of these vegan spots and smoothie bars (and to see the beautiful city of course)! If you are craving some unique vegan food and are close enough to make the trip, here is a great list of all the spots you can visit on your day in the great city of Buenos Aires!:

 Happy Cow List of Vegan Spots in Buenos Aires

Health Food Store in Downtown San Nicolas

So today while I was on my way to the center of San Nicolas to see a movie with my boyfriend, I stumbled upon a very small little health store called "VITAL ALMACÉN NATURAL" and went right in to check out what they have! 

In Spanish, health food stores go by the name "DIETÉTICA" or you can also keep an eye out for stores that advertise with names such as "PRODUCTOS NATURALES" or "SUPLEMENTOS DIETARIOS." 

Unsalted Almonds ("Almendras Peladas")

I have heard that here in Argentina, health food stores and products are not really common and pretty pricey and so I wanted to see if this was indeed true. The store was very simple and had a decent selections of items, many of which I found to be an affordable price.

I didn't find anything that really made me jump up and down, but I did see some interesting products that I haven't seen anywhere else so far. They did have some gluten-free products, which I thought was great for a gluten-free traveler searching for some snacks while on-the-go.

They had some chocolate-covered coffee and raisins, gluten free crackers and bread, nuts, seeds, teas, granola, herbs, and an assortment of other products.

Since I am on a budget, I ended up buying just two bags of whole flaxseeds (semilla de lino) at only 3 Argentine pesos each and a small bag of almonds (almendras) for 16 Argentine pesos.

Cheap Flax Seeds! ("Semilla de Lino")

Overall, I found that you definitely won't find the huge selection and variety that you would get back home, but you might stumble upon a few rare items that you wouldn't be able to find in a normal supermarket here in Argentina.

If you can stretch your travel budget a bit, I think that it's definitely worth buying a few items at one of these stores once in a while. I look forward to seeing what I can find at some of the others!

If you want to check out the small store I stumbled upon or any others in San Nicolas, here is a list of all the shops in the city:

Health Food Stores in San Nicolas, Argentina.  

Also, here is another list of health food and supplement stores in the city of Rosario (can't wait to check some of these out..soymilk please!?!):

Health Food Store Listings in Rosario, Argentina

Ratatouille Vegetables with Three Vegetable Penne and Chia Seeds

The Finished Product!

My dinner from tonight! Super easy and super quick! My boyfriend's mother had some left-over ratatouille that she had prepared the night before (made with olive oil, soy sauce, red pepper, peas, onion, and carrots) and I added some of the delicious Matarazzo 3-veggie pasta that I found in the CarreFour supermarket along with some chia and sesame seeds (also from the same supermarket).

Super Yummy and Vegan

It turned out to be taste so much better than I expected and I highly recommend giving this recipe a try for dinner one night :)!!

Chia Seeds or "Semilla de Chia"

Matarazzo 3 Vegetales Penne Rigate

Vegan Soy Burger, Brown Rice, Lentils, and Wax Beans

My Dinner From Tonight

Here's another quick dinner that is cheap and easy to prepare while traveling here in Argentina: wax beans ("chaucha's" in Argentinian Spanish), lentils (lentejas), brown rice (arroz integral) and my favorite, Vegetalex Milanesas de Soja (Soy Patties). All of these items can be found in a normal supermarket and are all within a travelers' budget (yes even the soy burgers!).

The burgers are a bit dry and cardboard-like, but remind me of my beloved veggie burgers back home and are an easy and affordable addition to dinners and salads here in Argentina. My host family seems to feel better feeding me one of these every time they are at a loss for what to prepare for the strange vegan American girl ;-). Be careful though, there is another brand of soy patties in the supermarket that uses egg whites and is not vegan (It is called Granja del Sol).

Vegan Soy Patties or "Milanesas De Soja"

Okay, so I admit it is a bit plain and probably won't be the most delicious vegan meal you've ever had, but it has a great mix of nutrients, carbs, and protein and will give you energy you need to get out and explore the country!

Yerba Mate is EVERYWHERE

  Yerba Mate is a highly popular South American herbal drink made from the leaves of a South American rainforest tree (the holly tree) and is said to have the “strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate" all in one beverage. 

I had always wondered what was in the strange gourd-like cups of the South Americans on the beach in Mexico. It wasn't until a few months later that I learned the popular herbal beverage I was seeing everywhere is referred to as Yerba Mate. I was immediately curious to find out if it was vegan and if there were any health benefits.

From what I've experienced so far, mate is a hugely social drink and can be seen being shared between people of all ages in the streets, parks, beaches or pretty much anywhere people gather. Statistically, it's most prominent in northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil but is also gaining popularity in other countries, such as Australia and Poland. Literally, it is EVERYWHERE.

Here it goes...My first mate ever!!

Mate is made by steeping dry leaves from the mate plant into hot (not boiling water) and naturally contains:

 24 Vitamins and Minerals

15 Amino Acids

Abundant Antioxidants

Diuretics and Natural Detoxifiers

Caffeine 

I was a bit surprised by the taste, which to me was similar to a really bitter, grassy, unsweetened green tea with some loose leaves scattered about. I am a huge tea-drinker, but this beverage had a very strong taste unlike anything I had ever tried before. I will definitely try it a second time since it is such a prominent social practice here, but it will definitely take some getting used to!

..Okay I guess it gonna take some getting used to.

In conclusion, mate is indeed vegan-friendly. Some claims against the drink are that it has been associated with oral, cesophagus, and larynx cancer when consumed in large quantities over long periods of time. Smokers are also advised not to drink mate.

On the other end of the scale, positive claims include: energy boosts without the stomach acid and jitters of coffee, weight loss, and decreased appetite. It is also said to calm the central nervous system.

 Overall, I feel that there is definitely some nutritional value to drinking mate but it should  be consumed in moderation.

Read More:
What Is Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate- A South American Herbal Drink
Yerba Mate

Cellulite Caffeine Wrap With An Argentinian Twist

"Tea-Coffee Wrap for Cellulite"

 According to ABC's 20/20, some 90 percent of women have some amount of cellulite, including thin and physically fit celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lady Gaga, and Nicole Kidman.

 

Although there is no cure-all for cellulite, it's appearance can be reduced by eating a clean diet, drinking plenty of water, losing weight and building strong muscles underneath the fat tissue. Although I enjoy experimenting with different attempts at reducing cellulite, I couldn't agree more with Fitness Celebrity Jillian Michaels:

"Ninety-five percent of women suffer from cellulite, including me. Honestly, at some point we have to embrace our imperfections. They make us human. Who wants perfect? Perfect is boring!"

Nonetheless, this looks super messy and fun and I don't exactly have all the right ingredients, but it's a rainy day here in Argentina so here it goes =)...

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

La Toscana Aceite de Oliva

• STEP ONE: Put 2 Tbs of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a mixing bowl. The one I used was a generic from the CarreFour Supermarket. In Spanish, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is translated to "Aceite Oliva Extra Virgen".

• STEP TWO: Mix in 1/4 cup of used tea leaves (black or green). Since I am on a budget and did not have used tea leaves in my host house, I decided make the ingredients a bit more Argentine by switching for Yerba Mate leaves instead (Yerba Mate is a highly popular South American herbal drink). Caffeine is a main ingredient in most topical cellulite creams and so I figured the added caffeine and antioxidants would be beneficial to the mix.The brand I used is called La Merced and can be found in most supermarkets around Argentina.

• STEP THREE: Add 1/2 cup of new or used coffee grounds to the mixture. I used Nescafe's Instant Coffee Grounds in the Classic flavor, also found at CarreFour.

• STEP FOUR: Stir all ingredients together (coffee, mate and olive oil) together and microwave for 10-20 seconds.

Nescafe Instant Coffee

• STEP FIVE: Use a dry body brush or dry loofah to exfoliate the problem area. Make sure that you brush in the direction of your heart, which will aid in maintaining good circulation and improve blood flow (poor circulation is one of the main causes of cellulite).

• STEP SIX: Cut open and lay a large plastic garbage bag underneath you (it will get messy!), begin applying the mixture generously to your problem area. Rub it in well so it sticks to your skin and tightly wrap the area in plastic wrap. Once finished, leave the wrap on for 30-50 minutes before cutting off the plastic and rinsing off in the shower with warm water.

Close-up of the resulting mixture

• STEP SEVEN: After your shower, it is recommended to apply a deep moisturizer, cellulite cream or tanning lotion. Be sure to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and flush out excess salt (another cause of cellulite). 

• According to the original article, this wrap should show results anywhere from 6-8 hours or even up to 24 hours for some. Your skin should feel smooth and cellulite should be visibly reduced. It is acceptable to perform this wrap two times a week and you should set out 1-2 hours for the entire process.

Stay tuned to see if this wrap worked for me!

Sources:
'Lose Cellulite With This Tea-Coffee Wrap'
http://teapartygirl.com/2011/06/lose-cellulite-with-this-tea-coffee-wrap/
'Jillian Michaels Tells It Like It Is: Cellulite'
http://www.fitsugar.com/Jillian-Michaels-Tells-Like-Cellulite-978494
'Getting Rid of Cellulite: ABC News'
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=1009707&page=1
'What is Yerba Mate?'
http://guayaki.com/mate/130/Yerba-Mate.html

My Vegan Inspiration

First and foremost, I have to thank Veganbackpacker.com for inspiring me to record my vegan adventures while here in Argentina. Their site has tons of great vegan traveler tips, recipes, guides and photos that have helped me immensely. By far my favorite article is their piece on "Homemade Vegan Meals in Buenos Aires," which lists quick and easy vegan meals as well as where to find the correct products. Granted, I am not in Buenos Aires, but I have found that most of the products can also be found here in Rosario as well.

After arriving in Argentina just a few weeks ago, I admit that I am still a bit lost as I struggle to adapt to the new culture and food. On top of being slightly cooking-challenged, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find enough options to satisfy my hunger and meet my nutritional needs as a vegan. I admit, I am slightly lazy as well and have been spoiled by the plethora of vegan and vegetarian options back home in New York, such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Stores. Worst of all, I dreaded the idea of having to sacrifice my beloved So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice cream, Tofutti Cuties, and countless other vegan masterpieces.

However, after doing some research and discovering gems such as Veganbackpacker.com, I can confidently say that I am up for the challenge of becoming more creative with my diet and putting together a variety of new, home-cooked, original and healthy meals. Now, I am not making any promises as to how great these meals will come out since I am on a budget and a bit of a domestic disaster, but here it goes!


Check it out!
Homemade Vegan Meals in Buenos Aires:
http://veganbackpacker.com/blog/homemade-vegan-meals-in-buenos-aires/

Shopping For Vegan Food in Buenos Aires:
http://veganbackpacker.com/featured-articles/vegan-grocery-shopping-in-buenos-aires/