Vegetarian in Vermont: family friendly dining

The Common Ground Café, in Brattleboro, Vermont, was a Mecca for vegetarians. On any trip to Vermont, whether for skiing or biking, we detoured slightly off I-91 for interesting soups and sandwiches. Sadly, The Common Ground closed, but vegetarians can still eat well in the Green State.

For breakfast, The Hatchery, in Ludlow, has a vegan tofu scramble with avocado and salsa, that fuels you for the day’s activities. The Hatchery is only open for breakfast and lunch; lunch vegetarian choices include a grilled vegetable sandwich with spinach, mushrooms and feta, a tofu wrap with cilantro pesto and the ‘asparagui,’ with grilled asparagus, cheddar cheese, arugula and roasted peppers. On our recent family ski trip to Okemo, we had planned to have dinner one night at Harry’s Café, about 5 miles down the road from the resort. Unfortunately, we didn’t make reservations in advance and couldn’t get a table until 8:30. So this vegetarian-friendly restaurant, with a Thai night on Thursdays (and a few Thai items on the regular menu) will have to wait for another trip. Fortunately, Ludlow, a quintessential New England ski town, has other vegetarian and family friendly choices. The Cool Moose Café bills itself as a steakhouse, but t has great veggie burgers. The Bleu Moose & shrooms burger (also available in beef or chicken) has bleu cheese and mushrooms, and the tasty jacked up Philly burger includes jack cheese and cooked peppers and onions. Both are “2 napkin’ meals. There are several fish entrees, a roasted Portobello entrée and a hearty salad with local goat cheese, good greens and cranberries. Kid meals include a smaller burger, pizza and salad. Cool Moose also has a large selection of local craft beers. Coleman Brook Tavern, in the Jackson Gore Inn, is a farm to table restaurant with a few vegetarian choices. The pappardelle was loaded with fennel, roasted peppers and white beans in a wild mushroom broth. There is a filling roasted beet salad with Vermont chevre and pumpkin seeds, a Portobello strudel that works as a light appetizer and a delicious baked cheese stuffed with maple pumpkin butter and ginger-butternut squash. There’s an extensive and quite pricey wine list, great martinis and lots of single malt scotch to sip. Best of all, when you stay at the Inn, you can simply take the elevator to your room.

Fitness Challenge: Cross Country Skiing

There are hardy souls who run year round, and fair weather outdoor enthusiasts, like me, who only want to ride a bicycle when it's between 60 and 70 degrees. But cross country skiing is a whole different animal. For one thing, you warm up really quickly, particularly in southern Vermont in January. For another, you get that runner's high, a blissful, peaceful feeling when you schuss along a mountain stream or through a forest. We enjoyed just such a scenario at the Okemo Valley Nordic Center at Okemo Mountain Resort. The cross country skiing takes place at the Golf Club, with 22 km of tracked and skate-groomed terrain. My children, dedicated down hill skiers, scoff at cross country skiing, finding amusement in the intermediate and expert terrain. But the hills are real, and the level of fitness required no joke. And like biking, you end up skiing, constantly using your legs, for hours on end. No standing around on lift lines or just engaging your core while you slalom down the mountain.

Fitness Challenge: Okemo Mountain Resort

A gym at a ski resort may seem superfluous, but it actually comes in quite handy.

When we arrived at Okemo Mountain Resort, after a 5 hour drive, it was too late to ski, but just in time to use the spacious fitness center. We stayed at the Jackson Gore Inn, which requires an outdoor sprint of 20 yards to the Spring House. There, we found a fitness studio, (Zumba and yoga classes are $10) a racquetball court, and a gym with cardio machines, free weights, stability balls and a bosu ball. The cardio machines don't have their own screens; there are 2 large TVS, and music playing. But there are a variety of treadmills, stationary bikes and ellipticals to get your heart pumping. There are also mats, perfect for stretching sore muscles after a day on the slopes.

Winter Skin & Family Travel

Sunscreen is not just for summer. Whether your family vacation is taking you to the Caribbean or Hawaii (lucky you) or the ski slopes, your skin still needs protection. MDSolarSciences provides broad spectrum UVA-UVB protection in non-greasy, non-comedogenic, water-resistant formulas. The Natural Mineral Screen Stick SPF 40 is great for travel; stash it in our bag or ski jacket. And kids can use it to easily apply sunscreen to their face and lips. If your kids, like mine, prefer a spray, the organic Quick Dry Spray SPF 40 offers great sun protection.

For travel Another handy sunscreen to stick in your jacket pocket, or carry on an airplane, is Adventuress sunscreen swipes. These individually wrapped wipes are fragrance and paraben free, so they are perfect for sensitive skin. And you don’t even have to remove your gloves to apply the SPF 30 sunscreen. Each packet has a finger pocket so there is no muss, no fuss – just great UVA and UVB protection. The swipes have aloe vera and vitamin E to soothe skin while they protect. The cold weather can dry skin out, so restore it with Udderly Smooth moisture rich creams. These were developed to soothe cow’s udders, but you might want to focus on how the cream moisturizes chapped skin. Giveaway! One reader will win a one12-ounce jar of Udderly Smooth Body Cream, one 4-ounce tube of Udderly Smooth Udder Cream, and one 8-oz. jar of Udderly Smooth Shea Butter Foot Cream. To enter, comment below on how you keep your skin moisturized in winter. Note: I received samples of these products free of charge but received no compensation for this post.

Calgary Real Estate

Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, was the site of the 1988 Winter Olympics and
like other former Olympic venues, became a much bigger tourist destination after hosting the Olympics. Canada Olympic Park offers downhill and cross country skiing, luge and bobsled rides, and mountain bike rides in summer.

The city also attracts American retirees looking to stretch their retirement money. It is also a good place for second home buyers, particularly those who enjoy active vacations.

Calgary real estate offers value to American buyers, with a favorable exchange rate and a lot of inventory.

Calgary Realtors can help you negotiate an international purchase. One Calgary Realtor stays up to date with a blog, and provides clients with an iPad to take notes while house hunting.

Family Ski Trip: France

Skiing in Vermont is a no-brainer when you live in New York, but true powder heads fly out west.

Except for the really dedicated, and well-heeled, who go to Europe.

Skiing in France actually makes a lot of sense. You can take a ski train to the Espace Killy ski resort in Tignes, and drink French wine après-ski. Flights to Europe are at one of their lowest points during ski season, which runs from September to May, and you can find Tignes Ski Deals to make your family vacation reasonably priced.

Imagine being able to eat all that delicious French cheese and burning off the calories skiing.

There are many types of Tignes accommodations including
Tignes apartments where you can make your meals and full service Tignes hotels.

For families, ski school starts at age 2 ½ and there is childcare for younger kids. The village has family friendly restaurants, including vegetarian friendly creperies.

Passover dinner - Pasta-less Lasagna

Bove's, in Burlington, VT, has had a restaurant since 1941. If you don't want to ski, mountain bike, hike, leaf peep or look at colleges in Vermont, you can eat Bove's sauce on your pasta at home. The sauce is sold online, or at specialty grocery stores.

But this week is Passover, so no pasta in our home. Or bread. Or anything with regular flour. Bove's developed a gluten-free lasagna with no pasta, but with bacon. I've adapted it for Passover use, but it can be served year-round even to those who don't have a gluten allergy. And you can use any sauce; just make sure it is a thick tomato sauce.

6 whole Portobello mushrooms

1 large Vidalia onion

3 roasted and peeled red peppers

1 large eggplant

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

1 bunch chopped chives

Bove’s Vodka Sauce

12 oz. ricotta cheese

3 eggs

½ cup grated parmesan

Chopped Italian parsley

20 oz. shredded mozzarella

4 oz. grated parmesan

Take the stems off of the mushrooms, clean and reserve. Cut onion in ¼” slices and reserve. Peel eggplant, slice lengthwise in ½” thick slices.

Toss mushrooms in olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper and 1/3 of chives. Grill on both sides until somewhat tender. Place in a perforated pan and reserve. Do the same with the onions and eggplant.

Mix eggs, parmesan, ricotta and Italian parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat convection oven to 325 degrees.

Spray two standard loaf pans with non stick coating and line with foil.

Pour 2 oz. of sauce on the bottom of each pan and then layer ½ the eggplant. Over this spread 2 oz. of ricotta mixture, 2 oz. of mozzarella and 2 oz of sauce. Layer half the mushrooms. Repeat sauce and cheese layer, layer ½ of the onions and repeat the sauce and cheese layer. Top with roasted peppers, then 4 oz. mozzarella and 2 oz. parmesan.

Tent top with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn 180 degrees and bake for 15 minutes more. Remove cover and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Let set in refrigerator overnight. Reheat in oven and serve with additional sauce.

Tips for First Time Skiers

For both parents and children, going skiing for the first time can seem daunting. A family trip to the beach requires minimal preparation, but taking a family ski trip involves a lot of planning, even if you’ve been skiing. But the potential rewards are so great that most families who ski together can’t wait till their next trip tot the mountain.

The importance of dressing in layers cannot be emphasized enough. Weather can change quickly in the mountains, so you will be glad if you can peel off or add on a layer. However, you need one pair of socks, not four. Thick clunky socks, make it hard to fit boots; one pair of light to medium weight Smartwool socks is perfect. Bring an extra pair of socks for every member of the family, in case one gets wet.

Helmets are not just for kids or beginning skiers. You can rent a helmet at most ski resorts, but if you bring your own, you can ensure a custom fit – with a hat or headband underneath. Test out the fit before you leave to make sure everyone is comfortable.

When you ski, there is a lot of wind; sunscreen offer sun and wind protection. Special ski goggles are not necessary for children or adults, but sunglasses that block UV light are.

A good pair of warm mittens or gloves is vital, along with a second pair in case the first ones get wet. Once kids (or adults) are cold or wet, it is difficult to make them happy again and enjoy being outside.

Advance preparation should also include leaving enough time to get to your destination. Don’t show up right before a program begins; there is paper work to fill out, and fitting for rental equipment can be time consuming. If you are getting to a ski resort the night before, big places like Killington, in Vermont, let you pick up your skis then, to save time in the morning. If you rent from a place close to home, you can spend more time focusing on fit, but then you have to lug the equipment from the parking lot.

Do some stretches to get limber before getting into a car and driving to a ski resort. You will do a lot of bending, getting ski boots on and off. Back and leg stretching will help reduce post-ski aches.

Finally, smile! You are having fun!

Vermont and Vegetarian

Given the choice between a cute local café and Starbucks, I will always choose the local place. But in airports, Starbucks has my business. Dunkin’ Donuts serves coffee in Styrofoam and McDonald’s has that gross meaty smell.

It annoys me, though, that Starbucks breakfast sandwiches all contain meat. Yes, you can have a pretty decent (if Dickensian portion) of oatmeal, but the egg sandwiches, all pre-made, have ham, bacon or turkey on them. Haven’t they realized how many vegetarians travel, or just like to grab breakfast on the go? Would it have killed them to offer one meat-free sandwich?

The funny thing is, most vegetarians happily pay the same price for a meat-free meal as those eating steak, and their food costs a lot less. My husband and I went to a restaurant the other night with a tasting menu. Six of the eight of us choose the tasting menu; five of us got the vegetarian version. Basically, it was the same menu, but the steak course was instead a plate of lentils. Now, I like lentils as much as they next gal, and they were pretty tasty, with flecks of shiitake mushroom, but come on! Steak has to cost the place a whole lot more than a handful of beans.

We like to ski at Mount Snow, in Vermont. It is near Izabella’s Eatery, which specializes in fresh, local and seasonal organic ingredients. Of the three breakfast paninis, only the one with avocado, Monterey Jack and egg comes without meat, but you can have a freshly made egg and cheese, or egg, spinach and cheese, panini with no meat. There are also a few other breakfast choices, and there’s soy milk for vegans.

At lunchtime, you do even better. Half the sandwiches are vegetarian; the avocado and tempeh or peanut butter with ginger preserves are particular favorites. There are also soups and salads.

A great place to stay is The Snow Goose Inn, West Dover. It is one of the few area B & B’s that accepts children, though the caveat that they be well-behaved may give you pause. Kids under five are free, and you can bring a child, ages 6-17, or a pet, for the same additional $25 a night. Hmm. The innkeepers, sensitive to the dining preferences of their guests (lactose-intolerant, gluten-free) always have vegetarian options at their great breakfasts, but let them know in advance that you are a vegetarian and they will offer even more choices.