The Best Vegan New Year's Eve Dinners

No matter where you’re slipping on your sequins, chances are you’ll probably need a few bites before the big countdown. In our humble opinion, this is not the night for a protein shake chugged over the kitchen counter while last-minute RSVPing to a friend-of-a-friend’s sister’s rager. A beautifully prepared sit down meal among those who love you most, along with besparkled atmosphere and festive flourishes, is our favorite way to send off the year and look ahead to the next. Here are some of our favorite choices for where to dig into the last meal of 2017.

Crossroads, Los Angeles

A 6:00pm, five-course seating for $75 makes it easy to have festive meal on the early side and finish in time for any new year’s revelry across town. A later six-course seating at 8:30pm for $95 is a swell option for celebrating with a tummy full of plant-based decadence and a midnight toast, if celebrating with a civilized meal with friends and family is more your style. Menu items include buckwheat blinis, beet and farro tartare with Crossroads’ famous yellow tomato ‘egg yolk’ and a chestnut and porcini ravioli with a sage butter.

V-Eats, Dallas

For a more casual start to your New Year’s evening, Dallas’ V-Eats has a $40 prix fixe menu full of veg-only comfort food. A four-course NYE meal is served at three seatings at 5:30, 7:15 and 8:45pm. Dishes include a French onion soup, ‘calamari’ and a spinach with Hen of the Woods mushroom ravioli with sage butter.

Little Octopus, Nashville

Nashville’s super chic Little Octopus is serving a four course veggie and non-veggie menu on New Year’s Eve for $75/pp. Making an appearance on basically every list of ‘best in the South’, this is the ultimate crowd pleaser destination for a group of vegans/omnivores/design nerds/burger fiends/those with allergies. The veg meal option kicks off with a glass of Champagne and features a vegan miso cassoulet entree.

Soul Tavern, Miami

Oh, you’d rather fly by the seat of your pants sans-reservation in Miami? Soul Tavern’s no reservations policy and a la carte menu makes it easy to pop in for a bite on your way to South Beach festivities. Everything on the menu, from hemp-crusted edamame cakes to jackfruit gyoza to naughty gnocchi and soulful ramen are all 100% plant-based.

If you are looking for other restaurant recs for the last night of 2017, let us know below. Happy almost new year!

The Perfect Fitness Apps for Holiday Travel

I'm back east this week, celebrating the holidays with in-laws in suburban Pennsylvania. While I'm squeezing in some local workouts: Orange Theory Fitness and Corefit, both in Wayne, I'm also dusting off some my favorite fitness apps for when it's too cold to leave the house. For the price of one boutique fitness class (often less), you can get access to nearly a bazillion expert-led workouts via app and web. I've been a believer ever since I tried out what felt like allll the fitness apps under the sun as a contributor to 7x7's 2017 Wellness Guide. 

As someone who is regularly trying new workouts in new places (and who generally just craves variety when it comes to fitness), finding consistency among the trend-chasing has been a challenge. The following five digital fitness platforms are my new at-home and on-the-road go-tos, helping me not only with consistency but also to push myself further on solo workouts. 

Aaptiv

The only app with no visuals, Aaptiv also happens to be the most natural to use. Audio-based and covering three main categories: run (tread + outdoors), strength and yoga; Aaptiv covers the bases for a general workout regimen from beginner to pro. Propping up a phone or tablet at either a home or public gym can be awkward for me, and I've found that Aaptiv's audio instruction model played over a motivating background soundtrack is simpler and allows more focus for the workout at-hand. Class difficulty is color-coded, and the instructors vary in style from pretty chill to all-business. To download, use code WellandAway for a month free.

Zenrez

Handy at home for last minute workouts, Zenrez is an amazing tool for finding day-of boutique fitness and yoga, especially when traveling, and at a nice discount. When there’s not enough time pre-trip to research all of the local fitness studios, Zenrez is an easy way to browse and book into classes nearby. Starting at 9pm on workout-eve, the Zenrez system populates with available classes to book the next day at discounts of up to around 30%. It's also a fun way to explore new studios at home.

Fitplan

I am always curious to know more about the workout routines behind the physiques of Instagram's most followed fitness personalities. While I think we all know that genetics (and sometimes a medical tweak or two) can play a part as much as diet and exercise, it’s impossible not to wonder, for instance, ‘What would happen to my ass if I tried Jen Selter’s personal workout program for 30 days?' Fitplan provides the tools to find out just that with 30-90 day programs for Full Body Blast, Summer Shred and of course Jen Selter’s Lower Body and Booty Guide. Each plan is a subscription that you commit to for a specified duration, and daily workouts are broken down into reps and sets with a short demo video showing each move. Use code WELLANDAWAY30 for a month free.

Cody App

I love, love, love Cody App and the insane amount of variety they offer. I started with Kino McGregor’s Ashtanga bundle, then moved into her handstand bundle, then into a little Acroyoga series binge one weekend when my fiancé obliged, and then into Ashley Galvin’s flexibility series - my new favorite. Cody has been around for four years, but somehow it’s new to me. And it's forever changed my at-home and hotel room workout routines. It’s great for traveling to places that don’t have the exact style of yoga or fitness classes you’re looking for, so instead of spending $20+ on a class, you can spend the same on a series of classes with people like Kino. Cody recently went subscription-based, which means all subscribers have access to the entire gallery of workouts. New users can enter code WELLANDAWAY for 30% off of their first purchase.

Gixo

The newest app on this list is Gixo, a new SF-based app that is sort of similar to Aaptiv, but with scheduled virtual classes. You can sign up for classes on the half hour, and most are between 15-40 minutes. The coaches are good, and it's a departure from other apps to be able to communicate in real time with a virtual instructor.  The workouts are all intended for all-levels, so there isn't an option yet for beginner, medium advanced. I'm still exploring Gixo, and while it hasn't knocked Cody or Aaptiv out of the top spots on my rotation, I'll be watching them to see what features they launch next.

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Have you tried any of these apps? What did you think?? Let us know in the comments below. 

Playing Tourist on the Napa Valley Wine Train

As a general rule, I'm an off-the-beaten path kind of woman. When touring friends around the Napa Valley, we'll skip Mondavi and Silver Oak and for Ancien and Covert Estate, and at lunch choose Yountville's Redd Wood over Bottega. When it comes to non-drinking activities, which in wine county translates to 'things to do that include wine plus something else', we'll hit trails around Napa and Yountville instead of a hot air balloon ride or a roundtrip journey on the Napa Valley Wine Train.

But, I've recently learned that the Wine Train has new management and they've  begun mixing it up with crazy things like driving the train to nighttime concerts at some of Napa Valley's grand dame wineries. So, for the first time maybe ever, I chose the road most traveled - far from the hidden gems on that less beaten path - and set my GPS to Napa's number one tourist attraction to check out the new Wine Train and celebrate a friend's birthday.  

After an easy drive north from SF, we queued up for our 5pm boarding time with a group of visitors from all over, dressed in a wide interpretation of Wine Train Chic. Lesson 1 of the day: don't stress about the dress code - nobody else knows what to wear either and it's hard to go wrong. There were stilettos and bandage dresses (okay those actually did seem a little out of place), there were Tommy Bahama shirts, some cowboy boots and plenty of business casual. 

Once we boarded and found our seats in the Wine Train's version of the VIP room, the Vista Dome, servers poured glasses of bon voyage sparkling for the entire train, and we got to know our table-mates. The Vista Dome is a beautifully restored vintage train car with an extended domed glass ceiling for uninterrupted views of our 18 mile journey up to Charles Krug. Lesson 2: the train is great but the Vista Dome is the place to book if you really want to soak in the views. It's about a $50 upgrade from standard seating but it's worth it to have the full experience.

We had complicated-ish dietary restrictions that were shared with the train's team in advance: vegan for me and vegan-ish ketogenic for my birthday-celebrating friend. We had three courses and an additional glass of wine during the 90-minute journey north. Lesson 3: the food is better than the off-the-beaten path crew gives it credit for. The vegan, gluten-free option was lovely and thoughtful, though because it was pretty much straight up roasted vegetables, I definitely ate a protein bar alongside my entree. 

At Krug, we disembarked to total darkness and mini-festival setup. Artisan pizza truck here, wine stations there and white lights strung from tree to tree. We found a 50th birthday celebration, loads of boomer-age fans of the bands playing who followed them when they toured the first time around and something I never thought I would see at a wine train shindig: LOCALS. We made new friends, enjoyed some throwback tunes and went in with a 'when in Rome' attitude to wine drinking. The pours were large and we were so thankful that the train was driving us home. The bands: someone from the Eagles, another from Flock of Seagulls and the lead singer from Kansas to name a few - were stoked to be there. After a couple of hours of drinking and dancing at Napa Valley's oldest winery, we boarded the train for our return trip to the station while sipping espresso and talking about our dream for a yoga train day (Vinyasa yoga on one car, healthy vegan eats in another and DJ-d yoga at a beautiful winery... note to Wine Train team, lmk if you need any help planning!).

The ride back seemed longer (we were more buzzed than we'd anticipated), and also quieter because the locals who had taken the train up had cleverly called ride share services to take them home. Lesson 4: You can totally take the train up and call a car to get to any of the hotels up-valley. 

After returning to the station, we checked into our downtown hotel, passed out, and slept right through our early morning hiking alarm. Whoopsie! Instead, we grabbed a couple of expertly made almond lattes from Miminashi's new counter service window and headed back to the city. 

Next time you're pouring over Google and group email threads about cool things to do in Napa, consider going off the beaten path all day and then topping it off with an evening on the Wine Train for a touristy-fun way to celebrate with friends. 

Healthy Scottsdale: Sweaty HIIT, Mid-century Digs and Cold Plunge Recovery

While I'm currently wrapped up in extra puffy Patagonia, en route (after some serious delays) to chilly Pennsylvania, I'm day dreaming about a recent winter trip to sun-drenched Scottsdale. The opening of mid-century stunner Mountain Shadows in Scottsdale's Paradise Valley is what inspired a trip to the desert, but the active adventure around every corner is really what put the area on my list of new favorite wellness escapes. 

The just-opened desert resort with mod-glam rooms, weekly SUP yoga and a house Tesla that regularly shuttles guests to the trailhead at Camelback Mountain and Sanctuary Spa, is the ultimate home base for an outdoorsy long weekend of self-care. And because all it takes to get me jazzed are are the words 'nighttime SUP' and 'soaking tub overlooking the mountains', I decided to try my hand at the mid-century outdoor retreat.

Originally opened in 1959 as a desert escape for Hollywood jet-setters including Lucille Ball and Elizabeth Taylor, the original Mountain Shadows hotel was purchased by Marriott in 1981 and then shuttered in 2004. After years of sitting vacant, the resort was demolished in 2014. This past spring, backed by new owners who know a thing or two about operating mid-century heritage hotels (they also own downtown Scottsdale property Hotel Valley Ho), Mountain Shadows reopened it as a sprawling mid-century desert dream, complete with a buzzy pool scene and three-par golf course. Cap the day off with a nightly Champagne sabering and toast; because that's how desert dwellers cool off.

Nearly every local I spoke with on a recent visit said they start their day as often as possible with a mountain trek. Likely because the trails are stunning, but also because going at any other time is advised against—this is the desert after all and can get up to 120 degrees in the peak of summer. So, after a cold-pressed green juice from an onsite juice bar, I began my first morning with a 6am, 4.5 mile trek up the Sonoran Preserve with a guide from local outfit Arizona Outback Adventures. After getting scooped from Mountain Shadows, we hit the road for a 20 minute drive to the trailhead—which interestingly had the fanciest trail bathrooms I've ever seen—and started our hike up the mountain on the 'Gateway Loop' trail. After a heart rate pumping uphill climb and a few stops for photo opps at the top (as well as lessons on flora and fauna along the way) we ventured back down in time for lunch and recovery spa treatments.

And as far as hearty healthy meals and 'wtf-amazing spa treatments' go, Scottsdale is impressively innovative. Each day, I treated myself to post-hike spa time to melt sore muscles and prompt a speedy recovery. (What even is a winter getaway without some serious sauna action and bodywork, right?) I explored a combination of acupuncture and cupping at Scottsdale classic Well & Being Spa at the Fairmont Princess, and a combo of craniosacral therapy and hammam (human car wash as I like to call it) at the Mediterranean-inspired Joya Spa down the street from Mountain Shadows at the Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia. Both felt so decadent and restorative. The icing on the cake was a meditation/B-12 shot combo at Second Nature Clinic's new Thursday night 'Zen Lounge'. As many afternoon and evening meals as possible were eaten at anti-inflammation eatery True Food Kitchen, the Bay Area newcomer that started in Scottsdale. After the yin-yang combo of activity and recovery each day, the best part was a soak in Mountain Shadows' soaking tub with a view (inside every room).

For a slightly more hardcore approach to the activity-recovery duo, or one better suited to getting up and out after dawn, Scottsdale's downtown fitness scene is like SF's brunch scene: legit and serious. About 10 minutes from Mountain Shadows, downtown's BODI gym is a combination of bootcamp and Crossfit with you and 60 of your closest friends. Instructors range from former NBA dancers to Nike master trainers. I left drenched in sweat, and skipped the BODI team happy hour for a visit to neighboring Balunsd for some recovery time. Here, I indulged in the cold plunge studio frequented by elite athletes, bodybuilders and those popping by casually from the gym next door. It works just how it sounds: inspired by Nordic ocean bathing, you hop into a miniature cold pool and sit in it as long as you can stand. For me that was four minutes, but for the experienced (including new friends I met while fearing my internal organs were shutting down), it can be closer to 20. The pain was worth it, and everything including my tweaky lower back felt born again.

For some help in planning how to continue new healthy habits picked up in the desert, Well & Being Spa's Fitness Prescription is an in-depth approach to make it a regular thing: a Bod Pod body fat measurement and Basal Metabolic Rate test to assess a baseline, and customized fitness and nutrition recommendations to achieve wellness goals. Pro tip for carrying that wellness vibe back home? Nab some of the Red Flower bath salts from Mountain Shadows soaking tubs on the DL for a DIY retreat throughout the holiday season. // Mountain Shadows rates start at $239. 5445 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley (Scottsdale). www.mountainshadows.com, www.experiencescottsdale.com

Have a Healthy Hanukah with Barry's Bootcamp Trainer Nichole Peterson

There is perhaps no carb-ier holiday than the eight potato-, noodle- and chocolate-dreidel-soaked nights of Hanukkah.

But before we strap on our yoga pants for family festivities, we asked trainer Nichole Peterson of Barry's Bootcamp SF, how she manages to stay fit while feasting through the holiday.

How can we put some healthy spins on Hanukkah's signature dishes?

"I have been a vegetarian for over 10 years and so many of the dishes are veggie-friendly at Hanukkah. Unfortunately, they are also starch-friendly, dairy-friendly, and saturated fat-friendly. I try to bring a seasonal salad (strawberries, goat cheese, walnuts, spinach) to the party to mix in with all the yellow foods we devour. If not a salad, I'll bring cooked Brussels sprouts or a cauliflower dish. I find people are actually relieved to see veggie options on the table. If I'm cooking and can get away with it, I like cooking with coconut oil rather than butter, and I use Greek yogurt rather than sour cream or cream cheese.

The thing is, Hanukkah festivities only happen once a year and there is no way I'm going without some kugel—everything obviously in moderation! I eat a small snack before I go to the festivities, so I don't load up at dinner and am able to enjoy the meal along with everyone."

Where do you source dishes in SF that you'd rather not made at home?

"If I'm looking for some amazing starters for my guests—bagels and lox!—I go to Wise Sons Deli. My go-to for cooking any healthy meals is the farmers market. It's such an easy way to get fresh delicious ingredients while shopping local and supporting your community."

How do you keep from sitting on your butt all week?

"I always prioritize workouts. My favorite thing to do Hanukkah morning is to lead the siblings in a beach boot camp workout, and it's fun to add a little friendly family competition to the mix. We pick a spot on the beach that we have to run at least a mile to and then everyone participating gets to pick a movement they want to add to the mix. Think 10 push-ups, 15 burpees, 25 v-ups, 50 air squats, and 100 mountain climbers."

Any tips for getting an extra burn to make up for all of that kugel?

"My boyfriend's family plays a wicked game of Cutthroat—it's the most intense round of white elephant you could ever participate in, with lots of sweating, laughs and some tears. That always gets my heart rate up. But if you're looking for something a little more cardio-centric, I try to walk between the lull of dinner and the family hang out, it gives me a moment to chill out and almost always gives me an excuse to walk the dog!"

Happy Hanukkah!

The Well + Away Holiday Gift Guide

Our Favorite Healthy Gifts

Already missed out on monogram timing and slow boat shipping and are now looking for the perfect gift that you can give ASAP? Successful procrastination is a skill we honed over the years - though truth be told learning to avoid this last dash is currently topping 2018’s resolutions list. So in the spirit of disguising procrastination with really, really good gift giving, here are our favorite health-focused goodies that can be express-shipped to friends and family in time, whether you're celebrating the 12th or 24th.

Beauty Junkies

WHYLD
We met Lauren of WHYLD when W+A friend Katey Yurko of Violet Fog introduced us this summer. At that time, she had just one killer product: a Youth Activating Elixir (YAE to her devoted IG following) full of wildcrafted marula oil, watermelon, black currant, pomegranate, crambe and chia seed oils. We started using it at night, then during the day, and now can’t get enough whenever, wherever. Bonus points for this being the highest quality serum you can find at this price point. $76, whyldskincare.com

Drunk Elephant Gift Sets
Drunk Elephant’s super clean skincare has been on our radar for awhile, but it took a beauty editor at W mag saying it was the only beauty line she purchases for herself to finally get us to try it for ourselves. The Vitamin C serum is a cult product, as is nearly every other individual product, but the real show stopper gifts are the ridiculously packaged gift sets that will blow any other beauty set set you’ve ever given or received right out of the water. Starting at $18, www.drunkelephant.com

Chill Chicks

Mondo
Who knew that THC-laced turmeric lattes would become our go-to after-work drink of the season? Even though Mondo is produced to be for 'full body relaxation with a gentle cerebral invigoration', we've mostly been taking it in place of a post-dinner glass of Pinot. No matter when you take it, though, these Venice-chic jars of a cannabis, coconut oil and cacao butter formula serve up an awesome dose of anti-anxiety. Pricing dependent on dispensary, www.mondomeds.com

Lucky Box Club Subscription
If you really want to surprise someone with some high brow cannabis gifting, Lucky Box Club’s customizable monthly box delivers a curated set of THC and CBD edibles, topicals and flowers from indie vendor partners. A clever new customer flow lets you choose whether you're into a variety, just edibles or anything in between, as well as how much product you want hitting the doorstep each month. Classic membership starts at $150/month, luckyboxclub.com

The Hostess

August Morgan cocktail napkins
Erm, so this isn’t 1,000% health-focused, but just look at these little linen cocktail napkins! A moment of sharing adorable cocktail napkin delight when handing a drink to friends and family is a sure way to make your hostess friends feel awesome and spread the cheer. Which is what self-care is all about, right? The playful, colorful and sweet designs are nearly endless. $38/set of four, augustmorgan.com/

Lite + Cycle candles
As part of a story we wrote in winter of 2016 for our friends at VegNews, we uncovered the best vegan and clean-burning candles. Our favorite producer of the bunch was LA-based Lite + Cycle, and this year’s favorite scent is Vetiver. In addition to beautiful, complex scents that would feel right at home in your fancy friend’s third vacation home’s bathroom, the packaging feels like dressed-up-downtown and the price point feels like a steal for the quality. Lite + Cycle candles are crafted with pure essential oils often from wild-grown sources, and use renewable biodegradable materials, soy waxes, and unbleached cotton wicks. Starting at $62, liteandcycleshop.com/

Tech Obsessed

Aaptiv membership
We’ve been singing the praises of Aaptiv since a friend mentioned this was the only thing that could take her cardio relationship to the next level. Since our first audio-led treadmill workout, we were hooked. Classes vary by skill, with a number of different coaches using different training styles and playlists. Workouts focus on cardio (indoor and outdoor), and also include yoga, strength training and stretching. Gift subscriptions currently $79.99, aaptiv.com/gift

Habit
So this DIY metabolism and personalized nutrition kit was our gateway drug into the world of the quantified self and biohacking. We're now obsessed thanks to Habit. The at-home testing process itself takes a little bit of psyching up - it involves chugging a 1,000 calorie, shelf-stable shake and three finger prick tests - but the results that show dietary sensitivities, a personalized ideal macro split and genetic markers for things from a predisposition to obesity to endurance sports are so, so worth it. $299 (currently $50 off, $249 until December 25 off until December 25), habit.com/home-holiday

The Yogi

Yellow Willow Mat
We’ve been loyal to our rotation of Manduka mats for years now, but Yellow Willow’s luxe mats made of biodegradable rubber and recycled plastic bottles caught our eye with their sexy patterns (geodes, starry nights) and extra layer of grip. This is the only chic mat we’ve seen that offers slip-free support in hot yoga classes. $98, www.yellowwillowyoga.com/

The SNugglepuss

Buffy comforter
Always trying to live with a smaller carbon footprint over here, we’ve been meaning to try a down alternative comforter but haven’t been able to find one that didn’t feel like a cheap imposter. Made from natural materials and the same technological magic that keeps North Face puffers warm, the just-launched Buffy comforter is light, warm and machine washable (that last one was a game changer for us). Oh, and their site is the cutest of any comforter maker ever. Starting at $120,buffy.co/

Coyuchi For Life subscription
Based on how much time we spend wrapped in our sheets, we should be investing in quality, sustainable ones. But instead of spending an arm and a leg on posh sheets and having to toss them after a year or two, Coyuchi is offering a new organic sheet and towel subscription that send out new sheets every 6, 12 or 24 months. The less often the switch out, the less expensive, and they upcycle previously loved sheets. Starting at $5/month, www.coyuchi.com/

True Food Kitchen and the Benefits of Anti-inflammatory Dining

After first trying True Food Kitchen in its hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona, I've become hooked to the chainlet's sit-down take on anti-inflammatory, casual dining. Serving up flavor-forward, East-meets-West cuisine that caters to vegans, vegetarians and those with gluten sensitivity, menu items are based on the dietary philosophy of wellness superstar and father of integrative medicine Dr. Andrew Weil. Located in native Arizona, and now Southern California, Northern California and 10 other states (PA, TN, CO, FL, MD, GA, CO, IL, TX and VA). 

We chatted with Dr. Weil while he was in town to get the 411 on the anti-inflammatory diet, why the Bay Area is perfect for True Food Kitchen, and his favorite dishes on the fall menu.

7x7: For those not yet familiar with the True Food Kitchen ethos, could you give us an introduction?
Dr. Weil: The mainstream American diet is pro-inflammatory, meaning it gives us the wrong kinds of fats and carbs, and not enough of the fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices that protect us. Our menu is based on my extensive research into chronic diseases and findings that many are rooted in chronic inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet provides steady energy from ample vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, dietary fiber and and protective phytonutrients. Optimizing for health and longevity means reducing inflammation through foods with these specific protective elements. Foods such as mushrooms and turmeric.

How did True Foods Kitchen come into fruition?
I'm a very good home cook and, despite friends telling me over the years to open a restaurant, I was never tempted to because I knew nothing about the restaurant business. But then nine years ago I was introduced to Sam Fox of the Fox Restaurant Group and ended up proposing what became the True Food Kitchen concept: A restaurant that would serve really good food that was also nutritionally correct. At first, he thought that I was talking about bland tofu and sprouts, but Sam became convinced after I cooked him and his wife dinner at my home. They actually liked it! A space opened up in Phoenix and he skeptically agreed to give the concept a trial run. From the moment the doors opened it was a remarkable success. It's very gratifying to me that the food that I've cooked and enjoyed over the years is appealing to many people now.

So excited for the Palo Alto opening! Do you think that those working in tech are particularly prone to inflammation?
We knew we wanted to be in Northern California, and I think Palo Alto will be great for us. As for the area with relation to health, I do think techies are particularly prone to the stress of information and media overload that comes with the industry. I hope the culture of True Food will be a little bit of an antidote to that. For techies, learning some principles of the anti-inflammatory lifestyle is particularly important.

Until then, what is your favorite San Francisco meal?
I've always liked the Slanted Door and Greens. They are two of my favorites. I mostly cook at home when I'm in Tucson, so in San Francisco it's great for me to go out and try things I can't get at home.

What are some stand-out seasonal menu items?
We have an autumn salad that I think is terrific. For starters, we have charred cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts, and chiogga beet bruschetta with almond ricotta. Our ancient grains bowl is wonderful with its a mixture of grains, hemp seeds and miso-glazed sweet potato. (Editorial note: order it with the tofu, the best). 

Can dessert be anti-inflammatory?
My favorite is our squash pie, a personal recipe of mine. It's vegan and full of antioxidants. The delicious whipped topping is made from coconut—it's a wonderful dessert.

How does wine fit into a balanced, Weil-approved diet?
I based the anti-inflammatory diet on the Mediterranean diet for which we have a great deal of scientific evidence as to its benefits. I tweaked it by adding Asian influences such as mushrooms, soy, ginger and turmeric. In the Mediterranean diet, wine is included, especially red wine which has proven benefits. The key is moderation. I do drink red wine and sake, but not every night. On our menu, we've tried to include organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines as much as possible.

What are some important ways people can manage inflammation on a day-to-day basis?
My greatest challenge is to convince people that there is no difference between good food and food that's good for you. Diet is a huge factor in the body's inflammation. Another way to cut down on inflammation is to avoid environmental toxins such as secondary smoke, which is a strong inflammatory agent.

Practicing how to limit stress through breathing techniques and meditation is hugely helpful. In addition, I think there are certain herbs and spices that have anti-inflammatory properties, particularly ginger and turmeric. There are some supplements you can take that have anti-inflammatory activity, but I think exercise and control over diet is the most important.

True Food Kitchen, for more information on the anti-inflammatory diet, as well as breathing and meditation techniques, visit drweil.com.