Feel Good Food- Boston Style

Hello from thousands and thousands of miles up in the air! I am writing to you from my seat aboard my flight to Miami. Words cannot describe how ecstatic I am to return to my favorite city. This break was wonderful in the relaxation, family, and friend department. But let’s just say it is unlikely I will be living up north in the winter seasons… ever.

As school begins again, along with internships and the running of my wellness organization on campus, my posts likely will be a little more sporadic. I hope to still do several a week at least, just maybe not daily. It’s been just about a month since I began writing and I’ve had such fun sharing the random wellness adventures of my life. I look forward to making this baby fabulous! Speaking of adventures, I have a few healthy foodie finds for any of you in the Boston area (or in an airport).

Exhibit A: The U Food Grill at Logan airport (and I’m assuming other locations)

As I prepared for my trip today, I knew I was going to be dealing with lunch time right before my flight. Just in case I had no luck finding something, I filled my carry on with Kind Bars, Whole Wheat Tortillas, almonds, an apple, Belvita Biscuits, and vegan chocolate chips! It’s all about being prepared. As an active person, you want to always be able to fuel yourself like an athlete (and your metabolism will require you to) , no matter where you are. Sometimes it just takes a few seconds to throw some things in your bag before leaving.

               

 In the airport, I often find bananas or fruit cups for sale. I’ll sometimes come across a salad, or veggie sub.  Today, even the little news shop was selling Kind Bars. When I walked into the food court I was extremely excited to come across The U Food Grill. They focus on having delicious meet nutritious, and offer a huge variety of healthy sandwiches, salads, soups, and more. Everything on the menu had its calories listed next to it, so customers could make informed choices about what they pick. So here was my “airport lunch”.

Not bad, huh?

I chose to go with a variety of sides. I got a side salad, side of steamed broccoli, and a side of black beans (which was a huge portion, so I eye-balled what was normal for me). It was super delicious, and fit right into my usual clean eating routine.  I always find it very exciting to discover a place like this! If you come across one in your travels, know that it is a safe bet for a delicious feel good meal.

Exhibit B: Life Alive Urban Oasis & Organic Café – 765 Mass Ave, Cambridge

Last week my friend and I decided to brave the cold and venture into Cambridge and Harvard Square. He had just returned from Tel Aviv, which has a very similar climate to Miami. Needless to say, this outdoor excursion was a big deal for both of us. It turned out to be absolutely wonderful. After weeks of hibernation, walking around the city felt amazing (warm socks make a big difference). My friend is on the same page as me when it comes to health, wellness, and diet, and so looked up fun vegan friendly places we could check out, which led us to the coolest urban zen clubhouse ever. 

I fell in love. The décor was colorful and artistic, and the food was AMAZING. Their menu is full of salads, bowls, juices, smoothies, wraps, and “coffees”. They describe their offerings as “vibrant, therapeutic food; healing for your body and delicious in your mouth”. It is all as organic, local, sustainable and unprocessed as possible.

I ordered a demi size of  “The Alchemist” (funny since I just read that!), their smaller portion of a combination of sweet corn, carrots, kale, sprouted legumes, sun sprouts, and sesame seeds over quinoa with a Ginger Nama Shoyu sauce. This was just one of a dozen bowls they offer, and I’m sure each is equally delicious. I could likely eat here every meal, every day for quite some time and be the happiest person in the world. There is nothing like pure, whole, organic, delicious food. I truly aspire to be able to recreate some of their items. I think the key is in the sauces! 

We finished our meals with their Dandi-Blend Coffee substitute. It is a combination of dandelion, beet, and chicory root which tastes like coffee, while actually being healthy and detoxifying! We each downed a decadent Dandi-Mocha Latte with soy milk. Simply amazing. The world needs more places like this. 

Check out their website at www.LifeAlive.com

Exhibit C: Samba Steak and Sushi, Framingham Route 9

Since going vegan, sushi is a hit or miss thing for me. Some places have amazing vegan sushi, others not so much. I was so happy to come across Samba this summer. They focus on organic ingredients and offer a variety of delicious vegan options. My two personal favorites are the Mixed Organic Greens roll, with sweet potato, tofu, and brown rice, and the Tropical Fruit roll with avocado, mango, papaya, and brown rice. Top them with a bit of ginger and enjoy a wonderful sushi meal. I also love their fun drink menu and club-like atmosphere. Samba provides great dining experience where, with the right choices, you can enjoy a super healthy meal. 

If you’re in the Boston area, check these places out! I have a ton of favorite spots in Miami that I cannot wait to share with you all too. As I always say, it is more than possible to be an adventurer, enjoy great dining experiences, while staying true to your wellness goals and values. Enjoy!!!

Be Well.

Love, Julie