Vegan Girl in the land of BBQ and Bojangles : Part 1

After a very, very long few days of moving, I am finally all settled in in my new home in Columbia! Let me tell you, I have most certainly “moved naturally” all week long (Blue Zones reference…go back and read that post!). After sitting so much during the summer, it’s felt great to be out and about all the time, even though it’s also been exhausting!

Anyway, I was very apprehensive about how many great healthy dining options I would have in moving down south. Here we have Sonic, Bojangles, Cookout, and some nicer restaurants that literally do not have a thing I can eat. But I must say, I am very, very pleasantly surprised by the options my new home has offered me thus far!

First stop when I got here was obviously Whole Foods, which is super close , thank goodness! This Whole Foods knocks the one in Massachusetts out of the park. Not only do they have tons of vegan prepared food options, but also each is very clearly labeled in a pretty blue. =)

Tonight, Mom and I decided to go somewhere other than Whole Foods and Chipotle for dinner, as we finally had checked everything off our to do list. Mom researched a bunch of restaurants in “The Vista” in Columbia. We decided to try out an Asian bistro. While trying to find it, we ended up at its sister restaurant instead. Boy am I glad we did!

M Grille, at 530 Lady Street in Columbia, is absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is clean, simple, and sophisticated, creating a lovely fine dining experience. Upon arriving, one can see into the sushi bar and kitchen. I was very excited about how fresh all of the ingredients were. In looking at the menu, I could have eaten there for days! They offer an amazing assortment of vegetable sides, from eggplant, to bok choy, to asparagus. They also offer organic brown rice and a vegetarian sushi roll. Not to mention that their drink menu is amazing, offering many well-made, light and refreshing cocktails. Turns out M Grille only opened 9 days ago! Therefore, Mom and I got to enjoy the perks of a grand opening, with lots of free samples and excellent service. Feel free to drool at the pictures below.

M Grille Salad with heirloom tomatoes, avocado, micro greens and ponzu.

Poached Bok Choy. I have no idea how this was so amazing. It seems to have been poached in a vegetable broth with garlic or something along those lines. I am on a mission to recreate this! 

Vegetable Roll with organic brown rice, asparagus, cucumber, and sweet potato tempura.

Mom and I split the first two courses and each enjoyed our own veggie roll. It was an absolutely perfect light, fresh, and healthy meal. If you are in the Columbia area, definitely check this place out. By all means, check it out with me! I will happily go again =).

More tales of my southern adventures to come! (And more regular fun stuff of course)

Be Well.

Love, Julie 

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

How to enjoy meals out and maintain your healthy diet

Hello everyone! With the New Year beginning, many of you may be trying to make healthier choices in your diet. This is fairly easy to do at home, when you are in control of what is being put into your food. What about when you are eating out? How do you stay on track?? Here are a few tricks I’ve figured out to help  you in your eating out adventures. 

1. When it comes to fast food, don’t. Please just do not! Take a look at any fast food’s nutritional information on their website if you need convincing. Just say no. You deserve a fresh, well prepared meal. Yes, I have been at Burger King or McDonald’s with friends without getting anything. It is possible and feels awesome. When it comes to “fast food” I will only eat two places…

                1. Subway- I get a six inch veggie sub on wheat with mustard. No cheese, no extra dressings etc. It may not fulfill every one of my nutritional meals for the day, but at least I am eating clean and light.

                2. Chipotle- I love chipotle’s philosophy of offering ingredients with integrity. If you know what to order, you can get a fantastic, well rounded meal here. Warning!! According Eat This Not That just the tortilla used in making burritos is 290 calories. Just the tortilla!!! I don’t know about you, but I’d like to be able to enjoy more than a tortilla and some lettuce for my meal please. Go for a salad instead. You can get all of the flavor for a normal calorie intake. I always get a salad with black beans, peppers, salsa, and a tiny bit of guacamole (yes, I ask for a tiny bit). No cheese, sour cream, etc! I feel great about what I’m eating and enjoy a delicious meal. They have a fantastic calorie calculator on their menu, so you can avoid pitfalls.

2. Do your research- Most major chains have all of their nutritional information online or on an app. Look at this! You will be shocked at what you find. For example, half of the Panera vegetarian sandwich, just half, (seemingly healthy) has 190 calories just from the bread! Also, most everything , even the seemingly healthy things, from The Cheesecake Factory has an OUTRAGEOUS amount of fat and calories. It's best to just go somewhere else! Educate yourself. Look at your options. How can you have a nice meal without destroying your efforts to eat well? Luckily, a number of chains are now offering healthier options. For example, Uno’s has some wonderful veggie and whole grain side dishes, and offers a veggie wrap which, without the goat cheese, provides a filling ,flavorful and guilt free dinner. Ruby Tuesday’s now offers Fit and Trim specials, great veggie sides, and spaghetti squash! Bertucci’s also has some lovely small vegetable sides that can combine to make a yummy dinner. Take the time to look ahead and plan! For example, if my friends ask to go out, I always make sure to suggest a place I know has options that I can enjoy while feeling good. How do I do this? I put in the effort because my body and health are important to me!

3. Make your own meal- If it’s on the menu, chances are it can be combined with something else to make a meal. As a vegan, I often order several sides and a salad and let the waiter know which will be my entrée. Also, never be afraid to ask questions! If you have a concern about an ingredient that may or may not be in your meal simply ask. It’s almost always possible to get things without extra heavy condiments, cheeses, etc. Also, ask for your veggies to be prepared with olive oil and not butter!

4. Beware of salad dressings- Ever wonder how a salad can be listed as over 500 calories? It’s likely the dressing. Stay away from the complicated ones. Ask for olive oil or plain vinegar instead, on the side, so you can control how much goes on. Croutons and cheese are also easy things to cut out that can ruin the “healthiness” of your salad ! (more on preparing the perfect salad to come in a future post).

5. Go with the flow- Staying healthy in the restaurants of America takes a bit of effort. Prepare ahead of time and be ready to go with the flow. For example, if you have read the menu of somewhere and know it will not meet your dietary needs, have a healthy snack ahead of time. Also, if you leave unsatisfied, knowing you stayed within your clean eating routine but need more nourishment, have something after! For example, today I went out and got a veggie burger with my mom. It came on a massive white roll. I do not eat massive, white rolls. However, I knew I needed something grainy. So, I simply ate the burger itself, and small side salad, and then came home and had one of my favorite tortillas. Problem solved!

Restaurants do not control you! You get to decide what goes into your body and what is used to form your complete composition. If you have a nutritious meal, your body uses that fuel to create the right mixture of muscle, bones, cells, fat etc. If you are overloaded with heavy foods, your body will have too much to handle, and that lovely layer of unnecessary reserve starts to accumulate near all of your “problem” areas. With minimal effort, you can make sure all of your hard work in taking care of yourself does not go to waste after a few meals out. You can be fit while being social with friends and family! The two are not mutually exclusive. Healthy living is a lifestyle, not a temporary routine. It simply becomes second nature and a part of who you are. It may take a little figuring out at first, but soon you will be tackling every situation with ease. I promise!

Be well.

Love, Julie