Recently, I have had a chance to enjoy some really delicious, healthy and decently priced foods at a few different restaurants.
Now, I am not a huge "go out to dinner" type person, for the simple reason that more frequently than not, I am not certain what exactly is in my food. I like knowing what I am ingesting and therefore would rather cook my own food in my kitchen with fresh, clean ingredients. But going out to dinner with friends and family can always be a relaxing experience so treating yourself sometimes, and yes, I do treat myself too, is nice.
That being said, there are a few restaurants that I really like going out to because I can remain confident that the food is pretty healthy and scrumptious too.
The three that I am going to talk about in this blog are: Strong Hearts, Ashkers and Squeeze Juicery.
Strong Hearts, located in Syracuse, N.Y., is a 100% vegan restaurant. The fun part is that you could bring your non-vegan friends because they can still find grilled cheese, stir fry and even milkshakes on the menu. Their milkshakes are to die for. Using almond milk, fruits and various other vegan alternatives, that rich, creamy taste is not skipped out on.
Last week when I visited Strong Hearts, I ordered the Fall Tofu Scramble with sweet potatoes, squash, roasted kale, roasted pumpkin seeds and a hint of turmeric for that beautiful, fall-ish, yellow tint.
Now, I am not a huge "go out to dinner" type person, for the simple reason that more frequently than not, I am not certain what exactly is in my food. I like knowing what I am ingesting and therefore would rather cook my own food in my kitchen with fresh, clean ingredients. But going out to dinner with friends and family can always be a relaxing experience so treating yourself sometimes, and yes, I do treat myself too, is nice.
That being said, there are a few restaurants that I really like going out to because I can remain confident that the food is pretty healthy and scrumptious too.
The three that I am going to talk about in this blog are: Strong Hearts, Ashkers and Squeeze Juicery.
Strong Hearts, located in Syracuse, N.Y., is a 100% vegan restaurant. The fun part is that you could bring your non-vegan friends because they can still find grilled cheese, stir fry and even milkshakes on the menu. Their milkshakes are to die for. Using almond milk, fruits and various other vegan alternatives, that rich, creamy taste is not skipped out on.
Last week when I visited Strong Hearts, I ordered the Fall Tofu Scramble with sweet potatoes, squash, roasted kale, roasted pumpkin seeds and a hint of turmeric for that beautiful, fall-ish, yellow tint.
While my dish was phenomenal, my friend's dish was amazing too. She ordered a vegan big mac! Yep, like the Big Mac you can order at McDonalds but a lot healthier. Oh, and she got a nice helping of homemade french fries with a side of organic ketchup, as a delicious bonus!
Next on the list is Ashkers. Located in Buffalo, N.Y., Ashkers has a wide variety of food options from healthy wraps to soups, omelets and fresh juices and smoothies! I have been to Ashkers twice, as of last week, and it has been phenomenal both times. Last time, I ordered a vegetable omelet with a fresh pressed green juice at 9:30 p.m. because I wanted something light and full of protein. Oh boy did I get just that.
The second trip to Ashkers, last week, I ordered garbanzo bean, mushroom and kale soup with another vegetable omelet but this time with a side of home fries, and a juice called "Sweet Pumpkin," with ginger and carrots. I'm going to tell you that these home fries were like anything I've ever had before. Literally like cut up potato wedges, lightly baked to perfection and served with ketchup. Not too greasy. Just the way I like my potatoes. It isn't at too many restaurants that you get potatoes like these!
Oh, and another fun little thing about Ashkers is that if you want to drink water, they offer four different kinds to choose from, each with a special fruit or vegetable inside: strawberry, lemon, cucumber and watermelon. It's a hard decision, but they are all great and give boring old water a fun twist.
So, the final restaurant that I am going to discuss is Squeeze Juicery. Although not a typical restaurant, they do still offer lunch but they are known for their fresh pressed juices, smoothies and shots. By shots, I do not mean alcoholic shots, but I am talking about wheatgrass, ginger and lemon shots.
This past weekend, my friend and I agreed we'd give wheatgrass shots a try. After being warned about their "greeniness" and distinct taste, I was still so ready to finally try this. The ladies at the counter gave me a plate with a shot of sparkling water, the wheatgrass shot and a small piece of fresh pineapple to help clear my palate afterwards.
So, the final restaurant that I am going to discuss is Squeeze Juicery. Although not a typical restaurant, they do still offer lunch but they are known for their fresh pressed juices, smoothies and shots. By shots, I do not mean alcoholic shots, but I am talking about wheatgrass, ginger and lemon shots.
This past weekend, my friend and I agreed we'd give wheatgrass shots a try. After being warned about their "greeniness" and distinct taste, I was still so ready to finally try this. The ladies at the counter gave me a plate with a shot of sparkling water, the wheatgrass shot and a small piece of fresh pineapple to help clear my palate afterwards.
I can admit to you that, yes, the shot smelled like grass out of the ground, but it did not taste "dirty." I liked it. It went down smooth and even had a sweet aftertaste. I surprised myself at my liking to it!
Incase you are not aware, a 1 ounce shot of wheatgrass contains 2 lbs of greens and with that comes tons of nutrients, minerals and vitamins that help to detoxify and nourish your body. I felt great after taking the shot and could definitely make that a regular thing!
So, if you are ever visiting the Western or Central New York areas, be sure to check out these great places.
Have you ever been to a 100% vegan restaurant near your hometown or while on vacation? How about downing a wheatgrass shot? Tweet me your healthful experiences!
Incase you are not aware, a 1 ounce shot of wheatgrass contains 2 lbs of greens and with that comes tons of nutrients, minerals and vitamins that help to detoxify and nourish your body. I felt great after taking the shot and could definitely make that a regular thing!
So, if you are ever visiting the Western or Central New York areas, be sure to check out these great places.
Have you ever been to a 100% vegan restaurant near your hometown or while on vacation? How about downing a wheatgrass shot? Tweet me your healthful experiences!
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