Diva Dining Out

Natural Born Juicers in the Indianapolis City Market

2011-05-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

OK, what vegan/health food junkie/raw foods advocate doesn't love a good juice bar? Truth is, you'd be hard-pressed to find one who doesn't, and I am no exception. Lucky for me, there is an amazing juice bar in downtown Indy, conveniently located inside the Indianapolis City Market. What's better than that!? I'll tell you what's better than that - they also travel to several of the local farmers' markets (and we all know what an avid market-goer I am)!

NBJ logo. I took this off their Facebook page.

Natural Born Juicers is owned by a wonderful and friendly couple who really know their juice. All of their juices and smoothies are RAW and VEGAN. NBJ sources a much locally grown and organic fruits and veggies as they possibly can and have even started their own juice garden this year. Bonus: they make their own sprouted almond milk to use in their smoothies!

I would show you a picture of my favorite "Ultimate Greens", but I don't have one. Hint: it's GREEN!

NBJ's juice and smoothie creations are creative and healthy, from my go-to juice, the "Ultimate Greens", to the creamy and indulgent "Chocolate Raspberry". The staff at NBJ are always coming up with new creations to list on the specials board. A recent concoction of mango, orange, lime, cilantro, and agave won me a free juice at NBJ when I named it - the Mango de Mayo. I'm told this Cinco de Mayo celebration-inspired drink is going to be put up on the regular menu board soon. :-) Seeing as how I am a comfort-foods girl, I tend to order the same thing most times I go. However, I fully intend to change that this summer. My goal is to try a different smoothie or juice each time I head in NBJ's direction (on my list: Spice Cake, Black Mamba, Grassy Knoll, Spring Cleaner, The Glow, and (of course) the Mango de Mayo)! Don't worry, though...if you don't see something you like, they've got an extensive list of ingredients to choose from, and you can always "Create Your Own".

Besides having a mouth-watering menu of healthy beverages, NBJ is also serving large, freshly made salads using local, in-season produce. I had this one today (with red cabbage, carrots, lacinato kale, asparagus, avocado, sesame seeds, and red onion dressed in olive oil and lemon juice) and it was AMAZING! Perfectly delicious and filling, healthy lunch to enjoy on my day off.


NBJ's "Beastly Slaw" This one had sprouts; mine did not. :-(

When you reach into the cooler for a salad, you will also find some awesome raw goodies from my good friends at Raw Gourmet Delights. NBJ is currently carrying their flax crackers, kale chips (when in season), and sprouted sunflower seed paté. All of them are to-die-for. And don't forget to pick up some delicious gluten free AND vegan cookies from Bee Free Bakery at the counter when you check out! I promise, you will not be disappointed in them.

Alright, I'm done ranting and raving...go fuel yourself with some super juice! And if you don't want to go the City Market to get some, you can find NBJ at these farmers' markets:

Wednesdays @ City Market Original Farmers' Market (9:30am-1:30pm)
Friday evenings @ The Green Market/Traders Point Creamery (4:00pm-8:00pm)
Every 3rd Saturday @ Broadripple Farmers' Market (8:00am-12:00pm)

You can also check out Natural Born Juicers on Facebook and Twitter (@NatBornJuicers)!

Raw & Juicy: Organic Juice Bar and Café - Seaside, FL

2011-04-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

Raw & Juicy

Seaside, FL

Aaaaah, vacation! Always a welcome treat in my busy life. Vacation is always that much more relaxing when your parents are footing the majority of the bill (driving, renting the house, buying most of the groceries, paying for some dinners). Quite honestly, I wouldn't be able to go on vacation at all if my parents weren't taking me. BUT luckily for me, I enjoy the company of my parents and don't mind vacationing with them. So, I hop in the car and ride down to the panhandle of Florida every year for spring break to enjoy the beach and everything it has to offer.

Just down the road from the house my parents rent each year is a little beach community called Seaside (famous for being the set of The Truman Show, with Jim Carey).

Jim Carey in The Truman Show, walking through Seaside.

Seaside is so cute and charming, and we always enjoy eating and shopping there. Over the last few years, Seaside has begun to grow a small airstream community along the main strip through town. There are a several of these shiny silver trailers along one side of the road, and it is impossible to avoid checking them out.

Some of the vintage airstreams on the "trailer strip". (This is not my pic.)

Much to my delight, one of these airstreams is dedicated to serving organic, raw vegan treats! Last year when I discovered them, they were serving a few things, mostly juices and smoothies. Over the past year, their menu has expanded. They now have several options to choose from, all vegan, most raw. From juices and smoothies, to raw oatmeal or granola, to yummy wraps (not raw, but full of vegan goodness).

We arrived in Florida late on a Saturday morning, and noticed the farmers' market going on in Seaside as we drove past on our way to our house. Once we got settled, we decided to head back to Seaside and check out the market. Since we'd been in the car for hours upon hours and I hadn't been eating well, I was perfectly happy to stop at Raw & Juicy for a delicious and healthy breakfast (the others opted for a non-veg, non-healthy dining choice). After stewing over all the delicious-sounding choices, I decided on the Parfait with fresh fruit, homemade raw granola, and cashew yogurt. It was delicious! The cashew yogurt was thick and rich (I couldn't eat all of it), and there was plenty of sweet strawberries and bananas. The raw granola was a delightful complement to the other flavors and textures of the parfait. (I forgot my camera in all the shuffle of moving bags, so I didn't get a pic of this). I wish I could've talked my travel companions into trying a bite...but they were content with their heavy, non-veg breakfasts.

A couple days later, I invited my dad to have coffee/juice with me. So we got out the bikes and rode the 6.5 miles from our house to Seaside. He picked up his coffee, and I ordered a Green Goddess Juice from R&J. While this very veggie juice might not be everyone's bag, I LOVED it. It was fresh and clean, full of lots of greens, with enough lemon and apple to give it a good flavor. Dad and I sat out in front of the airstream and chatted while we drank. By the time I had finished my healthy beverage, I had enough energy to hop back on the bike and enjoy the warm sun and some tunes on my iPod for another 6.5 miles. What a lovely morning! I wish we'd taken more morning coffee/juice bike trips...next year!

Raw & Juicy airstream. And yep...that's my dad and his coffee! :-)

Summary: DEFINITELY go to Seaside, DEFINITELY get a treat from Raw & Juicy! Yummy and healthy...guilt-free vacation dining!

Raw & Juicy is still working on their website, but you can also find them on Facebook or keep up with them on their blog. You can also send them an e-mail (jlkuntz@mac.com) and order their raw granola and/or kale chips!

George's at Alys Beach - Alys Beach, Freeport, FL

2011-04-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

George's at Alys Beach

When I am traveling with my family, I am the lone - and often ostracized - vegan/vegetarian/organic enthusiast/foodie. Therefore, I rarely get to pick the restaurants. For whatever reason, my family fears anything labeled "vegan". I don't know why they seem to have an aversion to plant-based foods when eating out, or why the mere suggestion of dining at a vegan or vegetarian restaurant, the idea of having a meat-free meal, sends much of my family into automatic starvation mode. So, even though I was certain I'd end up munching on icky iceberg, I decided to go out for dinner with my parents anyway.

We drove just about a mile down the road from our rented home for the week to Alys Beach and stopped at George's. Luckily, my parents were feeling flexible that night, so they said I could peek at the menu before we decided to stay. I was excited to see vegetarian and gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu, as this usually means the waiters and chefs are sensitive and cooperative to food restrictions. Once I mentioned my diet to the hostess, she quickly assured me that the chef would take care of me.

We decided to stay for dinner, so the hostess sat us in the small dining room. George's also had a very large selection of outdoor seating, but the hostess informed us that it was full at the time. While we usually enjoy eating out-of-doors when the weather is nice, it was a bit chilly out by this time of night, so we were alright with staying inside. The atmosphere in the dining room was cozy, painted all white with large and colorful paintings of frogs adorning the walls (the theme of the whole restaurant seemed to be "frogs", and they had a shelved wall of cute frog products to buy: t-shirts, books, small toys, trinkets, and souveniers).

When the waiter came to the table, he promptly asked which of us was vegan and was very patient and accommodating. He explained the options he felt would be suitable for me, but also said that if I told him what I was looking at on the menu, the chef would do his best to fix something up for me. I was feeling relaxed and reassured about my meal. I took the waiter's suggestion and ordered a veganized version of their Spicy Lemongrass Curry dish (usually served with shrimp). I also ordered a side of the asian slaw that I spied accompanying another dish on the menu. The waiter said they could assure a vegan version, and brought it out with the salads.

The slaw was good, but slightly under flavored. A lot of the flavor ended up in the bottom of the bowl with most of the dressing. I'm not sure whether they had to make the slaw fresh for me, or if it was their regular offering. I think it might've been better if it seemed more "marinated. That being said, I did enjoy it, and it was a nice change from a typical house salad (and especially complementary to my Asian entree order).

When my curry came out, I was astounded! I wish I had a picture of the giant bowl placed in front of me, full of thick, aromatic, coconut milk curry and plenty of veggies. It came with a bowl of jasmine rice. The dish was delicious. Perfectly spiced, creamy, and the vegetables were not overcooked or mushy (which I sometimes find with dishes such as this). I enjoyed every single bite, but there was no way I was finishing the enormous portion there in one sitting. The waiter brought me a separate container for the curry and the rice, and I packaged them both up to enjoy for lunch at a later date (which I enjoyed almost as much as I had the first helping).

Note to non-vegans: This restaurant has a lot of lovely options for omnis and has many interesting seafood offerings. My parents enjoyed their meal and the atmosphere at George's as well. They RAVED about the Dungeness Crab & Parmesean Artichoke Dip, so don't skip out on the appetizer!

Summary: With so few actual options for vegan dinners in this area, I highly recommend checking out George's at Alys Beach. Cute atmosphere, friendly staff, large portion sizes, and most importantly - accommodating and vegan-friendly chef. :-)

Check them out on their website, Facebook, or Twitter!

Note: All pictures posted here are from the restaurant website/Facebook page and are credited to the photographer.

Earth House Collective Café - Indianapolis, IN

2011-01-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, I had the lovely experience of eating at the Earth House Café in downtown Indianapolis. I have read about the Earth House Collective, which is not only a coffee shop and café, but "is a group of peace activists, conservationists, artists, musicians, Methodists, teachers and many more dedicated to peace, wellness, community and culture..." I have been wanting to check it out for a while, but never really made the effort to figure out where it was or what they had to offer. I'm so glad I decided to stop in.

The first thing I will mention about the Earth House is that it's a little tricky to find. It's inside of an old church, and there are no signs to point you in the right direction. If you park in the parking lot there is a red door, which is the entrance to the Earth House. There is a small sign next to the door to let you know that you've found Earth House. --------->----->---->---->

The Earth House is located at the corner of New York and East Streets, downtown Indianapolis.

237 N. East St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.636.4060

Café hours:
Monday - Saturday
11am-9pm

I was actually quite surprised when I walked in. The area was open and bright, decorated with an ecclectic collection of lamps and furniture (tables and chairs, couches and coffee tables). The stained glass windows of the church let in tons of light to the large, open space. I was welcomed by the very cute guy behind the counter who was perfectly friendly and helpful, and glad to learn that this was my first visit to the Earth House.

I was slightly disappointed when looking at the vegan-friendly menu on the gigantic wall chalkboard. While there were many options listed (including vegan PIZZA!), most of them had "sold out" signs pasted neatly next to them. The server quickly apologized for the "slim pickin's", mentioning that they'd had a large music event the previous night and had run out of many of their menu items. The only things left were a salad and a white bean chili. It was a very cold day, and chili sounds like a brilliant choice. Plus, it came with a side of salad and cornbread...can't complain about that! So I ordered a cup of the chili and rummaged through a pile of books on the large dining table while I waited. (OH, I guess I should mention that I was informed that every third Saturday they host a free sale with a pay-what-you-can meal. The books I picked through were left over from the "sale").


Look at all those V's (indicating vegan menu items)!


The Earth House boasts being Indiana's only 100% fair trade/organic coffee shop!

When my order finally came to the table, I was more than pleased with the cozy presentation. I definitely liked the coffee shop ambiance of Earth House, and the colorful dishes were so fun. They reminded me of dishes my mom has at her house. The chili looked delicious, and the salad fresh.

Vegan White Bean Chili with vegan sour cream, salad, and cornbread. Yum!

The chili was warming and tasty, not overly seasoned. I sometimes worry about bean dishes at restaurants being overcooked, but this was not the case here. The beans were cooked nicely; not pasty or mushy. The greens were fresh, and the vinagrette was sweet and delicious. The salad was my favorite part of the meal. :-) The cornbread was good, although a bit dry and heavy. To me, this seemed like a good thing, as it made it easy to tell that the chef had used wholesome ingredients that I might've used at home. It did come with a pat of butter (I assumed it was vegan since it was a vegan dish, but I didn't ask), which I declined to use. That might have helped with the dry texture.

Overall, I loved my experience at Earth House. Great atmosphere, happy and friendly service, and yummy vegan food. I definitely plan to go back...perhaps not following a large event when I might have more dining options. I can't wait to take some of my friends. I'd like to keep an eye on their events and see what they have going on from night to night. Who knows...Earth House could end up being one of my favorite new places to hang out. Who wants to come with me next time?