Field Trip: Whole Foods brings Local and Organic options to our doorstep

We joined a Mothering & Play Group with some local moms (lots of our friends). On Fridays, we take the kiddos on field trips. Last Friday we went on an educational tour of Whole Foods Market, a national all-natural food chain. We have one a mile from our house and we wanted to explore what they had in the way of affordable healthy foods. The kids couldn't wait to get inside!

Admittedly, the coolest thing about our tour was the SAMPLES we were served in every department of the store. We started off with fresh, locally-grown, organic raspberries. Meilani was a big fan! The produce at Whole Foods is a mix of locally-grown conventional stuff and all-organic. They are very intentional about where they buy produce from and presenting the best quality to customers for maximum taste. This section in particular is pristine and inviting with all the colors of the fruits and vegetables.

One cool fact we found out is the bananas at Whole Foods are from Earth University in Costa Rica. I was really excited about this because I visited Earth University during my semester in Costa Rica in college. It's a cutting-edge place where they are reaching out doing community development and growing and selling fruit. They reach out to women particularly and help them build small businesses through a microloan program subsidized by their organic banana production. Pretty cool!

Next stop: the seafood department. Our guide let the kids touch a real crab and we oohed and ahhed over the prepared salmon cakes and homemade clam chowder. Then on to the Meat department to hear about all the range-free and hormone free beef, lamb, pork and poultry. The guy did joke about the prices telling us that some people call Whole Foods the "whole paycheck" store. That might not be entirely true if you know where the bargains are but you will pay a pretty penny for this high-quality meat.

After sampling soy milk, cheese and artisan olives, we ventured into the "prepared foods" section of Whole Foods. This is a healthy food mecca for people who don't like to cook. They have everything from freshly-prepared sushi to deli sandwiches. They served up slices of pizza made in their special brick oven for our tour group of little ones. Bon appetit!

We also went to the bakery with all its impressive fancy cakes and cream puffs. We sampled organic cookies. We also learned about Whole Foods open package policy. Because they have so many unique and special products, shoppers can ask any clerk to open a package and give them a taste. Unbelievable! We ended up in the cosmetic department (my fave) with all their paraben-free lotions and make-up. I scored some sparkly eye shadow and nail polish. We also went home with free samples of Barney Butter (almond butter) and organic soaps. Whole Foods wholly spoiled us!

Journey note:
We go to Whole Foods now about twice a month for specialty produce items, inexpensive staples (especially their coupon deals or 365 brand) and baking supplies (all kinds of natural sweeteners and whole grain flours). We love the prepared food section but we only can afford it if we have a special gift certificate. Looking for a great lunch date? Check out Whole Foods cafe area. They serve up awesome homemade soups and breads daily.

Restaurant Review: Healthy Fast Food?

On a recent road trip from Roanoke, Virginia to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, our family stopped in Chapel Hill. We discovered a new "fast food" restaurant called EVOS. We were shocked to find the healthiest fast food we've ever eaten. Their menu includes burgers, wraps, salads, fries and even a special healthy kids menu.

What do they serve? Ericlee wanted to know all the secrets so he interviewed the manager on all menu items. He discovered they chucked all the typical greasy elements of fast food in favor of hormone-free meats and veggie options. Choose from 100% all-beef burgers, soy burgers, turkey and veggie burgers. They even have chicken sandwiches. Don't you worry: you can still get the works on your burger like natural cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato added to your burger.

And we were truly amazed by the french fries. They should be called "french bakes" because they are actually air-baked in a special oven and never dipped or sprayed with oil. That means 50-70% less fat. And yes, they do past the taste test. We also dug the homemade ketchup in four varieties. Ericlee asked twice and it does not have sugar! (or the more popular high fructose corn syrup found in those little packages of othe ketchup brands.) Our two-year-old enjoyed her first french fry (ever!) at EVOS.

Ericlee wanted to kick it up a notch so he ordered the Crispy Thai Trout Wrap. The trout is also airbaked and topped with a spicy peanut sauce and bundled with organic spring greens in a spinach herb wrap. He gave it a 9/10 on the rating scale. When's the last time you had a healthy fish sandwich or wrap?

Dorina's pregnant belly needed a shake. The choices include 100% fruit shakes or organic milkshakes. Mango Guava had amazing flavor and rivaled our favorite all-fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice. For the coffee lovers in the audience, they even make a cappuccino milkshake. Yum-o!


We loved the atmosphere at EVOS. It has a decidely "green" (as in environmentally-conscious) vibe using all recycled energy. It also has this very retro-meets-modern feel. The booths are done up in tangerine orange and avocado green giving a little nod to the '70s. Yet, the restaurant takes the best from popular coffee shops and includes little couches and lounge chairs for customers who just want to "hang."

So the big question is: what about the moolah? Admittedly, you're going to have to lay down a little more cash for all this quality. There's no dollar menu at EVOS. But we didn't mind. We spent $15 on a meal for three, trying a variety of items and we felt it was money well-spent.

For all our California friends, a new EVOS is opening this year in San Luis Obispo near the Trader Joe's on Higuera Street. See the web site for other locations across the country.

Got a hankering for a burger, fries and a shake? Stop at EVOS and you won't be disappointed. And you won't be suffering down the line like you will after eating at those other fast food joints.

Restaurant Review: Sierra Restaurant at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

Over the last five years I've developed a new creative muse: food.

I'm a writer. When I have writer's block, I head for the kitchen. When I need a little inspiration, I twirl my spice rack. When I'm ready to paint, I take out a plate. My blank canvas. Ericlee and I recently celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. We headed for Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite where we were married on a snowy April Sunday. We celebrated by eating at the Sierra Restaurant and recounting our last five years together. The evening was romantic. The food was dynamic. It was one of those experiences I'd like to taste again and again.

Our meal commenced with the Mulligatawny soup made with madras curry, root vegetables and coconut milk. The Indian flavors melded into a surprisingly smooth, yet complexly flavored stew. This was comfort food with a twist. Ericlee said he wanted to whole meal to be soup.

Sierra has a "culinary credo" printed in their menu. Chef Frederick Clabaugh uses locally grown sustainable products whenever possible as a "commitment to the land and the sea and our environment." Pretty impressive and right in line with our family's quest to find healthy, fabulous-tasting foods. (We happen to think the two are not mutually exclusive.)

Ericlee ordered the Special - a Roasted Mahi Mahi with an artful display of vegetables served on a bed of plump Israeli Couscous. This is the kind of dish that wows me with colors and textures and even aromas. My husband, however, was still talking about the soup.

I ordered the Line Caught Pacific Halibut with a Macadamian nut crust, tropical salsa and vanilla bean butter served on a bed of coconut risotto. This was, indeed, the show-stopper. The salmon looked better - more bursts of colors perhaps - but the halibut was a fireworks show of flavors in my mouth.

Please understand: I don't usually order fish in restaurants. I'm not a seafood lover. I make lots of dishes with mahi mahi at home or grill up a nice filet of salmon for my brother when he's in town, but I don't *choose* fish. It's rarely appealing to me. I have a new appreciation for fish after this Sierra meal.

The halibut was tender - perfectly coupled with the tropical salsa made with tiny cubed melon and mango. The coconut risotto was a creative twist to complete this meal. Risotto-making is an art. One has to keep a close eye on the rice in the pan and add just the right amount of liquid. My compliments to the chef who mixed this one up just right. This fusion approach adding coconut milk (often used in Asian cuisine) to the traditional Italian rice was ingenious.

We ordered our dessert to go so we could enjoy it in our room at the Apple Tree Inn (next door) sitting by the fire. Ericlee picked out an oversized chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of ice cream on top. They even packaged up whipped cream, chocolate and caramel for us to add. A great American finisher.

Let's just say this meal was definitely worth the moolah. We are not ones to spend big money on dinner out. My hubby would rather enjoy one of my creative concoctions at home if he had the choice. As for me, I welcomed the chance to watch another food artist throw paint on a blank canvas.