Bacon & Brussel Sprouts Casserole
This screams winter and flavorful. Make ahead of the week, reheat morning of and serve with berries, coffee or green tea.
Breakfast Burrito Bowls
Satisfying, balanced, savory breakfast for a chilly moring. You can even make the hash ahead of the week, reheat, and just put an egg, salsa, and optional yogurt on top upon serving.
Tempeh Bacon Avocado Bowls
Make the tempeh and sweet potatoes ahead of time and assemble these the morning of for a fun, flavorful, gut healthy twist for breakfast.
Southwest Tofu Scramble
Change up your breakfast protein with a tofu scramble. Round out with a side of roasted potatoes.
Chickpea Scramble
Or a chickpea scramble! This could work for any meal. Maybe add crumbles of bacon.
Quinoa Breakfast Bake
A twist on oats! Can sub millet for quinoa. Dates for honey. I like extra berries and cinnamon. Topped with a dollop of plain coconut or goat milk yogurt.
Quinoa Breakfast Bake with Kale & Chicken Sausage
A savory, high protein breakfast you can make a head of the week. Reheat and serve with berries.
Sausage Apple Goat Cheese Frittata
Seasonally satisfying! Omit sausage if vegetarian.
Apple, Kale, Sweet Potato Hash
Add berries on the side! Vegetarians: omit meat and add hard boiled eggs on the side.
Butternut Squash, Sausage Bake w/ Kale
For protein, add: sausage, bacon, over easy egg; or sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds for a lighter vegetarian option. (Photo: Paleo Running Momma)
Smoked Salmon Egg Bake
Batch cook this dish ahead of the week. Add whichever herbs you like and even swap the zucchini for delicata or other winter squash. Serve with a side of seasonal fruit, cup of coffee or tea.
Kasha & Vegetables
Enjoy the earthy, wholesome flavor of kasha, or buckwheat groats. Add an egg or cooked chicken for extra protein. Also, enjoy experimenting with dried mushrooms which can be found in bulk sections of most natural markets or purchased online. Sub: 8 oz fresh mushrooms.
Date-sweetened Oatmeal
Use this as a template and switch up the fruit, nuts, and seeds for variety.
Carrot Pear Cashew Butter Oats w/ Mascarpone
You’re going to love shredded carrot in your oats! And mascarpone cheese! Though if you’re avoiding dairy, you can just skip it and lean on the cashew butter for the healthy, filling fats in this one.
Sauteed Eggs & Greens Breakfast Salad
This breakfast salad offers a lighter breakfast with fresh greens and herbs, but also utilizes leftover roasted veggies like cauli or squash.
Sweet Potato Toast
It’s still a thing. And you can have a lot of fun coming up with creative, beautiful, variations. Click the photo for inspiration.
Fisherman’s Eggs
A 25-min breakfast for 2, Sicilian style with sardines (healthy fat in the winter!). Serve over GF whole grain like rice or millet, or bed of greens, for a lighter breakfast.
Plate Inspiration
10-minute breakfast! Coat a ramekin w. olive oil, crack an egg inside, bake at 350F for 8 min in the toaster oven. Add your favorite spice blend or a bit of goat cheese. Plate up the rest while the egg is cooking. Keep it colorful. Grapefruit, raspberries, beet kraut, avo, spinach, salmon here.
Plate Inspiration
Leftover roasted pumpkin or squash of choice rounds out a simple and flavorful breakfast with sausage, fresh berries, and a heaping spoonful of kraut. A personal favorite!
Plate Inspiration
Soup for breakfast. Do it! Leftover soup or a can of Amy’s bean soup with added fresh herbs plus a side of sliced apples or pears is easy and tasty.
Plate Inspiration
Yes, you can have more than 1 piece of bacon. But do pair it with some color like these scrambled eggs with sauteed mushrooms, berries, and a side salad.
For a balanced breakfast, be sure there is protein and fat in there. Here are a few easy, balanced breakfast ideas:
- Leftover dinner (think outside of the box!)
- Soup! Yes, soup for breakfast on the go and in the winter may hit the spot better than you think.
- Scrambled eggs with sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese, fresh spinach, basil; side of berries or apples slices
- Breakfast Salad: mixed greens with lemon and olive oil dressing; half a cooked sweet potato, cubed, 1 fried egg, ½ avocado sliced, fresh herbs (optional)
- Sausage, leftover roasted squash or sweet potato, sauer kraut on the side
- Eggs over brown rice or quinoa with wilted greens + side of seasonal fruit
- Eggs over quinoa with side of steamed broccoli or roasted Brussel sprouts
Bowls (who needs sandwiches!?)
Kung Pao Buddha Bowl
A plant-based bowl option with chickpeas and quinoa making a complete protein. If you can find a sugar free sriracha, good, if not, regular is ok.
Winter Veggie Power Bowl
Roast your veggies, make your sauce, assemble! A nice batch prepped lunch meal. Massage your kale or cook a bit if you prefer not to do full raw. Use unsweetened cranberries or cherries.
Cilantro Lime Shrimp Bowl
Shrimp with a crunchy, colorful slaw over rice makes this a lean protein and satisfying dish.
Roasted Veggie & Grain Bowl
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week. Or make extra roasted veggies and quinoa to use for other meals in the week. Swap chickpeas for chicken or shrimp, if you prefer more protein.
Nourishing Plant Bowl
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week. Or make extra roasted veggies and quinoa to use for other meals in the week. Swap chickpeas for chicken or shrimp, if desired.
Plant Rich Buddha Bowl
Meal prep these ahead for lunches. Nice touch with the easy turmeric tahini dressing.
Glowing Winter Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week. Or make extra roasted veggies and quinoa to use for other meals in the week. Swap chickpeas for chicken or shrimp, if desired.
Paleo Burger Bowl w/ Fries
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week. Can sub squash for potato if desired.
Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week. Can sub squash for potato if desired.
Quinoa Chickpea Buddha Bowl
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week.
Salsa Verde Beef Bowl
Meal prep these a head of the week for 3 of your lunches or dinners during the week.
Double Broccoli Buddha Bowl
For a refreshing, plant-based meal with texture and crunch, make this.
Ground Chicken & Mushroom Bokchoy Bowl
Sub olive or avocado oil in place of canola. Sub coconut aminos or GF tamari in place of soy. Serve over a bed of whole grains, your choice.
Want to make your own bowl, your own way? Use this template to Build Your Own Bowl. This is fall flared, but easily works for winter. You can use raw greens in the winter, but do pair them with roasted or sauteed vegetables, warm meat or beans to balance the force. Avoid eating a fully cold, raw salad or meal in the winter, unless you’re really craving it.
Soups & Stews
Shelly’s Homemade Bone Broth
Use this homemade broth in a mug to drink, as a base for soups, for cooking grains for rich flavor and nutrients.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Stew
This has a coconut milk curry base to it, is super flavorful, and taste better the next day! Serve over quinoa if desired and add in a handful of spinach to wilt.
Creamy Wild Rice Chicken & Mushroom Soup
Like most any soup, pair with a whole grain like brown rice, wild rice, millet, or quinoa to round out the meal.
Miso Soup Broth w/ Chicken, Mushrooms, Wild Rice
Like most any soup, pair with a whole grain like brown rice, wild rice, millet, or quinoa to round out the meal.
Coconut Red Lentil Soup
Like most any soup, pair with a whole grain like brown rice, wild rice, millet, or quinoa to round out the meal.
Rosemary Red Soup
A surprising delicious beet and red lentil soup. One from my culinary school archives.
Beet & Black Lentil Borscht
A deeply nourishing, cleansing soup. Add a scoop of rice to round it out into a whole meal if desired.
Old Bay Shiitake Squash Soup
A cozy, nourishing vegetarian soup with a Maryland Crab flare.
Everything but the kitchen sink soup
This is the recipe that teaches how to throw together a balanced soup meal. Quinoa or wild rice? Bacon, pancetta, turkey? Or make it vegetarian with chickpeas and paprika.
Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Stew
Make this on Sunday for dinner while you’re meal prepping. Hearty vegetable soup. Add spices and herbs, as you like.
Instapot Vegetable Beef Stew
Make this on Sunday for dinner while you’re meal prepping. Hearty vegetable soup. Add spices and herbs, as you like.
Paleo Beef Chili
With sweet potatoes and beets, oh my! A unique and beautiful twist on chili.
Savory Pumpkin Soup
Omit the sweetener. Use bone broth if you have it. And consider making a double batch and freezing half for another week ahead.
Simple Carrot Soup
Do this and don’t skip the crushed almonds and cilantro toppings. Paired nicely with lunch or a side soup with dinner.
White Bean + Kale Minestroni
White beans, greens, and root veggies make this a satisfying, winter, plant-based soup. Batch cook ahead of the week.
Easy Black Bean Soup
White beans, greens, and root veggies make this a satisfying, winter, plant-based soup. Batch cook ahead of the week.
Sweet Potato + Sausage Soup
Full of flavor! Consider adding salt to taste, red pepper flake for a little kick, and a splash of lemon or vinegar for brightness. Can swap spinach for kale to make it heartier and serve over quinoa for a fuller meal.
One-pot Curried Potato & Lentil Soup
You probably already have these ingredients on hand. Double the batch and freeze half for another week. Also, if curry isn’t your thing, omit it and increase herbs, salt, and pepper for a still-amazing hearty soup. Omit sweetener.
Salads + Vegetable Sides
Perfectly Cooked Sauteed Broccoli
A simple veggie side. I also like to add chicken or veg stock while steaming for a bit more flavor.
Broccoli & Kale Garlicky Saute
A nutrient dense side dish. Sub olive oil for butter if desired. And toss with shaved almonds for extra crunch.
Easy Steamed Veggies
A simple reminder that steamed veggies are quick and easy! Don’t forget olive oil or butter. Salt and pepper. A spritz of lemon and fresh herbs if you have them. This recipe has great cooking tips too.
Zucchini Mushroom Saute
Simple, warming veggie side dish.
Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted and warming winter spices make this a must-include simple side dish on a weeknight.
Parmesan White Beans
You’ll always thank yourself for having extra fiber and protein on hand. Use bone broth for a more therapeutic dish. Vegans use veggie broth and nutritional yeast in place of parmesan.
Sweet Potato Salad
An easy sweet potato and arugula salad that only needs protein to make a meal! Try grilled chicken, baked fish, or black bean soup.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes
An ode to squash season. This is an easy, flavorful, starchy side dish. Omit the parm if dairy intolerant.
Herb Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash
An ode to squash season. This is an easy, flavorful, starchy side dish. Omit the parm if dairy intolerant.
Kale Salad w/ Roasted Delicata Squash + Miso Dressing
To make this a balancecd meal, simply add a protien like grilled chicken, tempeh, tofu, hard boiled eggs, or white beans.
Roasted Parnsip, Lentil, & Water Cress Salad
All the winter flavors represent here. Add your choice of protein for a balanced meal.
Roasted Vegetable Salad
All the winter flavors represent here. Add your choice of protein for a balanced meal.
Heirloom Apple Salad w/ Hazelnuts
Seasonal, satisfying, and crunchy apple salad. Leave out the sugar in the dressing or sub with raw honey.
Warm Apple Salad w/ Apple Cider Vinaigrette
A savory sweet salad. Omit the maple syrup and pecorino if you’re avoiding dairy. Add roasted chicken or a side of quinoa and white beans to make a balanced meal.
Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Simple Roasted Cauli with savory and zippy notes.
Braised Greens
Basic braised greens are a must. Enjoy as a side, mixed with a whole grain, as a bed for fish, meat, poultry, eggs, or however you can squeeze them in.
Slaw + Miso Tahini Dressing
Excellent as a side dish or as a bed for pan-seared fish or shrimp. Vegetarian option: serve with a side of chickpeas and quinoa or brown rice.
Emerald City Salad
This salad is a favorite in my kitchen. And it holds up in the refrigerator for ~4 days. Add protein of choice to make it a meal a nutrient-packed lunch.
Kale, Apple, + Currant Salad
Another hit salad in my kitchen and among friends. It holds up well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and is fantastic w/ breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack by itself.
Roasted Pumpkin w/ Shallots + Sage
Roast as a side for breakfast, add to salad bowls, or a side for dinner. Pumpkin can be swapped out for squash anywhere and in any meal, and is a filling, healthy, seasonal starch that should be on your plate a few times a week in the Fall.
Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
In case you’re missing on good old french fries. Try these and add spices as you like. Tessamae has delicious dipping sauces, too.
Crispy Delicata Squash Fries
The easiest squash you’ll roast all season AND you can eat the skin.
Spaghetti squash w. brown butter + sage (Instapot)
Enjoy all the squash varieties! Add a meat sauce to this for your spin on classic spaghetti.
Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Comforting and lighter than potatoes (dairy). Serve with a side roasted brussel sprouts + pecans, and protein of choice.
Roasted Root Veggies
A simple reminder to roast a batch of root vegetables each week, single source or pick a couple for variety: turnips, rutabaga, carrots, potatoes.
Mashed Carrots & Parsnips
A fun spin on a comforting veggie mash.
One-pan Dishes
Sheet Pan Chicken Rainbow Veggies
A light and herbalicious weeknight dinner. Add a whole grain of choice or roasted squash if you want a heartier meal.
Sheet Pan Saussage w/ Brussel Sprouts & Sweet Potatoes
A light and herbalicious weeknight dinner. Add a whole grain of choice or roasted squash if you want a heartier meal.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
Skip the tortillas and serve over garlicky rice and stir/wilt in some spinach for extra greens if desired. (Rice: add 1 minced garlic clove to rice while cooking)
Cod w/ Vegetables & Lemon Herb Sauce
A light and herbalicious weeknight dinner. Add a whole grain of choice or roasted squash if you want a heartier meal.
Roasted Chicken & Veggies
A flavorful, seasonal, one-pan recipe and a great chance to play with spices!
Baked Salmon, Bloobs, and Brussel Sprouts
Real food, simple flavors, not fancy, 20 minutes.
Sage Pesto Salmon & Roasted Winter Veggies
A fun one with sage pistachio pesto. And salmon, which is high in vitamin D.
Tofu Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Packed with protein, this vegetarian dish is also great for batch cooking ahead of the week.
Chicken Fried Rice
Sub coconut aminos or GF Tamari in place of soy sauce and brown rice in place of white.
Dinners Main Courses
Honey Ginger Salmon Bowls
Serve this over brown rice or quinoa (sorry, no pasta!) and a veggie side like steamed broccoli or a mixed greens salad.
Sundried Tomato & Basil Turkey Meatballs
This creamy, comforting dish with lean protein can be served over brown rice, another grain of choice, roasted squash, and with a small side of greens/salad.
Garlicky Chicken & Shrimp
Serve this over brown rice or quinoa (sorry, no pasta!) and a veggie side like steamed broccoli or a mixed greens salad.
Instapot Pulled Pork
Think of this more as a template! Protein of choice. Kale or swiss chard or collards. Unsweetened dried fruit. Vegetarian: add cannelini beans.
Stuffed Delicata Squash
Think of this more as a template! Protein of choice. Kale or swiss chard or collards. Unsweetened dried fruit. Vegetarian: add cannelini beans.
Bean, Mushroom, Carnita Casserole
A satisfying, grounding, hearty winter vegetarian meal. Nom nom.
Simple Vegetable Tempeh Quinoa Stirfry
Blood oranges, radicchio, paprika, coriander! So many fun flavors to play with her especially if you’ve been curious about cooking with endive and radicchio.
Chicken Salad w/ Citrus & Chili Oil
Blood oranges, radicchio, paprika, coriander! So many fun flavors to play with her especially if you’ve been curious about cooking with endive and radicchio.
Chicken and Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Serve up with a side salad and dinner is done.
Coconut Shrimp Curry
Serve over cauli rice, quinoa, millet, or brown rice for a heartier meal.
Thai Basil Beef
No need for carryout when you can make this at home. Add a side of sauteed carrots, broccoli, or cabbage for some veggies.
Pimenton Roasted Whole Chicken w/ Root Veggies
Enjoy playing with paprika here! Shake up your root veggies if desired and add a side salad to round the meal out.
Greek Burgers (Lamb or Beef)
Serve with roasted sweet potato fries and sliced apples.
Tikka Masala Chicken (Slow Cooker)
Coconut milk makes this a fantastic and flavorful dairy-free riff on butter chicken. Pair with a bed of brown rice with wilted spinach.
Burgers with Sweet Potato ‘Buns’
If lettuce wraps don’t do it for you, try this. And have fun with all the ways and shapes sweet potatoes can be enjoyed.
Chicken Pesto Salad (Crockpot)
Batch cook this ahead of the week. Serve in endive leaves, or over a bed of quinoa and your choice of greens.
Pan-seared Scallops
Add this light, flavorful protein option to any meal, especially roasted veggies over your whole grain of choice. You can also saute in butter, if you prefer!
Brown Rice Mujadarra w/ Mixed Herbs
The brown rice, lentils, and Greek yogurt make this a protein-packed. balancecd vegetarian meal.
Kasha w/ Kale & Pancetta
Get kasha on your winter menu rotation and enjoy this one for any meal of the day. Vegetarians, skip the pancetta.
Nori-wrapped Salmon
This is one of my favorite, flavorful ways to enjoy baked salmon AND seaweed. Enjoy with a side of sauteed green beans or a hearty mixed green salad with dressing for lighter fare.
Plantain-crusted Chicken Tenders
Enjoy over a bed of mixed greens, your favorite dressing, and a side of steamed beets or a root vegetable of choice.
Cashew-crusted Chicken Tenders
You get the idea. You can create a crust for chicken with even crushed almonds, too!
Collard Green Burritos
Great for a lunchbox option, a snack, or a dinner side. There’s a brown rice and lentil vegetarian option or a beef and quinoa one.
Shrimp + Broccoli Stirfry w/ Cashews
15-minute dinner! Stirfries are ALWAYS an easy win. If desiring more, serve over brown rice or quinoa. Omit the honey.
Easy Baked BBQ Tempeh
If you’re curious to try tempeh, give this one a go. Tempeh takes on the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with so a good sauce is key. Use an approved BBQ sauce like Tessamae brand for this. Add to a salad, as a vegetarian breakfast protein, or a side with veggies over a whole grain.
Beef Brisket (Crock Pot)
If you’re just craving a traditional comfort dish, here you go. Be sure to choose grass-fed beef.
Winter Immune Boosters
With the colder temperatures and dryer climate, also brings cold and flu season. Food is always our most powerful form of medicine, so here are a few household staple recipes to keep around in the winter months especially. And yes, you might notice that there is an exception for raw honey. It’s used therapeutically here and in small amounts.
Lemon & Ginger Tea w/ Raw Honey
If you’re ready to level up your morning warm lemon water routine, try this tea made with fresh ginger and spiked with raw honey.
Ginger Switchel (cold)
You’re probably picking up on the ginger, lemon, ACV, and honey theme here. This version is infused and served cold if you’re seeking cold over warm.
Cold Tonic (Instapot)
Want an excuse to use your Instapot? Make this winter cold tonic with additional spices.
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry syrup is a must-have in your kitchen medicine arsenal for strengthening immunity in the colder months; it’s quite fun to make your own if you haven’t before. Good practice is to take 1-2 teaspoons each day; for acute onset of cold or flu, take that dose every 3 hours until symptoms relieve.
Organic Green Tea
A simple visual reminder to drink green tea (organic, fair trade). Immunity, weight management, energy, the list is long. Drink 1-3 cups per day or just add it in to your weekly rotation in some way and in try different varieties to find your favorite. 1 TBS or 2 tea bags per cup.
Homemade Fire Cider
A solid folk remedy immune tonic that everyone should know about it. Best to start infusing your own batch in the fall so you have it on hand for the winter, but it’s also great on maintenance year round.
Beverage Ideas
- Warm water with lemon juice
- Infused water: filtered water with pear and cranberries; orange slices + a pinch of sea or pink salt
- Kombucha (cut it with sparkling water of straight kombucha is too much for you)
- Tea: ginger, turmeric, chai, green, tulsi, matcha, roobois, detox, digestive support, hibiscus, cinnamon (Rostov’s RVA Blend)
- Sparkling water (unsweetened varieties such as La Croix, Amelia Springs, Spindrift)
- Coffee: black, organic, fair trade is best
- Bullet coffee (with grass-fed butter and coconut oil)
- Warm bone broth
- Coffee alternatives such as herbal coffee or mushroom coffee
- Homemade nut, seed, or coconut milks
Homemade Cinnamon Pecan Milk
Use the dates if you want sweetness and have this on hand to cook your morning grain or add a splash to your coffee.
Homemade Nutmilk Template
Use the dates if you want sweetness and have this on hand to cook your morning grain or add a splash to your coffee.
Mexican-spiced Hot Cocoa
A dairy and refined sugar free, warm and spicy winter indulgence. Not a daily treat but if using dates or a touch of raw honey to sweeten, this is yours for enjoyment.
Bullet Coffee
A simple recipe for blending coffee with butter and coconut oil into frothy, satisfying goodness.
Coconut Butter Matcha Latte
This is one indulgent and decadent frothy drink with no dairy. And is also a great template for adding coconut and nut butters for deeper and richer flavors. Definitely a drink to keep you full and satisfied.
Lavender London Fog Latte
A relaxing, soothing, aromatic beverage. Choose decaf tea if drinking in the evening. For sweetener, drizzle with a tiny bit of raw honey or through the final tea in a blender with a pitted medjool date.
Sesame Chai Latte w/ Dates
Another indulgent drink to get our brains out of the box and into savoring fabulous frothy flavors.
Easy Snacks
- 6-8 oz. whole milk organic yogurt with ¼ cup berries and 1 TBS hemp seed or raspberries and cocoa nibs (template: yogurt + fruit + nut/seed of choice)
- 1 apple, sliced with spritz of lime and small handful of mixed nuts or pecans
- 1-2 oz. raw cheese, grapes, cup of tea
- Handful of olives, 1/3 cup of hummus, carrot sticks
- turkey wrapped around a pickle spear with a bit of mustard
- 1/3 cup hummus with carrot sticks and pepper slices
- 1 hard boiled egg with 1/2 cup of red grapes or raspberries
- ½ cup berries, ¼ cup cashews, 1/3 cup fermented veggies (separate)
- 1 cup plantain chips with guacamole or salsa
- Sweet potato toast
- Medjool date (pitted) stuffed with crunchy nut butter of choice and sprinkled with cinnamon
- Approved bars (in a pinch): EPIC food bars, Wild Zora Meat & Veggie Bars, Rx Bars
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
Snack on these fiber and protein rich chickpeas as they are or add them to soups and salads for a lil crunch.
Date Sweetened Granola
A loose, crunchy granola option with oats and seeds!
Berry Grain Free Granola Bars
Date-sweetened granola and nut butter bring this snack bar together without spiking your blood sugar. Great for on the go. Soft and chewy.
Apple or Pear Slices w/ Nut Butter
Slice apples or pears into layers, spread w/ favorite nut butter, sprinkle with cinnamon; add toasted pumpkin seeds or cocoa nibs for crunch!
Get your board out!
Think apples, pears, red grapes, berries, hard cheese or goat/sheep milk varieties, artichoke or bean dips with carrots, walnuts, pecans.
Moroccan Cinnamon Oranges
As simple as it sounds! Enjoy with dinner or pair with a handful of your favorite nuts for a balanced snack.
Ants On A Log
It’s not just for kids! Use half raisins or unsweetened dried cranberries and halved grapes to mix it up.
Prosciutto-wrapped Apples
Salty, crisp, sweet. Add a few olives on the side for healthy fat, and more salty, savory goodness or 1 oz of raw cheddar.
Healthy On-the-go!
- Natural foods market hot bars and deli section (Ellwood Thompson, Whole Foods, Good Foods Grocery, etc. )
- Stella’s Market across from Stella’s Restaurant in the near west end (Rustic, modern Greek cuisnine)
- Goatocado: quinoa/baby greens bowls (any except Vietnamese and noodles)
- North end Juice Co: Juice and smoothie bar serving lunch, GF and dairy free options. Just ask for no sugar!
- Cava: Greek + Mediterranean bowls; skip the pita bread, white rice, and falafel but have at anything else
- Mezeh Grill: Mediterranean bowls; skip the pita, white rice, and falafel. Website has all ingredients to review in advance.
- Chopt: HUGE salad bowls. Check the website for ingredients before you go and go for the warm protein over the cold.
- Sen Organic Small Plates’ Buddha Bowl Salad
- The Daily (in Carytown, some menu items)
- Roots Natural Kitchen (Charlottesville and VCU Campus)
- Chipotle (Salad bowls – brown rice and beans or meat, fajita veggies, romaine, salsa, guac – no white rice, cheese or sour cream)
- Amy’s can of soup or frozen meals (read label and do this sparingly); if soup, stir in raw spinach and serve over rice (cooked earlier in the week) for a full meal
- Easy assemble: mixed greens, half can of beans, scoop of whole grain (cooked earlier in the week), salad dressing, top with cashews or almonds for crunch
- Starbuck’s oatmeal; bring your own fruit from home
- Food from your work café or cafeteria; choose salads, whole vegetables and a protein. Bring your own oatmeal toppings or protein for salad and buy the rest at the cafeteria.
- Lamplighter Coffee Roasting on Addison or Morris; most sandwiches can be turned into an omelette; add side of fruit or the hippie greens.
