When I am in Los Angeles, there are a few places I make sure to stop when I need to get my delicious, eco-friendly food fix!
There is such a multitude of delicious options when it comes to being a vegetarian or leading a vegan or macrobiotic lifestyle... two of my favorite dining destinations in LA are M Cafe and Mixt Greens.
The next time you’re in LA, you definitely have to check out these scrumptious gems! :)
Let’s start with M Cafe.
M Cafe is a macrobiotic cafe, meaning that only the finest ingredients without any refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat or poultry are used. While the concept of macrobiotic food might slightly scare some of you, trust me on this one. M Cafe is in a league of its own!
Plus, this is one of LA’s most reliable celeb hang outs, as everyone from Jessica Alba (check out the photo above!) to Reese Witherspoon, Ellen Pompeo and the girls from “The Hills” have been spotted picking up their mouthwatering macrobiotic goodies.
There are locations on Melrose in West Hollywood, on Brighton Way in Beverly Hills and on Culver Boulevard in Culver City.
The food, based on a culinary foundation from Chef Michio Kushi, is just so inventive and flavorful. I love the grilled vegetable salad, sesame soba noodles, and pretty much everything from their salad deli counter.
The kale lemonade is also a must-try!
I recently stumbled upon Mixt Greens, which is in the Miracle Mile area of LA.
They are known as an eco-gourmet eatery, with a tagline of “environmentally responsible fine food.” Love this!!
Mixt Greens’ mission statement is super cool, they’re all about putting the earth first from the food they serve - which is all organic, sustainable, local - to the take-away containers they use - which are made from 100% compostable corn - to the spaces they occupy - which are built with renewable, recycled, and environmentally friendly materials.
I love how the sustainable trend is gaining more and more popularity lately, it’s so inspiring :)
They have such a vibrant, creative array of salad dishes to choose from, I personally love every single one I’ve tried, including the Siam Salad (mixt greens, green papaya, jicama, mango, cucumber, red pepper, fresh herbs, spicy peanuts, thai lemongrass vinaigrette) and the Dagwood Salad (mixt greens, roasted red peppers, roasted zucchini, roasted portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, goat cheese, garlic croutons, lemon herb vinaigrette).
What’s really great about this place is you can create your DREAM salad.
Click here for their “design your own” salad menu. Take your pick in combining their “staple” ingredients like hearts of palm, toasted pumpkin seeds, roasted zucchini and black beans with their “specialty” ingredients like roasted golden beets, mango, candied walnuts and shaved Parmesan cheese.
If you’re feeling adventurous, throw in a few of their “premium” ingredients, like asparagus, white truffle potatoes and roasted portabella mushrooms.
Yum!! I want to make one of these right now! :)
You definitely have to check these fab finds out when you’re in LA next!
FUN TASK:
While we’re on the topic of dream salads, what would your dream salad be if you were using ingredients from Mixt Greens’ menu? Let’s get deliciously creative, everyone! :)
I’ll be sending The Quick and Natural Macrobiotic Cookbook to some of the most tasty sounding salads, so that you can learn more about macrobiotic recipes and try them for yourself!
xoxoxo,
Carina
My favorites are...
kittycane
whoosthemoo
xxxooo,
Carina
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written by lambsareme, July 16, 2010
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written by sandydoo2u , July 16, 2010
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written by nightlysorrows, July 16, 2010
3/4 pound cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup French dressing
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
6 sprigs fresh parsley
the shrimp cant be huge, the 12-16 ish per pund work great
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written by whoosthemoo, July 16, 2010
* approx. 8 oz. (225 g.) rice noodles
* 20 to 25 medium uncooked shrimp (tails can be left on)
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, minced
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
* 1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
* 3 spring onions, sliced thinly
* 2 to 3 cups bean sprouts
* 1 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), lightly chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh basil, lightly chopped
* 1/3 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, lightly chopped
* 2 Tbsp. veg. oil
* DRESSING:
* 1/2 cup hot water
* 1 +3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste (*see below for substitutions)
* 1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
* 1/4 cup fish sauce
* 1-2 Tbsp. chili sauce (OR/ 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper or dried crushed chili)
1. Lightly boil the rice noodles until cooked to al dente. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Set aside to drain while you prepare other ingredients.
2. To make the dressing, pour 1/2 cup boiling water into a cup. Add tamarind paste, stirring until dissolved. Add the sugar, fish sauce and chili sauce, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Taste-test this concoction - it should taste first sweet, then sour, spicy and salty, more or less in that order. Add more sugar to make it sweeter, or more chili for a spicier salad. (Note that the sugar content must be quite high to balance out the strong sourness of the tamarind.)
3. Pour 1/4 of this dressing over prepared shrimp (make sure shrimp are well drained beforehand). Stir and set aside to briefly marinate.
4. Place the red pepper, celery, spring onion, bean sprouts, coriander and basil together in a large salad bowl (hold back a little of the coriander and basil for garnishing later).
5. Place a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 2 Tbsp. oil, then add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry to release the fragrance (1-2 minutes), then add the shrimp together with the marinade. Stir-fry 3 minutes, or until shrimp have turned pink and plump. Remove from heat and "pour" these delicious stir-fried shrimp into the salad bowl.
6. Now add the drained noodles and pour over remaining dressing. Toss everything well together. (Note: at first you'll have dressing left in the bottom of the bowl, but gradually the noodles will absorb it.)
7. Do a final taste-test, adding a little more fish sauce if more flavor is desired, or more chili sauce if it isn't spicy enough. Portion out into bowls or plates, adding a final topping of coriander and basil, plus the chopped peanuts. More chili sauce can also be served on the side. ENJOY!
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written by Tututuyou , July 16, 2010
my favorite has:
dintalini noodles
celery
onion
pickles
olives
pickle juice
mustard
mayo
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written by 3Morgan3, July 16, 2010
http://www.monkeysee.com/play/...of-mankind
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written by Poohbear213, July 16, 2010
Red Leaf
Spinach
carrots
and honey dijon salad dressing
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written by organically, July 16, 2010
red bell pepper
cucumber
carrot
hearts of palm
red onion
chickpeas
edamame
roasted zucchini
black beans
toasted pumpkin
seeds
jicama
spicy peanuts
roasted red peppers
caramelized onions
roasted golden beets
marinated tofu
kalamata olives
sundried tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
avocado
seasonal apple
mango
green papaya
asparagus
roasted portabella mushrooms
and finally cilantro jalapeno vinaigrette
I probably would have to pay quite a penny for all my extras (I may even need a new container... lol)
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written by muddledmum, July 19, 2010
This sounds so ooooo good!
I would love to have the mangos, apples, papaya, spinach and red leaf lettuce, sundried tomatoes and toasted pumpkin seeds!
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written by oogieboogie, July 19, 2010
I would love to try the cilatro jalapeno vinagarette dressing!
My salad would b romaine hearts, and mixt greens with black beans, red onion, olives and feta cheese and mabe some asparagus
Sounds so good, now I am hungry!
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written by fayemaygo, July 19, 2010
Applewood Smoked Bacon
Goat Cheese
Hearts Of Palm and
Jicama
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written by bamboozled, July 19, 2010
butter lettuce
red onion
chickpeas
edamame
sesame seeds
red bell pepper
shaved parmesan
roasted portabella mushrooms
house roasted turkey breast
a little more but totally worth it!
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written by nervosa, July 19, 2010
spicy peanuts, moroccan spiced grilled tuna, sesame soy vinaigrette
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written by socaligurl, July 19, 2010
butter lettuce
roasted zucchini
herb roasted potatoes
chickpeas
edamame
toasted pumpkin
seeds
jicama
spicy peanuts
roasted red peppers
sundried tomatoes
dried cranberries
candied walnuts
asparagus
mango citrus vinaigrette
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written by socaligurl, July 19, 2010
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written by laurajean, July 22, 2010
From the pics above, the seasme soba noodle salad looks delicious. It reminds me of some noodles my mom used to make but hers had some kick to it.
Speaking of salads, I like potato salad and tried Bobby Flay's recipe I found in a magazine for the Fourth. It was so yummy and flavorful. Here's the recipe.
Bobby Flay’s Green Onion Potato Salad
2 lbs. red potatoes
1 Tbsp. PLUS 2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided
1-1/4 cups Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
6 green onions (green and pale green part), thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley
Instructions:
Cover potatoes with water in 4-quart saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain and cool slightly. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, vinegar, jalapeno peppers, salt and black pepper in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients and toss gently. Season, if desired, with additional salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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Ingredients
* 4 medium beets - scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
* 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
* 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 ounces goat cheese
1. Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
2. While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.