I Heart on the Hunt: The Healthy Stuff

Even from a young age, most of us refused to eat our veggies, and instead preferred cookies, candy, ice cream, sundaes, chocolate, root-beer floats… Ah…

Ah-hem! Uh, the I Heart team decided to break that habit this week! We searched and searched for the healthiest, freshest, and–most importantly– tastiest food in Old Towne and wrote a little something for you. All these great eats are either organic or responsibly-grown, which means you’re only eating the best stuff! Check it out below! It might just make you put away the cookie jar for good…

rutabagorz-healthy reviewRenee, Rutabagorz: Sometimes I get to see the usual in a different way. Though I eat at Rutabagorz often (great soups), my friend & I went specifically for the “healthy and fresh” food review. Rutabgorz’ has been in the business of serving healthy, hearty vegetarian and not-so-vegetarian food for 45 years. All the soups, salad dressings, sauces and scrumptious desserts are made on site, and it’s reflected in the flavor and quality. I enjoyed the Pasta Con Pollo, with an easy swap-out of the regular chicken with garlic chicken. My dining buddy had the crowd favorite Chicken Enchilada Verde. Each plate came with enough food for 2 meals – AND we got to try the Raspberry Butter Cake (warm with ice cream) on it’s debut night. As always – a delightful experience.

Green Tomato Grill ReviewLindsay, Green Tomato Grill: I ventured to Green Tomato Grill, a unique restaurant that prides itself on its healthy, but delicious menu items. This was my first time at Green Tomato, but it definitely won’t be my last! I ordered the Blackened Calamari Burrito, and trust me when I say this was an excellent life choice. The burrito is made with fresh, blackened wild calamari, avocado, sweet corn salsa, Roma Tomatoes, and cilantro lime rice, all wrapped together like a mouth watering present in a chipotle tortilla. I also got Chile Verde sauce on the side, but for you spicy food addicts who need that extra punch, Habanero Fire sauce is also an option! GTG’s products are all made with fresh ingredients and lots of vegetables, and their menu includes gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan entrees. PLUS, all of the sauces are either vegetable or Greek Yogurt based and made from scratch! So, if you’re looking for something fast, but minus the grease and extra calories, Green Tomato Grill has the food for you!

Growl Review 2Andrea, Growl: For this week’s healthy eat, I went to Growl Juice Pub for a tasty and refreshing Pitaya Bowl. I ordered the Sunrise Circle that has a blend of pitaya, strawberries, banana, and pineapple topped with fresh bananas, strawberries, granola, coconut shreds, and agave. This was a perfect after-work snack to tide me over until I had dinner with my family. I also had a huge sugar craving and this was a great, guilt-free way to kick that craving out the door. I love going to Growl because you can trust they are using organic, GMO and pesticide free produce in all their bowls and juices. They offer unique recipes for their cold-pressed juices and fresh Acai and Pitaya bowls that you can’t find anywhere else. You can even upgrade to the large size bowls if you’re really hungry. What I love most about Growl is not just that it tastes great but that they promote a healthy lifestyle and truly care about providing the freshest ingredients to their customers. The next time you’re looking for a yummy and healthy treat, stop by Growl and you won’t be disappointed.

Processed with VSCOcam with g3 presetJillian, Old Towne Eatery: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… The A-BLT at Old Towne Eatery is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It’s normal to think about a sandwich right?! When you’ve had fresh avocado, bacon, tomato and lettuce on perfectly toasted sourdough, it’s hard for anything else to beat it. I usually order this with fries but for the sake of the blog, I decided to order the house salad this time. They definitely did not skimp on the variety of greens, and they topped it off with their homemade Lemon Citrus Dressing. This spot serves some incredibly fresh and delicious food, and their bread is also artisan baked locally right here in Orange. Old Towne Eatery also serves all natural beef, chicken and pork which means no hormones or antibiotics in your food! Stop by and try this place out so that you can have some wonderfully fresh food and better understand my unwavering loyalty.

Mead's Healthy ReviewCatherine, Mead’s Green Door Cafe: For this week’s hunt, I stopped by Mead’s Green Door Cafe. This is a frequent lunch spot for me and it never disappoints! I ordered the “Feta-tastic” flatbread pizza but honestly, everything I’ve had there has been a winner. The three-bean quinoa chili, morning stack breakfast sandwich, buffalo cauliflower, egg & asparagus sub….I could go on and on with my list of favorite Mead’s dishes! The fantastic Feta-tastic pizza has a delicious crust and is topped with feta, mushrooms, onions and spinach and it’s plenty big to split between two people! If you haven’t been to Mead’s yet, it’s definitely a place to check out. This is one of the best spots in Old Towne Orange to get vegetarian options, and they also offer a ton of delicious vegan and gluten-free menu items as well! The space has such an inviting and cozy ambiance with eclectic decorations and art all over the walls. Although not necessarily on the healthy side, they also serve beer & wine now! Don’t forget to save room for one of their yummy vegan pastries for dessert! The strawberry scone is my current favorite!

Hope we got your stomach growling! We want to hear from you! Check out these delicious places and comment with your favorites!

Last Updated on April 5, 2016 by IHOTO Staff