Healthy Lunch Spot in Boracay

As Boracay is a party island, it should come as no surprise that there are burger joints, pizza places, and junk food options-a-plenty to cure any hangover spell from a long night out. I however, was on a hunt for the opposite. I was craving fresh green juice, yogurt and granola, and the Philippines infamously sweet and juicy mango. 

In the bustling outdoor mall (D Mall) along the beach in Station Two, sits a small cafe with clean white settings, touches of greenery, and an extremely healthy menu. Lemon Cafe is the perfect place to grab a late breakfast or lunch before soaking up the rays on the beach. They have plenty of vegan, gluten free, and vegetarian options should this be your MO. 

We ordered the eggs benedict, tropical fruit plate, scrambled eggs, and mango yogurt parfait. We also split a green juice and banana, peanut butter smoothie that was absolutely to die for. While prices for this small cafe are definitely closer to that in the states then on the islands, this spot is an absolute go-to when craving heathy snacks, or a fresh juice before a day at the beach. 

A Healthy Lunch Spot in Barcelona

While I could go on about how amazing it is to eat clean, local ingredients… or tell you the many benefits of a dairy/gluten/meat free diet, I’ll spare you… as there are many opinions, variables, and objectives I don’t wish to delve into. So for the purpose of this post, I am a mere food lover who has a favorite lunch spot, that happens to be extremely health conscious with chic vibes. 

Enter Flax + Kale. An amazing restaurant nestled into the trendy Raval neighborhood in Barcelona, where the options are all equally as tantalizing and delicious as they are healthy. This haven has something for every health food nut but could also fool any diehard foodie looking for a hearty meal. 

My friend and I started with juices and smoothies, with my personal favorite being the Frappe Mocha, pictured above, that has almond milk, cold-brewed coffee made in house, ice, frozen young coconut, dates, raw cocoa, and agave. I also ordered a turmeric chai drink that was spicy and creamy with a totally new flavor. 

We then ordered a few appetizers to share including a coconut and mushroom toast which was totally different then anything I’ve ever tasted, thanks to the combination of the earthy mushroom with a nutty sweet coconut twist. The beetroot tuna tartare is a staple that shouldn’t be missed, along with the crunchy fish tacos and double black cod that legitimately melted in my mouth. 

Not into fish? Fear not, there are tons of vegetarian/vegan options ranging from a raw vegan lasagna, to a to-die-for mezze plate covered in hummus, aborigine, quinoa, pumpkin and more. 

The menu is coded so that you can quickly assess exactly what you’re ordering, while keeping in mind your personal preferences. They list everything from: GF: Gluten Free, RF: Raw Food, PB: Plant Based, to OF: Oily Fish. 

After traveling around Europe for a while, it can be challenging to find healthy options that aren’t either filled with crap, or tastes like crap. To be honest, Flax + Kale is doing it completely right. You leave their charming establishment satisfied, nourished, and really incredible about yourself. 

Maybe that’s why their slogan is Eat Better. Be happier. Live longer. Honestly couldn’t agree more… Xx

Lunch at Edible Canada

After a long weekend spent skiing the sunny slopes of Whistler... I had a full day to explore Vancouver before my flight back to NYC. I ventured over to Granville Island, which was a short "Aqua Bus" ride away from our apartment in Yaletown. Here we strolled the aisles of produce and products at the public market and pondered the arts and crafts of many small local shops along the water. 

After working up an appetite, my girlfriend and I took the recommendation of a good friend and pulled up a barstool to the open-kitchen dining at Edible Canada. 

This incredibly inviting and lively bistro serves up authentic Canadian classics, infused with modern and ethnic influences. From Oxtail Poutine to Yukon Arctic Char, Edible Canada focuses on local, sustainable, and seasonal ingredients that showcase all that Canada's diverse cultures, farmers, and artisans have to offer. 

Edible Canada opened its doors six years ago and operates as a full service bistro, an artisanal retail and online store, as well as a tours/events company. 

The store, located near the back of the restaurant, is a foodie haven that offers the highest quality Canadian-made gourmet items that are handpicked by Eric Pateman (the founder) and his retail team. Products range from maple syrup and smoked salmon, to more exclusive products like Amola's bacon or truffle salts as well as custom gift baskets. 

They also offer food tours in and around Vancouver including: Granville Island Market Tour, Worlds Best Food Truck Tour, as well as a Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour. In addition to these walking/guided tours, Edible Canada also offers monthly market dinners from cultures and chefs around the world including: Lebanon, China, Japan, and Peru as well as a Canadian dinner series serving local wines and fare. 
 
For my lunch at the bistro, I started off with a glass of Pinot Gris from Naramata (as per the servers recommendation). I scanned the mouthwatering menu and stopped at the Northern Alberta Elk Tartare. 

Now I'm not a huge meat person, let alone a raw red meat person... But once my interest was peaked I asked the server what was the most unique and daring choice, and she led me straight back to the Elk Tartare. 

So naturally I went for it. 

It consisted of hand-chopped raw elk, a truffle aioli, Biota mustard, and grilled bread. The meat was fresh, lean, and delicious. The combination of the truffle aioli, mustard, and quail egg on top created an explosion of flavors and textures with every bite.

After all that meat, I opted for a light salad that consisted of smoked sturgeon & salmon, a soft boiled egg, citrus, mint, sprouted pulses, grilled greens, spiced seeds, with a white miso vinaigrette. 

I was so impressed by the food, atmosphere, and concept of this company that I absolutely had to write about it. Whether or not you are a foodie... The Granville Island market and Edible Canada is an amazing way to spend an afternoon discovering all that Vancouver and Canada as a whole have to offer.