Sausage, Potato, & Kale Soup

Sausage, Potato, & Kale Soup

It’s a wonderful time to do some home-cooking and enjoy some soup before the weather gets too warm.  But let’s be real, anytime of year can be soup time!

Today I’m bringing you guys a recipe.  I know, super random!  If you’re new around here, you might be surprised to hear that I actually started this blog because I wanted to have a space to blog about healthy lifestyle things like: food, fitness, and practices that I loved.  I am still into all of those things but healthy means something totally different to me now.

Something isn’t healthy just because a package says so or because some “expert” created a set of guidelines that they consider to be healthy.  We’ve all got some idea of what “healthy” means to us based on media and hearsay but I think the best judge of healthy has to be you.

I’ll get off the soapbox and save that spiel for another time.  I wanted to keep today’s post super simple and just share a yummy soup recipe for y’all.

Would you believe that there was a time when I wouldn’t eat potatoes?  For reals. I talk about that over on this recipe post for my favorite country potatoes.  I am really in tune with the way different foods make me feel and sometimes potatoes don’t make my blood sugar feel all that great.  Yet, they’re really tasty so I’d never give them up totally! 

I’m sure I don’t need to sell you on the deliciousness of potatoes.

The following recipe is a spin off of the classic Zuppa Toscana Soup from Olive Garden mixed with some Irish cabbage and potato vibes.  I know it might not make sense in writing but it makes sense in your mouth!  Sausage and potatoes are a hell of a pairing.  Then, I’m all about the extra veggies so kale and cabbage come to the rescue for an awesome, satisfying soup.

sausage kale potato soup melmakesithappen

 

sausage potato kale soup melmakesithappen

You’ll want to whip up a pot of this asap! 

Fellow soup lovers, what’s your favorite soup? Share with me in the comments down below.

Sausage, Potato, & Kale Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced ~3/4 cup (or sub red onion for more flavor!)
  • 2 medium-sized yellow gold potatoes
  • 1/2 heaping tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder & black pepper
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium)
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic + a pinch of salt
  • 2 sausages* (I used Beyond Meat plant-based brats)
  • 2 cups chopped cabbage
  • 2 cups torn lacinto kale pieces
  • Sprinkle with extra pepper, for serving

Instructions:

Start by prepping your ingredients. The soup comes together quickly if you have everything set out on the counter next to you!  I used a pressure cooker on the stove top but any soup pot with a lid will work!  I also want to clarify the minced garlic and salt listed in the ingredients.  Basically, just sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on top of the garlic to help bring out its essence when you’re chopping it with a knife.  We all love flavor so this is a major flavor booster! #ChefTips

Moving on, start by putting a large pot over medium heat.  Throw in a splash of water (not all 3 cups yet!) and cook the onion until soft.  Add potatoes, salt, remaining water, and broth.  Cook with the lid on for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and beginning to fall apart. Turn off the heat and add garlic.

In the meantime, while waiting for the potatoes to cook, prepare the sausage in a separate pan or skillet. When it starts to look crispy, add in chopped kale and cabbage. Cook for a minute, just so the greens can absorb the residual sausage flavor and soften slightly.

Transfer all contents to the pot with the potatoes and stir to combine.

Serve!

Note:

*I used Beyond Meat plant-based Hot Italian sausages.  If you don’t want to go the plant-based sausage route, just sub in 2 sausage links (about 152 grams) that you like. 

sausage kale potato soup melmakesithappen

 

Review: The Balanced Blonde’s Plant Based Recipe Book & 22 Day Detox

Review: The Balanced Blonde’s Plant Based Recipe Book & 22 Day Detox

I’m ever-curious to test out different techniques and tinker with aspects of my lifestyle to improve my health.  Most recently, I’ve been trying to bring inflammation levels down and improve my digestion. I am rather prone to stress and the littlest things raise my cortisol levels.  So, I felt like I needed to take things up a notch and bring a better balance to the way I’ve been eating. Thus, I decided to give The Balanced Blonde’s, aka Jordan Younger’s, Plant Based Recipe Book and 22 Day Detox a try.  

Today’s post is a review of The Balanced Blonde’s Plant Based Recipe E-book and my experience with the 22 Day Detox.

The e-book is a compilation of SOS-free, plant-based, vegan-friendly recipes that have helped her in her healing journey from Lyme Disease and a whole host of various symptoms like: inflammation, eczema, acne, bloating, IBS, and so forth.  The recipes are so simple that it is almost a little silly calling some of the recipes “recipes” but when you’ve over-complicated the way you think you should be eating, recipes for easy meals are very fitting.

Just to give you all a little more information on the e-book, Jordan includes her tips for detoxing from chronic infections both food and non-food related, offers suggestions for dealing with detox symptoms, anecdotes about her experiences with spiritual healing and emotional eating, tips for dining out, and food-combining.  Oh, and of course, explanations on SOS-free which stands for Salt, Oil, and Sugar-Free. So, the recipes in her e-book are all salt-oil-sugar-free and are adaptable for food combining. 

the balanced blonde plant based ebook

All Vegan Mac & Cheese (with chopped broccoli) from Jordan Younger’s Plant Based Ebook.

Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of The Balanced Blonde and her Soul on Fire Podcast.  I adore Jordan and relate to her in many different ways so this post is not a personal attack on her but a review of the plant based e-book and 22 day detox for anyone who may have heard of it or be interested in purchasing it and wants to know a little more.


If this is your first time here on my blog, let me give you a little background info about me: 

It’s important to note that I’ve had disordered eating tendencies in the past so I hesitated before buying her e-book.  I’m already primarily plant-based but do include some processed/packaged food items like protein bars, dairy-free store-bought cheese, tortilla chips, and kombucha.  I knew those items needed to go but what seemed really intense was the thought of cutting out salt and oil.  I have done sugar detoxes in the past and like to do them at least once a year to re-calibrate my taste buds.  I know I have sensitive blood sugar levels and that makes my heart go from calm to racing from one moment to the next. This is just a physical representation of what is happening in my body–i.e. my cortisol levels levels spike.  Basically, sugar is already limited in my diet because it has to be so I can minimize experiences like what I just described.  I do however use a lot of pink Himalayan sea salt and cook with coconut/avocado/olive oil fairly often.  So, I sought out Jordan’s book with optimism that a more plant-centric way of eating would help alleviate my concerns mentioned earlier.  


My experience with the 22 Day Detox program part of the e-book:

I tried to follow Jordan’s advice for 22 days of SOS-free, properly combined, plant-based meals.  During the first few days, I missed the salt for sure! I missed a drizzle of olive oil over my salads, and the taste of roasted vegetables just wasn’t quite the same without either of the two.  By day 4, I’d say the worst was behind me and my taste buds were adapting. I was also committed so I found creative ways to make food tasty for me–usually that involved lots of lemon juice!  

I felt like my digestion improved pretty soon after starting this way of eating.  I liked the way each of her recipes used a LOT of plants so I was really loading up on the good stuff here.  My appetite fluctuated before based on what I’d eat but Jordan’s method of structuring meals light to heavy seemed to work well…for a while.  

the balanced blonde plant based ebook

A swiss chard leaf wrap with tofu, cabbage, romaine, tomato, avocado, cilantro, carrot, and a coconut aminos-lemon dressing. Not in the e-book but very inspired by the plant-forward recipes!

I enjoyed starting my day with fruit or a smoothie, like she does, but I can’t handle the amount of bananas or fruit she eats.  I get brain fog an hour or two after eating too much sugar. Even if it’s natural from fruit, it just feels like too much for my system all at once.  I love fruit but each day I felt like I was riding off of sugar until lunchtime rolled around so that wasn’t fun.  I was also making her SOS-free desserts at first before I realized this was WAY too much sugar for me in a day so I cut those out.

Jordan says that once you get into a flow with SOS-free food, you’re not driven by cravings and it is easy to make no-fuss simple meals to eat for nourishment.  I can see that but I also started to dread meal times. I felt bored with steamed broccoli and sweet potato over salad and just wanted to eat to fuel myself and be over with it.  In some ways, this was great because it was breaking my emotional attachment to food.  

What threw a wrench in my plans was the salt cravings that stirred up around Day 13.  I got serious cravings for some salty tortilla chips and I tried to just eat my regular SOS-free meal but the craving would not go away.  The next day, the craving for something salty persisted: chips, crackers, even some carbonated water would have been great at this time! On Day 15 I woke up feeling dehydrated and not even wanting to eat breakfast because of how drying food would feel in my mouth.  It is on this same day that I write this review, after having enjoyed some Simple Mills sea salt crackers (PRAISE up that I had these in my pantry)! Now that I think of it, I was also feeling incredibly lethargic on the 13th and had trouble concentrating and that just continued all these days.  I felt weak and super deprived and, knowing my past, I didn’t want to force myself to stick with something and disregard my best interest.  In case you’re thinking something else could’ve been to blame for my low energy, that is possible but the dehydration was a dead giveaway that I needed something more so I decided to honor my body.


I’ll describe my takeaways at the end of this post but now I’ll review the e-book itself:

The anecdotal part of her e-book is very nice to read and her stories shine right off the pages.  But this is a recipe book, so that’s what everyone is curious about, right? From the get-go, Jordan advocates for SOS-free, plant-based, and food combining as much as possible.  I won’t dive into the details about what each of those terms means in this post, but I found some of the recipes conflicting in the food-combining aspect and deceiving in the SOS-free aspect.  

the balanced blonde plant based ebook

TBB Go-To Everyday Salad, followed by her All Vegan Mac & Cheese.

From a purely critical standpoint, she uses a lot of nuts/seeds (cashews and tahini in particular) in almost every recipe.  The nut-based dressings and dips technically do not combine with starches yet she pairs them with potatoes, legumes, or gluten-free pastas.  There are also some smoothies that call for coconut milk in combination with fruit (which is meant to be eaten alone per food combining principles).  You can be as strict with this as you want, of course, but I think this should be more consistent.  

The SOS-free aspect also surprised me because a recipe or two calls for some special Bio-Salt and ingredients like salt-free mustard.  Sorry, but these aren’t really accessible for the average person. (I tried searching online and couldn’t even find a salt-free mustard anywhere).  For anyone who thinks oil and fat are the same thing, they are not. The recipes in the e-book do involve nuts, seeds, and avocado which are all delicious, and whole food forms of plant-based fats.  I think they are used a little excessively, as I mentioned earlier. Lastly, the sugar-free aspect. Jordan explains that sugar-free does not mean no sugar at all. She believes natural sweetness from fruit is perfectly fine.  Though, she makes a number of recipes that call for the addition of maple syrup and, to me, that’s an added sweetener.

The desserts are meant to be sweet, but they are mostly raw and very date and nut-heavy.  I did forget to mention that aspect earlier–many of the recipes are raw. I’d say over half of the recipes in the cookbook are raw or involve raw, uncooked ingredients. This isn’t bad but it might take some getting used to if you are used to cooked foods.  I feel like I haven’t shown the most positive experience but I do want to mention some recipes that I think are pretty stellar in her cookbook!

Iconic Green Warrior Smoothie

The Balanced Blonde Go-To Everyday Salad

Buddha Bowl

SOS-Free Pad Thai

I can recognize that all of the recipes in her book are ones she has felt good eating but they don’t always align with the food combining principles that she touts in the guidelines.  The same with the SOS-free guidelines. I think my needs are specific and did not align quite as well with the recipes Jordan enjoys but for someone who is coming off of a Standard American Diet, transitioning off of processed food, or simply looking to eat more whole, plant-based foods, this recipe book would be great for you. 

the balanced blonde plant based ebook

Jordans SOS-free Pad Thai with tofu on top.


This was an interesting challenge for myself and made me conscious of how much salt and oil, in particular, I use on a daily basis in my food.  I feel I can eat many of the same planty meals salt-free and oil-free with ease. Yet, the inflammation aspect that I sought to alleviate with this way of eating did not change.  Understandably, I only went 2 weeks instead of the full 22 days but I already ate a very plant-filled diet so I don’t think that changed much. What I do notice a difference in is how I don’t need as much oil as I thought I did.  My body feels lighter and less congested without the oil so, moving forward, I’ll seek to keep oil to a minimum. When I did follow food combining principles, that also helped my digestion out so much. It’s hard to stick with (I’ve tried it before) but this detox reminded me how good my stomach feels when I don’t bombard it with tons of food groups.

Major praise to Jordan for putting out the e-book to do her part in helping people align them with their healthiest selves in the best way she knows how.  I believe in the power of plants but there are also different ways to incorporate them for everybody so I hope this post proves informative and encourages you to find what works for you.  If you want to share your thoughts, feel free to sound off in the comments below!

 

You can drink beer—it’s made from plants! Plus, a Tumeric Chickpea and Golden Potato Salad♣

You can drink beer—it’s made from plants! Plus, a Tumeric Chickpea and Golden Potato Salad♣

Recently, my family and I took a day trip to a neighboring city and we spent time walking downtown.  As we walked down the sidewalk, we curiously looked at the shops and restaurants, eventually coming to a corner brewery advertising Happy Hour and their new hoppy specialty. 

Consequently, my dad was all too eager to go inside and was trying to get the rest of us on board.  My mom shook her head and rattled on about why she dislikes beer.  So, my dad turned to me to see if I wanted to go in.  Let it be known that I’m always excited to try new food but I’ve discovered food allergies of mine in the past months and that makes eating out real hard. 

Then, my eternal look of hesitancy on my face must have probed him to say, “You can still drink beer, can’t you?”  Before I could answer he was like, “You can drink beer—it’s made from plants!” 

I like my father’s style; if only it was so easy.  Anyone with dietary restrictions knows they need to ask all the questions.  Sometimes twice—you can’t be too careful.   

As a plant-based eater (two years now!), I’ve become somewhat skilled at navigating a lackluster menu.  Though, adding a dietary restriction on top of that makes life challenging to say the least.  I’m not sure if I’ve formally announced it here on the blog but I am sensitive to gluten. 

Many of you folks reading have probably heard of the gluten-free movement, if you aren’t already following it yourselves.  I haven’t been formally tested by a doctor but I conducted my own elimination diet during the summer and noticed a huge difference in my body, mental clarity, and overall energy.  My go-to avocado toast or spaghetti at restaurants is now out of the question because they contain wheat. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten eye-rolls and, “Ugh, but what’s Melanie going to eat?” remarks from others.  So much so that I’ve contemplated adding in certain foods just to appease others and make dining with me easier. 

If you’ve been or are currently in a similar boat then let me just be the one to tell you: YOU DON’T NEED TO CHANGE FOR ANYONE BUT YOU. 

If I started eating these foods that I already know don’t feel good in my body, I’d be the only one suffering, not others.  It is not worth it.  I’m living this life for me so I want to feel my best!  Dining out is still a deal but, if anything, I appreciate home cooking a lot more now.  Simply said, eating at home allows me to completely avoid wheat allergens and continue my plant-based way of eating.  WIN-WIN.

So that this post isn’t a total pointless ramble-fest, I’m going to share a loose recipe for my favorite Tumeric-Spiced Chickpea and Golden Potato Salad.  Gosh, I crave it just thinking about it. 

After making it several times for myself, I finally tried it out on my family and they loved it.  I’m certain it was the potatoes that won them over 😉  It could’ve also been Primal Kitchen’s bomb-ass Lemon Tumeric Vinaigrette. (not sponsored!)  Though, I’ve got an alternative if you don’t have the dressing.  Overall, I hope you guys don’t mind the rough recipe but if you try it out, be sure to tell me what you think!

Xoxo

Melanie

chickpea and golden potato salad

Tumeric Chickpea and Golden Potato Salad
Recipe Type: Entree
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 salads
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lb golden potatoes, rinsed and chopped into large cubes
  • Avocado oil
  • Garlic powder and salt
  • 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
  • Turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt (about ¼ tsp each)
  • Spinach or mixed salad greens
  • Cilantro or parsley, if preferred
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil and lemon or Primal Kitchen’s Lemon Tumeric Dressing
  • Optional: red onion, red bell pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the chopped potatoes to a lined baking sheet and coat them in a tablespoon or two of avocado oil and a generous sprinkle of garlic powder and salt. Bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are as tender and crispy as you like.
  2. Meanwhile, put a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop to heat up. In a medium bowl, add the chickpeas (no liquid) and spices. Stir them around to thoroughly coat. Add a bit of avocado oil to the pan and then add the chickpeas. Cook until the chickpeas brighten and begin to crisp.
  3. Set out four bowls with two big handfuls of greens. Coat them in a drizzle of olive oil and lemon or the Primal Kitchen Lemon Tumeric dressing. Scoop the roasted potatoes and chickpeas on top. Plus, some chopped herbs and red onions or red bell pepper, if you’ve got them on hand.
  4. Enjoy this super comfy and grounding salad!

 

 

Friday Five: Thanksgiving Dishes to Wow Your Guests

Friday Five: Thanksgiving Dishes to Wow Your Guests

For my pals in the USA, Thanksgiving is just around the corner!  Are you cooking for your extended family or friends?  I don’t typically have that responsibility but, as my interest in cooking has grown over the years, I now want the challenge.  I’m looking forward to trying out healthier versions of Thanksgiving dishes on my family this year.  In light of that, I’m sharing some tried and tested recipes that I love and think your Thanksgiving company will, too! 

If your family is anything like mine, they want a no-frills Thanksgiving dinner.  So, this is not the time to make a fancy rice pilaf, homemade bread rolls, or whatever artichoke appetizer you found on pinterest.  When time is of the essence, you’ve got to consider what is really worth your effort. 

For example, a few years back I made a cranberry sauce from scratch.  It was so good!  (Here’s the recipe if you’re interested).  At dinner, my dad and sister tried it but that was it.  I had cranberry sauce leftover for days because the rest of my family preferred the canned stuff they were familiar with.

Incidents like that make me frustrated and want to throw in the towel for cooking for my family.  I absolutely HATE food waste but I also don’t want to be stuck eating my prepared dish for three days or more!  Therefore, my tip for getting your family/friends to eat your dish is: DO NOT OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE.  If the only cranberry sauce available was mine, I bet I wouldn’t have come home with a bowl full.

What was today’s post about?  Oh yes, Thanksgiving dishes.  I digressed.  Anyway, I’ve tried all of these recipes (except one, noted) and think they can hold a worthy spot at the Thanksgiving table. 

Butternut Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

thanksgiving dishes - butternut sweet potato casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole is a solid dish on it’s own but I bet your guests won’t even detect the butternut squash.  You get the caramelized sweetness of the sweet potatoes without all the heaviness.  The butternut squash helps to lighten things up and the pecan crumble makes this practically dessert-worthy WITHOUT all the sugar in the classic dish.

Mushroom Gravy Pie with Garlicky Kale Mashed Potatoes

thanksgiving dishes - mushroom gravy pie

Instead of mashed potatoes and gravy, make this mushroom gravy pie!  Expect everyone to swoon and be begging for the recipe.  Okay, I can’t say I’ve been begged for the recipe but the dish was well-received when I made it.  If your family is super picky, you could omit the kale and everything will still be delicious.  Plus, the pie works as a side to turkey or a main for the vegheads (like myself) at Thanksgiving!

Roasted Cauliflower & Almond Salad with Tahini Dressing

thanksgiving dishes - cauliflower salad

If there is a vegetable that is most widely accepted, it would be cauliflower.  Cauliflower has made its mark but I still wouldn’t go wild with it for Thanksgiving.  In this salad, I love the tender cauliflower combined with toasty almonds and the creamy tahini dressing.  The cauliflower salad is perfect because guests can get a few florets without feeling like they are taking away from the other Thanksgiving dishes they prioritize eating.

Curried Roasted Carrots

thanksgiving dishes - curried roasted carrots

Show me someone who doesn’t like carrots.  I bet you’ll have a hard time finding that person.  If you have a group of vegetable haters at the table, like me, then stick with familiar vegetables.  The carrots develop next level sweetness while roasting! In contrast, the curry spice provides some balance so you don’t feel like you’re eating straight up candy. (Not that anyone will confuse carrots with candy….)  Also, the spice level is super light so it won’t interfere with the flavor profile of other dishes at the table.

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

thanksgiving dishes - healthier green bean casserole

I mentioned at the beginning of the post that I would include one recipe that I haven’t tried.  This is it!  I’ve made some other Hummusapien recipes and have been pleased so I don’t doubt this one will be great.  If you’ve been looking for a green bean casserole that doesn’t used canned soup or mystery dry onions then we’re in the same camp!  My mom usually makes green bean casserole with both of those ingredients but this year I’ll be in charge of the dish.  I’m very excited to clean up the casserole and use real, whole food ingredients! 

Remember that family meals require a little bit of compromise.  Sometimes it is easier to go the pre-made route with certain dishes.  Though, if you or someone else at your table has dietary restrictions then it will be much appreciated to have some allergen-friendly dishes.  Just some food for thought as you go about preparing a Thanksgiving meal plan. 

Also, if you want some more plant-based Thanksgiving inspiration, you can see these recipes and more over on my Pinterest Board!

Xoxo

Melanie

 

What I Ate at Disneyland—100% Vegan, Plant-Based Options

What I Ate at Disneyland—100% Vegan, Plant-Based Options

Can I use the excuse that I’ve been recovering from my vacation and that’s why it has taken me so long to put out this post?  Recently, I went to Disneyland and Disneyland’s California Adventure Parks for a well-overdue mini vacation with my family.  I had a great time and was able to get on ALL of the rides I wanted to.  Even more, I was able to find yummy things to eat all around the parks—which also happens to be the subject of today’s post!  Huzzah! 

I choose to eat a mostly plant-based diet because that is what I enjoy for health, ethical, and environmental reasons.  Now, I can’t know the details of what goes on in the kitchen but I can express my dietary preferences to the wait staff/cooks as best I can.  I refuse to stress about cross-contamination or shared cooking space because that is unnecessary.  With that being said, I also like to eat low-sugar and gluten-free when possible but I accommodated because I was on vacation.  However, I did carry around some trusty digestive enzymes to pop at meal times while at Disneyland 🙂

For me, eating on vacation is about finding an balance between living the way I like and enjoying special treats that aren’t always available.

As a disclaimer, I do not have any diagnosed allergies.  Even though I’ve been dealing with my own set of mystery health stuff lately, I cannot pinpoint a known intolerance yet.  If you do have a known allergy, definitely be sure to tell the wait staff or cooks!  They seemed to be pretty informed and never made a frustrated face at me for being “extra”.  These days, dietary preferences are more common so it is nice to see Disneyland’s food service staff is in the know.

Below, you’ll find the meals or snacks I purchased at Disneyland and Disneyland’s California Adventure.  Though, it is not a complete day of eating because I had breakfast at my hotel each morning.  I also packed some favorite snack bars to munch on through the day.  Lastly, I found this awesome list of vegan food available at Disneyland and California Adventure on Peta’s website.  Most everything is up-to-date but there may be a few items subject to availability.  Again, don’t hesitate to ask the wait staff about vegan options.

What I Ate at Disneyland’s California Adventure Park

PIZZA 🍕 at Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta

vegan pizza at its finest

I ordered the vegetarian pizza and asked for it to be made vegan with Daiya cheese.  The attendant mentioned that for custom pizza orders like this they are made on a gluten-free crust.  She asked it that was okay; to which I said: even better! 😀

Cocina Bowl at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

cocina bowl at DCA

The bowl comes with different meat, pork, or chicken options but I asked for mine with extra black beans.  The attendant also said it could be ordered with extra rice instead of extra beans.  Whichever you choose, the bowl will be delicious.  It was so fresh-tasting and flavorful.  If you’re smart, you’ll order some chips and guacamole on the side, too 🥑 😉

What I Ate at Disneyland Resort Park

Vegetable Jambalaya at French Market Restaurant

disneyland vegetable jambalaya

It might not be visible on the menu but you can definitely order the Jambalaya dish without the sausage.  The mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers in a tomato sauce are served on a bed of tender rice though I believe their bread bowl is also vegan-friendly if that’s your style. 😉

Dole Whip at Tiki Juice Bar

Dole Whip at Disneyland Tiki Juice Bar

I strategically planned on visiting the Enchanted Tiki Room mid-afternoon just so I could grab a dole whip!  These and all of the Tiki Juice Bar offerings are super-allergen friendly because they’re made with just pineapple!

Veggie Burger at The Galactic Grill

veggie burger

Here is another case of: you-won’t-know-until-you-ask.  The regular menu lists a veggie wrap option but all day I had my heart set on eating a burger! 🍔 Just ask for a veggie burger without cheese or sauce at the window and opt for a side of fries.  The veggie patty itself was delicious.  I did miss the usual burger toppings though.  So, I’m not sure if they could add pickles or tomato, if asked kindly, but I basically just drenched mine in mustard and ketchup.

I hope this was interesting to read!  I know most people like to rely on the quick bites from carts for food.  That’s definitely an option but there are some delicious eateries worth hitting up if you can allow some time to sit and enjoy a meal.  

Are you planning a Disney vacation sometime this year?  Or a vacation elsewhere?  Tell me in the comments, I’d love to hear about it 🙂