My {Pomegranate} Fix

The Arizona Roll at Pomegranate Cafe.

A pomegranate. 

Has many a seed, indeed.

And it's red, like me!

Sorry guys, no recipe today. But I am going to tell you about a place I went for lunch called Pomegranate Cafe, where the food is as colorful as the walls. But there is a catch. It is a vegan and vegetarian restaurant.

Although you may be a bit skeptical, this restaurant is delicious. And not the kind of delicious that comes from injecting char-grilled flavor into a fast food patty. From the moment I walked in, I fell in love with the atmosphere. Everything is bright and inviting, with a funky, retro vibe and plenty of natural light. 

I ordered the Arizona Roll, complete with seasonal veggies, almond spread, sweet chile sauce, avocado, sunflower sprouts and orange miso slaw.

It was fantastic! So much tangy, sweet goodness was packed into each roll. And trust me on this. They are very filling and you will feel full afterwards. No skimping on portions here, which is good because meals are quite pricey (mine weighed in at $11). But I was only able to finish half so you get some nice leftovers out of it!

The Smokin' BLT at Pomegranate Cafe.

I recommend the Smokin' BLT. Now, naturally because this is a vegetarian restaurant, there wasn't really bacon on the sandwich. But I challenge you to give it a try nonetheless. The spices and bite made it a savory sammie that packed a punch.

And it had a chipotle aioli which makes everything better. In case you don't know what that is, it's basically garlic mayonnaise. Now are you on board?

My only negatives about the place were the high prices and long wait time to get your food. They work with local growers and because of the quality of their items, I understand they do have to charge more for their food. But plan ahead about an hour to make sure you have enough time to receive and eat your meal.

Here's me. Drinking a super power smoothie. Just your basic strawberry, banana, raspberry and mango blend...with goji berry, hemp protein and bee pollen. But I promise you its not scary, if anything there is a hint of honey flavor and that's it.

So this is probably my favorite post thus far because I get to describe all this food without actually doing any work in the kitchen. But even more than that, I really like this place because there is a story behind it. A mom and daughter dynamic duo opened this restaurant, which I can appreciate that because I have a close relationship with my mom.

And their mantra is right in sync with what I believe about food:

Challenge the stereotype that healthy food is bland or boring. Taste and presentation are not compromised by wholesome ingredients, but enhanced.

I hope you take the time to branch out of your comfort zone and give this place a try! You'll not only support local growers and businesses, but give your body the good food it deserves.

And my favorite part about vegan places? The dessert. It makes all that guilt go away because you can tell yourself it's vegan. So what if you just ate your day's worth of calories? You're providing for the local community with every delicious bite.