Hi VV!

Hi VV!

Obviously, you like cooking and that’s cool, but I don’t love to cook and like to eat out. Any tips on where to go and what to order that’s not going to break the bank?

Thanks!

Hungry Guy

Darling Hungry Guy,

Totally relatable! Food does somehow taste extra delicious if someone else prepares it for you and I know we can’t (or may not want to) spend a ton of time in the kitchen. Depending on where you live, there are a range of options. Since I live in a place that seems dedicated to catering to various diet/lifestyle needs, there are a lot of choices for fast-casual eating that is entirely plant-based or at least heavy on the vegetables. But I know the restaurant landscape is different everywhere. A few ideas:

Chipotle: pretty sure Chipotle is everywhere these days and it has a great selection of plant-based menu items. Forgo the meat, cheese, and sour cream. Beyond that, the sky is the limit. You won’t miss the steak once you pile your burrito bowl or taco with salsa, guac, beans, and/or sofritas. Filling and delicious! Plus, the chips and guac is a great on-the-fly snack.

Cava: this is essentially a Mediterranean Chipotle and it’s growing fast with restaurants in 18 states so far, with more to come. Take a similar approach as you do with Chipotle - forgo the cheese and meet and pile your pita or bowl high with the wide range of veg-forward options they have such as greens, brown rice, roasted eggplant, hummus, harissa, and falafel to name a few.

Mod Pizza: more choose-your-own food adventure! Yep, you can even have a pizza that’s delicious and more nutritious. While I am definitely a firm believer in getting a real, cheesy slice of pizza on occasion, for the more-every day approach, hit a Mod Pizza and pile some pizza crust or salad high with ingredients like plant-based sausage, artichokes, arugula, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Sensing a theme, darling Hungry Guy? Take yourself to places that give you a wide array of options and stuff yourself full of veg-forward toppings. I promise, you’ll love it!