Welcome to Back to Basics, where we classy ladies try to establish just how basic one can be in the Orlando area. Each month, we’ll be taking on a new theme, and we’ll be searching for the best in basic trends. We’ve all heard some of the most recent popular foodie trends: charcoal, galaxy and unicorn as well as familiar classics such as pumpkin spice and peppermint. We hope we can inspire the rest of the Nonahood to embrace their inner basic.
To kick off 2018 on the right foot, we decided to visit some hot spots here in Lake Nona and in the Orlando area that specialize in healthy, fresh foods and drinks. These places are known for their attention to detail, from everything to color, taste and texture to, of course, the source of the food.
Raw Juice Bar and Healthy Eats
Order: Flu Fighter with CBD Oil, Acai Smoothie Bowl, Wheatgrass Shot
Place: Raw Juice Bar and Healthy Eats
Final Review Nicole: I joked that I wanted to just send Van by herself to do this adventure, but obviously I couldn’t do that. I’d be missing out! The wheatgrass shot was pretty funky. It smelled like grass mixed with juice, but I can’t pinpoint the juice flavor. There were lots of different flavor notes. It went from tasting kind of sweet, and then the flavor quickly diminished into an extremely bitter and sour, a nearly intolerable taste. Call me dramatic, but it was pretty gross. Probably why they call it a shot and why Van didn’t finish it, so I took one for the team. Anyone try the grass and dirt-flavored jelly beans from the Harry Potter collection? Yeah, it’s that in juice form. Or for the equivalent version, you could just go eat a mouthful of grass from your yard. That’s one way to localize it and bring it back to the Nonahood.
The Flu Fighter smoothie was actually pretty decent, which, if we’re being honest, I definitely didn’t expect. The most apparent flavors are the ginger, lemon and CBD. Once the drink hits your tongue, you immediately notice the sourness of the lemon, but it quickly fades away and transitions into the bitterness of the ginger. The mint is a hidden flavor, and I would’ve loved to taste more of it because I’m a fanatic!
The showstopper was the acai bowl! The crunch of the chia and hemp seeds, pineapple, coconut flakes and granola on top were perfect. It was seriously so delicious that I officially understand the hype which surrounds it!
Final Review Vanessa: Okay, honesty time, I hate wheatgrass. The smell is completely strong and overpowering, like the grass after you’ve just mowed the lawn. I took one sip and couldn’t bear to finish the shot. I gagged. I was uncomfortable. I don’t care how healthy it is, it was like I had licked the ground after doing yard work, and that is not something I can get behind. The smoothie was a different story, however. With the strength of the ginger and the freshness of the lemon and kale, I felt refreshed with every sip and energized and relaxed as well. The CBD oil addition, which was recommended to us by the employees, supplied a nice boost of flavor. The smoothie bowl came with a lot of toppings and was fresh and filling for breakfast or lunch. I don’t know if I’d make the drive all the way out here each day to get a morning smoothie, but I did, for the most part, enjoy my time here, except for that wheatgrass shot – never again!
Taste: 6/10
Aesthetic: 8/10
Environment: 9/10
Price: 3/10 (eating healthy costs $$$)
Proximity to Nonahood: 4/10 (Downtown Orlando is a bit of a drive)
The Sanctum
Order: Golden Turmeric Latte with Hemp Milk, Matcha Maca Latte with Hemp Milk, Cheddar Broccoli Soup with Pumpkin, Shiva Salad, Alfredo Pasta
Place: The Sanctum
Final Review Nicole: Okay, anyone who knows me knows I’m super obsessed with matcha. There’s literally nothing better than it. This drink order was an easy decision for me. I asked for coconut milk, but they didn’t have it. I tried the hemp milk. I didn’t even know that was a thing! As always, it was delicious and got better with every sip! So smooth and creamy. It smelled like happiness in a mug, but it reminded me of Christmas time for some reason. I can never go wrong with matcha. If we’re choosing between green drinks, this is the one for me, and fingers crossed it always will be.
Van’s Golden Latte was really good, too! I actually liked it a little more than my matcha latte but didn’t regret my decision whatsoever. This latte was in fact golden and smelled like everyone’s favorite aroma of walking past a Cinnabon in the mall. The taste was so smooth and creamy, with a little spice. It reminded me of chai, and I am totally content with that!
The soup was delicious. Normally when you eat vegan foods, you can tell the flavors aren’t quite the same, but this soup was spot on. It was very creamy and thicker and was my favorite part of the food discovery adventure that is Back to Basics: Healthy Eats.
As soon as I tried Van’s salad, I actually said, “Wow, it’s not that hard to eat healthy!” and then we both laughed because it really is more expensive to eat healthy. The salad was super flavorful, which can be a rare and troublesome find when it comes to the green leafiness.
Being the Italian, I’m a HUGE pasta fan. Alfredo, carbonara, pesto, you name it. So, naturally, I ordered pasta. This pasta came with a small salad on the other side of the bowl, and initially I wasn’t sure if I should mix it in. So, I tried it separately, and the dressing didn’t disappoint. It was light enough still to be healthy but was super flavorful and enjoyable. Van convinced me to mix them together, so I went for it. It was really good but not as flavorful as a normal alfredo pasta. It actually tasted even better mixed with the salad as the dressing complemented the alfredo sauce. Yes, I struggled to finish the entire bowl, but I managed to pull through.
Final Review Vanessa: The aesthetic appeal in The Sanctum is incredibly high. From the first moment you walk in, you are welcomed with comfortable music and charismatic employees who are willing to assist you and cater to any health or dietary needs you’re trying to meet.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the latest internet trends, but turmeric has come out in full swing with health nuts everywhere. The spice offers many benefits, including promoting health antioxidants in the body, but also as an anti-inflammatory. This latte did not disappoint. The flavor is rich and creamy but also bold and intense. It’s a great pick-me-up and alternative to straight coffee in the morning. The soup came next, and it was rich and creamy, even though it was entirely vegan. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t notice.
The Shiva salad comes with kale, butternut squash, candied walnuts, chickpeas, coconut flakes, and curried peanut dressing. The flavors came together like a melody of freshness, with each one complimenting the other perfectly. I’ve had salads before where the kale was too “leafy” and it caused the flavor to be a bit overwhelming, but that wasn’t the case here. Everything about this experience was absolutely perfect.
Taste: 8.5/10
Aesthetic: 10/10
Environment: 10/10
Price: 5/10 (healthy eating isn’t always cheap!)
Proximity to Nonahood: 3/10 (Once again, downtown Orlando is a bit of a drive)
Grown
Order: Apple Cider Seasonal Soup of the Day, Havana Salad with Chicken, Capri Wrap with Homemade Chicken Salad
Place: Grown
Final Review Nicole: I looked at the menu, saw the prices and pretty much simultaneously shuttered. Guys, if you’re on a budget, Grown is not the place for you. I was pretty excited to try the wrap, but I wasn’t too thrilled. Originally, I wanted to order the seared portobello mushrooms, but they didn’t have any because they are still being impacted by the hurricane. All of the food is sourced from the Miami Grown location. I then decided to go with the sautéed shrimp, and they were also out of that as they hadn’t received their seafood shipment. I then decided the homemade chicken salad would do. The wrap was delivered, and for its size, the price was not worth it.
(Picture Italian hand movements here)
Again, being the Italian, I was excited for the fresh caprese, but my wrap came out with feta cheese instead of the mozzarella and, yes, I noticed immediately. This broke my heart.
The crunch of the kale, romaine lettuce and the onions added some nice texture, but there wasn’t much substance to the wrap. The chicken salad wasn’t too flavorful, and I was pretty underwhelmed. As for the soup, the aroma came off as more pumpkiny, but the flavor was delicious! I was worried that for not having many ingredients, it would just taste like apples sat in milk for a long time, but this soup was tasty! The apple flavor was very faint, but the spice was there. It was rich and creamy, but not heavy.
Not sure who’s going to Walmart expecting to pay that much for a meal, but it is in fact Lake Nona.
Final Review Vanessa: I ordered the salad, and I can say I wasn’t disappointed in the taste department. The salad arrived with plenty of avocado and chicken, fresh corn salsa and plenty of leafy greens. It was a great balance of different flavors and was very filling. The dressing was a nice, smoky avocado, with accents of lime that made the salad refreshing and enjoyable. The biggest negative about Grown, in my opinion, is the price and complexity of the menu (but mainly the price). At first glance, it can be a bit overwhelming to try and order, and though all of the products on their menu are organic (which is fantastic!), it’s hard to justify paying $18 for a salad all the time.
Taste: 7/10
Aesthetic: 8/10
Environment: 10/10
Price: 2/10
Proximity to Nonahood: 10/10 (Grown is located right inside of the Lake Nona Walmart)
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Order: Avocolada Smoothie and a Detox Island Green Smoothie
Place: Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Final Review Nicole: Okay, I love smoothies! When I order from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, my usual order is the indulgent smoothie called Bahama Mama. I decided to change it up to go along with this article. The avocolada immediately caught my eye because of the coconut and lime. I was actually surprised at how good this smoothie was. I’d gladly order it again. It wasn’t too sweet, but sweet enough to be enjoyable and still taste healthy. It made me feel like I actually started my day off right with making a healthy decision. At first, I wasn’t too into the idea of mixing avocado in the smoothie, but it’s actually really good! I’d definitely recommend it and look forward to having it again!
Final Review Vanessa: Tropical Smoothie does a really great job at providing a decent selection of healthy smoothies and meal options. Many smoothies can be made without added sugar and with supplements like Fat Burner and protein. I really enjoy the Detox Island Green because it contains no added sugar and healthy ingredients like spinach and ginger. The smoothie isn’t very sweet, but it’s very filling and chock full of antioxidants and nutrients. Their menu often has good seasonal smoothies and food items that are usually very healthy. It’s a great place to start a diet or lifestyle change, simply because of all the options they have on the menu.
Taste: 9/10
Aesthetic: 6/10
Environment: 7/10
Price: 8/10
Proximity to Nonahood: 10/10
Okay, it’s time to be honest. Eating healthy is NOT cheap. Check back with us next month when we take in the best sweets and treats of February, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
