Healthy Scavenger Hunt New Orleans

So clearly I didn't take this photo, via BonAppetit

My book  (if I can call it that with the gazillion edits I received) The Little Book of Thin tackles the scenarios can potentially throw nutritional wrenches in our healthy habits. Early in the project, my agent was blunt “the advice for each of these topics cannot be to bring your own, you have to go beyond that.” When it comes to travel, you may recall I do like to BMO (bring my own) and I hear I’m not the only one who feels avocados are a perfect travel food. However, I also love to seek out healthy, fresh, local options when away. This past weekend I was in New Orleans for Jazz Fest. There was a lot of unbelievable music from Maroon 5, Fleetwood Mac, my new favorites the Revivalists and of course gospel greats but I also had a list of healthy items I try to find whenever I’m away.

A running route or workout- we were staying in Warehouse District. Gena, at Choosing Raw had told me about a juice bar located further uptown. Marc and I decided to run up Magazine St. On a beautiful but chilly morning we ran past the galleries and the Crescent City Farmer’s market, a little further up there were clusters of antique stores and crowds waiting outside brunchy places. 

You really forget about the running when you’re taking in your surroundings. I also noticed a  Pure Barre studio along the way.

Green Juice or Green Smoothie- if New Orleans, home of the Hurricane, is any indication you can find healthy pockets in most cities and towns. I used Twitter, Facebook and our hotel concierge to find some healthy hotspots. Heeding Gena’s advice we checked out Superfood Bar. We had worked up an appetite so I went with the Avocalada (have a Matchacolada in my book, had to taste the colada competition) a mixture of avocado, coconut, pineapple, coconut oil, dates and topped with coconut flakes. Marc went for the Chocolate Avocado smoothie. We also grabbed green lemonades and salads to eat for lunch before Jazz Fest.

sadly a hairbrush wasn't part of the scavenger hunt

Veggie Action

My salad, the Superfood Bar, had kale, beet ribbons and avocado tossed in vinaigrette made with Jerusalem artichoke syrup. The star of the salad was this coconut “bacon”. I don’t usually like food that requires quotation marks but this was the first crouton I’ve fallen for. I dug a little bit and found you can make it like this.

that little container has the "bacon" on the right was Marc's falafel salad

As much as I loved the coconut bacon, it was dinner later that night, at Domenica, where my veggie life would be forever changed. The life changing vegetable was the Roasted Cauliflower (pictured above).  While it seems this cauliflower has a bit of a following, it was new to me. And if you think I am not to be trusted because I run miles for an avocado smoothie- Marc devoured it too. I am not sure it would taste exactly the same without a wood-burning oven but I’m going to try out this recipe. And although I dreamt about the feta situation on the side, Marc preferred the cauliflower naked (I am choosing to end the sentence here).

Sensational Seafood- For old times’ sake we went back to Emerils. We were last at Emerils after my college graduation and I had doubts whether it would be as great as I remembered it but it was. I loved the Yellowfin Tuna Butter Lettuce Sashimi and the speckled trout served over succotash  (with grapefruit butter…swoon) which was the “creative fish of the day”. I was also impressed that Emeril’s, known for its pork chop and legendary banana cream pie, was receptive and knowledgeable when I inquired about gluten.

Sorry sashimi, you looked so much prettier in person, not the most flattering photo

Commendable Cocktail- I didn’t get my green juice our first day in Nola. I did however get a “red juice”. I was wooed by the Bloody Mary at Ruby Slipper. For me, life is about the garnishes and when I saw the picked string bean, I was sold.

Worthy Treat- I was in heaven with the foods mentioned above. Marc, on the other hand, had his own Jazz Fest Scavenger hunt in mind. Day 1, he beelined it for alligator pie (unappealing to me for so many reasons).  Day 2 it was the Muffaleta (the secret is in the olives). Like a kid in a “beignet” store he remarked “I would eat so much if you weren’t here.” Fortunately for him (maybe) I was.

You're married to a nutritionist, you must eat so healthy

And later he said "I wonder why my stomach hurts" yeah I wonder

Good food, good music, did I forget the good book Where’d You Go Bernadette? I devoured.

What do you like to find when you travel? What's on your travel scavenger hunt list?

Places I didn’t get to:

Café Carmo- my friend suggested the broken noodle salad she gets “no tofu” or the Esmeralda Salad.

Maurepas Foods- Carla says the Brussels sprouts with strawberry sauce were "to die for" 

Green Goddess

Satsuma
Next time.

Big Easy Tips

This is a guest post from Foodtrainers’ favorite nutrition nerd Lisa Ganguzza. Aside from our nerdom, Lisa and I are both “Green Wave” graduates. We felt we needed a post about the city that we love and all the great food. 

After a recent visit, Lauren and I discussed whether it’s possible to eat healthy in New Orleans, a food-centric city world-renowned for decadence. Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler, let the good times roll, are the guiding words for most decisions made in New Orleans. Unfortunately, many of those good times include deep fried meats and pastries topped with creamy sauces, and sugary “signature” drinks. But of course, in a city built on enjoying oneself, there are delicious options for those of us looking to leave New Orleans elated but not inflated. So from us to you, here are some Tulane Alumnae tips to enjoy eating in Nola, while still being able to enjoy your jeans on the flight home.

*These travel tips can be applied elsewhere. After all, if you can eat somewhat healthy in New Orleans, you can do it anywhere.

Breakfast: typical New Orleans breakfast items include cheesy grits, biscuits with gravy, Andouille sausage and eggs, and crab cake eggs benedict heavy on the hollandaise. Last time I was in New Orleans, I actually encountered praline bacon, a first but not a surprise. These things are all delicious, but we feel, when traveling it’s a good idea to start the day on track. You’ll have plenty of time to play later. Try egg whites scrambled with peppers, onions, and of course Crystal hot sauce;  substitute toast for the biscuit.

Lunch: whether you’re a tourist or a native, lunch items like muffulettas and po-boys tend to make it into the rotation. Since New Orleans is all about giving, muffulettas can be 8 inches in diameter, and po-boys a foot long, all for no more than $6 or $7. Needless to say, these are great items to share. Our #1 lunch tip: you don’t want your sandwich “dressed”.  Sandwiches should be naked or topless (we’ll explain). Dressed in Nola is code for slathered in mayo, so we would recommend asking to hold the mayo or the other “special sauce”. Standard po-boy fillings include fried chicken, fried oysters, fried shrimp, fried soft shell crab and fried catfish. We promise the grilled shrimp, fish, and chicken po-boys are just as good prepared with delicious Cajun spices and seasonings. Lastly, we’d recommend tearing off some bread (or removing the top so it’s “topless”) and enjoying a side of collard greens instead.  

Dinner: When you sit down for dinner in Nola, it’s difficult not to be distracted by the brass band playing in the restaurant, the patrons singing along that have been there since brunch, or the waiter chatting you up about your day, your week, and your year. Despite the festive and friendly distractions, be sure to really read the menu. Avoid anything “stuffed” and remember what we said about jeans above. The stuffed mushrooms, stuffed tomatoes and stuffed shrimp may sound healthy but they are stuffed with buttery crabmeat and creamy breadcrumbs. New Orleans is known for their amazing local seafood, and healthier dishes like bbq gulf-shrimp, crawfish etouffee, and oysters Rockefeller must be taken advantage of. You are sure to find 4 or 5 delicious grilled fish options on any menu. Just be careful when you “take sides”. If your entrée comes with a choice of sides, stick with the local favorites like gumbo and red beans and rice, corn maquechoux or jambalaya. You can get fries at home.  

Dessert: Bananas foster, crème brulee, and bread puddings dominate New Orleans dessert menus. Of course they are all delicious but we suggest having an Irish coffee instead. Order a dessert for the table if you must but we recommend saving the sweet tooth for a beignet. One note about beignets: it is worth the wait at Café du Monde versus surrounding imitations. 

Drinks: “Hurricanes” and “Hand Grenades,” the brightest red and lime-est

green drinks you’ll ever see, are ubiquitous on Bourbon Street. The surrounding French Quarter offers some better options. Sip on some sazerac or southern comfort with fresh lime juice, traditional and historic New Orleans drinks that can last you the entire night. Spicy Bloody Marys with fresh tomato juice and string beans are another great drink option. Whatever you choose, we recommend limiting the drinking so your meal choices aren’t governed by your hangover the next day.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late night lucky dog, New Orleans offers some of the most creative dishes you’ll ever find. So skip the buttered cornbread at every meal, and don’t fill up on boudin balls so you can enjoy a little of everything and leave the “big” in the Big Easy.

And so you know we didn’t spend our college days subsisting on egg whites and collard greens.

 Lauren loves Eggs Florentine at Commanders Palace, Abita’s Turbo Dog beer and the best crawfish in the world at Big Fisherman Seafood.

Lisa loves the Crab Claws Bordelaise at Palace Café, Fried Green Tomatoes at Jacques-Imo's  (and  jazz fest tents) and would fly this minute for the bronzed tuna or curried chicken salad at Café Rani. We do disagree on one thing Lisa would choose Purple Haze over “Turbo” any day.

What are your tips for eating healthy while away? What were your favorite college treats? And what’s your favorite thing about New Orleans?