Man oh man have I got a (healthy!) treat in store for you…
Last week I had the privilege of being invited to a special sneak peek at Starbuck’s newest concept and company, Evolution Fresh. Recently purchased by Starbucks, Evolution Fresh has opened their very first location at the Bellevue Square Lodge Building and has come right out of the gate promising fresh ingredients, tons of nutrients and a taste that can’t be beat. I’ll admit, I’m sold. It was a small intimate group at the tasting…nutritionists, dietitians, gym owners, fitness fanatics and….me. Maybe they just know I have a big mouth when it comes to things I love?
First a bit about what I sampled:
Muesli. To die. I’ve never had it and it was so good. Think of it like cold oatmeal with lots of fresh fruit. It’s mixed with yogurt so it has the perfect consistency and with 6g of protein, a great start to your day. We sampled this dish with the Garden Gathering juice that included greens, blueberries, beet, apple and ginger. DELISH!
Lentils, wildrice, and kale Signature bowl. It also included zucchini, peppers, feta, carrots, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and fresh herbs. Remember these can be served hot or cold and with added chicken or steak. When I talk about a party in my mouth below, this is the dish I’m referring too. So hearty and so full of flavor. We sampled this dish with the Field of Greens juice. I’m not a huge fan of green juices but this one wasn’t half bad.
If you’re on the run and need a quick snack, their humus and veggies are a perfect snack. I’d also suggest the Mel Bar made of almond butter, puffed millet, nuts, seeds, cranberries and coconut.
Next up we sampled two smoothies: Smooth Carrot and Smooth Green. I liked the Smooth Carrot better with carrot and apple juice, bananas, pineapple and cinnamon. The Smooth Green was the Greens Juice, bananas and pineapple. One thing you should know about their juices is they use a process called High Pressure Processing–nothing is ever heated and instead they use high pressure to prep the juice for safe drinking and to maintain the nutrients and flavor.
Last but not least we sampled the Spiced Carrot Soup featuring curry and ginger and the Sweet Burn Juice. Normally I don’t like carrots masquerading as fun juices (like above) and full meals but I actually REALLY liked this soup (as I did the smoothie above). I did not however like the Sweet Burn Juice. I get it, I really do but it’s just not for me. With the coconut water and cayenne, I can see it as apart of a cleanse or something but trust me, there are lots of other yummies there for me to enjoy.
I hate to be such a tease but I’m afraid as of now, the juices (and maybe some of the packaged products) are only available in stores to the mass market. Bellevue happens to be their test market for the actual cafe and they hope to expand from there. It gives all my out of town POSHees all the more reason to visit!
Some reasons I’m jumping on the bandwagon:
1. Price Point-The prices are very reasonable. If you’ve got the cash for a McMuffin, OJ and hash paddy at McDonald’s you have the cash for one of their protein packed Signature Hot Scrambles.
2. Taste-I love healthy food whenever I can get it. My main issue is that alot of it tastes like cardboard. Not this stuff. I hesitate to say this, but it’s like a party in your mouth. Seriously.
3. Protein Options-My other issue with health food, especially when it comes to salads, is that it never fills me up. Ever. I always have to eat again in like an hour. So not the case here. They have lots of protein options for breakfast (including hard-boiled eggs WHUUT?!), lunch and dinner. You can add steak or chicken breast to any salad or Signature Bowl and even their sandwiches and wraps are hearty.
4. Variety-There is lots on the menu. I mean lots. And on top of food they have a huge juice bar. And as a testament to that, look at all the colors! Now THAT is a diet.
5. You know what you’re getting. Whether you’re gluten-free or vegetarian or just a foodaholic like me, everything is carefully labeled and marked so you know exactly what you’re getting. Plus while they don’t overload you with nutritional information, they do give you the key facts like calories, fat, protein, fiber and sodium.
