Superfood Bar now in Denver!!

Superfood Bar- One of my favorite spots out there and Nola highlight, Superfood Bar is now open for business in Denver. Around a year ago, Superfood guru Joseph Stone launched the Denver location and it appears to be going great. Denver is fortunate to have this addition to its array of healthy food options. The smoothies are incredible and you pretty much can't go wrong with any order at Superfood Bar. I love the wraps as well (pictured). Any trip to Denver will now always take me to the Superfood Bar after a morning workout. 

PS Soon to be released: Tourganic Podcast with Joseph Stone of Superfood Bar. Joseph drops tons of gems on living healthy and how to craft a diet on that will sustain you on the road.

Back in Nola and keeping it healthy 100%

I've posted before about staying healthy in New Orleans and it can be a tough one for musicians on the road. I happy to report the amount of great options in NOLA is growing. In this post I want to mention the Daily Beet, which has 2 locations in the city. 

It was only in Nola for a couple of days for jazz fest and to play with Walk Talk but I still managed to get in a 10 mile run day one and 15 miles day two. Such a great way to enjoy a city. I was located near one of the Daily Beet locations at the St Roch market and it was a great source of postworkout nutrition. The rainbow bowl was essential! The smoothies were good as well.

For my longer run, I headed up to city park, ran along side the grass trail next to the levee and eventually ran along the lake. Really beautiful scenery and I ran at near dusk so although it was HOT, not unbearable.

Tourganic's Brooklyn Shout out!

The focus of the Tourganic blog is eating healthy on the road but I want to give some love to some great vegan spots in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. Both of them are relatively new to the scene. 

Happy Zoe's Vegan Bakery- I am excited for this new addition to Williamsburg. Happy Zoe's offers vegan and gluten free baked goods as well as smoothies, soups and entrees. This small and rustic spot packs a punch for its small space. Zoe made a point to let me know she doesn't overdo it with the sugar and sweeteners and one can see that everything is made with love and care. Happy Zoe's just opened up in December of 2017, hopefully the community will support and sustain this great spot!

Acai Berry- Acai Berry is located on a busy block on Manhattan Ave at the corner of Bedford in Greenpoint and you might easily miss it. They offer juices, smoothies, acai bowls, soups, sushi and more. Everything I've had here has been spot on. The acai bowl was just what I need after a 15 mile run and the sushi rolls were creative and very good. Greenpoint is holding it down with some great restaurant options and Acai Berry is right in the mix, offering plant-based vegan options for the people.

TTP #10- Wenzl McGowen on his Spiritual Journey and its Impact on his Life and his Saxophone Playing

Wenzl McGowen is an incredible force on the saxophone and member of the band Moon Hooch. This episode includes practical life advice for the touring musician, why the band went vegan together, the depth of the impact that meditation has had on his life as a musician and well constructed concepts about the nature of the universe and cosmos. We cover lots of ground in this episode from his upbringing on a completely isolated commune in Portugal to his touring life with Moon Hooch. In this conversation:

• The dynamics of touring with a band and concepts of conflict/resolution

• Playing in the moment and striving for freedom with his instrument and the tools he is using to achieve the 'flow state'

• Wenzl's path of Meditation. How he got into it, what it means and how it has manifested on his life including how meditation has transformed his stage experience

• Upbringing in a commune in Portugal. Lessons learned from his father who created and ran the commune and turning negative experiences into positive lessons in life

• Making the transition from living completely isolated on a commune with no outside influence to coming to NYC at age 18 for school

• How and why Wenzl became vegan. The significance of the band doing it together

• How Moon Hooch tours maintaining health on the road. Bringing a portable kitchen, cooking in the green room, foraging for wild plants and supporting co-ops

• Daily and pre-show rituals on tour

• Goals with his saxophone playing: Strategies to break out of preconceived patterns and musical ‘vocabularies’ and evolve to a system more based on numbers and shapes. How he is implementing this concept

• Influential books and documentaries in his life

  Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes and visit www.tourganic.com for more info on this episode and living healthy on the road

  Tourganic Podcast Theme song 'The Path' written by David Bailis and this episode's musical interludes by Moon Hooch

Photo Credit: Matthew Dimas

Austin, TX

Wheatsville Food Co-op- There are some great plant-based vegan options in Austin. The small city has numerous vegan food trucks, restaurants/cafes, of course the original Whole Foods Market but I like to support their local co-op. Wheatsville Food Co-op is a great local market that offers healthy food for the community at a good price. I love the prepared foods section which has a juice/smoothie bar, taco/burritos made to order and a full organic salad bar. We came through Austin on our way to a festival and grateful we stopped through Wheatsville Food Co-op for a nutritious meal and to pick up some supplies for the road.

Santa Cruz, CA

Cafe Gratitude- I had to make this second Santa Cruz entry to shout out one of my favorite spots when I'm traveling, Cafe Gratitude. They have multiple locations in California (see my San Diego post) and even one in Kansas City. The Santa Cruz location is a staple every time we come to town. The menu is simple and so nutritious. I usually have the 'I am Whole' bowl, which is full of plant-based nourishment. It gives me everything I need after a day of training/traveling and before a night of playing music. The prices are reasonable and I'm always grateful to find myself at Cafe Gratitude when on the road!

Park City, UT

Good Karma- Park City is such a great place, the mountains are amazing and the vibe there is always fun. In addition to playing a fun show at Park City Live, I had an amazing day snowboarding up on the mountain. Park City is a small ski resort town and eating plantbased and healthy there can be tricky- especially without breaking the bank as Park City is super expensive. I have found that Good Karma is a great option. They are located just outside of the downtown area, which I think helps keep the prices a bit more reasonable.

Good Karma serves Indian and Persian cuisine with a bunch of vegan/vegetarian and healthy options. They have an organic curry of the day, which they prepare vegan, that has been my go to. My bandmates have gotten the other curries/entrees and really have enjoyed their dishes. A vegetarian entree runs about $15, which is really winning for Park City prices. The staff are nice and hospitable as well. Good to see this place is living up to its name- Good Karma

Lancaster, PA

Root- I felt fortunate to find the healthy plantbased restaurant, Root, in the small town of Lancaster, PA We had a long day of travel and this spot came through for me in a major way. Lancaster is a college town in the middle of menonite Amish country and Root is in the downtown area on a cool little block with some other funky spots. Root has a good vibe, it is a casual spot with a bar and a slant towards vegan comfort food pretty but an overall quite diverse menu. It took some extra planning and motivation to make it here from the outdoor amphitheater where we were playing but it was well worth the effort. I did not see alot of other healthy options in this town, so I highly recommend Root when you are in or traveling through the Lancaster, PA area and looking for healthy fare.

New York, NY

Candle Cafe- Always happy to do a post on a local favorite- Candle Cafe has been a staple in the NYC plantbased community since 1993! This Upper East Side organic, vegan restaurant offers amazing salads, veggie burgers, entrees and has a juice bar as well. I’ve never been disappointed with what I ordered at Candle. On my recent trip, I had the portobello and black bean burger, which is made in house and is stellar. I love to get the 'Good Food Plate', which entrée of sides where you can choose 4 sides and 2 sauces- You can’t go wrong with that option. The prices are up there but not out of hand, especially for UES Manhattan organic. While the salads are a bit small for the price, in general, the portion sizes are on point. Also fyi, Candle Cafe has a more upscale sister restaurant a few blocks away called Candle 79, which is getting into full on gourmet dining- plantbased style. I usually stick with the more casual vibe of the original Candle Cafe. The space is bright, clean and the staff is always super friendly. If you are in NYC and looking for a healthy option for lunch/dinner, Candle Cafe is always a great spot to check out.

Steamboat Springs, CO

Rootz Cafe- When it comes to eating healthy in Steamboat Springs, Rootz Cafe is the place. After a morning of tennis at the Steamboat Tennis Center and a run at high altitude I was ready for some nourishment. Rootz is a great spot in downtown Steamboat, which offers fresh organic juices, superfood smoothies, wraps, salads, rice/quinoa bowls and more. There menu has local, organic items and they have many vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. I got the 'Maya bowl' with massaged kale, brown rice, black beans, avocado, red onions, grape tomatoes, red pepper, purple cabbage and subbed in spirulina pesto (instead of the yogurt sauce). This dish was fantastic! The pesto was a welcome addition. I also got the 'Aries'- A veggie juice with carrot, basil, tomato, celery, cucumber, lemon, garlic. The prices here are totally reasonable and given that it is a Colorado mountain town, the prices are really winning. Just a heads up they close at 6pm. These guys really do it right and Im glad to hit them up whenever we play in Steamboat. Big up Rootz Cafe!

Brooklyn, NY

Jungle– Awesome addition to our neighborhood in Brooklyn! Love that they have a pay by weight all vegan hot bar/buffett. So you can really just get the portions you want. They’ve got a bunch of raw salad options in the buffet as well It’s $8.99 a pound which is really not bad and the quality is great. FYI there are also menu items and a juice bar. I love the casual vibe of this place that you can stop in for a quick bite or have a nice sit down dinner. I think the tables are mostly community style big tables. We’ve needed a spot like this for ages! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a healthy option in the Greenpoint area.

Los Angeles, CA

Shojin- Wow Shojin! This place is absolutely awesome. The macrobiotic vegan Japanese cuisine food is so carefully and skillfully prepared. I went to the Shojin downtown location, not too far from Teragram Ballroom. Shojin does come with a price tag but it isn't ridiculously overpriced, just be ready to drop some cash. I think we spent $50 each with no alcohol (I haven't spent that much on a meal in quite a while) but seeing I was visiting with my best friend in LA, it was well worth a special occasion. We got a salad, 2 rolls and a ramen each. Every course was exquisitely prepared with such care. The vegan sushi rolls were amazing. Green Dynamite 2.0 (Avocado wrapped carrot brown rice roll with mashed avocado, chili, lemon, cilantro and green chili sauce) and Yellow Magic Orchestra roll. 
The interior is cool as well, strangely it is located on the 3rd floor of a Japanese mall. Definitely not where you'd expect to find a restaurant of this caliber but that kinda adds to the charm. Very intimate vibe, good date spot. Just a heads up there was a bit of a wait for a table and I got the impression there could have a been quite a wait if you get there at the wrong time. Overall, totally amazing creative, vegan food in LA!

Bridgeport, CT

Bloodroot- What a find in Bridgeport! Bloodroot is such a great restaurant and luckily was about a 10 minute walk from the venue. Bloodroot serves all plantbased, vegan food and is located in a residential neighborhood in what looks like a house! I had the tostadas, which were served with avocado, green rice and homemade jicama salsa. They were fantastic. I also had a good simple salad to start. Besides the great food, I was so happy to hear that Bloodroot has been open for 39 years!! The women that own Bloodroot are very committed to health and I was glad to make their aquaintance. Bloodroot is not cheap (about $19 for an entree) but the quality makes it worth it. I highly recommend coming to Bloodroot if in the area or if passing through!

Beverly MA

Organic Garden- What a great find in Beverly MA. This plantbased, vegan restaurant/juice bar is a bit off the beaten path about 40 minutes north of Boston. They had so many good options! I went with the Harvest Bowl- with quinoa, spinach, butternut squash, cranberry, sprouts and muchi curry. It was awesome! They have a full juice and smoothie menu as well as vegan and gluten free baked goods. The ambiance is very relaxed and the prices were cool, especially given that everything is organic. Overall, a gem of a find!

Waltham, MA

Masao's Kitchen- My favorite place for many years in Boston- is Masao's Kitchen. Masao's (which is actually located in the nearby suburb Waltham) serves up macrobiotic, gluten free, vegan fare at its best. It is a pay by weight system and you can select how much of each dish you want at the buffet, where Masao serves you. There are rotating dishes by the day and it is always top notch quality and cooking. The atmosphere is casual and very relaxed. The owner and chef Masao is almost always there and with a smile! Masao's Kitchen is a must if in the Boston area looking for healthy lunch or dinner! 

Brooklyn, NY

Wild Ginger- Got to give a shout out to one of our neighborhood vegan spots Wild Ginger. They consistently have good vegan options for the Brooklynites looking for healthy options. The food is pan Asian and they have lots of good items to choose from. The dishes can be a it heavy on the soy based/meat alternatives but you can avoid that and get a plantbased vegetable dish if if you so desire. They moved from the old standby location on Bedford to North 10th st. The interior is a nice vibe and when the weather is nice they keep the giant front window open, which gives it a nice open air feel. I highly recommend going for the lunch special. A main dish comes with miso soup and spring roll for around $10.  They aren’t too any totally vegan options in Williamsburg, so definitely worth a trip to Wild Ginger.

San Diego, CA

Cafe Gratitude- I've been to a bunch of Cafe Gratitude's and IMO this one is the best quality. It is a few dollars more than others but worth it. The interior pretty is swanky as well. It is right down the street from the venue, that we played at, which made it an easy pre-show dinner choice. I had the 'I am Humble' bowl, which was so good. It had Curried lentil dal, spinach, roasted yams, coconut chutney, spicy tomato jam, scallions, sprouted probiotic rice. This dish is a winner! My buddy had the 'I am accepting' which also got great reviews. Overall, Cafe Gratitude is a great option for healthy eats in downtown/Gaslamp San Diego.

Flagstaff, AZ

Red Curry Vegan Kitchen- Yes! Great dinner in Flagstaff. Red Curry Vegan Kitchen has good veggie options at very affordable prices. I got the lemongrass green curry, which came with brown rice, spring roll and small salad for under $10. That is winning! The curry came with black beans as alternative to tofu (love that!). The ambiance left a little to be desired, it was very bright and the place was a bit messy. But I'll take it given the prices and great quality dishes! Definitely a good find.

Phoenix, AZ

Green Vegetarian- I love this spot in Phoenix. I loved it the 1st time and then without even realizing it, I ended up here a second time! The combo of great food, casual atmosphere and affordable prices make this place a total winner. Both times I’ve been here I have opted for the ‘Bowls’ which offer different preparations/sauces of a sautéed vegetables with brown rice (or noodles) I have gotten the Kung Pao and the Diablo and both were awesome. Simply prepared fresh veggies with good amount of heat make this a great healthy option. They have a bunch of different Veggie burgers and salads as well, which got rave reviews. Not to be missed if looking for healthy lunch or dinner in Phoenix.

Denver Airport

Udi's at the Denver Airport- What?! Vegan and gluten free food at the airport?? And at a reasonable price! Go Denver.
I had the Power Salad with quinoa and Kale. It was like $6.50. I'm so over the horrible $10 airport salad that places sell at airports everywhere. 
This salad is a welcome meal for a traveler who needs to eat at DIA.
I wish this place was in more airports.