gustorganics

I find it hard to believe that I've lived in New York for almost four years, and I have very few friends here. Of course there's A, who I knew in college and lived with when I first got here, but making actual friends in a big city is difficult if your focused on your job and don't hit the party scene.

So it was a special treat for me to have lunch with C the other day. Ironically, she's the receptionist for my wonderful chiropractor and we started chatting every morning I was there and we hit it off. We're both from the Michigan/Ohio are and we have a similar outlook on some things. I was thrilled when she suggested that we "do lunch" on one of our mutual days off.

She was the perfect person to take with me to a new, all organic restaurant that opened recently near Union Square, GUSTOrganics. I first heard about GUSTOrganics through Allergic Girl's Worry Free Dinners, the latest of which was hosted there. With plans set with C I checked out the menu and then called the restaurant to make sure they could handle all my 'other' specifications.

I was directed to email a very nice young man named Eyal, who is working to make the restaurant as safe as possible for those of us with a gluten intolerance or food allergy. Eyal and I exchanged emails and then spoke on the phone. He understood the need to keep everything separate and gluten free and was able to suggest a menu item that would be safest for me.

When we arrived I was able to meet Eyal and quickly review what I was going to have. C ordered from the standard menu and I had a spinach salad with apples and strawberries with a grilled steak. The salad came plain with olive oil and pine nuts on the side. Just to be safe I also asked for a dish of salt, since the table salt had grains of rice mixed in to help keep it dry.

The meal was delicious, organic foods really do taste better. C and I agreed that they whole meal tasted more alive. The dining room is quaint with big, sturdy, bare wood tables and chairs. Since we had a late lunch it wasn't crowded and I was very confident that the kitchen wouldn't be rushed.

I highly recommend GUSTOrganics for anyone who wants a delicious, natural, organic meal and I know that they will accommodate any of your requests if given enough advanced warning. Although it was a little expensive, as you would expect for organic foods, I plan on patronizing a restaurant that treats me so well.

Organic Food Bar, Belgium Chocolate Chip

Around about three o'clock I was really dragging. Lunch was behind me, dinner was at home, I was running an errand in the cold rain. I wanted a sweet pick-me-up. There are mini Snickers in my desk, but I took the high road and went for the Organic Food Bar instead.

The label read Belgium Chocolate chip, and I can taste a little chocolate. But frankly, this is so gooey good that it doesn't have to be chocolatey. Sweet and soft it has bit of nuts and little bits of chocolate. I can most definitely distinguish the dates and almonds, the first two ingredients on the label. It has a hint of wheat germ in the aftertaste. Somehow, this bar manages to taste both healthy and like desert.

These bars are certified organic, cold processed, non-GMO and 100% vegetarian. And it's delicious! None of the ingredients contain gluten, although that particular statement is not printed on the label. You could definitely eat this one for lunch, or a snack, but it sure tastes like dessert.

Chocolate Coconut Raw Organic Food Bar

When I picked up this Organic Food Bar I was a little dubious. Organic is great, and in most cases raw is pretty good too. Famished and exhausted after a hard workout and a long week I knew I needed something that wasn’t a candy bar. When I open the package I wasn’t quite expecting the soft brown bar inside. This surprised me. Soft and moist and not to sweet, eating this was a trip back in time when I used to snitch oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough.

It was so good that I reflexively checked the label again. Sure enough, along with the organic, raw, no dairy, and no GMO certifications was gluten free. With those cute little chocolate chips and noticeable pieces of cashew, this out to hold me over till diner.

I am definitely going back to try more flavors, and to stock up for my gym bag.