It’s been almost a year since Farmer’s Table restaurant opened in Boca Raton off Military Trail. Now that I’ve sampled all the veggie dishes, I want to spill the beans (pun intended) on my dish suggestions.
Favorite Appetizer: Cucumber Tartare.
This is a must-try starter that features delicate pieces of cucumber and avocado that are lightly tossed with ginger-chili dressing. Though there’s an option to add tuna to the dish, I suggest skipping this high-mercury fish and put your money toward a nice glass of Round Pond Sauvignon Blanc instead. It goes great with veggie dishes and takes your plant-based meal to a whole new level.
Favorite Salad: Health and Wellness
You are what you eat, so why not fill yourself up with health and wellness? I love this salad because it has a small serving of quinoa added to it, making it more filling than a regular plate of greens. If you’re looking for complete protein, I recommend adding a side of organic sprouted beans. When you combine beans with grains, you get a full spectrum of amino acids that’s usually obtained from animal products. And because beans are sprouted, their nutritional value is amplified and they’re easier to digest.
Favorite Handheld: Baked Falafel (with a minor change)
Though the baked falafel wrap usually comes in a whole wheat tortilla, you have the option of swapping it for collards – which I highly recommend. Did you know that one collard leaf has only 11 calories, takes less time to digest than grains and can help boost your energy? Kudos to the chefs for incorporating collard leaves in their meals and using them as an alternative to grain wraps. Sweet and savory sides of five-spice sweet potatoes and fresh coleslaw gives this meal a satisfying finish.
House Specialty: Vegetable Lasagna
If you think that you can’t get full on veggies, I suggest trying this delicious terrine of garden vegetables in a rich tomato sauce. I usually get this meal when I’m looking for something warm and comforting and it’s definitely my go-to meal in the fall. Even though this dish doesn’t have any pasta, it does feature layers of sweet potato that will make you feel satiated in no time. I like to order my vegetable lasagna drizzled with Daiya mozzarella cheese – a great dairy-free alternative to cheese.
Dessert: Sweet Ginger Tea
Every time I eat at Farmer’s Table, I’m too full for dessert and end up ordering the sweet ginger tea. Ginger is a great digestive aid, and because I usually have a hard time controlling my portions of the delicious foods listed above, I find this tea to be the perfect ending to my meal. It also has hibiscus, lemon myrtle and strawberry, which give you a hint of sweetness without adding any sugar. If you’ve tried desserts at Farmer’s Table and have a favorite, please leave a comment below to share with other readers!
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About Alina Z.
Alina Z., aka “The Green Goddess,” is a certified holistic health coach, detox specialist and raw-food chef (she conducts occasional classes at Whole Foods in Boca). Prior to moving to Florida, Alina hosted her own TV show in Maryland—“Entertaining A to Z”—for people who didn’t have time to cook but wanted to eat healthy. Catch one of her web episodes at eHow.com, visit Alina’s website at alinaz.com, or follow her on Facebook (facebook.com/CoutureFood) or Twitter (@CoutureFood). The Green Goddess blog runs every other Wednesday at bocamag.com.
