I am…hungry. Cafe Gratitude locations, with their affirmation-labelled menu items like the ‘I Am Liberated’ kelp noodles and the ‘I Am Devoted’ keto bowl, are quintessential LA haunts. The healthy vegan cafes, found in DTLA, Venice and beyond, are scenes unto themselves with menus that are as exciting as things get for hardcore wellness weirdos like us. The 100% plant-based cafe has a knack for transforming truly clean ingredients into gourmet comfort food that the city’s health crowd is devoted to.
Elissa Goodman, a top certified integrative nutritionist we adore, recently collaborated with the Cafe Gratitude team to create a new “I Am Cleansed” bowl. As a cancer survivor who helped herself heal with the power of whole food nutrition, Elissa knows the importance of daily detoxification efforts – and how keeping our diets nutrient-dense and easy to digest can go a long way in the support of the body’s natural healing abilities.
Elissa’s hearty salad bowl consists of chickpea tofu (get the recipe!), powerful greens like watercress and dandelion greens, a slew of roasted veggies, hemp seeds and a herb-filled dressing. Pair it with our recipe for Cafe Gratitude’s golden latte and you’ve got a real moment happening. Here’s how it’s done…
I Am Cleansed Salad Bowl
Serves 2
Ingredients:
For the blistered tomatoes:
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
pinch sea salt
For the roasted mushrooms:
16 oz fresh maitake or oyster mushrooms (or button slices if you can’t find above)
2 tsp olive oil
fresh thyme sprigs
pinch sea salt
For the caramelized onions:
1 large yellow onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt
For the herbed hemp seeds:
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
pinch sea salt
For the green goddess dressing:
1/4 cup water
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 avocado, halved and flesh scooped out
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 scallions, white and green parts chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp sea salt
pepper to taste
For the green salad base:
Use a bitter greens mix. I prefer finely chopped dandelion, baby spinach, arugula and watercress.
Directions:
For the blistered tomatoes:
Preheat oven to 400° degrees. In a small mixing bowl, toss tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic and sea salt. Transfer to a small baking dish (at home I use a bread pan) and place in oven to soften for about 12 to 15 minutes.
For the roasted mushrooms:
Heat oven to 400° F. Toss the mushrooms, oil, thyme, salt and pepper on parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast, tossing once, until golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.
For the caramelized onions:
Heat a medium/small sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and thinly sliced onions with a pinch of salt to draw moisture out. Stir throughout as the onions cook. They’ll soften and become moist, then will begin to brown and caramelize. This takes about 12 minutes.
For the herbed hemp seeds:
Preheat oven to 400° degrees. Toss hemp seeds, rosemary, parsley, lemon zest and sea salt in small bowl. Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet, and roast for about 10 minutes, flipping herbs once halfway through.
For the green goddess dressing:
Put all ingredients in blender or food processor, blend until smooth and creamy. You may want to add a pinch of salt and more lemon.
For the green salad base:
Toss your choice of greens together and use as the base layer.
