#ChefJodie Eats Out

No longer on their menu - I legit emailed them I was so upset about this and am still considering starting a petition cos I miss it so much.

Chop'd is a new-ish salad bar in central Manchester and this salad was massive, fresh and cheap. Go check it out.

I can't recall the name of the company but I bought these fab 'food-prep' style boxes from a stall in Trafford Centre (Manchester). The added cranberries complimented the soya beans and salmon so well!

Anyone who knows me knows I can completely obssessed with Wagamamas. Their new vegan menu is so diverse and just shows that eliminating meat and dairy from your diet really doesn't mean limiting flavour. This ramen has taken the place of my old favourite (Yasai Ramen) - but gives a spicier kick that I can't help but love.

I say buffet - it was a beautiful hippy cafe/restaurant with a counter with fresh foods which you could select deli-style. However being #chefjodie I couldn't only choose a few so I asked for a try of each dish on offer on one plate. SO GOOD. 100% reccomend to anyone visiting Edinburgh. Perfectly seasoned, SO fresh, beautifully healthy and stupidly tasty.

This breakfast was PERFECT to fill me up and give me energy for a long day spent in London. High protein from the soya beans, quinoa and obvs that perfectly runny poached egg. Friendly carbs from the serving of potato and tomatoes. And avocado for those fats and because every monring should start with avocado.

Egg, avocado, pomegranate, quinoa, carrot, falafel, tomato. K so I've looked at the menu to try work out what I ordered to allow them to make me this fabulous creation but honestly can't figure it out. Maybe just show them the pic and be like 'I wanna have what #chefjodie ordered' - and i promise you'll thank me. Definitely thinking it was a bunless creation.

Life hack to not overloading on carbs (mainly so you don't finish your meal with that over-eaten bloated feeling) - order a naked burger i.e no bun and swap for a salad so you can go ahead and order those beaut sweet potato fries. The additional mushroom and pepper complimented this really well. The GBK sauce was also an unexpected fruity relish type of dip which was pretty tasty.

The pomegranates just worked so beautifully with this dish. It was like all my favourite 'supeerfoods' I promote in my blog in one bowl edamame, avocado, quinoa, sunflower seefd and broccoli. DEFO recommend.

Red's True BBQ isn't exactly clean eating but instead of going all out, fully pig, feeling groggy after I decided to tweak the menu #ChefJodie style - I ordered 1 sticky chicken leg cos #protein and the glaze is to die for and the 'Hot Mess' sweet potato without the meaty pit beans (which included beef which I'm not the greatest fan of and beans mess up my IBS a little). This meal was a lighter yet still very filling alternative. So instead of ordering a simple salad somehwere like this and feeling envious of people around you, why not order a lighter version of the good stuff.

The colours, this was PERFECT. (minus the dressing and the price)

If you're as bigger fan of wagamamas as I am then meet it's very close competition. Itsu is pretty expensive but the quality and chocie of food they have to offer mean I 100% recommend this place. This salad had perfect ratio of protein (chicken and edamame), fat (avocado and sunflower seeds) and carbs (rice and carrot), Also the sauce was v v god.

chicken breast, ginger, chilli, mint, rocket, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and whole-grain spaghetti I discovered Vapiano whilst on placement in Vienna and was mad excited when I realised it wasn't just a Viennese ting but actually had restaurants worldwide. You get to watch the dish being cooked fresh, choose how much spice they add AND choose the pasta type. My past fear of carbs is officially over and now #chefjodie understands the BEST ones to benefit your health (look how far I've come eee). Whole-grain pasta is a complex carb so keeps you fuller for longer (white pasta is still techniqually complex but is refined and starchy), its also higher in fibre, protein, vitamin B, iron and has antioxidant properties.