Southern Nosh - Vegetarian Soul Food in Metro Detroit

Southern Nosh Vegetarian Soul Food
Delicious Plant Based Soul Food Restaurant nestled in a strip mall in Northwest Southfield.

Check out the new vegetarian kid on the block - Southern Nosh, located on Northwestern & Inkster in Southfield, Michigan. I didn't know that I had a secret love affair with Soul food until the day I first set foot in this place.

The restaurant is almost entirely vegetarian except that they have one (actual) fish of the day every day (hence the fish on the sign). I've never actually seen people eating fish when I've been there, but I did hear a couple of people ask about it. Vegan items are clearly marked with a little v next to them on the menu.

Southern Nosh Vegetarian Soul Food
Cute sign on the sidewalk out front

Southern Nosh Vegetarian Soul Food
Clean, bright and colorful inside.

Vegan Cajun Cutlet and Pinto Beans
Vegan Cajun Cutlet and Pinto Beans

The vegan 'meat' is absolutely delicious. It's a must try for former carnivores who aren't too cool for mock meat. It's so juicy and flavorful - I almost feel bad for the people who do not get to try it. The Cajun Cutlet is like a juicy vegan grilled chicken breast flavored with Cajun seasoning and covered in gumbo. Yum! I do not know what they flavored the pinto beans with, but I could have eaten just those and been happy.

Vegan BBQ Style Boneless Breast and Garlic String Beans
Vegan BBQ Style Boneless Breast and Garlic String Beans

If you like spicy, the BBQ Style Boneless Breast is a great choice. The homemade barbecue sauce is flavorful and spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. The first time I had the Garlic String Beans, they were to die for. The second time they were just very good. I think there was a different cook. Either way, they are definitely worth a try!

Southern Nosh Vegetarian Soul Food
We kind of went crazy ordering (almost) everything our first trip.
Clockwise From Top Left: Louisiana Style Gumbo, Vegan Sloppy Joe with Garlic String Beans, Sauteed Portobello Mushrooms, Vegan Jerk Grilled Protein with Collard Greens, Vegetable Rice and Red Beans & Rice.

My favorite entree was the Cajun Cutlet because it reminded me of the grilled chicken I used to get at restaurants many years ago. Actually, I forgot that taste until I tried the Cajun Cutlet. I also absolutely loved the Louisiana Style Gumbo, but I thought that it was a little heavy on the mock meat. I was expecting only vegetables in it. The flavor was amazing though. All of the vegetables, rice and bean dishes were fabulous! There is a Veggie Plate where you can order 3 sides. Once I've tried all of the vegan items on the menu, I might just opt for the veggie plate as an entree most of the time.

My mom (yeah, the two of us shared the 5 plates above) loved the Sloppy Joe (and everything else). Her favorite part of the meal though was the Vegan Blueberry Pie!

Vegan Blueberry Pie
Vegan Blueberry Pie

Right now Southern Nosh has a great deal on Groupon. You can buy a $30 Groupon for $15 or a set of 3 - $30 Groupons for $42. It's a great time to try out this new place.

4 comments:

Energizing Tropical Smoothie

It's cold outside, but we've been drinking smoothies in my house anyway. My husband had one of his wisdom teeth removed this week and could not chew on anything so I have had to be creative with his food. The first day he only wanted to have cold food because the cold made his mouth feel better so it was pretty much smoothies, coconut milk yogurt, and juices all day long. This is just one of the smoothies he has enjoyed over the past couple days.

You might wonder why I am so fond of tart cherry juice. It is not a common ingredient in smoothies. Tart cherry juice is said to be an anti-inflammatory. I am not making any medical claims here. You can research it on your own and make up your own mind. I only know that it has really helped some people close to me suffering from inflammatory conditions. I also know that inflammation is being shown to be at the root of many diseases. Since I also happen to love tart cherry juice, it has become a staple in my home.

Energizing Vegan Tropical Smoothie Ingredients
Energizing Tropical Smoothie Ingredients

Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:
5 Cups Frozen Mixed Fruit (pineapple, mango, strawberry, peach, etc.)
150 grams (5.3 oz) strawberry or peach non-dairy yogurt
3/4 Scoop (2 1/2 Tbsp.) Vega Tropical Tango Energizing Smoothie (or protein smoothie)
1 Cup Almond Milk
1 Cup Tart Cherry Juice (if you're using the concentrated version, you need to water it down to the equivalent of 1 Cup of regular juice)

Method:
Put everything in the blender and blend away! Enjoy!

Energizing Vegan Tropical Smoothie
Energizing Tropical Smoothie

Where to Find: Vega can be found at many health food and specialty stores including Whole FoodsPlum MarketThe Better Health Store, and online. I bought the Silk nondairy yogurt at Meijer, though you can easily find nondairy yogurt at Kroger (in the Nature's Market section), health food and specialty stores (including the stores listed above). I usually buy my tart cherry juice from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, but I have seen it at other health food stores and in it's concentrated version at Meijer. Nondairy milk is available at just about every grocery store I've ever been, including MeijerKroger / Ralph'sTarget, warehouse stores, and all of the stores listed above. Nondairy milk is available in India at larger grocery stores. Nondairy yogurt is also available at select larger stores in India.

8 comments:

Almost Instant Vegan Hot Chocolate

Vegan Instant Hot Chocolate
Vegan Hot Chocolate

When I was a little girl, I used to love getting all bundled up in my winter clothes and going outside to play in the snow. I remember my mom having to force me to come in because it would start getting dark before I was ready for the fun to end. I would ask for just a few more minutes, sometimes successfully. There was something so magical about the fresh sparkling white snow and all of the wonderful creative things you could do with it - like making snow angels and having snowball fights. I loved watching the little sparkles fall from the sky all around me as I stood in awe.

Although I hated having to come in, it was always a nice feeling to get all of those layers off and come in from the cold. Plus, sledding and building snowmen really makes you work up an appetite. One of my favorite things to have when coming in was have one of those little instant hot chocolate packets with the mini marshmallows. Those of us who grew up in places with cold winters know that one sure way to warm you up is from the inside out. A hot beverage or soup is a surefire way to starting the warming process.

I'm sure that those packets of instant hot chocolate are filled with all kinds of not-so-good for you things and are kind of overpriced when you could just add your own ingredients and make your own. I don't claim this to be a super healthy recipe since it does have sugar, but it is much healthier than the traditional hot chocolate since it is low fat, cholesterol-free and has heart-healthy almonds and chocolate to boot.

On a day like today, with wind chills near -25F (-32C) here in Detroit, it is a perfect time for a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Snowy Day in Metro Detroit
Beautiful White Snow in Metro Detroit

Ingredients:
Chocolate Almond Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
Vegan Mini Marshmallows (or you could cut the big ones into smaller pieces)
Cinnamon (optional)

Method:
1. Put mini marshmallows in your mug. (We couldn't find them nearby so we had to cut the larger ones and used the equivalent of about 1-2 large marshmallows in each mug.) 
2. Fill mug with chocolate almond milk.
3. Microwave on high until hot (it took about 1 1/2 minutes in our microwave).
4. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top.

Vegan Instant Hot Chocolate
Vegan Hot Chocolate Ingredients

Where to Find: Locally, I have found vegan marshmallows at Whole Foods, Plum Market, The Better Health Store, and Zerbos. If you know of somewhere else they are available, please write it in the comments below. Chocolate Almond Milk is available at just about every grocery store I've ever been, including Meijer, Kroger / Ralph's, Target, warehouse stores, and all of the stores listed above. Chocolate nondairy milk is also available in India at larger grocery stores.

5 comments: