The Moringa Tree

As a general rule when you think of eating in Elkhart County images of fried chicken, noodles, and pie are conjured, not organic, natural, vegetarian meals, but on Jackson street in Downtown Elkhart is a little restaurant that is serving up those type of meals for you nutrition minded food lovers. We stopped at The Moringa Tree for lunch as a treat for my vegetarian brother who likes to eat vegan when he can, and even us carnivores were impressed with our meals! The fresh juices and smoothies looked incredibly appealing with their fresh ingredients, but because they are fresh ingredients they were on the pricey side, and since it was a hot day we stuck with a pitcher of water passed around the table several times. My brother did order a smoothie to go and he loved it, I think that he would have ordered one of everything on the menu, but at the Vegan waitress' recommendation he got the bean burger topped with guacamole and a side of the soup du jour. He really liked the flavor of his burger and the soup, not to mention he loved the whole restaurant/store with all of their natural and health minded products, and was especially thankful when the protein powder in his smoothie wasn't soy based.

My mom was really impressed with her grilled cheese sandwich that was made with two types of raw cheese on sprouted bread topped off with pesto; I am pretty sure the word "amazing" was thrown out after the first bite. She got bruschetta and broccoli slaw on the side which she said were good, but could have used a little more seasoning.

I ate the greatest version of a PB&J I have ever had, it was nut butter with fresh berries and cinnamon and honey on sprouted bread. I have heard of sprouted bread and was nervous imagining bread with bean sprouts, but it was delicious (and did not have any sprouts in it!), I loved the heartiness and crunch that it had, and the tartness of the fresh berries against the nut butter and sweetness of the honey made for an incredible sandwich. I also got an organic fruit cup on the side and was so happy to see something other than melon and bananas, it was full of apples, oranges, berries, grapes, and all were so good.

My hubby joined us late and wasn't really hungry, but I ordered the guacamole for him anyway, and I am so glad I did! I got the first taste, and I have to say it is some of the best I have ever had, my son was literally eating it by the spoonful! And the salsa that came on the side was delicious, too, a little spicy, but delicious nonetheless.

Whether you are a health minded eater, need a place to find natural products like aluminum free deodorant or pink Himalayan salt, or just want a delicious meal, The Moringa Tree is a must try in downtown Elkhart!!