Food options: 3/5

Restaurants visited: Grassburger, Vegos, Route 66 Cafe, Sixty Six Acres

This trip to New Mexico checked off another state on my journey to 50 before 50 list. I was wowed by the scenery in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. I enjoyed trying the local cuisine and tasting the red and green chilies everywhere.

Once I got settled in the hotel, food was on my brain, and a quick search led me to Grassburger. I ordered the Southwest Vegan Bowl, which was a great combination of flavors. The rice and quinoa base was topped with a black bean patty, sautéed mushrooms, cabbage, and pico de gallo. Of course since we went to a burger place, I ordered some fries on the side for good measure. 

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with vegan New Mexican cuisine, but I definitely was not disappointed. I ordered so much at Vegos and shared all this goodness with my lunch partners, who were open to trying new things. I didn't get a picture because we ate them so fast, but the sopa fries were a huge hit for us.

With so many organic, vegan options, I had a hard time choosing what I wanted at Root 66 Cafe. So I ordered the road trips sampler plate with 3 pit stops - Cranberry Chickpea Salad Scoop, Baby "Crab" Cake, and Coleslaw. Every bite was light and refreshing. I just needed a couple more fluffy baby challah buns to go with everything. I ordered some cookies to go for a sweet treat later.

Bowls are always a go to at home, so I enjoy trying different ones to get inspired. This bowl was packed creative ingredients with lots of flavor - roasted portabella, tri-color quinoa, oven roasted tomatoes, curried cauliflower, zucchini, and harrissa.