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A Recipe: YogaCity NYC

7/9/2015

Recently, an old friend from my college dance company reached out to ask if I'd write a quick article and recipe for YogaCity NYC.

The site is actually really great with lots of articles written by local, healthy talents. It was so cool to be included!

Check out what I wrote here: Brooklyn Style DIY Protein Bars With Jackie Batruch

Thanks for including me Ann Votaw!

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Hope In Fairhope!

7/6/2015

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A few weeks ago, I found myself getting ready to face a family vacation in Gulf Shores, Alabama. With all my nutrition knowledge, I can usually face any trip outside the comforts of my home with good confidence. A quick internet search and I'm ready to go.

Gulf Shores, as one would guess, is full of seafood. On occasion, I enjoy consuming a beautiful piece of healthy wild fish, but the majority of my diet is vegetarian and heavily vegan. With the massive oil spill that occurred in the Gulf, I was not feeling excited to eat seafood every day. I knew there would be a full kitchen in our condo, so my plans were to hit up the local Publix grocery store and do the best I could.

To my surprise, on the drive from the airport to Orange Beach, we spotted the cutest roadside Farmer's Market. We had to stop and fill up!

After picking up a fresh cantaloupe, red bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a bag of fresh Summer peaches, we were set to go. This was incredibly exciting for me. I'm such a nerd when it comes to farm fresh produce!

Before arriving at the condo, we hit up that Publix to stock up on some other items for the week. I was quite pleased with all the healthy options we were able to find. Of course, every supermarket is overflowing with junk and unhealthy food choices, but with a little knowledge and a determination to find the best options, a healthy cart can be filled.

The itinerary for the week ahead only had a few family activities, so we were faced with some down time of our own. Of course, we rented bikes on one day. Luckily, there was a rental place that had decent Trek road bikes. We set out on a humid, overcast morning and completed a fun 30 miles.

On one of our other days, we decided to check out this little Alabama town called Fairhope. I loved the name and had read about some place called the WindMill Market. It was described as a small market with fresh produce, a cafe and some artisanal vendors selling various snacks and creations. After we drove for about an hour, we found a parking spot and jumped inside. From the outside appearance alone, I was beyond excited.

Once inside I was so pleased to find such an array of fresh vegetables, vinegars, fruits and nuts, homemade fruit popsicles made with 3 ingredients, and The lovely Sweet Olive Cafe. We also witnessed a spot in the back where it seemed they were running a sort of CSA with families picking up their boxes of vegetables. I was in heaven.

After filling up on goodies, we thought we should venture out and see the rest of this hidden gem of a town. What else did Fairhope have to offer us? We set out on foot and came upon the main street that was filled with tons of clothing boutiques, galleries, cozy cafes and more. Earlier, we had read about a brewery in town, so of course we had to check it out. We absolutely love a locally made beer. To our disappointment, they were closed on Mondays.

We decided to keep walking and eventually found this amazing Italian village looking place which just happened to serve the local beer in their restaurant. How lucky! We asked for a table out back and if we could just have a beer and be on our way. The waiter was incredibly friendly and so happy to have us. He told us a little about Fairhope's history and even chatted with us about Brooklyn.

With a beer in my belly, I was ready to shop. I ended up with some new cute, Summer clothes! It was inevitable that shopping would make me hungry, so we then found the place that claimed to have the best homemade veggie burger in town. Appropriately named, LOCALS, did not disappoint.

I wasn't entirely sure if Alabama would have anything to offer little old me with my healthy requirements, my picky ingredient lists, and my desire for fresh and local... but Fairhope - you give me hope! I would visit you again in a heartbeat. Until next time, stay awesome.

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Jackie Batruch

My Rooted Balance is a blog about how I make things work in my own life in Brooklyn, NY. No matter where you are, life can be fun, active, healthy and truly balanced. Live life to the fullest and always remember to inspire others along the way!