Guilt-Free Gourmet: Discover New Jersey’s Hidden Gem for Healthy Yet Budget-Friendly Dining

This marks the continuation of our healthy January Affordable Eats series for all who are dedicated to improving their eating habits this year. If you keep up with this series every Friday, you’ll discover numerous establishments across New Jersey where you can dine without increasing your waistline!

Introducing Soul Bowls, which began as a food truck in 2017 and has since evolved into a popular plant-based restaurant with locations in Scotch Plains and Metuchen. Soul Bowls demonstrates that nutritious dining can be exciting. Their plant-based offerings are bursting with flavor, and the array of choices is worth trying.

Sisters Alicia and Michelene Lambros, both in their 30s, are the masterminds behind Soul Bowls. The offspring of Italian and Greek immigrants have modified their portion sizes to be more sensible than those at American restaurants.

“Eating healthy can indeed be flavorful and gratifying,” Alicia Lambros remarked with a laugh. “Everything we serve here at Soul Bowls is plant-based, meaning no meat or dairy. Additionally, we solely utilize organic ingredients.”

Michelene Lambros concurred.

“I always emphasize the importance of portion sizes,” she continued. “That’s a significant aspect of our cultural heritage — in a major, major, MAJOR way!”

Soul Bowls’ menu features popular options such as the pbnj ($13.50), consisting of açai, Soulnola® (as a substitute for granola), banana, strawberries, raspberries, peanut butter, and agave. Another crowd favorite is the love butter ($14.00) made with an açai and pitaya base, bananas, raspberries, peanut butter, chocolate chips, Soultella® (as an alternative to Nutella), Soulnola®, and agave.

These selections may appear indulgent, but they are also extraordinarily healthy.

“We prioritize whole foods, meaning raw with no additives or preservatives,” Alicia Lambros explained. “We don’t endorse dieting. Instead, we promote a healthy lifestyle. Diets are fleeting; lifestyles are enduring.”

I sampled the two bowls mentioned earlier and was astonished by their rich and sumptuous flavors. The pbnj did not taste as I had anticipated, resembling a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! It possessed depth and tanginess, and was incredibly delicious. The love butter delivered all that, complemented by the rich hazelnut essence from the Soultella®.

With the outside temperature hovering around freezing, I opted for the hot oatmeal bowl ($12.00), a homemade blend of oats, groats (whole grains), chia seeds, agave, and ample coconut.

I enjoy oatmeal in the winter; however, if you haven’t tasted the oatmeal from Soul Bowls, you’ve truly missed a remarkable experience! This oatmeal bowl was sumptuous with a perfect touch of sweetness and significant flavor from the coconut and agave.

I should have concluded my tasting saga here, but I forged ahead! I sampled the detox juice ($9.00) which contained red apple, pineapple, jalapeno, ginger, and lime. It was delicious, light, and very invigorating.

To wrap up my healthy tasting adventure, I enjoyed the healer shot ($4.00), which is made with turmeric, ginger, lemon, and black pepper. It was quite potent yet delightful.

Alicia Lambros suggested another juice, but I raised my hands in surrender! She laughed, stating, “We are what we consume, and food can serve as our medicine. Here at Soul Bowls, we have crafted recipes that align with those fundamental and healthy principles.”

If you have committed to eating better this year, visit Soul Bowls in Scotch Plains or Metuchen. Your heart, body, soul, and waistline will be grateful!

Karim Shamsi-Basha can be contacted at kshamsi-basha@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter & Instagram.

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Karim Shamsi-Basha is a columnist for Mosaic and NJ Advance Media. He is an immigrant journalist hailing from Damascus – Syria. In 2021, Karim won the Caldecott Honor for his children’s book: Cat Man of Aleppo, a true tale of a man who rescued cats during the Syrian civil war. He relocated from Alabama to the Garden State in 2022 and is thoroughly enjoying his new home.

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