Eating Plant Based When Traveling: Utah and Arizona
By Molly Patrick
Feb 16, 2019,
We recently took a trip to Utah and Arizona to see friends and family. Here’s a glimpse of our plant based eats along the way, including where to eat yummy plant based food in Salt Lake, Moab and Tucson.
After a taking a red-eye flight from Hawaii to LA, we arrived tired and delirious, but ready for the day ahead. From LA we flew into Salt Lake City. If you’re digging my shirt, you can pick one up here. I usually wear a medium top but this particular style runs big. I am wearing an XS in this pic.
I quit drinking coffee in 2008 after switching to a plant-based diet. After making the switch, I didn’t feel like I needed the caffeine anymore because I had a ton of energy. Now I mainly drink herbal tea and sometimes green tea when I’m feeling crazy (Yes, it pained me to write that. The level of boring I have achieved is amazing.)
We went to Klatch Coffee in LAX. I ordered green tea with soy milk (whooa!) and a cup of oatmeal. I don’t typically eat instant oatmeal because steel cut oats have a better nutrient kick, but I wanted something hot and this was the only plant based item I could find. It worked! I also ate the peanut butter and berry sandwich that I packed with me. When I travel I eat the best I can and don’t stress about it.
I have a movement practice that I’ve been doing every single day for over a year. It has changed my life and my body. Seriously, I can’t imagine not doing it. I used to get super sore and stiff when I flew, especially long flights. I no longer get sore or tight. I just do my practice, even in airports or on planes!
If you haven’t checked out Michelle Andrie’s movement practice yet, do yourself a solid and check it out. This woman is a fucking GEM. The sock / ball combo you see in the picture is a Michelle special. She came up with this device that you can easily make yourself. There’s nothing like it out there. Michelle is a pioneer in her field because she’s doing things that no one else is doing. Seriously, check her out!
Here I am working it out at the airport. People look at me funny when I do this in public but it doesn’t bother me. Let ’em stare! It’s a fine tradeoff for feeling awesome.
I try to pack light on trips so a travel yoga mat is too bulky for my liking. I use a Manduka yoga towel instead. It has little grips on the bottom and it folds up small. It’s super light and it works great for travel.
We went to Salt Lake City to visit our friend, Kellie Davis who also happens to do all of our meal plan testing and meal plan photos for us. We hired her years ago and have become good friends. Our whole team is awesome, we’re friends with every one of them.
When we got to Kellie’s house she had just tested the upcoming #FamilyFaves Meal Plan. She had to pick up her son from school so I took the pictures of one of the dishes for our classroom. This BBQ Smack-a-Roni and Cheese with Salad was the perfect meal after our long journey.
Ethiopian food is one of my favorite cuisines and since we don’t have an Ethiopian restaurant where we live, we wasted no time scouting out a local favorite, and diving in – hands first. This is our lunch at Mahider in Salt Lake.
Ethiopian restaurants are awesome for plant eaters and omnivores because they have just as many vegan options as meat options. As a side note, I don’t eat oil when I’m home but when I’m traveling or eating out, I never expect an oil free meal. I’m happy with any vegan meal I can get!
Most times at Mexican restaurants you can piece together a vegan meal, even if the menu doesn’t specifically say vegan on it. Whole beans, rice, avocado, shredded cabbage and corn tortillas are my go-to.
I always ask to see if their whole beans and rice are made with chicken stock before I order. Most times they aren’t, sometimes they are. And sometimes, you feel like you hit the plant based jackpot when the menu has clearly stated vegan items!
This burrito from Sonora Grill in Ogden was DAMN good. If you’re ever in the area, it’s a must.
After a couple days in Salt Lake, we hit the road and headed south to Moab. That shit was cold as hell but the upside is that we were some of the only visitors in the various parks. Me, Luanne and Kellie, after a brisk hike.
Please note that Kellie’s scarf in the pic above this one was a little something I put together with my leg warmers and a hair tie. #PodunkMolStrikesAgain
This was one of many spectacular views from Canyonlands National Park.
Nothing like chowing a leftover burrito on a road trip.
You see that beautiful woman in blue on the left? That is Jen, one of our recipe / meal plan wizards! She lives in Colorado so she drove up to Moab to hang out with us. This was the first time we met in person and just like every one of our employees that we’ve met in person so far, we hit it off like old friends.
Here we are at Eclecticafe in Moab, getting tea and coffee before a day of fun.
The Dirty crew at Arches National Park. It was breathtakingly beautiful. And cold as fuck. Jen’s husband, Dennis joined us as well. He was a delight.
We basked in the sun, taking it all in.
Delicate Arch.
I packed some nut butter and blackberry sandwiches and some celery for a snack.
We went bowling. It did not end well for me. Jen and Luanne however, are bowling BEASTS.
We ate breakfast at Eclecticafe because it was the only thing open that had a vegan breakfast option. It was warm and it was plant based. We were happy campers (who camped our asses at the Hilton).
Back in Salt Lake with fresh snow greeting us.
Here’s the deal. If you ever find yourself in Salt Lake City, go to Bolt Cutter. Just trust me on this one. It has such yummy plant based food that we orgasmed over it on two different occasions during our visit.
It is far from oil free but the flavors are on point. Here is the Buffalo Cauliflower. So good!
Tortilla Soup that warmed my soul.
We had a feast!
The quesadillas are made with a house made cashew cheese and stuffed with other goodness.
We caught the first day of the Sundance Film Festival. Here’s how I summed up Sundance. There was a lot going on and nothing going on. There was a lot of buzz but we didn’t really know what to do. So we just kept eating.
And then we went back to Bolt Cutter and had Matcha Almond Lattes and a snack.
Kale Caesar Salad. Now THIS is a salad!
Nachos for days!
We said goodbye to the snow and to Kellie (and her awesome son and boyfriend) and we flew to Tucson, Arizona to visit my parents and to eat! Did I mention we love to eat?
Here is me, Luanne and my mom (Pamela) enjoying a beautiful January day in the desert.
I packed steel cut oats for the hike. They kept me going for a good three hours.
Standing tall amongst the saguaros.
Time for a lunch break! I packed tofu salad sandwiches for our desert hike. January is the perfect time of year to hike in Tucson. It isn’t too hot and it isn’t too cold once you get hiking.
Please note that my scarf is actually a napkin. I’m all about dual purpose.
My mom makes the BEST whole-food plant-based pancakes ever. She makes them for me every time I visit.
A picnic at the VA while waiting for dad’s doctor appointment? Check! We packed dolmas, hummus sandwiches and fruit.
If you’re ever in Tucson, EXO Roast is a must. Luanne and I used to go there every week when we lived in Tucson. They don’t have many vegan options but they do have really good tea and yummy granola with almond milk. Plus, the owner is awesome and the atmosphere is inviting and chill. If you’re looking for a good coffee shop in Tucson, this is it!
Luanne had coffee and lemon cake and I had tea and granola with soy milk.
Ethnic grocery stores are one my favorite places to explore. You can find great deals on plant based ingredients like tahini, dates, olives, roasted red peppers, pickles and different legumes.
This is one of my favorite Middle Eastern markets in Tucson, Babylon Market. Not only do they have lots of interesting groceries, but they also have a restaurant that has really yummy dolmas, wraps, hummus, falafel and baba ganoush.
Here I am chowing down on Fattoush, hummus and pita.
Fattoush!
Here’s another must if you’re ever in Tucson. Turmerico is almost all plant based, with the exception of eggs and cheese (just tell them you are vegan and they will take care of you). Their food is INSANELY good. You have to try their vegan tamales – so damn good!
I eat here every time I visit Tucson.
I forgot what I ordered but it had jackfruit, potatoes, salsa, beans and guacamole. SO good!
Vegan Tamale Plate. These are the best tamales I’ve ever had in my life, and I’m from New Mexico. #nuffsaid
A bag full of plant based food means one thing. Time to get back on the plane and head home. I packed a baked tofu sandwich, nuts, fruit, and my mom’s blueberry crumb cake. It’s always hard to say goodbye, but at least I had cake.
I never have a problem getting through security with my food. I make sure not to pack liquids and always prepared food. If I pack oatmeal, I make sure there are more oats than non-dairy milk. Packing an almond butter sandwich is fine, but you can’t bring plane almond butter or the TSA folks will confiscate it. Here’s an excellent resource for whole-food plant-based traveling.
If I ever have any trouble at security regarding my food, I very nicely explain that I follow a specific diet and that I cannot eat anything that the airport has to offer.
My baked tofu sandwich was so satisfying, I can’t imagine not traveling with my own food.
We ate at another yummy place in Tucson but I forgot to take pictures of the food. Beaut Burger is a vegan burger place near downtown. It’s in an outside shopping area made out of old shipping containers that is definitely worth checking out. When you do, stop by Beaut Burger and grab a bite!
Because we didn’t stay in one spot during our trip we ate out a lot more than usual. When traveling, I make sure that whatever I eat is vegan and I don’t worry about it being as healthy as when I’m home.
We were gone for 2 weeks and even though eating out is fun and tasty, I definitely noticed a difference in my overall energy and the tightness of my pants.
I was happy to get home so I could get back in my kitchen and start cooking Dirty again! Within three days of being home, my pants were back to fitting like normal and my energy was back up. This reaffirms that eating a healthy Whole-Food Plant-Based diet is much different than eating a vegan diet. Whole plants for the win!
During one of our Plant Based Resets years ago, one of our Resetters took a trip to New York during the program. She emailed me, stressed out about how she was going to stick to eating a whole-food plant-based diet on her trip. My response was simple:
Do the best you can and enjoy the hell out of your trip!
She emailed back, totally relieved. She had a great time on her trip and when she got home, she got back on the WFPB train. Here’s the thing. Eating a healthy whole-food plant-based diet shouldn’t be stressful. If you’re stressed about sticking to it 100%, do yourself a favor and stop it! The whole point of traveling is to get out of your routine and experience something new. If I tried to recreate my kitchen and my food routine when I travel, I may as well stay home!
Don’t over complicate this, just do the best you can and enjoy!
Now, tell me in the comments below, how do you usually eat when you travel and have you gone anywhere recently?
Wishing you a happy week. May it be filled with seeing something new.
Xo
Molly
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I enjoyed this vicarious journey! So many great pics and such good food! I’m continuing my plant based quest. Thank you!
I just spent a week in the Phoenix area. Other than the meal where I let my dad choose the restaurant (big mistake) I ate vegan and sugar and flour free. A couple of Mexican meals, Tokyo Joe’s (LOVE IT!!!), and a few Ezekiel bread, peanut butter and banana sandwiches while out in the middle of nowhere visiting National Monuments, were my highlights. A great food time, but I am ready to get back to my dirty food plans!
Your trip looks amazing! Ethiopian is my absolute favorite too!!! Yum!
Thanks for sharing the places you visit. I’m heading that way in the next year and will definitely check out some of those restaurants. And, Yes, pretty much the same. Went to Vancouver BC and was pleasantly greeted with lots of vegan and vegan friendly restaurants. MeeT in Gastown was our favorite.
Awesome – so glad you enjoyed!
Haven’t been to Vancouver yet but it is on our list.
XO
Molly
It was fun to see your pictures of places in my neck of the woods. I love Mahider in Salt Lake. There are so many great places in Salt Lake City to find great vegan food. It was also great to see what travel foods you enjoyed. They are great ideas for when we get out this spring, summer and fall to travel in our RV to camp around Utah and the surrounding western states. I’m trying to figure out ideas this winter on easy tasty whole food plant based recipes to make in our RV Harmony which is our second home on wheels.
So cool!
We loved the food at Mahider and would definitely go back.
We have people who do our meal plans that live in RV’s!
They don’t do the full plan, just the ones that sound most yummy to them each week.
It’s tight but it can be done!
xo
Molly
Have lived in Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff. Desert hiking is a true joy, especially in spring when a good rain will cause hidden springs to activate !! Of course, hiking around Flagstaff ( for me) is like the greatest dream- the smell of the Ponderosas just does it for me !!
Am 73 now and don’t hike much anymore-really enjoyed your photos and writings.
I love Arizona!
We went hiking in Sedona a few years ago and it was amazing.
We hiked to a turquoise waterfall and swimming area. SO beautiful.
xo
Molly
I love this! It puts our food where it belongs (important, but not THE thing) and allows us to enjoy travels. I am a member of several WFPB groups, and it saddens me to see people posting in some of these groups that while on vacation in some exotic wonderful place, they are miserable because they can’t get exactly the food they want. Seriously? This way of eating is supposed to enhance life, not ruin it!
Your attitude is refreshing and encouraging, and this post was fun to read! Thanks for all the resources!
Thank you for sharing. Your pictures of your trip are awesome. You always have so much fun. Love Sherry
P.s. Can hardly wait for your moms cake recipe
So glad you liked it!
That crumb cake recipe is coming and it will be worth the wait!
xo
Molly
Your Saturday thing about your travels to Utah and Tucson was fucking inspirational. Almost tears at several points in the story. Great pix. Great text.
MUAH!
Have a beautiful Sunday.
xo
Molly
I like that you can, on occasion, have food with a little oil. I am open to that also, but whenever I do it, I get really sick in my tummy. The first time, at a wonderful Indian restaurant, I thought I had food poisoning, but now I notice it keeps happening whenever there is a bit of oil.
That does happen to some people and you definitely have to listen to your body.
If a little oil made me feel sick, I would skip it for sure.
xo
Molly
Oh my! I was also in Tucson ( for the Gem show) January 31- feb 4th. I ate dinner at Tumerico everyday! I seriously would have been star struck if I would have seen Molly or Luanne!
Ha! We ate there only once but I savored every second of it.
If you ever see us, come up and say hi!
xo
Molly
Thanks for the travelogue and love your excitement over the eating spots. We like Tucson and will have to get back there to try some of those, especially the Tamales. We camped through the Utah canyons in the fall of 2017 and really enjoyed the trip. Of course it was a little warmer then with just a nip of frost in the morning. Having coffee overlooking Bryce Canyon from the campground was a definite highlight!
Such a beautiful part of the country.
We plan on going again next year and experiencing Bryce Canyon and Zion.
How fun to go in a camper!
xo
Molly
Wow! Such great photos! Is your mom willing to share her pancake recipe?? I’d love it!
Me, too!
Yes! Look for it ini a few weeks on the blog 🙂
What a fun post! Loved seeing whole Dirty Team together:)! Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed every last pic and smiled along the way:)
So happy you enjoyed it.
It was fun to write because I got to re-live our trip!
xo
Molly
I enjoyed reading your post! Your trip looked like so much fun, and delicious! You did a great job of eating healthfully!
Recently I went to Trinidad with family. I took oats, almond butter and chia seeds. Luckily, there was a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables in the bigger city we visited. We spent a lot of time visiting family out in “da bush” where people cook a lot of traditional food. There was greens, lentils, calilou – pumpkin, celery, garlic, chives, coconut milk and other things I’m not sure we have in the states.
I didn’t gain any weight since it was 90 degrees and 90% humidity and I was probably sweating more than eating!
Sounds like my kind of get away.
That is a part of the world we haven’t checked out yet, but it’s on our list!
xo
Molly
hi Molly and Luanne. So great to see you on adventure eating u’r green food…
Especially fun to see Pam and Joe. My pancakes are similar looking…. only flat!
Guess I should try baking powder??? Had to laugh when I saw you eating at the Babylon market as I recognized it right off! Always go there to stock up on oriental delights before heading back to Maudes canyon! Hope maybe to see you there late summer.
Hugs to all.
Hey neighbor!
I hope you are well. Yes, that market is the best!
xo
Molly
I live in Tucson and we eat at Tumerico every weekend! It’s truly amazing food made with love. So glad that you featured this gem. Exo is a lovely cafe, but I only have coffees there due to a lack of vegan & gluten free food options.
Turmerico is off the fucking charts good!
We used to go to the farmer’s market early to buy tamales before she sold out.
This was before she opened her restaurant.
Yum, yum!
I loved all of the food photos! I LOVED seeing so many great photos of your amazing CFDG tribe. You and Luanne know how to travel well. We certainly packed in a whole bunch of fun and food while you were in Tucson with us. It was the BEST! Hugs and kisses from one who misses YOU!
I LOVE you!! You are the best mom in the WORLD!
xoxooxoxoxxo
M
Molly. Thanks for your saturday morning posts. I look forward to them every week. Which version of the daily movements do you do? I want to get it and try it out. Thanks again.
Hi Ralph,
I’m so glad you enjoy our Saturday morning gift to you!
I can’t recommend Michelle’s practice enough. Her work is unlike anything else out there.
Her monthly membership is perfect because it’s a new practice every week and each week focuses on something new.
It’s really affordable and it will change your life.
I don’t get paid to toot her horn, I have just benefited greatly from her and I know you will too!
Have a fantastic Sunday.
xo
Molly
I live in Tucson and love all of those restaurants! Babylon market is SO GOOD! Love hearing about your trip, thanks for sharing!
Right?? I love that market!
Tucson is awesome, I love, love, love visiting.
xo
Molly
Molly, Thanks for the shout out!! I love your travel movement practice photos! The secret to a happy healthy life, a daily movement practice and eating WFPB!! The food pics made my mouth water!!
LOVE, love!
Michelle
MUAH!
Your practice has had such an impact on my life, I can’t help but shout it from the rooftop!
xo
Molly
Perfect timing! We’re going to Tucson in a couple weeks and I’ve been meaning to research places we can eat. Thanks for sharing your trip with us!
Hi Molly!
Thanks for sharing all of the wonderful spots and pics of that amazing food!! It must have been awesome to finally be able to meet the dirty wizardry… I do have a few questions for you regarding your travel bag of food. a) Do you ever get stopped at TSA and have to toss out any of the food you travel with? b) what does your tofu sandwich consist of other than the obvious, tofu, romaine lettuce and bread? How do you prep your tofu and is there anything else on the sandwich? c) Did you make your amazing travel mat, or was it a gift for you from someone? LOVEN it! Oh yeah, also the sock thingy… that you stretch out on under your back/hips, what is that? I love how your so versatile and just “go with the flow”.
Hi Stephanie,
Great questions! I’ve actually updated the blog post and answered your questions, but here are my quick answers:
1) I don’t have issues getting my food through security, but I know what to pack and what not to pack. I’ve added a link with more info under the picture of my bag of food.
2) The link to the sandwich recipe is under the picture of the sandwich.
3) I use a Manduka yoga towel. The link is under the picture of me on my mat.
4) The sock / ball is an AMAZING thing that Michelle Andrie came up with. I linked to her site in the post. You HAVE to check her out. She is doing things that no one else is doing. She will have more info about the sock / ball thing 🙂
Have an awesome week!
xo
Molly
We went on a trip to NC in Jan to my sister in laws. I had everything planned out as far as meals go while we were there. Turns out I made way too much! They were kind enough to accommodate me while we were there.
They made chicken skewers, and separately made baked potatoes, portabella mushrooms, and peppers and onions. Fruit bowls, and veggies as sides really helped make it easy for me.
It was my MILs bday and she wanted to go to Cheddars, literally the only thing I could have was rice and fries ?. But the next night we stayed at her house and she made taco soup without the beef. I was so touched that she thought of me.
Usually when we drive and travel I plan ahead, pre make the food from meal plans and just warm it up in the microwave, simple!
It can be tricky at first, but once you get the flow of eating wfpb when traveling it’s like riding a bike. ?
Looking forward to my next trip to SLC to check out the restaurants you mentioned. So much fun eating at these fabulous new vegan digs. Love traveling anywhere in the intermountain area.
We were in Moab over the summer. It was July and it was 104 degrees! I would love to be there when it’s cold. It’s definitely one of my favorite places that I’ve traveled to. I love how eclectic the town is, and you can’t beat the natural beauty! We didn’t get to experience much of the food because we stayed in n a tiny house with a kitchen, but we did try a great Chinese place. Being there, though, made me realize how unhealthy I am currently, because I struggled to keep up with my husband and son, and almost got heat stroke. Next time I go, I will be healthy and ready for the hikes!
Thanks for sharing, Michelle! It sounds like the trip inspired you to seek out better stamina and health – that’s beautiful! I hope you get back to Moab. ~Karen
I know your trip was years ago but I live in Ogden and it was fun to read about my stomping grounds. There are some amazing restaurants in the area that are vegan friendly.
Sonora Grill(as you found) Cuppa, and Thai curry Kitchen not WFPB but good vegan food.
If your in the area again I would check out 25th street lots of local stores and on the same street as Sonora there is a local art store The Local Artisan Collective that showcases some amazing artists that is fun to see