Nutrition Now

I found Nutrition Now located next door to where I got my haircut. I hadn't heard of it before, and didn't know they had a menu. The salon had coupons for free smoothies, so I thought I'd check it out.

Nutrition Now has many different varieties of smoothies, ranging from "fun flavors" like thin mint, butterfinger, and more unique fruity combinations. These aren't just regular smoothies, though. Each smoothie contains 24 grams of protein and a blend of vitamins and minerals, so they don't just taste good, but they're also good for you.

I chose the cherry almond for today's flavor. I watched as Desie, the smoothie server for the day, prepared my smoothie using frozen cherries, protein powder, milk, and more. They don't skimp, and the smoothie has the same texture as a milkshake. It's filling, but not heavy. It's been a few hours since I drank it and I'm still not very hungry. Desie said they use their smoothies to help their customers lose weight and maintain weight loss, and having tried one, I can see how it would help.

I also received a complimentary iced tea and a shot of aloe juice. You may not know that you can drink the juice of aloe, but you can. It was smooth, light, and had a tropical essence. Taking aloe juice internally is said to help your system in a variety of ways, such as helping alleviating digestive problems, and much more. Conclusive studies are still out as to whether aloe actually works, but it's an option to try if you're faced with the choice of taking medication or seeing if a natural alternative might be a solution*. Read up on it for more info. (*Of course, if your condition is serious, take your meds.)

The tea, which I believe was a concentrated powder, offers a steady stream of energy without the spike and crash of many sugar-filled caffeinated beverages. It had a really nice flavor. It was very refreshing on a muggy day.

I enjoyed spending a few minutes talking to Desie as he prepared my drinks. We talked a little about running, nutrition, and the benefits of the products I was trying. He also told me about his weight loss, which is always a cool thing to hear about. I've never personally struggled with weight loss, but I know how hard many people work to become healthy, and it's nice to hear a success story!

Nutrition Now also offers metabolic testing and weight loss/maintenance plans. I wasn't there to try those out, but you can inquire about them if they interests you.

I enjoyed my visit, and it's worth the stop to try a smoothie out at Nutrition Now.

235 West University Drive
Mishawaka, IN 46545-1104
(574) 277-2611

i'd rather have the gun

It occurred to me the other day that I haven't ever eaten cannoli. Why, you ask? Because it's as if I could picture how it would taste and it never really appealed to my tongue.

Going along the lines of "go big or go home", the only place to go is Macri's, the local Italian bakery. It also occurred to me that I never took a picture of the front entrance, though I'd have to look through the blog archives to be sure.

Not only did they offer the regular sized cannoli, but there were miniature versions as well. I didn't (read: forgot) to ask what the filling consisted of so I'll have to assume it was a traditional ricotta filling. I couldn't pass up the chocolate coated cannolo because it looked like a Chaco Taco!

So. Was the cannoli different than my expectations? A little. I was pleased that it wasn't exactly as I thought, though on the other hand I didn't think it was anything too spectacular. The filling reminded me of a less dense cheesecake filling that wasn't airy, yet not so dense you could patch a wall with it.

The dough is what made it err on the side of "meh". It was crispy, but in a crumbly way, and rather dense than what I would have expected, sort of like when you eat a pie and the crust seems like it was made with oil, or something.

Concluding this post, I realize that I need to try more cannoli in order to reach a more conclusive opinion on whether or not I need to get in touch with my Italian side. Isn't there a Little Italy in Chicago?