Clean Cravings

It’s the new year—another opportunity to make healthier food choices, but that doesn’t mean sacrificing taste. We’ve selected some of our favorite spots and dishes that will leave you full without weighing you down.

TRIDENT BOOKSELLERS & CAFÉ
338 Newbury St.
You may know this long-standing cafe as a comfort breakfast joint for the college crowd, but Trident actually crushes the healthy lunch game. Think smoothies, protein shakes and real “I swear I’m turning my life around” salad bowls. The Vegan Cashew Chili is hearty without being heavy, packed with vegetables and warming spices that make you feel like you’re doing something right. And then there’s The Original Trident Bowl: roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, chickpeas and beets. It’s basically a reset button in bowl form. Trident loves to throw out surprise soups, veggie bowls, and seasonal clean-eating moments, which feels like a friendly reminder to keep it clean.

MOTHER JUICE
291 Newbury St.
Mother Juice is no longer just smoothies for people who “might start Pilates.” Sure, they’ve got juice detoxes, but the real magic is in the grab-and-go heroes that make you feel like you’re doing something right in the middle of your chaotic day. The Amazeballs are a gateway drug: tiny protein bombs that make you feel instantly smug—basically dessert doing its best impression of healthy food. The Health Bomb is a full wellness routine in a cup: oats, chia and flax soaked in coconut milk, topped with fruit, granola, hemp hearts and coconut flakes. One bite and you’re like, “OK… maybe I do have my life together.” And the hot oatmeals are warm, cozy and surprisingly filling.

THE PARAMOUNT
44 Charles St.
The Paramount is that rare Beacon Hill spot where you can get a salad that doesn’t feel like punishment. Finally, a Big Salad Elaine would approve of. It has been a Beacon Hill institution since 1937—your lunch spot has roots. And yes, the breakfast crowd is feral, but once the morning madness fades, the lunch crowd swoops in. There’s a reason that line never disappears. The Quinoa Protein Salad, which features goat cheese, candied pecans and the glorious beetroot, all tossed in a white balsamic lemon vinaigrette, is the one to order. If you want me to switch from “I’ll have fries with that” to “I’ll have a side of ambition,” give me beets. And because it’s The Paramount, you never really know what you’ll find on the specials board: soups, bowls, little seasonal cameos. Blink and you’ve missed something good.

THE HUMMUS SHOP
37a Charles St.
The Hummus Shop on Charles Street is one of those places you wander into thinking you’ll grab something quick and clean. It’s casual, bright, low-key adorable; the kind of spot where you convince yourself you’re eating healthy without giving up on life. Then your eyes meet the Eggplant Hummus Bowl. Smoky, silky, wholesome and a little dangerous. Creamy hummus, roasted eggplant, fresh herbs, crunchy veggies, warm grains, spicy schug (that’s hot sauce from Yemen) and garlic sauce. It’s the eggplant hug you didn’t know you needed. Wink, wink, nod, nod. And those homemade spicy pickles? They slap harder than they should. Easy, ladies. You eat it and instantly feel like a well-traveled, cultured person who “just loves vegetables.”

DOUZO SUSHI
131 Dartmouth St.
Sushi is the unofficial cuisine of people who want to “eat light” without sacrificing flavor or the opportunity to post something flaming. And this Back Bay sushi spot gets it. It’s sleek, polished, and will make you feel put-together for ordering something wrapped in nori, though I hate to break it to you: Your wellness path is not paved in rice. The beauty of sashimi is this: It’s protein and omega-3s, baby. Pair that with a plate of vegetables and clean carbs, and you’re fooling even the strictest of nutritionistas. Think tuna tataki, ceviche, veggie-packed stir-fry (hold the sauce), and kushi yaki that make you feel virtuous. On a splurge day, the poke bowls and bento specials make a great grab-and-go without feeling heavy.

By Krystal Clarke
Krystal Clarke is a Michelin-trained chef and founder of FoodSaucy, a private chef service known for bringing bold, globe-traveled flavors to intimate dinners, retreats, and high-touch events across Boston.