Ecopolitan
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Ecopolitan
2409 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55405
612-87-GREEN (47336)
www.ecopolitan.com
Hours
Sunday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
When it comes to the raw, pure essence of food, think Ecopolitan in Minneapolis. Everything is vegan, GMO-free (there's no soy, corn, or potatoes on the menu), and gluten-free (except for the oat items, which have oat gluten), and all the gourmet foods are prepared at temperatures below 105°F (no stoves, no cooking!). Even among raw food restaurants, Ecopolitan has the purest ingredients you're likely to find. And not a single animal product is allowed in the kitchen!
This progressive restaurant is the centerpiece of founder and owner Dr. Adiel Tel-Oren's (Dr. T) Ecopolitan Eco-Health Network. Dr. T is a licensed nutritionist who has two doctorate degrees, a double board certification in nutrition, and a determination to make the Earth a better place by serving healthy, tasty, 100 percent organic cuisine and organic no-sulfites-added (NSA) wine.
No wonder you won't find a crumb of vegan junk food here. Dr. T believes that in order to thrive on Earth and be respectful toward other beings, we must not only avoid eating animal products but also maintain our health and physical fitness. At Ecopolitan, you'll find the means to meet these goals.
With a bright, cozy, and comfortable atmosphere, tapestry tablecloths, and lots of natural wood, you might think you're in a friend's dining room. Even Ecopolitan's outdoor seating has an at-home vibe.
The chefs are hardworking, innovative, enthusiastic, and talented. One of their many irresistible entrées is Rawvioli, thinly sliced root vegetable raviolis stuffed with an herbed cashew cheese and served with bruschetta.
The Not-chos appetizer is the restaurant's best seller. These spicy pine-nut nacho cheese chips are served over shredded kale and marinated mushrooms, topped with bell peppers, onions, olives, cilantro, hot sauce, and cashew sour cream, and served with spicy Eco Chips and cucumber slices.
Probably the world's healthiest pizza, Ecopolitan's Red Avocado Living Pizza features a sprouted buckwheat crust with a sun-dried tomato and black olive tapenade, pine nuts, avocado, shredded zucchini, and cilantro.
For something light, refreshing, and delish, go for an Orange Julia Smoothie, made with frozen bananas, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and hints of coconut oil and vanilla extract.
Besides the exceptional cuisine, Ecopolitan also has a juice bar, an oxygen bar, and an infrared sauna. There's also an Eco-Shop, which carries home and body-care products, kitchen appliances, nutritional supplements, vegan/raw books, and organic hemp clothing. Ecopolitan sells its own pizza crusts and tostada shells and a large variety of organic nuts, seeds, and organic NSA dried fruits, packed in compostable cellophane from sustainably grown cottonwood trees.Happy Hour
Happy hour goes from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. every weekday, featuring a large selection of raw, vegan, organic, NSA wines.
Other Services
Ecopolitan offers detoxification activities—Oxygen with Exercise, Infrared Sauna, Targeted Hyperthermia with CLAD (Circulatory, Lymphatic, Accelerated Detoxification Machine)—and outdoor adventures.
Free educational lectures are held on Tuesday nights, and Uncooking Classes are held on Sundays.
Bruschetta
4 large organic tomatoes, diced
5 Tbsp. chopped organic scallions
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh organic basil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2-1 tsp. sea salt (to taste)
- Mix all the ingredients together and let marinate for one hour.
- Try a scoop on a salad or serve with "chips" made from thinly sliced vegetables.
Makes 6 servings
Orange Julia Smoothie
1 large frozen organic banana
1 cup fresh-squeezed organic orange juice
1 Tbsp. organic virgin coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender and enjoy for breakfast or a healthy snack.
Makes 1 smoothie
Tahini-Garlic Salad Dressing
1 cup organic sesame tahini
1 cup filtered water
1/3 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh organic parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh organic basil (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried)
2 tsp. fresh organic oregano (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped organic garlic
1 Tbsp. chopped organic onion
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed organic lemon juice
1 tsp. salt (to taste)
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
- Try on any fresh salad or omit half or more of the water to make a dip for fresh vegetables.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
