Food blogging is a really tough gig, particularly with the amount of food that we eat, a lot of which, is not healthy. We may know what ingredients are in a dish but how much butter is the chef using in that main? or is there enough sugar in that dessert to make me a diabetic? When it comes to Raw and Real Juicery and Kitchen, one thing you can be certain of, it’s healthy! The owner and brains behind the store is Niki. She only uses fresh locally sourced produce that is free of refined sugars and unnecessary processing. If she won’t eat it herself, you won’t find it on the menu. Adelaide Food Central was invited to sample some of the winter menu today with all drinks and food being provided free of charge.

Apart from the signature cold pressed juices, Raw and Real have introduced a delicious new smoothie range. We had the Salted Caramel Smoothie which tasted like something from a dessert bar. It was thick, rich and creamy without being overly sweet. More importantly, it was made from healthy ingredients.

Next was the delicious Lentil Soup. Loaded with copious amounts of soft, delicate lentils, the soup had a lovely thick consistency and was full of flavour. Paired with freshly baked olive bread, we were mopping up every last bit of the soup.

Two of the new salads are the Wilted Greens with Broccolini and Grilled Haloumi, and the Veggie Noodles. The first salad was full of wilted greens that were soft and delicate, and were well complemented by the quinoa. The grilled haloumi adds saltiness which is much needed in the salad. The Veggie Noodles is Asian inspired and was full of crisp, fresh vegetables. The peanut dressing adds crunchiness and more depth to the salad. Chicken or beef can be added to these salads for extra protein.

For the main event, we have the Grilled Ciabatta with Avocado, Lime, Feta and Cherry Tomato; Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Dukkah Stack; Grilled Ciabatta with Angus Beef; Grilled Zucchini, Capsicum and Avocado with Tuscan Chicken. The first had a good contrast of flavours; tartness from the lime, saltiness of the feta and sweetness of the tomato. The second is also known as the Vegan Burger with most of flavour coming from the sweet potato. The third is our favourite mainly due to the delicious slow cooked beef and sweet roasted capsicum. The last one is also good; the tuscan chicken is juicy and well seasoned, and works perfectly with the spicy sauce.

Last but not least is the decent range of raw desserts on offer. We couldn’t fit anymore in but we included a picture just to show you they’re there. We’ve had them before and we can say first hand that they’re delicious.

In this day and age, people are more health conscious than ever, especially with the high rates of heart disease and obesity. Thankfully, Raw and Real have you covered when it comes to healthy snacks and meals, and freshly made cold pressed juices, all at an affordable price. As food bloggers, we have a lot to thank this place for as it has brought more balance to our diets.

Raw and Real Juicery and Kitchen is open from 8am-4pm Monday to Friday.

WHERE: 20 James Place, Adelaide