It’s no secret that my favorite healthy restaurant is Thrive for their winning combination of healthy, tasty, convenient, and affordable.  I suggested to the Microsoft dining team that Thrive should be at our cafés.  Well, that’s now a reality.  I ordered my first warm grain bowl at City Center today.  And the most exciting thing to me is that they sold out!

When I approached the dining team at Microsoft a few months ago about healthy grab ‘n’ go options in the cafeterias, I also mentioned the lack of any healthy options in the vending machines whatsoever.  When you have an eating restriction, you’re often just looking for an option, so I was just lobbying for one or two healthy alternatives.  Ask and you shall receive…  Behold!  An entire vending machine dedicated to healthy snack options!!

I feel like a proud parent.  The tasty, healthy, convenient Flaked Quinoa & Edadame Cake is now available for purchase in the Microsoft City Center cafeteria.  Chalk one up for the home team!

A few months ago, I got in touch with the team managing food and dining at Microsoft to bring in more healthy options.  The team has been extremely open and responsive, and I’m excited to share that they are launching 4 newly-created, healthy grab ‘n’ go items as a result of this process!  The goal here is to give people convenient, healthy alternatives to a slice of pizza, which until now has been the go-to item for many in a time crunch.  Here are some pics and blurbs.

All the new items side-by-side

Flaked Quinoa and Edamame Cake: specked with scallions, carrot, peanuts seasoned with Sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic on bed of crisp julienned nappa, carrot, scallion, cilantro, red bell, red radish disks and spinach finished with hoisin drizzle garnished with cilantro, peanut, julienned red radish, red bell w/ lemon and sesame oil vinaigrette

Tri Color Quinoa Salad: w/ dried apricots, golden raisins, craisins, toasted pepitas, fresh tarragon, mint & parsley tossed in a lemon vinaigrette

Black Bean Wrap: w/ roasted yams, fresh kale, avocado, toasted walnuts,(soon to be red onions) & veganaise, wrapped in a whole grain or spinach tortilla

Blackened tofu wrap: diced blackened tofu, kidney beans, white rice (soon to be brown rice), scallion ,parsley, cabbage slaw w/ veganaise wrapped in a grill marked chipotle tomato tortilla wrap