In the digital age, information spreads quickly, and as more studies and information gain attention online, the cultural shift toward clean eating continues. Clean eating has many definitions, but the intention is to maintain health and promote longevity by eating whole foods and prioritizing key nutrients. While clean eating may be a worthy effort, it can prove inconvenient when a homemade meal is not on the menu. Here’s a simple guide to clean eating in Birmingham.

Blueroot offers fresh salads and warm bowls filled with Alabama produce. (Blueroot / Facebook)

Blueroot

Pepper Place

The story behind Blueroot perfectly outlines the struggle faced by those who commit to clean eating. “Having grown up in Southern California, where eating clean and wholesome food was the norm, I found it difficult to find similar options in Alabama,” owner Jennifer Ryan wrote. “Despite being impressed by Birmingham’s fine dining scene, I missed having quick and healthy options available.” Blueroot was her answer.

With the help of James Beard Award winner Robin Bashinsky, she created a menu highlighting the state’s produce. The duo insisted on sourcing ingredients from Alabama, collaborating with local farmers to offer fresh salads and warm bowls.

Our top recommendation: Spring Fling Salad – arugula, mint-marinated farro, shaved fennel, kalamata olives, cucumbers, roasted red pepper, radish, tomato, toasted pepitas and red wine vinaigrette.

Farm Bowl + Juice offers a great assortment of açai and dragon fruit bowls along with its popular cold-pressed juices. (Farm Bowl + Juice Company / Facebook)

Farm Bowl + Juice Co.

Homewood

Farm Bowl + Juice Co., next to Urban Cookhouse in Homewood, is a go-to place for next-level açai bowls. The team at Farm Bowl is dedicated to using produce from Alabama farmers. Eastaboga Bee Company supplies honey, Smitherman Farms brings in blackberries and blueberries, Seeds provides coffee, Heyday Greens grows the wheatgrass and Dwight Hamm of Hamm Farm grows the watermelon, spinach, kale and cucumbers.

The menu offers a great assortment of açai and dragon fruit bowls, oatmeal bowls, smoothies, toast, wellness shots, cleanses, coffee drinks and cold-pressed juices. While everything on the menu is energizing, Farm Bowl has a great range of choices from lighter to more decadent.

Our top recommendation: Nutty Professor Açai Bowl – Farm Bowl açai blend, strawberry, almond, gluten-free granola, peanut butter and honey.

Real & Rosemary in Homewood is choosy about its ingredients. (Real & Rosemary/Facebook)

Real & Rosemary

Homewood, Mountain Brook, The Summit

Real & Rosemary offered Homewood its introduction to clean eating. The owners sought to avoid trouble ingredients for both themselves and their children. “It’s the fresh vegetables growing in the garden combined into simple and fulfilling meals,” they write. “Real & Rosemary is the gathering of family, friends and neighbors to break bread and enjoy each other’s company.”

Real & Rosemary has a comforting menu that offers fun starters like a grazing board featuring pistachio-encrusted goat cheese and a fresh take on a Southern classic – fried green tomatoes with chipotle mayo. The white chicken chili and vegetable soup are favorites, but the salads, sandwiches and sides also may steal the spotlight.

Our top recommendation: Grilled Chicken Salad – spring mix, grilled chicken, pumpkin seeds, feta, chickpeas and balsamic vinaigrette.

Kale Me Crazy was born out of its owner’s difficulty finding a good restaurant that suited his all-organic diet. (Kale Me Crazy / Facebook)

Kale Me Crazy

Homewood

Kale Me Crazy is another clean-eating establishment built on the back of a strong interest in promoting long-term health. Kale Me Crazy was born out of founder and CEO Roi Shlomo’s desire to adopt an all-organic diet. According to a statement from the business, “What surprised him was that there were so few places to eat this way, and when he did find one, the food wasn’t good.” Kale Me Crazy seeks to change that.

The menu is a refreshing range of light options that won’t weigh you down. Stop in for a simple smoothie or pressed juice, or drop in for lunch or early dinner for an açai bowl, wrap, salad or sandwich. Kale Me Crazy also offers a number of specialty drinks, from a classic café au lait to a refreshing matcha rose latte.

Our top recommendation: Deluxe Açai Bowl – traditional açai bowl topped with banana, granola, chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries, sliced almonds, blueberries and raw honey.

Deliciously is a gem tucked away in Mountain Brook Village. (Deliciously Market / Facebook)

Deliciously Market

Mountain Brook

Tucked away in Mountain Brook Village, Deliciously can fly under the radar. The market is clear in what will not be found in its dishes: “We want you to never have to pick between the food you love and feeling your best. We’ve carefully crafted and curated our market, scrutinized every ingredient, so you don’t have to wonder and worry about what you’re putting in your body.” Deliciously uses “no high-glycemic or refined sweeteners, no seed oils, no ultra-processed anything, no artificial anything including sweeteners, flavors, colors or preservatives.”

The market specializes in grab-and-go dishes and take-home meals, and the menu rotates weekly. One week’s menu is a great example of what you can expect: coconut chicken curry, curry chicken salad, garlic chicken and sautéed greens with sweet potatoes, macro bowl salad, pumpkin soup, strawberry halloumi salad and strawberry salsa. It also offers snacks and sweets, with s’mores kits that cannot be overlooked.

Our top recommendation: Coconut Chicken Curry – no corn- or soy-fed pastured chicken breast, broccoli, yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper, riced cauliflower, coconut milk, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and ginger – all organic.

With multiple Birmingham-area locations, Urban Cookhouse offers a strong selection of sandwiches, wraps and salads. (Urban Cookhouse / Facebook)

Urban Cookhouse

Homewood, Mountain Brook, Downtown Birmingham, The Summit

Urban Cookhouse has become a staple for those looking for a delicious, convenient and comforting meal. It has a strong commitment to serving dishes that simultaneously spotlight local produce and support the community. “At UC, the commitment to ‘Buy Local, Eat Urban’ extends beyond the quality ingredients we cook with every day,” the business states. “We are unwavering in our commitment to creating local value in every community through the way we serve our guests, the quality of life for our employees and the manner in which we do business with suppliers and partners, big or small.”

Urban Cookhouse is known for its simple menu with a strong selection of sandwiches, wraps and salads. There is something for everyone, from lighter options like the Berry Good salad with seasonal berries, spiced pecans, feta and citrus vinaigrette to more savory options like the Urban Cowboy sandwich with lime-marinated steak, caramelized onions and peppers, pepper jack and aioli.

Our top recommendation: Berry Good Wrap – grilled chicken, seasonal berries, tomatoes, spiced pecans, feta and citrus vinaigrette.

Ono Poké’s multiple locations have won attention for their bowls. Choose one of their carefully crafted options or build your own. (Ono Poké / Facebook)

Ono Poké

Homewood, Downtown Birmingham, The Summit, Hoover

With most bowls featuring fresh seafood and veggies, poké usually finds a place on clean-eating lists, and for good reason. Ono Poké, owned by Vinh Tran, is often regarded as one of the best poké spots in the state. When Tran moved from the West Coast to Birmingham, he wanted to open a restaurant unlike any the city had seen before.

Ono Poké’s menu is both simple and customizable, offering a range of bowls featuring everything from fresh tuna and toppings to a great lineup of green ingredients — cucumber, edamame, scallion, seaweed salad and avocado. Choose from one of the carefully crafted bowls or create your own.

Our top recommendation: 808 Bowl — white rice, ahi tuna, cucumber, sweet onion, scallion, jalapeños, pineapple, ponzu and samurai sauce.

This story originally was published on the SoulGrown website.