The Red, White, and Green

Update: Since the original posting on Oct. 19, 2009, Nature’s Express has opened up in two more locations in California — Berkeley and Rancho Mirage. Looks like going meatless is proving profitable, even in a bad economy.

Nature’s Express, a vegetarian fast food restaurant with locations in Yuma, AZ, and San Diego, isn’t threatening to take down McDonald’s anytime soon, but I love the chain’s if-you-can’t-beat-’em-join-’em approach to our nation’s dependence on the drive thru. And for those who think fast food can’t be healthy, consider that one of the founders of the restaurant is an oncologist. When is one coming to Los Angeles?

A few more reasons to alleviate your fast food guilt, should you be fortunate enough to reside near either location: In addition to serving a completely plant-based menu, the restaurant also buys organic whenever possible, recycles its cooking oil into biofuel, uses biodegradable containers and cutlery, and incorporated renewable materials into the construction of both locations.

I never eat fast food (believe it or not, I can count the number of times I’ve eaten at the golden arches in the past 15 years on three fingers), but I would be hitting up Nature’s Express for a South of the Border Burger and sweet potato fries practically every Meatless Monday. Yum!

–Jennifer Grayson

More Meatless Monday posts:
Meatless Monday: The PB&J Campaign
Baltimore City Public Schools first district in nation to adopt Meatless Monday

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