BY ANGELO VELOTTA
Gazette Newspapers
MENTOR – Putting the NOM in Nomaste – since Saturday, March 14, that’s what mother, Lydia, and daughter, Laina, have been doing at Nomaste Juicery + Cafe, which is located at 8587 Mentor Ave., and is in the location of the former CLE Juice Box.
“The community has been incredible,” Lydia Dolsen said.
Both mother and daughter worked at the Juice Box, with Laina having been on board since she was 16.
“Laina had allergies as a child,” Lydia Dolsen said, of them turning toward a healthier approach to eating. “We promote whole food, plant-based (and) very minimal refined sugars – and no gluten. The more veggies the better.”
This menu has many healthy, delicious and colorful options.
“My favorites are the chickpea toona; it’s a huge hit, and the Ignite juice,” Laina Dolsen said.
The former, which is a vegan take on a tuna salad, can be served as a wrap with Romaine lettuce, the chickpea toona and local microgreens brought in weekly, as a side dish or salad. The chickpea toona salad itself is bursting with fresh flavors, including chopped red onion and fresh dill.
“We have four different juice staples plus seasonal (ones),” Laina Dolsen added.
Those four juices available are: Flourish, which combines apple, cucumber, pineapple, mint, parsley and chlorophyll; Rooted, which contains beet, carrot, apple, cucumber, ginger, pineapple, and dandelion; Revitalize, which contains cucumber, kale, dandelion, celery, parsley, lemon and ginger; and Ignite, which combines carrot, apple, lemon, ginger and turmeric.
The prep work begins on Mondays, when the vegetables and fruit are shredded in a juicer. On Tuesdays, the bags of fresh-cut produce are cold-pressed, allowing the fruits and vegetables to keep their vitamins and nutrients.
On Saturdays, NOMaste serves up gluten-free donuts, sweetened only with maple syrup. Their regular dessert line included cashew-based cheesecakes sweetened by dates and maple syrup and a chocolate avocado pudding.
“We take pride in our homemade, delicious desserts,” Lydia Dolsen said. “We want to produce something healthy, but still tastes delicious. Not having to sacrifice (either).”
Other menu items include lemon date muffins, avocado toast, kale salad, homemade granola and Nutter Bomb smoothies.
“It’s fun. I never thought we’d work together,” Laina Dolsen said.
NOMaste Juicery + Cafe is open Wednesday through Fridays, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
For more information, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nomaste, and their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/nomaste_cafe_/.
