Baltimore’s vegetarian population flocks to Charm City's impressive assortment of meat-free restaurants, and it seems that new vegetarian eateries are popping up every day. Here are two creative vegetarian restaurants to check out in the Baltimore area.

Liquid Earth
Liquid Earth’s creative menu aims to provide enzyme-enriched whole foods made with local produce in order to offer what it describes as “intelligent nutrition.” Raw prepared foods, like seaweed salads, zucchini spaghetti, and raw smoothies, contain the maximum amount of nutrients possible because they aren’t cooked in any way, but they still taste just as delicious as traditional meals. The restaurant also offers hearty vegetarian sandwiches and veggie burgers, soups, sushi rolls, and fresh squeezed juices in a wide variety of flavors.

Papermoon Diner
This eclectic, colorful restaurant is beloved by both vegans and carnivores alike, as its unique comfort food items are a world away from the bland tofu dishes from the past. Items like deep-fried ravioli and “steak” quesadillas will satisfy any craving, and the menu includes more than 10 different types of meat-free burgers. Papermoon Diner also serves a lengthy list of dessert options and some of the most elaborate milkshakes that you’ll find in all of Baltimore.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/rayb777

While you may think that iron is only important to bodybuilders and Popeye, it’s actually a very beneficial mineral that all humans need to survive. In fact, if your body doesn’t get enough iron you could start to suffer from anemia, an iron-deficiency that causes fatigue, weakness, and brittle nails and hair. These healthful foods will help to provide you with the right amount of iron each day.

1. Mollusks. Seafoods like clams, oysters, and mussels have some of the highest levels of iron of any food groups. Oysters contain the most, offering 53 milligrams of iron in just a 20-count serving. Because the average person’s recommended percent daily value is just 18 milligrams per day, this means that you can get 295% of your daily value from an weekly oyster night at your favorite seafood spot.
2. Liver. While you may have hated liver and onions as a child, liver is actually filled with quite a few health benefits. Beef liver is very low in fat and calories, and it also provides an incredible 26 milligrams of iron in just one 4-ounce serving. If you don’t eat beef, you can also get similar amounts of iron from chicken, pork, lamb, or turkey liver.

Best Foods for Iron [Huffington Post]
Top 10 Iron-Rich Foods [WebMD]
Top 10 Foods Highest in Iron [Healthaliciousness]
Iron Rich Foods [American Red Cross]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/julesjulesjules m

Drop by Monarch Mills and take a tour and spash in our splash park and pool for the day.

Open House-July 25 and 26th