My favorite restaurant in Puerto Rico...

6 or 7 times now I have eaten at Degree 18 Juice Bar during my 14 days of being here on the island; just outside of Rio Grande, in Palmer. That makes up 50% of my diet while in the Caribbean, as I have only been eating one very large meal a day. I have succeeded in doing that every single day here, today will be my last day. The fasting benefits have been tremendous, allowing me to keep a clear mind and feel excellent. I have chosen to make this cozy little restaurant my last meal, just like it were my first. I will eat there later today, but for now, I will tell you about the last time I was at Degree 18.

Food, Food, and more Food

Usually when I go here, I eat empanadas, veggie burgers, veggie wraps, energy balls, hummus, and smoothies. However two days ago, I decided to go even easier on my body. I had just finished exploring El Yunque Rainforest, just up the mountain from this juice bar (this will be my next blog, I'll post it today). Palmer is El Portal del Yunque, or the Portal to the Rainforest. So upon coming down the mountain, I was very ready to eat some food. I had the urge to eat a wide variety of fruit, instead of the normal order. So I listened to my body and did just that.

Look at all this fruit I ate

I ordered a smoothie, an açaí (ah-sah-EE) bowl, and a smoothie bowl.

Let me tell you more details about the assortment of local fruits I ate.

Tropical Sunset Smoothie

Ingredients : Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Carrot, and Orange Juice.

Berry Bueno Açaí Bowl

Ingredients : Açaí, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Chia, and Coconut Milk.
Topped With : Banana, Coconut Flakes, Almonds, Granola, and Bee Pollen.

Red Tide Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients : Dragonfruit, Pineapple, Banana, and Chia.
Topped With : Blueberries, Granola, Almonds, Bee Pollen, and Hemp Seed.

My Favorite Fruit

I was happy to get a bowl that had a base fruit of Dragonfruit. Also known as Pitaya, this fruit is the best in my opinion! Not only does it look extravagant, but it tastes just as exotic. The only thing I can even slightly compare it to is kiwi, but still it does not taste the exact same. If you have never tried dragonfruit, I highly recommend you seek one out as soon as possible. The insides are usually white, but can also be pink like the kind I had in my smoothie bowl. They are one of the easiest things to peel open, you can easily puncture with your fingernail to get the peel started. I usually don't even cut them up, but they are a bit juicy so be careful. The seeds are edible, much like chia seeds.