Last week, I had the pleasure of dining in my favorite restaurant in Howard County, Great Sage. I was there for a meetup of the Baltimore Animal Rights Network, and we chose this venue to enjoy the live music of the band Brave Noise. They were really great, and fortunately, since we were seated in the back of the restaurant, the music didn’t preclude conversation. We were all super excited to see new winter items on the menu! Here is a brief description of the delicacies we sampled: I couldn’t resist the Raw Samosas, as I love all things Indian! They were described as “Garam Masala spiced cauliflower and pea purée wrapped in curried zucchini wraps. Served with chimichurri, tomato-cucumber coulis, and minted pear purée. (RAW, Gluten free, Soy free).” And I have to say, they were absolutely delicious! I love curry, and each mouthful was bursting with flavor, especially when paired with the three yummy sauces. I’m not sure which sauce I liked best, since they all imparted a slightly different taste…all fabulous! I will definitely be ordering this one again and again. Two of my table-mates ordered the Tempeh Bourguignon (“Pan roasted crimini mushrooms, carrots, parsnips, peas and roasted tempeh in a bold red-wine-herb-infused mushroom sauce served over garlic mashed potatoes. (Gluten free)).”  Although I didn’t taste this one personally, they both absolutely loved it and polished off the entire dish. And it looked delicious! As someone who avoids gluten due to sensitivity, I’m thrilled that Great Sage offers these amazing dishes that are gluten free, too! Lastly, my friend seated next to me ordered the new Winter Burger (“Hot-off-the-griddle vegetable burger made with red beans, brown rice, shredded zucchini, sweet potatoes and butternut squash topped with caramelized onion, tempeh bacon and brown sugar mustard. Served on a toasted kaiser roll with roasted potatoes drizzled with garlic brown butter. (Gluten-free option)).” It was HUGE! She couldn’t even finish the whole burger, especially because she wanted to save room for the Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert. I didn’t sample this, as I was too full from the Samosas and the Raw California Salad (my personal favorite), but she said she really enjoyed it and took the other half home.   This was a fabulous evening of great food, great music, and great conversation with like-minded people. Two thumbs up for the new entrees! I intend to be back soon to sample more of them. Sharon McRae is a Certified Health Coach residing in Columbia, MD, who has been adopting and applying principles of health and nutrition in her own life for more than three decades. She became a health coach to fulfill her passion of helping others feel their best and achieve and maintain optimal health. Sharon received her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She helps to support clients and families in transitioning to a more plant-based diet, providing easy recipes, menu planning suggestions, tips for dining out and food shopping, and strategies for adapting other healthy lifestyle modifications. She also conducts special events such as food store tours and workshops. Learn more at eatwell-staywell.com. Contact Sharon at sharon@eatwell-staywell.com or 410-615-4631.