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EAT This Week: Sprouts’ Mexican Volcano

This week’s featured EAT dish is Sprout’s Mexican volcano. (Rob Galloway
Tahoe Daily Tribune)

To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge — there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.

One of the most active volcanoes in all of Mexico is Popocatepetl. While I’m not even going to try and pronounce that correctly, I am going to compare it to this dish. Not just because of the obvious name correlation, but mainly because of the word “active.” This salad not only looks like a volcano, it seriously looks like it has erupted and is ready to flow right into your belly.

You immediately notice all of the vibrant colors. It’s a sensory overload – like taking a bite out of a rainbow, although without the blue. But, lucky for you you’re right next to a massive body of water that can fill in the blank there.



The list of ingredients is about as long as In-A-Gaada-Da-Vida: Tortilla chips, brown rice, beans, carrots, red cabbage, red onion, tomato, sprouts, salsa, honey mustard dressing, guacamole, and green onions. All of those swimming together are a texture- and flavor-palooza.

Let’s start with the textures. Crunchy chips, onions, carrots, sprouts, and cabbage joining forces with creamy dressing, salsa, and guacamole, while getting juicy bursts of tomato will have your head spinning (in a good way).



For the flavor, the beans give you an earthy heartiness that fills in nicely for any protein so if you’re thinking it won’t fill you up, give it half way and ask yourself again. It’s massive.

I know I’ve said it before, but their honey mustard dressing is amazing and gives each bite a tart little zing. The salsa fills in the back end with a slight heat, but it never blows your hair back. Every taste is contained, and unique.

One of the best things about having all these ingredients is how fun each bite is. If Forrest Gump had eaten this dish he might have changed his famous line to, “Life is like a bite of Sprout’s Mexican Volcano Salad.” Although, we have a pretty good idea what we’re going to get – and its delicious.

Sprouts Natural Foods Café is located at 3123 Harrison Ave. in South Lake Tahoe. For menu items or general information visit them online at sproutscafetahoe.com or via phone at 530-541-6969.


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