Mother Daughter Date at Laughing Planet

It’s funny, I pride myself of being a foodie. I’m always finding the best food options wherever we go. Yet, I have not posted too much about different restaurants that my family and I frequent.

I guess I have been too busy scarfing down all this delicious food to actually take a minute to write about it! LOL, my bad.

So here I am, Dove and I just got back from Vancouver. My belly is still full from the delicious yummyness that we ate for lunch. And I am writing about it right here, right now. While the vibrant flavors are still fresh on my tongue.

Laughing Planet is a restaurant that we have been to multiple times. I’ll be honest, it’s not my all-time favorite place to eat. It’s probably not even in the top 20, because let me tell you, Portland has some amazing culinary delicacies. But it’s very close to my chiropractor and it provides healthy plant based options, so it’s a win for me.

Not to mention they have the best, yes I said that, the BEST habanero hot sauce. Literally I buy bottles of it and put it on everythingggg. So of course, I had to pick up another bottle today while we were there. Gotta stock up, I’m a sauce girl, I can’t ever run out of my favorite condiments!

Tell Me More About Laughing Planet

This restaurant is actually known more around Oregon, than it is in Washington. There are multiple brick and mortar stores located around downtown Portland and the surrounding cities. However, Laughing Planet recently opened up a location in Vancouver, Washington. Which just so happens to work out well for me, because it is 3 minutes from my chiropractors office! Yippee!

Side Note: I see a chiropractor regularly because I was rear-ended while I was pregnant with Dove. This car accident really messed up my back and neck, and I have been living with residual daily pain since then. So this doctor helps me to naturally manage my pain. But I pray that I will get better and not have to continually see someone for these issues! All is possible though God, Amen!

But let’s get back to the food.

This health food chain was founded by Richard Satnik, who actually opened the first restaurant in Indiana in 1995. However, the headquarters was quickly relocated to good ol’ Portland, Oregon in 2000. Satnik started this restaurant with athletes and bicyclists in mind, his idea was to produce quick, healthy and portable meals.

Fun fact: their burritos were actually designed originally to fit a bicyclists water bottle cage. Neat-o!

Laughing planet is known to serve health-conscious foods that are convenient and easy to eat on the go. This establishment prides themselves on using locally grown and organic produce. Their goal is to get food from the farm to your plate in the least complicated way possible.

They are especially proud of their Food Alliance Certified Smart Beans, grown in Washington by family farmers that use a “no till” method, so to protect the soil from erosion. Their beef is 100% pasture raised, having never been fed corn or grains.

And listen to this attention to detail, even the sea salt used to season their dishes has been harvested from the pristine, frigid waters of Netarts Bay on the Oregon Coast.

Their interior can easily be distinguished with their bright paint colors, lush plants, pops of local art and funky dinosaur items.

“Venture inside a Laughing Planet and in mere seconds, you’re transported to a lively, friendly world where laughing is a part of your daily health. Every cafe is a meeting spot, a community-building forum, a place to sit and talk with friends and strangers.”

Another really cool fact about Laughing Planet is their charitable giving. This health-minded restaurant chain is known for giving back to the community. Their website states that they have given $6,809 to local elementary schools, $9,125 to street roots and $7,820 to local nonprofits.

“Laughing Planets primary charitable giving focuses on programs supporting social justice, environment, education, and democracy in communities where we do business.”

As well, they have a kid’s smoothie donation program, where $1 from each kid’s smoothie purchased will go towards a employee chosen local cause. So of course, Dove and I had to get some smoothies!

Laughing Planet is known to cater to their people. Their menu is extensively diverse, able to accommodate to omnivores, vegans, vegetarians, paleo, keto and gluten free diets. Everything on their menu is clearly labeled and easy to navigate.

Thus, it was super easy for Dove and I to be able to find some items for us to enjoy.

Usually, I bring Dove’s food from home, but we are still waiting on a shipment of some of her favorite from Serenity Kids, so I needed to improvise.

I wasn’t sure what my picky eater would actually eat here. Because one thing about this little girl of mine, she definitely knows what she does and doesn’t like.

So I decided to get her a Kid’s Mango Banana Smoothie and Kid’s Bowl. This bowl had a mix of jasmine rice, roasted yams and broccoli. I knew she for sure wouldn’t eat the broccoli (but hey, at least mom tried), I was skeptical on if she would eat the rice (which she did WINNING!) and I had no doubt she would scarf up the yams. As sweet potatoes are quite literally her favorite food in the world.

For myself I got a Berry Berry Good Smoothie and added peanut butter, because let’s face it, life is just so much better with mass amounts of peanut butter in it. And I also ordered a bowl of their House-Made Veggie Chili which is made of their prized Smart pinto, black and garbanzo beans, corn, zucchini, carrots, onions green bell peppers and celery.

They have an add on option where you can add either dairy of vegan cheddar cheese, sour cream and onions. I have gotten that add on before, but I wanted to try the chili by itself this time, so I skipped that option. Which let me tell you, I think I like it better without all the extra.

The taste of this chili really reminded me of something my Ma used to do. She would host Soup Night at her house, where there were over 4 different soup options to choose from. One of the soups, always my favorite, was this vegetable soup.

And the flavors from Laughing Planet’s Chili really brought me back to cozy nights at my grandparents, and I was able to reminisce on happiness from my childhood, while eating a meal with my own child.

Oh, how time flies when you’re having fun.

Dove of course decided that she liked my smoothie more than her own. I mean I can’t blame the girl, peanut butter really is the best. So we traded smoothies. And since she was so enthusiastically slurping down the messy drink, my silly girl, sported a purple mustache for the remainder of the meal.

Dove and I had a great time laughing with one another and playing drums with the straws. She was so enamored that she could see herself in the shiny spoon that I gave her to hold, after she repeatedly dropped the actual toys that I brought her on the ground.

It was so special to have this lunch with my girl, because for the first time it felt less like she was a baby, and more like she was really present in the experience with me. We laughed and played. We shared food and shared even more smiles. It was a peak into all the mother daughter things that I can’t wait to do with her when she gets to be a little older. I can’t wait for the mommy and me pedicures, back to school clothes shopping and movie dates.

My mini me is already the most precious lil’ bestie. We had the best time together, and I’m so grateful for this special one on one time with Dove.

So if you’re in the area and looking for a quick quality bite, head on over to Laughing Planet.