Going out for brunch or coffee is part of my weekend routine. There’s nothing like enjoying a relaxing morning with a good coffee and something delicious to eat. When I go out, sometimes I like to treat myself, and other times I want something that’s both delicious AND healthy for me too. I’ll let you in on a little secret. If you want food that’s both delicious, healthy and a reasonable price then I can recommend Columbus Coffee.
They have had a healthy food range for a little while now, serving recipes from the Healthy Food Guide magazine. Recently they’ve expanded their range to include a new Lifestyles Range – there are lots of healthy options which cater for different dietary needs, including gluten free, paleo and dairy free.
This weekend I headed to our local Columbus at Mitre 10 MEGA Masterton along with my husband to sample some of their new options. I left with a full stomach and totally satisfied and impressed with what they had on offer. My husband was pretty happy too!
Here’s what they have available on their new range. It differs from cafe to cafe, but they will have some options available for you to try.
- Chia Bircher Pod
- Chia Seed & Coconut Pudding
- Chocolate, Avocado & Chia Pudding
- Paleo Bacon & Egg Muffins
- Paleo Egg Wraps
- Paleo Breakfast
- Thai Chicken Stuffed Mushroom
- Thai Chicken Stuffed Kumara
- Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries & Coconut
- Mexican Meat Muffin
- Raw Carrot Cake Pops
- Bliss Balls
Here’s what I tried:
1. Chia Seed Bircher
In a twist from traditional bircher muesli, this is made with chia seeds. The bircher also contained apple, coconut, berries and almonds and it was really delicious. It had a subtle sweetness, and was a nice combination of flavours and textures. Chia seeds are a great source of fibre, and provide some plant based omega 3 fats. Because it comes in a pod with a lid, this could be a great grab and go breakfast on your way to work too. I’ll definitely get this again.
2. Paleo Bacon and Egg Muffin
Whilst I don’t follow any particular diet (I just like to focus on a minimally processed diet), I do appreciate a good bacon and egg muffin! This muffin is simply bacon and egg, along with spinach and spring onion and is topped with a delicious zesty pesto. It’s gluten and dairy free too. The hubby and I both really enjoyed this, the pesto made it extra tasty. This is a good source of protein and would be perfect to grab with a takeaway coffee for breakfast on the go.
3. Thai Chicken Stuffed Kumara
The Thai chicken stuffed kumara was another yummy dish. Kumara would have to be one of my favourite vegetables and it’s a nutrient rich carbohydrate. The Thai flavours came through nicely, but it wasn’t too spicy. This is a really filling dish and a balanced meal. This was great value too. At my local Columbus Coffee, it’s just $9.50 which I think is pretty good for a large, filling meal. I couldn’t eat it all!
4. Bliss Balls
Bliss balls are one of my favourites and I was excited to see these on the menu for a healthy sweet treat – something most cafes don’t have. I’m pretty sure these had walnuts in them as well as ginger and some citrus fruit too. They were zesty, yummy and quite different to bliss balls I make at home which made a nice change. The bliss balls were a good buy too, at only $1.50 each.
Dining out with family or friends often means different needs and wants. The great thing about Columbus Coffee is they’ve got it covered. If your partner wants a pie, then they can have one. If you want a healthy option, there are lots to choose from. If someone is gluten free, then there are options. There are no exuberant price tags, just good honest, delicious tasting food, and great coffee too.
This post was sponsored by Columbus Coffee. All opinions are my own – I truely love what they are doing with their new range!
Thai chicken stuffed kumera
So good!!!! That Kumara looks amazing! Wouldnt mind trying the pancakes too!
i would love to try the Chocolate Avocado & Chia Pudding – sounds yum but not sure about the texture though!! Thanks for this review – this is also my local Columbus and last time I went there they had nothing gluten free!! Will have to try them out now they have more options!
Stuffed mushroom and the carrot cake pops. And the crepes and the bacon and egg muffins! Pretty much everything! I’m hoping they offer almond milk for coffees too. Sounds like great new menu additions, can’t wait to try.
Chia seed bircher
Paleo Breakfast
Would like to try the thai chicken stuffed kumera 🙂 or Chia seed and coconut pudding.
Your photo of the Chia seed Bircher is making me hungry! I’d love to take my pal Taryn here 🙂
Love to try the Chia bircher
I would love to try the crepes, but all sounds yummy.
I agree with Linda, the chia seed bircher sounds great
I would love to try the Chocolate avocado and chia pudding!
We have a Columbus cafe as our local across the road from work, so frequent here already, I’d LOVE to try the Thai stuffed kumara, sounds amazing!
I would love to try the Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries and Coconut – it sounds delicious and then top it off with a bliss ball 🙂
Would love to try the Paleo Crepes with mixed berries and coconut!
Bacon and egg muffin for me
I would love to try the Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries & Coconut
So good to have some healthy options so you don’t have to worry! I would love to try the chia seed and coconut pudding – have been meaning to make my own but haven’t gotten around to it yet! The paleo breakfast also sounds pretty good!
I would love to try Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries & Coconut!! Yummmmm ????
I’d like to try the bliss balls with my next coffee !
Chia Bircher. Omg it sounds amazing!
Would love to try Palio crepes with mixed berries and coconut
paleo crepes with mixed berries and coconut
Paleo Bacon and Egg Muffin, sounds a good introduction to this new fan-dangled paleo business!
The paleo crepes with berries sound delish. Going to be spending time in Auckland at Cancer daffodil house with my husband next few month unfortunately so I would def share with him.
I would like to try the Chocolate, Avocado & Chia Pudding!
We have a Columbus Cafe here in Paraparaumu and I have not yet had the pleasure of eating there, the food on offer looks and sounds so enticing, I think I will make up for lost time when I do visit ! And if I’m lucky enough to win a $40 voucher it would go a very long way to sampling the menu. I’d start with the Paleo Breakfast followed by Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries & Coconut and take it from there * nom nom such wholesome treats.
The crepes, although it all sound so yum!
Sounds good to me I wanna try the bliss balls and the Thai kumara 🙂
Thai chicken stuffed mushroom would be amazing!
I want to try the chocolate avocado and chia pudding! Sounds interesting!
That Thai chicken Kumara looks amazing 🙂
paleo crepes sound good 🙂
I think the Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries & Coconut would be me!! YUM!!
They all sound great, but the Thai Chicken Kumara dish sounds amazing.
They all look and sound amaaazing! Id love to try the crepes and the bliss balls.
Yummy they definitely all look amazing 😀 I would like to try the crepes
The Thai chicken stuffed kumara looks delicious!
OOOO Would love to try the Paleo Crepes with Mixed Berries & Coconut with Hemi Jones as a date day before baby arrives 😀
The Chia Seed & Coconut Pudding sounds very interesting .. I’d be sure to try that.
Would love to try the Thai Chicken stuffed kumera or mushroom! So good to have options like this now
Thai Chicken Stuffed Kumara
Paleo crepes with mixed berries and coconut sound amazing!!
I would love to try the Thai stuffed kumara!
Would love to try the Thai Chicken Stuffed Kumara!
Paleo breakfast- yum.
The chia bircher looks delish.
Would LOVE to try the Chia Bircher Pod, big fan of bircher museli and am excited to find a healthy option 🙂
When I heard about the new lifestyle options I was so excited!! We went to the local Columbus last weekend and I got the paleo egg and bacon muffin, so yum! And so nice to go into somewhere and know that there will be definitely be something for you. I’m super keen to try the Thai Chicken Stuffed Kumara next! And the crepes sound delicious xx
The paleo crepes with berries etc sound delicious and the chia seed bircher sounds amazing as well.
would love to try bliss balls ????
Would love to try the Thai stuffed kumara. It all looks amazing