A guide to virtuous living in Edmonton

by Theresa Tesolin

Living a virtuous life starts by making personal choices such as eating healthy, exercising and supporting “green” stores. Whether you’re following through on a New Year’s resolution or just want to change things up, here’s a roundup of Edmonton vegetarian restaurants, eco-friendly shops and boutique gyms to get you started. [Image credit: iStock.com/StephanieFrey]

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines virtue as "conformity to a standard of right: morality; a particular moral excellence.” While abiding by strict guidelines is no fun, living the “good” life can begin simply by awareness – an awareness of where our food and material goods come from, and how this affects the earth and people around us.

As consumers, we all have the power to put our dollars into businesses with ethical and sustainable practices, if we so choose. According to a study by Nielsen, not only do brands with sustainable practices outperform those that don’t, consumers are also willing to pay more for sustainable products. Millennials lead the pack with 73% saying they are willing to pay more for ethical brands.

You don’t have to be a full-time vegan or vegetarian to enjoy veggie-licious cuisine. Bland tofu and wilted greens are a thing of the past. Today’s vegetarian offerings are so flavourful, you might not miss meat at all.

• Padmanadi, vegetarian/vegan. A local favourite, and a mainstay on the veggie scene since 2002, Padmanadi serves up heaping portions of Indonesian, Thai, Chinese and Indian cuisine. Try the roti canai and the I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-real-chicken Kung Pao Chicken.
• Noorish Cafe, vegetarian/vegan/raw. Part vegetarian café with elixir bar, part yoga studio, part delightful retail store and teaching kitchen, Noorish is a hub of virtuous living. With tons of flavours and textures packed into every dish, you can’t go wrong with the Rainbow Root Poutine or the Truffled Lobster Mac N’ Cheese (which uses lobster mushrooms).
• Loma House Vegetarian Express, vegetarian/vegan. With take-out, eat-in and frozen meals to go, Loma House makes it easy and enticing to go meatless (without breaking the bank). The bento boxes are delicious and filling and who knew that dim sum could be vegan-friendly?

Support these local businesses with a green mandate.

• Carbon Environmental Boutique. Carbon strives to make your home eco-friendly from the inside out. All products in store pass their SHELL test (Sustainable, Healthy, Ethical, Local Living). Treat yourself to organic cotton bed sheets, and chemical-free beauty products.
• Earth’s General Store. Voted “Best Sustainable Goods Store and Eco-Conscious Company” in VUE Weekly’s 2015 survey, this store is the perfect place to stock up on organic foods, natural household cleaners and natural body care products.
• Lucid Lifestyle. With the fashion industry well-documented for its disposable “trends,” Lucid’s Canadian-manufactured garments are all sustainable with fabrics free of harsh chemicals, such as organic cotton, bamboo and hemp.

Try one of these Edmonton fitness facilities for a fitter, healthier you.

• Fitset Edmonton. If you’re tired of the same old workout at the same old gym, a monthly Fitset membership fee gives you access to dozens of boutique fitness studios including Barre Fitness Studio (a workout of ballet, Pilates and yoga), CrossFit Armoury and 9Round Kickbox Fitness.
• Trū Ride Cycle Studio. Enjoy candlelit spin classes to the beat of lively music. Freshen up at the spa-like locker rooms with luxurious toiletries befitting a spin queen/king. The first ride is free. Support an animal rescue shelter by going to trū dog ride Fridays.
• Desert Rose Dance Studios.  Dance your way to better fitness with a variety of classes including bellydancing, zumba, ballet barre, hip hop and more.

While we all may have different definitions of virtuous living, this list starts you off with a few ideas of how you can make a difference, whether it's for yourself, for the environment or for the people and animals we share the planet with. Live well!