ENERGIZING MISSION

5813 Johnson Dr, Mission, KS 66202
913-362-1700
Mon.-Fri.: 7 a.m -3 p.m., Sat.: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

On the morning of Friday Jan. 15, I woke up early to make the long drive out to Energizing Mission, a nutrition club located on Johnson Drive in Mission, Kan.

“Energizing”, which is what many STA girls call the shop, is popular among students here. I had never tried it before, so I brought my sister, freshman Katie Mulhern, and an Energizing regular, junior Sarah Cozad.

We arrived at the shop around seven a.m., and it wasn’t crowded at all. The shop itself was small but cozy; there are chairs set up around a countertop, couches and tables towards the back. We were greeted by the owner of Energizing Mission, Alexis Pelfrey-Cook, with a cheery greeting and a smile. My initial impression of Energizing was a positive one, and I was excited to try their products.

The way Energizing serves their product is unique. First, you are served a shot of aloe, and then comes a serving of tea and your choice of shake. The aloe is given to aid in digestion. It tasted a little bit like peaches, but it also tasted exactly like what you would think aloe would taste like. Overall, the aloe wasn’t bad.

After the aloe comes the tea. According to Cozad, the tea is meant to keep you energized through natural caffeine, meaning you won’t suffer through a “crash” later. I ordered the raspberry tea, which was delicious. It wasn’t overloaded with sugar and I loved the natural hint of raspberry in the tea. The tea also held up to its promise – I felt awake and alert for the whole entire morning.

Finally, you order your shake. Energizing has many options, ranging from peanut butter oreo to Orange Julius. I chose the blueberry muffin shake, which actually did taste like a blueberry muffin, except it was very sweet. At first I didn’t mind the sweetness, but after a while I was kind of sick of it. However, the shake was very filling and kept me full until lunch. My sister ordered the peanut butter oreo shake, which was even better than mine. Both shakes reminded me of drinking a milkshake, but the great thing was is that I felt like I was splurging on something unhealthy but in reality, most of the shakes at energizing are 220 calories or less.

Besides being low calorie and full of protein, the shakes also contain tons of vitamins and minerals. Overall, I can’t find much wrong with the quality of product at Energizing. Who doesn’t love a healthy breakfast that tastes like an unhealthy dessert?

Energizing is also affordable. I paid a little over six dollars for my shake, tea, and aloe shot combined. You get a lot of product for your dollar, which is perfect for high school students on a budget.

Energizing is a great way to fill up before school or before you start your day on your days off. However, be sure to call in your order so you don’t end up waiting for half an hour or more.

RUBY JEAN’S JUICERY

4001 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111
816-399-2596
Mon.-Fri.: 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat.: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun.: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

My first impression of Ruby Jean’s Juicery was definitely positive. Upon walking in, I absolutely loved the little juice shop. The walls and decor are colorful, bright, and cheery. There are tables and chairs set up at the back of the store, a sectional at the front, and an extremely cute courtyard in the back where you can enjoy your juice or smoothie in warmer weather.

Ruby Jean’s has an extensive menu with items ranging from their signature juices to smoothies and protein-filled snacks. Another unique aspect of Ruby Jean’s is that you can do juice cleanses through them. You order your juice for a certain amount of days and pick it up the day you start your cleanse. So, if you’re looking to do a quick cleanse before spring break, Ruby Jean’s is the place to go.

Despite the promising array of juices, I ordered a No Crust PB&J smoothie. My smoothie consisted of strawberries, blueberries, peanut butter, greek yogurt, and agave. It was very refreshing, smooth, and definitely tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This flavor might sound a little weird, but the flavors were present just enough to make it faintly taste like a peanut butter jelly sandwich, so it wasn’t overpowering. My sister ordered the Butter Crunch smoothie, which was made with dark chocolate, greek yogurt, bananas, almond milk, vanilla, peanut butter, and gluten free pretzels. I expected her smoothie to be extremely sweet, and honestly, kind of unhealthy, but it wasn’t. It tasted just as smooth and refreshing as mine. The peanut butter and chocolate didn’t overpower it at all, and all of the ingredients balanced each other out.

Another reason to go to Ruby Jean’s is their use of all natural ingredients. All of their ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, so you know exactly what you’re drinking or eating. There’s no additives in their snacks and baked goods, which range from sweet potato brownies to protein pops.

It seemed to me that Ruby Jean’s sets out to make customers feel healthy and happy by encouraging drinking and eating food that really is good for you. According to their website, juicing is a great way to retain vitamins and nutrients we need from fruits and vegetables.

So, if you pair a juice or smoothie with a light protein filled snack, you’re getting tons of nutrients from one little meal. It’s a win-win situation, really.

However, my one problem I had with Ruby Jean’s is that it’s pretty pricy. I paid almost fifteen dollars for my both my smoothie and my sister’s smoothie. However, although it is expensive, I understand the need for the high prices since all of their ingredients are natural. If you try Ruby Jean’s and love it, I would definitely say go once every week or couple weeks so you don’t break the bank.