Healthful Bites

9 Sep 2011
12 notes

Healthy Restaurant Review: Ripe Juice Bar & Grill

As much as I try to not be partial to my New York City boroughs, Manhattan is the place to be for healthy eats. (Case in point: On my two block walk home from the subway to my apartment in Queens, I pass a donut shop, two fried chicken joints, a pizza parlor and a Chinese takeout stop.) So I often grab dinner in Manhattan before heading home after work if I’m not cooking for myself.

So I was more excited than is probably reasonable when I discovered Ripe Juice Bar & Grill in Forest Hills, Queens, just a few short stops away on the train. Why? This is no greasy fast food restaurant. Ripe claims to serve meals made “fresh to order” using “only the highest quality ingredients.”

The bright, modern-looking spot certainly brought across that fresh vibe, and one look at the menu made it clear that it was going to take a while to decide which of all of the delicious options I would order! Eventually, I opted for the Mexicali Bowl: Brown rice topped with grilled chicken, turkey bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and cilantro, then spiced up with hot sauce.

Despite the less-than-fancy table settings (see Styrofoam plate and unpictured plastic utensils), the meal tasted flavorful, delicious and packed plenty of heat—which I appreciate! The crunchy lettuce provided a nice contrast to the chewy brown rice, and the whole dish had a nice balance of protein, a bit of fat, whole grains and some veggies. As a salsa-lover, it would have been awesome to include some of that as a topping as well, but that’s my only complaint!

Don’t live near Ripe? You could easily recreate this meal at home with some quick-cooking rice, chopped veggies and grilled meats.

What draws you in when searching for new restaurants to try?

28 Feb 2010
1 note

Jason Stole My Heart

Jason and I first met about two years ago in a journalism class. See, I was writing an article about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for my magazine writing course when Jason popped into my life. Since then, our relationship has blossomed, although Jason and I haven’t been able to meet each other as much as we would like.

You may be thinking, “Karla! You have been keeping secrets about a long-term romantic relationship for months or even years?”

I wish, but the Jason I speak of is none other than Jason’s Deli! The restaurant’s offerings are free of HFCS (click here to watch their crazy ad about the topic). And this is how I stumbled upon the deli when Googling “high fructose corn syrup” to discover story sources to interview. Side note: I’d be happy to post the HFCS story on Healthful Bites if anyone would be interested :)

The company really seems to have a good handle on community and public relations—customers get the straight scoop from top management on the owner’s blog, the deli’s Twitter is well-utilized and diners can even vote about the possibility of additional exiled ingredients. Plus, Jason’s contributes to their local non-profits.

The Jason’s Deli communications staff was a pleasure to work with, and I wanted to know more about their company. Little did I know that there was a location within 30 minutes of my school…field trip time!

As mentioned previously, the menu is not only large and HFCS-free, but also void of trans fats, MSG and fairly low in sodium.

A sign in the dining area hypes “Good Food is…25 certified organic ingredients” and “fresh produce delivered six days each week,” among other reasons to scoop up some salad.

Nutritious offerings including Build-Your-Own Sandwiches, paninis, pastas and fruit/vegetable side offerings—plus half orders/reduced portions available—make Jason’s an ideal place for those looking to “fill up but not out,” as some say.

But my favorite order? A bowl of vegetable pasta soup and a salad bar!

And now for a close-up on all that photogenic, organic produce!

The salad bar options are so fresh and varied. If you’re into creamy pre-made salads, you’re covered. Small corn or gingerbread muffins? Check. Veggie fiends? You’ll find your faves crisp and delicious every time.

I’ve had a wrap during a past visit and enjoyed it as well. So many good choices, so few Jason’s Deli trips :) I was pumped to find a location nearby my internship this semester and figured it was time to share my love.

Jason’s Deli is certainly “Healthful Bites Approved!” Is there a location near you?

(They didn’t pay me or give me complementary meals to post this, I’m just a big fan. Not like I’d be opposed to a Jason’s Deli giveaway or anything in the future <Hint, Hint>. ;) )

And I may have finished off my meal with a bit of low fat swirl ice cream (I’d estimate 3/4 cup) free and self serve!

Mmm, just thinking about Jason’s makes me want to plan a return trip very soon :D Do you have any choice restaurants that you frequent for a nutritious and tasty meal?

6 Dec 2009

Eat Out, Eat Well

Digging into a restaurant meal can easily trigger a calorie explosion (basically the main premise behind the “Eat This, Not That” empire). In recent years, however, some dining establishments have added more nutritious, less fat-laden options to their menus. I’ll be highlighting more of these in the future, but this week, let’s take a look at my choice at the Mexican chain Carlos O’ Kelly’s!

Behold the Charbroiled Chicken Salad: lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, sweet corn, green and red peppers, black beans, chives, pico de gallo and baked fat-free flour tortilla pieces (I omitted the lite cheddar and fat-free raspberry vinaigrette, opting for salsa as my dressing instead—have you ever tried salsa as salad dressing? Good stuff!)

Nutrition information for salad with cheese, dressing and all menu listed ingredients: 310 calories, 35 calories from fat, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of fiber.

Who would have thought that you could find such a fresh, healthy looking meal at a Mexican restaurant?!? I don’t know about you, but when I think about south of the border specialties, these come to mind:

(Photo from OK Cleek)

(Photo from Nachos NY)

But, as C.O’K shows, even restaurants selling the most normally greasy cuisine can offer fresh, well-balanced options too. They even have a whole menu section with “Lightened Up” dishes and gluten free options for those with intolerances.

If you are a restaurant common patron, this site, while a bit cluttered, is a nice resource to check out your restaurant choices before a meal out!

At which type of cuisine/restaurant do you find it most difficult to find healthy options? What’s your go-to choice at restaurants when you’re looking to make a nutritious choice?

26 Sep 2009
1 note

Mexican Makeover

If you’ve read any article or books by the “Eat This, Not That” team, you’ve seen the damage that a salad can do to your diet—whether it is served in a fried taco salad shell or not. Salads can be a waist-watchers dream, but they can slip into calorie and saturated fat bombs if you’re not careful.

With that in mind, here’s a quick and easy recipe that should soothe a Mexican craving while fitting in some nutrition.

Taco Salad Twist (adapted from Hungry Girl’s recipe)

1 La Tortilla Factory, or other brand, whole wheat tortilla (I like these because they are high fiber, low calorie and tasty!)
1/2 package of prewashed salad mix of choice (romaine, carrots and purple cabbage is my choice)
1/3 cup meat substitute crumbles
1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix
Salsa (if you’re like me, you’ll want a lot!)
Optional: Spoonful of sour cream, sprinkle of cheddar cheese, diced red onion

Preheat oven to 425* and spray heat-safe bowl or round dish with nonstick spray. Push the tortilla down in the dish to create a taco shell bowl for your salad. Bake the shell in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until it reaches your desired crispiness.

Put meat crumbles in a microwave-safe bowl, add taco seasoning. Microwave mixture for 30 seconds and give it a quick stir. Zap it for another 20 seconds or so.

Fill tortilla taco shell with lettuce mix and top with crumbles and optional toppings. I like to use the salsa as a dressing stand-in, but that may be just me being strange. It you would prefer another dressing, I’m a fan of Salad Spritzers (fun!)

IMG_1334 by you.

I recently tried my Taco Salad Swap with a serving of Sea Salt Multigrain PopChips, which, in my opinion, taste fairly similar to tortilla chips. Delicious!

IMG_1333 by you.