"Over The Rainbow..."

 

While watching one of the hundreds of fast-food commercials on TV, it dawned on me that the most colorful element of most of these foods seems to be the box!

Honestly, the combination of tan chicken fingers, pale brown burgers, beige French fries and white potatoes is about as dull and unappealing as the carbohydrate/preservative coma that eating these foods puts you in!

For me, eating is about not only about taste and smell, but sight as well. A more colorful plate is more appetizing, and as studies show, significantly more nutritious!! And the best foods to get your “colors’ from naturally are fruits and vegetables. 

The pigments responsible for plant color belong to a class of chemicals known as antioxidants, and plants make antioxidants to protect themselves from the sun's ultraviolet light. (ultraviolet light causes free radicals to form within plant cells which can begin to destroy parts of the plant). Antioxidants stop free radicals in their tracks, shielding cells from harm. And typically, an intensely colored plant has more of these protective chemicals than a paler one does.

According to ADA spokesperson Karen Ansel, “Adding a splash of colorful seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal. A rainbow of foods creates a palette of nutrients…”.




Green produce gives you all-day energy and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks. Fruits like avocado, apples, grapes, honeydew, kiwi and lime,and vegetables like artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and leafy greens such as spinach are great choices.




Orange and deep yellow fruits, such as apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peach and pineapple, and vegetables like carrots, yellow pepper, yellow corn and sweet potatoes, can detoxify your body and help generate power. They contain nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity, and reduce the risk of some cancers.




Purple and blue options, including blackberries, blueberries, plums, and raisins, along with eggplant, purple cabbage, and purple-fleshed potatoes, can improve your circulation and may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and help with memory, urinary tract health and reduced cancer risks.




Red produce, like cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grape fruit, red grapes and watermelon, and beets, red onions, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes, are a great source of protein and can help vision and immunity and may reduce cancer risks and maintain a healthy heart.

Even black foods, because of their intense “color”, have nutritional benefits. Black sesame seeds are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, proteins and fatty acids; The acetic acid in black vinegar reduces hypertension, LDL cholesterol and improves blood circulation; black soy is rich in proteins, fiber and anthocyanins; and Vitamin B, Niacin, Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Zinc are found in much higher levels in black rice compared with white rice.

Eating is a multi-sensory experience, and what you see in front of you prepares you for what you are about to smell and taste! Soo do yourself a favor and add some color to your plate. Doing so will add more years to your life!
For more info, check out www.eatright.org/nnm

"Yum On The Run..."

Imagine this: You come home from work, school, or a tough day running the kids around, and “Volia””, a personal chef has made you a delicious, healthy meal from ingredients you would use if only you actually had time to cook. No fast food drive-thru, no deli counter, fatty salty, chicken or frozen “healthy “ entrée, but fresh and appetizing meals.

Now imagine that this “personal chef” is available to all of us, and anyone who buys groceries can afford to eat the meals. It sounds out of reach, but that’s exactly what happens when you walk into trainer/chef Jillian Tedesco’s new venture, Fit Flavors.

As a trainer with a background in nutrition, Jillian saw that her clients would train hard in the gym, but struggle with eating well. She started cooking for clients and had four right away, which grew to 20, which grew to 200 meals a week. At that point she decided to go to culinary school to add even more finesse to the healthy meals she was preparing.

At one point she was training people in the mornings, going to culinary school, and cooking meals for clients from her home. She’d buy groceries on Friday, cook all day Saturday, and deliver the meals on Sunday. Other trainers saw the weight loss and fitness success from her meals and recommended her to their clients. She rented kitchen space and finally hired a chef, Chris Tucker, who she had interned with in culinary school. They shared the same philosophy and vision for the food they wanted to prepare.

They no longer deliver, so the idea for a storefront was to make the meals accessible to everyone when they needed it; not just those who were having ALL of their meals prepared for them.

The menu constantly evolves because they base everything on seasonal produce, fresh ingredients and local, grass-fed beef and free-range poultry. Extra steps and cooking techniques like braising, sautéing, and grilling, hand-making their burgers or making their own condiments from scratch set them apart from other prepared meals. And their snacks beat out packaged protein bars and smoothies, using no flour, sugar, or butter. They grind their own oat flour and almond flour, use Level 1 whey protein and sweeten with agave and honey only.

Each meal is measured, weighed and packaged with clearly marked nutritional information on the package. Floor to ceiling cases full of healthy eating greets you as you walk in the door; breakfast items from protein pancakes to carne con huevos; lunches from soups to burgers to salads and pastas, and dinners with sides included. Pineapple shrimp with coconut rice, pork tenderloin with mashed sweet potatoes and grilled veggies, vegetarian options, and even a burger and “fries”.

The kitchen is a professional, spotless, organized place and all of the chefs seem to genuinely enjoy what they are part of. Jillian has even recruited her family to help in the prep and running of the place.

I love the idea of being able to just walk in, pick up, and have the food on your plate at home in a short. All the while knowing that I’m being good to my body while still making my taste buds happy.

You can take a look at their menu at http://www.fit-flavors.com, and their nutritional info is listed on the site. I’ve tried a bunch of different items , from snacks to dinners and I've gotta say that they are amazing. Delicious, and really filling; not just for an hour, but for the whole morning or afternoon. Jillian's and Chef Chris's knowledge of the right nutritional combinations for optimal energy and health relieve any guilt you might have about not cooking for yourself or your family. (If you try only one thing, get the Fit Turtles. You will never again settle for a run of the mill protein bar!!)

Fit Flavors’ store is located at 14842 Clayton Road in West County , (636-220-9390) and limited meals can be found in the Fitness Edge and Wild Horse Fitness. For those of you farther east, they will be opening a second storefront some time in November or December at 8566 Eager Rd. at Brentwood Pointe in the Dierberg’s Plaza, next to Beauty Brands and DSW.

It's Just...A little Crush...."

Although I’m not a gourmet cook, I do love to prepare vegetables. I’m very picky about what I put into my salads and I’ve been known to throw out a whole cucumber or tomato if it’s not up to my taste standards. And although I find cutting,dicing, and chopping veggies almost therapeutic in the evening before dinner, I’d prefer to have someone else do the work when I’m having a quick lunch.

So, with that in mind, I was thrilled to discover the restaurant, Crushed Red (http://www.crushed-red.com) in Clayton (a suburb of St. Louis); a fabulous fast-casual place operated by veteran restaurantuer Chris LaRocca, Jason Tilford (Panera’s former national bakery director), Mike Marino, Ralph Kalish Jr., and Powell Kalish. Their belief is that customers should “see the ingredients of their food as (it is) being prepared… (so) food can taste amazing while remaining healthy…”. And boy have they delivered on that!

They serve amazingly fresh and delicious chopped-to-order salads, homemade soups, handcrafted pizza and small plates. The creatively named salad combinations on their menu are such a great mix of flavors, and they have so many different ones that you could eat there every day of the week and not repeat your order. My husband likes the “Welcome Back Cobber” with field greens, chicken breast, avocado, and blue cheese, while my daughter prefers the “Health Nut” with broccoli, edamame, garbanzo beans and dried cranberries.

I prefer the “Choose Your Own” option, where you pick your greens, and a choice of four “toppings”; veggies (over seventeen choices), beans, fruit, cheese, meat, and crunch, and finally your dressing (12 varieties).

Ordering the salad is fun, but the best part is watching them make it. They put all of your ingredients into a chilled metal bowl (Salads are available in “Mini”, “Regular”, and “Large”). Then, they turn them out onto a huge chopping block, chopping the salad with a tool called a mezzaluna knife. Mezzaluna means “half-moon” in Italian and the knife has a double curved blade with a handle on each end. They chop and toss the ingredients together and the process blends the flavors beautifully. They’ll toss the dressing in the bowl, but I get it on the side, because the salad is actually very flavorful on its own.

The pizzas also look amazing, but I’ve yet to try one since there are still so many salad choices. They too are prepared with fresh ingredients and cooked to order quickly in a VERY hot oven. Their soups are also yummy (I always steal a few tastes when my daughter orders the Butternut squash soup).

It’s a great place to get exactly what you want and know that you have so many healthy and nutritious options! The link to the nutritional information for all of their menu offerings is http://www.crnutritionals.com , and they even have an option for figuring out the nutrition in a “Make Your Own”.

They’re located at 8007 Maryland Ave at the corner of Maryland and Meremac in Clayton (next to SWEAT gym), and also in Kirkwood by Bar Louie. They just opened this week on Olive Blvd. in Creve Coeur next to Cutco and Sprint.
They get your food ready quickly, but it does get crowded between 11:30 and 12:30, so expect a line. But once you get to the front, it’s well worth the wait!

"Stir It Up..."

If you’ve read my previous blogs about restaurant ordering, you know that I can be a server’s nightmare. I often change what’s listed on the menu to eliminate the extra calories and fat from sauces or certain preparation methods. I’ll usually substitute a vegetable for a high carb side and dressing for my salad is always “on the side”. Usually this isn’t too much of a problem at many of the restaurants I frequent, but in the world of “fast-casual” restaurants, you usually can’t have it your way.

However, since my family has been on board with healthy eating, and since I don’t like to cook EVERY week night, we’ve discovered a great fast-casual restaurant that lets us have our meal EXACTLY like we want it!

At Genghis Grill you can create your own stir-fry bowl using a variety of meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, sauces, and spices. The many proteins include chicken, steak, shrimp, crab, fish, turkey, and even scallops along with seasonal items. The veggies are fresh and crisp (I am very particular about my veggies, so if I say they’re fresh, they are!) and refilled on a regular basis. They have a huge selection from broccoli to cabbage and carrots, onions, peppers, baby corn, mushrooms, and water chestnuts or snap peas.

As you go through the line, you choose how much of each item to put into your bowl, then you choose a seasoning or two, a sauce or two and give it to the chefs to cook on the grill. They call it “an interactive style of exhibition cooking modeled after a centuries-old legend". Based on this "legend," Genghis Khan and his warriors used their shields not only for protection but for preparing their meals. It seems during lulls of battle, their shields were used as a grill by placing food on them and positioning them over open fires on the battlefield. At the restaurant, instead of shield, they have a huge grill.

After handing over your bowl, you return to your table where a server brings you your food when it’s ready. The stir-fry is served over your choice of white, brown, or fried rice, udon or spiral noodles, or even tortillas. On their website, there’s an awesome nutrition calculator, so you can figure the calories of your bowl ahead of time by clicking on http://www.genghisgrill.com/byo_bowl.php
Since we were following a lower carb eating plan, we started ordering our brown rice on the side. I ask for light oil and have them cook it well-done. With a protein or two, lots of veggies, a sauce and some brown rice, the bowl usually adds up to about 350-400 calories for a filling and delicious dinner. I save about 150 calories if I leave out the starch.

And the nice thing is, you don’t feel like you’re eating fast food. They have a great selection of wines and beers and often have special prices on specific brands. You can eat a healthy dinner, and not spend a lot of money. Bowls are usually $9.99 (or $12.99 for unlimited refills, but that kind of defeats the purpose of eating healthfully). They have kids bowls at kid-sized prices and , for now, they're running a promotion where kids eat free on Tuesday nights. And local newspapers often have a coupon for a buy one, get one free bowl or $20 for two bowls and two drinks. They also have a loyalty card, and after you’ve gotten six bowls, the seventh one is free. We’ve been going there at least once a week for the past few years, so I think we’ve taken advantage of our card!

The chain began in Dallas, and they have locations all over the country. If you click on http://www.genghisgrill.com/locations.php ,you can find the one closest to where you live. In the St. Louis area, Genghis Grill has one location in Ellisville, right next to Lifetime Fitness at 15819 Fountain Drive. The owner and general manager, Brian Durbin is usually there making sure that everything is making his customers happy (tell him Fitness Barista sent you). So, if you’re hungry after a workout or just ready to enjoy a healthy, fresh meal made the way YOU want it, stop in. I promise you, you’ll go back for more!

"Faaaaannnncy Colors...."

While watching one of the hundreds of fast-food commercials on TV, it dawned on me that the most colorful element of most of these foods seems to be the box!

Honestly, the combination of tan chicken fingers, pale brown burgers, beige French fries and white potatoes is about as dull and unappealing as the carbohydrate/preservative coma that eating these foods puts you in!

For me, eating is about not only about taste and smell, but sight as well. A more colorful plate is more appetizing, and as studies show, significantly more nutritious!! And the best foods to get your “colors’ from naturally are fruits and vegetables.

The pigments responsible for plant color belong to a class of chemicals known as antioxidants, and plants make antioxidants to protect themselves from the sun's ultraviolet light. (ultraviolet light causes free radicals to form within plant cells which can begin to destroy parts of the plant). Antioxidants stop free radicals in their tracks, shielding cells from harm. And typically, an intensely colored plant has more of these protective chemicals than a paler one does.

According to ADA spokesperson Karen Ansel, “Adding a splash of colorful seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal. A rainbow of foods creates a palette of nutrients…”.




Green produce gives you all-day energy and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks. Fruits like avocado, apples, grapes, honeydew, kiwi and lime,and vegetables like artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and leafy greens such as spinach are great choices.




Orange and deep yellow fruits, such as apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peach and pineapple, and vegetables like carrots, yellow pepper, yellow corn and sweet potatoes, can detoxify your body and help generate power. They contain nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity, and reduce the risk of some cancers.




Purple and blue options, including blackberries, blueberries, plums, and raisins, along with eggplant, purple cabbage, and purple-fleshed potatoes, can improve your circulation and may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and help with memory, urinary tract health and reduced cancer risks.




Red produce, like cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grape fruit, red grapes and watermelon, and beets, red onions, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes, are a great source of protein and can help vision and immunity and may reduce cancer risks and maintain a healthy heart.

Even black foods, because of their intense “color”, have nutritional benefits. Black sesame seeds are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, proteins and fatty acids; The acetic acid in black vinegar reduces hypertension, LDL cholesterol and improves blood circulation; black soy is rich in proteins, fiber and anthocyanins; and Vitamin B, Niacin, Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Zinc are found in much higher levels in black rice compared with white rice.

Eating is a multi-sensory experience, and what you see in front of you prepares you for what you are about to smell and taste! Soo do yourself a favor and add some color to your plate. Doing so will add more years to your life!
For more info, check out www.eatright.org/nnm