Four For Your Health

Rush to Nourish

When people who have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or other food allergies walk into Nourish Restaurant on Highland Avenue in Scottsdale, AZ, they often ask owner Kirstin Carey in frustration, "Do you have any idea what this is like? Do you know how hard this is going to be?!"

She can reply with an emphatic and sympathetic, "Yes."

As an individual with celiac disease who must also avoid corn and dairy products, Kirstin fully understands the complexities of eliminating all traces of allergens from one's diet. But she embraces the challenge — Kirstin has learned to focus less on what she can't eat and instead on the world of foods that she can enjoy safely. "I love food but it hurt me for so long." Today, she knows which foods support her body and give her the energy required to operate a thriving new business.

Nourish is a one-year-old, 150-seat restaurant located in tiny Old Town Scottsdale, at the base of the Optima Camelview Village development. The restaurant's menu began with the dishes Kirstin created for herself at home, like a salad composed of sweet potatoes and avocados with Asian dressing. "I like to play 'MacGyver' in the kitchen and I'm too lazy to go to the grocery store very often," she laughs. When assembling a new recipe from seemingly disparate ingredients, "I better make it look like I meant to do this!" Nourish's inspired menu of "comfort food with a healthy twist" is almost completely gluten-free, with dozens of options that cater to dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and carnivorous diners.

But creating meals that avoid allergens can pose challenges to chefs who, in other settings, can easily cover up shortcomings with butter and cheese. "It's a game here, all the time," says Kirstin, referring to the creative mindset required to approach the recipe development process. One recipe that has required a lot of tweaking is Nourish's mac & cheese with veggies. Gluten-free pasta breaks down quickly and doesn't stand up well to being boiled, then baked. Mushy or crunchy pasta would be a dealbreaker. So Chef Dan Santos (who, believe it or not, came to Nourish via an ad on Craigslist) learned to make a gluten-free roux and prepare each component of the dish separately, instead of cooking all the elements together, like traditional baked macaroni and cheese.

Even traditional sandwiches like the turkey club have gotten a makeover before appearing on Nourish's menu. Here, the turkey is nitrate-free. Using bacon would have been "too easy," in Kirstin's view, so instead she adds nitrate-free, crisped prosciutto and basil mayonnaise to spinach and tomato, then serves up the sandwich on gluten-free or nine-grain bread.

While primarily a gluten-free establishment, Nourish does offer four breads containing gluten, to cater to mainstream diners. Nourish purchases those products from a well-known local bakery and then takes great care to sequester those grains: traditional gluten-containing breads are always stored on the lowest shelves so that even if a crumb falls off a loaf, it can't contaminate a gluten-free item resting below it. Sandwiches made with gluten breads are prepared in an alcove, using separate, color-coded cutting boards, knives and utensils. Chef Santos' daughter lives gluten-free so he understands the importance of cross-contamination issues and has made sure his staff appreciates the significance of feeding guests safely.

One of the best parts about dining at Nourish isn't just the food itself — it's all the information that's available about the food. Thanks to a system of color-coded dots, diners can easily and quickly scan the menu to determine if a dish is gluten-free, lactose-free, corn-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegetarian, vegan... or all of the above! One of the most popular "all of the above" dishes is Nourish's teriyaki wild rice bowl, flavored with Bragg's Liquid Aminos, fresh ginger, and coconut milk, plus broccoli, snap peas, carrots and nori, topped with the guest's choice of chicken, wild salmon, barramundi, or ahi tuna (if a protein is desired). Other popular menu items include the sweet potato fries (which are air-fried, rather than deep-fried) and the Tuscan chicken sandwich, which was such a hit that it also begat the Tuscan chicken salad and the Tuscan chicken pizza!

Kirstin acknowledges that if you have an extreme nut allergy and will react to airborne nuts, Nourish may not be the restaurant for you, since many of their dishes incorporate ground nuts, to add protein. But she and her talented, knowledgeable staff have been able to accommodate just about every other allergy — they've safely fed the guest who was so allergic to black pepper and olive oil that she carries two EpiPens with her at all times. Nourish regularly works with guests whose doctors have just placed them on elimination diets, to determine the root cause of their food allergies. And of course, as a restaurant featuring gluten-free dishes, they've served thousands of hungry people with celiac disease. Kirstin has watched with pride as some of her youngest customers have begun to thrive on foods that truly nourish their growing bodies.

The energetic and entrepreneurial founder views Nourish as more than a source for delicious, safe food: "I see this as a resource with a restaurant component.... The bigger piece is education. We stock retail products as a resource and to educate the community." Nourish's retail shelves feature gluten-free products like Udi's granola and cookies, teaologist-designed loose teas, and iamfine skincare products rich in natural antioxidants. Nourish also offers an ongoing series of seminars on food allergies, skincare, acupuncture, and even the healing power of flowers and chocolates.

"We're having a good time here at this restaurant. Chef Santos has been in this industry for more than 22 years and has often heard customers say, 'I love your restaurant.' But here, customers say, 'Thank you for opening' and 'I feel safe eating here.' I get emotional every time I hear that!"

California Dreamin'

California is of course the home of healthy eating, and the Native Foods Café fits right in.

It is a chef-crafted vegan restaurant, founded in 1994 by Chef Tanya Petrovna, with locations in Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Culver City, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Tustin and Westwood. Her goal was to serve delicious, healthy, fun food that honors the environment, without harming a single animal in the process. "I became a vegetarian because I loved animals," says Chef Tanya. This small chain of restaurants is her opportunity to share animal-friendly cuisine with diners who might not usually seek out meat-free fare. And she's realized this vision: Native Foods Café appeals to a wide audience ranging from vegans to omnivores. As skeptic Sara E. admitted on Yelp, "I am a bacon-loving, cupcake-inhaling machine and I actually loved this place!!"

We were impressed when we stumbled into the Tustin location while on a recent visit to the nearby Henry's corporate offices. The menu is filled with innovative dishes, like crispy sweet potato fries with chipotle dipping sauce... lavender lemonade (loved this) and watermelon fresca... the Twister Wrap with faux-chicken, salad greens, fresh avocado and cucumber salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce... the Scorpion Burger with homemade blackened Tempeh, chipotle sauce, romaine, and carrots... and the Chocolate Love Pie, described on the menu as "thick and lustfully creamy chocolate filling in a delicious spiced almond crust (dairy-free, cholesterol-free and refined sugar-free)," and described by us as just "darn good."

Throughout the seven Native Foods Cafés, Chef Tanya puts a premium on freshness: everything on the menu is made from scratch every day. The entire menu is dairy-free — even the ranch dressing, mayonnaise and pizzas employ creative substitutions for more traditional dairy ingredients.

But those substitutions don't subtract nutrition. Athletes favor the Greek Gyro with protein-packed peppered seitan, hummus, and quinoa. The Soul Bowl, Hollywood Bowl, and Rockin' Moroccan are powerhouse sources of complex carbohydrates, full of whole grains and veggies. Petrovna's personal favorite is the Gandhi Bowl, filled with blackened Tempeh on a bed of jasmine and brown rice, topped with kale, steamed veggies, wild curry sauce, cranberries, and green onions.

Native Foods Café attributes its success to the innovative menu of healthy, vegan fare that is satisfying for both hard-core vegans and card-carrying carnivores. Native Foods offers fresh, sustainable, and delicious meals, provides great customer service in friendly, convenient and casual settings, and demonstrates how to grow, profitably, while honoring and supporting social causes consistent with its core values.

Two days each month, Native Foods donates 25% of their profits to support global and community causes that promote compassion for all living things and provide for a healthier planet. They've recently supported the Surfrider Foundation, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, The Elephant Sanctuary, Animal Acres of Southern California, The Farm Sanctuary, and Animals, People, and Environment Action. Chef Tanya further gives back to her community by offering wildly popular free vegan cooking demonstrations several times each month.

Rocky Mountain Repast

Some restaurants serve up healthful food and keep it a secret. Not Mad Greens. We had dinner at the 29th Street location in Boulder, and were very impressed with the food and the information they dished up, too.

If you haven't come upon one of these restaurants in the greater Denver area yet, check out their website — one of the coolest ones we've found. Their interactive calculator allows you to customize your meal while it tracks your calories, fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, protein, and vitamin totals, based on on-the-fly changes you're making to your salad. While some may not want to know the exact calorie count in a White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut, that information can be valuable if you're adhering to a strict dietary plan. Who would have thought there were fewer calories in a cup of Mad Greens' Potato Bacon Soup than in a cup of their Vegetarian Black Bean Soup?

The restaurant itself is as interactive as its website, encouraging diners to Create Your Own Salad by selecting from three lettuce options, nine different proteins, and dozens of additional toppings like asparagus, edamame, feta cheese, grilled sweet onions, mango, roasted beets, snow peas, and water chestnuts. Top that customized combo with your choice of over 20 homemade dressings, including gluten-free options, for a meal that's truly right for your individual allergies, your diet, or your cravings. Mad Greens prides themselves on using only the freshest ingredients available: crisp lettuces, lovely legumes, fabulous fruits, scrumptious cheeses, and delectable dressings.

What to try? The Veggie Hamlet panini with portobello mushrooms, jack cheese, artichokes, red onions and roasted red pepper dipping sauce is worth the (not very high) price of admission. Another guest favorite is the Don Quixote salad with baby greens, mango, avocado, roasted corn and jack cheese.

Even munchkins can get in on the delicious nutrition: the Mad Kids "Mini Me" meal offers six choices for under $4.00.

With this kind of flexibility, it's no surprise Mad Greens was voted "Best Healthy Lunch" three years in a row by Denver's A-List Awards.

Dallas Sallad

Like Mad Greens restaurants,Greenz in Dallas is recognized as a salad-centric restaurant where guests can select a pre-determined set of ingredients or go bold and choose their own adventure. Founder Casie Caldwell built the business out of her desire to offer a more inspiring alternative to the traditional mediocre salad bar. And when you get a sense for the range of Greenz's flavors you'll understand: chipotle, wasabi, daikon, Ahi tuna, Parmesan crisps.... This isn't your grandmother's salad bar.

Diners in Addison, uptown Dallas, and at the Equinox Fitness Club at Highland Park can choose from pre-screened menus including point-based diet plans, gluten-free options, heart-healthy items as certified by Medical City Heart Hospital, and selections under 400 calories. Nutritional information is available both online and in the restaurants to allow guests to make informed dining choices. The restaurant encourages guests to enjoy meals that emphasize fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and features dishes that are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.

Beyond innovative salad combinations, Greenz rounds out their menu with wraps, sandwiches, soups and smoothies. In a sandwich like the Chicken Pesto (with grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce, roasted tomatoes and grilled onions on toasted ciabatta bread with pesto mayo spread), Greenz chooses only hormone-free, naturally raised chicken. The Brie Pastries draw especially enthusiastic response from guests. Who wouldn't swoon over gooey melted brie nestled inside filo dough and baked to a crispy golden-brown, then served with strawberry-raspberry sauce?

Wherever you choose to dine out, we at Sprouts hope you'll find delicious meals that support your healthy lifestyle.

from the May, 2011 edition of Fresh Off the Press