Archive for the ‘Healthy Eating’ Category

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MAKE: PASTA WITH GARLICKY ROASTED CHICKPEAS AND GREENS

A warming pasta dish that packs a great protein punch

Posted by Becca Boyd on 2/13/2012 at 12:16PM | No Comments

Have you seen the documentary Food Inc.? If you haven’t, it’s worth watching. If you have, then you can relate to my guilt over meat. It’s easy to say you’re going to stick to organic, grass-fed beef or poultry but actually doing it is a whole different story. When faced with the moral dilemma, I chose evasion: cook meat-free!

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PHILLY’S GLUTEN-FREE SUPERSTAR FOODS

Nine menu items that GF eaters can order without sacrificing taste. Hallelujah!

Posted by Dana Ricci on 2/9/2012 at 2:40PM | 2 Comments

Yup—there's even a pasta option!

Six years ago, I discovered my gluten allergy and the frustration that goes along with dining out without gluten. I’d ask a waitress if certain menu items contained gluten and she’d reply, “Contain what?”—which would make me terrified to eat anything that went through the kitchen. The restaurants that could define gluten would sometimes give me a list of what not to order: “Well, you can order this without any of the sides or sauce!” Alas, the subsequent tasteless slab of chicken left me wishing I had cooked that night instead.

The good news is, these days are ending in Philly. With gluten-free diets becoming more commonplace, many local restaurants are not only aware of what gluten is, they’re adding items to their menus that are specially made gluten-free. What follows is a list of super-star dishes highlighting eateries that do more than serve its gluten-free patrons sauce-less menu items; these gluten-free eats don’t skimp on tastiness. No longer do we gluten-free diners have to feel left out in a city where cheesesteaks, pretzels, and oversize pizza slices reign!

Before you continue reading I should warn you: Some of these dishes may not be the “healthiest,” but when you’ve been stomaching dry, crumbly interpretations of bread for awhile, it’s okay to indulge in moderation, right? And remember folks, gluten-free eating is no weight-loss regimen. Heck, I could be eating nothing but French fries and Hershey bars and still be gluten-free.

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THE CHEAT SHEET: OYSTER HOUSE

A dietician's picks for what to order at this popular Philly eatery

Posted by Katie Cavuto Boyle on 2/8/2012 at 10:35AM | No Comments

This Philly hotspot is a no-brainer when it comes to good-for-you grub. From oysters to other raw and cooked seafood treats, the menu at Oyster House offers a bounty of dishes that will please your palate and your waistline.

If it  were up to me, a variety of raw oysters with a glass of champagne would be a meal in itself. But the rest of the menu has so much to offer that I suggest opting for a few oysters to start then, of course, share a few dishes to round out the meal.

Here are my picks for Oyster House.

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TO DO: HEALTHY-EATING STORE TOURS AT WHOLE FOODS

Learn to effectively navigate the grocery store.

Posted by Dana Ricci on 2/7/2012 at 1:34PM | No Comments

The Callowhill Whole Foods is offering two store tours in February. The first, a tour guided by a Whole Foods’ healthy-eating specialist, will show attendees how to shop according to the “four pillars of health”—a must for those just getting their feet wet in healthy eating. The second, the Food for Life diabetes nutrition tour, that will focus on well-balanced meals for those with diabetes. To RSVP, email Callowhill.events@wholefoods.com or sign up at the customer service booth in the store. Learn more here.

FREE, Healthy Eating – February 20; Diabetes – February 23; 6 to 7 p.m., Callowhill Whole Foods, 2001 Pennsylvania Ave.

>> Have a health or fitness event you’d like to share with Be Well Philly readers? Email eleaman@phillymag.com with details!

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TO DO: GLUTEN-FREE, HEALTHY COOKING WORKSHOPS IN PLYMOUTH MEETING

A three-class workshop series will teach you how to make lighter dishes just in time for spring.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 2/6/2012 at 1:24PM | No Comments

Health coach Jennifer Fugo will be hosting healthy cooking classes in Plymouth Meeting starting February 28th. The three-part Transition to Spring series will to teach students how to get away from heavy, dense comfort foods (mac and cheese, anyone?) and prepare lighter meals using fresh ingredients. Participants will receive handouts and recipes so they can easily replicate the dishes at home. Bonus: all the recipes will be gluten-free. Register here [PDF].

$55 (includes class-materials fee), Tuesdays, February 28th through March 13th, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, 201 E. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting.

>> Have a health or fitness event you want to share with Be Well Philly readers? Email details to eleaman@phillymag.com.

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WHERE TO DINE FOR A HEALTHY VALENTINE’S DATE IN PHILLY

Planning a night out on February 14th? We asked local dieticians for their favorite special-occasion haunts. Here, eight restaurants that won't pack on the pounds.

Posted by Julianne Mele on 2/6/2012 at 11:37AM | No Comments

Date nights might seem harmless to your health, but think about it: all those indulgent nights out could easily add up to some serious pounds.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we asked Philly dieticians for suggestions for restaurants where you can dine well without wrecking your diet. Here’s where they would go for a special night out.

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WOULD THESE BILLBOARDS GET YOU TO STOP EATING CHEESE?

An advocacy group that promotes vegan diets would like you to lay off the cheese, please.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 2/3/2012 at 1:45PM | No Comments

I like cheese—a lot, actually. Which is why when these images of new anti-cheese billboards hit my inbox the other day, I gasped. Kinda loudly.

The billboards, part of a campaign from DC-based advocacy group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), are trying to convince residents of Albany, New York to lay off unhealthy, dairy-laden foods. They’re targeting that particular community because of its high adult overweight/obesity rate, but I think the message is really targeted at all of us. (I mean, why else would they have sent their press release to a health reporter in Philly?)

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IS THIS PHILLY’S HEALTHIEST WORKPLACE?

Healthcare consulting firm Vynamic is aiming to be the healthiest office in the city—and it's well on its way.

Posted by Emily Leaman on 2/1/2012 at 3:06PM | No Comments

Vynamic CEO Dan Calista demonstrates his treadmill desk. Photograph by Dana Ricci

Last week I got to see a treadmill desk in real life. Even better: I got to see the head of a Philly company actually use it.

Let me back up for a second. Several weeks ago, a friend of mine had dinner with an old college buddy, who works at a healthcare consulting company in Center City called Vynamic. When I asked her how the dinner went, she began telling me what her friend had said about his company. “They want to be the healthiest workplace in Philly,” she told me. So of course I had to investigate.

When I finally got over to Vynamic last Wednesday, I repeated what my friend had said to CEO Dan Calista.

“Actually,” he explained, “we want to be the healthiest workplace in the world.”

Well, okay then.

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TO DO: ORGANIC MUSHROOM AND RISOTTO COOKING CLASS

Intimidated by risotto? This free demo at the Callowhill Whole Foods is for you.

Posted by Dana Ricci on 1/31/2012 at 10:55AM | No Comments

Has anyone else tried to master making the perfect pot of risotto and been dissatisfied with either crunchy or mushy results? It’s a tricky, delicate formula (or I’m a disaster cook—so be it). In any event, the Callowhill Whole Foods is hosting a free organic mushroom and risotto cooking demo on February 7th. Attendees will learn how to make mushroom stock using dried organic mushrooms like shiitake, porcini, chanterelles and morels. The class will also demonstrate the finer points of making smooth and creamy risotto. To RSVP, email callowhill.events@wholefoods.com or sign up at the store’s customer service booth by February 5th.

FREE, February 7, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Callowhill Whole Foods, 2001 Pennsylvania Ave., Philadelphia

>> Have a health or fitness event you’d like to share with Be Well Philly Readers? Email eleaman@phillymag.com with details!

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TO DO: GLUTEN-FREE COOKING CLASS

From recipes to food-label reading, learn the basics of living gluten-free.

Posted by Dana Ricci on 1/30/2012 at 3:18PM | No Comments

Just starting out on a gluten-free diet? This is the class for you. It covers the basic of gluten-free cooking, including the nutritional benefits, what to avoid, and tips for eating out, reading food labels, and budgeting. Taught by Genevieve Sherrow, a.k.a the “Gluten-Free Warrior,” recipes for the evening include: Thai chili lime chicken thighs, rainbow roasted root vegetables, and nutty quinoa salad. Many of these recipes are dairy- and egg-free, too! Learn more and register here.

$39, February 15, 7 to 9 p.m., Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Drive

>> Have a health or fitness event you’d like to share with Be Well Philly readers? Email eleaman@phillymag.com with details!

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