Learning to incorporate healthy choices that fit your lifestyle is crucial to making lasting changes. One of the biggest challenges my clients encounter as they start to improve their diet is knowing where and how to eat out. I’ve partnered with a few restaurants in the Portland area to bring you a list of places that offer healthy menu options or that focus on whole and organic foods. I’ll be looking to expand the list as time goes on, so check back often!
* Note: PWO = post workout and AT = anytime
1. Blossoming Lotus — Another great vegetarian restaurant that focuses on whole, raw, and living foods. You can’t go wrong with the following “APPROVED” menu items (be sure to be conscious of portion sizes!):
- Any of the salads with tofu/tempeh or add a bowl of spicy black bean chili instead (AT)
- A delicious bowl of black bean chili with a side of quinoa (AT)
- Any of the bowls with or without tofu/tempeh (PWO)
- Either of the live wraps with a side of beans (AT)
2. Pita Pit — A great option for healthy food fast. They have a nutrition calculator on their website so you can get exactly what you bargained for. Or, just order one of these “APPROVED” menu items:
- Whole wheat (PWO) or fork style (AT) chicken breast pita with all your favorite veggies and your choice of avocado/baba ganoush/hummus and your choice of tzatziki/salsa/ fat free Italian
- Whole wheat (PWO) or fork style (AT) turkey pita with all your favorite veggies and your choice of avocado/baba ganoush/hummus and your choice of tzatziki/salsa/ fat free Italian
- Whole wheat (PWO) or fork style (AT) tuna pita with all your favorite veggies and your choice of avocado/baba ganoush/hummus and your choice of tzatziki/salsa/ fat free Italian
3. Sip Juice Cart — An awesome little juice cart in front of People’s Food Coop. Serving all vegan, all organic juices, green juices, and delicious soups. Their veggie protein shakes are perfect for post workout. Head on over to give um a try!
- Incredible Hulk (PWO/AT), Greencicle (PWO/AT), or Tropical Greens (AT) green smoothies minus agave, add protein powder
- Sabana (PWO), Raio (PWO), Gingerberry (PWO), Mudpie (AT), or Vegan Protein (AT) smoothies, minus agave, add protein powder
- All greens (AT) or Super Veggie (AT) juice or Wheatgrass shot (AT)
- Any of the daily soups with (PWO) or without (AT) brown rice.
4. Prasad — A great vegetarian restaurant with a focus on whole, living, raw foods. If weight loss is your goal, steer clear of the sweets and juices, and stick to the “APPROVED” protein + veggie meals below:
- Roasted garlic chili with a side of salad or steamed greens (AT)
- Soul Salad (AT)
- Freedom Wrap with a side of beans (AT)
- Gaucho Wrap (PWO)
- Urban Bowl (AT)
- Mighty/Chili/Dragon Bowl (PWO) *note that the portions are large here so this should be 2 meals
5. Aprisa Mexican Cuisine – A drive through that serves delicious mexican FAST food that is healthily prepared…can it truly be? YES!! Check out the following delicious menu items that are “APPROVED” to help you with your body composition goals:
- Aprisa bowl with your choice of chicken/steak, grilled veggies, choice of beans, sauteed peppers and onions, green chili sauce, choice of salsa, lettuce, and guacamole.
- Aprisa breakfast bowl (no potatoes) with eggs, choice of beans, sauteed peppers and onions, green chili sauce, choice of salsa, and guacamole
- Two soft shell corn tacos with your choice of chicken/steak, grilled veggies, choice of beans, sauteed peppers and onions, green chili sauce, choice of salsa, lettuce, and guacamole.
6. Laughing Planet — Quick service restaurant dedicated to providing healthy, wholesome meals to those on the go folks who don’t have time to cook:
- Soylent green bowl (PWO)
- Steamed veggies, rice, and beans add chicken/tempeh (PWO)
- Dr No’s Low Carb Bowl (AT)
- Caesar “Chavez” Salad minus croutons and parmesan, add chicken/tempeh (AT)
- Fu Manchu Salad minus fried shallots add chicken, dressing on the side (AT)
- Simple Green Salad add chicken/tempeh (AT)
- Vegan chili with side salad (AT)
- Black Jack quesadilla on whole wheat add chicken (PWO)
7. Dicks Kitchen — Full service restaurant dedicated to offering healthy meals created from high quality, local, sustainable ingredients. A great place to go out to a sit down meal without blowing your diet:
- Thai burger bowl (AT)
- Classic/Turkey/Buffalo/Salmon/Tempeh/Portobello Burgers “Naked Lunch” style (AT) or with a bun (PWO)
- Grilled chicken and mixed green salad (AT)
- Dinosaur Kale Chop with chicken breast or naked burer (AT)
- Any of the following sides: sweet potato not fries (PWO), baked beans (PWO), sweet potato mash (PWO), green papaya slaw (AT), collards (AT), steamed broccoli (AT), steamed kale with cabbage (AT)
8. Chipotle — Great tasting “fast food” with integrity. High quality, fresh, often local ingredients and naturally raised hormone free meats made to order quick. Skip the cheese, sour cream, and guac (or just ask for a SMALL dash of guac) that make calories add up quickly, and opt for flavor from the delicious beans, meats, and salsas…remember to watch those portion sizes!
- Burrito bowl with no rice and choice of pinto/black beans, choice of fresh tomato, green tomatillo, or red tomatillo salsa, fajita vegetables, and choice of meat (AT) or make it PWO by adding light rice
- Salad with extra romaine and choice of pinto/black beans, choice of fresh tomato, green tomatillo, or red tomatillo salsa, fajita vegetables, and choice of meat (AT)…be sure to skip the high calorie dressing (which you shouldn’t need with the salsa and beans)!
- 2-3 soft corn tacos with choice of pinto/black beans, choice of fresh tomato, green tomatillo, or red tomatillo salsa, fajita vegetables, and choice of meat (PWO)
9. Rice Junkies — Another good option for healthy food on the run. As usual, beware of the sauces which can make an otherwise healthy meal go downhill fast. Instead of the calorie-rich and liberally applied sauces offered with these dishes, opt to go sauce free and add a dash of soy and sriracha (virtually calorie free) at the self serve sauce bar instead. Here are three “APPROVED” menu options. Once again, portions are huge, so treat these as 2 meals:
- Quinoa Bowl (add chicken breast for extra protein), skip the sauce (PWO)
- Combo bento with chicken breast, veggies, brown rice, skip the sauce (PWO)
- Bento with chicken breast and veggies only (no rice), skip the sauce (AT)
Emily! I am so excited to start your Boot Camp next week.
People ask me how I stay trim, being a chef and owner of food businesses and it’s because I try to cook and eat healthy, but I don’t feel trim, I have gained about 15 pounds in the past 5 years and that is because I have stopped exercising, Yikes!
So, Boot Camp, here I come. Thanks for your energy and enthusiasm, can’t wait!