By Gina Tagliarino
Diet or delicious? Why choose? A new yearbroffers a new reason to start fresh — and inbrmany cases, provides a reminder to rethinkbrwhat goes into our bodies. Whether you’rebrhoping to lose a few pounds, gain a bit more energy or sim-brply crave something different, we’ve rounded up our topbrpicks for healthy food choices you don’t have to drive farbrto find. Say bye-bye to bland and boring; these eats are asbrsatisfying for the taste buds as they are for the tummy.
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REFRESHING SMOOTHIES AND JUICES
Coffee breaks are nice, but sometimes an energizingbrsmoothie or juice is just what you need to power throughbrthe day. And Pure Café in Southlake Town Square is thebrperfect stop, offering a great alternative to sweet snacksbrand caffeine-laden beverages. The local smoothie and juicebrbar serves up everything from wraps to salads, but it's thebrfresh-squeezed juices, juice cleanses and smoothies webrcan't get enough of.br
Pure Café Owner Carolyn Darretta says that whilebrhealthy foods still have a stigma for some, more and morebrpeople are warming up to the idea. “Healthy can still tastebrgood,” Darretta says. She suggests starting off the New Yearbrright by trading in your usual morning routine for the nat-brural energizer of raw juice, many of which are blended tobrward off some of the season's common illnesses.br
“Most juices are designed to fight against something,brand you can add ingredients based on your needs. Forbrexample, ginger fights against colds and coughs,” she says.br
For more area juicing options, try one of Nekter JuicebrBar's daily juice cleanses that pack 10-12 pounds of fruitsbrand vegetables inside ... much more than you could pos-brsibly eat. Or at least want to eat.
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HEARTY SALADS
Who says salads should leave you feeling hungry? At Mod-brern Market, you'll find indulgently filling salad optionsbrin both entrée and half sizes depending on your appetite,brand the menu is far from rabbit food. Choose from full-sizebrofferings that range from 569 to 832 calories, includingbrcreative pairings such as the Thai Coconut Salad featuringbrmixed greens topped with roasted chicken, grated coco-brnut, cucumber, roasted sweet potato and peanut mangobrdressing. And rest assured it will be fresh, as the restaurantbrprides itself on made-from-scratch food that's only craftedbrwith simple, seasonal ingredients. So while the menu fluc-brtuates with what's in season, the flavor is always predictably delicious.
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Prefer to build your own salad? Try Snappy Salads, the brainchild of Chris Dahlander. Boasting abrtagline of, “So Good, Even Guys Like Our Salads,” the growing chain lives up to its name with CreatebrYour Own options that allow you to mix-and-match lettuce with up to eight ingredients. “Guestsbrcan create their own salad ingredients that meet their dietary needs and have them dressed withbrhouse-made dressings to accomplish their health goals,” Dahlander says. “A salad a day keeps thebrdoctor away.”br
Snappy Salads also offers an expansive list of suggested options if you'd rather leave the mixingbrup to the pros. Dahlander's personal favorite? The BAM*BAM, an irresistible blend of baby spinach,brbaby arugula, artisan mix, red cabbage, quinoa, red onion, pulled chicken, dried cherries, choppedbralmonds and house-made Sweet Parsley dressing that started as a featured salad and quickly becamebra main-menu staple.br
“I created this salad with super foods in mind,” Dahlander says. “Super foods are items that packbra powerful punch (like the little kid on The Flintstones) of antioxidants, minerals and other beneficialbrnutrients.” It's so yummy, you'll forget you're also eating healthy.
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FAST AND FRESH
Too busy to focus on nutrition? Nice try. Places like My Fit Foods and Simply Fit Meals make it easybrto stay healthy, even during your most hectic of days, with chef-inspired meals you can take onbrthe run. Focusing on fresh, simple and flavorful ingredients, the Texas-born companies were bothbrfounded on the principle of quick eats that defy the traditional fast-food model.br
The cuisine at both fuels you up and fills you up — no oil-doused French fries here. Instead,bryou'll find fresh, ready-made meals that you can refrigerate until you're ready to eat them, withbrplenty of options to keep you from even thinking about pulling up to that drive-through window.brThere are even items you wouldn't expect to find on a health-food menu – think Crispy ChickenbrTenders breaded with rice flour for a low-fat twist, or our morning favorite, Breakfast Tacos.br
For those who prefer the dine-in experience, Zoës Kitchen offers a healthful option with a Medi-brterranean approach. Here you'll enjoy a fast-casual dining experience, based on the Greek traditionsbrand heritage of its founder who believes food should taste as good as it is good for you. The menubrfeatures an eclectic range of pita sandwiches, kabobs and even family-style meals to serve up to sixbrhungry mouths. Maybe this whole eating-right thing isn't so hard after all.
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DELICIOUS & NUTRITIOUS RESTAURANTS
When winter's chill blows through Texas, sometimes the onlybrthing that will satisfy is a warm meal. But you don't have to stay atbrhome to stay healthy or divert from your goals to enjoy a night outbrwith friends. Many restaurants, like Trio New American Café, arebrputting their focus on locally sourced ingredients and seasonallybrinspired dishes that are as good for the taste buds as they are forbrthe waistline. Led by Executive Chef and Owner Jason Harper, thebrColleyville restaurant is all about making it a point to know wherebryour food comes from, sourcing menu items locally as often asbrpossible, while changing their menu four times per year to alignbrwith the seasons.br
“How your food is raised matters,” Harper explains whenbrsharing his restaurant's philosophy. “Our proteins and meats arebrpasture-raised here in Texas, on small-range pastures where theybrlive the life they're supposed to live.” The result is not only morebrnutrient rich, but also better tasting.br
Another restaurant putting a focus on quality food amid abrcomfortable atmosphere is TruFire Kitchen & Bar in SouthlakebrTown Square. Here you'll find a passion for fresh in everything onbrthe menu, from handcrafted drinks made with muddled fruits andbrhouse-prepared sours to carefully selected dishes aligned with thebrflavors of the season, like the Naked Avocado Salad.br
Cutting out gluten? TruFire serves up an impressive list ofbrgluten-free items, from Hummus made from fire-roasted bellbrpeppers and served alongside pita bread to specialty items likebrPan-Roasted Sockeye Salmon with a mustard dill glaze. Its popu-brlar pasta dishes can also be created with 100-percent whole-wheatbrpasta upon request for a healthier spin on a comfort food classic.
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WHEN CALORIES COUNT
It's too difficult to track your calories when dining out, right? Notbrif you find restaurants dedicated to helping you follow your plan.brCorner Bakery Café makes it simple to hit your targeted caloriebrcount while still being flexible, with a build-your-own Corner Com-brbo that truly lets you diet your way. Choose from more than 100brdelicious options that include sandwiches, paninis, salads or soup,brall that pair up perfectly and still only equal 600 calories or less.br
If you're looking for a more sit-down affair than a casual diningbrspot, make reservations at Brio Tuscan Grille or even The Cheese-brcake Factory. Both may seem decadent for those watching theirbrweight, but in fact, you can find entrees for as little as 365 caloriesbron their menus. Explore Brio's lighter menu for low-calorie pastasbrthat only sound sinful, and The Cheesecake Factory's SkinnyLicious® menu for 50 dishes with 590 calories or less, includingbrlighter versions of your favorite cocktails.br
With the right mindset, eating healthier has never beenbreasier, or more flavorful. Finally, a resolution we'll want to keepbrwell beyond January.