So you ate one too many holiday cookies, or tripled up on those turkey dinners? You might have gained a few pounds, but you enjoyed your holiday. Nothing wrong with that. Weve all pulled up our jeans thinking please tell me I just washed these (this is why I prefer forgiving dresses), but investing in a whole new wardrobe isnt the solution.
Healthy eating tends to be associated with vegetarian restaurants and juice bars, but those options dont necessarily mean healthy. Dont get me wrong they are healthier options than steakhouses and fast food, but it depends what you order.
Im not the person to go to for diet advice and Im really not a diet fan. Im also not the type to suggest a salad when you really want a burger. Theyre not even close.
People tend to jump to vegetarian, no carbs, no gluten, or simply deprivation when they think of healthy eating, which is natural, but here are recommendations for those who want their cake and eat it too.
The best and the worst part of an eggs Benny is the rich buttery hollandaise that goes on top; getting eggs Benedict without it would be ludicrous.
The healthier alternative: Fable Kitchen offers eggs Benedicts with Olive Oil Hollandaise with your choice of ham, smoked trout, or spinach. Its like a lighter hollandaise sauce and you can taste the fruitiness of the olive oil. Its an excellent alternative that doesnt feel like a sacrifice.
Its the perfect time of year for them, but French fries and mussels swimming in creamy broth wont necessarily get you back in pre-holiday clothes. Mind you, not all broths are creamy, but you might have to give up the fries. But that doesnt mean you have to give up the potatoes.
The healthier alternative: Rosemary Smoked Mussels, Pickled Garlic, Fennel and Cress and Sieglinde Potatoes with Pickled Garlic and Marjoram from Burdock & Co. Its not moules et frites, but it is excellent. It is actually two separate dishes. The mussels dont come in a broth, but theyre naturally juicy and tastefully smoky. The potatoes are unassuming and theyre potatoes you feel great about eating. Also try the Caramelized Sunchoke Terrine, which is another healthy option.
Butter chicken, pakora (fried vegetables), and creamy curries dont scream healthy, but Vancouvers idea of authentic Indian food is skewed and limited. Home-cooked Indian food is much healthier than the restaurant-style curries which are typically made with a lot of cream. There is not a lot of selections for healthy north Indian food in the city, so thats when you look south.
The healthier alternative: Southern Indian food is very different than Northern Indian food. It is more vegetable- and seafood-based and the dishes are often lighter. Chutney Villa Fine South Indian Cuisine healthier options include Nandu Puttu crab tossed with coconut, roasted spices, and a hint of lime and Manga Thenga Sundal green mango, coconut, and chickpeas. Both appetizers are hard to find in Vancouver which makes them extra special here.
See Mijune on CityTVs Breakfast Television talking about her first event of 2014; her 6 Course Discourse is on January 20 at the Edgewater Casino. This Dine Out Vancouver Festival featured event is one of the hottest tickets this year. Made for serious foodies and chefs, the event offers culinary talks from six of Vancouvers most honoured chefs, and a BC wine and canapé standing reception from some of the citys finest restaurants. Find out more about Mijune at FollowMeFoodie.com or follow her on Twitter @followmefoodie.
