THERE'S A LOT TO ADMIRE about Founding Farmers (1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-822-8783; Wearefoundingfarmers.com). From its eco cred to its development and ownership by a collective of more than 40,000 American family farmers, the place is a hungry tree-hugger's dream.
The nutritionally minded can eat their hearts out at Founding Farmers, too. Among the healthy options on the expansive menu of farm-to-table dishes is an ambitious "17 vegetable salad" ($14). Intrigued by the name, we quizzed executive chef Graham Duncan about the colorful plate of roughage and found out that it's never tossed together the same way twice.
First burning question: Are there really 17 veggies in the salad? Not exactly, Duncan says. "Sometimes there's more than 17 vegetables in the salad." So, why the prime number? "It just sounds cool," Duncan says.
IF IT'S BEEN AWHILE since you've eaten seafood, now is a great time to dive back into the game: October is National Seafood Month.
Whether you're dining on scallops, shrimp or scrod, seafood supports your health. Many types of fish, especially salmon, contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as contribute to normal brain functions like memory. In addition, studies show that fish can have a positive impact on mental health; people who eat seafood may be less likely to suffer from bipolar disorder or depression.
Besides being nutritious, any seafood lover will tell you fish is delicious when prepared well. "The best thing about seafood is it's a great starting platform to which you can add just a few simple ingredients or cooking techniques" to make a healthy meal, says Anthony Marcello, the regional chef for McCormick & Schmick's restaurants in the D.C. region (Mccormickandschmicks.com). His top tip on keeping fish flavorful yet still healthy? Cook it in a nonstick pan to avoid coating it in extra fats or flour.
JUST AS A FRIEND doesn't let a friend walk out of the bathroom with a wad of toilet paper stuck to her shoe or leave for a date with spinach in her teeth, a friend shouldn't give a friend license to eat unhealthy junk. Yeah, we're talking to you, party planner with a penchant for potato chips and buffalo wings.
Fortunately, it's not hard to create a menu for your next bash that makes your guests' health a priority. Just ask Tim Jones, executive chef of the OZ, a Zen-theme restaurant that focuses on calorie-conscious cuisine in the Doubletree Hotel Bethesda (8120 Wisconsin Ave.; 301-652-2000; Ozbethesda.com). "Use the best possible ingredients with just a little bit of fanfare," advises Jones, who is teaching a class on healthy entertaining at the OZ on Sept. 20. For instance, he says, an easy dish might be grilled heirloom tomatoes; add a brush of olive oil and sea salt to enhance their flavor. Browse local farmers markets to find inspiration from produce in its prime. Squash, potatoes, kale, eggplants, apples and heirloom tomatoes are all at their best this month, Jones says.
After you've stocked up on locally grown eats, Jones recommends firing up your grill. Grilling is "very healthy for you because there's very little fat involved," he says. Plus, it's not too time-consuming, which will free you up to mix with your guests.
And once you're making the rounds, should you tell your guests that they're in for some good-for-you grub? No way, Jones says. "It should just be something that you know and they wonder, 'Why does it taste so fresh and different?' It's your own little secret."
Photo courtesy OZ
IF YOU'RE TRYING to watch what you eat, Restaurant Week (now through Sunday; Washington.org/restaurantwk) might seem like the worst thing to meet your waist since the fanny pack. After all, the deal ($20.08 at lunch and $35.08 at dinner) consists of a three-course meal — not exactly anyone's idea of light, healthful eating.
But Rock Creek at Mazza (5300 Wisconsin Ave.; 202-966-7625) aims to make it a caloric bargain, too. "The whole concept of the menu is that you can have three courses for under 1,000 calories," says executive chef Ethan McKee. "When you think about it in comparison to most restaurants, you probably hit 1,000 calories just with an entrée." His dishes sub in healthy fats such as olive oil for butter and cream; nutrition facts are printed on the menus.
For Restaurant Week, Rock Creek is offering a few choices for each course at lunch and dinner. All of the first courses for both meals, including corn chowder, contain less than 300 calories. All of the entrees, such as herb-roasted chicken breast and fettucine with Bolognese sauce, have 500 calories or less. Desserts such as chocolate molten cake each have about 200 calories. And in every plate, no more than a third of the calories are from fat. Now that sounds like a deal you can stomach.
Photo courtesy Merlin
SINCE THE South Africa-based restaurant chain Nando's Peri-Peri opened its first U.S. location in the District last month (819 7th St. NW), Washingtonians have been flocking to the eatery for Afro-Portuguese flame-grilled chicken. Nando's boasts something of a cult following (fans include Oprah Winfrey, David Beckham and more than 35,000 Facebook users) for its tongue-tingling treats. But besides being trendy, it's also nutritionally hot.
t turns out that the Peri-Peri pepper that amps up Nando's chicken is loaded with antioxidants that help your body fight everything from aging to heart disease to cancer. Scientists also believe that a key compound in hot peppers — capsaicin — also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, potentially making it a natural pain-reliever for people with conditions such as arthritis. The more capsaicin a pepper contains, the hotter it tastes, so pile on that extra-hot sauce. "If you want to be super-healthy, just make sure your mouth is on fire," jokes Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered and licensed dietician in Chicago.
IF IT'S GOOD FOR your body on the inside, how about the outside, too? That's the idea behind one of the newest facials at the Spa at MINT (1724 California St. NW; 202-328-6468; Mintfitness.com). The Energy Bowl Facial ($100) incorporates the ingredients in the signature "energy bowl" dish at the spa's organic Green cafe: Yogurt, granola, honey, bananas and acai juice (from the Brazilian berry that's been touted for improving cardiovascular and digestive health, and for boosting immunity).
MINT's sweet treat is a popular post-workout refreshment. "You feel so good after you eat it," says marketing director Amanda Styron.
But what exactly makes the combo worthy of being slathered on your skin for 50 minutes? Applying the grub to your face "improves the look and feel of your skin," says lead therapist Angela Homer. First, a finely ground granola scrub exfoliates. Then, the acai-yogurt-honey-banana mask helps to balance normal, combination or dry skin.
"When you put the acai berry on the skin, it's hydrating, it clears the complexion, and it evens the skin tone," Homer says. "Honey is hydrating as well, and yogurt has soothing properties."
GROCERY STORE PRODUCE can leave you with that not-so-fresh feeling, so what's a salad snob to do? Take a tip from Rob Weland, chef at Poste Brasserie (555 8th St. NW, 202-783-6060), and grow your own.
"The main reason I'm doing this is things don't taste the same, nor have the same nutritional value, if they've been on a truck for two weeks," says Weland, who recently expanded his on-site vegetable garden. He carefully cultivates iron-rich stinging nettles, which he stuffs into ravioli and purees for vegetable stock, and lamb's quarter, a wild green packed with vitamin C that he tosses in with arugula. He's also harvested everything from fennel (several kinds) to borage (that's an herb) to peppers (to pickle).
But his favorite crop is the tomato — while everyone else has been freaking out about salmonella, he's been serving up customers a backyard tomato salad with heirloom varieties like Yellow Taxis, Brandywines and Opalkas.
THE SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL (which ends Sunday) is probably your first chance to sample cuisine from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. But before loading up on spicy delicacies, want to know how they stack up nutritionally?
Mary Dickie, a D.C.-based registered dietician and licensed nutritionist, has never tried Bhutan's national dish, Ema Datsi, but she's not a fan of what's in it: hot chilies and yak cheese. "The problem with cheese is it's very high in saturated fat, which raises cholesterol, and it's very, very calorically dense," Dickie says. "It's not something you should eat if you have a cholesterol problem."
Another dish, Nakey Tshoem, consists of shredded chicken, fiddlehead ferns, cheese, chilies, onions, garlic and ginger, and is served with Bhutanese rice. The chicken (a low-fat source of protein) makes this dish healthier, Dickie says. "Just don't eat huge quantities of rice, because even though it's very low in fat, it's not high in nutrition."
Photo by Emily Wax/The Washington Post
WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA — a browner, more textured (and, some say, tastier) version of the Italian mainstay — has lately been infiltrating the noodle scene, from the aisles of Safeway to the kitchens of five-star restaurants. But crossing over to the dark side (or at least the darker shade) of pasta can be tougher than even the most al dente piece of penne — its coarseness and slightly nutty taste can be off-putting if you're attached to the semolina flour stuff.
Mindy Block Feirman, a registered dietician in private practice in Washington, urges folks to make the switch. "Including whole wheat pastas in your diet can help to increase the amount of fiber that you eat," Feirman says. "Whole-wheat pasta typically has double the amount of fiber as regular pasta, and fiber can help to fight against many diseases, such as heart disease, digestive disorders and diabetes." It also packs more protein, Feirman says, which can help you feel satiated quicker.
Of course, if you prefer the taste of whole-wheat pasta, the healthiness is just a bonus. That's the case for Ristorante Tosca's (1112 F St. NW) executive chef Massimo Fabbri, who was smitten the day he tried it in New York. "I looooved it," Fabbri says. "I really, really loved it." Right now, he's excited about Tosca's latest house-made whole-wheat pasta dish: "guitar-string" noodles (square spaghetti) in a tomato sauce. Fabbri began serving whole-wheat pasta at Tosca two years ago and never worried about whether customers would order it. "I was sure it wasn't going to disappoint anybody," Fabbri says, because the whole wheat adds "much more flavor."
Photo courtesy iStock
HELLO, STRAWBERRY SEASON! And, far too soon, goodbye. In fields near D.C., strawberries will be pick-able for just a few more weeks, so grab a basket and get out there. Now, with the mere mention of the juicy red fruit, some of us start salivating. There's nothing wrong with craving strawberries, because the diminutive treats pack some serious nutritional punch. Just eight have more vitamin C than an orange; they're also a good source of fiber, potassium, folic acid and antioxidants.
To harvest these super-fruits for yourself, head to Great Country Farms (Greatcountryfarms.com) in Bluemont, Va., about an hour from D.C., for the Strawberry Jubilee this Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival boasts live music and plenty of kids activities, including a diaper derby (a race of crawling babies), a strawberry-rhubarb pie-eating contest and a whipped-cream tart toss. Of course, you can also pick berries. Farm co-owner Debbie Zurschmeide-Schoeb says this year's strawberry crop is "looking very, very good." "There's lots of blossoms out there, and lots of berries."
Addison Road