Jetties, with four locations in Washington, is a “step above” most delis in terms of nutrition, says dietitian Jennifer Reilly. The Sconset sandwich is a veggie-friendly choice. Photograph courtesy of Jetties' Facebook page.
It’s no wonder Jetties, with locations in Georgetown, downtown DC, Bethesda, and Macomb, is such a beloved institution. Dietitian Jennifer Reilly says it’s a “step above” most delis, thanks to its offering of multigrain bread and almost as many salads as sandwiches.
Still, its menu isn’t perfect. Reilly says most options are very deli-meat heavy, which means they’re high in sodium, too. Fortunately, she scoped out the menu and picked the healthiest item on the menu for us.
WORST: Tom Nevers
With three types of meat (turkey, ham, and bacon), plus mayo and three slices of sourdough, this sandwich doesn’t score many nutritional points. The extra slice of bread “adds more calories of simple fast-acting carbs and zero heart-healthy fiber,” says Reilly.
Everyone has their favorites, but a plenty of runners say their go-to pre-race meal is peanut butter toast with banana. Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock.
Major races are in full swing this spring, with the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler on deck for this Sunday. Curious, we asked readers via Twitter this morning to share their go-to pre-race meals. The verdict? Some version of bread with peanut butter and banana. (We couldn’t agree more!)
Of course, everyone is different, so don’t feel like you have to change your typical breakfast right before race day. Read on for more pre-race dinner and breakfast ideas, and feel free to add your own in the comments section.
Betsy Ramirez's healthy recipe requires just three ingredients and no baking time. Photograph by Ramirez.
In case you haven’t noticed from the hordes of tourists on the Mall, it’s definitely cherry blossom season. But while the blooms are still MIA, that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate with some homemade cherry-themed eats.
We love these snacks from dietitian Betsy Ramirez for when we need a quick pick-me-up. And they’re nearly as easy to make as they are to eat—they only require three ingredients (dried cherries, dates, and slivered almonds) and no baking time.
The cherries provide a wealth of antioxidants and pain-reducing properties, dates are full of fiber, and almonds help reduce the risk of heart disease. Happy snacking!
Berries, artichokes, and asparagus are just some of local dietitians' favorite fruits and vegetables to hit produce stands this spring. Photographs courtesy of Shutterstock.
Aside from the beautiful cherry blossoms and warmer weather, one thing that always gets us excited come spring is the fresh crop of in-season vegetables and fruit at local farmers markets. Local registered dietitians have their favorite spring produce, too—and shared the ways they prefer to cook and eat it. Read on for their picks.
1) Strawberries
It seems like everyone has memories of picking strawberries at some point in their lives, Rebecca Bitzer included. The fruit is her favorite for its natural sweetness, fiber, antioxidants, and wealth of vitamin C.
How to eat: Bitzer loves strawberries on top of cereal, in a fruit salad, and on their own. Try this smoothie recipe: strawberries, banana, milk, peanut butter, ice, and Greek yogurt.
A new report released by the DC-based Center for Science in the Public Interest found that 97 percent of American chain restaurants' kids' meals do not meet nutritional standards. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user hildaaa.
They may be quick and easy for when you’re on the go, but kids’ meals at popular chain restaurants are seriously unhealthy, according to a new report.
A report released last week by the DC-based Center for Science in the Public Interest found that 97 percent of kids’ meals at American chains such as Applebee’s and Ruby Tuesday do not meet the group’s nutritional standards for four- to eight-year-olds. Nineteen fast food restaurants, including McDonald’s and Chipotle, did not offer a single children’s meal option that met nutritional standards.
“Most chains seem stuck in a time warp, serving up the same old meals based on chicken nuggets, burgers, macaroni and cheese, fries, and soda,” said the group’s nutrition policy director, Margo G. Wootan.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests found that overweight and obese young women who ate high-protein breakfasts were less likely to oversnack on fatty and sugary foods at night. Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock.
We’ve long known that breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. But new research suggests that the higher the meal’s protein content, the better—especially for those trying to lose weight.
The study, which involved 20 overweight or obese females ages 18 to 20, wanted to determine whether a high protein or normal protein breakfast was more beneficial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The participants had a habit of skipping breakfast, something approximately 60 percent of young Americans do regularly.
For six days, researchers had the participants consume the following 350-calorie breakfasts: 1) a cereal-based meal with 13 grams of protein, 2) an egg and beef meal with 35 grams of protein, or 3) no breakfast at all. Every day the participants filled out questionnaires and provided blood samples. They also underwent MRIs before dinner to track brain signals associated with food desires.
Who said folks avoiding gluten can’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a good beer? Local gluten-free experts say these picks give regular beer a run for its money.
Suffering from celiac disease or a gluten intolerance is no picnic, especially when a typically beer-soaked occasion like St. Patrick’s Day rolls around. Lucky for the growing gluten-free community, lots of breweries have created their own gluten-free beers that are giving regular suds a run for their money. Read on for local gluten-free experts’ favorite picks.
1) Omission
Diane Eblin of the Whole Gang says Omission is a favorite of everyone she knows who drinks gluten-free beer. Her son, who drinks both regular and gluten-free beer, touts the pale ale for having a pleasant hint of citrus with a clean aftertaste.
Recent DC transplant Christy Martin caught the running bug in 2010. Just three years later, she’s training for her sixth marathon and averages 40 to 50 miles a week with a couple of yoga and strength-training sessions thrown in. Needless to say, she needs to stay on top of her diet to make sure she’s fueling and replenishing her body with important nutrients after those long runs. How does she do it? By planning her meals at the start of every week. “I’m a big fan of meal planning,” she says. “I sit down on Sundays and plan out my meals for the week and post them on my fridge. It’s definitely a time saver so I don’t sit in front of an open fridge for 20 minutes deciding what to eat for every meal!”
Breakfast: “My go-to breakfast is whole-grain toasted waffles with almond butter and either apples or bananas with honey and cinnamon. It’s the perfect blend of carbs, protein, and sweetness to kick start my day. It’s filling and is easy to grab and go if I’m running late to catch the Metro, which almost always happens when I run before work.”
Goûter is a local business that creates raw and vegan tonics, desserts, and salads in the basement of Elizabeth’s Gone Raw on L Street. The tonics are in high demand at local gyms and studios. Photographs by Melissa Romero.
One might call Steve Mekowski a mad scientist. He is, after all, the mastermind behind Goûter, the line of raw and vegan products you may have noticed popping up at your local gym or yoga and cycling studios.
Within the past year, local athletes from every realm—cyclists, yogis, runners—have gone gaga for Goûter, which means “snack” or “taste” in French. But while the brightly colored drinks may look like an average part of the juice craze that’s hit Washington, Mekowski and partner V Orban want you to know there’s a big difference in the products’ ingredients.
“Yoga studios and gyms typically only sell water or sugary drinks,” says Mekowski, a former culinary chef. “I wanted to create a drink that is lighter than juice and more medicinal.” Enter Goûter tonics, raw and vegan bottled drinks that Mekowski created after Orban developed a stomach ulcer and realized she’d have to take medication for the rest of her life.
Jennifer Altoff, whom Well+Being readers recently named a top fitness blogger in Washington, just turned in her sneakers for heels when she left her gig as a personal trainer for an office job. But that doesn’t mean she’s given up exercising—she still tries to get in at least four workouts per week. “I enjoy circuit training and running around DC,” Altoff says. “The rest of my time is spent sneaking in exercise whenever and wherever possible—while enjoying all the fine dining the District has to offer. It’s all about balance.”
Read on to see how Altoff’s diet fits into her typical 9-to-5 routine.
Breakfast: “My day starts with a big glass of water followed by a serving of Greek yogurt with honey, raw oats, and a banana. If I’m feeling feisty I will add in a handful of whatever cereal snuck into my grocery cart that week at the store. I make a point to have the first meal of the day balanced, and my yogurt mess has a healthy amount of fat, protein, and carbohydrates to fuel me through a long commute and a busy morning at work.”
