Category Archives: restaurants
Paleo and Gluten Free Restaurants in Nashville, TN
Because I have a gluten sensitivity I am always on the lookout for organic veggies and grass fed meats that won’t upset my system. By choosing restaurants that emphasize sustainability we can vote with our pocketbooks which will make this type of food more available for everyone in the future. If you have Celiac disease please always check with the management and use your intuition/good judgement to gauge the safety of each establishment to avoid cross contamination. I hope you get a chance to enjoy these great places when you are out and about in Nashville, my hometown.
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| Fresh veggies at The Turnip Truck hot bar |
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| Awesome bunless local beef burger at M. L. Rose |
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| The beet salad with lamb at Burger Up Photo credit |
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| Made to order salads at Baja Burrito |
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| Burger at Gaby’s with Sweet potato fries Photo Credit |
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| Me indulging in local artisan chocolate with Bongo Java organic decaf at Hot and Cold |
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| Marche Artisan Foods in East Nashville |
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| Just say no to the bun! Most places will do a lettuce wrap. |
| Chicken Salad at Kalamata’sphoto credit |
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| Chef From Suzy Wong’s was on Top Chef D.C. |
Downtown $$
This place is very hip offering an east meats west flair and an assortment of Pan-Asian dishes. They have gluten free soy sauce and the menu has gluten free labels on many item. I am not sure about the meat quality here, so be sure to ask. I actually attended school with the owner who was on Top Chef a few years ago. Way to go A. Mint! He also owns PM which has a great burger and Cha Cha featuring tapas which has great bacon wrapped dates, raw milk cheeses, and house cured olives. All three places clearly mark their menu’s with gluten free labels.
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| PRB:These guys know meat!photo credit |
Gluten free at Miel
Sylvan Park $$$
Better make a reso at this smancy joint. My sister recently went there for V-day and said it was great. They emphasize farm to table, local sustainable food. They also ask each diner if they have any food allergies before taking the orders! It is a little high end but great for that special occasion. They even have periodic farm dinners! The menu reads like a native tribe hunt: wild boar, quail eggs, Muscovy duck, paddle fish roe, fresh spring water trout, ect. It sounds like heaven to me!
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| You don’t have to be a hippie to shop at Whole Foods.photo credit |
The Yelp Application or web sight is easy to use with good maps and directions. You can search for organic, grass fed and gluten free to find healthy places on the go.
Find Me Gluten Free Application is a another one that you can use to find gluten free places on the go.
Gluten Free Card is another application that has celiac information you can show to your server in over 20 Languages.
Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
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New Video: Tips for Eating Paleo, Gluten, and Grain Free at Restaurants
More tips for eating gluten free/ grain free at restaurants:
Paleo Restaurants in SF part 1
Paleo Restaurants in SF part 2
Paleo Friendly Eats in SF part 3
Gluten Free Guide to Chain Restaurants:
Hidden gluten ingredient used in many restaurant dishes:
Gluten Free Travel in Kauai, Hawaii
Tell what you think:
Leave a comment and let me know your best tips for eating out and staying on track with your healthy diet.
Are you looking for more help? Get this great e-book for getting started on a grain free lifestyle!
Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
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Gluten and MSG Hidden in Your Favorite Restaurant Dish?
Did you know this is used in many restaurant dishes!
My husband is a chef and he often lets me know about kitchen practices that make me cringe. Where he works is upscale and very clean but I don’t think many of us realize the shortcuts many restaurants use to save time and money. This is a beef stock product is used in soups, stews, sauces and gravies. This beef base is a broth/stock substitute and could really be used for anything in a busy kitchen where the cooks are looking to get flavor into a dish quickly.
Hidden Gluten and MSG
A closer look at the ingredients:
Hydrolized Soy Protein: is produced by boiling soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid which forms the flavor enhancer MSG. MSG has been only been used for the past 100 years as a food additive and gives many people immediate adverse reactions such as brain fog, migraines, diarrhea mood swings, and asthma.
Autolyzed Yeast Extract: is an ingredient that requires special labeling in the Europe and is associated with obesity. This ingredient causes excitotoxicity which leads to brain damage over time.
Carmel Color: is labeled in California as “known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” It is also commonly derived from wheat, a very common food allergen.
Maltodextrin: is a genetically modified (where viruses are inserted into the DNA of a plant to make it resistant to pesticides) sugar derived from corn. Maltodextrin can be made from wheat in Europe.
Disodium Guanylate: a cheaper cousin of MSG and the two are almost always used together in processed foods.
Natural Flavors: are made by “flavorists” in a labs by combining natural or synthetic chemicals (that does not sound good to me). This term has a very loose definition and these flavors can be derived from anything approved safe as a food, which can include gluten and MSG.
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil: is made through a process of adding hydrogen to vegetable oil for longer shelf life. This trans-fat raises dangerous LDL cholesterol and lowers healthy HDL ratios because it is hard to digest which causes excess inflammation.
Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil: is a cheap ingredient that was used to replace butter fat during war time. A great deal of refining, bleaching and deodorization is needed to reduce a natural insecticide found in the cottonseed before it can be safely consumed. Cottonseed oil come from the 3rd largest genetically modified crop on earth.
Consumer Beware: I have a gluten intolerance associated with my autoimmune disease and it makes me very nervous that restaurants would use this type of garbage. The key here is to ask a lot of questions and educate yourself. Try to go to a restaurant that uses farm-to-table cooking methods where they make things from scratch. The scary thing is that servers/staff may not even know these ingredients are being used or that they contain gluten/MSG. It is up to smart patrons to do some research before going out to eat. Choosing restaurants with gluten free menu’s may help and also asking to speak with the chef about the cooking methods. Cook at home and shop from farmer’s market’s as much as possible to avoid hidden gluten and MSG ingredients.
Sources:
Wikepedia.com
Livestrong.com
If you are looking for a great guide for cooking and eating real food to reclaim your health and lose weight. Click Here!
Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
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Zenbelly: Paleo Pop-Up Dinner Party
Zenbelly Pop Up Paleo Menu
Last Saturday night I attended a Paleo pop-up dinner party by Zenbelly organic catering which is owned my friend Simone Schifnadel. It was a great time for everyone involved. I had my own gang of friends but we saw other paleo peeps and made some new friends.
My Paleo Posse
The location was at Foodlab on market and 7th which is venue that can be rented out by different chefs to have impromptu dinner parties.
Organic salad with heirloom tomatoes and homemade balsamic dressing
The main course was a choice of grain free Paella or Ribeye steak from Fallon Hills Ranch . I got the steak that was cooked perfectly. My husband got the Paella which was a good size portion and very creative.
Grass Fed Ribeye with Chimichurri Sauce
Paleo Paella with Cauli-rice
Organic fries cooked in beef tallow with homemade mayo
Grain-free almond tart with coconut cream
I loved the tart made by The Goods gluten free bakery because it was dairy and grain free. Also the tart was not too sweet which was a nice, becasue I rarely eat sugar. There was also some great gluten free bread (and butter)that the others at the table loved.
It was so nice to eat somewhere that you don’t have to worry about gluten or rancid vegetable oils. Zenbelly is a great catering company that uses seasonal and local ingredients. The owner Simone Shifnadel is Paleo and gluten-free herself and puts some amazing recipes on her blog . It was great to know that the chef understood what we wanted. Thanks so much to Simone for putting this on. I am looking forward to the next one.
Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
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Lyfe Kitchen: A Healthy McDonald’s?
Lyfe Kitchen, Palo Alto-soon everywhere
Mike Roberts the former CEO of McDonald’s opened a healthier version of the restaurant recently in Palo Alto, CA appealing to people who care about what they eat and the planet. Roberts was famous for putting apple dippers on the menu at McDonald’s. The CEO is thinking big and wants to open 500 to 1,000 outposts of the restaurant across the country in the next several years. The new slogan for Lyfe Kitchen is “Love Your Food Everyday.” According to Roberts, “There are 80 million people who have become much more aware of the food they eat, and that’s going to continue as far out as we can see.”
Some good things about the new chain:
No white sugar
No white flour
No high-fructose corn syrup
No GMO’s
No trans fat
Nothing is fried (bad if fried in canola or soy oil)
No additives
Grass fed beef burgers available
Local, sustainable focus
Mostly organic food
Free range chicken without growth hormones/antibiotics
Extensive gluten free menu
Paleo friendly items: Baked sweet potato fries, roasted root veggies
No soft drinks
Ingredients listed on the menu
Green buildings
Olive oil used in cooking and dressings
Some of the downsides:
No butter
No cream
Wheat buns portrayed as healthy
Cost more than McDonald’s (but so does diabetes)
Grains promoted as healthy
Tofu virtuously called “Gardein”
Many egg yolk free items on breakfast menu
Focus on all meals being under 600 calories
They use canola oil (wonder where they find GMO free canola?)
Grass Fed Burger at Lyfe Kitchen
Grass Fed Girl’s take on Lyfe Kitchen:
I am excited about the possibility of having grass fed beef burgers on every corner in the near future. It would be great to have a place that is safe to eat when traveling away from my beloved SF. A restaurant with a focus on sustainability and organic local produce is a wonderful thing. It is important to remember that food being organic is the only shred of protection we have against unsafe and untested GMO’s. Having a national restaurant that uses organic food could be a great boost to environmentally friendly farmers and an asset in the fight against Monsanto/biotech!
Influential advisors:
This restaurant seems to have an agenda and it has some powerful and influential people on it’s advisory panel including Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. David Perlmutter, NBA Star Derek Fisher, and Gold Medalist Janet Evans. When leading doctors and athletes endorse an eating style it definitely has an influence on what the public believes. By featuring “gardein tofu”, “healthy whole grains”, cardboard egg whites, Lyfe Kitchen sends the message that a low/no meat diet is better for our health and the planet.
Faux Health Foods:
Nothing could be further from the truth considering that wheat buns and “ancient grains” can cause diabetes, autoimmune disease and depression/anxiety. Soy will impair muscle growth, slow metabolism, and increase estrogenic compounds contributing to obesity and cancer risk. Choline rich egg yolks prevent dementia and clear dangerous fat from the liver. The hard to digest egg whites on the menu are devoid of vitamins, minerals, and satiating healthy fats, are not helping anyone’s well-being.
Are butter and cream so bad?
This chain decided that butter and cream are bad for you but still features grass fed beef. Where is the logic in that? Why is grass fed beef healthy but organic (even better raw, grass-fed) cream and butter demonized? I do not see the difference. Butter and cream have healthy saturated fat essential for lucid brain and proper nervous system functioning.
Look to the past for health wisdom:
Rather than looking at a menu or today’s health experts to find proper nutrition we can look back at our hearty disease -free paleolithic ancestors from the past 2.6 million years who did not have access to agricultural foods like grains and legumes. We can also learn from our grandparents who lived long lives and had better health than the people today in part because they did not shun healthy animal products like egg yolks, cream, butter, bacon and lard.
Grains, inflammatory vegetable oils, high fructose corn syrup are the real nutritional bandits served at most fast food restaurants. If were able to order beef tallow fries, lettuce wrapped grass fed burgers with pastured bacon, along with unsweetened ice tea we would probably all be at an appropriate weight and free of disease.
Calories counting is not the answer:
Lyfe Kitchen has transparency on their menu about allergens and ingredient info but the focus on calories is unnecessary. What really matters is that food be full of vitamin and minerals so that it satisfies our inner appetite that craves deep nutrition. If we fulfill these needs with animal protein and saturated fats we will naturally eat less and have fewer carb cravings.
Lyfe Kitchen: So Close….
I applaud Lyfe Kitchen for their efforts toward sustainability and it is refreshing to see a new concept focused on changing the fast food industry in a positive way. I just wish that they check their facts and include heart and brain nourishing fats like lard, butter, cream, Virgin Coconut Oil, and beef tallow on the menu. I hope Lyfe Kitchen is a hit with the public so McDonald’s will get a run for it’s money. If Lyfe Kitchen prospers maybe they can undo some of the damage McDonald’s has done worldwide to people’s health and the environment.
Have you been to Lyfe Kitchen? What did you think?
More about Lyfe Kitchen Palo Alto on Yelp:
Sources:
Mercola.com
Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
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