July 29, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Profile by Sanford.

If you’re like most people, you’re likely dining out more today than you did a year ago.

But that doesn’t mean you have to forego making healthy choices or leave your weight-management plan at the door.

Alyssa Burnison, lead dietitian at Profile by Sanford, looked into the menus at three local favorite dining spots from Vanguard Hospitality and found lots of go-to items.

Grille 26

If you’re a fan of the G26 salads, try the G26 chop or blackened salmon, Burnison said.

The chop is made with mixed greens, Italian salami, olive, marinated tomatoes, banana peppers, roasted red peppers, Parmesan, mozzarella and a red wine vinaigrette.

The blackened salmon salad includes Atlantic salmon, mixed greens, sauteed peppers and onions, snap peas, scallions, Roma tomatoes, candied walnuts, a hard-boiled egg and honey balsamic dressing.

“Both these salads are very complete meals with a lot of protein and vegetables,” Vanguard CEO Ken Bashore said. “Our guests love them, so we’re glad the Profile team does too.”

You can order a burger here too. Burnison recommends the G26 burger, which is served with bibb lettuce, onion and tomato, and choosing fresh fruit or a side salad as your side.

For an entree, order the teriyaki steak stir-fry, vermicelli noodle bowl or steak lettuce wraps.

And you even can have a pizza. Burnison chose the Mediterranean, which is topped with pesto, roasted and sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red onion, fresh mozzarella and feta.

“We have an entire menu of really freshly sourced ingredients,” Bashore said. “These are some fantastic recommendations, plus there are new features often, which always include healthy options.”

Minervas

This downtown favorite dining spot gets a gold star from Burnison for its seafood. She recommends the salmon asparagus salad or the honey pepper salmon.

“Those also happen to be two guest favorites,” Vanguard chief operating officer Tim Meagher said. “We use an award-winning sustainable Scottish salmon handcrafted in a traditional smokehouse that’s an excellent choice if you’re trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Just going for an appetizer? Burnison chose another local favorite: South Dakota beef chislic.

And the side salad always works as your side choice, she said.

“We also consulted with Profile in redesigning our popular Market Bar,” Meagher said.

“With their input, we made sure we had enough options that guests can have both healthy and unique experiences with each trip through the Market Bar, including locally sourced produce and vegan dishes.”

Morrie’s Steakhouse

Start your Morrie’s meal to remember with the jumbo tiger shrimp cocktail, Burnison suggested.

And for your main course, go with the 6-ounce pecan bacon-wrapped filet mignon and choose asparagus spears, an oven-roasted sweet potato or roasted root vegetables as your side.

You even can add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

“Morrie’s is all about exceptional meats, seafoods and an overall first-class experience,” Meagher said. “So you’ll find the proteins and vegetables absolutely complement a healthy lifestyle.”

Dining-out tips

Looking for more options? Just follow Burnison’s overall dining-out tips:

Sip smart. No matter what I choose to drink, I always ask for a water. That way, if I decide to drink alcohol or another beverage, I can still hydrate. And I’m generally pretty mindful about what beverage I’m choosing since soda, juices and cocktails usually contain a lot of added sugars. If I do decide to drink alcohol, I try to pick a lower-sugar wine or cocktail.

Pick your protein. Scan the menu for a lean source of protein. Since I don’t cook a lot of fish at home, my protein pick is usually salmon. Plus, restaurants prepare it way better than I ever could.

Bring the right heat. Most of the time, the dining-out occasion, my mood or what I’m craving leads me to choose how I want my dish prepared. If I’m feeling like I want to choose a more nutrient-dense dish, I pick foods that are either baked, grilled, steamed, sauteed or roasted versus something that is crispy, fried or crunchy.

Get some color on your plate. I aim to make half of my plate full of nonstarchy vegetables, whether that be grilled, roasted or sauteed vegetables or a salad. Why are salads always so much better at restaurants than at home?!

Fill up on fiber. If I’m looking to add another source of carbohydrate, I look for a fiber-rich starch like quinoa, sweet potato or a whole-grain bun.

Be sauce savvy. Nowadays, it seems most restaurants serve dressings on the side, but I always ask, just to be sure. You can also ask for sauces to be served on the side too; that way you can control the amount to your liking.

Most importantly, create a mindful dining experience you enjoy and feel confident in:

• Be present. Take a moment to put your phone away and appreciate your company.
• Listen. Being present allows you to truly listen to the words your company is sharing.
• Eat with your senses. Notice the sights and smells of your food. Take time to actually taste and savor each bite.
• Appreciate. Take a moment to appreciate and feel grateful for the food you have in front of you and the people that surround you.
• Reflect. Spend time reflecting on your dining-out experience.

Staying in

Feel like staying home tonight, but need dinner in a pinch? Profile offers a variety of convenient and nutritious meals to help you make mealtime a breeze! Try the new Kevin’s Natural Foods meal starters now available in stores.

They offer heat-and-eat entrees to make eating healthy easier on busy days. You’ll find Korean-style BBQ Chicken, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Roasted Garlic Chicken and Thai-style Coconut Chicken available. Click here to learn more.