Place St. Charles Serves Up Good Health

3 simple rules to eating well anywhere!

Healthy eating is NOT about strict nutrition tables or starving yourself. Healthy eating IS about having more energy and feeling great while generally avoiding foods that put you at risk. But don't be the food police. If you occasionally enjoy a favorite dessert of fried food, that is OK too.

Following these few simple rules when eating at the Place St. Charles Food Court, or anywhere, make it possible to choose foods that improve your health.

PAY ATTENTION. Make eating a conscious activity. Mindful eating means paying attention to what you order and what you eat, savoring each bite, and choosing foods that are both nourishing and enjoyable. Being mindful about food also means eating until you are not quite full.

NAKED & FRESH. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber vitamins and minerals and also low in fat. When dining, be aware of highly caloric additions such as salad dressings, cheese, sour cream, etc. and “undress” your salad or baked potato. Making your choice healthier is as simple as removing or limiting the condiments or asking for the sauce on the side. The fresher the better - and healthier. Dishes that are stewed in gravy, fried, smothered in sauce are usually high in fat. Grilled meats and fish, as well as steamed or raw vegetables have much higher nutritional value and are lower in saturated fats and calories.

PORTION SIZE. At many restaurants, a single serving provides enough for at least two meals. If you can't order a smaller portion, it is a good rule of thumb to leave at least one-third to one-half of the meal on your plate. Sharing entrees, appetizers and desserts with dining partners is a great idea. It allows you to sample something that you really want to have while also helping you avoid the temptation to overindulge. Avoid combo meals — they often have larger portions and extra calories.

Lastly, as an overall way of life, drink more water, consume less salt and exercise regularly. If you do nothing else, these three small changes in your daily life can have a big payoff in terms of heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.

The restaurants in Place St. Charles make it easy to choose healthy and nutritious meals. We've selected our healthy favorites to share with you...

• Hotsy's Burger — As the name implies, they do burgers well here and if you keep your “dressing” to lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, the steak burger and the turkey burger are excellent choices. Another fun alternative is the baked potato with broccoli and mushrooms.
• Koboshi — How can you go wrong with steamed vegetables or edamame? They're very low in fat and full of protein. When ordering sushi (6 pieces of sushi for just $4.29 — what a deal!) ask for the low sodium soy sauce. Check out their baked salmon and grilled to order items.
• Lee's Dynasty — The stir fry Shrimp & Veggies and Spicy Chicken & Veggies are our top picks for satisfying lunch entrees. Remember there are only 87 calories in a cup of white rice and only 2% fat. The Egg Drop Soup and the Hot & Sour Soup are both delicious and filling.
• Mrs. Field's — If you need something sweet for dessert, Mrs. Fields serves low-fat frozen yogurt that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
• Papa's Pizza - It's hard to think healthy and pizza in the same sentence but when mindful of portion size, a slice of Veggie Pizza, Tomato Basil Pizza or plain Cheese Pizza is a fine midday selection. Like all good pizza joints, they have a good salad bar too.
• The Purple Cactus — There's a lot more to Mexican Food than you might expect. Made from scratch with fresh ingredients, there are several healthy choices on this menu. Our favorites here are the Grilled Veggie Salad or the Cancun Seafood Salad. Fish tacos, Black Bean Burrito and Veggie Whole Wheat Quesedilla are also all excellent lunch items.
• Rick's Grille - Fresh sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and green peppers; hold the cheese for a leaner lunch. Or taste Rick's mouth-watering grilled chicken breast sautéed with onions and other vegetables of your choice.
• Sir Gyro's - Sir Gyros' super healthy, flavorful, Mediterranean salad topped with marinated skinless chicken is an obvious choice. Or substitute a gyro if you prefer. The homemade hummus can't be beat and is very low in cholesterol, is a good source of vitamin B6, manganese and protein.
• St. Charles Noodle — Decidedly Asian influenced, the grilled shrimp salad, grilled pork, chicken or shrimp vermicelli bowls, spring rolls, or tofu dishes offer unlimited healthy choices. They also have a wonderful selection of clear soups.
• Steve's Diner — This friendly, traditional diner serves up food that is anything but. Gourmet style deli sandwiches are their specialty and since they're made with premium meats and whole grain breads, it is easy to build a healthy, sandwich here. We also like the salads and the daily Hot Veggie Plate - 4 veggies for $5.99.
• Sweet Leslie's — Though desserts are the passion, Sweet Leslie's offers several good-for-you lunch options such as homemade tuna or chicken salads, light on the dressing, served on a bed of crisp lettuce.
• Terrazu — New to the building, Terrazu's claim to fame is premium fresh brewed gourmet coffees. But it doesn't stop there. The menu is packed with light, fresh sandwiches and salads such as the Mandarin Chicken Salad made with diced chicken breast, avocado, honey roasted peanuts, mandarin orange and diced red pepper over a bed of baby mixed greens with a side of sesame ginger dressing. They also have a fine selection of house made dressings such as the house tarragon vinaigrette, pepper jelly vinaigrette, sesame ginger vinaigrette, spinach vinaigrette*, spicy creole tomato*, creamy blue cheese*, buttermilk ranch, honey dijon and simple balsamic vinaigrette (*denotes sugar free which is a plus for salad eaters trying to watch calories).

Eating healthy on the run can be easier than you think at the Place St. Charles Food Court, 201 St. Charles Avenue on the second floor. With so many healthy choices, join us for a delicious and nutritious lunch every day.