Between prepping for classes, teaching classes, grading papers, keeping up a blog and writing a book, I don't always have time to cook home-cooked meals, so sometimes I do have take out food or go out to eat. I like going out to eat with my husband on the weekends. If I haven't had time to prepare anything, I try not to eat "fast food" that is devoid of any nutrition whatsoever.
I'm on the Paleo diet (no grains or sugar), so my options can be limited, but I've already identified take out food that works for me. One of my favorite places to go when I need a quick bite to eat is Central Market near my house in Seattle. They have the freshest salad bar I've ever seen. The lettuce and veggies look like they've just been plucked from the garden. The best part is they use compostable containers, so everything goes back to the earth.
My habit before, when I was in a hurry, was just to grab anything. The worst place to grab something, I've realized, is the staff table at work. It's so tempting when I'm hungry, but it's full of things that I know are not good for me (i.e. chocolate, candy, chips, coke, etc.). I used to just grab a cookie from the table and not think about it, but now I pause, think about it and turn away. I've been down that road already.
The great thing about healthy take out, is that it doesn't just give me a quick pick-me-up, it gives me nutrition that sustains me throughout my day and does not leaving me feeling hungry or crashed out from sugar.
I start with mixed greens and spinach, then I add veggies like broccoli, tomatoes, etc. and I always make sure I have protein on my salad. There is an excellent turkey salad (turkey, celery, mayo and cranberries) that I like to add for the protein or they also have hard-boiled eggs. There's also a very nice bean salad and a greek salad. I like to throw in a little fruit, like pineapple and put some nuts or seeds on top. I usually skip the salad dressing or I just add oil and vinegar. I top all this off with a Kombucha.
Have you heard of Kombucha? It's a natural, fermented drink with lots of naturally occurring vitamins and probiotics. These delicious drinks are very helpful for those with digestive issues. My favorite Kombucha is Gingerade by Synergy (G.T. Dave's).
So that's my favorite take out food.
Do you ever order take out? Do you like to go out to dinner or lunch? What do you eat when you need a quick meal?
