Hot Eats/Cool Seats

After a few months of dining on burgers, pizza, cheese steaks and tacos, the team at VYPE decided I needed to find some places in the area where high school athletes could go for a heart healthy meal to help fuel the body for peak performance. I tried a mix bag of local spots where folks can get salads, fresh fish, something organic and even a place where the meal comes in a cup. My first stop on my road trip was Tossed, a new salad and sandwich place in Morrisville on Davis Drive. I had my three kids with me, and I was glad they had a kids menu that would appeal to them as I dove into the Southwest Blackened Chicken Salad. The crisp romaine blackened chicken, chopped tomatoes, tortilla strips, black bean/corn salsa, feta and avocado came with a citrus chipotle dressing that had just the right amount of bite and spice to keep my mouth jumping. Tossed has 15 salads on the menu plus sandwiches, crepes, soups and melts. They also offer a Student Special from 10:30 - 11:30 am that runs just $6.50. For kids on the go, it's a healthy option that costs about as much as a trip through a local drive through. My next stop was at Sweet Tomatoes. There are two locations in the area, Cary and Raleigh, and I lined up at the salad buffet in Raleigh. I like Sweet Tomatoes because you can make the exact salad you want but also indulge in the soups, pasta and other food they offer to help fill the belly. I made a spinach salad (because I'm strong to the finish) with chicken, eggs, olives, mushrooms, broccoli and cucumbers and went with some honey mustard dressing on the side. I skipped the pastas and muffins this time around but I did add a bowl of the low-fat Big Chunk Chicken Noodle soup. Next, I went under the sea to get a good dose of Omega 3 to help keep the old ticker ticking. I picked Blue Fins Bistro in Wake Forest. To be honest, it's one of my favorite local restaurants and I've been waiting for an opportunity to include them in Hot Eats/Cool Seats. I thought about including the Blue Crab burger in October's Cheeseburger column but think this is a better fit. Blue Fins is known for the fresh, grilled fish, and I had the blackened salmon to get my heart healthy fix. I had the rice and veggies on the side to complete my meal and really enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere at Blue Fins Bistro. For my next stop, I dropped in at Zely and Ritz Tapas Restaurant in downtown Raleigh. I had been here before for two of their pairings dinner including one last summer that had tomatoes as part of each course. The vast majority of ingredients used at Zely & Ritz are always sourced from local organic farms including Coon Rock Farm in Hillsborough. I started with the Organic Mixed Green Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette followed by the Pan Seared NC Shrimp with Lemongrass Sauce. To stay healthy, I doubled up on the sautéed local greens instead of dipping into the creamy risotto with rutabaga and Red Russian Kale Finished with Asiago Cheese and Neck Pumpkin "Lasagna" with Chapel Hill Creamery quark cheese that was calling my name. For my final stop, I decided to forgo chewing and drink in all the goodness that Smoothie King had to offer. I had the Caribbean Way Smoothie that includes papaya, bananas, strawberries, turbinado and honey. The Caribbean Way is listed as part of the Snack Right smoothies that are low in fat and a great way to take the edge of your hunger. I got a 32 ounce medium that weighted in at 592 calories and 0 fat. Honestly, it was a meal unto itself. I could have shaved about 100 calories from the drink by making it skinny but who would I be kidding? Well, that wraps up my heart healthy choices for February's Hot Eats/Cool Seats. Next month I'm going taking one for the team and diginto the best barbeque in the Triangle. If you have ideas of where I should try, let me know at rich.williams@vype.com.