It’s almost too good to be true: Now through November 8, when you enjoy signature heart-healthy selections at Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House and Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, 10 percent of your food bill will support the 2014 Philadelphia Heart Walk mounted by Penn Medicine Heart & Vascular Center for the American Heart Association.
That’s quite a mouthful, and shows a lot of heart on the part of the hospitals and restaurants involved. And although it’s a heart-smart move, you don’t have to select only the heart-healthy menu items tagged with the Penn Medicine logo: 10 percent of your entire food bill, through November 8, will go to this worthy cause. Just bring in a coupon or show a Penn Medicine-affiliated employee ID to your server.
PA Eats caught up with Kimberly Knipe, MBA, RD, LDN, Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital’s coordinator of Community Nutrition and Outreach to get the skinny on why eating for your heart’s health is important and how it most certainly can be a tasty experience, especially since the restaurants involved are part of the Dave Magrogan Group family.
“There’s a long-standing relationship with Dave Magrogan, so it was a natural that these two restaurants would get involved with fundraising for the 2014 Philadelphia Heart Walk,” Kim explained. “It’s a great way to raise money in ways other than walking.”
Eyes bigger than your belly when you’re out? Bonus: a Penn Medicine dietitian consulted with the restaurants to create some special and delish dishes that will keep you satisfied. Still need some help? Kim has some simple advice to keep you on the straight, narrow and flavor-filled path.
Top 5 Rules to Succeed in Eating Heart-Healthy
Rule #1: When you dine out, remember that every meal out doesn’t have to be a special occasion. Instead of “treating” yourself each time, find something with tons of gorgeous and fiber-rich veggies and fruits plus a lean protein, and go easy on the starchy side. Aim for half your plate to be veggies and fruits from all colors of the rainbow plus one serving (around 6 ounces) of protein. Then that last quarter of the plate may be a starch.
Rule #2: You can eat quite a bit if you follow rule #1 and also keep an eye on soups, sides, sauces and salad dressings. Restaurant plates often are lavished with fat, sugar and salt, and although they make your meal taste great, they are not heart-healthy choices. That beautiful glow on your entrée or your veggies probably got that way by finishing them off in butter or oil, so feel free to ask for less, because less is more and still can be quite yummy. Request:
Sautéed entrée, but with the smallest amount of oil possible and no butter on top.
Entrees and side dishes without finishing sauces, or with them on the side.
Salads without dressing, or with it on the side.
Steamed veggies rather than those that are creamed, cheesy or fried.
Broth-based soups over bisques, creamy or cheesy options.
Rule #3: You don’t have to choose fish for heart health, although it’s a great option depending on how it’s prepared. You don’t want to “ruin” a healthy-fat fish with rich and fat-filled toppings. See rule #2, and that goes for beef, chicken and pork, too. Lean cuts of beef are fine, but select the 6-oz. versus the 12-oz. Chicken and pork tend to be lean as long as you select roasted or baked over fried.
Rule #4: Carbs aren’t the enemy if you remember “all things in moderation.” Keep that type of filling side dish to one-quarter of the plate, and ask for pasta with marinara rather than alfredo, potatoes roasted or baked instead of fried and all carbs free of the indulgences in rule #2. You can almost always substitute a salad or veggie for chips, fries or other carbs, and if it’s an extra dollar or two remember it’s well worth it for heart health.
Rule #5: You can ask for things to be different than the way they’re offered on the menu. Restaurant staff want you to return, so they want you to be happy. It never hurts to ask, and if the chef can’t accommodate a specific request, in most cases it’ll open a conversation about options. Watching what you eat because you have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, or simply because you’re trying to change your lifestyle, is no different than needing accommodations for celiac disease or a shellfish or peanut allergy.
“Restaurants have patrons who are demanding healthier options,” Kim added. “So speak up. And remember you can always box some of it up and take it home. Most restaurant dinner entrees are almost two full servings, so ask for a box to come with your entree or for half your meal to come boxed to go. Great leftovers!”
Last tip: If you’re going to share an entrée, get your own salad to make sure you get enough veggies. Employ rule #2 for that side salad, and you’ll still feel full.
Here’s a taste of the heart-healthy specials for this special promotion. Look for the Penn Medicine logo on Doc’s and Harvest’s menus when making your choice.
Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House
- Whoa Doctor sushi: sriracha ahi tuna, cucumber, topped with a crispy fried carrot.
- Steamed edamame appetizer: tossed in Old Bay seasoning.
- Wasabi pea-crusted ahi tuna appetizer: seared rare, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce.
- Ahi tuna Nicoise salad: grilled ahi tuna, chilled green beans, baby bliss potatoes, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers with lemon herb vinaigrettes.
- Salmon & baby spinach salad: grilled Atlantic salmon, pickled red onions, sun-dried cherries, goat cheese with Pommery mustard vinaigrette.
- Doc’s Grilled Combo: shrimp, scallops, salmon, roasted potatoes, garlic-herb butter, seasonal vegetables.
- Grilled Atlantic salmon, scallops or ahi tuna: served with roasted fingerling potatoes, truffled cauliflower mash and seasonal vegetables, or over salad with choice of dressing.
Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar
Note: most items at this restaurant are 500 calories or less unless noted on the menu.
- Edamame 3 Ways appetizer: salty, spicy and sweet.
- Brick oven-roasted acorn squash: quinoa, dates, figs, toasted almonds, brown sugar glaze.
- Local bison burger: spring mix, Le Bus onion roll.
- Portobello “cheesesteak”: sweet roasted peppers, caramelized onions, baby arugula, Hope Springs Farm cheddar, toasted baguette.
- Sesame tuna salad: edamame salad, wasabi sweet soy vinaigrette.
- Cedar-roasted Atlantic salmon: asparagus, baby carrots, roasted fingerling potatoes.
- Red quinoa salad (vegetarian): grilled zucchini, oven roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, baby spinach, sheep’s milk feta, toasted walnut drizzle.
- Spicy tofu stir-fry (vegetarian): baby bok choy, carrots, red and yellow peppers, snow peas, pineapple, Japanese eggplant.
- Sweet potato mash side dish.
Grab the kids, friends and family and head to Doc Magrogan’s in West Chester or Philadelphia, or Harvest in Glen Mills or Philadelphia. And remember to follow Kim’s heart-healthy dining out tips so you can take care of your ticker and donate to help others. Interested in the 2014 Philadelphia Heart Walk? Learn more and get involved.
This message is brought to you by Penn Medicine.
- Quinoa Salad Photo: Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar
- Sliders Photo: Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar
