Filtering by Tag: healthy,Wilton

Playa Bowls Opens in Fairfield: Acai Bowls & Smoothies For All!

Restaurant Fairfield healthy Smoothies Acai Bowl Lunch Breakfast

CTbites Team

Acai: the dark purple berry from the lush jungles of the Amazon has made its way to the recently opened Playa Bowls kitchen in Fairfield. With almost 50 locations, Playa Bowls has quickly grown from an idea in New Jersey to a nationwide phenomenon that highlights Acai, the berry that makes it all happen.

Acai contains the nutrients that provide a natural energy boost that doesn’t overload the stomach. Playa Bowls uses this berry to its best ability by complementing it with concoctions of other fruits and intricate, yet simple, twists of decadent flavors that are rarely seen in a bowl.


Heibeck’s in Wilton: American Roadside Fare Since 1931

Restaurant Wilton Take Out ice cream Burgers Hot Dogs Tacos Comfort Food American Lunch Kid Friendly homepage Homepage

Brett Levy

Escape to a different era where comfort food is locally sourced, you are served with compassion and a smile on a garden patio, and you can experience a country feel that makes our fast-paced world slow down just a bit. This cute date (BYO), family fun and good vibe spot is something special to CT that you simply shouldn’t miss.

Heibeck’s in Wilton opened in 1931 and has been family run for four generations. Back then, George Heibeck and Katherine Dhly Heibeck stayed up all night to hand churn over 100 of their original ice cream flavors to perfection, and then served the creamy goodness to their loyal customers daily. Though their ice cream is no longer produced on premises, the family prides itself upon the use of local food sources.  


Guide To Healthy Eats in CT: 2018 Edition

Restaurant healthy Juice Cleanse Juice Bar Organic Vegan Vegetarian Specialty Market Special Dietary Needs Best of CT Homepage

April Guilbault

We are only a few short weeks into this brand-spanking new year, and TVs are blaring with eating program ads, magazine covers are screaming about how to “Lose 10 lbs. in a week!” and gyms are overflowing with people running for their lives on treadmills (Run, Forrest, Run!). Naturally, the CTBites answer to the holiday indulgences? EAT! Ok, ok…eat…HEALTHILY! Our fair state is brimming with amazing grocers, restaurants, and speciality stores that can help you get back on track after a season of going full-tilt boogie with the eating and drinking. The best part is that everything is so delicious and interesting. Branch out this year and try some new flavors and foods…goji berries, Matcha, Cauliflower pizza crust (wha!), Jackfruit! Dive in and explore. Here are some venues that will help you do just that. One more note: We fully realize that due to the sheer amount of noteworthy establishments, we are not able to list them all here. Please refer to our past Healthy Eats roundups for more listings and also, please chime in with places that you know and love. The more the merrier! 


Zoni Foods, Delicious Plant-Based Frozen Meals: A Conversation with CEO & Founder Zoë Lloyd

Interview Features New Haven Interview healthy Vegetarian Vegan

Amy Kundrat

What should I make for dinner? This daily lament is the million billion dollar question fueling a booming meal kit industry. Weekly deliveries of fresh ingredients with easy-to-follow recipes offer the promise of an easy weeknight dinner. However, a growing segment of this audience such as young professionals and busy families is seeking something even simpler, less time consuming, and healthier.


My Mix Creative Kitchen: Healthy Eats & Bold Flavors in Greenwich

Restaurant Breakfast Lunch healthy Greenwich Salads To-Go Take Out Vegetarian Vegan

Jessica Ryan

Mix Creative Kitchen is the latest to grace the ever-growing and increasingly popular health-focused, quick serve restaurants in the area. Located near the bottom of Greenwich Avenue on Elm Street, a brightly lit café style eatery now occupies the longtime vacant space. The restaurant was created on the premise of bringing together “fast food” and “real food,” a theme that seems to be trending in Fairfield County. As I walked in and surveyed the premises, noting the salad and bowl areas as well as the items in the refrigerated sections I was reminded of other local favorites; The Granola Bar, Organika, B.GOOD and Freshii and was curious to see how this would stack up against the competition.


Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse to Open Old School Pizza Spot in Wilton

Restaurant Wilton Pizza Kid Friendly Lunch Italian Openings

CTbites Team

This just in from GoodMorning Wilton...

It’s big news in the foodie world when you hear that the Schoolhouse at Cannondale chef and owner Tim LaBant is expanding his culinary footprint and opening up a second restaurant. The award-winning chef is known for melding farm-to-table creativity with fine dining, so you can only imagine what kind of white tablecloth, haute cuisine will spring from LaBant’s imagination.

Pizza.

That’s right, LaBant will be opening up a pizza place, called Parlor, right here in Wilton, in a space at River Park Shopping Center.

Yep, a pizza place in a shopping center. Light years from what you think of when you think Tim LaBant, Schoolhouse Restaurant chef/owner.

LaBant laughs at the image. “There’s a reason for that.”

He wanted to open Parlor in the center of town and for it to have a different vibe–something of a cross between the old school pizza parlors that CT is known for and a lively, great, neighborhood space.

“I think there’s something humble about an old school pizza parlor. Look at like a place like Pepe’s, something that’s just got linoleum everywhere. It’s got an amazing product and they’re packed all the time for a reason, because their product is great, and they care about one thing–pizza and the people that are there,” LaBant says.


The Pastry Hideaway Bakery & Cafe Opens in Wilton

Restaurant Wilton Bakery Breakfast Lunch Dessert

Fairfield County Foodie

My heart did a somersault at the first bite of the pain au chocolat. The Pastry Hideaway - Bakery & Cafe  had nailed it.  This breakfast favorite was remarkably flaky, the exterior bearing that unmistakably delicate crunch. Every bite caused teeny-tiny flaky crumbs to scatter all over my hands and napkin.  A lot of butter must have gone into that perfection, but heck,  it's worth it.  With lovely dark chocolate enveloped in its soft and chewy interior… each bite was pure joy. 

The Pastry Hideaway - Bakery & Cafe recently opened their doors in downtown Wilton.  At the helm is Culinary Institute of America grad Pamela Graham.  Her life has taken her to many places around the world.  She moved back to Wilton from Johannesburg with her family a couple of years ago.  Before opening Pastry Hideaway she was most recently working at Bouchon bakery in New York.  


Cocoanuts Thai Rolled Ice Cream & Dessert Truck Launches w/ Vegan, Gluten Free Menu

Restaurant Food Truck Dessert ice cream Coffee healthy Norwalk Kid Friendly

Stephanie Webster

Tyler Moss is rolling into town, quite literally, with a new Thai rolled ice cream and dessert truck that elevates this food trend to the next level. After nearly dying from an allergic reaction to a peanut, Moss, who previously ran the popular Bun Burger Bun allergen friendly food truck, is reaching out to his fan base again and providing a healthier dessert option in the form of outrageously creative frozen desserts, coffee, and hot cocoa. Cocoanuts is the name to look for, and the truck will be parked outside the South Norwalk Ice Rink starting in late October. What’s on the menu? Cocoanuts will be serving up non -dairy, gluten free, vegan desserts to the hungry masses using coconut cream, coconut milk, and other allergen friendly ingredients. The best part...these desserts are so rich and delicious, you would never know they are allergen free.


Summer Microgreen, Kale and Blueberry Salad Recipe via Embody

Features Recipe Recipe Farmers Market healthy

Stephanie Webster

Embody believes in eating local, keeping things simply and honoring ourselves by eating real food! This summer salad with edible Nasturium flowers makes for a beautiful dish to bring to parties or just to enjoy on your own. Takes only 15 minutes to make! Also, the majority of the ingredients are LOCAL (from the Westport CT Farmers Market) and all are organic. 


Anthony Kostelis' Kohlrabi & Radish Salad with Goat Feta and Zesty Breadcrumbs Recipe

Recipe Recipe healthy Farmers Market

Stephanie Webster

Chef Anthony Kostelis will be one of the many guest chefs at The Westport Farmers' Market for the 2017 summer season. The complete lineup will be released shortly. In the meantime, Chef Kostelis has shared one of the recipes he will be demoing at the market, Kohlrabi & Radish Salad with Goat Feta and Zesty Breadcrumbs, made with local ingredients from CT farms.  When you create this salad at home we encourage you to seek local purveyors at a farmers' market near you. 

Kohlrabi and Radish Salad with Goat Feta and Zesty Breadcrumbs

Serves 2

Prep time:  20 minutes


Embody Fitness Gourmet Opens New Location in Darien

Restaurant Darien healthy Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Take Out

Stephanie Webster

After nine years, EMBODY FITNESS GOURMET has a new location in Darien, at the Palmer’s Market Shopping Center (380 Heights Road). This is one of three Embody grab-n-go healthy organic locations; the others residing in New Canaan and Westport. 

Embody is our go-to spot for protein shakes, juices, and salads. In Darien, they have also started serving Intelligentsia coffee--one of the top coffee roasters in the country. Embody's menu embraces all forms of lean proteins and nutrient dense vegetables and fruits in their menu creations, many of which pair well together allowing customers to mix and match items for an entire day's worth of nutrition. My personal favorite...The Almond Buzz, a perfect combination of almond butter, almond milk, bananas, cacao and protein powder. 


Easter Cooking: Wild Alaskan Halibut A La Cataplana Recipe c/o Chef Renato Donzelli of Basso Cafe       

Recipe Features Recipe Seafood Chef Talk Holiday healthy

Stephanie Webster

Cataplana is a Portuguese seafood dish originating in the southern region of Portugal in Algarve, and it is about as traditional a Portuguese dish as you can get. It uses a copper cooking device also called a Cataplana which unique to the Algarve region. If you don’t have this vessel you simply can use a pan with a lid.

This dish we are going to make is a variation using a fresh fish like Halibut, littleneck clams, and Spanish chorizo. Cataplana is perfect for making this dish because it efficiently contains the flavor and heat of the contents in the dish to provide a uniquely flavored and scented dish, simply without any fuss.


One-Tray Chicken Dinner Recipe via Chopped Champion Silvia Baldini

Recipe Recipe healthy Chef Talk

Silvia Baldini

Mushrooms are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D and they promote immune boosting functions by increasing production of antiviral proteins. Some of my favorite mushrooms are Shiitake. They are simply delicious and they taste particularly divine in this, always fool-proof, oven roasted lemon and parsley chicken one-tray recipe. It takes 35 minute in the oven and minimal prepping. Even my children, those little rascals always poo-pooing mushrooms, after falling from their chairs laughing when they heard the word SHIITAKE, gobbled these ones down! 


Back to The Schoolhouse At Cannondale For Vegetarian Wednesdays

Restaurant Vegetarian Wilton Special Dietary Needs Homepage American Farm to Table CT Farms

Jessica Ryan

Poised to celebrate its 10th year with Chef Tim LeBant at the helm, The Schoolhouse at Cannondale has long been on my radar. When a friend recently asked me to dinner I jumped at the chance. Nestled among the charming shops at the Cannondale train station, the one room schoolhouse is as delightful from the exterior as it is inside. A small entryway outfitted with a tiny bar area is separated from the dining area by a small curtained doorway, while many framed accolades set the mood for an excellent meal.