Posted by Renée Suen in fruit and vegetables, products, salad, vegetarian on June 4, 2008 at 7:58 am

It seems like everyone's seeking refuge in lighter fare these days, with most finding refreshment in the cool crispness of lettuce leaves or sweet juicy tomatoes. However, increasing interest in foods that have been grown organically or naturally has put the spotlight on another leafy green that has been finding favour within our food community. Seaweed has been used as food by many, particularly those in East Asia, and is now showing up in many Western areas (albeit confined mainly to those restaurants serving Asian food). This sea vegetable is high in vitamins and calcium, and while most may associate it as only the purplish-black sheet that keeps hands clean when picking up a sushi role, or perhaps as agar used to gelatinize prepared foods, seaweed is a delicious product all on its own. Seaweed comes in all shapes and sizes, as highlighted below, and is scrumptious when it is served as a simple salad. I'll gladly take this tasty alternative over any boring bowl of salad greens.

Marinated sheets of chewy wakame (above) sit on a bed of soft mixed greens, and is topped with shredded onion and crab meat at Chef Hiro Yoshida's Hiro Sushi Restaurant (171 King East). This is a refreshing balance of cool vegetables from the land and sea.

Posted by Lauren Simmons in fruit and vegetables, product comparison, salad, shops on March 13, 2008 at 7:53 am

The pre-packaged take-out salad is a fickle beast, typified by soggy iceberg lettuce with a well-loved grilled chicken breast, a few nuts or slices of red pepper, and a choice of any number of healthy and not-so-healthy dressings. At price points above most other menu items, fast food salads are not the ideal choice for the food-lover in search of a lunch that is wholesome, fresh and fast. Nonetheless, there are a few options that combine grab-and-go convenience with finer food quality. Between the mainstream and high-end supermarket salad bars, and the new "build-your-own" salad restaurants, the exacting herbivore need not compromise on value and freshness. Looking at the variety and quality of the goods, the bang for your buck and the grab-and-go factor, it's clear that there is now a lot of choice for greens on the go. But how do the competitors stack up?

Posted by Arvin Cantos in restaurant review, salad on August 13, 2007 at 8:02 am

Lettuce Eatery
1560 Yonge Street (with other locations)
416-944-2300
Lunch for two with all taxes, tip and juice: $28

Canadians are becoming greener. We’re calling on our government to enact the Kyoto protocol and reduce industries’ emissions. We’re even driving more hybrid cars. We are fast becoming true global citizens but it’s not just the environment we’re trying to clean up, it’s ourselves as well, beginning with our bodies. We are becoming greener in all senses of the word.

Which is why Lettuce Eatery is such a hit. Launching only two years ago and having expanded into five locations around the city, it’s proving that Torontonians are starting to look at their health seriously and making better eating decisions.