Did you know that cherries are a great source of Vitamin C, and walnuts help reduce the risk of heart disease? Two great reasons on why you should eat a Cherry Nut Muffin at Souplantation / Sweet Tomatoes this month.

Not a walnut fan, try our Fat Free Medley Muffins, 96% Fat Free and still 100% of flavor

Our bran muffin is packed with crushed pineapple, diced peaches and tart cherries.

Did you know that strawberries are the only fruit with its seeds – 200 of them – on the outside? With only 55 calories per cup, six strawberries provide your daily dose of Vitamin C; they’re berry, amazing and delicious.

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It has been my recent dream to go to the White House and meet Michelle Obama and gab with her. Ironically, we at Souplantation / Sweet Tomatoes were contacted by the International Corporate Chefs Association (ICAA) to give, not me, but someone I am close to, that dream. The ICAA have joined together for the first time with White House Chef Sam Kass to launch an initiative to help educate the next generation of kids about healthy eating.  Our culinary services manager, Michael Schwanemann (who also provides yummy recipes on this blog), has been asked to be part of this exciting program.

The White House announced the “Chefs Move to Schools” program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program will pair chefs with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools’ dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.  With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever.

The chefs that had the pleasure of attending had the fun of going on the White House grounds, visit the White House garden, hear the First Lady (and other celebrity speakers) speak in person, and have the experience of being part of the launch of an exciting new initiative.   Souplantation / Sweet Tomatoes  is excited to be a part of this program and for Mike to be representing the company this week.

I am so happy for Mike! I asked him to come back with many photos so I can live my dream through his visit. Hopefully we can report on his visit soon and our upcoming program with Chefs to Move School. Stay tuned!

Mike is there right now!!! here are some photos he just sent minutes ago!!

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March is National Nutrition Month® (NNM)—a campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and its Foundation. It is appropriate and fitting that March is National Nutrition Month since it is in between winter and spring. Winter holiday gatherings have passed and left many of us with cherished memories and frequently unwanted weight gain!

Medicinenet.com has some great tips to staying healthy and fit. Check it out here http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=12728 and send us a reply to let us know how you stay healthy!

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February is almost over. Did you get your potato fix?

Potatoes have great nutritional value that many are not aware of. The United States Potato Board is a great source for gaining more knowledge to becoming a master on taters! Below are some fun and healthy facts about potatoes. The most popular fact people loved is:

One medium-size potato (5.3 ounces) has just 110 calories and is fat- and sodium- free

For more information and healthy facts on potatoes visit www.potatogoodness.com.

In addition to our famous baked potatoes, we havesweet potatoes to take pleasure in all month long.

Sweet Potatoes are healthy for many reasons, below are just to name a few:

1. Sweet Potatoes are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
2. Sweet Potatoes give nutrients that are beneficial to lower blood pressure.
3. Sweet Potatoes are a good source for people involved in heavy muscular work because it is high in vitamins and minerals.
4. Sweet Potatoes are a good food for diabetics, because it helped stabilize blood sugar level.

Now for the fun:

Win! Three lucky readers will win dining passes for two for Souplantation /Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant. To enter -
*Tell us your favorite blog from February thus far and why
*Repost one of our Blogs on your own blog, or send a link from your facebook or twitter
*Become a Fan of Souplantation on Facebook.
*Follow Souplantation Twitter and tweet about this contest (you can do this daily) Copy & Paste: Be 1 of 3 to win dining passes for 2 for Souplantation /Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant - Follow their blog!
We will choose winners on Friday,  February 26, 2010. The winners will have 48 hours to respond.

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When we say it, we mean it! Once produce is picked from the field, it is on a refrigerated truck on its way to our restaurants in 24-hours. If that’s not fresh, I don’t know what is.

We have our vendors, farmers, and purveyors to thank for the freshness and crispness of the products we serve you. And with a growing number of consumers concerned about where their food is grown and sourced, we thought profiling a few of our providers would demonstrate just how passionate we are about them and the work they do. Watch for these profiles throughout the year on this blog and in the restaurants.

The first featured farmer is Stuart& Norman Gilfenbian from Eclipse Berry Farm in Oxnard, California where we get our juicy and very sweet grape tomatoes. Did you know grape tomatoes didn’t even exist 14 years ago? Well, we didn’t either. We have Stuart & Norman to thank for that. They helped create them! The Gilfenbain family puts their stamp of approval on every crop, ensuring the sweetest, juiciest and firmest grape tomatoes you’ll ever taste.

This kind of care and integrity is what we look for in all our growers. So, next time you bite into a sweet grape tomato,we hope you’ll think of them, and us!

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In two weeks we are celebrating our love for one another on Valentine’s Day. With LOVE in mind we wanted to share something special:

1.            It’s no coincidence that February is Potato Lovers’ Month and American Heart Month. Potatoes (with the skin) are a good source of potassium. Research shows that potassium may help lower blood pressure, contributing to a heart-healthy diet.

2.            This one’s simple: one medium-sized potato (5.3 oz.) has 110 calories and is fat- and cholesterol-free.

3.            Did you grow up listening to your mother tell you to eat your vegetables? Well, potatoes are vegetables, so eat away!

4.            It’s cold season and what you eat can help you fight off the winter bug—a medium-sized spud has nearly half the recommended daily value of vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamin B₆.

5.            Potatoes are also a source of dietary fiber, a complex carbohydrate, which is known to increase satiety and help with weight loss.

6.            Russets, reds, fingerlings, blues, purples, yellows and whites—with six common fresh potato varieties, there’s always a new color or texture to experiment with.

7.            No time to boil or bake? That’s a good thing! The quickest methods for cooking potatoes, microwaving and steaming, are also the healthiest because they allow the potato to retain the most nutritional value. Visit www.potatogoodness.com for healthy and quick potato recipes.

8.            Potato casserole, potato salad, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, roasted potatoes—the possibilities for potatoes are endless!

9.            Potatoes with skin rank highest for potassium content among the top 20 most frequently consumed raw vegetables and the top 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits. That means they have more potassium than a banana, more than broccoli, more than an orange, more than spinach…you get the idea!

10.          Each year, there are more than 1 million acres of potatoes planted—that’s like filling the whole state of Rhode Island with potato plants. It’s the leading vegetable crop in the US with a total production of 41.3 billion pounds! That’s plenty of potatoes for everyone.

Thanks to the United States Potato Board for these impressive stats and reasons to love potatoes!

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