At our company, our Benefits Department integrates fun activities for the corporate office to incorporate health and wellness into our busy days at work. To start off this year they came up with the Fruits and Vegetables Challenge. The challenge is a fun approach to help us increase the amount of servings of fruits and vegetables in our diets.

During Ferbuary, we challenged each other to eat more fruits and vegetables and at the end of the challenge the employees who had the most points won fun prizes! (On a side not,  I won 2^nd place. Woo hoo!)

Everyone who participated received a challenge log sheet to record the points each day and a ‘quick tips’ sheet to provide us with easy ideas that we can follow during the challenge. All forms of fruits and veggies counted – fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice.

Try the challenge yourself; here are just a few of the quick tips. You get a point for each one!

Helpful hint: a trip to Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes really increases the number of fruits and veggies for the challenge! I got 10 points per day on days I went to our restaurant!!

• Eat a red fruit or vegetable (like apples, tomatoes, red peppers, beets or strawberries)
• Eat a white fruit or vegetable (like potatoes, onions, cauliflower, bananas or white peaches)
• Eat one more fruit or vegetable today than you did yesterday
• Eat fruit for a snack today
• Make a vegetable omelet for breakfast
• Eat fruit for dessert today
• Add vegetables to your soup, rice or pasta at dinner
• Cut up vegetables for easy access in your refrigerator
• Enjoy one cup of 100% fruit juice with breakfast
• Keep a snack bag of dried fruit (like raisins or cranberries) in your purse, brief case or desk at work
• Try a new method for cooking vegetables (grilling, roasting, sautéing)
• Make a low-fat dip (like black bean dip, hummus or salsa) to accompany raw vegetables

Tweet This

The newest Sweet Tomatoes, located at 10940 Tamiami Trail North in the Granada Shoppes in Naples, is scheduled to open on Monday, March 22. To celebrate the grand opening, Sweet Tomatoes has partnered with the American Red Cross, Collier County Chapter, to host a preview fundraiser event on:

• Friday, March 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 20, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For only $5.00 (five dollars), guests can enjoy Sweet Tomatoes’ 55-foot salad bar full of fresh, seasonal vegetables and tossed salads, made-from-scratch soups and hand-crafted muffins, focaccia, breads and desserts. Sweet Tomatoes will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to the American Red Cross, Collier County Chapter, a humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Sweet Tomatoes offers a rotating menu of more than 100 original, made fresh daily recipes featuring signature salads, soups, bakery goods and hot pasta sauces, at an all-you-care-to-eat price.  All food is prepared without the use of artificial flavors, colors, additives or artificial trans fats.  A different food theme is featured each month and the most popular menu items are rotated every two weeks.  Items are showcased on a 55-foot salad bar and prepared exhibition style every 20 minutes.

“We’d like to thank Sweet Tomatoes for stepping up to help the Red Cross, and welcome them to town,” commented Deborah Horvath CEO of Collier County Chapter. “It’s a wonderful Partnership and we thank them for their community involvement.”

Sweet Tomatoes seeks to be a vital and contributing part of each community in which it operates. To reach this goal, restaurants offer a “Fun-Raiser” program through which charities, churches, schools, athletic teams, scout troops and other non-profit organizations may raise funds by hosting in-store events. The restaurants assist in marketing the non-profit’s event by creating master flyers for distribution and promotion.

Sweet Tomatoes in Naples will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. on Saturday and 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Sundays.  For more information call (239) 597-1112 or visit www.sweetomatoes.com; for more information on the American Red Cross visit http://www.colliercountyredcross.org. Guests can also become a fan of Sweet Tomatoes at www.facebook.com/souplantation and follow Sweet Tomatoes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/souplantation.

About Sweet Tomatoes

Sweet Tomatoes was founded in 1978 in San Diego and currently operates 112 salad buffet-style restaurants across the western, southern and eastern portions of the United States. Sweet Tomatoes cares about what comes out of guests’ wallets and into their bodies by creating an exceptional, all-you-care-to-eat dining experience with a daily selection of made-from-scratch soups and salads and hand-crafted muffins, focaccia, breads and tasty desserts. By combining high-quality, farm-fresh and scratch-made foods for a fixed price, the restaurants provide guests with the freedom to create their own wholesome meals. The restaurant concept is built around fresh prepared, great-tasting recipes with a salad bar full of seasonal vegetables and tossed salads prepared exhibition-style every 20 minutes. Sweet Tomatoes restaurants are open daily for lunch and dinner. For more information, visit www.sweettomatoes.com.

About American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  It does this through services that are consistent with its congressional charter and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

###

Tweet This

We have chosen new members for our Kitchen Cabinet.  We are thrilled to have a selected group of 14 meet at our Corporate Office in San Diego on March 23. Over 8,000 Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes Club Veg members from around the country applied to be Kitchen Cabinet® members this year and 14 will be representing guests’ perspectives on recipes, service elements in the restaurant, upcoming promotions and much more.

We have a great group of reps that we are looking forward to meeting, who knows, you might see a blog from them on what they thought about our offices and their experience. Take a look at a few of this year’s cabinet:

We wanted to give a quick shout-out to our original Kitchen Cabinet group. Thank you so much for all your feedback. Thank you to Marney, Angie, Amy, Kate, Linda, Angela, Arleen, Rosalie, Teri, Paige, Laura and Anne.

Thank you for your many contributions!!!

Love-

Joan

Tweet This

On March 22, our Encinitas, CA Souplantation and our Naples, FL Sweet Tomatoes will open their doors to their local communities.  For each grand opening we partner with a non-profit organization and host a two or three day preview event before opening. For only $5.00 (five dollars), guests can create their own salad from our 55-foot salad bar full of fresh, seasonal vegetables as well as enjoying signature tossed salads, made-from-scratch soups and hand-crafted muffins, pizza focaccia, breads and desserts. Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to the non-profits we chose to work with. The highest record to date was $11,000 to Give Kids the World, a non-profit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families at our Lake Buena Vista location in May 2009.

Our restaurants are committed to being a vital and contributing part of each community in which we operate. To reach this goal, restaurants offer a “Fun-Raiser” program through which local charities, churches, schools, athletic teams, scout troops and other non-profit organizations may raise funds by hosting in-restaurant events. Our managers assist in marketing the non-profit’s event by creating master flyers for distribution and promotion by the non-profit organization.

The pre-opening fundraisers are a great way to raise money for the non-profit but also a way for our new employees at the restaurant to train before we officially open to the public.

If you were opening a restaurant, what would your grand opening event be? Share your ideas and maybe we will us them in an upcoming grand opening… (and of course give you the credit!!)

Tweet This

It’s cool to be green. Whether you recycle your plastic bottles, reuse grocery bags or bring your own, conserve energy by unplugging electronics not being used during the day, or compost your trash, it can help improve the environment and save you money at the same time.

We can all make changes in our everyday life to make our planet a healthier one.   Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes are making small yet impactful improvements to our restaurants to help the environment:

• We’re installing Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) in our restaurants.
• We are using 100% recycled towel, tissue, and napkin products.
• Our take-out containers are recyclable.  We use no Styrofoam.
• We’re replacing hot water systems with new, tank-less hot water heaters.

Every year, we estimate that with these changes we can save:

• 2,129,400 pounds of waste paper
• 3,194.10 cubic yards of landfill space
• 7,452,900 gallons of water
• 4,365,270 kilowatts of energy

You can also help the environment and save some money by making these easy changes to your home and habits:

• Set up a recycle bin next to the trash and teach your children to place plastic bottles and cans in it.
• Use reusable BPA-free bottles for your water and other drinks instead of bottled water.
• Purchase eco-friendly cleaning products, which are sometimes less expensive than regular cleaners. Almost every brand is offering an eco-friendly version in major stores.
• Replace light bulbs with LED lights to save money and help the environment.
• Unplug unused electronics during the day. Your wallet and the environment will thank you.

We’ll keep you posted on our endeavors to make our restaurants greener for you, your family and the planet. And, please feel free to give us your tips and ideas. We’d love to share them with everyone here and our readers.

Tweet This

The newest Souplantation, located at 109 North El Camino Real in the Encinitas Village Shopping Center in Encinitas, is scheduled to open on Monday, March 22. To celebrate the grand opening, Souplantation has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of San Dieguito, to host a preview fundraiser event on:

• Thursday, March 18 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, March 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For only $5.00 (five dollars), guests can enjoy Souplantation’s 45-foot salad bar full of fresh, seasonal vegetables and tossed salads, made-from-scratch soups and hand-crafted muffins, focaccia, breads and desserts. Souplantation will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to the Boys & Girls Clubs, an organization dedicated to providing positive activities to develop the education, health, self-esteem and character of youth.

Souplantation offers a rotating menu of more than 100 original, made fresh daily recipes featuring signature salads, soups, bakery goods and hot pasta sauces, at an all-you-care-to-eat price.  All food is prepared without the use of artificial flavors, colors, additives or artificial trans fats.  A different food theme is featured each month and the most popular menu items are rotated every two weeks.  Items are showcased on a 55-foot salad bar and prepared exhibition style every 20 minutes.

“The Boys & Girls Club of San Dieguito in Encinitas is proud to be affiliated with Souplantation in Encinitas we look forward in participating with their grand opening event.  The Griset Branch is a safe-haven a second home.  It’s a place where we embrace EVERY child with warmth and acceptance,” said Chris Ann Sarver, Branch Director at the Griset Branch.  “Souplantation’s brand shares similar core values as our organization so the fundraiser is a perfect fit for both of us”

Souplantation seeks to be a vital and contributing part of each community in which it operates. To reach this goal, restaurants offer a “Fun-Raiser” program through which charities, churches, schools, athletic teams, scout troops and other non-profit organizations may raise funds by hosting in-store events. The restaurants assist in marketing the non-profit’s event by creating master flyers for distribution and promotion.

Souplantation in Encinitas will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on weekends beginning Monday, March 22. For more information call (760) 634-2500 or visit www.souplantation.com; for more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs visit www.positiveplacesd.org. Guests can also become a fan of Souplantation at www.facebook.com/souplantation and follow Souplantation on Twitter at http://twitter.com/souplantation.

About Souplantation:

Celebrating over 30 years, Souplantation was founded in 1978 in San Diego and currently operates 112 salad buffet-style restaurants across the western, southern and eastern portions of the United States. Souplantation cares about what comes out of guests’ wallets and into their bodies by creating an exceptional, all-you-care-to-eat dining experience with a daily selection of made-from-scratch soups and salads and hand-crafted muffins, focaccia, breads and tasty desserts. By combining high-quality, farm-fresh and scratch-made foods for a fixed price, the restaurants provide guests with the freedom to create their own wholesome meals. The restaurant concept is built around fresh prepared, great-tasting recipes with a salad bar full of seasonal vegetables and tossed salads prepared exhibition-style every 20 minutes. Souplantation restaurants are open daily for lunch and dinner and also for a special Sunday Breakfast that features a variety of delicious morning favorites in addition to regular selections. For more information, visit www.souplantation.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs:

The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito is a progressive organization steeped in tradition and offers our youth personal development through our core programs. Boys & girls Clubs serves over 2,000 youth in Encinitas.  The Encinitas Branch offers exceptional after-school programs for youth including character, athletics and educational enhancement. From athletics to education and arts, the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito offers a wide variety of programs to meet the needs of the community and instill a sense of belonging, usefulness, influence and competence in our youth.

###

Tweet This

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.

Tweet This

One of the most exciting aspects of working in a restaurant headquarters are “cuttings.” Cuttings happen in our corporate test kitchen and are held whenever we are trying new conceptual menu items or making a change to a current recipe.

For example, this fall our chicken stock vendor discontinued their product, therefore we needed to source a new product, batch each and every recipe and make sure the taste and quality were consistent with the original. That means for two straight months we had soup for lunch at least twice a week!

This process is fun because it often builds internal excitement for new products, and often gives our local Club Veg guests the chance to come into our office for tasting panel focus groups. It’s interesting to see how such a small difference in an ingredient or spice level can change the taste of a menu item.

Our criteria for any recipe change is to make it as good or better than the original. We have a high bar and let our guests decide if we’ve reached it.

After internal cuttings and guest tasting panels are done, we analyze the data and send the recipe to the restaurant for in-store testing.

Restaurant testing is usually done in three regions across the 15 states we are located in. The guests will be notified via signage (see above) that it is a test recipe and are asked on a comment card if the recipe should stay or go. Guests base their opinions on taste and appearance. If the vast majority of guests agree it’s as good or better than the original, we roll it out to the entire company!

Just a sneak peek, no opinions have been collected yet, but our most recent test is no-sugar-added gingerbread muffins. Keep an eye out for this future menu item if our guests like it.

Tweet This

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!

Tweet This

I’m Mike, the culinary manager at the corporate office for Souplantation / Sweet Tomatoes. On a daily basis I work on new and returning recipes to find the latest, greatest and tastiest way to serve our guests in the restaurant. Whether is it adding or removing a teaspoon of a certain ingredient, one small change can make all the difference. Each month, I’ll be posting a popular recipe for you to try to make at home.

In celebration of potatoes and our menu in February, this month’s recipe is Golden Yam Bisque. If you don’t feel like making it at home, it will be in the restaurants from February 15 –February 28. Come try it out!

Golden Yam Bisque

2 ¼ cups ¼” diced red onion                                     In a pot, combine ingredients and sauté for 5

2 Tablespoons butter                                                     minutes.

2 Teaspoons minced garlic

_____________________________________________________________________________________

6 cups water                                                                      Add ingredients to pot. Bring to a boil and reduce

12 cups ½” diced peeled yams (3 lbs)                     heat to a simmer. Simmer until yams are tender.

1 ¼ cups frozen corn                                                       Remove bay leaves. With a handheld blender,

3 ½ Tablespoons vegetable base                             blend soup to puree. Leave small pieces of yams.

2 Teaspoons dried thyme leaves

2 Teaspoons Kosher salt

½ Teaspoon black pepper

2 bay leaves

_____________________________________________________________________________________

¾ cup heavy cream                                                         Add to pot and stir. Season to taste with salt and

2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley                   pepper.

Yields approximately 10 cups – serves about 8 people!

Tweet This