Eating healthy in Dolores just got a little easier, thanks to a LiveWell Montezuma campaign that recognizes not only local, but healthy food and the restaurants that serve them.
We promote restaurants that have local food and menu items that adhere to specific nutritional guidelines, said Kim Lindgren, food coordinator for LiveWell Montezuma.
Two restaurants in Dolores have LiveWell Montezuma certified food: Karlas Kitchen and the Dolores River Brewery.
Look for the small red turnip sticker next to menu items. You can be sure that these items have at least one local ingredient, one serving of vegetables, one serving of meat or beans, whole grain or dairy, are less than 800 calories, less than 1,350 mg of sodium, no modified fat or MSG and no peanut oil.
LiveWell is very into promoting locally grown foods, Lindgren said. It creates physical health, it creates economic health and buying from your neighbor feels really good.
A variety of salads at the Dolores River Brewery were healthful and local enough to meet the criteria of LiveWell and the green chili stew soup and side salad met the standards at Karlas Kitchen.
A hospital nutritionist helped analyze local restaurant dishes.
Altogether, eight restaurants in Montezuma County feature the Eat Local, Eat Healthy menu items.
Lindgren said a good amount of people are now locally growing lettuce, which helps the restaurants add healthy items to their menu.
Here is a list of restaurants that are participating in the Eat Local, Eat Healthy campaign: in Mancos:
Olio; in Dolores: Karlas Kitchen and the Dolores River Brewery; in Cortez: Let It grow, Once Upon A Sandwich, Pippos, Pepperhead and The Farm.
If anyone is interested in participating in the program, they can contact [email protected].
