Tomato Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing from Water Grill
Chef Brian Okada of Water Grill shares his recipe for Tomato Avocado Salad with a light Poppy Seed Dressing. It's quick, it's easy, healthy and tasty!
Experience Truthfully Honest Cooking at True Food Kitchen
Nathan Coulon, Manager of Culinary Standards for True Food Kitchen, helps us explore what sets True Food Kitchen apart from other culinary dining establishments. In order to ensure guests receive only the freshest ingredients possible, TFK changes its menu seasonally to use what’s currently in season. Meat-lovers, vegetarians and vegans alike, can be sure to find something that will satisfy their cravings for a good meal, while still being healthy. As a guest of True Food Kitchen, you can be certain you’ll be receiving true-quality ingredients, from a team that is passionate about healthy foods.
Q: Since True Food Kitchen offers seasonal fare, about how long does it typically take to build out each seasonal menu?
Nathan Coulon: We are typically planning one season ahead. We always need to test menu ideas and it can get difficult to test too many seasons ahead, since we cannot get the products we want as they are not in season. Also, when you are buying something, strawberries for example, in winter they taste completely different than when they are in season. It makes it hard to get a true taste for a new dish when none of the ingredients taste like they should. Having said that, the creative process is always ongoing and so something may inspire you now that ends up on a menu a couple of seasons from now.
Q: Do you have a favorite season that brings ingredients you most enjoy working with? What is your favorite ingredient to work with? How does it complement the dishes?
NC: My favorite season is spring. There are so many incredible vegetables that are only available in spring: English peas, perfect strawberries, spring garlic. It’s so amazing to go to the farmer’s markets and see all of the colors as spring turns into summer. I really don’t think I can say I have a favorite ingredient, there are too many amazing flavors, but I really love tomatoes when they are perfectly ripe. Most people haven’t had a great tomato. They’ve only had flavorless, mealy, hard tomatoes that you see at the grocery store.
Q: What is an often underrated dish True Food offers that you would like more guests to try?
NC: The Spaghetti Casserole. It’s a classic True Food Kitchen menu item, and I can’t say it’s underrated, because we do sell a lot, but I think to the average guest that doesn’t know too much about Dr. Weil*, or True Food Kitchen, they might glance over it. It seems simple, and it is, but it’s so good. It really exemplifies True Food kitchen and what we do. Fresh ingredients, simple preparation, great tasting, and healthy.
*Andrew Weil, MD is an American celebrity doctor who is a physician, author, spokesperson, and broadly described “guru” of the alternative medical brands.
Q: For the meat-lovers, what dish is an absolute must-have? What about for the veggie-lovers? Vegans?
NC: When we are talking beef, I love the Grass-fed Burger. It’s grass-fed from start to finish, most grass-fed beef is finished on corn, and ours is completely grass-fed. It’s ground in-house fresh each day. The combination with the cheese, mushrooms, and Umami sauce is amazing. All of those flavors compliment the beef so well. For the veggie-lover, I would recommend the Spaghetti Squash Casserole, or, my favorite salad, the Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Both of those dishes can be vegan if you remove the cheese. The Roasted Squash Pizza on our menu right now is vegan, and with the Almond Ricotta, that we make in-house, you’d never know. I think that’s something we do very well here at True Food Kitchen, we don’t try to make a dish something it’s not, and we make great tasting dishes that also happen to be vegetarian or vegan. I am not vegan, but I would be happy eating the Roasted Squash Pizza and not miss the “meat”.
Q: What can a guest of True Food Kitchen expect to experience when visiting one of your multiple locations?
NC: We strive to make the experience consistent between all of the stores. The menus are the same across the country and the service standards are also the same. We have a lot of guests that eat at different locations across the country.
Q: If you could offer our Living Healthy readers one piece of nutritional advice, what would that be?
NC: Eat more vegetables, and make sure they are fresh vegetables. Many times even “fresh” vegetables are a week or two old before the consumer gets them. You should be trying to go to farmer’s markets and buying vegetables that have just been picked.
True Food Kitchen is located at the following locations:
True Food - Phoenix, AZ
True Food - Scottsdale, AZ
True Food - El Segundo, CA
True Food - Newport Beach, CA
True Food - Palo Alto, CA
True Food - Pasadena, CA
True Food - San Diego, CA
True Food - San Diego, CA
True Food - Santa Monica, CA
True Food - Walnut Creek, CA
True Food - Denver, CO
True Food - Boca Raton, FL
True Food - Naples, FL
True Food - Atlanta, GA
True Food - Chicago, IL
True Food - Bethesda, MD
True Food - King of Prussia, PA
True Food - Nashville, TN
True Food - Austin, TX
True Food - Dallas, TX
True Food - Houston, TX
True Foods - Plano, TX
True Food - The Woodlands, TX
True Food - Fairfax, VA
Distance to closest LA Fitness: Varies by state.
INSIDE OUT QUINOA BURGER
Ingredients – Quinoa Patties
Method
Ingredients – Burger Toppings
Method
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 0.5 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 2 Whole Eggs (whipped)
- 4 c Red Quinoa (cooked)
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tbsp Mint Leaves (minced)
- 1 tbsp Oregano Leaves (minced)
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- small pinch Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 c Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs
- In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red chili flakes, and eggs. Whisk together. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine quinoa, cumin, mint, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the quinoa mix. Mix together well, until evenly incorporated.
- Fold the breadcrumbs into the mixture.
- Press 1/3 cup of the mixture into a ring mold, gently pressing down at the edges of each, to form patties.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.
- Let the patties cool before using.
Note: If saving patties, they should be held at 41 degrees or below.
Shelf Life: 3 days
- 4 Sliced Tomatoes
- 4 Cucumber Slices
- 2 leaves torn Butter Lettuce
- 6 pieces Red Onion
- 2 tsp Feta Cheese
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 pinch Salt
- 0.5 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Hummus
- 2 tsp Tzatziki
- In a bowl, toss tomatoes, cucumber, onion, lettuce, and feta cheese with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
- On bottom quinoa patty, top with 1 tbsp of hummus.
- Place tossed veggies on top of hummus spread.
- Garnish the veggies with the 1 tsp of tzatziki.
- Top with the other quinoa patty & enjoy!
Makes: 2 Inside Out Quinoa Burgers
Keep an eye out for some new True Food Kitchen locations COMING SOON:
Boca Raton, FL – Opening Spring 2018
Nashville, TN – Opening Spring 2018
The Woodlands, TX – Opening Summer 2018
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor. True Food Kitchen is not an affiliate of LA Fitness.
Featured Recipes
Tomato Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing from Water Grill
Experience Truthfully Honest Cooking at True Food Kitchen
Experience Truthfully Honest Cooking at True Food Kitchen
Let's go back to the basics, at True Food Kitchen guests are given real food, with real fresh ingredients. Nothing here but true foods, for a healthy life.
