Getting creative with eating healthy out on the town.
I have a confession to make: I hate you, salad. And really, it’s not you, it’s me. Those cold leafy greens just don’t get me excited anymore. But that’s not to say I don’t want to eat healthy. The best way to eat healthy, of course, is to cook all your own meals at home, but for those of us who are busy and on the go (or just aren’t up to the Gordon Ramsey standard in the kitchen), that’s not always an option. So instead, I’ve decided to go on a journey around Knoxville to find new places to eat well – and ways to eat healthier at the places we already go. Care to tag along?
Redbud Kitchen
For those looking for healthy grub a little bit south of downtown, you might want to take a peek into Redbud Kitchen. The way to go here to keep it light and green is to go for one of their bowls. If you’re looking for some protein, you can go for the Philly Salad – thin strips of beef overtop peppers, onion, tomatoes, cheese, and greens – or add some meat to their Veg Head bowl. They’ve also got their own take on the black bean burger, this time with salsa!
Downtown | 906 Sevier Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37920 | redbudkitchen.com
Bearden Nutrition
Would you believe that this place is a good stop for nutritional fare in Bearden? It’s startling, really, a place with a name like this. In all seriousness, I have always been a believer in a nice fruity beverage for my midday, and for a quick drink stop, Bearden Nutrition is a great place. All their specialty drinks are only 1 point on Weight Watchers (which, while I have not done this program personally, a quick Internet search tells me is pretty light) but have bright fruity tastes that hit well above their weight class; their loaded teas, meanwhile, are 0 points!
Bearden | 7419 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37909 | beardennutrition.com
Tomo Poke Bowl
Poke is something my sister turned me onto back in my college days, and it’s about as quick and easy as it gets for a healthy lunch on the go. Just stop in, pick what you want in your bowl (and there are plenty of options), and there you go; I personally went for a base of half rice, half salad, with some chopped jalapenos for a kick and seaweed salad as a treat. It’s served cold, so there’s no waiting around for your order, either – just dig in! Chopsticks optional.
Hardin Valley | 10756 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932 | knoxpoke.com
Sunspot
During my year at UT, Sunspot was a go-to lunch destination for me. With some great seafood and vegetarian options, like their grilled salmon and their tofu grain bowl, there are plenty of ways to stay green and light without dipping too deep into the salad menu (which isn’t to say there aren’t some unique salad options, for those of a more salad-ly inclination). Personally, I’ve always liked their black bean burger, but maybe tell ‘em to go light on the chipotle mayo!
Downtown | 2200 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916 | sunspotrestaurant.com
Farmacy
Every single person I asked for recommendations for this article told me to go to Farmacy, bar none. I have to admit, I’d never gotten the opportunity to pay it a visit myself, but that to me sounds like a great opportunity for a truly unbiased first bite. If you’re looking to eat healthy, I will warn you, they’ve got some truly tempting comfort food on the menu. Staying light means sticking to some of the more veggie-heavy options, like their Bella sandwich or their Cure-All salmon sandwich (though you might have to leave off that aioli), but even with those restrictions, I don’t
think you’ll be disappointed!
Sequoyah Hills | 5018 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919 | knoxfarmacy.com
Gosh Ethiopian
It’s always a pleasure to get to try something a little more out there, and for me today, that’s an Ethiopian dinner. Unless you’ve sought that sort of thing out before, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of this place; it’s only open Wednesday through Saturday, and only for dinner. But if you do manage to find yourself a seat, they give you the opportunity to try just about everything on the menu with their combination plates. All their vegetarian options are so unique and tasty, you might not even miss the meat (though they have meat dishes as well). Be warned, though – very high in fiber!
Sequoyah Hills | 3609 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919 | goshethiopian.net
Aroma Kitchen
Want to have flavorful organic food, and as much of it as you want? Try an Indian buffet. Aroma Kitchen is a regular haunt for me; the food comes out quickly, the staff are great, and the food has that perfect kick to it. But there are some tricks you need to know if you’re trying to eat healthy here. Firstly, and perhaps obviously, avoid the fried foods like samosas and pakoras. Less obvious is that paneer (a type of Indian cheese) is often cooked in ghee (a type of butter) or with other heavy dairies. I’ve also seen some web sources suggest naan is a no-go as well, but that’s such a staple I couldn’t bring myself to ditch it. My last visit, my staple was the Chana Saag, a chickpea dish served in a spinach-based sauce.
Cedar Bluff | 138 N. Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville, TN 37923 | aromaindiankitchen.com
Blossom Bowls
The classic smoothie bowl! If you’ve never had one, it really does feel like you’re eating a dessert (and sometimes you are, let’s be real here), but you can build these pretty healthy for a quick snack! And Blossom Bowls, unlike a lot of their competition, is a local company, so you know you’re supporting your community by indulging your sweet tooth here. I think the ways to go wrong with a smoothie bowl are pretty obvious (sorry, Nutella and caramel drizzle), so I won’t tell you how to build yours – do what I do and ask for a recommendation at the counter!
North Knox, Bearden, Northshore, & Maryville | blossombowls.com