Many people cringe when they think of “healthy food”. I know I did, because the typical image that comes to mind is a celery and spinach-chomping person with no joy in eating. Some readers who visited my blog recently saw all the posts in conjunction with the HPB’s Healthier Dining Programme told me my blog posts are “too healthy, I don’t think it’s for me”. Before you leave this blog from the sheer ‘healthiness’ of my blog posts, I just need to proclaim that I am as unhealthy as every one of you. I enjoy my occasional fast food and usual hawker fare, and wouldn’t want to stop any time soon.
BUT!
Being healthy is not about drastic measures of abstinence from junk food or eating mountains of salad. Keyword is in being informed, and taking everything in moderation. For example, I know now that there are more options when dining outside for me to choose from that is equally yummy but healthier, and I would like to share some of these options with you.
Case in point – Swensen’s. I’m sure many of us grew up with the perception that Swensen’s is the place you’d go for ice cream cakes and the gigantic Earthquakes.
Like this:
BUT!
Being healthy is not about drastic measures of abstinence from junk food or eating mountains of salad. Keyword is in being informed, and taking everything in moderation. For example, I know now that there are more options when dining outside for me to choose from that is equally yummy but healthier, and I would like to share some of these options with you.
Case in point – Swensen’s. I’m sure many of us grew up with the perception that Swensen’s is the place you’d go for ice cream cakes and the gigantic Earthquakes.
Like this:
But while that’s still available on the menu, Swensen’s has actually gone through a lot of changes to their dining menu. Instead of just ice cream, they’ve expanded to offer savory meals. And beyond just savory meals, they’ve gone the extra step to offer Healthier Choice dishes to join the #eathealthySG programme!
I had the pleasure to try out a salad and 2 mains for it. The Grilled Chicken Salad ($12.50) is filled with crunchy, cold and fresh romaine lettuce (my favorite!) and topped with generous layer of grilled chicken. The thousand-island salad sauce is served on the side and it really depends on how much you’ll need for your salad. If you want to watch your diet, cut down the dressing!
For mains, we had the Grilled Barramundi with Garlic Aioli ($17.90). I can see why the Barramundi is their star dish. Despite how simple it looks, there are 3 big factors as to why it was so incredibly delicious when I tried it.
1) Super fresh barramundi that is not overcooked. It was succulent, and I could taste the natural oil from the fish that gave it that tender texture.
2) The garlic aioli dip. DIVINE. I might just start experimenting with how I can recreate that dip, because it is so gorgeous! Super intense garlic flavor that mixes well with the creamy taste for you to dip everything in.
3) Affordable and healthy. Choosing to be healthier does not have to be expensive. And in this case, the combination that Swensen’s came up with both for the calories and the price is just consumer-friendly in every sense!
The Chicken Victoria ($15.90) was really simple, but you’d be surprised at how delicious it tasted! I know I was. When it first came it looked so unassuming and huge for something below 500-calories. I know, how can it be? I gathered that it must be because there was not much fat or oil! The chicken breast was so tender and juicy -- you couldn’t tell because it looked pale in the photo, which we always associate with dryness, so you have to go taste it. I also really enjoyed the baked potato with sour cream too, plus the vegetable sides. I can imagine myself having this every week.
Thanks to HPB’s Healthier Dining Programme for creating Healthier Choices for Singaporeans to enjoy when they are eating out!
I’ll highly recommend for EVERYONE to check out Swensen’s in the immediate future because they’ve really reinvented themselves with awesome dishes, especially healthier choice ones. It’s a great place to bring your family, or for parents, your kids to let them have a good meal and maybe even a small treat after that. Do remember to get your Healthy Go Lucky stamps for the dishes you ordered!
This post is brought to you by HPB’s Healthier Dining Programme. For more info, visit eathealthy.sg
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