30 Jan The Best Things We Ate This Month: January, A Clean Eating Edition

Phoenix Food. A community is only as good as its food. Okay – not really, but if you know us, you know we love finding great new places to eat! Luckily, we live in Phoenix, Arizona, home one of the fastest growing food scenes in America. Every month, we share the best things we ate here in the valley. But, you can always follow us along on Instagram and Facebook for more of the best places to eat in Metro Phoenix!

This month is a special edition of “The Best Things We Ate”.

Not to be outdone by everyone else’s New Year’s Resolution, we came up with a little challenge for ourselves over the month of January! Now, we don’t really make it a secret that we love food and bev, and especially the delicious, local kind that always seems to find itself under our forks and in our glasses. But, balance is key, and Stefanie has a very special dress to fit into in about three months, so sacrifices must be made. The rules: Low carb, and NO alcohol until January 31st. No cheating! Abstaining from the good stuff was certainly a challenge, but we did it! Here’s what we ate to get by on a clean diet, while still feeling satisfied (and not wanting to play in traffic).

Mediterranean Chicken Salad @ Pita Jungle

Stefanie: I can’t believe that, after years of eating at Pita Jungle, I’m just now finding out about this salad! For as long as I can remember, salads have never really “done it” for me. But, New Year, New Me, yada yada. This salad was definitely one of my favorite items of the month! For just over $10, this salad knocked my socks off. A huge portion of broiled chicken breast over mixed greens, a mixture of roasted and fresh veggies, golden raisins, bitingly fresh taboule, and creamy feta, all with my favorite lemon vinaigrette dressing! The salad was big enough for me to split into two, and it even stayed fresh enough to enjoy later. Lunch the next day! This is a fantastic healthier option, that didn’t skimp on the yumminess. I was a happy camper after this lunch!

Pita Jungle, Multiple Locations. www.PitaJungle.com

Chicken Bowls @ Uberrito

Bryce: Our days become so hectic, that we need a reliable option for a fast, fresh and healthy to-go dinner. After years of relying on Chipotle (no complaints there!), we stumbled upon Uberrito in Paradise Valley. I’m hooked! Uberrito is pretty similar to Chipotle: assembly-line, build-your-own bowls, nachos and burritos. But, the options are just different enough to set them apart, and there are definitely more items to choose from. My favorite is a good chicken bowl ($5 deal on Mondays!), with habanero salsa, cabbage and jicama slaw, extra veggies and a light chipotle ranch dressing drizzled on top. This meal is filling enough for a big guy like me, and I really like being able to change it up every time. Tip: The fresh jalapeños are HOT!

Uberrito, 4912 E Shea Blvd. www.Uberrito.com

Ribeye Steaks @ Fry’s (25% Butcher Counter Special!)

One meal that blew us both away this month? Steaks at home. From Fry’s. Seriously. Bryce is a master griller, and his steaks are better than almost any I’ve had from any restaurant! Once a month or so, our favorite Fry’s on Tatum & Shea has a butcher counter special of 25% off. This weekend, it was on, and we just couldn’t pass up these perfect ribeye steaks that were just staring us down. But, we wanted to try a different way to cook steaks. So, with a little help from Youtube, we cooked the hell out of these Ribeyes from Fry’s, and I was blown away! It took a little longer than just grilling, but the results were unbeatable. To start, the cuts were perfect. We made a perfect crust with a heavy amount of salt and pepper, and popped them in the oven to slow roast at a low, low heat. Then, we threw them in a cast iron skillet on the stove for a good sear, and finished with just a dab of soft butter. Perfectly medium rare on the inside — from side to side! Paired with asparagus and simple side salad. Heaven!

Honorable Mentions: Gadzooks’ Stuffed Poblano Peppers (YES), Chopped Salad from Protein House, and the spoonfuls of peanut butter I’ve been stealing from someone’s jar of Jiffy in the office break room.