Butter lettuce wedge and maple tahini dressing, housemade ricotta + seared scallops with sea beans and turnips
CONTRIBUTOR Erin Castle, RD, LD
PHOTOGRAPH BY Niki Nero
Roper St. Francis Healthcare affiliated dietitian Erin Castle recently shared an alfresco lunch with a friend at this rustic Elliotborough eatery. Read on to find out which dishes she chose and why:
- “The restaurant is a huge proponent of foods produced in the Lowcountry,” says Castle. Eating locally grown food brings the freshest ingredients to the table while also maximizing nutritional value, since fruits and vegetables begin losing nutrients 24 hours after harvest.
- Starting a meal with leafy greens like the Vertical Roots butter lettuce wedge can bump up your intake of low-calorie, high-fiber, antioxidant-rich vegetables. “This salad caught my eye with unique ingredients that are not on my usual grocery lists, such as pistachios, fresh herbs and maple tahini dressing,” says Castle.
- Following the veggie-forward starter, the housemade ricotta with charred bread made a nice addition of dairy and a carbohydrate. “Plus, who can pass up homemade cheese and fresh bread?” says Castle. Vibrant chives, which contain vitamin K for bone health, pull the dish together.
- “The seared scallop plate let me try two new-to-me ingredients,” Castle says. Sea beans are crisp, mildly salty succulents that pack protein, vitamin A, calcium and iron. Hakurei turnips contain much less starch than potatoes while boasting vitamin C, folic acid and fiber, as well as thiamine, potassium and vitamins B6 and E.
- With non-starchy vegetables, carbohydrates, meat and non-meat proteins and dairy, this balanced meal worked well for absorption. “Dietary fats such as those in olive oil and nuts help the body use fat-soluble vitamins A and E,” Castle explains.
Sorghum & Salt
186 Coming St., Charleston
(843) 872-6393
sorghumandsalt.com
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