Weekend Review

Uncharacteristically, I did a lot of eating out this weekend.

Amen Street

Friday night I went to dinner at Amen Street for my cousin's birthday.  I have been to this restaurant numerous times for lunch & happy hour, but I was less familiar with their dinner selections.    Although a bit pricey, the food was excellent.  However, in my opinion the restaurant's atmosphere is better fit for a daytime Bloody Mary & Oysters.
 

Shrimp & Lobster Risotto

 

Mustard Seed - Mt. Pleasant

 My mom came into town this weekend, and the Mustard Seed is one of our favorites.  We were in the Mt. Pleasant area so we stopped by that location for lunch.  The worst part about Mustard Seed is I end up wanting to order EVERYTHING.  We started off with the Hummus Plate which is served with warm pita, broccoli, tomatoes, and olives.  Their hummus is really creamy & delicious!  I had the Grilled Lemon & Oregano Chicken, and mom ordered a salad with roasted chicken, bleu cheese, and pears.  We both enjoyed our meals - as always.  I will say the food presentation, atmosphere, and service is always just a notch above at the James Island location.

 

Grilled Lemon & Oregano Chicken, Fresh Veggies & Tomato Feta Relish

 

 

 

Graze

We wanted to try somewhere new for dinner, and my coworkers recommended Graze in Mt. Pleasant.  I always love trying new places, and this one did not disappoint.  Our server did not miss a beat, and the food was excellent.  I feel confident saying that this was the best taco I have ever eaten.  It was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy and was served with a huge side salad.

 

Craft Taco: Pulled Pork, Spicy Grilled Pineapple, Pickled Red Onion & Cilantro Aioli

 

 

Black Bean Co.

I was in a training class on Monday and decided to stop by Black Bean Co. for the first time during my lunch break.  All of the wraps on their menu sound great, but I finally decided to go with the Honey Turkey Bacon Club & a side of fruit.  First, the wrap was excellent.  According to their menu they use local honey in the honey mustard, and I could definitely taste the difference.  My side of fruit however was a bit disappointing.  It is actually listed as a "fruit salad" on their menu - which is incredibly deceiving considering what I was served. 

 

Honey Bacon Turkey Wrap

 

"Fruit Salad"

 

 

 

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

I took my disappointment in the"fruit salad" and channeled it into a need for dessert.  I had recently noticed a new ice cream shop on Upper King, so I walked down to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.  Jeni's website lists the nutrition facts for all of her flavors.  I love when restaurants do this.  I opted for the healthiest choice - a small Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet.  The sorbet was delicious and refreshing, but I was a little taken aback when it rang in at nearly $6.

Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet

Best overall experience: Graze, hands down.

What are your favorite local restaurants?

Review: "Healthy" Grocery Store Desserts

Sometimes you just need something sweet after dinner.

Arctic Zero Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Dessert
Calories: 144, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 28g, Sugar 20g, Protein: 14g
First off, those nutrition facts are for the entire pint.  Sound too good to be true?  It is.  This "ice cream" taste like a protein powder slushy, ew.  Part of me is curious about the other flavors, but the other part of me is scared they could be even worse.

Weight Watchers Black Cherry Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt
Calories: 100, Fat: 1g, Carbs: 20g, Sugars: 17g, Protein: 5g
I like that these are packaged in individual servings.  This brand has a bit more sugar than I would have liked, and the texture was almost frothy.  It was decent, but I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Healthy Choice Blueberry Greek Frozen Yogurt
Calories: 100, Fat: 2g, Carbs: 19g, Sugars: 13g, Protein: 4g
I really enjoyed this frozen yogurt, which is also packaged in individual servings.  I preferred its consistency and flavor to the other brands.  Healthy Choice has other great flavors: Dark Fudge Swirl, Raspberry, Strawberry, & Vanilla Bean.

Dole Strawberry Dippers

Calories: 60, Fat: 4g, Carbs: 6g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 0g

It's hard to go wrong with chocolate covered strawberries.  Each pouch contains 4 strawberry halves.  The serving size is small, but this is a great post-dinner treat that doesn't pack lot of sugar or calories.  Dole also makes frozen Banana Dippers.

Yasso Blueberry Greek Yogurt Bar

Calories: 80, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 15g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 6g

Yum! These were better than expected.  The flavor was really good & I thought the serving size was perfect.  Yasso has a ton of other flavors - from Peanut Butter Cup and Sea Salt Caramel to Mint Chocolate Chip & Strawberry. 

  

What's your go-to grocery store dessert?