OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The start of a new year often means new goals. For many, that includes trying to be healthier.
If that's on your list in 2023, 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole has a restaurant you may want to try.
If you're looking for something nutritious and delicious, Crisp & Green may be your place.
"We said 'hey, what if we made it easier for people to eat healthy every day?'" Lily Smith explained.
Smith was in the fitness business and knows the challenge.
"So many of our clients found it was hard to eat healthy on the go and we agreed," she shared.
So, she and her partners created a fast, casual, healthy food restaurant.
It's stocked with fresh veggies, healthy toppings and plenty of protein.
"We have a homemade marinade, and we roast the chicken and then we chop the chicken. Nothing comes already pre-made. The carrots come in whole, the Brussels come in whole and then we marinate those and roast those. So, you can really tell the difference and see the difference and smell the difference," she said.
There's a lot of time and care that goes into this.
There are 12 signature salads and bowls to choose from.
The menu changes with the seasons.
"In the winter we do mostly grain bowls that have a lot more warmer ingredients," Smith stated.
Smith showed off the most popular bowls beginning with the Wild Child.
It starts with wild rice and arugula.
"So, we mix the greens and grains together," she demonstrated.
She added radicchio, craisins, roasted chicken and roasted Brussels sprouts.
"And then we're going to toss it up with some balsamic vinegarette," she added. "And this is my favorite part. So, we've got a dollop of goat cheese. So that's amazing. It's got some creaminess to it. If you're not a goat cheese fan, you can swap it out with some white cheddar. That's what I would recommend for the substitute."
The Fiesta Bowl has been on the menu since day one.
"There would be a revolt if we ever took it off," she laughed. "It's going to be brown rice, avocado, roasted chicken, we do a jalapeño lime dressing, we roasted tomatillo salsa and of course, we roast all the peppers and a bunch of really good ingredients."
The Bold and the Buffalo Bowl is another fan favorite. It features their buffalo chicken.
"It's our warm, roasted chicken. We do it in a tangy buffalo sauce that I absolutely love and then our roasted cauliflower," she smiled.
It also comes with brown rice, arugula, carrots, radicchio, white cheddar and croutons.
All the ingredients are tossed together with their homemade ranch dressing.
"Instead of a cream base or mayo base, we actually use a tofu base so it's one of our lowest calorie dressings, but you get all the flavor. That alone should get you out of your seat and try this out yourself because we're really confident you won't be able to tell the difference and you'll love it," she said with confidence.
You can also get smoothies, acai bowls and refreshing drinks.
"You're just proud of this. I can tell," said Serese.
"I get excited about it because people will really find something they love," said Smith.
There's even a drive-thru.
"We've really made it very easy for you to stay in your car and stay warm. There's no excuse not to eat healthily, she added.
Whether you pick up or dine in, this place is more than a New Year's resolution destination.
"People have kind of made this a part of their lifestyle because it doesn't feel like New Year's resolution food — this is year-round food," Smith said.
Crisp & Green started in Minnesota and now has 30 restaurants nationwide. But they're doing something special for their customers in Omaha.
From now until January 22nd, if you buy one signature salad or bowl, you get one free. Just download their app, use the promo code OmahaBogo — all one word. You can also tell them you saw the BOGO special on Cheap Eats.
Crisp & Green is located at 225 80th Street (near 80th and Dodge). It's open every day from 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. To see their full menu, go to crispandgreen.com.
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