Exercise enthusiasts and fitness fanatics know that loading up on carbohydrates before a big workout is key to improving performance and building endurance. Finding healthy carbs can be tricky, but Columbus has a wide variety of options available. Here are three of our favorites:
1. Tasi Cafe
Tasi Cafe, just one block off High Street in the Short North, is an adorable local joint that serves breakfast all day long. Former ballet dancer Tasi Rigsby opened the restaurant in 2007.
“I actually managed Rigsby’s for 14 years, and that was fine dining,” she says, referencing the now-closed Italian restaurant that sat on High Street. “But I wanted something a little more casual, more like an extension of somebody else’s home.”
Rigsby has practiced a paleo diet for the last 45 years and maintains a paleo, protein-based menu with bread baked in-house Tasi Cafe.
“I do have a lot of CrossFit athletes coming in, along with yoga instructors and their yogis,” she says. “Part of eating well is keeping the preservatives out; training-healthy carbs with no fillers.”
The quinoa hash and quinoa salad are two of the most popular items at Tasi Cafe and make great carbo-loading options.
For those interested in making their own, Rigsby says, “The key to quinoa is you have to make sure your stove gets to a good simmer. You want to rinse it to get off any extra starch. Then you basically cover it and let it sit there, and then you cook it slowly.”
Slow cooking is the mantra that the cafe follows when preparing all its food, which aligns with Rigsby’s vision of creating a space where time can slow down and moments can be savored.
2. The Crest Gastropub
Big things are happening at the farm-to-table style pub with locations in Clintonville and Olde Towne East.
Owner Ismail Alshahal has a fresh take on sourcing healthy options, bringing his agriculture-focused Lebanese background to the table. The Crest recently refreshed its menu, as it usually does on a seasonal basis, and hired a new chef, Ben Kanavel. Alshahal praises him for his vegetable-forward approach to cooking.
“The regular mac and cheese used to be a tri-blend of cheese, and now it is a vegan option,” he says. “Ben has changed up some things, and he loves the vegetables as well. He’s been a great fit.”
The Crest recently added a sweet potato salad and the menu rotates various styles of sweet potatoes based on what is in season.
For the carbo-loaders who stop by, Alshahal says, “We try to have as many options as possible. Our first train of thought is, ‘What do our local farmers have, and are able to give us in a sustainable and environmental way?’”
3. Zest Juice Co.
Columbus has a perfectly designed spot for health and fitness enthusiasts.
Zest Juice Co. – with five locations around central Ohio – is known for its acai bowls and anti-oxidant packed fruit juices, but it also features great options in store for carbo-loaders, such as toast and oatmeal.
“Our toast and oatmeal are prepared with clean, delicious and nutritious ingredients,” owner Natalie Helman says. “We include superfoods and healthy fats in our oatmeal, and offer a variety of avocado toasts and other house-made spreads. We purchase our bread from Lucky Cat Bakery, which is local, and our gluten-free bread from Ohio-based Eban’s Bakehouse.”
While health enthusiasts are Zest’s best customers, Helman also has some advice for those near the beginning of their fitness journeys who want to prepare more healthful plates at home.
“Start slow and don’t be too hard on yourself. Planning my meals for the day always helps me eat in a healthy way that I end up being proud of,” Helman says. “I always stock up on juices as well, so that I’m ensured to get my fruits and veggies for the day. We have four to five pounds of produce in each bottle of juice.”
Caitlyn Blair is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
