See, Architel is generous about taking care of their employees and has been providing lunch on Fridays for quite awhile, BUT they were having pizza, fried chicken, and foods of that sort... of course, only to see their employees' productivity levels plummeted after lunch. Obviously, fried foods, heavy in carbs and saturated fats, will rob a person of their energy as their body goes into overdrive trying to digest those processed and nutritionally shallow foods, trying to figure out what to do with it!
That's where we come into play-- True Balance Wellness, Food & Fitness, to the rescue!
Architel, like many companies in Dallas, and all over the world, have instituted a Wellness Program in their office. My husband Daniel and I work together to create Architel's customized program. Daniel trains them in their office, holding two different workout sessions for their CEOs & employees, Monday through Friday. He tracks and records their progress, motivates and inspires. I plan, prepare and cook their healthy meals and provide nutrition information about the food they're consuming.
A handful of the male employees come up to me after our lunches, and express how excited they are to tell their wives what they had for lunch. Some of them step out into the hall and call them immediately or send a text. Then their wives make the new dish they've enjoyed at home, and the healthier lifestyle continues! I know at least one of their dear wive's follows my blog for recipes. (Hello, darling!)
Not only do we love providing the Wellness Program at Architel, but even more so, we love the people there! They've become our friends and colleagues.
Catering a spread for 35 people once a week requires a lot of creativity, as you can imagine. They've never eaten the same thing twice, except on the account of a special request for my Chicken & Spaghetti Squash Casserole! It continues to be a hit!
What a typical Friday's spread looks like... 2 different entrees and 3 different delicious veggies...
I've been catering for Architel for 5 months now. And in the past, I tried to get fancy with dishes for them, only to find out the men at Architel (which is the majority of the company) are happiest with some spin on meat and potatoes. It seems basic, BUT, since white potatoes are lacking in nutritional value and are high in carbs, I try to not to include them in the menu often. To date, I've actually only served them twice. So, I get creative and make dishes that look, taste and smell like potatoes, but aren't potatoes at all! And they totally get a kick out of it! One of the best moments of my Fridays are when the guys of Architel ask me, "Now what was that?! Pureed Cauliflower?! I loved it!"
Two weeks ago I did serve actual potatoes, and they were so simple to prepare, I want to share the recipe with you, should you need a potato recipe for a meat & potatoes type of guy. The meat dish I served them with, everyone loved as well!
Salt Rock-Roasted Potatoes & Slow Cooker Braised Short Rib Recipes are comin' up this week!
Keep Cookin', Good Lookin'!
Lindsey