Growing health consciousness in Indians has driven the demand for HW (Health & Wellness) food. One can see the shift from parathas and cookies to a wider assortment of cereals, oats and milk food drinks as fortified foods. The lady of the house is always looking for healthy options for the family to munch on. Look at the air fryer sales that have gone up in recent years or the electric steamer …yes the consumer is getting health conscious. The same theory applies when one is eating out these days…here one is always trying to balance their gluttonous splurges with health-conscious dishes. The number of salad bars that have cropped up is insane..the metros primarily are experiencing the advent of vegan restaurants, organic delis and highly customized food options.
People are constantly looking for accessible, wholesome foods and guilt-free eats..well because eating healthy does not necessarily mean you will stop craving for desserts…What people are looking for is clean eating and not salads drenched in mayonnaise or the preservative laden bottled pasta sauce full of sugar..
On that note, Pune has been experiencing an influx of heath brands and the latest one to join the band wagon is TJ’s Brew Works with its belly good brews – Yes healthy Beers – TJ’s Quin B and TJ’s Buck B, made from super seeds Quinoa and Buckwheat respectively. Beer per se made from barley is the healthiest alcoholic beverage since it is natural. By replacing some proportions of barley with Quinoa or Buckwheat, the goodness of these seeds and health benefits of these ingredients now augment the beers without taking the essence out of the beer.
They have also introduced a new spent grain menu that is nothing short of of a treasure of goodness, nutrition, taste and health. You must be wondering what the hell is this spent grain? Spent grain is the residue left over after the Wort, which is the liquid extracted from the malt during the brewing process. This residue is very healthy, super rich in protein, fiber content and a lot of macronutrients.
Tj’s Bew Works has incorporated this spent grain in its breads, buns and baos resulting in dishes like the Dark Malt Bao, a bao made from dark malt used to make brews with a stuffing of Teriyaki Chicken or Chilly Tofu, TJ’s Spent Grain Pelmeni is a healthy take on a native Russian dish, Pelmeni comes with a filling of either Spinach and Ricotta or Chicken. Once you have these you would realise that the taste component hasn’t been compromised on at all. And yet they are super light on the tummy.
Next up are the Burgers with spent grain buns. The Mediterranean Lamb and Cottage Cheese Mini Burgers will wow you. The juicy mutton patty is totally droolworthy.
And then they have the spent wraps with Crispy Mushroom and lamb seekh variants and Spinach wraps in Paneer Bhuna and Turkey club variants. This kind of show that the management here has looked closely in satiating both vegetarians and non vegetarians. My favorite wraps of the day were the Mushroom and Turkey. Brilliant flavors and not soggy at all.
The Russian Olive Salad here is a thing of beauty – Pineapple, Beetroot, Peas, Sweet Potato, carrots come together in this beautiful creation with the help of a guilt free dressing..
The NUDO Pizzaz with Pizzazz
I will call this a work of art with an attractive combination of vitality and glamor. The brainchild of Girish Monie, Nudo pizzas are made with interesting Superfoods in their 5 Crusts; Almond, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth and Waterchestnut, Cauliflower and Whey Protein, with unusual sauces such as their Classic Red Tomato Marinara, Roasted Garlic White Sauce and Almond and Pine Nut with Basil – Green Pesto. This is like the home run. I always feel guilty after having a pizza, thin crust or not there is a cheese overload along with the maida or apf overload that my tummy refuses to tackle peacefully. I was beyond delighted to try the pizzas here they truly are guilt free and will not give you the heavy feeling which is usually the aftermath of binge eating pizzas on a sports night or an impromptu party
Although they have their DIY pizza where you can choose your crust, sauce, cheese, toppings and drizzlers their signature pizzas include
- The Nudo Margherita – with ovalini mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, classic tomato marinara with a olive oil drizzle
- The Nudo Farm Veg – with zucchini, red and green bell peppers brocolli, black olives, and classic tomato marinara
The Nudo Farm Veg - The Nudo Pepperoni Pizza – with Pork Pepperoni, Jalapenos, and marinara
- The Buck Naked – with Smoked Turkey ham, Fresh Arugula, Cherry Tomatoes, Shaved Parmesan, almond and pine nut with basil green pesto finished off with a olive oil drizzle
The Pepperoni and the Buck Naked were my favorites of the day
Point to note is that new menu food is low GI (low glycemic index). You wont get that sudden sugar rush. Your body will digest these foods slowly leaving you feeling full for longer and allowing you to eat less calories without feeling hungry.
TJ’s Brew Works intends to redefine the idea of food and brews for the nation by being the pioneers of the two new beers made from Quinoa and Buckwheat and the first to introduce Spent Grain innovations in the country.
I would say what a way to bring in their 5th birthday!!! TJ’s surely has given me a reason to drive all the way to Amanora just because of their new additions to their menu. Will I see you there?
You can also check out Maanas Shah’s blog here
