dsmWeekly: January 26, 2021

One of the healthy, low-calorie meals from Tangerine Food Co. features zucchini over rice.

GET ON THE HEALTHY TRACK WITH TANGERINE FOOD

Writer: Wini Moranville

“We’ve all gotten fat!” said Cherry Madole, bluntly and with a laugh, adding that stress-eating during these times has taken its toll on her and some of her staff at the Tangerine Food Co.

She and her team figure that others in our community may also have lost sight of their plans to eat well during these past 10 months. That’s why they now offer an enticing weekly menu of five meals plus one soup, all coming in at the 300- to 550-calorie range.

Tangerine is a local caterer that, in better (i.e., non-COVID) times also runs the Des Moines Art Center’s restaurant (they plan to resume that gig someday). Currently, they’re staying in the game with Tangerine To Go, which offers takeout and delivery options for at-home dining.

A new menu debuts each week. Order by today (see this week’s menu), and the food can be either picked up (at Mainframe Studios, 900 Keosauqua Way) or delivered (for a $10 delivery fee) on Friday. You can order the entire five-meal menu for $70 per person. Or pick and choose among the five options for $15 to $17 each. (Note that you get a price break if you order the whole five-entree shebang.) Meals are ready to reheat in the oven; they can also be frozen.

Recently I tried a few of the low-cal entrees. The fettuccine with chicken and vegetables sounded a bit humdrum, but when I opened the container, I knew I was in for a treat. Shards of moist chicken studded a windfall of sweet peppers, fennel, red onion, mushrooms and asparagus—fresh veggies that somebody sourced, diced and expertly cooked for me. All that, served in a delicate garlic sauce over whole-wheat fettuccine, for only 400 calories. I was equally impressed with the sesame salmon with bok choy as well as a maple-mustard ham steak with sherry-raisin sauce and cauliflower rice (low-carb crowd, take note).

Because every meal plan needs a few indulgences now and then (at least, I think so!), Tangerine also offers regular (not-low-calorie) options. I’ve got this week’s order in for braised beef and mashed potatoes as well as their Beef Cowboy Chili, alongside the 375-calorie herb-crusted cod with zucchini and carrot noodles and lemony couscous. At the last minute, I threw in a Winterberry Cocktail (oops).

Find out more at Tangerine Food Co.’s online ordering site.

"Leaving Iowa" will kick off the Playhouse's winter and spring season on Feb. 19.

PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES MINI-SEASON

Live shows are back at Des Moines Community Playhouse. The theater announced its lineup for a winter and spring "mini-season," featuring a comedy, a musical and two family-friendly shows. Performances will be both in-person and virtual.

Shows will be presented in repertory, meaning they will alternate weekends. The first series includes "Leaving Iowa," a comedy about a family road trip, and "Stuart Little," a theater adaptation of the E.B. White book, from Feb. 19 to March 21. "Some Enchanted Evening," a musical revue, and "The Velveteen Rabbit," based on the Margery Williams book, will alternate from April 9 to May 9.

The Playhouse offers a flex subscription—four vouchers that can be used in any combination for shows now through August—as savings over individual show tickets. Performances also will be on-demand. Tickets are available here or by calling 515-277-6261.

A rendering of "Lift Off," which will be located on Cowles Drive and visible from Fleur Drive. Photo: Des Moines Public Art Foundation.

RENOWNED ARTIST TO CREATE AIRPORT SCULPTURE

The Des Moines Public Art Foundation has commissioned internationally acclaimed artist Alice Aycock to create a sculpture for the Des Moines International Airport by the end of the year. The installation, called "Lift Off," is inspired by science and technology and will depict the movement of energy with spirals, whirlpools and spinning tops.

The 20-foot-tall sculpture will be seen from Fleur Drive and located at the refigured airport entryway on Cowles Drive. It will consist of a white gloss powder-coated aluminum with a galvanized structural stainless-steel interior. “I try to visualize the movement of wind energy as it flows up and down creating random whirlpools and forming dynamic three-dimensional massing of forms,” the New York-based Aycock said in a statement.

Aycock's works have been exhibited in major museums and galleries nationally as well as in Europe and Japan.

Greenery is the star at Renovation Jungle, a new botanical shop along the Ingersoll corridor.

FIND A GREEN OASIS DURING WINTER

If you're like us, the blizzard has you dreaming of green. Bring warmer days into your home with houseplants, such as those found at Renovation Jungle. New on the Ingersoll corridor as of November, the modern shop delivers swoon-worthy greenery filling social media feeds.

Step inside the store (just south of El Patio Mexican Restaurant) and browse a living wall of plants—all shoppable—to create your own green oasis. Owner Allie Delaney is a houseplant guru and provides all sorts of help and advice. We asked questions about specific lighting and watering tips for a money tree and ZZ plant, best vining options for north-facing rooms, and how to overwinter a fancy begonia from the summer garden.

In addition to plant-care knowledge, you’ll discover sweet, diminutive plants to top winter tables or mantels, clean-line containers, potting mixes and houseplant tools for your new live additions.

Find other shops in our Botanical Boutiques story in the January issue.

TABLE 128 TO HOST NEXT DSM DINNER PARTY

Join Deidre DeJear, Karla Walsh and our friends at Table 128 for a virtual dsm Dinner Party celebrating the People issue at 7 p.m. on Feb. 11, presented by Iowa Beef. Table 128 will provide a three-course takeout meal for purchase, and you’ll also receive the new People issue when you pick up your dinner from 5 to 6 p.m. the same night.

The formidably talented chef Lynn Pritchard will prepare beef tenderloin (with cauliflower, walnuts, potato puree and red win demi glaze), peas and carrots, and chocolate pots de creme. The cost is $40; drinks are available for an extra cost—$8 for the Table 128 cocktail and $25 for a bottle of wine.

Grab your spot here.

RALLY AGAINST CANCER GOES VIRTUAL

UnityPoint Health's Rally Against Cancer, which raises money to help patients and families at John Stoddard Cancer Center, is virtual this year, featuring meal options from three local restaurants and a keynote speech from Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo. The annual event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $150 for one person; $275 for two.

RoCA, Table 128 and Tursi's Latin King will provide food and drinks, available for pickup at the eateries from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the day of the event. You select the meal option before paying for tickets.

RoCA's menu includes Brussels sprouts, Iowa pork medallions, white chocolate cheesecake and two drinks. Table 128 will provide blue cheese and apple salad, braised beef short ribs, panna cotta, and your choice of a cocktail or bottle of wine. For something Italian, Latin King has chicken spiedini, a pasta side, dinner salad and tiramisu. The drink is a chef-selected wine.

Find ticket information and menus here.