dsmWeekly: February 15, 2023

These pre-made lunches from Expedition Wellness take all the work out of meal prepping without sacrificing nutrition.

Two Options to Brighten Up Your Lunch

Writer: Karla Walsh

During the hustle of the holiday season, I slid into a bad habit: slacking on lunch. I was grabbing a protein bar and a piece of fruit and calling it lunch in an attempt to save time on shopping for groceries, assembling ingredients and sitting down for a real midday meal. This wasn’t sustainable – and certainly didn’t help my concentration or energy levels – but I wasn’t willing to sacrifice prime workday hours to fuss over a homemade lunch.

So I called in reinforcements from Precision by Nutrition and from Expedition Wellness. These two local businesses make wholesome, hearty lunches that I actually look forward to heating and eating. They sure beat the “meh” diet meals from the supermarket freezer.

Precision by Nutrition
Ryan Davis dreamed up his meal-prep company while studying dietetics at Iowa State University and working at the Joan Bice Tearoom, the university restaurant where students plan menus, order ingredients and learn all the logistics of food service. “It’s the type of thing that can keep me up at night in excitement,” he says.

As a teenager, Davis had competed in various fitness activities, which required constant meal prepping and precise nutrition, so starting Precision by Nutrition in 2021 came naturally to him. He set up shop at Kitchen Spaces, generated some buzz on social media and in less than two years hired a crew of six to prepare and deliver meals.

What to order: The grilled chicken salad with strawberries is Davis’ personal favorite, along with the sweet potato chicken scramble.
When to order: Delivery is free and available every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday throughout Central Iowa. Order before midnight for next-day delivery.

Expedition Wellness
Founder and CEO Jessica Schroeder has been coaching clients about nutrition for more than 15 years, so she knows the biggest roadblock many people face is finding time to prepare the protein- and produce-packed meals she recommends. “How do we get people to eat more protein and veggies? Make it easily accessible, affordable, delectable, filling, properly portioned and visually appealing,” she says.

Last year, she recruited to the team executive chef Jackie Servellon, who has more than 20 years of culinary experience and is studying at the Iowa Culinary Institute. Both she and Schroeder are also busy moms who value efficiency and understand that healthy behaviors have to be fun in order to stick. They serve fresh, local-when-possible ingredients and offer a new trio of menu items every two weeks that “fuel your mind, body, spirit and immune system so you can feel your best,” Schroeder says.

What to order: Schroeder is a fan of the lighter Swedish meatballs, while Servellon adores the braised pork with butternut squash. My vote goes to the Dijon chicken thighs with roasted vegetables.
When to order: Sunday through Monday for Wednesday afternoon pickup, or Thursday through Friday for Sunday afternoon pickup at Kitchen Spaces, 1139 24th St.

The cast of "God of Carnage" features two real-life couples: Kim and Dan Haymes (front), with Maggie Jane Tatone and Michael Ladell Harris. Photo: Dylan Heuer Photography.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

End Times for ‘God of Carnage’

There’s still time to catch Tallgrass Theatre Company’s production of “God of Carnage” in West Des Moines. The Tony Award-winning script by Yasmina Reza tells the tale of two couples who meet to resolve a playground conflict between their sons, Benjamin and Henry. But when the four parents get together, their civilized meeting quickly spirals into childish chaos.

Tickets are still up for grabs for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday or 2 p.m. Sunday.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

Lovesick Comedy at Teehee's (7 p.m. Friday): Whether you’re still riding the Valentine’s sugar high or you’ve already crashed, this improv comedy special has something for everyone. Tickets are $15.

Bluegrass in the Beer Hall at Exile (2-6:30 p.m. Saturday): The only thing better than live music is free live music. All afternoon, Exile guests can enjoy the plucky bluegrass stylings of Dead Line String Band and Strang Dang Doodle.

Oscar contenders at the Art Center (6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Sunday): Get ready for the 95th Academy Award Ceremony on March 12 by watching some of this year’s nominees in the short, documentary, animation and live-action film categories at the Des Moines Art Center’s free screenings. Registration is free but required for both Friday and Sunday.

Puppy adoptions at Paws & Pints (1-3 p.m. Saturday): The pup-ular bar and dog park Paws & Pints is partnering with Hope Animal Rescue to host adoptable puppies for the afternoon. Stop by for a meet and greet–and maybe even take one home. Learn more about the event on Facebook.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Visiting authors: The Des Moines Public Library just announced its new lineup for the Authors Visiting in Des Moines series. In case you missed it, the 2023 series kicks off during the DSM Book Festival on March 25 with Sarah Penner, bestselling author of “The Lost Apothecary” and the upcoming follow-up “The London Séance Society.” Also coming this year: R.F. Kuang (“The Poppy War,” “Babel: An Arcane History”) on April 13; J. Ryan Stradal (“The Lager Queen of Minnesota”) on May 1; Emily St. John Mandel (“Station Eleven,” “Sea of Tranquility”) on May 10; Jack Carr (“The Terminal List”) on May 24; Paul Kix (“The Saboteur”) on June 6; and Taylor Harris (“This Boy We Made”) on June 15. Check dmpl.org for details about each author’s visit.

Order dessert in a glass at Paleteria La Michoacana on East Grand Avenue. Here’s the Mangonda with mango chunks, ice cream, lime, chili powder and chamoy sauce. Photographer: Duane Tinkey.

FOOD AND DINING
Find Worldly Foods Around the City

Vanessa C. Marcano-Kelly of West Des Moines is a certified court interpreter, translator at Principal Financial Group, and owner and lead linguist at Caracas Language Solutions. She is also an adventurous eater. The native of Caracas, Venezuela, shares some of her top spots for tasting global flavors here in Central Iowa.

Let Them Eat Cake
Vicente Diaz’s bakery at 405 Maple St. in West Des Moines sells small cakes in several flavors, such as Champagne and red velvet, but mocha is Marcano-Kelly’s favorite. Diaz is originally from Mexico City and worked in the financial industry before pursuing his dream as a pastry chef and bakery owner. The business also takes special orders.

Taste of Africa
One of Marcano-Kelly’s mentors introduced her to this restaurant at 2500 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. “I was completely hooked on their juicy and flavorful chicken suqaar and rice (a Somali stir-fry with chicken, vegetables and spices) and super fresh sambusa (a samosa with meat),” she says. “The hot sauce is incredible, and it’s a great price, too.”

Paleteria La Michoacana
Located at La Placita, the shopping district on East Grand, the restaurant is a great spot for paletas (ice cream) made on-site in assorted flavors. You can also find a variety of Mexican street food, such as elotes (grilled corn topped with cheese) and carne asada fries. In the winter, Marcano-Kelly recommends the “delicious champurrado (a cornmeal-based hot beverage) to keep you warm.” It comes in chocolate, guava, walnut and other flavors.
Hungry?

Check out six more of Marcano-Kelly’s recommendations at dsmmagazine.com.