Sir Loin Catering teams with PlanIt Eats to offer prepared meals

Consumers may recognize the name Sir Loin Catering in Northboro as a company that helped people in need during the pandemic, providing free meals twice a week since March. More than 15,000 meals had been handed out before the Corona Culinary Meals Program ended on May 14.

As state restrictions start to ease and companies move forward, Sir Loin Catering owners Geoff Kelly and Steve Towne decided to implement plans to partner with PlanIt Eats, a company that offers options for consumers looking to incorporate better eating habits into their daily routine.

“We had thought about becoming a PlanIt Eats franchise way before COVID-19 and the shutdowns occurred,” said Towne. “The meals program instead became our top priority, and we are very thankful for the chef volunteers, community and business support and private donations that made the program possible.

“We now have successfully launched the PlanIt Eats grab-and-go breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack menu options on our website,” said Towne. “All entrees are fresh and never frozen and contain no dairy, sugar or gluten. Vegan meals also are available.

“The grab-and-go is convenient as you pre-order online, pick up the food at the Sir Loin Catering kitchen and reheat the meal when you’re ready to eat,” said Towne, who said most meals can be popped into the freezer for later use. Orders can be delivered to home or business, he said.

Grab-and-go takes on the burden of “shopping, cooking and cleaning,” according to Towne, who said the stress of dealing with the coronavirus crisis sometimes can lead to making quick food choices that are convenient but not always healthy. The PlanIt Eats concept has proven to work and is delicious, said Towne. Visit https://sirloincatering.com for more information about the PlanIt Eats service and menus. Telephone or text: (508) 450-2280. The company is located at 369 W. Main St., Northboro.

PlanIt Eats CEO Michael Glassman started offering meal ordering online in 2015, switching from Healthy Grille in Dartmouth, a business he founded in 2002. The PlanIt Eats chain today reportedly has seven locations that stock their meals.

Sir Loin Catering, established in 2000, caters everything from weddings to business meetings and corporate events and pig roasts. The company also does food truck catering. Check the website for updates on catering services or call (508) 450-5619.

Piccolo's offering takeout June 5-6

Owner/Executive Chef John Piccolo will open Piccolo’s restaurant, 157 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, for takeout on June 5 and June 6. Hours for ordering will be from 4 to 10 p.m. Pickup only. Call (508) 754-1057.

The popular eatery will have a limited takeout menu, with several signature dishes that include chicken parmigiana, eggplant parmigiana and Bolognese. Wine and beer can be ordered with takeout meals. Visit https://piccolos157.com for menu updates.

Piccolo said he is readying a “backyard” patio for when restaurants are given the OK to open outdoor dining.

In the meantime, chef Piccolo will be on the cooking line for takeout orders.

Zoup! veggie broth and other vegan options

From a vegan veggie broth “good enough to drink” to plant-based snacks, here are several food products to taste test at home.

Remember the downtown destination Zoup!, a soup restaurant chain that closed abruptly in 2018 after just more than a year on Main Street in Worcester?

Well, there’s a bit of good news for the eatery’s fans. It’s the Zoup! brand of a veggie broth that’s a rich, savory alternative to some of the mundane products on supermarket shelves. Zoup! is 100 percent vegan with a homemade taste. Use it in vegetable-based recipes ranging from pastas and grains to casseroles and soups. I’ve even used it as a poaching liquid. The restaurant-quality broth is low in calories, paleo-friendly and completely free of artificial ingredients, preservatives, gluten, GMO’s, etc. “Good, really good” is new labeling on the jar.

The broth is available at natural and mainstream markets nationwide at a suggested retail of $6.99 per 32-ounce jar. Visit www.zoupbroth.com to learn more.

Harvest Snaps, plant-based snack crisps from Calbee North America, come in a variety of flavor offerings that feature 30 to 60 percent less fat than regular potato chips and 130 to 140 calories per 22 crisps. The veggie-based snacks have green peas, black beans or red lentils as the number one ingredient, depending on the flavor variety. The crisps provide plant-based protein, calcium and potassium and are certified gluten-free and free of artificial ingredients and allergens such as soy, nuts, wheat and eggs.

Harvest Snaps are sold alongside other crunchy snacks, or in their original home, the produce aisle of supermarkets.

Harvest Snaps Snack Crisps are available in 3-ounce and 3.3-ounce bags and sold in supermarkets and natural food stores nationwide. Visit www.harvestsnaps.com and follow @harvestsnaps on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Skillet Brownies With Dandies Marshmalllows is a dessert recipe cooked on the grill.

Dandies Marshallows are plant-based and vegan treats made with ingredients such as real vanilla and vegan cane sugar. They contain no artificial flavors or colors, corn syrup, gelatin, or gluten. They’re kosher, Non-GMO Project Vertified, and free of common allergens, such as wheat, dairy, etc.

This recipe by Chelsie Jangord is courtesy of Dandies Marshmallows: Ingredients: 1 10-ounce bag of Dandies Marshmallows; 1 box brownie mix (an option is to use an allergy friendly brownie mix); 2/3 cup nondairy milk; 1/3 cup coconut oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Spray a cast iron skillet with a nonstick spray. Beat together brownie mix with nondairy milk, coconut oil and vanilla until batter is formed. Spread batter evenly in the cast iron pan. Cover with marshmallows. Make a dome out of foil and cover the skillet. Make sure the dome leaves enough space for the marshmallows to expand without getting stuck to the foil. Set the skillet on heated grill and cover with the lid. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the grill and cool. Note: Gooey brownies can be scooped up with graham crackers.

Café Noir in Shrewsbury

In an item in last week’s Table Hoppin' column about the opening of the Bean Counter Bakery Café flagship location, 270 Grove St., Worcester, we listed owner Alice Lombardi’s three other stores.

Her second brand, Café Noir, is located at 307 Grafton St., Shrewsbury, not in Worcester as reported in the story.

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.