MANGIA HEALTHY KITCHEN OFFERS ITALIAN SPECIALTIES MADE FROM FRESH, GOODFOR-YOU INGREDIENTS

BY JESSICA JONES-GORMAN PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO

For years, Jeanine LaRosa crafted her meatballs from a traditional Italian mix of beef and pork, then fried them in a skillet of bubbling olive oil. But every time she cooked the Sunday feast and lamented over the grease, she contemplated ways in which to make a healthier option.

“I have three kids, and I knew I should be cooking cleaner for them,” LaRosa said. “So I started making the meatballs out of chicken and turkey and baking them in the oven. I was surprised at how tasty they were minus the fat, so I started experimenting with all of my family’s dinners and came up with some delicious and healthy recipes.”

Ideas included rice balls (but filled with brown rice) and stuffed peppers loaded with grilled vegetables and smothered in low-fat cheese. When each dish was a success with family and friends, LaRosa decided to share her meals with Staten Island residents. In October of 2014, Mangia Healthy Kitchen was born.

“The concept was to provide tasty, healthy food with an Italian twist, a genre I felt was really lacking here on Staten Island,” LaRosa said. “I knew that a lot of people were trying to choose healthier options, but it’s often difficult to find the right ingredients, never mind a fully prepared dish.”

The owner, who says she’s always had a passion for food, created a menu full of gluten-free meals and stocked her kitchen with plenty of fresh produce and a range of multi-grain breads and whole wheat wraps. Every dish concocted—whether Chicken Francese, Chicken Marsala, or Pasta Primavera—was given a healthy twist.

“We use all whole-grain or gluten free pasta, and offer a quinoa salad made with the super grain and also use a lot of barley,” LaRosa said. “All of our wraps are whole wheat, all of our paninis are multigrain. All of those details makes our food good for you without sacrificing the taste.”

Mangia’s specialty items include Eggplant Lasagna, Veggie Fritatas, and Italian Egg Rolls. Wraps include a Southwest version filled with grilled chicken, black beans, roasted corn, tomatoes, low-fat pepperjack cheese and guacamole, as well as a bu_ alo variety with grilled buffalo chicken, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. A Grilled Lemon Chicken Panini features lemon-marinated white meat, and the Pomodoro Sandwich includes vine-ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and basil drizzled in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Popular salads include the California Spring with grilled chicken and mixed baby greens topped with avocado, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, red onion, and goat cheese, and the Santa Fe Salad, with grilled chicken over romaine lettuce and topped with avocado, tomato, corn, black beans, red peppers, low fat pepperjack cheese, and Southwestern dressing. There’s also homemade hummus, pita chips, and guacamole, and a constant flow of mixed grilled veggies.

“We will also modify any wrap, salad or Panini to accommodate a customer’s wishes,” LaRosa said. “And every dish is made fresh when the customer orders it. We grill all of our chicken for every single sandwich or salad, which sometimes creates a longer wait time, but means that each dish leaves here freshly cooked.”

The menu is also low sodium—a balance of fruits, veggies, greens, and protein—and there’s a full lineup of smoothies and juices, too (including Strawberry Banana and Peanut Butter Blast), each made to order with fresh fruit and protein powders. But, despite all of the ginger juice shots, sweet potato quinoa cakes with kale, and gluten-free baked chicken cutlets, LaRosa said Mangia’s fare should not be just labeled “health food.”

“Yes, we feature healthier options and healthier ingredients and yes we focus on quality ingredients cooked in healthful ways,” she said, “but our bottom line is delicious food done right.”

Mangia, open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., also takes catering orders and will arrange for delivery. And while LaRosa is currently focused on expanding the menu and providing healthful dishes to its growing clientele, she claims the real crux of her business is the use of quality, fresh ingredients in every recipe.

“Everything we use is quality,” she concluded. “Super-fresh ingredients are what makes our sandwiches, salads, and wraps delicious and good for you.”

Mangia Healthy Kitchen
20 Jefferson Boulevard
718.356.4400 / mangiahealthykitchenny.com