Humana to host healthy food cook-off during Taste of Chicago

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Humana, which is providing tickets for a giveaway on the Chicago Foodie Sisters blog. Humana will also be providing me with complimentary tickets to enable me to sample Humana Healthier Choices items to share my honest opinions. I am receiving no compensation for this post and all opinions are my own.   

Humana has some cool stuff planned for the Taste of Chicago, which kicked off today. If you attend, be sure to stop by their tent. They'll also be hosting a healthy food cook-off between Chicago Bears alum Tom Thayer and WXRT DJ Mary Dixon at 12:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, July 11. The cook-off will feature special guest judges, including fellow Chicago Bears alum Tom Waddle and WXRT DJ Johnny Mars.

Also, if you are at the fest and looking for something on the healthier side, Humana has identified 55 healthy food options that will be identified with a green apple image on menu boards. Take a peek and some of the better-for-you options that you'll find there. They also have identified vegan and gluten-free offerings.

Appetizers/Starters – Less than 320 calories, 300 mg sodium and 2 g saturated fat

·         Taste Portion of Veggie (Vegan) Burger (V) – Beat Kitchen

·         Taste Portion of Mustard Fried Catfish – BJ’s Market

·         Taste Portion of Grilled Chicken Taco – Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill 

·         Taste Portion of Grilled Steak Taco – Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill 

·         Corn on the Cob (V) – Mariano’s

·         Roasted Celtic Corn on the Cob (V) – O'Brien's Restaurant

·         Taste Portion of Doner Kebab (V) – DönerMen 

·         Taste Portion of Shrimp on a Stick – Haire's Gulf Shrimp 

·         Taste Portion of Avocado Toast (V) – Farmer’s Fridge 

·         Taste Portion of Watermelon Hibiscus Gazpacho (V) – Farmer’s Fridge 

·         Taste Portion of Chap Chae (V) – Jin Ju 

Main Dishes – Less than 500 calories, 500 mg sodium and 4 g saturated fat

·         Veggie (Vegan) Burger (V) – Beat Kitchen

·         Mustard Fried Catfish – BJ’s Market

·         Grilled Steak Taco – Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill

·         Grilled Chicken Taco – Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill

·         Taste Portion of Smoked Alligator – Chicago's Dog House 

·         Taste Portion of Smoked Rattlesnake with Rabbit – Chicago's Dog House 

·         Watermelon Hibiscus Gazpacho (V) – Farmer's Fridge

·         Avocado Toast (V) – Farmer's Fridge

·         Vegetable Spinach and Plantains (V) – Iyanze

·         Taste Portion of Jerk Chicken – Iyanze 

·         Chicken Ke-Bob Curry Rice with Vegetables – Kasia’s Deli

·         Malnati Salad (V) – Lou Malnati’s

·         Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Salad – Star of Siam

·         Doner Kebab (V) – DönerMen

·         Kebab Salad (V) – DönerMen

·         Chap Chae (V) – Jin Ju

·         Vegetable with Cheese Sandwich (V) – Gino's Steaks Truck 

·         Taste Portion of Chicken Tacos – La Cocinita 

·         Black Bean and Cheese Arepa with Venezuelan Guacamole (V) – La Cocinita 

·         Taste Portion of Grilled Cheese (V) – The Fat Shallot 

Desserts – Less than 320 calories, 300 mg sodium and 2 g saturated fat

·         Taste Portion of Lemon Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato 

·         Blood Orange Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato

·         Taste Portion of Peach Cobbler Gelato (V) – Caffe Gelato 

·         Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato (V) – Caffe Gelato

·         Italian Lemon Ice (V) – Franco's Ristorante

·         Taste Portion of Italian Lemon Ice (V) – Franco’s Ristorante 

·         Italian Watermelon Ice (V) – Franco's Ristorante

·         Taste Portion of Italian Watermelon Ice (V) – Franco’s Ristorante 

·         Lemon-Lime Paleta (V) – La Mexicana 

·         Strawberry Paleta (V) – La Mexicana

·         Taste Portion of Strawberry Paleta (V) – La Mexicana 

·         Mango Paleta (V) – La Mexicana

·         Watermelon Paleta (V) – La Mexicana

·         Taste Portion of Watermelon Paleta (V) – La Mexicana 

·         Sliced Watermelon (V) – Mariano’s 

·         Mango Sorbet (V) – Star of Siam

·         Chocolate Frozen Baby Banana (V) – The Fudge Pot

·         Chocolate Dipped Strawberry (V) – The Fudge Pot

·         Taste Portion of 2 Dinky Donuts (V) – Dinky Donuts 

·         Red Velvet Cupcake Mini (V) – Ms. Tittle's Cupcake 

·         Frozen Mango Kefir with Granola (V) – Starfruit Café 

·         Taste Portion of Frozen Mango Kefir (V) – Starfruit Café

·         Frozen Original Kefir with Fresh Blueberries (V) – Starfruit Café 

·         Taste Portion of Frozen Original Kefir (V) – Starfruit Café

The following items, available from Dia De Los Tamales, do not meet the Humana Healthier Choices nutrition criteria but provide options for Taste-goers with gluten-free dietary restrictions:

·         Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Tamale

·         Taste Portion of Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Tamale

·         Spicy Black Bean & Corn Tamale (V)

·         Taste Portion of Spicy Black Bean & Corn Tamale (V)

·         Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese Tamale

             ·         Roasted Pepper Goat Cheese Tamale (V)