Z’Tejas Celebrating the Harvest of Chiles - Chile Bash 2010

Sept. 7, 2010 - PRLog -- AUSTIN, Texas –  Z’Tejas, known for its fresh, flavorful and innovative menu, will host its traditional Chile Bash from September 7th to 26th of 2010. This showcase of culinary appreciation for the chile is the highlight of their diverse menu for the month, and is a favorite of many Z’Tejas guests.  

Z’Tejas has a long history of using chiles.  We use chiles in entrées, sauces and even drinks! Nick Rota, Regional Manager for Z’Tejas, explained “Chile Bash is a great way for us to not only feature a fundamental ingredient on our menu, but also highlights some of our new recipes and allows us to give back to the community.  $1 of every Chile Bash entrée sold will be donated to the LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center at the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.”  

The LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center supports and encourages children cancer survivors by guiding families with plans to address the complicated needs following treatment.  Children survivors are reinforced with advocates that help them mitigate the physical, emotional and educational needs that are frequently complicated by effects of their treatment.  This program aids in stabilizing the continued recovery of the children into their strong and healthy adulthood.

The Chile Bash menu, developed from the creativity of chefs at Z’Tejas, will include:

Chile Grilled Shrimp Salad – Chile-mint grilled shrimp atop field greens with fresh pears, honeydew, watermelon and tomatoes, lightly tossed with green chile vinaigrette and topped with crispy chile rings.

Southwestern Paella – Grilled cilantro pesto chicken, blackened scallops, shrimp and andouille sausage, tossed with our Z’ roasted corn rice and green chile tomato broth, topped with cotija cheese.

Green Chile Barbacoa Rellenos – Shredded beef barbacoa and jack cheese stuffed in a chile relleno, dusted and lightly fried, topped with green chile sauce, chipotle sour cream and cotija cheese, served with handcrafted spicy mango-cabbage slaw and Z’ roasted corn rice.

Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin – Jack cheese, sweet apricot, raisins, toasted pecans and peppers, all rolled into tender baked pork medallions, served with a green chile cream sauce and a stack of crispy onion and chile rings.

Chiles carry several potential health benefits due to their spice and vitamin content.  Chiles are cholesterol free, low in sodium and calories, and are a good source of folic acid, Vitamin E, and potassium.  Ounce for ounce, the green chile has more Vitamin C than citrus fruits, and the red chile contains more Vitamin A than carrots.  

Many are familiar with the spice factor that accompanies these popular fruits, which has the ability to increase your metabolism, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer and ward off stroke and heart attack.  People often associate the spice factor as mildly painful, however capsaicin, the compound that our taste buds interpret as heat, is actually proven to reduce pain for those experiencing toothaches or gum soreness. This compound can actually make foods safer by reducing harmful bacteria on foods when cooked together and despite popular belief, the heat is located in the veins or ribs of the pepper rather than in the seeds.  

The chile pepper is a popular choice for those planning meals that aid losing weight not only because of the  ability of the pepper to increase your metabolism, but also because the variety of the flavor curbs appetites for fatty foods and sweets making it easier to enjoy healthy mainstays.

Z’Tejas invites everyone to enjoy Chile Bash this September honoring the healthy and delicious pepper while benefiting the LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center at the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.  You will eat well while supporting a great cause.


About Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas-  Dell children’s Medical Center of Central Texas replaced Children's Hospital of Austin and opened in June 2007.  Dell Children’s is a state of the art facility providing medical care to sick and injured children and adolescents in the 46-county Central Texas region.  Care is provided to all children who come for treatment regardless of their family's ability to pay for services. Dell Children’s is part of the non-profit Seton Family of Hospitals.

About LIVESTRONG Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG fights for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG’s mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer. For more information visit LIVESTRONG.org.

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About Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill--Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill offers a wide array of fresh, flavorful and innovative menu items inspired by culinary influences from Louisiana, Texas, California and Mexico. Z’Tejas has been providing a great meal, a good time and extraordinary hospitality to its Austin guests for the last 21 years. The restaurants offer a casual experience equipped with lively dining rooms and landscaped patios. For more information and upcoming events/specials please visit ztejas.com
Z’Tejas Locations:
Z’Tejas Downtown Z’Tejas Arboretum Z’Tejas Avery Ranch
1110 West 6th Street 9400-A. Arboretum Blvd. 10525 W. Parmer Lane
Austin, TX 78703 Austin, TX 78759 Austin, TX 78717
512.478.5355 512.346.3506 512.388.7772
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