A new year brings new resolutions for personal growth — in terms of careers, finances, relationships, productivity and, most commonly, health.
The Mac Shack, a macaroni and cheese-specific outpost of the local Keystone Bar & Grill chain, is a fast-casual hub for cheesy concoctions. The Green Township location recently paired up with local health and wellness social media influencer Queen City Keto to come up with a few diet-friendly temporary menu items for those who are craving some comfort food but still want to stay on track with their keto dietary restrictions.
If you're not familiar, keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Instead of burning carbs as energy, once your body reaches ketosis (it usually takes around three to five days), the liver breaks down fat into usable energy, called ketones, which is utilized in place of carbohydrates during metabolism. So the diet basically consists of lots of healthy fats, a moderate amount of protein and just a little bit of carbs.
The shack offers two different keto-friendly dishes. The spaghetti and meatballs ($8.50) substitutes zucchini noodles instead of pasta, red pepper coulis instead of marinara sauce and meatballs with almond flour in place of breadcrumbs. The keto-friendly Lovin' Spoonful ($6.50) substitutes macaroni for cauliflower and is made with a roux-free béchamel sauce.
For now, the special bowls are only available during the month of January.
Mac Shack, 5655 Harrison Ave., Green Township.
