Dining out doesn't have to be incompatible with healthy eating. Here are three places that offer plenty of fresh and nutritious choices with healthy choices. If someone in your party wants to indulge, they can do that too.

BAMBOO NOAH'S

Hidden in a tiny Plantation strip shopping center set back from the road, Bamboo Noah's is a secret worth discovering. Simon Berdugo opened the fast-casual restaurant in December, naming it for his son.

Berdugo prides himself on making the sauces and dressings from scratch, including balsamic and Asian dressings so good he should bottle them. The overall food quality is impressive, especially with a price point of $12 or less.

While the menu is modest in size, it ranges from Asian to Middle Eastern with lots of stops in between. For a heartier meal, opt for a grilled or wok entree with two sides. For lighter fare, there are salads, sandwiches and wraps.

The grilled shrimp with fruit salsa included seven perfectly cooked shrimp and a flavorful mix of pineapple, diced red bell pepper and more. Thumbs up, too, for the grilled balsamic chicken breast and a daily special of chicken stir-fry with soba noodles.

Side dishes include crispy Asian slaw, Israeli couscous, sesame snow peas and jasmine rice with cranberries and cashews. Our only disappointment was a just-OK dessert crepe.

• Bamboo Noah's, 1251 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation; 954-475-8990, www.bamboonoahs.com; grill and wok dishes $7-$8 ($12 with two sides), salads $7 (plus $3 for protein), sandwiches and wraps $7 (plus $2 with a side), side orders $3-$5. Prices include tax.

TOSS UP SALADS

This independent operation could give lessons to some of the salad chains. With its light green walls and red banquette seating, the bright and cheery room feels like a friend's kitchen. An attentive wait staff steps up the experience from fast food.

Salads, wraps and smoothies are the name of the game here, but the choices are overwhelming. There are several pages of signature salad combinations and gourmet wraps with Tex-Mex, Indian and tropical flavor profiles, to name a few. If you don't find what you like, design your own.

We opted for the Mediterranean and Thai salads, adding grilled chicken for a satisfying dinner. They were huge bowls, loaded with lots more than just lettuce, great fresh produce and house-made dressings that were spot-on.

If you want to blow the diet, there are decadent desserts like chocolate lava cake and a dulce de leche pyramid. We stuck with our theme by splitting a Davie Diva smoothie made with organic strawberry, blueberry and orange juices -- just enough natural sweetness to finish off the meal.

• Toss Up Salads, 7750 Nova Dr., Davie; 954-533-4488, www.tossupsalads.com; salads $4.99-$8.49 (plus $1.50-$2.99 for protein), wraps $4.99-$7.49, smoothies $4.99-$5.99.

SIMPLY NATURAL CAFE

If you've gone organic, Simply Natural Cafe is the place for you. Everything on the menu including wines is organic, all meat is from are grass-fed animals and fish have low mercury content. Raw food lovers will find impressive choices like raw pizza, tacos and ice cream.

With the new age music in the background, it's a cozy place where you can feel comfortable lingering over a magazine, but it's not particularly child-friendly. The owners also have a health food store next door and integrate some of the merchandise into the restaurant.

Entree portions are huge. Chicken Italiano is chicken sautéed with a tangy-sweet combination of onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and cranberries and served with pasta. Herb Sabdzi is a stew-like Persian dish of sautéed herbs, spinach, fenugreek, leeks, kidney beans and dried Persian lime with your choice of chicken, tofu or beef.

• Simply Natural Cafe, 8267 Sunset Strip, Sunrise; 954-742-8384, www.simplynaturalcafe.com; starters $3.99-$4.99, appetizer platters $13.99-$20.99, salads $6.99-$9.99, lunch $6.99-$12.99, most entrees $7.99-$15.99.

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