''People are looking at what is in our food supply — hormones, disease, antibiotics, whatever,' says Justina Walls, who teaches a class called Transitioning to Vegetarianism at Colorado Free University. And that concern has led to a burst of interest in meatless dishes, and a new breed of 'flexitarians' who eat primarily fruits, grains and vegetables, but who won't say no to steak or salmon.

Newman wants people to know she is not a health food nut.

She has a passion for the occasional pork rind and describes herself as a "flexitarian," meaning that she is flexible about what she eats.

Dining on the Drag is typically a boisterous event. But the recently opened Acorn Cafe offers diners an oasis of calm, an eclectic menu and a respite for their wallets.

The quiet cafe, tucked behind a 7-Eleven at 26th and Guadalupe streets, features what chef-owner Helga Morath calls "flexitarian fare." That's her way of describing health/vegetarian food prepared with a Continental cast.