Fat Trap

Very interesting article in the NY Times about obesity and weight loss published December 28, 2011.

Fat Trap

FitBit

My patients are loving pedometers to help them track their exercise on a daily basis. This is a neat little device that my patients like and it has a great name and cool colors so why wouldn't a girl love it! The FITBIT is tiny (about the size of your - well ok - my thumb) and wirelessly uploads to the information collected on:
Steps taken
Distance traveled
Floors climbed
Calories burned
Sleeping patterns
The FitBit even has a flower that grows on the outside of it depending on how active you have been. It is slightly expensive at $99 but seems like a great gadget to add to your collection.

Maxwell's 148 - Open Table Spotlight

5 Course Chef's Tasting for 2 at $165 (regularly $250) at Maxwell's 148 in Natick, MA (148 East Central St, Natick, MA)

Purchase the deal through OpenTable and see more details. I have not been to this restaurant but they fuse the flavors of northern Italian and southern Asian cuisines.

Offer expires in 36 hours.

Menu:
Blue Fin Tuna Tartare with avocado, masago, ponzu sauce
Grilled lobster medallions, avocado blini, creme fraiche, paddlefish caviar
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Ravioli, truffle butter, shaved Parmesan cheese
Veal Loin Wellington, barolo sauce, fingerling potatoes
Chocolate bread pudding and fresh raspberries, champagne sabayone sauce

(prix fixe menu may change due to availability of ingredients)

New Label

New label on the right "Bariatric Friendly", a quick and easy link for all my patients who may be frequenting the page. There are recipes and health topics under that label - so be sure to check it out! (Remember that bread might be used as a side for an item, just leave out or include for the rest of your family :)

Lemon "Cheesecake"

Oatmeal Cinnamon Crust:
1 cup rolled oats (old fashion oats)
1/2 cup brown rice flour (can take uncooked brown rice and grind in food processor)
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tables pure maple syrup (grade B has more vitamins then grade A)
1/4 cup grapeola (or canola oil)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine oats, flour, walnuts, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Combine vanilla, maple syrup and oil in a bowl and then whisk into dry ingredients.
4. Press firmly into a greased 8 or 9" spring form pan (or you can use a baking dish), bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes - then cool for 30 minutes before filling.

Filling:
1/2 cup millet (or amaranth or brown/tan quinoa)
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoon lemon zest
(1/2 cup silken tofu - optional)

1. Combine millet and water in a saucepan, bring to a bowl, then let simmer covered until water is completely absorbed.
2. While millet is cooking, blend cashews, lemon, maple syrup, vanilla and zest (and tofu if using) in food processor, process on high speed until completely smooth.
3. Pour in warm millet and process for another 3 minutes on high.
4. Pour into cooled crust and let sit at room temp for 1 hour. Then place plastic wrap over top and cool in ice box for another 4 hours before serving.

Topping:
8oz fruit preserves (cherry, raspberry, guava, strawberry, blueberry, ligonberry, orange etc)
sliced fruit like kiwi or berries for decoration

1. Heat preserves and spread evenly over cooled filling.
2. Decorate with fresh fruit.

ENJOY!!

Fruit-Yogurt 'Sundae'

'Tis the season for citrus fruit! Navel or Cara Cara oranges are perfect at this time of year (early December), if you wait until January you can use Honey Bells, and Valencia oranges will be ready to go by February. Pomegranates are also a fabulous addition to your fruit arsenal this time of year!

For 6 servings

1 tsp fresh grated orange zest (peel)
1 tsp fresh grated grapefruit zest (peel)
2 red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 Navel or Cara Cara oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 banana sliced
8 oz fat free plain yogurt
1 tsp fresh lime juice

1. Mix lime juice with yogurt
2. Mix fruit and divide into bowls for serving
3. Place a dollop of the lime yogurt on top of fruit and sprinkle with some grated zest.

ENJOY!!

Decemeber Lix Fix

I can't believe it is already time for another Lix Fix!!! In addition to their monthly flavors, JP Licks also has an assortment of treats available.

Kowlua and Candy Cane pies
Red Velvet Yule Logs
Brownie Layer Cake
Mini Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecakes

Monthly flavors - festive of course!
Candy Cane
Red Velvet
Frozen Pudding
Gingersnap Molasses
Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Coquito
Chocolate Peppermint Sorbet
Eggnog
Coconut Almond Chip Low Fat
Lactose Free Madagascar Vanilla Bean Speck
Lactose Free Cherry Vanilla

Turkey Roasting Times...

Never fear - an outline for cooking your turkey is here!!

I highly suggest brining the turkey for 12-18 hours before cooking it - this helps the turkey to retain moisture and also adds flavor to the bird. This is what I did last night (cooking today)

Heat 2 gallons water
add 2 cups kosher salt, 1.5 cups sugar (I only had 1/2 cup white sugar so the other 1 cup was brown - opps!), 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves, 1+ tablespoons whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon dried coriander, 1 tablespoon dried sage
Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.

I washed the turkey and put it in a lobster pot. I let the brine cool and then poured it over turkey - then I added an additional 2 gallons of cold water (and then just enough more to cover turkey)...Let sit covered in fridge for 12-18 hours. - Viola!

Wt of Bird ~ Roasting Time (Unstuffed) ~ Time(Stuffed)
10-18 pounds ~ 3-3.5 hours ~ 3.75-4.5 hours
18-22 pounds ~ 3.5-4 hours ~ 4.5-5 hours
22-24 pounds ~ 4-4.5 hours ~ 5-5.5 hours
24-29 pounds ~ 4.5-5 hours ~ 5.5-6.25 hours

over 29 lbs - get your head examined - that bird is wayyyyy to big!

Hot apple cider

1 gallon organic cider
3-4 slices of orange
2 slices of lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
4-5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon star anise
1 shot spiced rum and/or applejack (optional)

Mix together in a pot - simmer for 15 minutes - strain and serve - YUM!

Are antibiotics making you fat?

More and more research is coming out these days about the effects of antibiotics on our overall well being. While it is important to remember that antibiotics are needed for many infections, most Americans run to quickly to the doctor for a prescription to fix every sniffle that comes their way. All of this mass murder in your system is wreaking havoc on your long term health and on your waist line.

Ranchers and chicken farmers have known for decades that if they give their livestock low doses of antibiotics, not only do they not have to worry about wide spread disease ravishing their close-quartered animals, but the animals will also fatten up quicker and be ready for the feed lot sooner which means faster turnover for producers and more money in their pockets for heavier animals. The same thing is happening to humans with overuse of antibiotics, except for the fact that we aren't selling each other to feed lots, instead we are paying more in health care costs and for bigger clothing articles.

When you take an antibiotic, it not only kills the bacterial infection, but also all the beneficial bacteria in your GI tract. These bacteria make it possible for you digest food; absorb nutrients like calcium, B vitamins and essential fatty acids; and to produce other essential nutrients like Vitamin K which clots your blood to keep you from bleeding out when you acquire a huge bruise after running into the corner of a table piss-ass drunk; not to mention with out all those good gut bacteria you also have a hard time with bowel movements.

So how is this making you fat you ask? Well that is what researchers are working on but the thought is that it has something to do with the absorption of nutrients through your gut wall. Certain bacteria and fructans (onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, Rye, barley, asparagus, chocolate, agave, leeks, yicama) can help to increase satiety quicker during meals, reduce the expression of genes which respond to short-chain fatty acids in adipose (fat) tissue, and make the mucosal barrier lining your intestines stronger against stuff (read calories/fat etc) crossing it, thus there is less development of fat mass so that people are better able to maintain weight.

If you wipe out the good bacteria in your gut, you run the risk of recolonizing your intestines with bacteria that are not as beneficial. Further studies are looking to be done to see which bacteria and in what proportions they are needed to help people maintain/lose weight and have more productive inner workings. So next time before you get an Rx to wipe out all living things in your body, think about just how sick you are, it might not be worth taking antibiotics for every illness.

Butternut Squash Soup

Its soup season people - come on in and warm up!

1/2 cup small diced vidalia onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup peeled, chopped apple (Macintosh is a good one or Granny Smith)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 pound peeled, diced potatoes (use red potatoes)
1 pound peeled, seeded, diced butternut squash
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 cup fat free milk or soy milk
salt and pepper

1. Saute onion in olive oil until very soft and translucent. Add apple, thyme, nutmeg, ginger, and cook 3-4 minutes more.
2. Add broth, potato, squash and bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are very soft (approx. 25 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
3. Remove from heat and blend in pot with hand immersion blender (or cool slightly and use regular blender - but be careful you can get some killer burns with the regular blender).
4. Stir in milk, reheat if necessary but do not boil.

Serve topped with some pinenuts (pignola nuts) and a grating of Romano cheese and a nice crusty loaf of bread for cleaning up the bowl :)

November Lix Fix

Flavors are in for the JP Licks November Lix Fix! I am pretty excited for the Factor X yogurt flavor - Cranberry Blood Orange :)

Pumpkin Custard
Wild Turkey Bourbon (this doesn't seem like a good idea to me! ahahaha)
Carrot Cake
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Sugar Free Vanilla
Peanut butter Ripple (YES PLEASE!!! and my obsession with peanut butter continues)
Cranberry Orange Sorbet
Pumpkin Lactose Free
Vermont Maple Low Fat Yogurt
Triple Berry Sorbet

The new toppings: Dried cranberries, frosted animal cookies or cheesecake bites

You had better make a few laps around the outdoor mall while eating your Licks treat this month :)

Hey there cupcake

If you are looking for a yum-tastic treat for your November gatherings try these Pumpkin cupcakes with Maple-cream cheese frosting. Another NYC-Ivy discovery, the recipe itself needs to be credited to Ina Garten, but delicious these puppies are! You could make a substitution or two for some healthier attributes like using grapeola instead of vegetable oil for fish-free omega-3s, and fat free cream cheese in the frosting but I would for sure still use real butter as it is much better for you then margarine.

Makes 10 cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar,
1/2 cup vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup maple syrup
Maple Frosting (recipe follows)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared tins and bake for 20 min, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits.

Maple Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon Maple extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring , maple syrup and vanilla extract.
2. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

We've been douped!

Was anyone else aware that Ben & Jerry's Ice cream is no longer allowed to pat themselves on the back with an 'All Natural' claim? You may remember that Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield no longer own the business which creates such sought after ice cream pints, they sold out to Unilever, a British-Dutch conglomerate in 2000. In 2010 though, a public advocacy group urged Unilever to remove the 'all natural' wording from its label, on the grounds that the Ben & Jerry's ice cream was no longer 'all natural' due to the appearance of corn syrup, alkalized cocoa power and other modified ingredients. Unilever did remove the wording from Ben & Jerry's labels, but even an avid consumer like myself did not physically notice the words' removal on a pint container (as is shown between the two different photos of labels) - I had to come across it in some literature.

I do feel slightly upset upon learning this, not because I am upset that the ice cream is no longer all natural, more because I did not notice when this change happened which was probably at least 12 months ago! To me this is much like how companies have been making containers smaller and charging the same price for the item - the change to the Ben & Jerry's label took quite some time for consumers to catch on. You might have realized the the label looked different but could not overtly describe why. I do think that now that Ben & Jerry's is no longer the same quality it started out as, they should drop the price or leave it the same and sell it in quart sized containers. Who wants to pay full price for a pho-natural ice cream anyway!

Pie time!

Well we have all heard the phrase "as American as apple pie" and hopefully I am not ruining to many lives when I remind people that apple pie is not an 'American' invented item, similar to how the French Fry is not actually French, anyway, I digress. I tasted my first apple pie of the season on Martha's vineyard, and it was buried in quality and flavor by the blueberry-peach pie that was also served. Disappointed, I thought that perhaps this was not going to be a good apple pie season, much like the weather this fall has drown us with rain and the summer failed to scorch us with heat (for those of you who don't know - I LOOOOOOVE the heat :) ). But Ivy came to visit from NYC two weekends ago and revived my spirits, alright I admit it, revived my faith in bakers that apple pie this fall will definitely be delicious.

Her homemade pie was, in fact, the best apple pie I can remember. It actually looked as though she has hand placed the layers of apple inside it (and if she did this I will take her to Butler Hospital on her next visit to have her head examined). The crust (which she thanked the infamous Martha Stewart for) was flaky, buttery, semi-sweet but yet a perfect compliment to its apple insides. She graciously has allowed me to post her recipe - and you ought to give this sucker a try, or, if you can find her, knock on her NYC door, and I bet she will bake one just for you!

Pie Crust- courtesy of Martha Stewart

Makes 1 double crust 9 inch pie (my apple pie recipe only uses one so you can make 2 pies)

2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt12 TB (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter
3 TB margarine or shortening3 TB sugar (can omit this if making a savory pie, this addition is not part of the Martha recipe)
1/4 Cup ice water

1. In a large bowl sift the flour and salt. cut the chilled butter and margarine/shortening add into the flour and shortening add sugar and with a pastry cutter or paddle attachment on mixer mix until the resembles coarse meal.
2. Add ice water little by little till it forms a ball. Don't over handle
3. wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr. When ready to use again don’t over handle and keep the mixture as cool as possible

German Apple Pie (for 1 pie, so double if doing above pie crust recipe)

6-8 granny smith apples
1/2cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Peel, quarter and slice apples thin and set aside, sprinkle w lemon to keep from turning brown
3. Combine apples sugar and sour cream. Sprinkle 2tbsps bread crumbs or matzo meal on the bottom of the pie shell to prevent it from becoming mushy.
4. Place apple mixture into the shell. In another bowl combine brown sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon, first w/fork then with fingers until crumbly.
5. Sprinkle over pie. Put a strip of tinfoil around the fluted edge of the pie shell to prevent over browning. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20min at 425, then reduce heat to 375 and back for 30 min or longer.

Stoner Food

On my first excursion ever to an island so close to the coastline of my beantown home front, I discovered a fabulously enticing treat at a local farmers' market. The treat? Stoner Food. A delectable, crave-worthy treat made of - our you ready for this? - a pretzel rod dipped in caramel, then dipped in dark chocolate, then sprinkled with crushed heath bar and a few granules of sea salt. Whoa nelle! You can find this treat on Martha's Vineyard from the local maker, New Moon Magick Enchanted Chocolates, at 4 Chapman Ave in Oak Bluffs or you can go to the website and order all their treats online! New Moon makes all their chocolates from high-high (no pun intended) quality 70% cacao. Hooray! Home-made treats made from high quality ingredients in small batches so that everything is fresh and fabulous. If it was a requirement that to eat Stoner food you had to be a pot head, I can't lie - I just might take up smoking - it was that fanfreakintastic!

I might just attempt to make it myself :)

Tailgating season is upon us! Try a new twist on a dip for veggies or pita chips :)

Spicy White bean dip (6 – ¼ cup servings)
•2 cloves garlic
•15 oz can cannelloni beans (liquid reserved)
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•salt & ground black pepper
•1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika
•¼ teaspoon dried thyme
•1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

OpenTable Spotlight of the Day

$25 for $50 worth of food at Brazilian Steakhouse in Woburn, MA (920 Main street). You can buy it until Friday morning. For reviews of Brazilian Steakhouse visit Opentable Spotlight.

I HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY!!!

New Restaurant's to Opentable - Boston

Newly added restaurants at opentable - so if you were looking for a reservation or a deal on a meal check out opentable for these exciting places!

Smith & Wollensky - Steak and Seafood on Atlantic Wharf
Mystery Cafe - Contemporary American in the Financial District + you get a dinner theatre show!!
Catalyst - Contemporary American in Cambridge
Pasta e Pomodoro - Italian in the North End
Range Indian Bistro - Stoneham

Grandma's Pot Roast

Grandma's pot roast was a Sunday dinner staple when I was growing up. We would venture the 75 miles from our home to hers every Sunday during the summer to spend the day playing cards, throwing poker chips, and building sand castles. Sunday dinner did not vary much, it was either roast chicken with pilaf, some kind of Armenian specialty, or pot roast. I remember loving the roast chicken, but I remember LOVING the pot roast. She always cooked hers with carrots, potatoes and onions. My brother would eat only the potatoes, my grandmother would always say, "I just LOVEEE cooked carrots, I don't know why - Gregory - why won't you try a carrot?", and the roasted onions were always my favorite. I would eat two or three whole roasted onions at the age of 7, what 7 year old does that!!

Last week, I ventured down to the Cape to visit grandma, and while it wasn't Sunday (Friday actually), she made a pot roast, and there it was laid out just like I remember. We sat down and started serving ourselves, she pierces a carrot with her fork, takes a bit and mutters the exact same phrase I would hear once a month, "I just LOVEEE cooked carrots, I don't know why!" Whoa nelle, deja vu! I promptly grabbed two roasted onions and tasted them before anything else. Heaven, just like I remember - and childhood memories that I had not thought about in years came flooding back, just from one bit of a roasted onion. I remembered the Cape cottage house with its lack of heat or AC, the cheap wood paneling, poop brown colored carpet, and leather furniture that squeaked so loud when you sat in it you could wake up someone in the bedrooms above. But alas, those were the days (and I have just successfully made myself sound 92 years old).

Grandma Sally cooks hers at 250 degrees for 4 hours. You could use other vegetables like turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips, butternut squash or even some dried beans or lentils. She puts some stock in the bottom of the pot so that there is some liquid to keep things moist and she always covers the entire thing tightly. Then put it in the oven and forget about it. 1.5 hours in, you will start to smell it throughout the whole house and this begins the torture of waiting for that fork tender (yes, don't even bother putting knives on the table) meat with roasted vegetables. That is the extent of the 'recipe' I could get from her.

Spice Bargin Shopping

For those of you looking to add some spice to your life - try picking up your food spices from Trader Joes. On a recent shopping trip these fabulous prices were noted:

$1.99 for 0.76 oz for cinnamon, basil, cumin, rosemary, etc.
$1.99 for 1.8oz Sea salt and pepper with grinder included.
$3.89 for 500 ml of organic extra virgin olive oil

Another place to snag a spice deal is to go to the "ethnic" section of your grocery store (ie the Latin foods) instead of the baking section. This section has containers of spices that are two times as large and half the price!

So cute!!

I couldn't resist shooting some film of these super cute, very well done cookies from a baby shower my mom attended yesterday. The shower was for a neighbor, who also happens to be an event planner, so we knew the party was going to be well decorated. The shortbread cookies, had a nice buttery taste, but the frosting was very hard (due to the nature of the event, you don't want the frosting to smudge and so it has more of a fondant quality to it). I have yet to try the rice crispy treat, but I am sure I will leave it pocketbook top as is - lord knows I don't need a chipped tooth :) Obviously, my favorite one was of the rocking pony - and it was indeed the first one i tried as well! If you need an even planner check out: Kate Lander's Event Planning

Couldn't be better...

I know I am fortunate enough to get to jet set all over and eat at fabulously delicious places, but one of the things that I have most enjoyed recently is something so simple, yet so satisfying to the eyes, the tongue and the tummy.

The last few weeks when I have gotten home late from work I have put together the following dinner time meal:

2 thick slices from a large tomato
2 sliced scallions
2 slices toasted bread
2 poached eggs
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO to all you Rachel Ray worshipers)
sea salt & fresh ground pepper
1 oz grated Romano cheese

I toast the bread, then pile on top, first the tomato, then scallions, salt and pepper, EVOO, then the eggs, then a touch more pepper and then the cheese. When you pierce through the yolk it runs all over everything - coating the tomatoes and soaking into the toast. The cheese adds a salty-savory touch, and the acid from the tomatoes cuts the fat in the egg. The SECRET to the dish? Everything is homemade (except for the cheese, which was a high quality import). The tomatoes and scallions we grew in our garden, the bread was homemade the night before (and none of that bread-maker shit, I needed that stuff out myself!). The eggs, thanks to a constant supply from Dot, come from a handful of chickens kept as pets on our friends' horse farm. You can always tell a farm fresh egg from a commercial egg. The yolk is the tell all. A farm fresh egg will have a rich, orange yolk, a product of high quality feed for the chickens, while commercial eggs have yellow yolks which depict a low nutrient, poor quality diet. The farm fresh eggs will also all be different sizes (because they do not have enough eggs to size-sort).

In the waning days of summer, I challenge you to grab up the remains of summer produce from local farmers and compare the taste of the items with their grocery store counterparts. You will notice a difference and undoubtedly it will keep you from wanting to purchase grocery store vegetables anymore. The better the flavor, the less food you need to eat to feel satisfied, because your taste buds are not 'bored'. Challenge yourself to take three bites of something and to really study them, the next three bites will never taste as good as the first three. People laugh at the French for their small portions, but their portions are roughly 3 bites and those are most powerful bites of something. When they are gone, it is time to move on to another dish. Try it for yourself, you might be surprised how little of something you actually need to eat!

New Vitamin Flavors

For anyone who is using Bariatric Fusion Vitamins they have two new flavors available: Wild Cherry and Tropical (not exactly sure what 'tropical' means but they have a picture of a Kiwi with the new bottle so somehow there is probably that flavor in it :) )

If you want to order Bariatric Fusion Vitamins - click on the link above left and shop to your heart's desire!

Groupon - Milestone in Wellesley, MA

63% off a dinner at Milestone Mediterranean food in Wellesley, MA. For $35 dollars you will get a 3 course meal:

Choose between the following options:
For $35, you get a three-course dinner for two (up to an $88 value).
For $65, you get a three-course dinner for four (up to a $176 value).
Each diner orders one of the following from an exclusive chef's menu devised for Groupon customers:
One appetizer (up to $11 each)
One soup or salad (up to a $9 value each)
One entree (up to a $24 value each)

View the Groupon Offer - offer can be purchased through 8/31

St Cecilia Punch

Seeing as how peaches are in full swing right now, what better way to enjoy them (since you may be sick of eating them by now) then in an adult style punch (duh - read alcoholic oasis here).

Please note: this is a 300 year old recipe which I found in one of Adam Ried's columns - I take no credit for the recipe except to pass its deliciousness on to you :)

Makes 3 1/2 thirst-quenching, quarts

1 lemon, washed and thinly sliced
2 ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups dark or amber rum
1 cup sugar
4 green tea bags
1/2 a medium, ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4" thick slices
1 cup brandy
1 750mL bottle cold prosecco, cava or other sparkling wine
1 quart cold sparkling water

1. In a medium "nonreactive bowl" (read: glass, ceramic, glazed pottery - NOT metal), submerge peach and lemon slices in rum. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
2. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to barely a simmer and add sugar, stirring to dissolve.
3. Remove from heat and add tea bags for a 3 minute steep. Remove tea bags - do not squeeze, cover the tea infused syrup and refrigerate.
4. Time to serve? In a chilled punch bowl, mix rum soaked fruit and the rum of course, with the tea infused syrup, pineapple, brandy, sparkling wine and sparkling water. Gently stir. Add a block of ice and serve immediately!

Enjoy with good company in some fancy glasses on the final days of summer!

Power Muffins

This is a low fat muffin recipe which is nice and sweet and full of vitamins and iron!

Makes 16 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
½ cup protein powder or wheat germ
1 tablespoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 ripe bananas or ½ cup unsweet applesauce
¾ cup soy or almond milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup blackstrap molasses
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup raisins or chopped dates or walnuts (or a mix!)

1. Heat oven to 350 – spray a 12 cup muffin tin
2. Mix ingredients 1-6 in large bowl
3. Mash bananas separately then mix milk, oil, molasses, syrup, vinegar
4. Combine wet ingredients into the dry ones – stir in dried fruit
5. Fill muffin cups and bake for 17-20 minutes – muffin will start to pull away from the side of pan when done

You can add walnuts or pecans if you like or replace the bananas with chopped apples!

ENJOY!

Pesto Sauce - Big Ter's Famous Recipe

Big Ter's pesto is always a hit due to its bright green color, cheesy-garlic flavor and lack of oiliness that plagues store bought varieties. Like any other housewife recipe, there leaves room for interpretation (IE she says to me "well if I don't like the taste I will add more garlic" or "I use more then 1/2 a cup of pine nuts but never fill it to 2/3 full"). Never fear though, I have made it off of her directions and it comes out just fine! Try to get the basil from a farmers' market, you will get more for your money and it will be fresher and more flavorful!

Enjoy on pasta or spread on sandwiches!

You will need a food processor with at least a 4 cup bowl.

3 cups packed, washed, basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (she actually just uses the Kraft)
1/2 - 2/3 cup pine nuts
7-8 grinds of black pepper
pinch of salt (no more then 1/8 teaspoon)
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup of olive oil (we don't use the extra virgin for this recipe)

1. Add all ingredients into the food processor except the oil.
2. Turn on food processor, and as it is grinding, stream in all the oil.
3. Allow processor to run until pesto is completely pureed (you will actually hear the processor change gears, when this happens, pesto is done!)
4. Store in pint or half-pint containers, with some olive oil drizzled on top. You can freeze the extra containers of pesto to use later, as this recipe will yield more then 1 pint sized container.

ENJOY!!

Lobster Rolls

I, like more then a few people, can't stand mayo, so last night when we were making lobster rolls for dinner I grabbed an uncanny item to use for the sauce - chunky guacamole!! When making the guac to snack on, I had left the red onion and tomato in slightly larger then ideal chunks which made the finished guacamole awkward for scooping up with chips, but a great addition atop my steamed chunks of lobster meat instead! This is a great way to enjoy your lobster with some healthy fats from the avocado (and sans the nastiness of mayo) and it adds some summer fresh vegetables to the dish for vitamins and fiber!

1 hot dog bun, toasted
1/2 - 2/3 cup steamed lobster meat
2 heaping tablespoons guacamole (recipe listed below)

Guac:
1 avocado
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon lime juice

ENJOY!!

Ratatouille

Great vegetarian (its even actually vegan!) dish, now that all the summer vegetables are fresh and in full swing!! Lentils can be left out, but they add protein, fiber, iron, folate and a different texture :)

1 large eggplant, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 12 oz can diced tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 portabella mushroom caps, diced
½ cup brown or yellow lentils (cooked separately ahead of time)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, sliced
¼ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil

1.Heat oil in sauce pot over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, when they become fragrant, add everything else – EXCEPT LENTILS - stir well
2.Cover and let cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent burning on bottom until all vegetables are soft (volume will be reduced by about 1/3)
3.Stir in lentils – cook 5 minutes more

ENJOY!! (with some fresh crusty bread)

August Lix Fix is out!

JP Licks August flavors:

Yogurt X (remember its 29calories/oz, full of probiotics, fat free and low sugar) = Peach

Other flavors:
Fresh Peach
Mocha Chip
Peanut Butter Oreo
Cow Trax
Fresh Lumpy Primate
Raspberry Lime Rickey Sorbet
Triple Berry Sorbet
Sangria Sorbet
Fudgsicle Sorbet
Sugar Free Vanilla
Lactose Free Black Raspberry
Red Raspberry Low Fat yogurt

also new for a limited time - PRETZEL CONES!!

Escarole and Bean Soup

Courtesy of a co-worker...I really need to make this one myself!

Escarole and Beans – 4 - 1cup servings

2-3 Tbsp. Olive oil
3 – 4 Cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Head escarole, approximately 1 Lb., washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 14 oz. cans cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons Freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation:
Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for a minute or two. Add the escarole and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the escarole begins to wilt. Stir in the beans. Lower the heat, add up broth, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for five to ten minutes.

To Serve:
Divide equally among four soup bowls, garnish with 1 teaspoon Parmesan. Garnish with homemade croutons.

ENJOY!!!

What's the deal with dogs anyway...

It's summer - most people like a dog on the grill (no, not Lassie-dog, she's to busy saving dumb kids that jump down wells), and everyone has their favorite: Ball Park Franks, Oscar Meyer Wieners, Nathan's, Hebrew National, etc. (You can actually go to Rateitall and check out which brand consumers think makes the best one.)

As far as I'm concerned though, this is one food item that the Jewish people got right (gelfite fish is the one they got wrong! but that's a topic for another day). The Jewish people don't mess around when it come to their dogs - mostly because they have strict slaughter rules and they don't eat pork, but hey, if it makes the dog better, I am all for rules! They make it with 100% beef, that was slaughtered in Kosher dietary law requirements; they add quality seasonings and that is it! (Read: no miscellaneous items from off the factory floor as fillers or ground up pork hooves or bones). Kosher dogs, made by a Jewish company, tend to be the most flavorful dogs and cook up the best with the fewest health side effects (sans much of the salt, fat, preservatives, other additives etc that many of the major non-Jewish brands have). I feel as though I can vouch for hot dogs as being an 'ok' food since working at Jewish hospital I have realized the dogs are for sure the highest quality item we have! I know funny, right!

But in all seriousness, you want to be sure you read the ingredients on the package. Some brands are full of nitrates which can cause terrible headaches, especially in children who eat hot dogs all the time. A high quality hot dog is an acceptable part of summer time, but just as with anything you don't want to eat one more then 1-2x/week. Top them with things like tomato slices, pickles, mustard, fresh chopped onions etc, and the dog can be a whole meal! Watch out for toppings like bottled relish and ketchup which contain lots of high fructose corn syrup, and shoot for fresher toppings like the ones listed above and shown in the picture. (The dog in the photo has tomato slices, pickle spear and a mild-hot pepper - aka 'Chicago Style' dog). Some fresh corn on the cob will definitely round out the grilling adventure!!

ENJOY!

Restaurant Week Boston - Returns

Open Table's Restaurant week - Boston returns next month. Over 180 restaurants in the Greater Boston area participate August 14-19 and 21-26.

Pricing: (alcohol not included)
2 Course Lunch = $15.11
3 Course Lunch = $20.11
3 Course Dinner = $33.11

So check out Open Table to make a reservation - spots go fast at many of the participating eateries!

ENJOY!!

Today's Groupon

Groupon today is 1/2 off at Sibling Rivalry, which is a South End staple for reasonably price, higher end food that blends some fusion with some eclectic ideas about food pairings in the setting of "Modern American". The whole concept of Sibling Rivalry starts with the Chef owners - two brothers, who each create their own "dueling" menu using the same main item (ie scallops) so that each item is on the menu two different ways. You are given 1 paper menu that contains all the options from both chefs. You can pick and chose from both chefs, but it is a fun idea that you could order from Chef David and you dinner date could order from Chef Bob and YOU could be the judge as to who did a better job!

Check it out - and at half off - how can you lose :)

July 21st...

Looking for something to do on a random Thursday night with a group of friends?? Kingston Station in Downtown Crossing is hosting a 4 course Narragansett pairing on July 21. The food accompaniments (because let's face it, food is a side dish to beer) for this inaugural event will feature Littleneck clams in a tomato saffron broth, a ginger vinaigrette-doused crab & avocado salad, and braised short ribs with wild mushroom potato risotto. Waiters will be serving up big pours of 'gansett's brewer's bock, citrusy summer ale, and malty porter (which will apparently ignite the formation of some ridiculous bags under your eyes overnight!) So give Kingston Station a call and make a reservation so you can "Git yourself a 'gansett!"

Some Deals

Groupon today: 1/2 off tapas @ Estragon in the South End, Boston.

Oceanaire is having a wine and oyster pairing special. 1 bottle Kim Crawford wine with 1 dozen oysters for $36.95. I would personally recommend Wellfleet oysters, but I'm biased since I hail from Taxachusetts :) See Oceanaire website or previous blog about my experience at Oceanaire for locations.

Amelia's Trattoria in Cambridge, is doing dinner and movie, where you can purchase movie tickets for $6 a piece (tickets have no restriction as to time of day movie can be seen and do not have an expiration either)when you pay your dinner bill. Pretty good deal I would say!

X Factor

Who's tried the 'X Factor'? No, I'm not talking about a TV show - it was a TV show wasn't it? I am talking about JP Licks 29 calories per ounce soft serve - yes you heard that right - 29 calories per ounce of glorious soft serve! The newest flavor is Black Currant. Per their own email:

Yogurt X, if you didn't know already, is our tart and tangy frozen yogurt that's full of Probiotics and active cultures. It's non fat, has less sugar than regular frozen yogurt, and a refreshing dairy flavor that just has to be tasted. It seems we've created a (friendly) monster - now Black Currant joins our growing list of incredible flavor twists.

Check out the soft serve flavor rotations! There are no nutrition facts listed on the website - per Federal law they don't have to have them until they have 20 locations and currently there are only 10 JP Licks stores in the greater Boston area, so for my patients out there I can't attest that any of you would be able to enjoy these flavors unless they are the sugar free ones, but if you are taking your family, ask the girl behind the counter, she might have a nutrition facts sheet there for you to look at.

Hard Ice Cream July flavors: (Click on link for flavor descriptions)
Fresh Peach
Butter Cashew
Fresh Cucumber
Sugar Free Vanilla
Bailey's Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Triple Berry Sorbet
El Diablo (yes the devil!!!)
Raspberry Lime Rickey Sorbet
Fresh Watermelon Sherbet
Fresh Mojito Sorbet
Strawberry Banana Lactose Free
Chocolate Chip Low Fat Yogurt

ENJOY!!!

That's how you do a chicken club

My aunt's chicken club sandwich, which was super delicious! Try as it is, or give the 'redone' version a try with some slightly healthier options.
3 slices white bread, toasted
chicken from a rotisserie chicken (as much as you want)
1 thick slice provolone cheese, melted over middle slice of toast
2 slices crispy bacon
2 leaves lettuce
3 slices tomato
mayo
2 tablespoons chopped red pepper
1 chunk feta cheese to put over toothpicks

REDONE:
2 or 3 slices multigrain grain bread toasted, made with 100% whole grains
chicken from a rotisserie chicken
2 oz goat cheese (do not need to melt - can just spread over bread)
2 slices turkey bacon or 1 slice really high quality smoked bacon
2 leaves lettuce
3 slices tomato
stone ground mustard or a Bavarian beer mustard
2 tablespoons chopped red pepper
cucumber pieces to stick on top of toothpicks

B-night: Bourbon and BBQ that is...

Boston is known as Beantown and has some fabulous B-schools (business for those of you uneducated on the term, not B as in second tier), but BBQ and Bourbon are not 'B' terms usually associated with our hometown city on the water. Last week, Tremont 647 hosted one of their many yearly events, which have all become quite the popular Monday outing for Bostonians. This one was the annual BBQ tasting and Bourbon sampling event. We were super excited about our BBQ dinner and completely unaware of the Bourbon tasting, perhaps we neglected to read the fine print, as we often do, but it seemed like a great added benefit until we saw 4 poured shots per person sitting on our table!

Tremont 647 is known for its locally sourced cuisine ingredients and intimate setting, at address 647 Tremont Street in the South End (way to be real original with the establishment's name, Chef Husbands, way to be original). Anyway, Chef and owner Andy Husbands (who also owns and runs 647's neighbor to the right, Sister Sorel) is not new to the scene of high class cuisine, nor is he new to the BBQing scene. He won the World BBQ championships with the hog recipe he was preparing for us that tonight and his excitement showed when he squeaked into the microphone "I smoked the hog myself yesterday, its going to be awesome!"

We started the night with various appetizers including: fresh hush puppies, smoked trout remoulade over English pea cakes, and smoked chicken cakes. The hush puppies were to die for with plenty of corn kernels and moisture to spare in a golf ball sized, deep fried package. The chicken cakes were also delicious, but if you didn't stuff the whole thing into your mouth all one time, in one swift movement from serving platter to pie-hole, you were going to be walking on. The cake was very brittle and did not hold together at all, which is sort of a must if you are going to use it for a passed appetizer and thus it must be eaten sans utensils. Smoked trout was ok, I could have done without it though - a little to acidic for the people in my party.

Then we sat down for the bourbon tasting and just as Chef predicted, 1/2 way through it no one was paying attention to the girl hosting the tasting, because they were all drinking and feeling good. I, however, was pretty sickened by the bourbon. I would have rather drank urine - way to harsh for me - I almost did the head spin that Will Smith mastered for the intro to Fresh Prince of Bel Air, due to the stringency of it.

First course was three different kinds of ribs with matching coleslaw: America style, Jerk Style (read SPICY!!!!) and Chinese style. The ladies liked the Chinese style best probably because it was coated in brown sugar, the men, though they were crying and bright red, powered through the jerk ribs and even started in on seconds, proclaiming that it was their favorite. America was neither good nor bad, it was just kind of boring compared to the other two! All the ribs were tender, moist and flavorful, but the Chinese style ones were banging for sure!

Then we cooled off with a wedge salad: iceberg lettuce, pickled onions, BACON, and as one of my dinner dates proclaimed in excitement "FULL FAT DRESSING - THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT!" It was a good break from the spice of the ribs and a nice cleanse before the family style main course. Paper boats of food covered our table minutes later, full of: blackened catfish, pulled pork, greens, beans, watermelon, potato salad, coleslaw, burnt ends, and honey covered cornbread. The Catfish had a little to much cayenne in it for me but it was cooked very well so that the integrity of the flesh was maintained and the moisture level was spot on. The beans were fabulous, slightly sweet with a touch of cumin, I could have eaten a whole bowl of those if I had room. The cornbread took a couple bites to get used to. It was very sweet from the honey and I am more used to a fatty hunk of cornbread due to high butter content. I liked the idea of it though, as it seemed to help the heat issue in the mouth after the catfish. Greens were good, no complaints - they just aren't my favorite option at the BBQ to begin with. I was truthfully expecting more from the World Championship winning BBQ recipe on the hog, but I was not disappointed - I guess I was just expecting fireworks. There was also potato salad and coleslaw neither of which I tried because I don't really appreciate mayo as a food item and I try to boycott it whenever possible. The burnt ends were fabulous though! Contrary to belief, they were not dried out and were so flavorful - LOVED LOVED LOVED them!

Dessert was a strawberry shortcake with a twist. They used home made vanilla wafer sugar cookies for the outside instead of biscuits and instead of strawberries with cream on the inside the two were blended together into more of a creme filling for the cookies. A few dark chocolate chips rounded it out. I would have liked a bushel of the cookies to take home - they were fantastic! Sweet, with more then just a hint of real vanilla bean - definitely no short cuts were taken in the recipe for those puppies.

You can take full advantage of all the events Tremont 647 and Sister Sorel have to offer by going to Tremont's website and joining their email list for first crack at all the goodies!

Beer Can Chicken

Anyone who fears roasting a chicken because it might dry out or burn, needs to fear no more! Beer can chicken to the rescue! You don't even need to worry about basting this bird- the steam from the beer will take care of the moisture and leave you with a juicy, earthy bird. Any ale or lager style beer works well for this dish, but it has to be in a can. A porter or stout is to rich and a light beer (read Bud/Coors/Michalob/Nattie or whatever other piss-resembling light beer you sissys drink) does not have enough body to impose any sort of nutty or roasted grain flavor on the meat.

1 chicken (about 5lbs)
1 can ale or lager style beer (16oz can works best)
salt and pepper
dried thyme, rosemary, sage

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Open beer can and pour out about 2-3 oz (or quality control that sample which ever works!)
3. Rinse and pat chicken dry - place chicken down on top of beer can so that the can goes spout side up into the cavity. Season with salt, pepper and dried herbs.
4. Stand beer can with chicken on top on a baking sheet covered with foil.
5. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Check temp in thigh meat if >155 chicken is done (temperature will raise another 5-10 degrees while chicken rests)
6. Remove from oven, let chicken rest for about 10 minutes. CAREFULLY remove beer can from cavity (CAN WILL STILL BE VERY HOT!!!). Discard can - serve chicken with your favorite sides.
ENJOY!!!!

Absolutely one NOT to miss!!

In an effort to 'get off the reservation' (as in the resort I am staying at for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery), I hailed a town car and galavanted off to the Orlando neighborhood of 'Point Orlando'. My destination was Oceanaire, which came recommended by the concierge desk. Oceanaire flies its fish in fresh everyday and changes it's menu depending on the quality of items it receives, which, might make you immediately jump to conclusions of selling your first born to pay for a dinner date - not the case (entrees range from $25-40 which is expensive but I was invisioning a $50-60 entree when I was told about the fish freshness)! There are locations throughout the country: Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, San Diego, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and DC, so you don't have to be in MCO airport code area to nosh on this good stuff!!

On the outside, it looks no different then a Capital Grille or Legal Sea Foods, but on the inside I was transported back in time to a traditional oyster bar and seafood eatery on the wharf in downtown Boston. Waitstaff is dressed in white fish market jackets and their friendly, 'can-do' attitude was much appreciated. Details, right down to changing out my white napkin for a black one, so that white link would not rub off on my black outfit, to the dental clips (yes dental clips!!) to pin a bib around you for dishes such as lobster or cioppino, were always on hand. The meal starts with 1/2 boule of fresh bread and a relish tray - ohh yes, welcome back 1950 - relish tray. I was super excited to see Barramundi on the menu given my last encounter with the Australian version of bass, and I it wanted it Oscar style (ie topped with lump crab, asparagus and hollandaise), but because I am picky at times and have great disdain for hollandaise after having to learn how to make it, I replaced the hollandaise with Louie sauce (lemon-butter). My dinner mate ordered a pink snapper louie style which also had lump crap atop it with a side of rice. Since the menu ran slightly like a steakhouse the sides were A la carte and we settled on cheesey au gratin potatoes and a white anchovy salad for our sides.

The lump crab might just have been THE BEST crab I have ever sunk my teeth into. The quarter sized pieces of Maryland lump crab were cooked beautifully - tender and juicy with out any hint of canned or prepackaged flavor. Maryland crab is the good stuff - none of that Alaskan crab shit for me, and I really believe that these Maryland crabs hit the back of Oceanaire alive (like a lobster would) and were prepared freshly at the start of service that night, they had that much 'just out of the water' mouthfeel and flavor to them. The pink snapper was nice, it reminded me of a lighter version of swordfish. The barramundi, though not as thick as the fillet from White Dog Cafe, was full of flavor and complimented nicely by some lemon butter. The cheesey au gratin potatoes were laced with bacon and leeks. Now we all know I love bacon, so the chunks were a welcome addition to my favorite item (cheese - duh), but the slight onion flavor from the leeks gave the potatoes an interesting twist. This 'side' dish could have be shared by 4 people, so at $10 it was a fabulous purchase of two heaping portions and leftovers. We were in Florida so we had to order key lime pie for dessert, which could also have fed a family of four. I like my key lime pie a little tart and this one was just that - tangy with a thick, buttery graham cracker crust. It was also served with a steak knife and I have since proclaimed that if the dessert doesn't come with a steak knife, I'm not buying.

Father's Day

If you are in need of a great idea for a dining experience on father's day, check out Opentable.com. They have some great places to chow and many of the restaurants have deals available only through Open Table. So make a reservation and ENJOY!

Chicken Burgers w/ Cumin-Garlic Tatziki

I made this last night at the cardiac rehab cooking demo. Grape seed oil has a great unsaturated fatty acid (think Omega 3) profile for heart and nervous system health but has a very neutral flavor so that the cumin, garlic and lemon can really shine through.

Cumin-garlic Tatziki (makes approximately 2 cups)
6oz Greek yogurt, non fat (I used Fage)
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 TB ground cumin
¼ tsp salt (kosher preferred)
1 oz lemon juice (about ½ lemon’s worth of juice)
¾ C olive oil
¾ C Grapeseed oil
1 garlic clove

Chicken Burgers
2# ground chicken
4 TB tatziki
1 each small, sweet onion, small diced

1. Combine yogurt, mustard, cumin, salt, lemon juice, garlic in food processor
2. Stream in oil while mixing so that tatziki emulsifies
3. In a bowl mix onion with tatziki with chopped onion and chicken. Don’t over mix or tightly pack
4. Grease grill and let heat up
5. Form chicken into 6 patties (each is about 1/3 of a pound)
6. Grill each side about 8-10 minutes until cooked through to 165 degrees.
7. Serve on a toasted ciabatta bun buttered with some more of the tatziki, with slices of cucumber, tomato and/or watercress.

ENJOY!!!

White Dog Cafe in Wayne, PA

What has become a yearly pilgrimage to the Devon Horse Show in Devon, PA has also turned into an exciting few days of dining each year. Devon is nestled among a few little communities: Berwyn, Wayne, Paoli, Malvern, among others, and in this affluent area, small eateries with high quality menus are bountiful. This trip I visited Alba, in Malvern, and White Dog Cafe's Wayne location. When a friend 'yelped' the restaurants in the area, these two were on the top our 'must dine at list'. When my foodie and wine expert uncle, Dennis, suggested he and his family meet us at White Dog Cafe, Alba became the stop with friends the night before.

You are either going to love or hate the decor inside White Dog. The walls are covered, and I mean COVERED, with portraits of canines, the chandeliers are made from empty wine bottles and the menus are wooden slabs with a paper boasting their offerings strapped on top. The rolls came out freshly baked, with a hard crust and pot of soft butter. Those of you who know me best, know that I judge the prospect of return to many restaurants based on their bread, and after the first dinner roll, this place was showing promise.

I ordered a spinach salad which came with house made croutons, hard boiled egg, smoked bacon and some vegetables. The croutons were slightly to salty for my liking and the consistency was oddly airy but interesting nonetheless. I would have liked for the bacon to either be crispier or for it to be cut into smaller pieces, but the size of the chunk in the salad and the chewy texture made it hard to negotiate.

For dinner I had the Barramundi. I have seen this Australian fish on menus before but never ventured into its waters. I remember when fisherman were first trying to break into the USA market with this one. There was a big article in the Boston Globe about 'The Next Big Fish'. They were actually considering calling it 'Next Big Fish' because they didn't think people would buy something called Barramundi - it sounded to mean/harsh, like the fish might have huge teeth and be really scaly. (Got to love how the marketing teams perceive the American intellect)

Anyway, I digress. At White Dog the Barramundi came with sides that I really wanted: truffle chive gnocchi, trumpet mushrooms and asparagus all over a porchini emulsion, so I thought 'what the heck!' Barramundi is more or less an Australian Bass. It is a white fish, slightly oily, sans strong flavor or smell, and with texture much like a perfectly cooked wild Norwegian salmon or Arctic char or Chilean Sea bass. The skin on it was crispy and of course I gobbed that up too. There is nothing better then a crispy, salty piece of skin to offset a piece of buttery, soft textured fish.

We also ordered a side of Parmesan truffle fries (yes we like truffle anything), which were fabulously fried, salty from the cheese and truffly at the same time!

I definitely give Marty (owner) and his crew two thumbs up for the quality at this place and it was a pretty fabulous suggestion by good ole Uncle D!

Cooking Demo

Ok demo on Thursday will be Chicken burgers with a garlic-cumin tatziki. Since every one is just getting a tasting of a chicken burger, I am going to make them into 1oz meatball size and cut them in half. They will be served on top of a cucumber slice for easy pickup! Dessert is going to be my peanut butter 'cheesecake' creation (recipe in a previous posting).

Recipes for all to follow :)

Ideas Please!!! Please!!

So I am doing a cooking demo - Healthy Grilling - for the patients at Cardiac Rehab. I have/had plenty of ideas but here is the dilemma. My 'grill' is a saute pan on a portable burner - any ideas on what to make or how to pull off grilling in a saute pan - you throw those ideas right on over to me....I mean I supply you with some work procrastination/entertainment don't I? Show the lady a little love....xoxoxox

Nashville - "must tries"

If you are venturing to Nashville in the near future for business, fun, to hear some country music or to check out Vanderbuilt, there are a few neighborhood hot spots you should check out. I say 'neighborhood' because, similar to Jersey, Nashville also has townships or areas with names that are known by the population but not on a map. When you have a friend driving you around saying this is such and such and such and such you start to think you have crossed 50 different town lines. I do not recall all the specific neighborhood names of the restaurant locations, however, they are all in the Nashville zip code.

Tin Angel for a date night or business dinner
Puckett's for weekend brunch
Burger Up for a gathering of beer loving friends
Sweet Cece's - see prior posting in regards to frozen yogurt


Tin Angel has forever ruined eggplant Parmesan for me. Theirs dubbed 'Inside out Eggplant Parm' was by far the best I have ever had, and one I still continue to crave to this day. There were slices of eggplant breaded with panko and baked. The breading was crisp but the eggplant was soft and not at all hard to chew through as eggplant can be if not cooked properly. In between the layers of eggplant was a mixture of ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses with a hint of pesto. The whole thing was served topped with some marinara sauce and seated over a grilled vegetable medley (onions, sweet peppers, zucchini). I came home to Boston from that meal, to find eggplant parm in the cafeteria at work on Monday. I was so excited. I got it - took one bite and spit it out in disappointment and now I'm not sure if I can ever eat eggplant parm again unless it is the inside out version from Tin Angel!

Puckett's was a cool mid-atlantic area staple. Most of the stores also sell groceries but the location we frequented in the heart of downtown-touristy Nashville, did not. We had to start off with fried green tomatoes of course, which came with a great chipotle dipping sauce, which cut the friedness and added some zing.

I followed that up with a Red Neck Burrito, which was their famous pulled pork, baked beans and house made BBQ sauce in a soft tortilla, which was then grilled on the flattop. I found that I needed to add more BBQ sauce with each bite, partially due to the deliciousness of the sauce and partly due to the fact that I thought the burrito could use a little more moisture (it wasn't dry and I don't want to give that impression, the meat was perfect, but like a pasta that cooks to long in its sauce and absorbs it all and is somewhat gloppy - that was what the burrito was like). My side of turnip greens was mushy and lacked flavor - I don't think they even added salt to them, BUTTTT the smoked pulled pork was pretty worth the trip!! Other hits at Puckett's were 'Meat and Three' as in three sides and a BLT.








Burger Up did have a damn good burger and an even better beer list with many locally brewed favorites. I got ground lamb with goat cheese, arugula, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard. I was torn between ordering the truffle fries or the sweet potato fries, so what do you do when you can't decide? You convince people sitting at the bar to let you try theirs so you can make your own decision! Sweet potato fries came out on top for me, slightly sprinkled with very coarse sea salt! I would not, however, recommend the onion rings. We were so excited for them the whole plane ride and they were a big disappointment. The onion pieces were fine, but they seemed to be covered in dough and deep fried - it was as if you were eating an onion donut - definitely not cool!! Caroline and I also split a Caesar salad which was HUGE and very fresh. The house-made croutons were light and airy and well seasoned, not covered in salt and onion or garlic powder like many of them are.

Thoughts from a Chocolate Shoppe

On a trip to San Diego recently, my brother took me to the Hotel del Coronado, known by many of it super-rich patons and the Coronado Island locals as 'the Del'. It is a fabulously beautiful place, built in the 1800s, the detail on the outside of the wood-shingled buildings is an architectural lover's dream. They have upscale poolside bars, great restaurants and many high end shops for guests to poruse. One in particular was a candy store called Spreckles, and while I wanted to eat every house-made chocolate or flavor of fudge they served, I was much amused by the 'Chocolate Lovers' trinkets. I took pictures of all of them and hopefully, you too will smile and see the truth in their jesting sayings.