Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Another Diet

January 9, 2009

Periodically I contribute articles to the web-site Livestrong.com. I hadn’t done any for a while, since the launch of the site last summer, but this week I got an assignment for some articles. All of them were focused on the new book by Jillian Michaels – Making the Cut.

I enjoy reading books focused on health and sometimes I read diet-plan books just to pull out the good points. I’m not a fan of diets. Is anyone anymore? We have good reason. They are short term and they don’t work.

I had high hopes for this book. I really had no idea what it was before I got the assignment, but given the fact that I am a huge fan of The Biggest Loser I felt like I knew Jillian’s fitness philosophy well.

Turns out this book is a 30-day plan to lose 10 to 20 pounds before a big event. A big event?! Seriously, it states that right on the cover. I can’t believe fitness experts are still promoting this kind of behavior with all we know about successful weight loss and health improvement.

Man, was I disappointed. I guess I feel like you are either one way or the other when it comes to health. Either you believe it is truly about lifestyle change and you swear off quick fixes and fads, or you believe in diets, and well, regaining weight.

Maybe I’m being too critical, but when you come out with a book like this you are just adding to the belief that people have of weight loss being a quick fix problem.

On a positive note, I will say that book is focused on healthy choices. It isn’t about cutting out a food group, well, unless you consider alcohol a food group. (I kinda do.) It is focused on balanced, healthy foods and intense workouts. There is also a lot of mental and lifestyle focus, but with the book being a 30 day plan it doesn’t promote the long term.

I’m not sure if this is what the people were wanting, what the publishers were wanting or what Jillian Michael’s truly believes in, but it definitely left me questioning her priorities. Health, and even weight loss, isn’t a goal you shoot for in 30 days it is a way of living.

Have you read the book? What do you think?

Nominate Your Favorite

January 8, 2009

I seem to be all about awards lately. This time it isn’t about getting or giving one, but about sharing the word so you can nomiate your favorites.

I was catching up on Twitter and found some information on the 2008 Food Blog Awards on the Well Fed Network. It looks like a fun contest with some cool categories. I just wanted to share the word so you can nominate your favorites. I’m planning to sit down tonight and nominate some of my must-reads. The deadline is tomorrow (Jan 9) at midnight US EST.

My First Award

January 7, 2009

I am way behind in posting this, but better late than never. Back in December Cathy at A Life Less Sweet honored me with a Fabulous blog award. I am happy to receive my very first blogging award. Thanks, Cathy!!

If you haven’t checked out Cathy’s blog head over there. She has such great information to share as her family works toward reducing HFCS intake.

The Fabulous Award Rules
1) You must pass it along to 5 other fabulous blogs. I have many favorites. Here are some of them.

2) You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions.

Hmmm…I can only pick 5?

Travel, MTV reality shows, Sleeping in (I’m so not a morning person), Mystery novels, Bagels

Vosges Chocolates in Vegas

January 7, 2009

A few years ago I remember seeing Vosges chocolates
featured on a Food Network show. When we walked into the Forum shops last week while visiting Las Vegas, I spotted it right away. What is it about gourmet chocolate that just makes it worth a little extra money? Not only does it look good, but it tastes good too.

The second you see the Vosges shop you know it’s something special. That something is savory spices. These chocolates are mixed with some of the most unique things you could think of. You can choose ginger, wasabi, saffron, chilies, bacon and curry to name just a few.

Sounds weird at first, I know, but I have really fallen for this type of spicy and savory combo with my chocolate. We decided on two different bars. The bon-bons were beautiful, but we wanted to most bang for our buck.

My favorite proved to be the Naga Bar. I’m usually only a fan of dark chocolate, but my love of curry allows me to overlook that it is only 41% cacao. It has a combination of sweet Indian curry powder and coconut flakes. I think it could be my favorite chocolate ever. Words can’t describe its unique flavor and the way it melts in your mouth.

Our second choice was the Oaxaca Bar with guajillo and pasilla chilies. This one was a bit healthier using Tanzanian bittersweet chocolate with 75% cacao. It is very good, but not as spicy as I was expecting. I actually like the chocolate bar with chilies that I get at Moonstruck Chocolates more, but that isn’t to say it wasn’t enjoyable.

There are only 4 Vosges stores around the US. Two in Chicago, one in New York and one in Las Vegas. If you happen to stumble upon one you just have to stop in and splurge a bit. The bon-bons are about $2.50 a piece and the bars about $8. So, expensive, but not completely outrageous considering what you are getting. I mean if I can spend $2.50 on a drink with a meal, I can put it to better use on a piece of gourmet chocolate, right?

Beachside Food Frenzy

January 6, 2009

Travel and food. The two just go together for me. Half of the excitement of travel for me is exploring new foods and interesting combinations.

I consider myself to be more of a traveler than a tourist. We like to seek out the not-so-visited places that are out of the main tourist scene in most of the locations we travel.

We are pretty successful at this, but there is one trip per year where we like to completely relax and be catered to a little. We don’t want to walk far for good food or drink and a beach and pool are important.

Since our honeymoon 5 years ago we have managed to make it to the Caribbean each year. We stay in the all-inclusive resorts of Sandals. Many people have mixed feelings about AI resorts and for good reason. There are many out there that are just buffets that lack character and any local culture whatsoever. They cater to large groups and getting the most for your money.

We’ve never had this experience before. Ours has always been complete paradise. This trip was no exception. The food this time was especially excellent. The only thing missing this time was a stop at a roadside stand for real Jerk Chicken. We got it at the resort, but it isn’t exactly the same thing.

There were so many good things it was difficult to narrow down my favorites. At the risk of making you read for days I did manage to pick the best of the best either because we loved it or because it was something unique. Some of things I hope to recreate in the future.

Most of our favorites ended up being from the Asian restaurant at the resort.
The Salmon Sushi Roll was especially tasty. It was more like a hot roll that had been deep fried a bit and the salmon had been cooked.

My husband loved the Papaya and Cashew salad. It had sliced papaya, bell peppers and was topped with chopped cashews. It was incredibly spicy so I can only assume there were some Scotch Bonnet peppers (a very popular ingredient in Jamaica) added to it.

The salmon dumplings were similar to the sushi just in dumpling form. The best part was that they were served with a really spicy chili sauce on the side. The combination was so great.

Our first day, the resort held a cooking class. I made sure to go, but it turned out to be more of a demonstration. Despite the lack of any hands on activities we did get to watch the chef prepare Jerk Chicken and Escovietch Fish. The fish is fried and topped with a combo of bell peppers and onion. They can’t make Jerk Chicken as it really should be due to environmental restrictions on the resort grounds. However, this sample was the best tasting I have had next to what we have gotten at a roadside stand.

Pepper pot soup is another traditional Jamaican dish. I have to find the recipe for this. It was almost like a mix between a potato soup and an Italian wedding soup without any meat or pasta. We had this the same night we enjoyed the Surf n Turf – an excellent filet with Caribbean lobster.

My husband always has to try escargot if it shows up on the menu. This isn’t my favorite, but he enjoys it.

Our crab cake has to win the award for presentation. The cucumber-lettuce tree made an impression. The crab cake was full of meat and balanced with the perfect amount of spices. It was served with a melon salsa.

The Crème Brule is probably the most unique dessert I have had. They served it floating in a bowl of strawberry granita and topped it with a coconut bon-bon like candy. The flavors were really interesting and the presentation was something I’d never seen before.

Each culture has a version of what I call “fair food”. It usually isn’t the healthiest option, often fried and high in calories in fat. But let’s be honest, these foods are worth a once or twice a year splurge. In Jamaica it is the Beef Patty. I can’t get enough of these things! It is a flaky pastry filled with beef and jerk seasonings. They are usually pretty spice and the best snack or lunch around. They also make a chicken variety which is seasoned with curry. It is good, but nothing beats the beef patty for me.

One day at the pool I overheard one couple asking another if they had tried the beef patty. They told them yes and indicated that they really didn’t like it. I seriously almost gasped out loud in shock!! Oh well, more for me!

I’m sure more things will be post worthy when I go through all my pictures. I still have to talk about all the amazing drinks. I’ll let you enjoy these pictures for now. They all tasted just as good as they look. I already can’t wait until next year’s trip!

Portion Problems

January 5, 2009

Things are slowly returning to normal for me and I’m glad to be blogging again. I’ve missed you all!! I’m not back in Brazil yet. I still have about a week left to spend in the US.

Of course, it is that time of year when everyone seems to get a little more focused on health and I’ve had a topic on my mind that really presented itself during our travels the last few weeks – portion sizes.

You probably know all there is to know about portion sizes and how the US in terms of restaurants and unhealthy eating has a really skewed view of what is appropriate.

If you do any traveling outside of the US, this is when the whole portion size issue really becomes quite baffling. I don’t think all countries have a good grasp on proper portions. For example, I think Brazil is almost as bad as the US when eating out. However, the majority of other places in this world serve a lot less food than we do.

A big reason why this came to mind is because of our trip to Jamaica. We stay at Sandals Resorts when we are there. Despite the fact that many people think all-inclusive resorts are all buffets, we know this isn’t true and I can’t wait to show you some of the amazing food we had in my post tomorrow.

When I read travel reviews about these resorts I almost always find a large majority of people complaining that the portions were too small at the resort. We even witnessed a couple ordering two entrees each.

I guess people don’t understand the idea that there are supposed to be 4 to 5 course meals and you are supposed to order all courses. This means each item is small. Personally, I love this because you get to try a lot of different things. We are beyond stuffed after all the courses which makes the small-portion complaint unbelievable to me.

It reminds me how our ideas of an appropriate amount of food to sustain our bodies are so amazingly far off.

When we came back and then arrived in Vegas we were greeted with the massive amounts of food USAmericans have become accustomed to. Below is a picture of my LUNCH-sized Asian salad from Grand Luxe Café in the Palazzo. Look at that thing! It is huge! It was awesome for sure, but it should have been about ½ the size.

Now here is a picture of my lunch salad in Jamaica. A much better size. It was amazing by the way. It had curry chicken, toasted coconut and mango chutney on top.

It can be quite interesting if you get into a conversation of who’s at fault for this distorted portion problem. Consumers blame restaurants and companies. Restaurants blame the fact that the customer demands it so they give them what they want. My perception is we are all at fault.

If you have ever struggled with weight loss I am sure you know that our stomach can be trained regarding how much food you need to be full. No, at the moment, I don’t have the scientific evidence to support it, but from personal experience I know my stomach will expand and shrink over time.

If we train ourselves to stop when we are full and to eat less food our body and stomach will eventually be satisfied with less. I go through this each year around the holidays. I go into them needing only small portions to fill me up. Then, after several weeks of eating too much, I find I can eat more and more before feeling too full. The beginning of the new year is spent getting things back to normal.

I guess my question is, how in the world are we going to solve this problem? I don’t see restaurants giving smaller portions anytime soon and I don’t see people without health at the front of the priorities to eat less. Sure, you can order a ½ salad at places or take ½ home, but not everyone is going to do this. Basically the people who need to do this for their health are not doing it. How are we going to retrain ourselves as a society to eat normally again? Will we?

Things just seem so far out of control that this issue truly worries me. Not only is it a problem for our health, but also our environment. We use a lot of resources for these mega portions.

What is your opinion on the issue?

# 2 Beijinhos

December 24, 2008

I’ve finished up some baking this week since we returned from our trip. As much as I am craving some lighter food after a week of indulgence I know there are plenty of holiday treats coming up.

I have been wanting to make Beijinhos for a while and just happened to list them as #2 on my 30 Foods list.

The name translates to “little kisses” in English. It is a Brazilian candy that we can get at our local bakery near our apartment in Brazil.

It is basically a combination of Brigadeiro and another similarly made candy with coconut which is then combined. I’ve seen it in several different forms but where we are living it is made into a twist.

I wanted to make them a little smaller so I then cut the larger twists in half to make them bite size.

Simply follow the Brigadeiro recipe for the chocolate part. Instead of rolling them into balls, roll them into small logs and then roll them in sugar.

For the coconut part you can follow the same recipe and instead of adding cocoa, add about 1/3 cup of very finally chopped coconut. Roll them out the same way and then in sugar. I make mine the way a friend taught me in Brazil. However, I have found a recipe for Beijinhos de Coco that is different.

Next you simply twist the two candies together and then roll the whole thing in sugar again. There you have it – Beijinhos as I have them in Brazil.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you to each of you who read my blog and also to those who take the time to comment. I appreciate your input.

I’ll be back after the 1st and can’t wait to catch up on everyone’s writing. I’m going through a bit of blog reading withdraw!

Back to a Busy Week

December 23, 2008

Hello!

First I want to say thanks so much for all the well wishes for my trip. We had an amazing time! I really had no doubts that we would. Jamaica is an amazing place from food to beaches to people.

I have so much to share with you regarding the food and even some thoughts regarding health that were sparked by parts of our vacation. I’ve been thinking, though, everyone is probably just as busy as I am this week. I have done zero blog reading with all my holiday preparations with family.

To top it off we are headed to Las Vegas for New Years. I hope it will turn into some great food posts, but it will also mean more time away from the computer.

So I’ve decided to save my travel posts for after the new year when things calm down. I haven’t had much time to go through any pictures yet.

Tomorrow I do have one last sweet treat to post about before Christmas officially arrives. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and that the weather hasn’t ruined too many plans.

Merry Christmas!

Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish with Breadfruit

Links to a Healthy Weekend

December 12, 2008

My links are coming just a bit early this week. I came across some great info and wanted to be sure and pass the word along.

On Sunday I leave for a much anticipated vacation. Every year since our honeymoon my husband and I have managed to make it to the Caribbean. A few years ago we moved the annual vacation to the week before Christmas.

At first I thought I’d miss all the holiday prep, but it has turned out to be the best time of the year to go for us. We get a break from the hustle and bustle and when the vacation is done we aren’t so sad to leave the resort because we are ready for Christmas celebrations.

So I’ll be taking a break next week. I’ll be back the week of Christmas and can’t wait to catch up on all the great health info and recipes that are sure to post on my favorite blogs while I’m gone.
The food is always amazing in Jamaica and I hear that a cooking class is a new addition to resort activities. I should be full of great food photos and recipes to recreate .

See you in about a week!

Now on to the links!

Off Her Cork took a break from her fun food blogging this week to share some information on keeping pets safe for the holidays. There is some great info there if you have a furry member of your family.

I just found Gastroanthropology this week. I was immediately drawn to Adrienne’s beautiful pictures of food at the German Christmas Markets. She is a trained pastry chef studying food policy. The fact that she is an ex-pat living in London also caught my eye.

Passports with a Purpose is a project developed by some great travel bloggers. It is a fundraiser to benefit the Heifer International. You can browse the available gifts until December 29th. You simply buy raffle tickets for the prizes you would like. Money goes to the charity and you might end up with a cool prize!

Recipe Girl never fails to share unique and tasty recipes. I loved the Magic in the Middles Cookies that combine chocolate and peanut butter. Yum!

A Life Less Sweet reported on new HFCS research. Cathy has some great points. As I mentioned in her comments, eliminating HFCS has never been about obesity or weight gain. It is about getting back to real food and away from processed junk.

Also, I wanted to mention that I did try Good Things Catered’s Cranberry Orange Cookies this week. They were out of this world! Definitely add them to your baking list if you enjoy that combination of flavors. I added chopped pecans to mine.

A Nighttime Treat

December 11, 2008

I enjoy reading diet and food related books. While I tend to dislike most uses of the word “diet”, over the years I’ve developed my own health philosophy by taking bits and pieces from the different things I read. I rarely agree with everything in a single book, but there is usually something even in the most farfetched that I can gain from.

A few years ago I read The Good Mood Diet by Dr. Susan Kleiner, a sports nutritionist, modern dancer who used her knowledge to examine the links between food, mood and weight loss.

I am a big believer that the foods we eat directly affect our mood and mental wellbeing so I found many parts of the book interesting.

There was one particular practice she spoke of in the book that stuck with me. I have incorporated it into most of my days – nightly hot chocolate.

In the book Dr. Kleiner recommends a nightly cup of homemade hot chocolate for a few reasons.

– The whey protein in milk contains tryptophan which raises serotonin levels and can help relax you.

– The cocoa is a treat and has natural phytochemicals.

– Drinking the hot chocolate creates a bedtime ritual.

The book recommends non-dutched cocoa powder and sweetener. You know how I feel about artificial sweeteners so I simply use sugar. I’m sure any other natural sweetener would work too.

I take the easy route and put about 2 T of cocoa in a mug with about ½ t sugar. I add a little milk and mix it well, creating a paste. A milk frother works great for this. I have the Aerolatte Milk Frother and it is one of my most used kitchen gadgets.

I then heat up the rest of my milk, about 1 cup in the microwave. I add it to my mug and mix well.

This is an especially great treat during the winter when I tend to drink it more. It really does have a calming effect and I am glad to know what ingredients are in it as opposed to when using a packaged mix.

Have you picked up any good habits from the health/nutrition books you’ve come across?

Photo by Chance Agrella, www.freerangestock.com