Your Nutritionista

11 Tips for Exercising Regularly

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:28:20 -0400

These tips are pretty fabulous!

1. Always exercise on Monday. This sets the psychological pattern for the week. Along the same lines …

2. If at all possible, exercise first thing in the morning. As the day wears on, you’ll find more excuses to skip exercising. Get it checked off your list, first thing.

3. Never skip exercising two days in a row. You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise, no matter how inconvenient.

4. Give yourself credit for the smallest effort. My father always said that all he had to do was put on his running shoes and close the door behind him. Many times, by promising myself I could quit ten minutes after I’d started, I got myself to start—and then found that I didn’t want to quit, after all.

5. Think about context. I thought I disliked weight training, but in fact, I dislike the guys who hang out in the weight-training area. Are you distressed about the grubby showers in your gym? Do you try to run in the mornings, but recoil from going out in the cold? Examine the factors that might be discouraging you from exercising.

6. Exercise several times a week. If your idea of exercise is to join games of pick-up basketball, you should be playing practically every day. Twice a month isn’t enough.

7. If you don’t have time to both exercise and take a shower, find a way to exercise that doesn’t require you to shower afterward. Twice a week, I have a very challenging weight-training session, but the format I follow doesn’t make me sweat. (Some of you are saying, “It can’t be challenging if you don’t sweat!” Oh yes, believe me, it is.)

8. Look for affordable ways to make exercising more pleasant or satisfying. Could you upgrade to a nicer or more convenient gym? Buy yourself a new iPod? Work with a trainer? Get a pedometer to keep track of your walking distances? Exercise is a high life priority, so this a worthwhile place to spend some money if that helps.

9. Think of exercise as part of your essential preparation for times you want to be in especially fine form—whether in performance (to be sharp for an important presentation) or appearance (to look good for a wedding) or mood (to deal with a stressful situation). Studies show that exercise does help.

10. Remember one of my favorite Secrets of Adulthood, courtesy of Voltaire: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Don’t decide it’s only worth exercising if you can run five miles or if you can bike for an hour. I have a friend who scorns exercise unless she’s training for a marathon—so she never exercises. Even going for a ten-minute walk is worthwhile. Do what you can.

11. Don’t kid yourself. Belonging to a gym doesn’t mean you go to the gym. Having been in shape in high school or college doesn’t mean you’re in shape now. Saying that you don’t have time to exercise doesn’t make it true.

I also love how the article ends:

People often ask me, “So if I want to be happier, what should I be doing?” and I always say, “The first thing to do is to make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep and plenty of exercise.”

I know that answer doesn’t sound properly transcendent and high-minded on the subject of happiness, but research shows that you’d be wise to start there. And I’ve found that if I’m feeling energetic and well rested, it’s much easier to follow all my other happiness-inducing resolutions.

Read the full article.

What keeps YOU exercising regularly?

What You Own

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:56:20 -0400

RENT, anyone? Sorry, I used to be obsessed. Or actually, sorry, I’m not sorry!

And speaking of not being sorry, ever since Rachel (blogger extraordinaire and Your Nutritionista Consulting life coach expert) wrote a post about owning your life, I’ve been stumped. What could I own that I haven’t already?

I’ve already owned that I heart fat.

I’ve already owned that I eat meat (though I’ll happily make you a vegan meal!).

I’ve already owned that I think commercial processed food is nonsense.

I’ve already owned that I believe certain high-calorie foods are totally healthy.

Well, I finally thought of something else to own that you guys might not already know.

I’m a total old lady! Anything past 10pm is too late for me on a work night, and midnight is pushing it on weekends. I don’t like to drink a lot, listen to loud music, or “party” in general. I don’t miss the partying of my college days at all. Call me lame, just don’t call me sleep-deprived. Sorry, I’m not sorry!

I definitely don’t have a problem with anyone who likes to do those things. In fact, my boyfriend is much more of a night owl than I am, and he has no problem being out way into the wee hours of the night/morning. He says I “can’t hang,” and maybe he’s right. But you know what? Sorry, I’m not sorry!! I like my bed more than I like the bar. I like waking up in the morning feeling refreshed, not like I was hit multiple times with a Mack truck. I’m always up for going out to eat, just don’t expect me to close down the place!

I’ve finally reached a point where peer pressure does nothing to me. If you tell me I’m being a party pooper, I’ll tell you that you’re pooping on my bedtime party. To me, “going out” isn’t ALWAYS the most fun option. Sure, sometimes it’s great. But just because I’m young doesn’t mean I should want to go out all the time. And yup, sorry, I’m not sorry!

Alright, your turn: What do YOU seriously and officially own?

Eating REALLY Local: Food from the Back Yard

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:00:00 -0400

This past weekend, my boy and I headed to our friends Chris and Andrea’s for dinner. Chris and Andrea recently moved into a new house and immediately planted a pretty impressive backyard garden. They cooked us a meal almost entirely from their yard (a few veggies came from one of their relative’s garden). It was as delicious as it was gorgeous!

Photo by Chris!

This was my favorite dish: heirloom tomatoes (from their garden), fresh mozzarella, and an edible flower on top. Such gorgeous tomatoes, and such a flavorful, fresh dish. I really want to grow tomatoes on my garden patio.

Fresh tomatoes taste NOTHING like the ones from the store. This was a gorgeous dish. The rest of the meal included:

Roasted kale, purple potatoes, and beets
Grilled leaks and jalapenos
A spicy chocolate martini made with hot pepper-infused vodka and chocolate liqueur (that was one reason for the weird request!)

So much local yum. Thanks, Chris and Andrea!

Wild Rice and Sweet Corn Pancakes with Guacamole & Smoked Salmon

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

My dad did it again! He created another truly original, balanced, and delicious dinner — and made it look easy!

We ate our pancakes with a fresh fruit salad. Here’s the necessary info to put together this unique and lovely meal (straight from my dad!):

Wild Rice & Sweet Corn Pancakes (with homage to the Vegetarian Epicure)

Let sit to room temp:
2 C milk
1/2 stick butter
3 eggs

Then, whip whites of 3 eggs to stiff.

Mix dry ingredients:
1 C masa harina (corn flour)
1/2 C white or wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutneg

Melt butter, add milk and butter slowly to flour (mix as minimally as possible). Then, fold in egg whites as slowly as possible. Finally, add 1 C wild rice (long grain, cooked) and corn from 2-3 ears (cooked).

Classic Guacamole

Mash together the following ingredients:

3 avocados
juice of one lime
3-4 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 large onion, diced fine
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tomato, diced or, optional:
1 tbsp HOT salsa or 1 jalapeno, diced fine

For the salmon, choose a warm smoked salmon. We got ours from Tracklements. A few more notes from dad:

If you’re short on time, slices of avocado would be fine in place of guac.
Replace the masa harina with white flour and leave out the rice and corn, and these are the Vegetarian Epicure classic pancakes. [Ed. note: I grew up eating these and they are DELICIOUS! Best pancake recipe EVER.)

I always say packaged food is all marketing hype and no...

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:16:24 -0400

I always say packaged food is all marketing hype and no substance. Now, at least we can use it to our advantage (though I think baby carrots are totally bland in comparison to their full-sized counterparts!).

thedailywhat:

Marketing Campaign of the Day: Ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky were recently hired by Big Carrot to update the packaging of baby carrots with an eye toward appealing to the junk food generation.

The $25 million campaign is set to include such innovations as: Doritos-like package designs; carrot vending machines; seasonal tie-ins (e.g., Halloween “scarrots”); and even an iPhone app “powered by the sound of folks munching carrots in real time.”

Frito-Lay, for their part, say they are “happy to serve as an inspiration.” “We know people don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables,” spokesperson Chris Kuechenmeister was quoted as saying. “We applaud any effort to provide consumers with a wider range of snacking options.”

[usatoday.]

Decadent Summer Delight: Cheesy Roasted Squash

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:01:44 -0400

I never thought to top summer squash with cheese, but it’s actually genius! Thanks to According to Lia for the easy summery recipe.

Make Lia’s Cheesy Roasted Squash!

Dinner with Friends

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:47:00 -0400

Me via email: We're planning on bringing dessert, but can we bring anything else tonight?
Chris via email: You should bring a chocolate liqueur and a small watermelon.

Honest Cravings

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

I wanted to take a quick second to talk about cravings. I think some cravings are honest — your body needs a certain nutrient and it’s trying to tell you the only way it knows how — but some cravings are dishonest. Dishonest cravings are primarily those that pop up for emotional/non-nutritional reasons. How can we tell the difference? It’s tricky, but possible.

Ask yourself:

Was the craving triggered by seeing, smelling, or tasting a certain food? It’s probably not an honest craving.
How long as the craving lasted? If it’s been less than a few hours, it’s probably not an honest craving.
Did the craving directly follow some kind of emotional event? It’s probably not an honest craving.
Have you had the craving for a day or two, tried to quench it with other things, and were unsuccessful? It might be a honest craving!

An example: A couple days ago, I had a craving for ice cream (SHOCK! No, not at all. I love ice cream). So obviously, I wrote it off because I love ice cream so much that I probably “crave” it all the time. But yesterday, I still was craving ice cream like a fiend. So I accepted my honest craving, got some ice cream, and now I’m good (for at least another few days!).

Another example: Yesterday, I started craving salad. A big, elaborate salad with lots of veggies, fat, and protein (learn to build a better salad here!). It’s been more than 24 hours and I STILL want a salad. So there’s no question in my mind: it’s an honest craving.

Cravings triggered by emotion or merely seeing the food aren’t necessarily to be avoided. I’m always in favor of listening to your body, and eating what you TRULY want most of the time. I just don’t believe you’d truly want ice cream, doughnuts, and Doritoes most of the time. I believe if you listen closely, and figure out your honest cravings, you’ll find your body creates a pretty good balance all by itself.

Profile of a Healthy Eater: Kathleen

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 -0400

Hey, it’s a healthy eater! Her name is Kathleen, and she’d love a recipe for gluten-free pasta and will pass on the fake meat (but thanks for asking). Check out her profile to read more about her foodie style.

Kathleen hiking in Central California with a lemon-lime seltzer, her “absolute favorite thing to drink.”

What’s your foodie style? I try to eat as much unprocessed, all natural food as I can. Not too much meat. I’ve been experimenting in the past year— I was a vegetarian for 6 months, flirted with veganism, and now I’m eating meat again and trying gluten-free (as much as I can). I don’t eat processed sugar at all anymore because I get headaches from it. Makes fruit and honey that much sweeter! I live next to an organic farm, and love to eat local as often as possible!
Something people consider “healthy” that you think is anything but? Fake meat products. And I used to eat them All. The. Time. I think they are unhealthy for two reasons: 1) They are highly processed and full of weird stuff and 2) I think they are psychologically unhealthy. If you are trying to eat a healthier diet, you need to teach your body and mind to crave real, healthy food, not sub in fake, processed buffalo wings or chicken cutlets or burgers.
Favorite food/health blog? Nutritionista for health! Also, I’m seriously addicted to Serious Eats, though it’s not really a health food blog… I think they have a fun, infectious love for food of all kinds, like me.
Your go-to five-minute meal? Eggs, veggies and cheese in a corn or whole wheat tortilla.
Perfect last meal? A classic French brasserie feast: start with escargot, artichokes and crusty bread. Then a gorgeous piece of trout or snapper over garlicky, buttery haricots verts and new potatoes. And of course, copious amounts of red wine.
Favorite method of cooking and why? I sautee something everyday, but I love, love, love to roast under the broiler. It’s super easy and makes everything delicious.
Craziest diet you’ve ever tried? Never really tried a diet, but in college I once started the Perricone Prescription the day my boyfriend left for three months abroad. Never try to start a diet on that day… I think I ended the evening crying into a tuna noodle casserole, and scrapped the idea the next day.
Restaurant you’d go to every day if you could? Bar Tabac in Brooklyn, NY or Justine’s Brasserie in Austin, TX.
Food/dish you’ve always wanted to learn how to cook, but haven’t? I really want to learn how to make fresh pasta… not sure how that’s going to go with my gluten-free kick…
Dream dining companion? Jamie Oliver! I love his adorable British accent. We’d make risotto and talk about how bad processed food is for little kids.

Rachel Wilkerson on the Thing About Body Image

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:59:00 -0400

Rachel Wilkerson, friend and life coach expert on my YNC panel, wrote a post I just had to share with you all. There are a few words from her below, but please go read her full post!

Hey, everyone! Rachel Wilkerson here. I know everyone knows that Leah and I are blogging bffs, but you may not also know that I actually help her out with her nutrition consulting business. Sometimes, her clients want a little more than nutrition advice — they also want a friend to talk to, who understands what they are going through, and can provide an extra source of motivation. And that’s where I come in! My role as a life coach means I cover everything from how to get out of bed for a morning workout to how to deal with the emotional aspects of losing weight.

Last week, I was chatting with one of Leah’s clients about a problem she was having: the desire to lose weight, along with major guilt because of her desire to lose weight. It seems that now women are being told to love themselves with the same fervor that they are being told to lose weight. Ugh — we can’t win.

But if there’s one thing I hate, it’s being made to feel guilty about my choices — I believe in owning everything I do, and that’s what I told her client. We had a great chat and I later realized that this was a topic more women probably want to discuss. So I wrote a post about it for my blog, which I’m excited to share with all Nutritionista readers:

The Thing About Body Image

I want you all to know that you CAN love yourself and still want to lose weight. Don’t let people make you feel like it’s a choice.

Want to love yourself but still get support while you’re losing weight? Check out YNC!

Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe's

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:30:00 -0400

Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe's:

The behind-the-scenes happenings at one of my favorite stores in the world.

(via peterwknox:jratlee)

And in case you needed more inspiration to make Joe your boyfriend, here’s a list I posted a while ago with some of my favorite TJ’s items.

Ten TJ’s Items to Try:

Flavored Greek yogurt (honey, blueberry, and pomegranate): Though fun-flavored Greek yogurt is popping up all over the place now, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for TJ’s version. This yogurt is filling, has great flavor and consistency, and is fairly affordable.
Just A Handful trail mix: Yes, it’s true, you CAN make your own trail mix and portion it out into individual baggies. But let’s keep it real: Will you? This is such a great item to have on hand, and I almost always keep a pack in my desk at work or in my purse. I think they make two or three different types, but they all contain a mix of dried fruit and nuts in a nice portion-controlled serving size. If you do want to make your own trail mix, TJ’s sells a plethora of affordable dried fruits as well as a variety of nuts (some flavored).
Apple cranberry bran muffins: I’m in awe of the nutrition stats on these babies: 80 calories, 13g fiber, and 5g protein. These make for a perfect (filling) snack or accompanyment to breakfast. I’ve mixed them into yogurt and oatmeal, too. A warning: these muffins are pretty “branny” (read: they taste like they have as much fiber as they do), so if you’re not a fan of bran, stay away.
Multigrain cereal: I’ve basically replaced oatmeal with this stuff. It looks like oatmeal, tastes like oatmeal, but boasts better nutrition stats (see the linked post for more info). I usually mix in PB and banana for a little more flavor.
Organic peanut butter: The first time I had organic PB, I almost chocked. That stuff tasted nasty to my Jiff-seasoned tongue! But I was relieved to find that TJ’s peanut butter doesn’t have the weird texture and taste that other organic PBs do. And peanut butter is one of the things to definitely buy organic (nuts can soak up a lot of pesticides!). Their almond butter is also affordable and delish.
Shelled edamame: Trader Joe’s is one of the only places I’ve found that sells shelled, NON-FROZEN edamame. It’s perfect for snacking or adding to stir-fries, etc.
Precooked grains and beans: I know this is kind of a cop-out answer, but for the time-crunched chef, TJ’s sells all the precooked time-savers you could ever ask for. I’ve heard the frozen steel-cut oats are great, and they carry lots of premade rices and other grains. The precooked beans (like lentil and fava) come packaged rather than canned, so they don’t have that weird tinny taste. They’re great for throwing in soups or salads.
Dark chocolate wedges: These come in a little tin by the front of the store. At 35 calories each, they’re a great way to get a portion-controlled hit of dark chocolate without having to break a bigger bar with a hammer.
Banana, flattened: This “banana roadkill” (tm delishyourdish) is a great portable snack. Turn it into a roll-up by spreading on some PB or AB, and adding dark chocolate chips if you like. Say “yum.”
Mirepoix: This one’s just on the list for it’s pure usefulness. It can be the base of almost any sauce or soup, no chopping necessary! A great thing to have around.

Africa Brings Out the Meat-Eater in a Long-time Vegetarian

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

Africa Brings Out the Meat-Eater in a Long-time Vegetarian:

Interesting reflections from a vegetarian living in Africa:

…When I got to Senegal, I decided to try life on the Planet Carnivore again, to put the pause on my vegetarianism so that I could live - -and eat — like the Senegalese. I wish I could say the journey was dramatic, but it turns out eating meat is a lot like eating anything else. Bite. Chew. Swallow. Repeat. And whatever qualms I had about where my food was coming from were absolved the day I came home from school to find a blasé-looking sheep munching a mound of grass outside my house. Four hours later, he was dinner. The abrupt nearness of the process was oddly comforting.

[…]

…When we were eating, things were much simpler. My appetite could convey what my mouth constantly stumbled over: how grateful I was for the people who had welcomed me, for the kindness with which they had treated me and the magnanimous generosity they were endlessly displaying. And so I ate. And ate. And ate. Grilled fish and red rice. Beef with thick peanut sauce. Lamb and spiced couscous. Until it all started to taste comfortable, even familiar.

[..]

In the U.S. I was vegetarian because I could be, because food was an on-demand commodity in my life and I lived with the knowledge that for the most part I could eat what I wanted when I wanted — and stop eating whatever I decided I didn’t want. But … I remembered that for most people, that particular luxury does not exist.

[…]

[After being] back in the U.S., and I had once again flipped off the meat-eating switch. But being vegetarian felt less ridiculous when it came weighted with the knowledge of exactly what it was: a choice. Vegetarianism wasn’t a matter of absolutely or an absolutely not. It is just the way I preferred to eat, a preference for which I tried to remember to say, not to Allah or anyone else in particular, but just the universe around me, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Soul-Soothing Soup: How I Got My Cooking Mojo Back

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

As I’ve mentioned before, I haven’t felt like cooking much lately. It’s a combination of things, but primarily the weather (who wants to spend hours in the kitchen when it’s nice outside?) and my busy schedule have made cooking seem pretty unappealing. Plus, I have a few strategies for keeping it healthy and avoiding takeout even when I don’t feel like cooking.

But this weekend, for whatever reason, my cooking mojo came back in a BIG way. I mean, I seriously got the sudden urge to cook something complicated. Or, not complicated, just… time-consuming. And nothing says real COOKING to me like soup. Soup starts with such basic elements — meat, veggies, spices, water — and turns into something that completely transcends those things. I know, I know, who wants to cook soup in the summer? Well, it was a glum, slightly cooler day, so it felt right.

I have plenty of go-to soup recipes (that exist in my head), but I was in the mood to cook something new. Something with a lot of ingredients. Something over-the-top.

Who better to turn to for that than Paula Deen? Now, I’m not a Paula Deen apologist, but I do love that she embraces ingredients that other chefs would gasp in horror at the sight of. She’s not afraid of butter. Neither am I!

Some quick Googling on the way to Whole Foods yielded this recipe for The Lady and Sons Beef and Vegetable Soup. With a novel of an ingredient list and a total cooking time of 2-3 hours, I knew I had a winner.

I spent a small fortune on ingredients, but it was worth it to reclaim my mojo!

I did all the cooking at casa del boyfriend, so I had to buy even more spices that he didn’t have on hand. Like I said, a small fortune, but worth it.

The best part about this soup? The massive amount of meat involved!

I had to brown this nearly three-pound slab of boneless chuck roast (local, my friends!). In an unusual twist, I followed Paula’s recipe nearly to a tee. And I also used a gigantic pot to fit everything!

Thank goodness the boy has this enormous pot. I definitely don’t own one this big. After a fair amount of chopping, the soup began to resemble something pretty heart-warming.

For those of you who will never venture to Deen territory, this soup had: carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, green beans, black-eyed peas, butter beans, okra, and corn. After nearly three hours simmering, it was ready to eat. Pure bliss… in a bowl!

And that, my friends, is how I got my cooking mojo back. And now I have enough soup to feed a small army. Who wants to come over for leftovers??

When High-Calorie Is a GOOD Thing

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:12:00 -0400

My clients are usually a bit surprised when I tell them that sometimes, calorie-dense foods are good for them. But their surprise makes total sense. They’ve been told over and over that “calories in, calories out” is THE formula for weight loss. So it follows that the lower in calories a food is, the more frequently it should appear in their pantry/mouth.

But the “fewer calories = better” philosophy doesn’t always hold true. In fact, it probably holds true a lot LESS of the time than you’d think.

The problem with the low-calorie way of life is this: MANY LOW-CAL FOODS JUST AREN’T SATISFYING!

I want to know who on God’s green Earth has ever felt satisfied, energized, or “full” after a 100-calorie pack — or any other “reduced-calorie” snack. So tell me if this sounds familiar:

You eat a bag of Baked Lays.
It does absolutely nothing for your hunger, and you’re still feeling munchie.
You break out a 100-calorie pack of Oreos and hope it does the trick.
It doesn’t.
So a little while later you have a piece of fruit. That’s good for you, right?
Two hours later, you feel like you’ve eaten absolutely nothing.
You’re just as hungry as you were before the chips, cookies, and fruit.

Let me save you the trouble next time: Eat half an avocado and a hard-boiled egg and TELL me you’re still hungry in an hour or two!

Both avocados and eggs (whole eggs, not egg whites) are known for being higher in calories. But let’s do the math:

110 cals (Baked Lays) +
100 cals (Oreos) +
80 cals (apple)
————-
290 cals (and remember, you’re still hungry!)

150 cals (avocado) +
70 cals (egg)
—————
220 cals (and you’re satisfied! If you really need a salty crunch, try adding a pickle or two… that still won’t add up to as many calories as the first option.)

So, in a sense, choosing satisfying higher calorie foods to begin with (as long as they’re UNPROCESSED — this is very important!) can actually lead to you eating FEWER calories in the long run.

I say choose whole, unprocessed foods without concentrating too much on the calorie count. If something is naturally calorie dense (meaning, in its NATURAL, UNPROCESSED state, it’s higher in calories), it’s for good reason: It’s probably super satisfying and won’t give you the munchies an hour later!

America's Most Famous Junk Food: Twinkies Deconstructed

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:30:00 -0400

Rachel sent me a link to this elegant slideshow featuring the twinkie and its somewhat creepy/questionable ingredients.

Check it out to see some of the infamous snack food’s ingredients in their purest form. If you ever wondered what Yellow 5 looks like, wonder no more!

Profile of a Healthy Eater: Katie

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

This week, meet Katie. Katie is wary of Vitaminwater (as she should be!) and would carb it up Italian-style for her last meal. Read on for more of her foodie personality!

Katie, another healthy eater!

What’s your foodie style? Whole foods-based. I absolutely love eating whole grains, lots and lots of ruits and vegetables, and beans too. I am a recently converted vegetarian (lacto-ovo) and I love finding new ways to get protein, whether it be nuts, greek yogurt or tofu! My background is Middle-Eastern, so I guess that’s where I get my love of fresh foods. I also make all baked goods in my house from scratch - people think I’m crazy, but that’s how I was raised. I don’t think people realize how easy it is to bake treats from scratch, but it really is quite easy!
Something people consider “healthy” that you think is anything but? Diet drinks for sure! People drink SO much of that stuff, and think it’s great because it has zero calories. What they don’t realize is how many chemicals there are in it! It’s absolutely crazy, the amount of artificial junk they’re putting into their bodies. As well, I think Vitaminwater and other brands of vitamin-enhanced water are overhyped. Sure, you’re getting lots of nutrients, but you’re also getting lots of sugar and 120+ calories per cup. I would rather take a vitamin supplement if I lack a specific nutrient.
Favorite food/health blog? I really enjoy the Sparkpeople blog, and well as fANNEtastic food and Sarah Dussault’s nutrition and fitness blog, SarahFit. Of course, I also love the spunky flair of Your Nutritionista. :)
Your go-to five-minute meal? I love making quesadillas, especially since I just got a panini press. I chop up loads of veggies, like carrots, broccoli, green and red peppers, and onions, and saute them for a bit. Then I put them in a whole wheat tortilla with a mozzarella/cheddar blend, and some salsa, and cook it. It’s dee-lish!
Perfect last meal? Probably an Italian feast, with everything from vegetable lasagna to garlic bread to Caesar salad to spaghetti. It would definitely be carb-heavy, with lots of chocolate ice cream at the end!
Favorite method of cooking and why? I love to saute vegetables. I use sauted vegetables for my quesadillas, omelettes, pasta dishes, and stir-frys. It is such a versatile way to cook, and when you add broth or some sauce, it adds a whole new dimension.
Craziest diet you’ve ever tried? I tried going carb-less once. I lasted probably about a day and a half? I love carbs, they’re my biggest weakness, but I absolutely could not live without them.
Restaurant you’d go to every day if you could? Villa Gallace in Clearwater, Florida. It has extremely original and amazing Italian food, it was the best meal I’ve ever had at a restaurant.
Food/dish you’ve always wanted to learn how to cook, but haven’t? I have wanted to make eggplant parmesan, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Also, I have wanted to learn to make really good pies, like my grandma made.
Dream dining companion? Any Food Network star would be awesome! I would love to just sit and chat with them, and ask them all of my questions!

Nutritionista in Traverse City (Part 2)

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

Read Nutritionista in Traverse City (Part 1) here!

Day two in TC brought more beach time, more good food, and some spontaneous decisions (what’s vacation good for if not spontaneity??).

While we were at Mackinaw Brewing Co. the night before, we saw a sign advertising an event featuring Mario Batali, the Food Network star and owner of many five-star restaurants across the U.S.

Though I’m not super familiar with Mario’s food or his restaurants, I’m always thrilled to be in the presence of people who love and appreciate food as much as I do! So we decided to buy tickets to the event. We weren’t totally sure what we’d get for our money, but we were up for the adventure.

We arrived at the event right on time, only to find a long line, huge tent, and HOT sun.

We had to wait about 45 minutes just to get inside! I tried not to whine about the heat while we waited.

I was sweating, trust. Once we got inside, the wait was worth it. We were greeted with two separate menus featuring Mario Batali’s food from two catering companies in the Traverse City area, The Cooks’ House and Epicure Catering. They also both focus on local and sustainable food, which of course won me over.

We got to sample both menus! Plus, we also sampled master mixologist (such a bogus title, but whatever) Bridget Albert’s 231 Harvest Signature Cocktail.

The Cooks’ House menu featured: Grilled Beef Brisket with Herbs, Corn on the Cob as Italians Eat It, Farro with Cucumber and Roasted Tomatoes, Pennette all Amatriciana, Grilled Focaccia with Roasted Garlic, Scallions, and Provolone.

The cocktail was: Grand Traverse Wheat Vodka, Northwoods Lemonade, Drunken Harvest Berries and Juice, Northwoods Cream Soda (with a squeeze of lemon).

The Epicure Catering menu featured: Grilled Local Sausages with Peppers and Onions, Local Peaches Tossed with Fresh Basil, Green Bean Antipasta, Cacio e Pepe, Grilled Ciabatta with Herbs.

The hands-down highlights:

Grilled Beef Brisket with Herbs: so flavorful and tender!
Corn on the Cob, Italian-style: this was corn coated with bread crumbs, parmesan, and other spices. It was so delicious and unexpected.
Local Peaches with Basil: I love basil with fruit, and this was no exception.

The cocktail was good, but nothing I’d pine for. I liked the muddled blueberries — it made for a delightfully pretty drink.

Oh, and one more highlight? Seeing Mario himself!

He seemed like a nice guy, though I didn’t talk to him myself. I’m shy, what can I say? Mario was interviewed on stage by Paul Saginaw, the founder of Ann Arbor’s own Zingerman’s! It was cool to see two foodies in action.

We finished off the night with some American Spoon gelato and left the event to walk around by the bay.

The next day, before we left Traverse City, we hit up North Peak Brewing Co., sister restaurant to Grizzly Peak in Ann Arbor. They have such a nice patio (something that Grizzly Peak is missing!).

I ordered the Cajun Crawfish salad, while the boyfriend rolled with a Grilled Chicken Pizza.

The perfect way to end a wonderful, food-filled weekend in Traverse City! I’m already nostalgic. If you’re heading to northern Michi and need some restaurant recs, hit me up!

Nutritionista in Traverse City (Part 1)

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

I’m back from a MUCH NEEDED vacation in Traverse City with my man, and I have many foodie tales to tell! Traverse City is a low-key beach town in northern Michigan, and it was the perfect summer weekend getaway. I’ve been a couple times before, but I always forget how nice it is.

My general policy when I’m on vacation is this: I eat exactly what I want, but I pay close attention to my hunger signals and don’t use “but I’m on vacation!” as an excuse to over-eat at every meal. This vacation was no different. I ate lots (no, really, lots!) of good food, but never felt over-stuffed.

I also make sure to stay active, which was easy to do in Traverse City! We walked everywhere and swam whenever we could. We also got in an actual workout one day, too. It feels good to actually work up an appetite.

We got to Traverse City on Friday afternoon, and we started thinking about dinner soon after. Our first evening in Traverse City was perfect! It was “Friday Night Live” in downtown TC, so the main downtown street was closed to traffic. There were tons of people walking around, plus performance art and street food. I love the old-style TC theater! We missed the film fest (it was a few weeks ago), but I’d definitely try to go in the future.

For dinner that first night, we wanted simple bar & grill-style food, and the Mackinaw Brewing Co. fit the bill perfectly.

To start, my boyfriend and I decided to try some of MBC’s microbrews. I got the Belgian Whitecap and he went with the Red 8 Ale.

Both were really tasty!

Something about being near the lake puts me in the mood for fish, and the fried perch on the menu was calling my name (loudly). It came with a side of veggies, choice of mashed potato, sweet potato, rice, or fries, and a wheat roll. I chose the sweet potato (with honey cinnamon butter? YES, PLEASE!).

The perch hit the spot. It was well-seasoned and not greasy at all. My boy got a hamburger, and he said it was great. I feel like it’s hard for restaurants to serve stand-out hamburgers, so that was pretty high praise!

After dinner, we walked around, got some ice cream from Kilwin’s (disappointing banana fudge pie for me, strawberry in a waffle cone for him), and then hit the Cherry Stop for some cherry-flavored adult beverages.

The Cherry Stop is like a bookstore/bar/souvenir shop. A little odd, but it works! We wanted to try the local cherry vodka, so the boyfriend tried it straight-up and I tried it with coke (tasted just like a Cherry Coke). I definitely couldn’t finish the drink, but it was a refreshing taste. You can sneak a peak of my handsome boy in the back! He’s totally blog-shy, but he allowed this one pic.

Day one in Traverse City also included some beach time, and a late-night stop (well, late for TC — it was like 11pm) at Poppycock’s for another drink. Ahh, just reliving it now is making me want to go back. I love how laid-back TC is!

Check back here tomorrow for Part 2 of Nutritionista in Traverse City…We may have made a last-minute decision to go to an event featuring a certain Food Network star!

Gone Fishin'

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:00:00 -0400

Hi, food lovers! I’m going out of town today through Sunday, but I’m going to try to fill you in on the delicious things I’m eating anyway. We have some tasty eats planned, and I’m so excited to get away for a few days.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Guest Post: Earl on Growing to Love Sushi

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0400

Sushi is definitely on my short list of foods I never get sick of and always am happy to eat. In this guest post, Earl, from Toastable, tells his sushi story and explains how you can come to love raw fish, too!

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Hi, my name is Earl Lee, and I am a huge health nut. I run a website/blog called Toastable where I post healthy food recipes, restaurant reviews, and articles about molecular gastronomy (food science).

Growing up as a kid, I never liked the idea of raw fish. I would watch grown-ups eat sushi or sashimi and stare in wonder. How could they eat raw fish? Don’t people die by eating raw fish? To this day, I still am amazed at how we can eat raw fish and, for the most part, not get sick.

What has changed though, is my attitude towards raw fish. Quite frankly, I love my salmon fresh out of the water with no heat added. At sushi buffets, I’ll consume raw fish like a machine. I’ve come to embrace raw fish so much that I’ve even tried raw beef.

Raw fish feels so fresh compared to cooked fish because it is cool, clean, and natural. The difference is sort of like that between freshly picked spinach and creamed spinach. Sure, both may taste fine, but one will definitely taste more fresh than the other. Each bite I take into raw fish is like a bite into heaven. My teeth sink slowly into the meat as the fish willingly shears into smaller pieces.

More important, however, is the fact that raw fish is so healthy. One of the reasons why is because you’re not adding any oils to the fish in a cooking process. The fish goes straight from the sushi master to your mouth. No fat-heavy sauces will act as a middleman, turning a potentially healthy protein-packed food into a deceivingly unhealthy dish. Usually, the only addition to raw fish is soy sauce and wasabi (excluding sushi dishes of course). Those two ingredients practically have zero calories. Furthermore, raw fish is pretty much pure protein with a bit of added healthy unsaturated fats such as omega-3.

Omega-3 fats are known for their joint cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits.

As if the health benefits of it were not enough, raw fish is extremely versatile for creating beautiful dishes. Obviously there is a variety of uniquely styled sushi, but raw fish itself can create appealing plates! I visited Jean-Georges’ ABC Kitchen in New York City and ordered a mackerel sashimi dish (sashimi is plain raw fish) that was plated like a starfish in a pool of liquid. You can see a picture here.

Of course, the only problem with raw fish is its expensive price tag. At the same time, you could look at its expensive price tag as a benefit. High costs equals less food equals less calories. That is a bit of a stretch, but regardless, eat more raw fish!