19 May 2010

Mediterranean Feast

I’m a pretty big proponent of Mediterranean cuisine. Lamb, fish, fresh veggies, Greek salad — What’s not to salivate over? So when my friend Lia suggested we go to Mediterrano to celebrate her belated birthday a few nights ago, I wasn’t going to turn her down.

When I go out to a nice restaurant, I really order whatever I’m craving. I just can’t have it any other way. No, I’m not going to get the most expensive thing on the menu, but I feel like if I’m already going to be spending a little money on dinner, I might as well get what I really want.

And I definitely did at this dinner! I started with one of the better Greek salads I’ve ever had (and I’m a Greek salad freak!).

I’m not a fan of creamy Greek dressings — my dressing better be clear and lemony! And there better be a huge hunk of feta on that salad. CHECK to both things. So scrumptious.

For my meal, I got the Spanish Caldereta from Galicia, a seasonal spring special. Often, seasonal menus have fresher ingredients and allow the chef to get a little creative. This lovely dish had seared sea scallops, sea bass, shrimp, Yukon potatoes, and tomato broth with bell pepper. It came out like this:

So pretty. The tomato broth came separately in a small pitcher. I immediately doused my seafood with it…

Such a light, refreshing, springy dish. Once again, I love Mediterranean food! A good option for healthy cuisine that fits every palatte.

18 May 2010

Nutritionista Cheat Sheet: Thai Food

Sad but true: Going out to eat can be a scary prospect for people who are trying to lose weight — or just stay healthy. Since eating out is one of my all-time favorite activities, I refuse to ever give it up completely.

The difference is that these days, I make sure whatever restaurant/food I choose is worth my money. That means you won’t find me at a chain (though I have been known to make exceptions!). I really do like to eat at places that seem to put some thought into their food.

Last night, I ate at one of my favorite local Thai places, Lotus Thai. They have a location in Bangkok, and they just serve really authentic, tasty Thai food. It reminded me that Thai food is actually a great choice for ethnic cuisine, provided you don’t get sucked in to the Americanized/fried version of everything.

Here’s a little cheat sheet for eating out Thai-style:

Cheat #1: Start with a filling soup. Tom Yum Goong or Tom Kha Gai soups are great ways to start a meal. They’re heart, spicy, and delicious. The creamy Tom Kha Gai could be half of an entree — it’s very filling because of the coconut milk. Most of the soups on a Thai menu are a good bet, actually. They’re usually filled with veggies or seafood.
Cheat #2: Compliment your meal with a spicy salad. Som Tam (spicy green papaya) salad is a must! So refreshing, flavorful, and healthy. I love the spices: Thai chili, garlic, and lime juice. You could take those spices and make your own Thai-style salad. Pair this salad with the Tom Kha Gai soup and you have yourself a filling, cheap meal!

Cheat #3: Get the curry, skip the rice. Here’s my secret to eating Thai/Indian/Chinese food: SKIP THE RICE. It sounds crazy, but hear me out. I eat my curry like a soup — and it’s DELICIOUS! I don’t waste calories on nutritionally void rice, so I can eat more of my beloved curries.
Cheat #4: Look for the stir-fry option with the most veggies. I love the unique basil flavor of Thai stir-fries, and they usually come chock full of veggies. And again, if you skip the rice, you can enjoy the whole dish without feeling all carbed out.
Cheat #5: Try less common proteins like fish, duck, and seafood. You don’t HAVE to stick with the more popular choices of chicken and beef. Sometimes, the most flavorful dishes are made with unusual proteins. Just watch out for anything labeled “crispy” or “fried” — these are going to be coated in breading.

What to skip: As you can probably guess, I’m not a big fan of noodle/rice dishes. It’s a lot of empty calories and (for my tastebuds) less flavor. I never order Pad Thai because it just seems like a waste of a good Thai restaurant! I also stay away from the fried wantons, spring rolls, and other fried items because I’d rather be eating flavorful meat and veggies!

11 April 2010

Lazy Sunday: Cafe Zola Brunch and Festifools

This afternoon, my boyfriend and I had plans to get brunch with some friends of ours at Cafe Zola, a quaint bistro that prides itself on using the freshest ingredients in their famous omelettes, crepes, waffles, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, entrees, and pastries. Their website says then when possible, they use organic produce, dairy, eggs, poultry, meat, and seafood. Sounds good to me.

I love the ambiance at Zola, and of course, we were in very good company. Heather, Sam, Jason, and Lisa (not pictured: Bridget, Mani, and the boyfriend).

I went right for the “Zola’s Favorites” portion of the menu.

I wanted something different from the usual omelette or scramble, and the Turkish Eggs caught my eye right away. I love the description: “Two eggs, oven-baked sunny-side up with sauteed spinach and a slice of French feta cheese. Served with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, & Mediterranean olives. As beautiful as it is delicious.” Love that last line.

Some of their other breakfasts look suspiciously like dessert… Not that there’s anything wrong with dessert for breakfast when the mood strikes!

But mine came out looking fresh, delicious, and full of two of my very favorite foods in the world: eggs and vegetables. The possibilities with those two are endless!

My boyfriend got the salmon burger. I was eying that delicious-looking pickled ginger on top.

I also eyed (and stole a few of) his shoestring fries.

After we finished brunch, we were walking around downtown and saw some people with crazy-looking hats. We found out there was a parade going on called Festifools. We had to check it out. The parade consisted of huge paper mache puppets, including some foodie-related ones.

A chef and some bacon + eggs. My mascot! It was such a nice afternoon to spend downtown and outside in the sun. I love my lazy Sundays.

31 March 2010

I had to post this pic of my lunch date Erin. Isn’t she adorbs? We went to Chipotle, where I got a salad with steak, guac, mild and hot salsa, and a little bit of sour cream and cheese. I had already destroyed my lunch by the time I remembered I had my camera, so I settled by taking a pic of Erin and her lunch.