January 2009

Well, It Is Here

January 19, 2009

There has been a repetitive ad in every single health magazine I have read in the New Year. (It has been a lot of magazines, by the way. It was a long flight to Brazil!)

What is that ad, you ask? Truvia™

If you remember back in October I did a post about the Great Sweetener Debate where I talked about the sweetener stevia and some of the concerns that exist at the moment regarding its safety.

We knew it was coming and here it is. Truvia™ is the commercial name they have given to stevia rebiana. It is likely you are going to see it popping up in products a lot now if you haven’t already.

It looks like our FDA gave the company the thumbs up on safety in foods. However, the product is still quite controversial around the world. It is widely used in Japan, some countries have put a limit on what can be considered safe intake amounts and it is still banned in Europe. The bans result from early studies suggesting it could negatively influence reproduction and be carcinogenic.

Is that really any surprise? I mean, look at all the controversy surround aspartame, saccharin and sucralose.

I guess we’ll all just have to decide for ourselves. I’m planning to stick with my regular sweeteners of plain ol’ white sugar, brown sugar and honey. No, chemicals for me thanks. Even if it comes from a plant and is termed “natural” there always has to be something going on to mass produce it commercially.

If you want to read more about it there is a great article on treehugger, including some info about how the tribes of Brazil and Paraguay used to chew on the leaves believing it was a method of birth control. Yikes!

Tell me what you think.

Photo by Pat Her, www.morguefile.com

Links to a Healthy Weekend

January 18, 2009

The links are a little late this weekend, but I liked them so much I had to get around to posting them. I kind of dropped off the face of the earth with posts in the middle of the week. I spent all day Thursday and Friday traveling back to Brazil. I’m here now and posting will get back to a true normal next week. I’ve got lots of good health and food info lined up, and cooking will start back up for me.

We stocked up at the supermarket yesterday and this morning we went to the feira (farmer’s market) for our produce. I miss home, but I’m so glad to be back to inexpensive produce! Here are a few pictures I took today as well as my stash of goodies for the week.

Now on to the links I enjoyed this week…

Pink Bites posted a recipe for my favorite soup in Brazil. Try some Caldo Verde if you need some warm comfort food this week.

Buff Chickpea is sharing all her lemon recipes with us. Lemon isn’t always my favorite, but after the holidays and all the heavy desserts, lemon can be light and refreshing. I loved the cookies she had up this week. Yum!

Daily Spud posted a simple and unique dessert recipe that meets just about every food and eating style imaginable. A great option for those of us trying to get back on track with healthy eating after the holidays.

Different Way to Get Your Chocolate

January 13, 2009

In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t been cooking a lot lately. I’m eating at home, but I really didn’t think you would get excited about the same ol’ oatmeal, scrambled eggs and all the other boring stuff I’ve been having. So I’m entertaining you with my travels and finds until I get back into the kitchen more, probably next week.

I visited a friend in Louisville, KY last week and found myself a Whole Foods. As I think I’ve mentioned before, I could never do all my grocery shopping at that store, but I love browsing the aisles for the unique. I ended up buying a few things to take back to Brazil with me including some bars so I’m not stuck paying $5 for a mini can of Pringles if I get hungry on my domestic flights.

Traveling is just about the only time I purchase bars, mainly due to their convenience. I will have to say the major bar-making companies are doing a good job of putting less and less ingredients in their products. While, I don’t consider them completely off the fake food list for me, many are getting darn close.

This time I decided to try a Clif Nectar Cacao bar in Dark Chocolate Raspberry. It looks like these officially came out in 07, but they are new to me. Along with the ingredient list, I was mainly convinced to buy it because it was decent size for the 160 calories it offers. I just can’t get into a tiny 1 inch bar that has 200 calories in it. Also, it was about $1.19 a bar. Not cheap, but nowhere near the most expensive in the bar aisle.

All the ingredients in the bar are organic. This isn’t of huge concern to me, but it may be to you. The list was short and included dates, cashews, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa and raspberries.

It was definitely a winning combination if you are looking for a sweet snack. I do wish they would take the “2 servings of fruit” off the front. Sure, it may equal that in some random way, but let’s get our fruit servings from fruit and not focus on getting them from bars. You know me though, there is always something.

Would I get this again – for sure! I was actually looking for them around my hometown, but didn’t find them. If you want to get some chocolate in a relatively healthy nutrition bar form I say go for it.

In fact, after looking at the ingredient list I’m wondering why I couldn’t throw that combination together and make these bars myself. I just might give it a try.

Visiting Vegas

January 12, 2009

Okay, so after this I’ll be back to my old self again. Just one more travel post for you all, at least for now. I just couldn’t forget to post about our New Year’s trip to Las Vegas.

My favorite thing to do in Vegas is to stop at all the restaurants as we go through hotels and check out the menus. Some of the most unique combinations and ingredients exist out there with all of the elegant dining. Often, I realize after seeing the prices that I will never be able to eat there, but menu browsing is fun.

Don’t worry, though, we did eat plenty. It was just at more middle-of-the-road (read: I can actually afford it) restaurants. The food was amazing, fancy restaurant or not.

I also love looking around the grounds of the hotels and seeing the beautiful decorations and landscaping. Funny thing, one of the coolest pieces of landscaping just happened to be food related.

We were headed down the side walk from the Wynn to the Palazzo and an intoxicating aroma filled my senses. I stopped and asked my husband if he smelled it. Upon looking around a bit, I found it.

The sidewalk was lined with rosemary that had been trimmed into a long running shrub. I love rosemary and smell was amazing. Definitely a unique idea.

Before I go on I should probably warn you that the food blows proper portion sizes and balanced nutrition out of the water. I just keeping telling myself – it was still the holidays. I’ve been recuperating since and the diet – defined as my daily food intake, not a weight loss plan (Always gotta define how I use that word) – is doing much better.

But, oh, was it worth the splurging!

Macadamia White Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory in the Forum Shops.

Fried Chicken and Waffles from Grand Luxe Café in the Palazzo.

The Rueben with Pastrami from the Carnegie Deli in the Mirage (This was shared and still not finished).

One of the many beautiful desserts at the Bellagio buffet. This one was Chocolate Raspberry Mousse.

Well, we didn’t eat this, but this deer in the botanical gardens at the Bellagio is made of pecans.

Grilled Cheese and Salad from the Cheesecake Factory in the Forum shops.

And from our one moderately-fancy dinner on the trip, from Mon Ami Gabi in Paris – Butternut Squash soup with Crème Fraiche and Chives, French Onion soup, Roasted Pork Shank, Steak and Frites and our view of the Bellagio fountains.

Links to a Healthy Weekend and a New Year

January 10, 2009

As I’ve gotten back into keeping up with my favorite blogs this week I’ve really enjoyed browsing the resolutions and goals. I’ve been reading some pretty inspiring thoughts. They’ve given me a lot of ideas for what I might need to focus on for myself.

I’ve had a few things on my mind regarding my own goals for the year.

Stay in the moment. It is going to be a busy year for us and I don’t want to get distracted looking ahead to the next step all the time. I want to remember to enjoy the present.

Improve my running ability.

Get away from standard gym workouts and increase my exercise variety. I am taking squash racquets back to Brazil with us and I want to do more hiking.

Explore the option of getting back into teaching group exercise. Pilates and yoga instruction are starting to appeal more to me.

Expand my web writing and get an article in a print publication this year.

Here is a list of some great goals I’ve read throughout the week. Thanks to everyone who posted them. They really got me thinking.

Striving Green has some very well rounded goals for mental, physical and environmental health.

Healthy Ashley inspired me with her focus on the spirituality, people and overall wellness.

Jenn@ Fit Bottomed Girls plans to run a ½ marathon this year. I was a huge fan of her very balanced and healthy training plan.

The Nourishing Gourmet listed her resolutions focused on wholesome real foods. You’ll also find a post about her carnival where you can find even more links to health-focused resolutions.

In other links….

I posted a bit about running and entering your first 5K on Charity Mile this week which was then republished on the Runner’s Lounge if anyone out there wants to take the first step this year.

If you enjoy travel writing at all an article I wrote about my 30th birthday trip to Ilha do Mel, Brazil was published on Tatiana’s Travel Corner this week – An Island as Sweet as Honey.

Have a great weekend!!

Photo of the southern coast of Jamaica.

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!