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Would You Eat at a Restaurant With No Menus?

partysugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:50:53 -0700

Recently Mouthing Off, Food & Wine's blog, chatted about the menu, or lack thereof, at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. The restaurant of James Beard Award winning chef Dan Barber stopped using menus a year ago. Instead, diners are presented with a list of in-season ingredients. They select either five or eight courses and let the waitstaff know of any off-limits foods. The kitchen has total control over a patron's meal. Considering I'm an adventurous and sometimes indecisive (I want to try everything!) eater, I would love to eat at a menu-free restaurant - especially if the chef is as acclaimed as Barber. How about you?

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Healthy Eating Tip: Don't Eliminate, Elaborate!

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:14 -0800

When approaching health and fitness, many of us have the mentality that less is more. While this may be a healthy perspective to avoid overeating and practice portion control, a restrictive diet can wreak havoc on your mood and leave you wondering whether there’s anything out there you can eat. Instead, alter your state of mind: rather than thinking about what foods to cut out, start to think of your daily menu as a chance to add great-tasting, healthy options. Challenge yourself to make the most of your mealtime and see just how many creative and good-for-you foods you can include in your daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine.

To get creative, I like to take a cue from vegan menus. Let me start by saying that I am not vegan. I love poultry and seafood, but each time I decide to dine vegan, I’m always amazed by the variety on the menu. Every item is loaded with healthful, delicious ingredients that remind me to think outside the box the next time I’m planning a meal.

To get creative meal ideas, just read more.

Craving lasagna or a baked potato? Don’t deprive yourself these treats, simply reimagine them and treat yourself to a healthier version. An eggplant stacks is a great alternative to cheesy lasagna, and using fresh herbs, crumbled tofu, and fresh red pepper means it’s loaded with bold flavors and good-for-you ingredients. A baked sweet potato is another great option – and a great way to satisfy your craving for starch. Plus they are one of the healthiest vegetables around, since they contain vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and fewer calories than your regular potatoes. Even small changes like these can be big steps toward a healthier attitude and a healthier you.

To get creative ideas from your fellow FitSugar readers, check out their healthy food swap ideas.

Mindful Menus Wherever You Eat Out

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:30:00 -0800

Are you someone that has a hard time making healthy choices when dining out? Navigating menus can be tough on even the savviest of healthy eaters so why not get a little help?

Mindful Menus is looking to make eating out a little easier (and healthier) for you. Mindful Menus Wherever ($25) is a small, metal card holder that contains 10 different laminated nutritional cheat sheets for a variety of cuisines for when you are eating out. You can use the 10 credit card sized cards to help you decide what to order and what not to order when you are eating Italian, diner food, Sushi, Mexican, Thai, Salads, Chinese, Starbucks, even at happy hour and more. I love that it is small enough to fit into a purse, because the last thing I need is another thing to carry around. Pretty cool, eh? Buy it here.

Should School Lunch Menus Display Calorie Counts?

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0700

A North Carolina school district is testing new technology aimed at fighting childhood obesity. The schools have licensed food boards resembling those at fast food drive-thrus, but in the place of prices are calorie counts.

The school board realizes that providing the calorie counts alone won't do much to make a positive change, so teachers will devise lessons for the classroom to help kids make healthier choices. Crest Middle School principal Amy Jones commented, "We really don't want to make them afraid to even pick up anything and put it in their mouths, but we also want to make them educated, that's our job."

It's important for kids to understand how their food choices affect their bodies, but I can also see how providing calorie counts for kids could be sending a confusing message. What's your take on this experiment?

Yummy Links: From Crab Fondue to Oscar Menus

partysugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:45:20 -0800

This cheesy crab fondue looks to die for! - Simply Recipes
Find out which store-bought chicken stock tastes the best. - Serious Eats
Learn how to cook beans in a slow cooker. - The Kitchn
Use frozen berries to bring Summer's fruit pies into Winter's kitchen. - Simply Stated
Super charge with these ingredients that make you smarter and more virile. - Chow
Five menus that coincide with this year's Oscar nominations for best picture. - The Epi-Log

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Do You Eat at Restaurants With Picture Menus?

partysugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:45:20 -0700

Burger King Gets a Makeover

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:15:47 -0700

While one fast food chain is temporarily closing stores, another has begun remodeling them. Hoping a facelift will invigorate sales, Burger King announced a major effort to redesign its 12,000 worldwide locations.

Burger King is betting that rotating red flame chandeliers, LCD menus, and corrugated metal and brick walls will encourage customers to sit down and enjoy a meal rather than simply passing through.According to Chairman and CEO John Chidsey, who describes the overhaul as "contemporary, edgy, futuristic . . . like an upscale restaurant," the 60 outlets that have already been revamped have generated 12 to 15 percent more sales.

The "20/20" design transformation, as it's called, is a huge risk for Burger King. The overhaul will take several years to complete worldwide, and will cost franchisees a whopping $300,000 to $600,000 per restaurant. Check out new store pictures. Could a redesign coax you into buying more BK?

You'll Never Miss the Meat: Conscious Cook Cookbook

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:30:09 -0700

We know that eating less meat is a good thing - it reduces your carbon footprint, lowers your grocery bill, and makes sense for your heart. But does it taste good? Vegetarian diets are often associated with a bland menu of tofu, sprouts, and brown rice day after day. Chef to the stars Tal Ronnen sets out to bust this myth in his new cookbook, The Conscious Cook - Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat ($20).

The cookbook is divided into sections by meal courses that include starters, soups, entrées, and desserts. I'm most excited about the entire section devoted to sandwiches because of all the new lunches I get to try. There's a nice intro that covers Ronnen's must haves in the kitchen - from what items he always has in his pantry (agave nectar) to the chef tools he can't live without (food processor). Ronnen touches on the importance of a vegan diet but does it without making you feel like you're choking on someone else's politics. It's obvious the chef's main focus is making food that tastes exceptional.

To hear more about The Conscious Cook and see a killer quinoa recipe, read more.

Each of the 75 recipes features a protein and ranges from the comforting - free-form ravioli with tofu ricotta and arugula pesto - to the sophisticated - peppercorn-encrusted portobello fillets with yellow tomato bearnaise and mashed potatoes. And every recipe has an inspiring photo accompanying it.

What's great about this cookbook is its range and its approach to meatless cooking. No main dish ever feels like a side dish, which can happen a lot in vegan and vegetarian cooking. Instead, each meal is made to be complete and satisfying. There are recipes for a quick or casual meal, but if you want to pull out all the stops, there are recipes for that too. As an added nice touch, there are seasonally driven dinner menus included at the end.

Quinoa, Avocado, and Sweet Potato Timbale With Roasted Tomatillo Dressing
The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat

Ingredients

For the quinoa:
1 cup quinoa, cooked in vegetable stock according to the package directions and cooled to room temperature
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the sweet potatoes:
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the dressing:
2 tomatillos in olive oil, skins removed
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon light agave nectar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the tortilla strips:
Canola oil
2 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

To serve:
2 avocados, diced
Microgreens

You'll also need 4 salad plates, a food processor, and a 3-inch ring mold.

Directions
1. Make the quinoa: Place all the of the quinoa ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.
2. Make the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until soft in the middle and lightly browned. Be careful not to let the sweet potatoes burn.
3. Make the dressing: Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the tomatillos with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add vinegar, cilantro, and agave nectar, and pulse to combine. With the motor running, pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a thin stream. Continue blending until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Make the tortilla strips: Pour 2 inches of oil into a small, heavy pot and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the tortilla strips and fry until crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning.
5. Assemble the salads: Place a 3-inch ring mold in the center of one of the 4 salad plates. Fill with 1/4 of the quinoa mixture and press down with a spoon to pack the mold, smoothing the top. Place 1/4 of the sweet potato pieces on top of the quinoa and press down gently. Top with 1/4 of the avocado and press down gently. Carefully remove the mold. Repeat on the remaining salad plates.
6. Carefully place 2 tortilla strips parallel to each other about 1 inch apart on top of each timbale. Place 2 more tortilla strips perpendicular on top of those. Top the timbales with the microgreens and drizzle the dressing around the timbales.

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 45 minutes

Print recipe with images | without images

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:14 -0700

Dine like a star: healthy, celeb-approved recipes from LA restaurants - Self
Biking to work is challenging but worth it - That's Fit
Calorie counts on menus are shockingly inaccurate - Nutrition Data Blog
Valerie Bertinelli completes a half marathon! - FitCeleb
Kickboxing plus yoga equals koga - Vitamin G
More on David Kirsch's Butt Book - Vital Juice
The ever-evolving, very confusing world of food labeling - Mark's Daily Apple
Four fun ways to exercise outside this Summer - Shape

Dunkin' Drinks Join Beef, Cookie Dough Ranks in Food Recall

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:52 -0700

Yesterday, Dunkin' Donuts temporarily pulled its Dunkaccino and hot chocolate drinks off store menus after discovering that one of its suppliers' facilities may have been contaminated with salmonella. The doughnut chain's supplier, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, voluntarily recalled several of its products, although no illnesses have been traced back to the contamination. Dunkin' Donuts is confident the drinks will be back in stores soon, but yesterday's recall is simply one more to add to a rapidly growing list of food contamination concerns. At the end of last month, Nestlé pulled 30,000 cases of Toll House refrigerated cookie dough after dozens of illnesses were traced to the product, which contained harmful traces of E. coli bacteria. Then over 380,000 pounds of beef were recalled across the country because the meat was also tainted with toxic E. coli. More than 12 people have been hospitalized as a result.

Food contamination appears to be a concern for Americans now more than ever. In March, following recalls of spinach, jalapeños, milk, and peanut butter, President Obama addressed food-safety issues and reassured Americans that he would aid the FDA in strengthening the country's food-safety system. Yet the situation only seems to be getting worse. Are you as frustrated with the FDA's lack of diligence as I am?