The holiday season elicits a superfluous number of dinner parties, which continue to take place well into the first week or two of the new year. Now, your table manners shouldn't be too rusty, as Thanksgiving was only a month ago. But in case you've forgotten how to appropriately act when eating with company, below are some key points on how to to be a good guest. And the (not so) bizarre thing about table manners is that they also contribute to healthy eating (predominantly in the realm of portion control). Let your Ms. Mannerz lesson commence:
1. Before you begin eating, wait for everyone to be seated - naturally you are hungry when you sit down for dinner, but don't start chowin' down before everyone else is at the table. Dinnertime is not a race to see who can finish their meal first, so there is no need for a head start. Have some self control, dude.
2. Don't be picky - if someone has spent time (whether it's 30 minutes or 3 days) preparing a meal for you, it is just plain rude to decline from trying whatever it is that he/she has made (only exception: allergies). Being a picky eater is something that 5 year olds can get away with, but as an adult you need to suck it up and at least take a small "no thank you" helping.
3. Take your time to eat - don't scarf down the food as if it is going to disappear, if you don't eat it at a record speed. Finish chewing and swallowing the food that is already in your mouth before you take another bite. Eating a meal should not be a game of "chubby bunny".
4. Drink between bites - it would be humiliating to choke on your food in front of 5+ guests (probably caused from stuffing your mouth with too much food, too fast), so spare yourself the embarrassment and wash down that spoonful of mashed potatoes with a big swig of water. Drinking water will also help you feel satiated - as I mentioned in my post about Turkey Day, people often misinterpret feelings of thirst for feelings of hunger.
5. Resist the urge to pick - you're comfortably full, but the bowl of roasted veggies is strategically placed next to your plate. So what do you do? You stealthily pick at the veggies, eating a few at a time, not because you're hungry, but because the plate is there. Wrong-o. First, picking off of any plate other than your own is rude - if you're still a little hungry, take a small second helping and politely eat from your own plate. Second, mindlessly eating out of convenience is synonymous to overeating. Even if you have to sit on your hands or physically move the platter to the other side of the table, just so you don't pick at the food, then do so. You don't want to be overstuffed, especially when your insanely tall uncle gives you an infinitely long bear hug. Squeeze --> barf.
6. Help clean - someone just cooked for you. Say thank you, but also show your gratitude by helping to clean the dishes, or at the very least clear the table. In addition to sparing your host from slaving away over the sink (after just having cooked dinner), cleaning up will also give your body time to digest. Remember, it takes 20 minutes for your body to feel fully satiated. By the time you're done with the dishes, and dessert is ready to be served, you'll only feel compelled to have a slice of pie, rather than "still hungry" for a piece of pie with ice cream and hot fudge and a cookie on top.
Ok, so not the traditional Ms. Manners guide, but these tips should help you finish out the remainder of the season's dinner parties with a lil more dignity and sophistication. Remember, eating is an act of pleasure, so take the time to enjoy your food :)
Monday, December 26, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Salty, Sweet 'N Savory
Salty? Good. Sweet? Good. Savory? Good. So why not combine all three flavors into one supreme holiday treat? Sounds good to me: chipotle and rosemary roasted nuts (adapted from Ina Garten's recipe). I know the title alone sounds complicated, and the fact that there are so many descriptive words may lead you to think this recipe will take a long time. But would I suggest a recipe that's overly time consuming or written in the equivalent of hieroglyphic text? Come now, you must know me better than that. And though nuts can be expensive (making this recipe a bit of an investment), believe me when I say it is SO worth it.
I was first introduced to this recipe two weeks ago, when one of my co-workers brought the tasty treat to our office holiday party. Everyone went gaga over how delicious the nuts were (that's what she said) - in fact, they were consumed with more speed and determination than the seven different varieties of cookies also waiting to be eaten. That evening, I searched for the recipe online with the intention of making the nuts as soon as possible. However, during the chaos and stress that encompasses end-of-year work and holiday planning, I completely forgot about the recipe. Sad, but true.
Then as fate would have it, I stumbled upon the recipe again a few days ago, in the December issue of the Food Network Magazine. This time, I was committed to making the delicious treat. So I did. And the result: one of the most perfect combination of flavors my taste buds have ever experienced. No joke. And just as fabulous as the taste is the fact that this recipe makes A LOT. So rather than give your neighbors more cookies (that, let's face it, will end up going stale and uneaten because everyone ends up with an exorbitant amount of cookies this time of year) you can package up some of this mix to give away as a holiday gift. Or better still, serve the nut mix at a holiday or new year's eve party you might be throwing - trust me, the mix will be devoured.
The link to the original recipe is up above and below is the version that I ended up making. Measure, mix, roast, and enjoy this salty, sweet 'n savory treat!
Ingredients:
-canola oil
-2 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews
-2 cups whole walnut halves
-2 cups whole pecans
-1 cup whole almonds
-1/3 cup maple syrup (you can substitute with honey or agave nectar)
-1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
-juice from 1 orange (about 3-4 tablespoons)
-2 teaspoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
-1/4 cup fresh rosemary, minced (or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary, minced)
-salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray/canola oil
3. Combine all nuts, 2 tablespoons canola oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat nuts evenly.
4. Add 1/2 of minced rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt. Toss again.
5. Spread nuts in one layer on baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. Nuts should be glazed and golden brown when finished.
6. Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining rosemary and 2 more teaspoons of salt. Toss again and stir occasionally while mix is cooling, to prevent clumps from sticking together.
7. Serve at room temperature. Store in air tight container.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Walking In A Not-So-Winter Wonderland
Thus far my blog has not addressed the topic of exercise (aside from my brief Turkey Day advice). But doing some sort of daily physical activity is crucial to living a healthy and happy life, which is exactly what this blog is promoting! And though my forte is definitely cooking and nutrition, I was a member of my college's dance company, taught dance for a number of years, and occasionally teach Zumba classes...so I have a thing or two to say with regard to being active. The caveat: I am not a personal trainer. If you want advice on creating a weight-loss exercise plan or you're looking for a super intense workout to do, go to a gym and sign up for a session with an expert. I'm here to talk about exercise for the happy life and more specifically, walking.
Many of you may already exercise - running on a treadmill, hittin' the elliptical, Zumba classes, yoga, kickboxing, etc. I admit, sweating a lot can be quite satisfying and finishing a difficult abdominal workout leaves me feeling great about my body. However, more often than not, I get home from work and I'm so exhausted from the day that the last thing I want to do is go for a run. It's incredibly important to get some sort of physical activity into your daily routine - I won't go into the specifics of how exercise benefits your body (disease prevention, cardiac strength, mental health, etc.) because you can look that stuff up online if you feel so inclined. You'll have to trust me for the moment when I say that exercise is imperative to a healthy and happy body. So how do you complete a daily exercise regime when you're tired and sore from work and life? Go for a walk.
I know, it seems too simple, but walking is a great form of exercise - it gets your body moving, blood pumping, and gives your mind a chance to relax. Having a crappy day at work and frustrated about something going on in your personal life? Go for a long walk and let off some steam. Guaranteed you'll not only feel mentally better, but your body will be thankful for the exercise. Feeling tired in the morning or early afternoon? Go for a brisk walk. It won't wake your body up with the same WHAM! POW! IN YOUR FACE! that hittin' the gym at 5am will do, but walking will get your mind and body back on track for the day. Don't think you have enough energy to go to kickboxing? Take a walk and still get your exercise in for the day. Any exercise is better than no exercise; so when you feel like taking a nap and forgoing the gym (because the prospect of any exercise machine is making you anxious), opt for the middle road and take a walk, even if you walk for only 10 or 20 minutes. That is better than not doing anything at all.
The great thing about walking is that you can do it whenever and for however long you want. You can take lots of short walks throughout the day (10 minutes when you first get up, 20 minutes during your lunch break, 20 minutes when you get home from work before you cook dinner, 10 minutes after you've eaten) or you can use the hour plus time that you would've spent at the gym to take one long walk. On days when the gym is not an option for me, I go for a 4+ mile walk instead. It usually takes about an hour, I'm sweating by the end, and my legs are usually sore the next day. On days when I'm feeling in the mood for a harder walking workout, I find places with stairs or go on uphill paths to spice things up. Sometimes I take my Ipod, sometimes I don't, and on special occasions I have a walking partner (which I'd highly recommend, as it's a great chance to catch up with someone, it makes the time go by in a flash, and you'll be more inclined to walk further distances if there's somebody to do it with you).
A minor side note about exercising: in addition to walking, you should try to do some sort of strength training at least 2-3 times per week. If you like to hit the weights at the gym, great for you; but if not, there are plenty of strength training exercises you can do at home (in fact you probably do some of them already without knowing it). Take a few minutes to search online for some fun, non-body-builder, strength training exercises.
Be active, exercise, and go to the gym when it suits you; but don't kill yourself trying to do so. The point of this post was to show that no matter how you're feeling, there is always an option to walk. Like I said, some exercise is better than no exercise. So say yes to walking on the days when you want to say no to everything else. For those of you in warmer climates (such as California), there are no excuses for not walking. And though those of you living in naturally colder climates (such as New England) will eventually have to embrace winter (at which point, you can either walk in the snow, walk on a treadmill, or research some at-home workouts), thus far the weather has been gorgeous and perfect for taking long walks. There's no snow (yet), so take advantage of the sun and warmth, and go for a walk in a not-so-winter wonderland!
Many of you may already exercise - running on a treadmill, hittin' the elliptical, Zumba classes, yoga, kickboxing, etc. I admit, sweating a lot can be quite satisfying and finishing a difficult abdominal workout leaves me feeling great about my body. However, more often than not, I get home from work and I'm so exhausted from the day that the last thing I want to do is go for a run. It's incredibly important to get some sort of physical activity into your daily routine - I won't go into the specifics of how exercise benefits your body (disease prevention, cardiac strength, mental health, etc.) because you can look that stuff up online if you feel so inclined. You'll have to trust me for the moment when I say that exercise is imperative to a healthy and happy body. So how do you complete a daily exercise regime when you're tired and sore from work and life? Go for a walk.
I know, it seems too simple, but walking is a great form of exercise - it gets your body moving, blood pumping, and gives your mind a chance to relax. Having a crappy day at work and frustrated about something going on in your personal life? Go for a long walk and let off some steam. Guaranteed you'll not only feel mentally better, but your body will be thankful for the exercise. Feeling tired in the morning or early afternoon? Go for a brisk walk. It won't wake your body up with the same WHAM! POW! IN YOUR FACE! that hittin' the gym at 5am will do, but walking will get your mind and body back on track for the day. Don't think you have enough energy to go to kickboxing? Take a walk and still get your exercise in for the day. Any exercise is better than no exercise; so when you feel like taking a nap and forgoing the gym (because the prospect of any exercise machine is making you anxious), opt for the middle road and take a walk, even if you walk for only 10 or 20 minutes. That is better than not doing anything at all.
The great thing about walking is that you can do it whenever and for however long you want. You can take lots of short walks throughout the day (10 minutes when you first get up, 20 minutes during your lunch break, 20 minutes when you get home from work before you cook dinner, 10 minutes after you've eaten) or you can use the hour plus time that you would've spent at the gym to take one long walk. On days when the gym is not an option for me, I go for a 4+ mile walk instead. It usually takes about an hour, I'm sweating by the end, and my legs are usually sore the next day. On days when I'm feeling in the mood for a harder walking workout, I find places with stairs or go on uphill paths to spice things up. Sometimes I take my Ipod, sometimes I don't, and on special occasions I have a walking partner (which I'd highly recommend, as it's a great chance to catch up with someone, it makes the time go by in a flash, and you'll be more inclined to walk further distances if there's somebody to do it with you).
A minor side note about exercising: in addition to walking, you should try to do some sort of strength training at least 2-3 times per week. If you like to hit the weights at the gym, great for you; but if not, there are plenty of strength training exercises you can do at home (in fact you probably do some of them already without knowing it). Take a few minutes to search online for some fun, non-body-builder, strength training exercises.
Be active, exercise, and go to the gym when it suits you; but don't kill yourself trying to do so. The point of this post was to show that no matter how you're feeling, there is always an option to walk. Like I said, some exercise is better than no exercise. So say yes to walking on the days when you want to say no to everything else. For those of you in warmer climates (such as California), there are no excuses for not walking. And though those of you living in naturally colder climates (such as New England) will eventually have to embrace winter (at which point, you can either walk in the snow, walk on a treadmill, or research some at-home workouts), thus far the weather has been gorgeous and perfect for taking long walks. There's no snow (yet), so take advantage of the sun and warmth, and go for a walk in a not-so-winter wonderland!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
This Season's Savior: Soup
Be honest. You're counting down to your last day of work in 2011. You cannot wait to have a few days off, be a true couch potato, and let the weight of 2011 fall off your shoulders. You're using all your creative power to think of interesting (but not tacky) gifts for family and friends, and frantically trying to decide which kinds of cookies you'll bake for the numerous cookie swaps you've been asked to attend. The motivation and energy to cook yourself dinner are severely waning. Well fear not my bitches, I have the solution! Soup. That's right, a nice big pot filled with whatever your heart desires. Perhaps it seems obvious as to why soup can help you this season...perhaps not. So for clarification purposes, I've taken the liberty of providing you with the reasons why soup will be your new savior this holiday season:
1. Quantity: any recipe will yield at least 3 days worth of soup for you to enjoy (and usually more than that). Make a pot of soup and you won't have to worry about dinner for the majority of your work week!
2. Shelf Life: leave soup in the fridge and it's good for about 5 days. Put some in the freezer and it'll still be ready for consumption 6 months down the line.
3. Time commitment: the best tasting soups cook for a while on the stove top, but the actual prep work you have to do is minimal (chopping the ingredients, sautéing them in the pot, and adding water...20-30 minutes tops)
4. Cure-factor: it's flu season and many of you (myself included) are probably sick. So what's better than a nice hot cup of soup to warm your body and fight your cold?
Now do you see why I'm praising soup? And the best part is that there are so many different ways to spice up a serving of soup, so that you don't feel as if you're having the exact same thing to eat every day. Try having any of the following with your piping hot bowl of joy:
- grilled cheese (or any other sandwich of your liking)
- rice or pasta with some olive oil and herbs sprinkled on top
- piece of chicken, ground turkey, sausage link, or scrambled eggs (and if you're going to take the time to cook yourself some meat, you might as well make a few pieces of whatever you're cooking, so that you can have soup & chicken -or whatever- for more than just one day)
- salad: make it simple (toss some greens together) or use whatever creative juices you have left to make something more complex
- fruit or bread: if you have a big bowl of soup, you don't need too much else to eat, so a piece of fruit or a slice of bread will help fill you up!
I've just listed more than five different side options to go with your soup...that's a different meal for every night of the work week! Isn't soup awesome?
This afternoon I made a BIG batch of minestrone soup (my dad's recipe - my favorite soup) that I intend to eat for dinner and/or lunch every day this week. Boring I know, but I'd rather come home from work every day this week knowing that dinner is already made (and as you can see from the above list of soup accompaniments, my meals will be slightly varied). The holiday season is filled with enough decadent feasts that I find it satisfying to have at least a few predictable meals throughout the weekday and take a break from the superfluous supply of festive holiday foods.
What sort of soups do you like to make?
1. Quantity: any recipe will yield at least 3 days worth of soup for you to enjoy (and usually more than that). Make a pot of soup and you won't have to worry about dinner for the majority of your work week!
2. Shelf Life: leave soup in the fridge and it's good for about 5 days. Put some in the freezer and it'll still be ready for consumption 6 months down the line.
3. Time commitment: the best tasting soups cook for a while on the stove top, but the actual prep work you have to do is minimal (chopping the ingredients, sautéing them in the pot, and adding water...20-30 minutes tops)
4. Cure-factor: it's flu season and many of you (myself included) are probably sick. So what's better than a nice hot cup of soup to warm your body and fight your cold?
Now do you see why I'm praising soup? And the best part is that there are so many different ways to spice up a serving of soup, so that you don't feel as if you're having the exact same thing to eat every day. Try having any of the following with your piping hot bowl of joy:
- grilled cheese (or any other sandwich of your liking)
- rice or pasta with some olive oil and herbs sprinkled on top
- piece of chicken, ground turkey, sausage link, or scrambled eggs (and if you're going to take the time to cook yourself some meat, you might as well make a few pieces of whatever you're cooking, so that you can have soup & chicken -or whatever- for more than just one day)
- salad: make it simple (toss some greens together) or use whatever creative juices you have left to make something more complex
- fruit or bread: if you have a big bowl of soup, you don't need too much else to eat, so a piece of fruit or a slice of bread will help fill you up!
I've just listed more than five different side options to go with your soup...that's a different meal for every night of the work week! Isn't soup awesome?
This afternoon I made a BIG batch of minestrone soup (my dad's recipe - my favorite soup) that I intend to eat for dinner and/or lunch every day this week. Boring I know, but I'd rather come home from work every day this week knowing that dinner is already made (and as you can see from the above list of soup accompaniments, my meals will be slightly varied). The holiday season is filled with enough decadent feasts that I find it satisfying to have at least a few predictable meals throughout the weekday and take a break from the superfluous supply of festive holiday foods.
What sort of soups do you like to make?
Monday, December 5, 2011
'Tis The Season...
'Tis the season of muffins, cookies, cakes, and candies! Peppermint bark, caramel pecan cookies, cranberry-orange bread...aren't you excited? Of course you are! However, I'm sure that for many of you (if not all), underneath the merriment of holiday baking lies that nagging feeling of guilt...Don't eat too many Christmas cookies or you'll feel gross/ look like a pig/ ruin your teeth/ get fat. It is a complete shame that in today's society our holiday treats have become "guilty pleasures". Did you eat a cookie today? Yes. Guilty. Go punish yourself. I ask you, why does eating dessert have to be a guilty pleasure? If someone spends hours in the kitchen, slaving over a scorching oven, recreating his/her great-grandmother's secret chocolate chip cookie recipe, shouldn't you feel honored when he/she offers to share that treat with you? And furthermore, shouldn't you enjoy that cookie rather than feel guilty about eating it? Apparently 'tis the season of remorse, self-inflicted punishment, and emotional aggravation.
The more we tell ourselves "no", the more we want to say "yes". This concept applies to all aspects of our lives (it is the same idea, in my opinion, as to why teaching abstinence does not work and only leads to sex-hungry teens...), but right now I'm talking about desserts. By preventing ourselves from having something we want, we only crave that something more; and when we finally allow ourselves to taste that something we tend to overindulge. If you repeatedly tell yourself "no, I'm not going to eat that cookie/brownie/small piece of homemade pie for reasons x, y, and z", eventually you'll break down and give into your hunger for pleasure. And rather than enjoy your holiday treats in moderation, you'll end up eating the whole container of cookies (leaving none for Santa or the rest of your family), and feel incredibly guilty that you "gave in" or "let yourself go". Is there an alternative to this self-deprecating mentality of today's society?
There is an alternative. You have a choice. You can choose to conform and live a life filled with these so-called "guilty pleasures" (foods you want, but think you shouldn't have; tastes you convince yourself you don't deserve). Or you can choose to rebel and decide that desserts, cookies, sweets and treats will simply be pleasures (tastes you can enjoy in moderation, free of remorse). Eating healthy is not about restricting your dietary intake to the point of dissatisfaction; it is about eating in moderation and taking the time to savor the tastes of food. Eating should be a pleasurable experience - NOT an experience of regret and NOT an experience of gorging. As someone who prides herself on being a "healthy eater" I am telling you, it is okay to eat the Christmas cookie. I'd rather you eat one, two, or even three cookies with pleasure, than have you greedily eat the whole damn box and then punish yourself after.
So, it's time to ask yourself: 'tis the season...of pleasure or guilt? I know which one I choose, but what about you?
The more we tell ourselves "no", the more we want to say "yes". This concept applies to all aspects of our lives (it is the same idea, in my opinion, as to why teaching abstinence does not work and only leads to sex-hungry teens...), but right now I'm talking about desserts. By preventing ourselves from having something we want, we only crave that something more; and when we finally allow ourselves to taste that something we tend to overindulge. If you repeatedly tell yourself "no, I'm not going to eat that cookie/brownie/small piece of homemade pie for reasons x, y, and z", eventually you'll break down and give into your hunger for pleasure. And rather than enjoy your holiday treats in moderation, you'll end up eating the whole container of cookies (leaving none for Santa or the rest of your family), and feel incredibly guilty that you "gave in" or "let yourself go". Is there an alternative to this self-deprecating mentality of today's society?
There is an alternative. You have a choice. You can choose to conform and live a life filled with these so-called "guilty pleasures" (foods you want, but think you shouldn't have; tastes you convince yourself you don't deserve). Or you can choose to rebel and decide that desserts, cookies, sweets and treats will simply be pleasures (tastes you can enjoy in moderation, free of remorse). Eating healthy is not about restricting your dietary intake to the point of dissatisfaction; it is about eating in moderation and taking the time to savor the tastes of food. Eating should be a pleasurable experience - NOT an experience of regret and NOT an experience of gorging. As someone who prides herself on being a "healthy eater" I am telling you, it is okay to eat the Christmas cookie. I'd rather you eat one, two, or even three cookies with pleasure, than have you greedily eat the whole damn box and then punish yourself after.
So, it's time to ask yourself: 'tis the season...of pleasure or guilt? I know which one I choose, but what about you?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)