This Mama Cooks! On a Diet

Putting on the feedbag in San Diego

As you noticed, I've been too busy to blog here at This Mama Cooks! lately. The reason? I went to San Diego for a blogger event. I have a theory that if you spend X days away from home you spend twice that time packing, unpacking, and making up for all the work you missed. I did work while on the road - from the hotel, the library, Starbucks, and the airport - but not as much as I usually do. That's because I spent most of my time eating.

Here's the slide show:

 

5 tips for eating out when you're trying to lose weight

One of the biggest challenges dieters face is eating at a restaurant. If you're on a diet with a fixed daily menu, it's impossible. It's one of the reasons I gave up doing the Extreme Fat Smash Diet. However, for those of you on more flexible weight loss plans like Weight Watchers, dining out is easier but not without its risks.

All the diets I've been on give you tips for how to eat at a restaurant. You know, things like "order the grilled fish with no sauce" or a "get a salad with dressing on the side." We all know how to follow those strategies. Instead, how about trying a new one:

Plan your restaurant meal before you leave the house

1. Choose the restaurant in advance and make reservations. No restaurants with a buffet or a mascot like Chuck E. Cheese. (Yuck!) Instead, pick a restaurant with a varied menu, so you can find something healthy to eat. Your best bets are seafood restaurants that grill (not fry) their fish, Japanese places for low-cal/high protein sashimi and miso soup, or one with an extensive salad bar. Also, when you make a reservation, your table is ready when you arrive (hopefully) so you don't spend time drinking and snacking in the bar.

2. Plan out your food budget before you go. Calculate how many Weight Watchers POINTS or calories you can use during the meal. Then stick with it!

3. Don’t leave the house famished. Have a light snack, like a piece of high fiber fruit or something with protein in it (nuts or a glass of skim milk) an hour before your reservation. Make sure you've had a few glasses of water or a cup of tea (bring a to go cup in the car) before you leave, too.

4. Get your exercise in earlier that day. If you can manage it, exercise then immediately go out to eat.
(Shower first and change your clothes, please!) That way your metabolism will be revved up and you'll be burning calories at a faster rate while you dine.

5. Go to the restaurant's website to plan what you're going to order. Or have them fax you a menu. Write down what you're going to order and any questions you have for the wait person. (Can I get it with brown rice? Instead of the potato, can I get some steamed veggies?) When you arrive, tell the hostess that you don't need a menu since you already know what you want to order. That way you won't be tempted to sabotage your plan.

For more Five Things/Ways advice articles, click here.

Click here to read how Outback Steakhouse is a great place for dieters, and those on gluten free, diabetic or low carb diets...

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A (food) bender in Vegas

Just came back from BlogWorld Expo 2007 and PostieCon 2007 in Vegas. Yes, I was there to learn more about blogging and social media, but I had a chance to have a few good meals, too. (Diet? What diet?)

My first meal was at the Hilton. I had hoped to have dinner at Quark's Bar at the hotel's Star Trek exhibit. Unfortunately, it was closed so I headed over to the Hilton's open 24-hour restaurant, the Paradise Cafe. Not expecting much, I ordered a Thai Chicken Salad. Unfortunately, I had left my camera at the hotel, because I loved how it was served "spilling" out of a Chinese take out carton placed on my plate. This is cute presentation idea that you could try at home.

The second night there was a party at The Joint at the Hard Rock Cafe. There was a terrific spread of prime rib, and potato dishes in martini glasses (sweet potato with fried chicken strips, purple Peruvian mashed potatoes with bacon, and baby potatoes with crème fraîche and caviar). There was also a decadent chocolate dessert fountain. I used skewers to dip fruit, sponge cake and marshmallows into the rich milk chocolate. And yes, there was an open bar, too.

I had one free night before PostieCon, so I took the monorail over to Bally's, walked through The Paris Casino, and walked by most of the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino to get to Todai, a wonderful Japanese buffet that I had visited before. (I've also been to the one in San Diego.) Even with a bum knee, it was worth limping all that way to enjoy the sushi (the squid and rainbow rolls were specially good). I was in heaven with the dozen plus oysters on the half shell I devoured.

Forget gambling and the shows. Go to Vegas to eat!

(Click here to read about my last culinary Las Vegas adventure at Charlie Palmer's Aureole Las Vegas. )

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The best of Chicago - the Billy Goat Tavern

Are you going to BlogHer '07 in Chicago? If you're a food blogger, you're probably headed to Rick Bayless's Frontera Grill or Topolobampo - if you can get a reservation, that is. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful dinner, but you've hardly had a Chicago experience.

If that's what you're interested in, come hang out with the real Chicagoans at the world famous Billy Goat Tavern. You know:

Cheezborger! Cheezborger!
No fries, cheeps! No Pepsi, Coke!

as made famous by Second City alum and Saturday Night Live legends Jim Belushi and Dan Akroyd.

The Billy Goat Tavern isn't just another Chicago bar. It was selected Best of the Best by New City Chicago in 2002, and was #2 for Must See Sports Destination in the "Food and Drink" category by CNNsi in 2001. It was also ranked #1 in Citysearch: Chicago's Audience Poll for Best Burger in 2001.

The Billy Goat Tavern was one of five bars nominated as Citysearch: Chicago's "Editor's Pick" for Best Local Tradition 2000 - and boy are Chicagoans all about tradition! It was also one of only 12 bars receiving Four Mugs (highest rating) by The Official Chicago Bar Guide in both 1994 and 2001.

My visit to the famed Chicago icon

My friend Mary, a native Chicago gal, took me to the original Billy Goat Tavern nine or ten years ago. She said it was a "have to" place to go. It's located near the Tribune Towers and Wrigley Building at 430 N. Michigan Ave at Lower Level under the subway tracks.

Yes, the guys at the counter really do say, "Cheezborger! Cheezborger! You want doublecheez?!? Who's next!?!" It's a bit overwhelming. You don't know if you should order or laugh. I stood there speechless, so Mary ordered for me - cheeps, cheezborger, and Diet Coke.

And the food? A classic, greasy, WONDERFUL bar hamburger. I loved the decor too -  photographs of local celebrities and articles written by Chicago newspaper columnists from the Chicago Tribune and the Sun Times.

I agree with Mary, the Billy Goat Tavern is a have to Chicago place to go.

(And if you're going to the BlogHer conference, there is a Billy Goat Tavern location at the Navy Pier. Click here to see the menu. Even so, try to find time to visit the original just for the ambience alone.)

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Sunset's Soup Social - Split pea, beef and barley soup

I was eating soup at a restaurant the other day and realized what I thought was rice was barley, which was much more healthier and higher in fiber. I should use it more often. This recipe from Sunset magazine's January 2007 article on Soup Socials is a good start. It combines a classic split pea soup with one for beef and barley soup.

Best of all, one cup is only three Weight Watchers Points - so low you could treat yourself to several bowls and a glass of wine for dinner.

Split Pea, Beef, and Barley Soup
Prep and Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Yield: Makes about 8 qts.

Based on a recipe from Lainey Feingold, this soup combines the best qualities of two classic soups: the heartiness of split pea and the rich, nutty flavor of beef and barley.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
• 5 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large onions, chopped
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups green split peas (one 16-oz. package)
• 3/4 cup dried baby lima beans
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-in. pieces

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a 9- to 10-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Season beef with 1 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper, then brown on all sides in two batches. Set aside.
2. Add onions, leek, parsnips, celery, and remaining 3 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Return beef to pot and add split peas, lima beans, and 4 qts. water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Add barley and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in carrots and cook 20 minutes more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Nutritional information:
Serving size: 1 cup

CALORIES 155 (19% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 0.9g); PROTEIN 11g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; SODIUM 401mg; FIBER 3.8g; CARBOHYDRATE 21g

Sunset, JANUARY 2007

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The Festive Flavors of Spain

Big Bad Dad and I recently attended a cooking class as part of the Discover Spain package at the Omni Interlocken hotel in Broomfield, Colorado. It was my birthday present. Here's the package description:

Experience the Festive Flavors of Spain with mouth-watering cheeses, meats, spices and seafood from a land rich in culinary history and unforgettable tastes. Our chefs have trained under culinary masters from the Castilla y Leon region of Spain and they are ready to share their creations with you. And when you book the Discover Spain package you can learn first hand how to create traditional Spanish Tapas.

On becoming a gourmet nation...in Vegas

It must have been serendipity that I had brought David Kamp's The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation to read on our flight to Vegas. Kemp writes about the cultural history of the gourmet food movement and the celebrity chef phenomenon from James Beard to Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck to Emeril. The book also documents the introduction of fine French cooking to U.S. shores as well as the rise of California Cuisine and the current organic and slow food movements. It also mentions the rise of fine dining in Las Vegas. It's a fascinating read and gives real insight to the various food movements and the people behind them.

So with fantastic restaurants and celebrity chefs on the brain, Big Bad Dad and I checked out Charlie Palmer's Aureole Las Vegas restaurant in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Dining at Aureole's was one of the most memorable food experiences of my life. We had the seven course tasting menu along with the wine accompaniment. It was worth the indulgence of time (almost three hours) and money (over $400) to have such excellent service and fantastic food.

I was a bit hesitant about trying the wines. While I love reds, my body doesn't react well with white wines. Usually I wake up at 3 a.m. sweating with a vicious hangover and hot, itchy feet. After consulting with our sommelier (who checked on us frequently to make sure I wasn't going into anaphylactic shock or breaking out in hives) I went ahead and ordered the wines. I'm glad I did because it really added to the ambiance of the meal.

Yet my favorites were the reds. The Mas Doix, Salanques, Priorat (2003) from Spain (a Grenache/Syrah blend) that went with the Squab "Rossini" was wonderful as was the Les Pagodes de Cos, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux (1996), a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet France grapes that came with the Seared Filet Mignon and Savory Shepard's Pie.

But the most splendid wine was the Brachetto d'Acqui, Braida, Peimonte (2005). This is a sparkling red wine with strong hints of strawberry. It would be perfect for a Sunday brunch or Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. Maybe it shows that I've been drinking too much of the kids' juice boxes, but I loved it. And the pairing with the American Cheeses - a white cheddar, a Brie and a blue cheese - was inspired. Honestly, if I could I stop by Aureole's bar just for a glass of the Brachetto and a cheese sampler plate, I would.

Paul and I also loved the Squab "Rossini" and the Duo of Ahi Tuna. The squab was served with a perfect little piece of fois gras that really made the dish. And, the tuna dish was very inspirational - we'll be trying to create a tuna tartare at home.

Finally, the service was splendid. Besides the attentions of our overly concerned sommelier, we had two waiters and a server (or was it two servers and a waiter?). Plus the General Manager (a Denver native) stopped by frequently to check on us.

The only negative was too much dessert! (Did I actually say that? I guess I left my brain in Vegas, too.) The cheese plate was so delicious that I could have done without anything else. But having two desserts - the pear tart followed by the little cookies - was way over the top. By that time, I needed a nap and a foot rub.

Still, the cookies were very cute and charming. Maybe they should have been wrapped up in a little gift bag to be given along with the bill. They would have been a yummy reminder of the fantastic meal we enjoyed the night before and would have gone well with our mid-morning coffee.

On the way home, I bought a copy the October issue of Gourmet magazine at the Vegas airport. It featured Gourmet's list of America's top 50 restaurants and article on the ultra-exclusive and insanely expensive Vegas restaurants. While Aureole wasn't in either article, I highly recommend it for a wonderful culinary adventure and experience. Forget the gambling and shows. When in Vegas - EAT!

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Cooking online with the Olive Garden

I'm not one for chain restaurants, preferring local mom and pop joints. So I was reluctant to endorse anything the Olive Garden has to offer. However, their website is A-O.K. with me. Now you can watch cooking demonstrations of some of Olive Garden's more popular dishes, like their Tuscan Garlic Chicken, Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto, and Braised Short Ribs.

Olive Garden's Chief Executive Chef Paolo Lafata is fun to watch. He's kinda cute in a hobbit sort of way and I love his accent, too. The production values are very nice and it's a unique way to reach out to their customers. Check it out!

Olive Garden’s Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto At-Home Recipe
Serves Six

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ pound fresh asparagus spears, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 18 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• ½ cup butter
• 1½ cups Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large pot or saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer and leave on low heat until needed.
2. In a separate, large nonstick pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the onions and cook for approximately three minutes. Once the onions are translucent, add the rice, stir to coat thoroughly and cook for one minute. Next, add the white wine and stir until completely absorbed.
4. Slowly add ½ cup of broth to the risotto and stir until completely absorbed. Repeat this step until 4 cups of broth have been added.
5. Continue to stir the risotto frequently to avoid sticking.
6. While the risotto is cooking, add the asparagus and shrimp to the remaining broth and cook for approximately two minutes or until the shrimp are pink in color.
7. When finished, remove the asparagus and shrimp from the broth and add them to the pot with risotto.
8. Continue to add ½ cup of broth at a time until desired creaminess is reached.
9. Once the broth is absorbed, add butter, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and parsley to complete.

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Cooking Light magazine opens restaurant

In a joint partnership with Chicago-based restaurant firm Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Cooking Light will open a kiosk restaurant called Cooking Light@foodlife that will prepare food exclusively from the recipes featured in the magazine, writes the New York Times.

Entrees will be priced from $5.95 to $8.95. Cooking Light and Lettuce Entertain You are also introducing a take-home food line based on Cooking Light recipes, which will be sold at the food court's market.

Cooking Light publisher Chris Allen said the restaurant would provide a "big focus group" to benefit the magazine, which has a paid circulation of 1.7 million. "We will be watching what happens there each and every day. There's a possibility of a column, a lot of things could stem from this editorially," said Allen.

What a great idea, especially the take out part. I just want to know when they'll open one in Denver!

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Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Earlier this month we went down to Colorado Springs to surprise Big Bad Dad's cousin at his 50th birthday lunch gathering. I had never heard of Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano before. However, I was prepared for another so-so chain restaurant (like the Olive Garden) when I found out it was located next to a big fancy mall. I was soon proven wrong.

I could wax on how nice the decor was, how helpful and attentive the wait staff, and how extensive the menu, but their website says it best.

Biaggi's is a fun, casual, white-tablecloth restaurant that offers an extensive menu featuring a full selection of house-made and imported pasta, soups & salads, pizza, seafood, fresh fish, chicken, veal, steaks and desserts. Large portions of affordably priced menu selections are prepared with the freshest ingredients available.

Biaggi's believes strongly in providing guests with exceptional service. In addition to staffing the restaurants with an experienced management team, Biaggi's has focused significant resources towards the training of its service personnel. Biaggi's goal is to ensure that each customer leaves with the feeling they have received the highest level of personal service.

Biaggi's seeks to use unique design elements to create an authentic Italian atmosphere with the feel and old world charm of an Italian trattoria. The restaurant's informal and friendly atmosphere, combined with affordable pricing, is intended to be appropriate for a wide variety of dining occasions from a quick meal on Tuesday evening to an anniversary celebration on Saturday night.

Biaggi's welcomes and encourages the entire family to enjoy the Biaggi's experience. A full kid's menu is available and children are welcome at all times.

The restaurant really did meet the standards they set out to fulfill. I was very impressed.

BBD had the Capellini Di Mare, angel hair pasta with shrimp, scallops, and calamari sauteed in a spicy tomato vegetable sauce and topped with mussels and Little Neck Clams. Even though I liked my dish, I wish I had ordered it too since it looked so good. I had the Shrimp and Scallop Cannelloni, spinach pasta filled with shrimp, scallops, ricotta cheese, and fresh spinach, baked in a rich lobster-tomato cream sauce. It was delicious and a bit spicy. The kids shared a ham pizza (no pineapple). I was impressed that the kid's pizza was the same size as the regular personal pizza, yet was cheaper and included a fountain drink.

I'm looking forward to the opening of a Biaggi's in Loveland, Colorado - about 20 minutes north of my home - this spring and a chance to sample more marvelous dishes.

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