All posts filed under: Food

healthy eating: chili with lentil

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I found this amazing chili recipe here and wanted to share it with my readers. Most busy women appreciate making food in bulk in order to feed their family and have a little bit left over for lunch the next day.  But even if that isn’t the case in your household, you will appreciate the chili with lentil recipe below. Just in case you are curious about the health benefits of lentil: It is a member of the legume family, which is highly recommended in healthy eating. Not only do lentils lower cholesterol, they  also manage blood-sugar disorders due to its high fiber content. Lentils also contain six important minerals, two B-vitamins, protein with virtually no fat. So, next time you are in the mood for chili, consider my favorite legume, lentil instead of the usual beans chili is made with. Serves 8 This simple vegetarian chili recipe uses lentils instead of beans. Brown lentils work best as they will hold their shape even when tender after cooking. Serve with our Health Starts Here hearth …

healthy eating: understanding champagne

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I admit I am one of those women who have converted from drinking wine to drinking champagne. The funny thing is it took me a while to learn about wine and by the time I finally got a clear understanding of wine types and pairing, I decided to convert to champagne when I made the decision to eat healthy. So now I am trying to understand and learn about what makes for a good or excellent champagne or since I am from California – sparking wine.  I know, I know there is no comparison and the two are not the same. But, now that I am able to address the beverage by its proper title based on what part of the world it’s from (California, USA or Europe), I want to understand how to choose quality “bubbly” so that I am in line with my healthier eating agenda. I found my answer here, from one of the best (French of course) wine conesuir I can think of 🙂 and based on what she says, these are …

healthy eating – beef stew with red wine and dried plums

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For some  reason I love beef stew, I suppose because it is the American version of Boeuf Bourguignon, which happens to be one of  my favorite French dishes (yes I said French again).  The wonderful thing about beef stew is that you can actually make it a day in advance and in a large quantity for a fun meal, for the entire family or while entertaining friends during the winter months. Now, although I enjoy traditional beef stew with potatoes and carrots, on occasion I am always looking for “out of the norm” recipes to make the meal exciting and yet weight watcher friendly and thankfully I was able to do just that with the beef stew recipe that I found here. It has no potatoes or carrots, instead it’s made with dried plums and celery celeriac. I actually made this version minus the vanilla bean and it was pretty good and I didn’t feel guilty about watching what I ate.  I paired it with a  *robust Cabernet and sliced, *rustic French (yes I said …

holiday table decor and labels

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Of course every holiday buffet table should have some sort of centerpiece or decor neatly placed either in the center of a table or between the different dishes. In addition, it is always nice to add a stand alone label for each dish to make it easier for your guests, just in case they have allergies or food restrictions. It isn’t difficult to make the labels, you can actually purchase them at any craft or art supply store and just handwrite the name of the dish and place it by the platter. Again, this isn’t an issue if you plan to cater, they handle all of that if you ask them. In organizing a buffet table theme for a friend of mine, we opted to use the following methods  as our inspiration for table decor and dish labels. DISH LABELS TABLE DECOR   Please feel free to drop me a line if you should have suggestions or recommendations. I would love to hear from you.

healthy holiday appetizers

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While hosting a party at your home for the holidays, it is always best to include some items you have prepared yourself, unless of course the entire set up is catered, then it’s not an issue. Guests love circling a buffet table, while trying to figure out what each dish is made of or made by.  So, in light of playing host, I have included two appetizers which I found here, that I think are fun to make and will surely be a hit at  your gourmet buffet table set up during this holiday season. 1. BRIE TOASTS WITH SPICED SUNDRIED TOMATO COMPOTE pictured below – click here for the recipe 2. LE GRUYÈRE CHEESE PLATE WITH FIGS Pictured below – click here for the recipe

survival guide for holiday eating

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Yes, this article is necessary and in my opinion very timely.  I actually considered raising this red flag Monday before Thanksgiving, but I figured since the traditional Thanksgiving meal consisted of mostly healthy eats, I let myself and my readers slide. Ladies and some gents, take note this holiday season when it comes to (over) eating, especially when over 40.  There is no excuse in my opinion to binge eating during the holiday season and it really doesn’t matter how pretty that five layer chocolate cake looks. Keep in mind, plans to diet after the holidays is a myth and losing the 5 – 7 extra pounds, you put on every holiday season, is almost impossible when you are over 40. Even those who are conscious and consider themselves most savy when it comes to food and nutrition, often tend to slip during the holiday season.  So, for the sake of a friendly reminder, consider the following: 1. The key to surviving temptation is self-control and discipline. 2. While at a holiday gathering or dinner …

healthy thanksgiving recipes – pumpkin pie

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I must admit, I am not a fan of pumpkin pie. I prefer more of a fruit based tart if I am forced to eat a pie like dessert. I say give me fresh fruit any day. But just for traditional sake, I always bake a pumpkin pie for my guests. In light of trying to stay healthy and watching my family’s calorie intake, I, once again, have opted for the following recipe which I found here. pumpkin coconut tart INGREDIENTS CRUST 1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour, (see Ingredient Note) 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (see Tip) 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 4 tablespoons cold reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel) FILLING 1 1/2 cups canned unseasoned pumpkin puree 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3 large eggs 1 cup “lite” coconut milk GARNISH 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut chips, (see Ingredient Note) or flaked coconut, toasted (optional) PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 11-inch …

healthy thanksgiving recipes – stuffing

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Not a shocker to anyone in the U.S. trying to make it through the holidays without over eating or avoiding eating things that are not good for you. Although if you think about it, the Thanksgiving meal in itself is pretty healthy, based on today’s healthy eating standards.  But just in case you are thinking about how to add more to the healthy Turkey, Cranberry, sweet potato or green beans dishes, I have included a recipe for  stuffing which  I have found  here, that I plan to incorporate to my menu this year. Pear, prosciutto and Hazelnut stuffing INGREDIENTS 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced, cut into ribbons 2 cups onion, chopped 2 cups diced fennel bulb 1/4 cup minced shallot 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary 8 cups stale baguette, preferably multi-grain (not sourdough), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 Bosc pears, ripe but firm, chopped 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken …

montreal canada restaurants and cafes

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Although, (my favorite cuisine), middle eastern and Armenian restaurants and delis are top-notch throughout suburbia Montreal, and most definitely beat the quality served in the greater Los Angeles area, I am always in search of the best of the best international cuisines most anywhere I travel. Of course, searching for international restaurants throughout the city of Montreal is not difficult at all. Every corner and street has multiple cuisines to choose from.  This brings up another reason to visit Montreal. If you consider yourself a  gastronome guru, then the choices are endless while in Montreal. Here are some of my favorites and most recommended, outside the middle eastern and Armenian cuisine.  

thanksgiving decor with nature

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There are two things I appreciate during the course of a year. Holidays and Nature themed decoration. Whether it be a dinner table centerpiece, a bouquet of flowers  on a side table or a wreath hung on the outside of the front door, how about a mantle displays or just a  platter full of fruits and nuts on the dessert table. I usually get a warm fuzzy feeling and even become teary eyed when I see the efforts people make in incorporating nature into their decoration. In light of this subject matter and since Thanksgiving is based around a harvest festival, I have gathered some ideas from the internet which I think are very easy to make and beautiful to look at in any home during the Thanksgiving celebration. I hope you like and happy weekend while  planning your special Thanksgiving dinner get together.