HEALTHY RESTAURANT EATING Written by Arleen M. Kaptur
Everyone enjoys a night out. Days are filled with commitments, obligations, meetings, errands, chores, and a myriad of other responsibilities that color our daily lives, even our very existence. To step back from this cycle of activity and go to a restaurant, have someone else serve you, cook meal, wash dishes, and clean up is a mini-vacation we all can appreciate. When you dine out, you can’t leave your good sense or your healthy eating habits on wayside, to be picked up when you return home. It doesn’t make sense to work so hard to attune yourself to health-wise eating habits, and possibly undue all good work with one calorie-laden, overly fat, sugary, and empty calorie meal. Your heartburn will gladly remind you of your sins. When you go to a restaurant, eat smart. There are a few tips so that you can thoroughly enjoy your evening, and go home refreshed, relaxed, and in great health. You will have nothing to be sorry for from a nutrition standpoint and you won’t have to run high school track field to get back to point you were at before you had dinner “out.” Salads are great accompaniments to any meal. Ask for your choice of dressing on side. This way you are sure you are in control of amount that is poured onto delicious salad ingredients that should be appreciated for their particular taste. Two to three teaspoons of dressing on a side-plate salad is an ample addition to your salad. You can also ask for oil and vinegar cruets and mix your own dressing.
| | IT'S MY PARTY Written by Arleen M. Kaptur
Parties range from quick get-togethers to very elegant, formal affairs. If you are host/hostess, bulk of responsibility lies on your shoulders. So make an impression that will knock socks off of all your guests. You are not a professional caterer - you don’t have to be. A few simple tricks or tips and you are an entertainment specialist. Mix crisp pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled, with your buttery string beans or use bacon as a garnish on top of egg salad, deviled eggs, tomato slices, or potato salad. Serving steaks or roast beef? Whip butter with your favorite herb (such as garlic, scallions, basil, etc.) in a mixer. Using a small scoop, serve a “ball” of this seasoned butter with your meat entree. You can even use your little treasures on top of hot vegetables. Elegant, indeed! Serving just plain ole’ potato chips? Try using melted grated cheese (cheddar is great or even pepperjack for a bit more bite), or buy salt-free and add a seasoned salt. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised. Serving soup? Try tiny cream cheese balls that you have rolled in parsley or chopped chives. Place a few in steaming bowl of soup and you have soup par exellance!
|
