September 15, 2009 at 12:00 pm by Danielle Travali
I’ve taken the word “blackberry” to a whole ‘nother level. And I’m not talking about the one buzzing in your pocket. Here’s a nice, cool drink that’ll bring out the bad gal in you after a few sips.
My concoction of the week is a healthy, elegant frozen cocktail made with Verdi Spumante, a sparkling beverage light and fruity enough to serve at a morning or afternoon party, any time of year. Don’t let the name Blackberry Bad Girl fool you; blackberries are full of antioxidants that may help prevent cancer and reduce intestinal inflammation. Mangoes are full of vitamins A, C and E as well as other nutrients and amino acids. Raw honey (it has to be pure and unpasteurized) has been known for centuries as a natural antibacterial agent. This is actually a PRO-health cocktail.
Could you use champagne or prosecco instead of Verdi Spumante? Sure. Make it your own; embellish it with your special touches. You could even keep it G-rated and leave out the booze.
To make the Blackberry Bad Girl, blend the following:
8 oz. chilled Verdi Spumante
1 ripe mango (diced)
2 tbsp. raw honey
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
a few handfuls of ice
Pour into champagne flutes and garnish each with a sprig of fresh mint.
Now, stop texting and Twittering. Put down that BlackBerry and make this drink!
September 10, 2009 at 2:08 pm by Danielle Travali
Turkey “Wrap” with Maple-Balsamic Veggies
What do you do with deli-sliced turkey breast when you can’t have bread? Eat it with a fork? TRY AGAIN.
Time to taste a sexier, saucier wrap that’s not afraid to shed the bread: rustic-chopped veggies rolled with thinly-sliced roast turkey breast and drizzled with a warm maple-balsamic vinaigrette. This one’s sure to knock out any carb craving or cure the gluten-free blues.
Make it right now, or save it for later.
Ingredients:
- 2 scallions, diced
- 1 tomato, roughly chopped
- 1/2 large eggplant, roughly chopped
- fresh cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 slices deli-sliced turkey breast
- fresh or dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Add 1-2 tbsp. olive oil to a medium-sized sauce pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high and pour in the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste, and sauté your seasoned veggies, stirring occasionally until they start to become translucent. When the veggies start to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat. Mix the balsamic vinegar with the maple syrup and pour this mixture in the pan to to de-glaze the bottom. Simmer until the vinegar reduces and thickens, then turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
Layer slices of turkey onto a plate, spoon veggies on top, wrap the turkey like a tortilla over the veggies (like a fajita) and drizzle the remainder of the balsamic reduction over the top. You can make this for lunch the night before work. Just place your turkey slices in a sandwich bag and take a separate container for the veggies. When you’re ready to eat, roll everything up with clean hands and savor each bite. Low in calories and carbohydrates, this 21st century wrap is high in protein and flavor. Don’t you DARE call it a sandwich.
September 10, 2009 at 1:08 pm by Danielle Travali
Rainbow Gardens Restaurant & Bar
117 North Broad Street
Milford, CT 06460
203-878-2500
In 1996, Heather, John and Meg Profetto opened Rainbow Gardens, a cheery inn-like dwelling in the heart of Milford Green, across from the central gazebo. Nearly 14 years later, guests couldn’t be more satisfied. Myself included.
The spectrum of shrubs, azaleas, ivies, roses, hanging baskets of pansies and of course, the gamut of Greek, Italian, Asian and American items on the menu show you that this quaint little eatery was certainly named appropriately.
My friend and I had lunch there on a Saturday afternoon. The warm wind coaxed us to dine on the front porch.
Everything about the place–the calico fruit-patterned tablecloths flapping in the breeze, the brandished flatware wrapped in soft, plum colored napkins, the clean, butter-colored walls, and the immaculate, crumb-free white floorboards–put me in a state of bliss, especially after a hectic week. I felt like I was on retreat from the second I walked onto the property.
The chefs at Rainbow certainly have an appetite for creativity. The menu is impressively eclectic and diverse, with endearing names for dishes such as the “Lovin’ spoonful soup,”corny-but-cute plays on movies like “Beauty and the Beef,” some, more celestial and exotic, like “Tuscan Fairy Tale” veal shank with Parmesan risotto, and others that seemed to be more sinfully appetizing than their titles suggested (i.e. the “Garbage Can Trio” – potato wedges, onion rings, and sweet potato fries).
Other entrees seem more like sophisticated spa cuisine, such as “Floridaaffair,” the Lavender-crusted Tilapia filet that serves as both an aphrodisiac and tension tamer, the “East Meets Guest” Asian veggie spring roll, and the Yoga Black Bean Burger, a West-coast spin on the GardenBurger–but with an extra zing of zen.
For those who want to keep it simple and traditional, there’s the generously portioned gut-busting beach favorites: coconut shrimp, fried calamari, Cape Cod Salty Dog (battered cod filet on a crusty roll with lettuce, tomato, and coleslaw), Louisiana style crab cakes, and Roast beef with red peppers and boursin cheese.
There’s also the Thank God it’s FRY DAY special: onion rings and fries ranging from $3.50- $4.00. Thank God there are healthier options on the menu.
My friend ordered the raspberry chicken explosion, and I, of course, got to taste it: a bevy of fresh, crisp mesclun greens bedecked with berries, dried cranberries and raisins, apples, kiwi, orange wedges, slivered almonds, flecks of gorgonzola and crowned with a sliced grilled chicken breast that broke apart easily with a fork…served with their raspberry vinaigrette: a sweet, ruby-colored gelee to complement the savory chicken.
The meal looked like a bridal shower centerpiece. The combination of flavors was a marriage made in heaven:
Although everything on the menu looked scrumptious, I wanted to test the staff and see if the chef would accommodate me: I asked for grilled chicken and grilled vegetables with a side of their signature lemon vinaigrette.
A few minutes later, a smiling waitress brought out a steamy plate: exactly what I ordered.
Pictured: the motley of multicolored grilled veggies flecked with paprika and lightly kissed with oil—supple, part-charred green and red peppers, soft-yet-crunchy julienned carrots, thick slices of mellow, vulnerable eggplant, blackened zucchini and summer squash, and tangled asparagus—all cut into thick, rustic pieces arranged on the plate like a painter’s palette.
After dinner, I did peek into the dessert alcove. In this homey and humble mini bakery, heart-shaped copper pots and pans were staggered on one wall, and an archipelago of grayscale Profetto family photographs lined another.
The sun poured through a pastel-stained glass window like a nimbus over the glass showcase of cakes, pies, brownies, and pastries that would’ve made Julia Child swoon. The Profetto’s old-fashioned peanut butter pie, for example, is as thick as one of the old Dickens novels that sits on the shelf in the back dining room.
But there’s a hipper, more sultry side to this place, a.k.a. The Cocktail Lounge: a dimly lit rotunda with a contemporary, concave cathedral ceiling, iron chandelier and mini lampshades that subdue the bright white light. It’s definitely the perfect place to sip a martini with your best girl friends on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday afternoon, or after work (until about 8 or 9 p.m. when they start to close).
Altogether, despite the bizarre blend of sounds, scents and sights (i.e. the musky aroma of Shalimar perfume with Lisa Loeb and Alanis Morissette tunes piping softly in the background, an armada of Red Hat Society ladies munching on lunch and sipping tea beyond the open window with mismatched glass teacups dangling from the top…whew…I had to let it all out in a single breath), this place is a gem.
Hours: 11a.m.-9p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; 11a.m.-10p.m. on Friday and Saturday; 4p.m.-8p.m.(ish) on Sunday
Food: Nothing pretentious, nothing convoluted…simple, fresh, colorful ingredients presented beautifully
Prices: Moderate– About $4-11 for “Appeteasers,” $10-14 for salads, sandwiches and paninis, $13-20 for “Endless Pastabilities,”$12-25 for poultry, beef and fish
Allergy Friendly? Staff members are accommodating; just inform them first.
September 10, 2009 at 10:09 am by Danielle Travali
Tonight, instead of stopping at Starbucks, invite a few friends to your place and save a few bucks. It’s time to teach you a twisted coffee drink I dreamt up a few hours ago: a Maple Frapputini. Sweet, frothy and aromatic with coffee-flavored brandy, pure maple syrup and rice/almond milk, it’s not only cheaper to make than to buy a Venti non-fat soy latte, but it’s also 100 percent safe for people with gluten and dairy allergies. It’s a figure-friendly cocktail that steals the spotlight. That alone is a reason to raise your glass.
Ingredients:
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 cup rice milk or almond milk
1-2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup coffee flavored brandy
ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks for garnish (if you want to get fancy)
Shake or blend all ingredients with ice, then pour into a festive glass and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Whip one up today!
September 9, 2009 at 12:41 pm by Danielle Travali
 ...JUST KIDDING (Photo courtesy of www.publishersweekly.com)
If you don’t want to pay for fitness classes but need a coach to motivate you, don’t lose hope. Here are my top workout DVD picks. Some of them are a few years old, but the routines never go out of style. The best part is that each one runs from 30-60 minutes, perfect if you’re always busy. You can find most of these on Amazon.com for about ten bucks each (or less). And don’t worry. “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” does NOT make the cut. Sorry, Simmons. The rhinestone-studded Speedo shorts are just one of many turnoffs.
- Leslie Sansone’s “Walk Away the Pounds - 4 Mile Walk” and her “Walk at Home” series DVDs: Don’t laugh! It’s a fast-paced, heart-pumping routine that only requires a few feet of floor space. And it does make you sweat. Down-to-earth and vivacious, Sansone, unlike many tough-edged coaches, gives you a dose of positivity along with her no-stress, feel-good workout.
- Mari Winsor’s “Winsor-Pilates” workouts: Ranging from 15-45 minutes, Mari Winsor’s DVDs are much cheaper than but just as effective as her private, $80 classes in Los Angeles. You’ll tone your whole body with her isolated movements that target all the major muscle groups. Just make sure you squeeze the abs and pull your navel into your spine for maximum results.
- Jillian Michaels‘ “The Biggest Winner” DVDs–”Cardio Kickbox,” “Shape Up Front,” “Back in Action,” “Maximize / Full Frontal”: I actually found these in my college bookstore for $11 bucks each. You can find them on eBay or Amazon for less. You probably remember Michaels as the no-nonsense trainer from TV’s The Biggest Loser. She’s just as tough on these DVDs, but won’t make you suffer for long: they’re only 30 minutes each (*Note: Michaels, with hands akimbo and biceps bulging, sports a Quik Pick’n Food Mart T-Shirt on the cover of “Back In Action”…got to love it).
- Bryan Kest’s “Power Yoga“: Excellent, excellent, excellent. Don’t let Kest’s long, Kenny G. hairdo scare you. The video is set in the 90s, but Kest’s moves and motivation are timeless. Three different yoga sessions (Energize, tone, & sweat), one focus: you. This is one of the best mind-body stabilizers ever created.
- Jari Love’s “Get Ripped!” DVDs - “Ripped to the Core,” “Ripped 1000,” “Ripped & Chiseled,” “Ripped Slim & Lean” and “Get Extremely Ripped”: If you want a really tough workout but don’t have a lot of time to spare, you’ll DEFINITELY love these DVDs by Canadian fitness guru Jari Love. Lots of weight repetition and plyometric drills (intense one-to-two-minute cardio circuits alternated with short resting periods). Not for people with bad backs, knees, and shoulders. Ask your doc before starting if you’re not sure.
- Billy Blanks‘ “Ultimate Bootcamp” and “Ab Bootcamp”: From Taebo’s founding father comes more butt-kicking fitness. Every part of your body will be sore the next day. Blanks often lies about the number of reps in each section and adds extra sets. Don’t complain! It’s to your benefit.
Got any other favorites calorie-blasting DVDs? Let me know!
September 8, 2009 at 9:01 pm by Danielle Travali
(Photo courtesy of cbsnews.com)
In the early 1980s, doctors said leukemia would kill her. Twenty six years, four books, two Web sites and a cooking show later, Christina Pirello is healthier than ever.
A culinary instructor at Drexel University who won an Emmy for her PBS series “Christina Cooks,” Pirello claims her macrobiotic/vegan diet helped cure her cancer and save her life. She’s thrilled to show us her secret recipes.
But this spunky redhead dishes out more than cooking instructions; she shares anecdotes about friends and family, nutrition tidbits and practical life advice to inspire viewers; she teaches people to make healthy choices despite their busy, often chaotic lifestyles.
And she proves that wholesome foods don’t have to taste like Styrofoam. Pirello revamps traditional American, Asian and Italian comfort foods, swapping fattening ingredients for figure-friendly ones that taste just as good–if not better–than the originals. She replaces, for example, butter with olive or grapeseed oil and refined sugar with brown rice syrup or agave nectar. She finds a way to make each dish look seductive, colorful and fun. And, in lieu of a wine expert, Pirello lets her musician-friend Jon Michaels pair an original tune with each meal. This show is sure to make you smile…not to mention, raise your serotonin level.
On her Web site, Pirello writes:
“I feel so strongly that if America is to truly find its way back to robust health and quality of life, we need to find our way back to the kitchen and gather at the table for meals. Dinner has to stop being a burden; the interruption of tv viewing or video game playing and become the time of day when we gather together and share nourishment and love. It needs to become the time of day when we connect and find our hearts in each other.”
She said a mouthful.
September 8, 2009 at 1:25 pm by Danielle Travali
If you’re like me, you’re more likely to get sick of your workout than sick from the germs that linger in the gym.
If you don’t change your routine every four-to-six weeks, your muscles get used to the same elliptical and treadmill workouts; if you follow the exact cardio and strength training routines each day, you’ll burn fewer calories (this is called a plateau). Not to mention that the workout sessions become as monotonous and irksome as a hamster running on a squeaky wheel.
So, I like to create unique fitness routines. I do everything from calf raises and lunges on kitchen foot stools, to tricep/bicep curls with the elastic therapy bands I saved from a previous shoulder surgery.
In my college dorm, I did sets of squats against my door (back and butt against the door or wall with knees bent at a 90 degree angle, holding each squat for a minute) and got my blood pumping with tons of pushups in the small space beside my bed. When I didn’t want to go out for a run, I locked my door and jumped around to techno tunes on my iPod for 45 minutes. I rocked the vacuum to Madonna’s “Vogue” and Swiffered the floors like a caffeine-charged Cinderella. Cleaning really does work the major muscle groups if you put a lot of oomph into it. Don’t have a lot of cash? Get a jump rope and burn up to 110 calories per ten consecutive minutes.
It’s all about having a good time, working up a sweat and challenging yourself.
To prevent injury, be sure to follow these three tips from exercise specialist Dianne Woodruff, PhD, CMA:
1) Develop and maintain good posture because our upright bodies work best that way.
2) Exercise on your feet and stand whenever possible rather than sit. Sitting ruins your back and your gait.
3) Take care of your injuries. Ignoring danger signals (pain) puts the body into compromised movement patterns that cause excessive wear and tear and early aging.
Now that you’ve read Dr. Woodruff’s advice, get ready for a good workout.
During the week, test your endurance with a mix of running, power walking, biking and resistance training. Or sign up for a Zumba® class at a local YMCA or community center. It’s a popular salsa dance-fitness class designed to put you in a great mood, help you meet new people and give you a fat-blasting workout.
CLEARLY, YOU DON’T NEED A GYM TO GET A GREAT WORKOUT.
**Remember, have fun and never do anything that might hurt you. If you’re at high risk of injury or aren’t sure about what movements you should / shouldn’t be doing, check with your doctor, physical therapist, or personal trainer before performing any exercise.
Now, go get buff!
September 5, 2009 at 11:58 am by Danielle Travali
Of all the drink names that bear absolutely no significance to the ingredients in them (e.g. Long Island Iced Tea, Sex on the Beach, Fuzzy Navel, and God help us, the Buttery Nipple), the one I had the other day wins the prize for being the most random and the most extraordinary.
So, while I’m sitting on my Aunt Lisa’s front porch with a few friends sipping pinot noir from a fat glass and enjoying the last rays of the summer light, Jay, a bartender who lives across the street, walks over. In his hands, short drinking glasses bob with maraschino cherries and brim with a swirled liquid that looks like the sunset. “Wedding Cake Martinis,” he says.
Fruity, tangy, and a tiny bit creamy–without a single dairy product–it tasted like a cross between a daquiri and a colada. Heavenly. But not like cake, not like a martini. It walks down an aisle all its own.
Single ladies, raise your glasses instead of your bare ring fingers: savor your cake cocktails (caketinis) together. Celebrate independence…without a smear of frosting on your face.
To make Jay’s Wedding Cake Martini, blend equal parts of the following:
- coconut vodka (or coconut rum if you must)
- and of course…maraschino cherries.
Shake with ice and pour into martini glasses. Garnish with a cherry (or two) and a slice of fresh pineapple.
Need some martini glasses but short on cash? Check out local dollar stores or discount depots like the Christmas Tree Shops. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find some festive–and actually great quality–drink vessels for $1-2 each. So, it’s no sweat if you knock one over after you’ve knocked back a few too many “wedding cakes.”
Here’s to fabulous you.
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