Over-indulging in the Windy City

We arrived yesterday afternoon and went a little wild with the food and drink. First we hit Nacional 27, a place renowned for its mixologist, a man named Adam Seger. He whipped up a fabulous cocktail off the menu, no idea what was in it but it was yummy. Then we went to our favorite Chicago resto, Frontera Grill. It's gourmet Mexican--not like any other Mexi resto you are likely ever to have tried--and luscious. We split an appetizer of three different ceviches, each had a couple glasses of wine and an entree, plus each a dessert.

On the walk back to our hotel we went by Pop's for Champagne--yes, a Champagne bar. Against our better judgment we stopped in for a nightcap.

Today we're at a conference (the ostensible reason for the trip) and have vowed to dial it back a little for the rest of our stay.

Cheers!

Healthy foodies' holiday survival guide -- Part 3 (Drinks)

I'm sharing this from Dr. Andrew Weil's website. Here are four healthier choices when it comes to holiday party drinks. Red wine and Champagne are among my own favorites. Of course, moderation is key here, too.

1. Sparkling non-alcoholic punch. The calories can vary, but most holiday punch can easily be diluted with additional sparkling water to reduce calories and sugars. If you are making your own punch at home, use unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate.
2. Red wine. The antioxidant activity of red wine has been linked to heart health benefits, reduced stress, and even preserving memory. Limit yourself to a six-ounce glass, which typically has about 120 calories.
3. Hot toddy. A combination of lemon, honey, cinnamon, cloves and brandy, this beverage has between 100 and 150 calories and provides some vitamin C thanks to the lemon juice.
4. Champagne. This celebratory drink has about 90 calories in a four-ounce glass.

White beans with tomatoes over polenta -- so easy, so delicious

This vegan dish starts with an aromatic-veggie base—aromatics include onions, celery, carrots and similar fragrant and flavorful vegetables. You add peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach along with cannellini beans. Spoon this sauce over polenta disks sauteed in a little olive oil, but it would be just as tasty tossed with multigrain pasta (such as penne or farfalle) or piled on a mound of rice.

White beans, tomatoes and aromatic vegetables with polenta
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups diced or chopped aromatic vegetables*
½ cup chopped red pepper
3 T canola or olive oil
1 8-ounce package sliced mushrooms
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 18-ounce can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
2 T chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper or ground chipotle chili (optional)
¼ cup lightly chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)

* Any combination of onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, carrots and/or celery

Instructions:
Heat oil over medium heat in a large frying pan; add aromatic vegetables and red pepper; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and 2-3 T of water, cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover, stir, cover again and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add beans, tomatoes and thyme, stir well and cook until heated through.
Add spinach and seasonings, stir until spinach is wilted.
You can also serve over pasta or brown rice.

Faithful readers will recognize this recipe from late summer, but I think it’s wonderful on a rainy night in late fall. So I’m posting it again.

Suppertime: Spinach frittata with red peppers and shallots

Spinach Frittata with Shallots and Red Pepper
(Serves 4 as a main course for dinner; will go further at breakfast or lunch)

Ingredients:
12 eggs, lightly beaten (Note: buy locally produced eggs from pastured chickens for the best flavor and nutrition)
¼ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 T olive or canola oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 cups baby spinach
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, water and spices (salt through cayenne) and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large, oven-proof frying pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler in your oven with the rack set in the upper third of the oven.
3. Add shallots and pepper to frying pan, stirring frequently and cooking until the veggies are soft, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and stir just until the leaves have slightly wilted. Remove veggies to a bowl and keep handy.
4. Reheat frying pan and add a little cooking spray—the pan needs to be well oiled so that the frittata will easily lift out at the end. Add the egg mixture and let the eggs set. Do not stir, but you can swoosh the pan around a little as the eggs cook. After about a minute, spoon the spinach mixture evenly over the eggs and cook for another two minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.
5. Carefully lift the pan by its handle into the oven. Close the door and let broil for just a minute or two, until the frittata begins to puff up and turn brown.
6. Remove promptly and let the pan sit on the stove. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

We had a side of steamed Brussels sprouts and cornbread with this dish. A small green salad and multi-grain French bread would have been just as good. Pour a wine of your choice and enjoy.

Healthy foodies' holiday survival guide -- Part 2

Exercise is more important than ever during the holiday season.
Our routines are disrupted by extraordinary social obligations, shopping, fixing up the house for company, and maybe also year-end personal business and work demands -- all of which conspires to take the wind out of our sails in the realm of exercise.
But in fact we need to make exercise a real priority right now. Otherwise the pounds will pack on, our sleep will be disrupted and our stress levels can get into the danger zone.

There are a couple of built-in "positives" about the season that can make exercising easier. The weather, for one: in most areas, winter has not set in and in fact the temperatures and dryer conditions are perfect for long walks, hikes or jogs--whatever your fitness level permits.

If you have a yard, raking those leaves can be great exercise, or if you live where winter is already rearing its head, then snow removal (done carefully) really burns calories, too.

Even shopping can provide exercise opportunities. Get to the mall early and do a couple of (or a few) loops around the shops before you slow down to hit the stores. Instead of trying to find a parking place near a store entrance, go to the farthest outer corner of the lot and walk. Walk back to the car with purchases and return again. Take the stairs rather than escalators or elevators within the mall or department stores.

Because of all the social outings we're getting into (already--weeks before Thanksgiving!), I have been ramping up my exercise time by small increments. In addition to a morning walk of 45 minutes, I try to take a 15-minute walk at lunch. On weekends, I bump that 45 minutes up to 60 minutes and also hit the gym. I try to jog part of the way and/or add more hills into my route.

Holiday travel is another potential saboteur of exercise. Depending on the location and circumstances, I will look for a gym or at the very least be sure that I walk a lot, and at an aerobic pace for at least 30 minutes a day.

Bottom line: be vigilant about looking for exercise opportunities wherever you can find them. Five or ten minutes here and there add up over the course of a day, and your body will thank you come New Year's Day!

"Red Tree Gallery & Cafe"

Red Tree is a newly relocated art gallery in Oakley that has added a cafe and shop, all under the same roof on Madison Road. See my 11/13/09 article in the Weekend section of the Cincinnati Enquirer for details. We stopped by their opening-night party for the November art exhibit last night and chatted with Wendy Smith, the gallery's owner. It's a comfy place to hang out with coffee and your laptop, and in a great location near Oakley shops and restaurants. Photo of the lunch my friend & I had there is above -- quiche, soup and a wrap.

Healthy foodies' holiday survival guide -- Part 1

Going to parties? Eating at restaurants? Family feasts to attend (and/or host)? Candy turning up from Santa? Too busy to exercise, too stressed to sleep enough? The list of challenges to our health over the next six weeks or so is very long indeed. What's a healthy foodie to do?

Let's start with the parties. If it's potluck (or even if it's not and you know the hosts well enough to bring a dish to add), my strategy is to bring something that is going to improve the health profile of the buffet table. Truth be told, I almost always bring a veggie dish because so many parties would have nothing vegetable if it weren't for my contribution. The idea here is not to forego all holiday treats -- there'll be plenty of that -- but to make sure you can balance some of the high-calorie goodies with more nutritious dishes.

My veggie dishes are always appreciated and get eaten as fast as anything else on the table! I'm not saying bring cut up celery and carrots (not that there's anything wrong with that), but instead, use your imagination with winter veggies such as Brussels sprouts, acorn or butternut squash, or year-round favorites like broccoli or green beans. Just don't add cream of mushroom soup or other fat-laden ingredients.

This week, Dr. Andrew Weil posted lists of party appetizers to avoid, and those that are better for you.
The good ones:
1. Crudites--Yes, the cut-up raw veggies, but without unhealthy dips. Weil suggests a yogurt dip, and I would add hummus as a good-for-you dip for veggies.
2. Mixed nuts -- Nuts are filling and very tasty; be careful not to go overboard though, since they are full of calories. Go for unsalted nuts if at all possible. You won't get as thirsty for more caloric beverages (why do you think bars put out bowls of salty snacks but to make you drink more?), and too much salt is not beneficial to your health.
3. Smoked salmon -- because of its high Omega-3 fatty acid content. It's tasty too, but of course also expensive. You won't be tempted to overeat this because there's probably not going to be a whole lot of it!
4. Grilled figs and blue cheese -- kind of an odd choice (who has access to fresh figs this deep into November?), but he recommends figs for their vitamins and fiber along with "a little bit" of the cheese for calcium and protein. Sounds good to me!

Those to avoid? Dips, cocktail franks and mini-meatballs, anything fried, and foie gras.