Food for Thought

In a world where fad diets and “magic” pills abound, it was easy to find articles about foods that enhance your health.  Sadly, many of these articles cite foods that are filled with sugar alcohol and other equally harmful substances as ways to fill you up without filling you out.  Anyone heard of the Cookie Diet? Nuff said.

Keeping all that in mind, the following is a list of foods you shouldn’t forget to add into your diet, courtesy of DietsInReview.com:

1. Whole Eggs – That’s right; even the yolk is healthy, providing the essential choline for a healthy heart.
2. Garbanzo Beans – You can even bake them in the oven for a crunchy and cost-efficient snack.
3. Kale – Apparently, these make great chips.  I’ll have to try that one!
4. Cherries – This delicious fruit has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great choice for athletes.
5. Almond Butter – This superfood, great on bread or fruit, is an excellent source of Vitamin E, which can actually protect you from getting a cold with its immune system-boosting quality.

So crack it, chop it, and bite off more than you can chew, because these ‘superfoods’ are sure to be welcome additions to your daily healthy lifestyle.

While you can pick these items up at your favorite grocery store, places like Central Market – located under 3 miles away from us – are great for picking up the freshest local ingredients, so go ahead and stock up!

3-4-5 Specials Happy Hour Tonight

Cool off tonight with the 3-4-5 Reverse Happy Hour Specials at the Social House in the West Village! (Please drink responsibly.) Click on image for more details!

History of the Martini!

Dallas Burger Lovers Have Reason to Chow Down!

So who has the best burger in town so far? How far would you travel for a great burger?

Well the word is out and Sidedish says it’s semi-official that In-N-Out is coming to the Dallas area.

The City of Garland website is reporting that the Planning Commission has approved Jim Powell’s plans for the first In-N-Out burger joint in the state of Texas at a site “east of Lavon Drive, south of Town Center Boulevard.” But you’ll have to calm your taste buds for now since there is still no word on when it will have the grand opening.

In-N-Out Burger is a regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations in the Western United States. Founded in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther, and headquartered in Irvine, California, In-N-Out Burger has since expanded outside Southern California to the rest of the state, and to Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. In-N-Out has never franchised, and plans to remain privately owned. There are currently 240 locations (as of November 2009) with no location more than one day’s drive from the Baldwin Park distribution center. The company’s business practices have been noted for employee-centered personnel policies. The burger chain has achieved widespread popularity which has led to celebration by some when brought to new locations, and the opening of a new restaurant often becomes an event. When one opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, there was a four-hour wait for food, and news helicopters whirled above the parking lot. (Wikipedia)

So what makes In-N-Out so popular? Well, if you have ever tried one of the burgers you would understand. I love mine with cheese, hold the tomato. What about you?

7 Ways to Snack Healthy

Do you snack during the day? When you get hungry while at work, do you find it easier to hit the vending machine in the break room or run out to the nearest convenient shop to grab a quick snack? Do you stick to three meals a day?

Experts suggest that 3 big meals a day is not enough and that you should consider mini meals. This includes your 3 traditional meals plus 2 more healthy snacks in between.

If you desire to change your eating habits and want to know how to eat a healthy snack, here are 7 suggestions to get you started:

1. Fix your own food
2. Eat a balanced snack
3. Snack to maintain weight
4. Keep stress in check
5. Once a month, allow yourself more
6. Crave calcium and shun sodium
7. Drink lots of water

Snacking has become a way of life for both adults and children and they can be good for us if we make good choices. Do you make healthy choices when it comes to snacking?

Fine Dining in Dallas

Dining out for steak or seafood is a welcome treat, albeit an expensive one, but we all deserve to treat ourselves every once in awhile. With that said, here are two great suggestions with rave reviews in the Dallas area.

Just click on the image below to visit the website and read more! Do you ever treat yourself?

Men’s Health Suggest 6 Best & Worst Cereals

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – something we’ve all probably heard a million times. But do you know why?

Well, there is a good reason for this. Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast in the morning perform better at school and at work than people who skip breakfast. Studies also show that for breakfast to be most effective it should be eaten within 2 hours of waking up. How long do you wait?

People who eat breakfast in the morning have improved memory and cognitive functions and are more likely to avoid obesity and future health problems.

But according to Men’s Health, “nearly 40 percent of us still skip breakfast, according to a poll conducted by ABC News. For those who do eat breakfast, about a third choose cereal. That makes it America’s favorite breakfast food. But whether that’s a good thing or not pivots on the choices we make in the supermarket.”

Here are 6 of the best and worst breakfast cereals suggested by the article:

1. WORST ICONIC CEREAL: Kellogg’s Raisin Bran
2. WORST CHOCOLATE CEREAL: General Mills Chocolate Chex
3. WORST HIGH-FIBER CEREAL: General Mills Chex Multi-Bran
4. WORST VITAMIN-ENHANCED CEREAL: Kellogg’s Smart Start
5. WORST HOT CEREAL: Quaker Oatmeal Express Golden Brown Sugar
6. WORST GRANOLA: Quaker Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisin
   1. BEST: Kellogg’s All-Bran
   2. BEST: Cookie Crisp
   3. BEST: Post Shredded Wheat
   4. BEST: Kashi Vive
   5. BEST: Quaker High Fiber Cinnamon Swirl
   6. BEST: Kashi GoLean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax

Take a closer look at the article (especially for calorie counts) and see if you agree with the findings. Make sure you get yourself a nutritional breakfast each and every morning. Even if it’s just a piece of pizza from the night before! Your body needs to start burning carbs right away. What do you eat for breakfast?

From Farm to Table

As the local food movement takes off, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is becoming more popular. One type of CSA is a farm with members who pay for a share and receive produce and other items (meat, eggs, honey, etc.) in return.

Some of these farms require members to work the land alongside the farmer; others only ask that members pick up their boxes of goodies on a certain day and time.

Knowing a food’s source is becoming more important as issues, such as food-borne illness, become more widespread. Also, as gas prices increase, so do food prices. (The average vegetable travels 1,500 miles from farm to table.) Knowing, then, how food is grown and by whom can alleviate both food safety and cost concerns.

Not only does buying locally help consumers, but it also helps farmers. Community-supported farms provide farmers with a reliable income. They can then spend more time growing their products, rather than figuring out how to sell them.

Of course, the partnership between consumers and farmers means members share some of the farmers’ risks. After all, farmers encounter countless setbacks during the growing season. Any of these problems can affect the amount of food CSA members receive.

If you decide to join a CSA farm, learn what to expect. Check out the advice offered at www.LocalHarvest.org.

Will you become a member?

Have a Zaxby’s Salad

Zaxby’s has turned out to be one of my favorite places to go for a salad. Their drive thru goes as fast as Chik-fil-A’s with an approximate wait time of about 3-5 minutes from the order menu to the pick up window.

I was in a hurry this morning and forgot to pack my lunch last night as I usually do for work the next day. So round trip it took me about 20 minutes from the time I got in my car to the time it took me to get back to the office and eat my lunch.

Today I spent a total of $6.35 (per my receipt). But that doesn’t include anything else. I usually grab a bottled water from the vending machine at work. Not bad I’d say!

Zaxby’s Mission Statement declares:

“Consistently Create Encore Experiences That Enrich Lives One Person At A Time!!”

My favorite salad is the house with fried chicken, no tomatoes and honey mustard dressing. It fills me up to my surprise. If you have ever been, do you have a favorite? You can go to www.Zaxbys.com for more on the nearest location to you.

Do you like Zaxby’s chicken? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Chicken and Grandma

Since this recipe cannot be found online and it is a family recipe, I am including the ingredients and directions! Spending time in the kitchen with my grandmother is one of my favorite memories. What are some of yours?

Here it is: “Chicken A La Selma”

BAKE 1 HR @ 350

4 CHICKEN BREASTS ( BONELESS IS BEST)
1 STICK MARGARINE OR BUTTER
1 ONION, CHOPPED
2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
1 CAN MUSHROOMS, SLICES & PIECES
1 CAN STEWED TOMATOES, ITALIAN STYLE
1/3 C SHERRY ( MAY BE OMITTED)

Brown chicken in margarine in large frying pan on top of stove. Remove from pan and place in baking dish. Saute onion and garlic in remaining margarine in fry pan. Add the Italian stewed tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Sherry may be added. Simmer slightly until well blended.

Pour over chicken and bake in 350 degree oven for no longer than 1 hr. *Do not cover.*

Can be served with rice and a side vegetable to compliment!

Enjoy!

Live Large in Dallas…

Proverbs says it best, “No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow”. I’m ready for the cold to be over, why not look forward to a few events in Dallas. Live large and mark your calendars for marvelous events in the big city:

• Bodies Exhibit: Have you seen the Bodies Exhibition? Visit the West End Historic District to see the Bodies Exhibit. It’s very unique and really gives you an up-close look at the human body. Get the chance to see 3-D bodies that has been persevered for the exhibit. The event ends April 20,2010. If you’re interested in purchasing tickets or need information call 214.741.7180.
• Savor Dallas: Food lovers? This event is for you!! From March 5-7, enjoy the world-class selection of over 400 premium wines, spirits, and imported beers, and meals from the top 60 chefs in Dallas-Forth Worth’s. Located in the Central Business District call 866.277.7920 or purchase tickets here.
• Dallas Blooms: Spring time is almost here and the largest floral festival is about to begin! From March 6- April 11, mark your calendars to embrace the beautiful gardens of over 500,000 flowers. Millions of people gather each year to see these beautiful flowers…

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