I saw an episode of No Reservations a couple of weeks ago that took place in Naples.
Healthy Deep Dish Pizza
Try this deep dish pizza recipe that is loaded with flavor instead of calories
Meat and Potatoes
Burger with 96/4 beef (yes it tastes good) and my baked red potato wedges dipped in Trader Joe's Jalapeno Sauce
Spicy Eats at AT&T Park
The latest in my Sports Eats series has a review and recipe for the Stinking Rose Garlic Chicken sandwich
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
happy father's day
I got this book for Father's Day. I want to make everything in it. It is a steal for $16.50. I have cooked several of his recipes and they were all great. I made the taquitos for New Year's Eve one year - the recipe is in the book. It is a great summer cooking book. Lots of out-of-the-box ideas that could involve the grill. Go get it.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
last week and cooked my firstThursday, May 19, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
follow me on twitter
Get real-time updates on my nonsense. Follow me on Twitter: @eatheat
Oh and help support the cause...visit my ads!
Oh and help support the cause...visit my ads!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
some more snacks
Here are some more healthy and flavorful ideas:
1. Garlic almonds
2. Buffalo Wing Pretzel Crisps
- these are a staple for me. One bag lasts over a week. A serving is 110 calories and I rarely eat more than a half serving at a time.
3. MiO Sweet Tea
- this tastes just like sweet tea, with zero calories
1. Garlic almonds
2. Buffalo Wing Pretzel Crisps
- these are a staple for me. One bag lasts over a week. A serving is 110 calories and I rarely eat more than a half serving at a time.3. MiO Sweet Tea
- this tastes just like sweet tea, with zero calories
Friday, May 13, 2011
hot dogs and sausages
A big mistake I have made in the past when on diets is that I cut out foods I really like. This is completely unsustainable for me and most others. The trick is to figure out how to eat what you like, eat less of it, and feel full when you're done eating. This is why "the heat" has been so successful for me; it is totally sustainable (i.e. it's not a diet) and I am always full when I'm done eating. Moreover, I'm not hungry 2-3 hours after a meal, which is my traditional trouble time. Even if I am a little hungry, I can grab one of many different smart snack choices (many more of these to come in future posts) and I'm good to go until the next meal.
With that said, let's look at sausages and hot dogs. Undoubtedly these are nowhere near any kind of diet plan you have seen, which to me is puzzling because they are relatively low in calories and it's pretty easy to get rid of a lot of fat from them (if you want to).
I'm from New York originally, so obviously my favorite type of hot dog, by far, is the....Chicago dog. I'm not going to waste time writing how to make one because you can find about 10,000,000 sites that have done that already. However, I will give a couple of tips to make it more filling.
1. Use a potato hot dog roll - these typically have less calories and more fiber than whole wheat rolls and they are a lot more filling
2. Skip the mayo, sauces, and cheese - wrapping a hot dog in a piece of grilled pastrami is way less calories (only about 40 calories) than any of these - think about that the next time you get a chili cheese dog
3. Speaking of grilling...some people are going to cringe at this, but if you have something fatty like a brat, split it open and grill it. I know this is sacrilegious, but consider this. If you grill a brat and it splits open, the juices that squirt out make the flames shoot up. This happens, in part, because there is a lot of fat in there. You can get rid of a lot of that junk, while still enjoying the brat flavor, if you split it open and grill it.
4. Add the heat - jalapeno spread, sport peppers, pick your favorite
5. Use think cut tomatoes and sweet onions - this is something I tried recently and is very good
6. Above all, make ONE of these the center of your meal and eat a healthy side dish like a vegetable (Mexican style sausage and black beans, for example)
With that said, let's look at sausages and hot dogs. Undoubtedly these are nowhere near any kind of diet plan you have seen, which to me is puzzling because they are relatively low in calories and it's pretty easy to get rid of a lot of fat from them (if you want to).
I'm from New York originally, so obviously my favorite type of hot dog, by far, is the....Chicago dog. I'm not going to waste time writing how to make one because you can find about 10,000,000 sites that have done that already. However, I will give a couple of tips to make it more filling.
1. Use a potato hot dog roll - these typically have less calories and more fiber than whole wheat rolls and they are a lot more filling
2. Skip the mayo, sauces, and cheese - wrapping a hot dog in a piece of grilled pastrami is way less calories (only about 40 calories) than any of these - think about that the next time you get a chili cheese dog
3. Speaking of grilling...some people are going to cringe at this, but if you have something fatty like a brat, split it open and grill it. I know this is sacrilegious, but consider this. If you grill a brat and it splits open, the juices that squirt out make the flames shoot up. This happens, in part, because there is a lot of fat in there. You can get rid of a lot of that junk, while still enjoying the brat flavor, if you split it open and grill it.
4. Add the heat - jalapeno spread, sport peppers, pick your favorite
5. Use think cut tomatoes and sweet onions - this is something I tried recently and is very good
6. Above all, make ONE of these the center of your meal and eat a healthy side dish like a vegetable (Mexican style sausage and black beans, for example)
post themes
I'm going to be posting different themes of foods each week. This week is sandwiches, next week is going to be peppers, and the week after will be Mexican food. If you want my 2 cents on any food topic, just post it up. Of course, anything assinine like "possum" will be dealt with accordingly.
BTW, since it's Friday and you're likely to eat out, if you go to get Mexican food, here's a tip. Don't touch anything related to a tortilla or refried beans. Typically Mexican restaurant dinners, like fajitas, come with a side of 3 tortillas and refried beans. On average, those two items are a whopping 700 calories. Ditch the tortillas and get black beans and you'll save 600(!) calories. Take some of the salsa from the table and mix it in the rice and you'll have a super flavorful meal.
BTW, since it's Friday and you're likely to eat out, if you go to get Mexican food, here's a tip. Don't touch anything related to a tortilla or refried beans. Typically Mexican restaurant dinners, like fajitas, come with a side of 3 tortillas and refried beans. On average, those two items are a whopping 700 calories. Ditch the tortillas and get black beans and you'll save 600(!) calories. Take some of the salsa from the table and mix it in the rice and you'll have a super flavorful meal.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
eat more hoagies, lose weight
The hoagie is one of the stereotypical fat people foods. No news there. Since I have been losing weight, I think I have eaten more hoagies per week than I did previously. So what are the tricks?
The goal is to keep the sandwich to under 500 calories (preferably under 400 calories). You're probably thinking, clearly this is going to taste like crap and I'll need a big side of to fill me up. Nope and nope.
Forget about striving to find whole wheat or low carb this or that. I do like a lot of whole wheat breads, but I like a good old hoagie roll a lot better. I like these ones from Colombo at 190 calories a pop. Put about 3-4 slices of your favorite lunch meat on. This will add anywhere from 30 to 150 or so calories. Broil the sandwich until the bread is light golden brown.
Now, here come the tricks. Ditch the cheese, the mayo, and any oil-based spreads. Replace them with healthier alternatives. If you want the heat, slather on a good layer of the jalapeno spread I described in my last post. Hit it with some yellow mustard or some fancier mustard (side note - spend time in the grocery store looking at all of the crazy mustards - they really add a lot of pop to a sandwich and are virtually no calories). Add some lettuce*, tomato, onions, pickles, pepperoncini, you name it. Virtually any amount of veggies you add will sum to less than 100 calories (with the exception of avocado).
So even if you loaded the sandwich, you are looking at about 450 calories and a huge meal. Most of the time I don't eat anything else with it and I am plenty full. One great side that you can use on the sandwiches are Nathan's pickle slices (5 calories each).
* Chef's tip for cutting lettuce to make a restaurant style sandwich - get a head of iceburg lettuce, wash it, and smash the core against a table. Pull out the core. Dry the lettuce really well. Get a sharp knife and slice off the end. Then make about 1/4 inch slices in the lettuce, so you get shreads.
The goal is to keep the sandwich to under 500 calories (preferably under 400 calories). You're probably thinking, clearly this is going to taste like crap and I'll need a big side of
Forget about striving to find whole wheat or low carb this or that. I do like a lot of whole wheat breads, but I like a good old hoagie roll a lot better. I like these ones from Colombo at 190 calories a pop. Put about 3-4 slices of your favorite lunch meat on. This will add anywhere from 30 to 150 or so calories. Broil the sandwich until the bread is light golden brown.
Now, here come the tricks. Ditch the cheese, the mayo, and any oil-based spreads. Replace them with healthier alternatives. If you want the heat, slather on a good layer of the jalapeno spread I described in my last post. Hit it with some yellow mustard or some fancier mustard (side note - spend time in the grocery store looking at all of the crazy mustards - they really add a lot of pop to a sandwich and are virtually no calories). Add some lettuce*, tomato, onions, pickles, pepperoncini, you name it. Virtually any amount of veggies you add will sum to less than 100 calories (with the exception of avocado).
So even if you loaded the sandwich, you are looking at about 450 calories and a huge meal. Most of the time I don't eat anything else with it and I am plenty full. One great side that you can use on the sandwiches are Nathan's pickle slices (5 calories each).
* Chef's tip for cutting lettuce to make a restaurant style sandwich - get a head of iceburg lettuce, wash it, and smash the core against a table. Pull out the core. Dry the lettuce really well. Get a sharp knife and slice off the end. Then make about 1/4 inch slices in the lettuce, so you get shreads.
Monday, May 9, 2011
healthy sandwiches that don't suck
I'm going to do a series on how to make restaurant-quality sandwiches that don't taste like cardboard (they are really good) and they will fill you up.
I'll start with my favorite condiment, other than hot sauce. It is a "relish", for lack of a better term, made out of jalapenos and sweet peppers. I prefer Mezzetta's sweet cherry peppers for this purpose. Take a food processor and put about 5 to 10 tablespoons of pickled jalapeno slices in and about 5 of these cherry peppers in (cut off the stems). Mix for about 30 seconds and store it in the fridge for a sandwich spread. If you don't have a food processor, just dump all of the ingredients and chop the crap out of them with a sharp knife. Watch your fingers because it will hurt if you hit them.
I'll start with my favorite condiment, other than hot sauce. It is a "relish", for lack of a better term, made out of jalapenos and sweet peppers. I prefer Mezzetta's sweet cherry peppers for this purpose. Take a food processor and put about 5 to 10 tablespoons of pickled jalapeno slices in and about 5 of these cherry peppers in (cut off the stems). Mix for about 30 seconds and store it in the fridge for a sandwich spread. If you don't have a food processor, just dump all of the ingredients and chop the crap out of them with a sharp knife. Watch your fingers because it will hurt if you hit them.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
snacks?
I said earlier that I eat 2-(roughly)100 calorie snacks a day. Here are some of my favorites. They will satisfy your hunger and they taste great. The gum is key for me too. The one I list lasts a really long time. Also, Amazon has really good deals for a lot of these products.
Popchips
Popcorners Cheesy Jalapeno Popped Corn Chips (the other flavors are good too)
Nonni's Biscotti
Trident Layers Cool Mint And Melon Fresco
Popchips
Popcorners Cheesy Jalapeno Popped Corn Chips (the other flavors are good too)Nonni's Biscotti
Trident Layers Cool Mint And Melon Fresco
cochinta pibil
Here's a great dish called cochinta pibil I had at a local restaurant. You have to use Achiote Paste
in it or it won't taste right. The pork itself isn't spicy and, to be honest, it's addicting, so watch how much you eat of it. Some ways to cut calories for it is to add a side of black beans and rice and to hit it with some hot sauce
.
in it or it won't taste right. The pork itself isn't spicy and, to be honest, it's addicting, so watch how much you eat of it. Some ways to cut calories for it is to add a side of black beans and rice and to hit it with some hot sauce.
fresh produce
One of the things we did to improve our eating habits was to join Farm Fresh to You. Being in California, we can get a lot of high-quality fresh produce at a reasonable price and this company delivers it right to your door. They also have recipes that give you ideas on what to do with your produce. Here's one that is really good:
Crunchy Radish and Chicken Skillet
Here are some tips on how to improve the flavor of the dish:
1. Use a mandolin slicer to cut the radishes almost paper thin. This will keep them from over powering the dish.
2. Butterfly the chicken breasts and season them with a cajun spice, such as Penzey's Cajun Seasoning.
3. Grill the chicken instead of pan frying it. There are wasted calories in the frying oil, albeit there is only a small amount used. Plus the grilled chicken just tastes better.
4. Use fresh peas (boil them first), instead of canned peas.
5. If you taste the final dish and think it's missing something, hit it with a couple of splashes of Tapatio hot sauce.
Crunchy Radish and Chicken Skillet
Here are some tips on how to improve the flavor of the dish:
1. Use a mandolin slicer to cut the radishes almost paper thin. This will keep them from over powering the dish.
2. Butterfly the chicken breasts and season them with a cajun spice, such as Penzey's Cajun Seasoning.
3. Grill the chicken instead of pan frying it. There are wasted calories in the frying oil, albeit there is only a small amount used. Plus the grilled chicken just tastes better.
4. Use fresh peas (boil them first), instead of canned peas.
5. If you taste the final dish and think it's missing something, hit it with a couple of splashes of Tapatio hot sauce.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
using heat to feel more full
I spoke with my doctor about 6 weeks ago about losing weight. I don't do diets because they don't work for me. However, I will change the way I eat, as long as it is something sustainable. He suggested a plan where you make your food spicy, with the theory being that you will feel more full because of the spicy food.
I have been following his suggestions for about 6 weeks now and this plan has definitely worked for me. In the first 2 weeks, I lost 6 pounds and in the total 6 weeks I have been following the suggestion, I have lost 2 inches on my waist and can wear shirts and pants that haven't fit in years. I'm not going to say this is the only change I have made; I have also cut down to 2-100 calorie snacks a day and watched my meal portions. However, I never feel hungry and I attribute this to the "heat" and making sure to get a good dose of it at most meals.
I'm going to share my recipes and snack suggestions here. I can't guarantee this will work for you, but I will guarantee that the food is really flavorful and healthy.
I have been following his suggestions for about 6 weeks now and this plan has definitely worked for me. In the first 2 weeks, I lost 6 pounds and in the total 6 weeks I have been following the suggestion, I have lost 2 inches on my waist and can wear shirts and pants that haven't fit in years. I'm not going to say this is the only change I have made; I have also cut down to 2-100 calorie snacks a day and watched my meal portions. However, I never feel hungry and I attribute this to the "heat" and making sure to get a good dose of it at most meals.
I'm going to share my recipes and snack suggestions here. I can't guarantee this will work for you, but I will guarantee that the food is really flavorful and healthy.
