{Eating, Health}

Get Your Goat

4.30.12
photos by gluttonforlife

A few years back, New York magazine announced that eating goat was starting to become a trend. A reader wrote into its website, saying, Here are white people again!!!! Acting like they invented goat meat. That’s pretty funny, and also painfully true. Goat is actually the meat most consumed around the world. We’re behind, people.

 

Goat is not only delicious, it’s sustainable, higher in protein than beef and lower in fat than chicken. This leanness makes it particularly good when braised or steamed so it doesn’t dry out. Fresh goat is still hard to find in New York City markets, so I imagine it’s not readily available from your average grocer. Try farmers markets or Halal butchers, or look for it on the menus of hip, locavore-friendly restaurants.

 

At Scarpetta, Scott Conant is known for his roasted capretto—that’s Italian for baby goat aka kid. At Girl and the Goat in Chicago, chef Stephanie Izard—who got into goat (and named her restaurant for it) when she discovered that izard is a breed of Pyrenees goat—uses it in a homemade sausage on pizza and in a ragú with gooseberries and rosemary that she tosses with homemade pappardelle. Now she buys her goat from a local farm (as do I) and goes through seven whole goats each week (I do not).

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , ,

comments5 Comments

{Health}

Letting Yourself Go

4.27.12
photo by george billard

“She’s really let herself go.” When I hear someone say that about a woman—usually in a pitying or disdainful tone—it gets my hackles up. First of all, how often have you heard this said about a man? And secondly, shouldn’t letting yourself go be a good thing? Doesn’t it sound wonderfully liberating? Turns out it means she’s no longer living up to the stringent standards of female beauty. She doesn’t tweeze her eyebrows, wear lipstick, starve her body into submission or dye her hair. She’s “showing her age.” To be perfectly honest, I’m usually quite careful about the pictures I post of myself, but today I deliberately chose one in which I’m not wearing a speck of makeup and in which, frankly, I look like what I am: a happy 49-year old who doesn’t smoke or sunbathe, and who gets Botox a couple of times a year. Yep, full disclosure.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , ,

comments21 Comments

{Eating, Health}

Bless You

4.24.12
photos by gluttonforlife

Remember “Singles,” Cameron Crowe’s 1992 film about young love and indie music in Seattle? No? I’m not surprised. It really wasn’t that good. But I’ll never forget how Bridget Fonda’s character, who was hopelessly in love with Matt Dillon’s indifferent rocker, waited in vain for him to say “Bless you” every time she sneezed. In my family we always said “Salud” whenever someone sneezed. To not say it was unthinkable. Like a jinx. What with spring allergies kicking in and everyone getting those changing-season colds, there’s lots of sneezing going on nowadays. If you’ve got a scratchy throat, runny nose or just a general malaise, try this therapeutic treat. It’s a sorbet—from Jeni’s, of course—packed with vitamin C, soothing honey and a fiery combination of ginger, bourbon and cayenne. It feels restorative and it will definitely clear a few things right up.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , , ,

comments6 Comments

{Eating, Garden, Health, Home, Travel}

Weekend Update: Jiggety Jig

3.23.12
photos by gluttonforlife

Home again, home again. As much as I love to travel, sometimes I think coming home is the best part. Especially when the transition from balmy Hawaii to balmy New York is so smooth. (Minus the jet lag, of course.) Our trip to the Big Island was extraordinary, and I plan to tell you all about it, but I hit the ground running and have not yet had a chance to sort through all the photos, much less my thoughts. So that’s for next week. For now, a few glimpses of spring’s first signs—it’s arrived fast and furious in these parts—and links to some of my latest discoveries. I’m chomping at the bit to start foraging and have a long list of wild edibles I’m determined to find this season. By the way, I’ve missed you madly and realize all over again what a wonderful creative and social outlet this blog is for me.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , , ,

comments6 Comments

{Eating, Health}

Bloody Good

3.6.12
photos by gluttonforlife

I’ve been feasting on blood oranges lately, ever since I ordered 20 pounds of gorgeous Taroccos from here. Many consider this small, thin-skinned variety the best because of its beautifully balanced sweetness and copious juice. It is seedless and incredibly high in vitamin C, with a gorgeous burgundy interior that develops its color when temperatures drop at night. That’s why winter is the time for this fruit, so take advantage now. It’s among the season’s finest treats. Wondering what our little family of two was doing with 20 pounds? Read on.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , ,

commentsNo Comments

{Eating, Health}

Slim Fast

3.5.12
photo by gluttonforlife

Last week’s visit to my nutritionist was extremely edifying. Sally is such a font of wisdom and information, I always come away feeling energized, newly motivated and armed with a plan. I brought a food log that chronicled every morsel I had ingested for the week prior and we discussed my ongoing uphill battle with my weight, as well as with a general malaise that I could describe only as “a loss of faith.” Sally advised me on food, supplements, exercise and meditation, and then she practiced iridology. This is similar to reflexology, in which the feet are held to contain a blueprint of the body, except for the blueprint is in the irises. It’s truly amazing what can be discerned through this ancient practice. Sally also uses kinesiology to gauge food sensitivities and supplement doses. If you have no idea what I am talking about or think this all sounds nuts, I recommend you check out Sally’s book, Vibrant Living, and her series of DVDs, which fully explain her holistic approach to health and wellness.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , ,

comments10 Comments

{Eating, Health}

Raw Passion

2.27.12
photos by gluttonforlife

I have an appointment with my nutritionist this week and in preparation have been keeping a food log. It’s made me more aware than usual of precisely what I eat and, though I want to present a realistic scenario, I’ve been on good behavior (most of the time). We had friends over for dinner this weekend and things got a little out of hand, yet still I wanted a treat while watching the Oscars last night. Something creamy and rich but without dairy or eggs, something to lick leisurely off my spoon as I cackled to G about this one’s dress and that one’s cosmetic enhancements. Hollywood on display is a golden opportunity for the ultimate bitch-fest and it requires either gin or ice cream. In the absence of both, try this delightful pudding made with chia seeds. Yes, those of Chia Pet fame. They are intriguingly delicious. It’s a kinder and gentler alternative, though I was neither.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , ,

comments4 Comments

{Eating, Health}

Chip In

2.22.12
photos by gluttonforlife

I’m really struggling with my weight these days. A doctor friend told me it’s my body’s stubborn attempt to hold onto whatever little estrogen is left. My diet is ultra clean. Dessert is a rare treat and, despite my love of cocktails, I’m limiting myself to just one a week. I don’t get as much exercise as I should—no snow has meant no snowshoeing, for one thing—but I’m hoping that warmer weather will make it easier to get outside and to use our makeshift gym in the (unheated) barn. My biggest challenge is to not loathe my body, which has outgrown much of my cherished wardrobe, but I am trying to practice compassion. I often consult Christiane Northrup’s invaluable book, The Widsom of Menopause, so I know many women go through similar changes, and that they are not irreversible. On the plus side, I now have cleavage. Unfortunately, it’s often in places it shouldn’t be.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , ,

comments4 Comments

{Eating, Health, Travel}

Eastern Promises

2.16.12
photos by gluttonforlife

My sister-in-law, who lives in the ‘burbs, mentioned to me the other week that she had ventured into a local Middle Eastern market and been thrilled with what she discovered. Most towns have at least one ethnic market—Korean, Mexican, Greek—serving not only its immigrant community but anyone smart enough to take advantage of its wares. They present a fantastic opportunity to do a little armchair traveling, and to expand your cooking repertoire in the process. When I lived in L.A., I found the most amazing Thai market and, with the help of this extraordinary book, entered a whole new world of fish sauce, palm sugar, wild lime, sticky rice and green papaya. Of course New York City is like one big ethnic market, but when I want Japanese ingredients, I love to take a trip to Mitsuwa. I’ve mentioned this enormous Japanese superstore before—its aisles of rice, sake and bonito flakes, ramen stalls and red bean confections—but thought I would show you some of my bounty from a recent visit. The store is located in Edgewater, New Jersey, and well worth your time even if all you come away with is an automated rice cooker.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , , ,

comments4 Comments

{Eating, Health}

Salad Days

2.15.12
photos by gluttonforlife

Those were the days. Sometimes I yearn for the suppleness of youth, its insouciance and capacity for indulgence. But it’s a fleeting moment of fantasy because I belong irrevocably to this moment. I inhabit this skin with a sense of purpose and without regret. There are times for looking back and times for looking ahead, but there’s no time like the present. As Joni Mitchell sings, in her seminal song “Down To You,” Everything comes and goes, marked by lovers and styles of clothes. Things that you held high and told yourself were true, lost or changing as the days come down to you.

 

The salad days that matter now are on your plate. Channel your creativity and your quest for health into this ageless combination of the raw and the cooked. Interrupt the dreary weeks of winter with refreshing concoctions crisp with cabbage, celery, apple and bitter greens, and punctuated with sweet bursts of citrus and pomegranate. By all means toss in some protein—a grated hard-cooked egg; some oily tuna or smoked mackerel; a crumbly goat cheese or sharp pecorino. You’re looking to create that perfect balance of flavors and textures: crunchy and creamy, sweet and tart, salty and spicy. As in all things, experience enhances your ability and wisdom makes a superb seasoning.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , ,

comments2 Comments

Newer  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 16 17  Older