The Hot Temp Diet

What does this blog have in common with hot weather? Endless articles about noshing through a heat wave. I've  written about how and what to cook and eat during a heat wave. The advice is the same.Eat light, eat healthy. It's a way of living through it.

As I've always recommended, go for salads. They're light to get down and easy to make after a long, sticky day at work.Again one of the most flavorful (and a true favorite) is Salad Nicoise. This is a fun mix of Bibb lettuce, tuna, and a host of veggies. The traditional recipe calls for green beans, potatoes, and plum tomatoes. Anchovies and hard boiled eggs are also added for more protein and flavor. The dressing is a blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar and dry mustard. A squirt of lemon and crushed garlic also give flavor. You can also wrap all the ingredients save the lettuce in Romaine leaves for Nicoise wraps. Another tasty cool dinner is Neopolitan bread salad. Slice up plum tomatoes , mozzarella cheese and Italian bread and soak in olive oil spiked with rosemary, oregano and garlic. If you want more substance with it. julienne strips of salami  or  bell peppers to add to it . A plain salad is always good too. Add yummy but nutritious extras like broccoli, cauliflower, and chickpeas and mix with a light, low calorie dressing.

Many people turn to the grill when the temps get hot. If you can stand the heat, then go for it.I've  recommended homemade burgers which are easy to make. For juicier ones add an ice cube in the center of each patty. Some other add ins are minced onions , garlic  and even peppercorns Grilled foil dinners are a perfect meal for a hot summer's night. Try chicken with onions and peppers, zested up with such herbs as oregano and rosemary Another quick idea is using canned veggies such as corn and string beans with steak  for a healthy and colorful supper. Even meat loaf can be foil cooked, Think of one laced with barbecue sauce. It can be sliced and served on hamburger buns. Fish such as salmon can also be foil grilled. Use lemon and parsley for flavoring along with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve alongside a summery string bean or broccoli salad.One of the quickest and most classic meals is the quick tomato sandwich. It's just tomato slices on bread with a slick of mayonnaise. If you want want something healthier, and a tad more sophisticated. think tomato slices on olive oil soaked French or Italian bread.

It's another hot summer with high temps. Think of eating light and tasty with classic and simple recipes. It'll get any home chef through the hot days ahead.

Food Trends For The New Year

We all want 2016 to end.Foodwise, it was an OK year.Cheetohs may have made a comeback , thanks to a certain presidential candidate but that's it.What trends will bloom in the new year?

The New York Times Food section wondered this too in today's issue.Kim Severson, a regular contributor, wrote about trends of past years.1997 brought us the exotic wrap, now a staple of delis and luncheon platters every where.2006 brought us the uboquituous olive bar that is a supermarket must
2002 ushered in bubble teas while we have 2008 to thank for the rebirth of kale.Macaroons and whoopie pies were the it girls of 2011.


Trends used to take two to three months to percolate back in the late Nineties.Social media now can birth a trend and grow it overnight. Every December food wonks and PR firms throw out foods and see if they stick. 2017 is promising to see an interest in such diverse cuisines as French and Filipino. Natural grains such teff and sorghum may be in every baked good from cupcakes to breads. Egg yolks ,long under fire for being bad for you, is now going to be a top ingredient.Not surprisingly, hemp is also going to be hot.

What else will be the most trendiest food this year?It could come from any foodie. It could be hemp crepes or a Filipino egg dish. Any guess is a good one.

Food On The Go

Humans are eaters and snackers. We are also goers, meaning we're always moving somewhere, usually to and from work, usually in traffic.what happens when hunger comes along for the ride? Try sensible snacking.

A commuter's' best friend isn't his or her traffic app. It's their sandwich baggie . This little square can hold everything and anything. It's great for meals on the go and snacking. Many of us wind up eating breakfast on the road. There's not even time to stop for a coffee and doughnut or a breakfast sandwich. Put some granola into a baggie for a quick meal. Another idea is a healthy cereal like Mom's Best Cereal  which comes in a variety of flavors.They're made with whole grains and cane sugar - not refined. It's a good alternative to all those over sugared brands. Of course the best breakfast on the run is any piece of fruit. Bananas are the best They're easy to pack - you don't even need a baggie. -and chock full of vitamins and potassium. One is filling enough and will get you through to possibly or the first coffee break at eleven AM. Apples and pears are also good choices.. because they too are filling. Apples are higher in calories so if you 're watching your weight, stick with the pears.One is only eight six calories. Both can also be used as snacks when on a Saturday morning run to the soccer or baseball field or while running weekend chores.

That sandwich baggie can come in handy for lunch and snacks. Many people like sales reps and technicians have to eat on the road. Again you can go the fast food or deli route however that can get old quick. Then there's all those calories. Hamburgers and heroes are tasty but they're fattening. Salads and soups are great but messy and distracting when eating on the road. Try a healthy sandwich made with whole wheat or multi grained bread. and lean cold cuts.The best bet on the last is getting them from your supermarket's deli counter. Get freshly sliced roast beef or turkey . For an even neater sandwich try a wrap. You can swaddle in some lettuce or tomatoes along with a squirt of ketchup or mayo. Also have some savory snacks on the ready too. These come in handy on the drive home when you're hungry and stuck in traffic. Think Pepperidge Farm goldfish or pretzels.The pluses areboth nibbles are low in calories and not as greasy as potato chips.They're a nice way of staving off hunger and again they're also perfect for those Saturday afternoon runs or  Sunday's road trips. Fruit, too is good here  along with raisins, nuts or seeds like sunflower or pumpkin. They keep you satisfied until you reach home and a hot meal.

Hunger hits at any time - evne drive time. Be ready when you;re on the road and want to nibble or nosh. Have a sandwich bag filled with fruit or crackers, sandwiches or cereal to make it easier

It's A Wrap

Lunch can be a boring affair sometimes. It's either sandwiches or burgers with the occasional salad in the summer and soup in the winter. However there is something else to liven up the midday meal: the wrap. This is  versatile kind of sandwich that is easy to make and definitely more interesting to eat.

A wrap is nothing more than a burrito however Greeks, Mid Easterners,Armenians, Turks and Kurds have all variations of it. The bread is usually a tortilla, pita or lavash a kind of naan found around the Caspian area. They're usually made from wheat but can also be made from corn and flour.The wrap as we know it today was created in the early Nineties with three places claiming to have invented it. They were the southern California chain "I Love Juicy,New York's OVO Bistro and Stamford Connecicut's Bobby Valentine's sport's Gallery Cafe. The last clains that it ran out of bread and had t used the first thing handy -a tortilla. The US isn' the only country that's wrap happy. Australia has two chains Oportos and Burger Fuel that feed the wrap fire while Britain has happily embraced the sandwich as well. There is a caveat though. Plain wraps are usually fifty calories higher  than a slice of bread. Be careful with what you stuff them with  or they could have the same caloric weight as a burger.Companies like Toufayan do offer low calorie ones that start at one  hundred calories. Try these if you're watching your weight or are on a restricted diet.

Filling the wraps is the best part.You can add anything from leftovers to fresh  veggies to create an unique and tasty lunch . The first part is selecting  a wrap. Now they come in different flavors like pesto, garden vegetable and tomato along with plain and whole wheat. (again Toufayan, the leader in wraps produces all  of these). For a healthy one think chopped turkey or chicken with chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce. This is an incredibly light lunch and you can even have  side of vinaigrette as a dipping sauce.Another good one that chock full of vitamins is an avocado wrap. Since  avocado is filling, meat is optional. Add layers of spinach and watercress for a truly green and tasty bite.Any sandwich can be turned into a wrap. Try a BLT or a club sandwich loaded with bacon and mayo.For a quick wrap on the go try ham and American cheese. Salads too can be stuffed into a wrap. Caesar salad is a popular wrap  filling in diners and it can be made with or without grilled chicken or shrimp. You can also try a chef salad stuffing  with its' variety of different meats  cheeses and veggies. Serve with your favorite dressing as a dipping sauce.

Wraps are a nice and different alternative to humdrums sandwiches and burgers. Stick to the classic fillings or create one that unique. Either way it's a great way to liven up a lunch!

Nanoosh Exotic Healthiness

Mention Mediterranean cuisines  and people think of spaghetti or moussaka or even tapas. However the Eastern Mediterranean has produced healthy foods for two thousand or more years.- One of the stars is  hummus. Now this delicious and ancient dish is being the prominent player in Nanoosh restaurant  - a mini chain that's sweeping the New York City area.

I 'm lucky that the restaurant has a branch in my local mall. I had wanted to try it and today I had the rare chance to do such. To be honest I'm not a big hummus fan however this changed my view of it. I ordered the unusual chicken hummus which is a deep bowl filled with grilled chicken chunks over creamy fresh made chickpea mash. The hummus is made Israeli style without the usual garlic. It was still delicious and wonderful with the whole wheat pita bread served with it. There is olive oil along with other additions that can be added.I am planning on going back this weekend and would like to try the other variations. There is a mushroom and onions as well as sun dried tomatoes and a  red and green pepper mix. Another sort is made, again with meat, this time ground beef with onions, tahini and onions.

 Since the emphasis  is on healthy eating, Nanoosh also  has fresh made organic  salads and wraps, The soups are tomato, lentil and butternut squash.These are all natural without any preservatives - rare for restaurants that usually have to rely on prepackaged , overly salted mixes. Salads  are varied as well , using  everything from  the South American quinoa to the Mediterranean tuna and Greek salads. There are also wraps and these feature hummus along with extras, such as beef , chicken and eggs (!). Nanooshserves desserts too  These are  a yummy sounding organic yogurt loaf chocolate cake and rice pudding made with arborio rice.

Whether you're in Northern New Jersey or Manhattan  try Nanoosh for lunch for dinner. There are fresh made dishes made with good for you ingredients. It's a healthy spin on exotic Eastern
Mediterranean fare.


Nanoosh's locations are The Garden State Plaza Mall , Paranus New Jersey, and in New York City, 2012 Broadway at 68th and 69th Sts, Union Square, 111 University Place , between 12th and 13th Sts and Murray Hill, 173 Madison Ave, between 33rd and 34th Sts.

Go to Nanoosh.com for more info and to order online.

The Picky Eater's Lunchbox

It's that time of year when parents should breath a sigh of relief.After all it's the start of the school year. Instead moms and dads are growling and pulling their hair over the little one's lunch box. Why? They have picky eaters.

Some kids will eat everything and anything. These are little foodies in the making. Some are just downright fussy. They won't eat certain foods , whether because of taste , texture or color. What to do? Work around it. Be clever and creative. If they hate fresh veggies, such as carrots and broccoli(most kids despise them).Try packing a flavored dip such as a low calorie ranch or onion. If they insist on sandwiches make them fun and healthy wraps. Add some kid pleasers such as guacamole or salsa in them Shredded cheese ,a good source of calcium can also be added.

What about sweets? Let's face it , kids practically demand them whether they starting kindergarten or high school. How does a parent handle this and what can be done. The easy and actually the best answer is fruit.Again make it fun. Pack grapes which are a finger food and one that can be shared. Apples and pears can be sliced too , With the first you can include cinnamon for extra taste. Fruit roll ups are another great lunchbox dessert. They're the closest thing to candy despite being relatively healthy and again a blast to much on.

Picky eaters can be worse than detention or extra homework.The solution is to create a fun and tasty lunch that will be eaten and not traded. Can it be done? Yes and successfully too!