What a pretty salad!  This is the sweet potato salad from Lola's pizza on Bridge Road.  An assortment of flavors combines surprisingly well to make this salad one of the highlights of going to Lola's.

Cubes of cooked sweet potatoes pairs with red onion, feta, avocado (yay!), fresh orange and a light cilantro lime vinaigrette.  When I first heard the ingredients, I was wary.  I am not a huge sweet potato fan, and I could not see how feta and avocado could make that better.  But *SHOCKINGLY* I was wrong.

I have to have this salad when I go to Lola's.  Then I get a large pizza, half Pineapple & Prosciutto (with Gorgonzola!) and usually half Artichoke & Goat Cheese.  I paired it last week with a Pinot Evil, which was devilishly good with a spicy bite at the end. 

Unfortunately we did not get to sit on the patio because of the wait on a Friday night.  But I did get to sit on a padded bench with throw pillows which was super comfortable.  Its the little things I suppose...

The Road to Perfection

After a few months off, I've decided that it was time for a new post.
Have you ever been out to eat and something was described as "seared to perfection"? Doesn't always have to say seared.  I've seen caramelized, browned, sauced, cooked AND flavored.  Does this "...to perfection" crap really mean ANYTHING?  Isn't perfection, especially when it comes to a certain foods ability to please, up to the diner?  I have never heard ANYONE say, "Try this Limburger, it smells like gym socks to perfection." Yet, isn't that what makes it perfect to begin with?  Amazing food should have the ability to speak for itself.
Here are a few of my other dining related pet peeves:

• empty water glasses accumulating on the table (and if that water was served without ice, lemon and a straw....grrrr don't even get me started)
• a lack of fresh napkins while eating wings (or anything eaten with your fingers)
• hovering waitstaff (or MIA when said water glass is empty)
• questioning my additions of sauces or condiments (anyone who knows me can tell you I'm a dipper)

I really am easy to please at a restaurant.  As a dining companion, I'm pretty easy going.  I am willing to try anything new and exciting as frequently as I am to sit down at a good ol' burger joint and drink some beer.  Just as long as it is good food.

I just don't like how the overuse of certain words has infiltrated our menus!  I don't want a "juicy burger, seared to perfection accompanied by crisp, farm fresh lettuce, tart, crunchy pickles and a make your mouth water tomato, served on a hot out of the oven, bakery fresh roll."  NO.  Give me a 8 oz burger, mention your toppings, tell me there are hand cut fries (PLEASE have malt vinegar for once...) and serve it with a great 22 oz. draft beer.  Oh....and don't forget the napkins.

XS

I am stuffed to the brim. As much as I LOVE eating all sorts of goodies during the holiday season, I’m totally ready to get back into my regular eating routine! Between the Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and the parties at work and the cookies and candies and donuts and ham and turkey and on and on and on.....well it just gets to be too much of a good thing in my opinion.


Anyway, I’ll pull out an old cliché and declare....Fresh start for a New Year..TA DAAAA!!!!! I have a few fantastic low fat recipes up my sleeve to get me started. The best tip I have is to go to your local grocery store, grab a bag of frozen veggies (I LOVE the bags with asparagus or broccoli stir fry.) and mix them with or add them as a side dish to ANYTHING. It is an easy way to amp up your veggie intake, feel full, get some fiber. And if you add some Italian seasoning and spray butter….it is practically calorie free! Any of these mixes are great with a pasta, grilled chicken and sauce for a quick meal. Another way I use these frozen veggies is adding garlic, salt, pepper, canned tomatoes, beans and chicken stock (low sodium/low fat) and making a ‘whatever I have in the house’ soup. These are super easy to freeze and take to work or eat when nobody (meaning me in my house) has the energy to think up something to cook. Fantastico!

Another easy trick I have learned is to rely on the thin sandwich breads made famous by Arnolds and use them instead of hamburger buns. These are particularly great for breakfast too. Toast these up and put some spray butter on and you have a great English muffin substitute. Add peanut butter or cottage cheese and this makes a filling breakfast that lasts all morning.

I’m not the kind of person who when trying to eat healthier relies on salad every day, I think it becomes too boring after a while. However, there are some great salads I make that are low in calories and high on flavor. A favorite is buffalo chicken salad. I grill a chicken breast, chop it up and mix with Franks Red Hot, garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh ground black pepper and Sriracha. Then add a few olives, low fat mozzarella, and dressing of your choice (ranch is a fave for this dish, but low fat Caesar Italian or a light vinaigrette works wonderfully). Another favorite is to add granny smith apples, gorgonzola cheese (a small amount goes a LONG way) and a few chopped walnuts to a salad and serve with a tangy vinaigrette dressing. A white balsamic and fruity olive oil mix is great with this.

I have some more posts coming soon, with the holidays over; I have some more free time on my hands to concentrate on my love of blogging about food. Send me some ideas about what you would like to see or read about. I’m up for anything as long as it tastes good!