JamieOliver.com

It is that time of year again.  We all make those promises to ourselves and 95% of all of those resolutions last for about as long as it took to recite them.

There is not a miracle pill, diet fad or medical procedure that will work for a life time.  If you want to get healthy, lose and maintain YOUR ideal weight there are 3 simple steps.  Put down that fork, change your eating habits, and move, move, move!!!

This is really more simple than it sounds.  There is no need to starve or spend hours at the gym or running around the neighborhood.


"Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet.


Proteins should be lean such as chicken, turkey, lean beef or pork and fish.  Protein portions should be the size of your palm for each meal.

Carbohydrates are needed so do not forget them, but they need to be limited.  Four ounces of dried pasta per entree, not as a side.  Try mixing up the white potatoes with sweet potatoes or yams. Again....leave the fried versions alone.

Limit your fats and oils.  Cooking or eating a piece of chicken that has been fried or sauteed in a bath of oil negates all of the good.  When eating salads have your dressing on the side and dip your fork in the dressing before skewering the salad.

Save your salad for last.  It will help to fill you up at the end of the meal.  Have some fresh fruit for dessert.

Have 1 (one) day every week to “cheat”.  No need to eat yourself into a stupor, but have that burger or a side of fries or a PIECE of your favorite cake.

If you want to count calories, which is not necessary, here is how to figure out your caloric goal.  A person who weighs 200 pounds will need to consume significantly more calories than someone who weighs 100 pounds. As a general rule, a 175 pound person who lives a sedentary lifestyle would need to eat 2,100 (175 pounds x 12) calories per day to maintain their current weight.

If weight loss is your goal, hopefully you will integrate exercise into your daily routine, but as a 175 pound person living a sedentary lifestyle, you would need to reduce your consumption to 2,000 or 1,900 calories per day. For those who engage in a moderate amount of activity, you will typically exert 200 to 300 calories more than you would living a sedentary lifestyle. So a 175 pound person who burns an average of 300 calories per day from running would need to consume about 2,400 (175 pounds x 12 + 300) calories to keep their weight constant. Subtract about 200 calories to facilitate weight loss or add 200 calories to promote weight gain.  Try this web site if you want to track individual foods http://www.newcaloriecounter.com/, or if you need a bit more help you can track your progress online as well as find out your “ideal” caloric intake at a site like this one  http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/. 

No matter what exercise is key.  Exercise can be a 15 minute walk around the block, walking your office building, vacuuming or swiffering your house.  Take the stairs when you can.  The key is to get in at least 15 minutes per day.  Joining a gym or buying exercise DVDs will not do any good if you do not go to the gym or use the DVDs for more than a book end.  If you have been inactive always make sure your doctor tells you you are fit enough to start a strenuous exercise regime.  Build up gradually.  It took a long time to put on the weight and get out of shape.  Expect to lose 3-5 pounds per week.  This is a safe number and you will be more likely to keep it off. 

Changing eating and exercise habits is not a short term commitment.  If you go back to your old ways you will go back to your old body type. You will be amazed at how you much better you feel about yourself, how much more energy you have, the lack of those aches and pains that “come with age”.  Your skin and your hair will look healthier and your eyes will twinkle.

Give this a try for 4 weeks and then let me know how you are doing.....success stories are a GREAT thing. 

As my Great Uncle Tad says: “May you be blessed with an abundance of health and happiness, and just enough wealth”.   

By, Joseph Yacino, Pompano Today

Every holiday has its own traditions and celebratory foods; as we enter a new year, it seems that the world shares the belief that certain foods bring good luck and prosperity.

Each culture has a unique spin on these good-luck foods. The wonderful thing is that the availability of ethnic ingredients makes it possible for us to cook traditional dishes here, no matter our country of origin.

Coming from a family with one side of Italian heritage and the other side of Polish heritage, traditions were occasionally celebrated side by side. The pig in many countries signifies good luck because hogs cannot look or see behind them without completely turning around, and therefore only look forward.


In Italy, lentils are eaten as a symbol of good luck and prosperity because they resemble tiny coins. Tuscans eat lentils with "Cotechino", a large pork sausage. People in Bologna and Modena eat lentils with "Zampone", the sausage mixture stuffed into the skin of a pig's foot. In the Piedmont, little grains of rice symbolize money, so New Year's Day menus feature risotto.

Good luck begins at the stroke of midnight for many German and Polish people eating a shiny pickled herring. In the U.S. pork is served the next day with green cabbage, signifying green money.

In Greece, the dish is “vasilopita.” The cake is named after St Basil - Aghios Vasilis (the Greek Santa), the bearer of presents and the Saint of blessings and wishes, whose feast day is celebrated on 1st January. This is a large cake with coins baked into it. Of course, the person who bites into the coin is assured good luck during the coming New Year. It is important to serve the cake in the proper order. The first piece is “for the house”, then in order of oldest to youngest, making sure to leave pieces for family that could not be there and one for Christ.

The Chinese New Year's menu features long soba noodles that are eaten whole, actually sucked up into the mouth, one strand at a time. This is to ensure a long life. Sticky rice is formed into little cakes. These are broiled or simmered in soup. The whole family partakes, guaranteeing good health, good luck and wealth all year.

In the United States it seems most traditions come from the south.  For example, a popular dish is  collard greens, which symbolize greenbacks or money. Black-eyed peas are considered especially lucky and create wealth as they resemble coins. And corn bread is eaten because it resembles gold.

However you celebrate the New Year, we leave you with a family saying: “May you enjoy great Health, much Happiness, and just enough Wealth.”

Risotto with Fondue (serves 4-6)

8 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup milk, heated to lukewarm
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 bay leaf
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4-1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg yolk, well beaten
Salt and white pepper


Put the cheese in a bowl with the warm milk.
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the garlic, bay leaf and rice and sauté 3 minutes.
Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated.
In another saucepan heat the broth to a boil.
Begin adding it to the rice a half cup at a time, stirring continually.
It will take about 20 minutes until all of the broth is added and absorbed.
In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, combine the Fontina, milk, and flour.
Stir until the cheese is melted. Add the egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper.
Form the rice into a mound on a serving platter.
Make an indentation in the middle and pour the cheese in.

Sausage and Lentils (serves 4-6)

1-1/2 cups lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup pancetta, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 pound Italian sausage
1/2 cup traditional tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
Place the lentils in a large saucepan. Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
Drain and set aside.
In a skillet, sauté the pancetta, onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
Remove mixture and set aside.
In the same skillet, cook the sausage until golden brown.
Remove the sausage and cut into pieces. Discard the fat from the skillet.
Add the reserved vegetable mixture to the skillet with the tomato sauce, lentils, and bay leaf.
Cook over low heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the lentils onto a serving platter and arrange the sausages around them.

Haluski (Pork and Cabbage) serves 4

4 pork chops
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 onion, chopped
½ TB canola oil
¼ cup water
1 large green cabbage, roughly chopped
1 lb egg noodles
1 TB butter


Season the chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chops for 4 minutes on one side. Turn over and saute for another 4 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the onions and saute until soft and turning brown. Pour in water and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add cabbage an cook down (7-10 minutes).

While cabbage is cooking bring a large pot of water to boil and cook noodles according to directions. Drain and toss with butter.

Cut pork into 1” pieces. Toss the pork and cabbage with the noodles and serve.
Vasilopita

1 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cups white sugar
5 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 325ºF (165ºC).
In a large bowl, blend the butter and sugar together. Separate 3 of the eggs; add the yolks and the 2 remaining whole eggs to the butter mixture. Stir in the vanilla and water.
In another bowl, sift the baking powder and flour together. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.
Beat 3 egg whites until they are foamy. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and continue to beat the whites until they are stiff. Fold the whites into the batter.
Pour the batter into a greased 10 x 4 inch tube pan. Wrap the lucky coin or a charm in foil, and press it down into the batter until it is completely hidden. Sprinkle the nuts and seeds on top of the batter.
Bake the cake for about 70 minutes, or until done.


Lemon-Thyme Collard Greens

Not your traditional collard greens, which are made with bacon or ham hocks and cooked to death. Slicing the greens thin allows them to cook faster so they keep their character.
1 bunch collard greens, heavy center stems removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 (15-ounce) can vegetable broth
Salt, to taste
Juice of 1 lemon

Wash the collard greens well and roll a few leaves at a time into a tight cylinder. Slice across the cylinder to produce thin strands. Repeat until all leaves are cut.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan and add the onions and garlic. Saute 5 minutes until browned lightly. Add the pepper flakes, thyme sprigs and cut collard greens. Continue to saute 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes or until greens are just tender. Season with salt and lemon juice and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients
1 of bacon
1 lb of dried black-eyed peas
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Dice a pound of bacon finely, sprinkle with salt. Fry the bacon and salt mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. While the bacon is in the first stages of frying, sort and rinse the black-eyed peas. Drain well. Lay the peas out on a cookie sheet to air dry as much as possible.
When the bacon is brown add the black-eyed peas swiftly to the pot. Stir them in well and keep stirring over medium-high heat for a minute or two until the peas are coated with grease and very slightly darkened. Add cold water covering the peas by at least 2 inches. Place the pot back on the stove over medium high heat and stir the peas with a clean wooden spoon. As soon as the water starts boiling gently, turn the heat down a little to maintain a light simmer-boil. Cook uncovered for at least an hour. Stir the beans every so often to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add water generously as needed. Cook until the beans are tender and the consistency you want: soupy or thick. The consistency will depend on how much water you use and how long they cook.
Ladle the black-eyed peas over white or brown rice.

The Nutrition Counsel Meeting was Thursday last and I walked away very pleased. We are eliminating all fizzy drinks in the vending machines.  All milk served will be low fat(1%) or fat free.  Flavoured milks will be eliminated until the dairy counsel can create a milk that meets the new requirement of less than 110 calories per 8 ounces.  One of the members talked to a new vending company, Human Healthy Vending.  All foods are natural, organic, low in sugar and salt.  Hopefully we will get approval to place the "test" machines in a couple of schools and the Health Department.  Entree salads and entree vegan salads will be offered daily.  Desserts will be cut out.

We also discussed having the school's Culinary Students help with the cooking to give "real world" experience and get credits as well.  This should help defray some of the costs.  Some members were worried about "LIABILITY".

I appears a difference is being made.  The next meeting will not be until September.  I will be going with director of the counsel for a surprise breakfast and lunch.

So....until next time.  Be well, eat healthy.
Joseph/YaDa Chef

It was the weekend of February 14, 2010.  Three of us from YaDa Chef attended the Fire Power Seminar in Davie Florida.  It was not Bryan's (Da) or Joseph's (Ya) first time.  It was Anthony's (I call him Ya jr.). It was an eye opening experience for Anthony and he can not wait to attend the next one on April 10, 2010.  This time he wants to break through a concrete brick.  Yes it is possible I have done it.

Bryan and I have been going since meeting Karen, the Director of Corporate Events, two years ago at an Meeting Professionals International Meeting.  We were immediately intrigued about the possibility of walking on 1200F/648.8C degree hot coals.  Bryan and I attended the first seminar and have never looked back.  We were up for hours following the seminar astounded by the fact we did not even have a blister, that we broke boards with our hands, walked on broken glass, and that is not all. 

YaDa Chef is now the official caterer for the Florida Empowering Seminars.  We provide healthy snacks to the groups.  One time we provided Asian Turkey Burgers served with a wasabi mayonaise, Asian Pickled Cucumbers and our signature MM Potato salad with YaDa's House made Vegan Chocolate Sorbet. 

This is what the seminars are all about.
.
Uncover Your True Potential!

Fire Power Seminars offer empowerment, both personal and professional, team building, communication, sales training and firewalking.

Identify and break limiting patterns, build camaraderie and expand how your team faces fear, change, uncertainty and doubt through challenging activities developed to move them beyond their comfort zones and into their power:

Board Breaking
Glass Walking
Arrow Breaking
Steel Rebar Bending
Brick Breaking
Equine Assisted Learning
Firewalking (the ultimate challenge!)

Check out Fire Power Seminars website for more information and enjoy the video of me breaking through a major obstacle in my life...along with a brick.
www.firepowerseminars.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOn0bWj0krU

We spent 24 straight hours cooking for the Starworks Motorsport (http://www.grand-am.com/teams/team.cfm? … p;tid=1807) team recently in Daytona Beach Florida for the Rolex 24.  It was truly one of the most difficult yet most enjoyable jobs we have ever done. 

I want everyone to try to imagine driving for four (4) hours, then setting up a mobile kitchen outdoors surrounded by a racetrack.  The sound of screaming motors was never ending as was the cooking.  It was our job to provide lunch, dinner, 2am snack, breakfast, lunch and 24 hours of on going pasta service to the drivers and the pit crew of the Starworks Motorsports racing team. 

The YaDa Chef team was two people strong.  We drank plenty of coffee to keep us awake as well as keep us warm.  You may think that since we were in Florida that would not be an issue.  Temperatures dropped to a very cold 29F due to a cold front that passed through along with a rain storm just in time for the race.

Our biggest challenge was to cook the food and then keep it warm as we walked 1/2 mile from our "camp" to the pit on the race track.  All in all we did a fantastic job serving food that was good and good for the drivers along with being gluten-free.  We started with Asian Turkey Burgers served with Wasabi May, Asian Pickled Cucumbers and our signature MM Potato Salad.  Next up was Chicken Piccata, then Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.  Breakfast was Fresh Fruit, and assorted Danish's along with Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burritos.  Aged Angus 10 ounce steaks with Mediterranean Pasta Salad was the last lunch.  Remember we kept pasta with a fresh Tomato, Basil and Rosemary Marinara going for the 24 hours.  The ongoing pasta was served every hour on the hour to the drivers just before and after it was time for them to jump into the driver's seat.   They needed to keep up their energy they were expending driving at close to 200 miles per hour around the track.

YaDa Chef is really excited that we will once again be part of the team next month in Homestead Florida.  We are also glad it is not a 24 hour race, but it will be a two day event.

Check out some photos of Joseph and Anthony along with the team's car http://blogs.yadachef.com/2010/02/dayto … sport.html

In the mean time this weekend we will be part of Fire Power Seminars firepowerseminars.com.  I will be sure to let everone know how that went.