Kicking it Vegan Style at the Red Lobster

Admittedly, I was a bit concerned when my mother announced that she wanted to dine at the Red Lobster for her birthday.

While I would never tell someone how to celebrate their birthday (I celebrate my own birthday for the entire month, after all), I shamefully attempted to covertly persuade her into eating at a more vegan-friendly establishment.

Alas, once my mother makes up her mind, it is what it is (hmmm, guess I know where I got it from).

Ok, no problem - I decided to take this experience on as a challenge and it really did test every bit of vegan know-how I have.

The Plan...

First I scanned the menu.  Every soup was dairy based, that's out!  Two types of salad - Caesar and Garden - both side salads and nothing to write home about. How about pasta?!? No dice, a Fettucine Alfredo was the only option.  I started dissecting main meals to pull out the veggie sides - I developed a starting point.

Next, I asked for the Allergy Menu.  While I had hoped this would bring some dishes not on the main menu, it did not.  What it did do was list each menu item and indicate thoses with wheat/gluten, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and soy.  By utilizing this guide and a very knowledgeable waitress, I was able to create my own vegan, oil-free meal.

The Meal...

In order to be filling, I knew I had to ground my meal in grains and starch.  So I ordered a dry baked potato (nothing on it) and the rice pilaf (confirming it was not cooked with butter or oil).  To that I added two servings of broccoli and asparagus, also dry.  To liven things up, I ordered several sides of the Peach Bourbon BBQ sauce that came with a shrimp dinner.  Lastly, I requested one large plate. Once everything arrived, I chopped it all up, stirred it all together and topped with sea salt.  Luckily my sauce had been forgotten and to my surprise my concoction didn't need any sauce help at all.  In fact, once it did arrive, I found the sauce too spicy for my liking.

I found this meal so filling, I wasn't even disappointed that there were no vegan dessert options - I was too stuffed!

The Life Lesson...

Do I want to relive this meal anytime soon - no, it wasn't that great.  But for an evening that was all about someone else, it was a fantastic meal.  After all, my mother didn't complain when I decided to celebrate my birthday at an all-Vegan restaurant.  The moral of this story is that you can't impose your lifestyle choices on others, but that doesn't mean you have to forgo them either.

With a little bit of research and negotiating with the restaurant staff, I was able to get exactly what I needed to maintain my eating habits and the rest of the party got exactly what they wanted - everybody wins!

Don't compromise, improvise!
The Hoff

Pilates!

I always thought that in order to practice Pilates, one had to go to a gym and hire a personal trainer.

I was wrong.

I recently acquired the "Slim & Sculpt Pilates by 10 Minute Solution" DVD.  This is by no means the only Pilates DVD on the market, but it is the one that peaked my interest enough to try it.  Two things drew me to this particular DVD, the 10 minutes options and the Pilates Band that was included.

There are actually five, 10 minute segments on this DVD, so you can determine how long you actually want to workout (I really like that).  In fact there is an option to create your own personal workout by programming any one of the five segments in the order you want to practice them.

The five segments are:

1. Upper Body Pilates
2. Lower Body Pilates
3. Pilates for Abs
4. Total Body Pilates
5. Pilates for Flexibility

Having never done Pilates, I found the movements in this DVD surprisingly easy to follow, however don't be fooled, you are going to get a good workout. You may be doing simple movements, but they are impactful.  I love that the 10 minute segments go by so fast, you don't have time to dread them and being only 10 minutes long, you are more likely to push yourself to do more.  I did all five segments my first time trying this DVD, I was feeling it, but I wasn't wishing for it to be over (ok by segment five, I was about to pass out).

What I really like about Pilates is that it combines my two favorite exercises: stretching and weights (remember muscle burns fat in your sleep!).  I know you don't actually use hand weights with this DVD or Pilates in general, however, the Pilates Band simulates the act of lifting weights through resistance.

What I'm not liking so much is the band that was included with the DVD.  It only has powder coating on one side of the band, so as you use it the non-coated side gets sticky and the band becomes difficult to use.

Why do Pilates?

Practicing Pilates can help you develop strong abs, improved posture, greater flexibility, long lean muscles, increased energy and above all can aid in weight loss.  Pilates also gives you a total body workout and body awareness because you practice each movement with total attention, thus uniting the body and mind.

If you're looking for something new to add to your workout routine, definitely give Pilates a try.

Check out a preview of this DVD to see if this is for you!



Happy Exercising!
The Hoff

Teaser Alert!

The Healthy Hoff is "cooking" up an exciting event for you guys!

Event details to come soon!

Doc: Burzynski The Movie - Cancer Is Serious Business

If you have cancer or know someone who does or are even concerned because cancer runs in your family, Burzynski The Movie - Cancer Is Serious Business is a must see.

This documentary tells the story of Dr. Stanislaus Burzynski, who has pioneered a treatment called antineoplastons, which targets the genes responsible for tumor growth, and has been very successful in treating many different types of cancer over the years.

Unfortunately, over the course of 14 years, the FDA and other agencies have attempted to shut down his practice, steal his patents, and prevent him from obtaining FDA approval for his treatments.

I am outraged that the FDA has wasted over $60 million dollars in our tax dollar money to persecute this man repeatedly unsuccessfully for curing cancer, just because the pharmaceutical companies can't profit from it.

Watch for yourself, for free online

Hoff Hit: Enoughs, Enough - Protein

Human breast milk is comprised of 5% Protein - at a time when we grow the fastest and require the most protein of our lives, 5% is all we need.

For perspective, rice contains 8% Protein, oranges 8%, potatoes 11% and beans 26%.  Therefore, we can and do get all the protein we need from fruits, vegetables, starches and grains.

So the next time someone asks how you get your protein if  "you don't eat no meat" (name that movie!) - tell them relax, I got it covered.

Back to Shellac!

It's no secret that I adore Shellac! 

I love everything about this innovative nail polish system - from it's quick 30 minute, out-the-door application process to it's 14-day chip free results.

What I don't find particularly exciting are the CND line-up of colors.  Don't get me wrong, there are some colors I adore, but a girl gets bored and wants more.

And to be fair CND has been slowly adding new colors.  But, I was dying to try out some trendy non-shellac colors and therefore, I conducted a little experiment.

Having purchased my own CND Shellac system from Amazon, I tested out what would happen if I used a non-shellac based color with the CND Shellac Base, Top Coat and UV Light Nail Dryer.

While I was able to get my nails to cure, the color started chipping within a day (sigh).

So for all of you Shellac lovers out there wondering if normal polish can be used, stop wondering - you won't get the same long lasting results.

On the bright side, I see that CND has added some new colors recently!

• Hotski to Tchotchke (teal)
• Asphalt (gray)
• Zillonaire (glitter white)
• Purple Purple (do I need to spell this one out?)
• Rock Royalty (bluish purple)

Shellac it!
The Hoff

Event: Cleveland Garlic Festival 2011

"This year North Union Farmers Market presents the second annual Cleveland Garlic Festival at historic Shaker Square! Cleveland Garlic Festival 2011 is a broad-based community event that incorporates local businesses through food, art and talent.  All proceeds will support North Union's mission of championing local foods by connecting certified producers with consumers through a network of markets. The Cleveland Garlic Festival will be ground zero for all things garlic in the Midwest Great Lakes region. Attendees will enjoy garlic-themed food prepared by local chefs including everything from ice cream to oysters, an onsite celebrity chef Grill-Off, live music, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, taste and grow tents for children and many more events and activities. "

When: September 10-11, 2011

Where: 13212 Shaker Square, Cleveland, OH 44120

Time: 9/10: 1:00pm - 9:00pm, 9/11: 12:00pm - 6:00pm

Cost:

• One-day pass Adults: $7 Seniors: $4 Children ages 3 - 12: $2
• Two-day pass Adults: $12 Seniors: $6 Children: $3 
• Children under three are free for both days

Tickets can be purchased at any North Union Farmers Market location, by calling (216) 751-7656 or by ordering them at www.clevelandgarlicfestival.org