Southern Wine & Spirits Magazine

http://www.poweredbyprisma.com/sws/ (page 33)

Party with us on 
Friday, August 6th from 11 am to Midnight!

Nourish Executive Chef Dan Santos 
is the Featured Chef in Southern Wine & Spirits magazine for the July/August/September issue.

So we’re celebrating and want you to be there!

Get featured Southern Wine & Spirits beverages at special prices:

• Watermelon Martini with Prairie Vodka & Acai Berry Liquor: $5.50

• Manhattan with Makers Mark Burbon: $5.50

• Mojito with Flor de Cana rum: $5.50

• Acrobat Pinot Gris: $6.00

• Wente Chardonnay: $6.00

• Mibrandt Merlot: $6.00

Indulge in Nourish Sliders and get two sliders on mini-buns, with julienne sweet potato fries:

• beef – tomato slice & micro-greens – $5

• turkey – pickle, micro-greens, apricot sauce – $5

• chicken salad – open faced with walnuts, grapes, bacon, in mayo dressing – $5

• tuna – lightly seared ahi tuna, avocado, and wasabi dressing – $7

Get a sampling plate of our most popular side items with the “Nourish Salad Trifecta” – $5.50

Three radicchio leaf cups filled with:

• black, white, & red quinoa salad

• sweet potato & avocado salad

• mango salad

Come to Nourish and bring some friends on Friday, August 6th any time between 11 am and Midnight and show Dan how much he rocks!

With today’s trends in eating, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get together a big group of diverse people – say a study group or a business group – and figure out a place everyone can agree on for lunch or dinner.

They’re vegetarian, or the even more restrictive vegan. Or they’re lactose intolerant; or need to eat gluten-free. Needless to say, the local fast food joint doesn’t work.

But Nourish at Optima Camelview Village takes the pain out of finding the perfect place for picky eaters. The new restaurant/bar, which opened earlier last month, offers numerous healthy options with an easy-to-decipher menu that informs diners instantly whether a meal is vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free or gluten-free, or a combination of some or all.

For those looking to imbibe, the beer list is impressively stacked with a combination of relatively popular mid-sized brewery beers, interspersed with some harder to find brews. Wine and a full bar are available. A special happy hour menu, served 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. includes oil-free sweet potato fries for $3.50, $5 jalapeno hummus and chips and a couple of $7 cocktails, including an organic twisted tea. There are also two $3 beer options, Session lager and Tucson’s Nimbus Brewery’s Blonde. The bar is wi-fi enabled, allowing a tasteful mix of work and pleasure.

The food won’t disappoint either. On a recent visit we tried a multitude of dishes, including a sweet potato and avocado salad, quinoa with black beans, a vegan mac-and-cheese and hummus and chips. All were excellent, as were the entrees – an eggplant parmesan and a chickpea and sweet potato teriyaki burger served with waffle cut sweet potato fries.

At roughly $40 for two for lunch for appetizers, entrée and non-alcoholic drinks, this isn’t exactly the place for the budget conscious; but those looking for a healthy meal and a quality cocktail, Nourish is right on target.

Nourish at Optima Camelview Village, 7147 E. Rancho Vista Drive, Scottsdale, 480.684.2233, nourish123.com

© Copyright 2010 College Times

Going gluten-free or wheat-free doesn't have to be taste-free.

Learning that you, or someone you need to feed, has Celiac’s Disease (This is where gluten injures the lining of the small intestine resulting in weight loss, bloating, diarrhea, gas, abdominal cramps, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies.) or an allergy to wheat may make you feel frustrated or limited in your options.  Don’t despair!  Here are six basic guidelines to follow when creating a gluten-free or wheat-free meal.

1. Focus on the Food Items you Can Use, Rather than on the Ones You Can’t

Going gluten-free or wheat free often leads you to fabulous foods you wouldn’t have tried.  Have fun and let your food creativity come out with new items.

There are tons of options available to the gluten-free or wheat-free eater, you just many not be as familiar with them.  For example, there are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice throughout the world.  Long, medium, and short grains, waxy, arborio, aromatic, and specialty varieties are among the kinds you’ll find in the U.S.  Nutritionally all rices are essentially created equal, interchangeable in recipes, and easy to find.

Other great items that are friendly to gluten-free and wheat free eaters are potatoes, yams, milk, cheese, veggies, fruits, nuts, eggs, and meat (though see the list of meat items below to watch out for).  Check out the variety of different kinds of lentils, quinoa, and buckwheat, as well.

2. Investigate Alternatives to the Basics

With the growing number of people opting to go gluten-free or wheat-free, many food manufacturers are creating alternatives to the basics.  For example, there are lots of gluten-free pastas, gluten-free flours, and gluten-free breads on the market.  Test them out until you find ones you enjoy.  Don’t get discouraged if the first couple that you try aren’t what you expected.  Keep trying them.  As the demand gets larger, the quality and quantity of the choices is getting better.

3. Watch Out for Sneaky Gluten and Wheat

Wheat and gluten often show up in common places where you may not expect them.  Here are some commonly overlooked gluten hiding spots:

• Soy sauce - contains wheat.  You can buy wheat-free soy sauce and it tastes just as good.
• Sauces, dressings, and gravy - wheat flour is often used in sauces, dressings, and gravy so watch out or make your own using ingredients free of gluten.
• Fried items – many fried items are breaded and breading contains wheat and gluten.
• Bread crumbs - Bread crumbs contain wheat and gluten unless specifically marked gluten-free or wheat-free.  Many foods contain breadcrumbs such as, eggplant Parmesan, meatballs, meatloaf, and chicken fingers.  You can often simply eliminate the breadcrumbs in these recipes or use a gluten-free substitute.
• Beer – Contains wheat and barley.  Some manufacturers believe that the brewing process eliminates gluten from the beer, but there’s nothing to officially confirm that belief.  So, be careful.  Beer is also often used in batters and stews, so be careful there, too.
• Meats -Meat sounds like it would be naturally wheat-free or gluten-free, which makes sense if the meat hasn’t been pre-cooked and pre-packaged.  So be careful of the following items: Lunch meats, hotdogs, meatballs, meatloaf, stew (many recipes for stew call for the meat to be sprinkled with flour and seared. And many stews have flour in the broth.)
• Vitamins and pharmaceuticals - Wheat and gluten are sometimes used in medications, vitamins, and in capsules.
• Protein or meal replacements - Watch out for gluten and wheat here too.

4. Oats and Corn – Technically, neither of these items contains wheat or gluten and they should be safe.  However, some oats and corn products are processed in plants that manufacture gluten products, and some Celiac’s sufferers are also allergic to oats.  So, proceed with caution when using these items.

5. Read Food Labels – Never assume an item is gluten-free or wheat-free until you’ve read the label.

6. Make Healthy Choices – When you have a food allergy or food intolerance, it’s easy to slip into poor eating habits just to avoid the problem causing food item.  Choosing food simply because it’s gluten-free or wheat-free isn’t necessarily in your best interest.  The substitutes manufacturer make in order to make an item free of gluten aren’t always good for you.  Read the label and investigate the items listed before accepting a pre-packaged item as part of your regular diet.

Coal and Holly: Kirstin's dogs

Dogs have allergies just like people have allergies.  Scratching, dry skin, ear infections, skin irritations, sneezing, hormonal imbalances, thyroid complications, gas, vomiting, and diarrhea are all symptoms that may indicate that the food you’re eating or the diet you are giving your pet are wrong.   And, most (or nearly all) of the symptoms can be dramatically reduced or eliminated by removing common allergy causing foods.

Four of the top food allergens for people and dogs are… dairy, corn, wheat, and soy.

Many people don’t realize they or their pets have a food related allergy because the reaction or symptoms aren’t instantaneous.  Experts have found that it can take 12 – 16 weeks after elimination from the diet to impact symptoms caused by a food allergy or intolerance.   Therefore, you often won’t see instant results by removing the food from the diet for only a few days.  It could take months to see complete results for you or your dog.

The best way to know how each particular food item impacts you or your dog is to remove them completely, then after several months, add them back into your diet.  Keep a detailed food diary noting any changes you see after you have eliminated them and what items are impacted when (or if) you add them back in.

Personally, I have found a great impact in my own personal health after eliminating dairy and wheat products from my diet.  I also found that even a minor amount of dairy causes my mixed breed dog, Coal major stomach distress.  And when he’s distressed, I am distressed!

Also, even if your vet has recommended a particular food for your dog, be sure to read the label and make an informed decision about what you are feeding your pet.  If the first ingredient isn’t a major protein source, you’re already in trouble.  Dog food littered with fillers such as corn, cornmeal, wheat, preservatives, artificial flavoring, or coloring are simply not good for your pet.  And, if they are in your food, that’s not good, either.

Take control of your life, your health, and the health of your pets.  They’ll love you for it.

~~~~~~~

Cocoa Krispies boost your immune system, Kellogs claims.

Cocoa Krispies is Not Healthy?

San Francisco attorney Dennis Herrera has challenged Kellogg Company suggesting that Cocoa Krispies does not “support your child’s immunity” as the cereal boxes previously claimed. If you’d like to read the more serious version of this issue, go here: S.F.’s Dennis Herrera Stands up to Kellogg.

Is Kellogg so stupid that it thinks we will believe that a brown sugary rice cereal that turns your milk an unnatural color is good for your immune system? Please. And are we, as consumers, stupid enough to believe it? I’d like nothing more than for Cocoa Krispies to be good for me. But as Jack Lalanne said, “If it tastes good, spit it out.” Some of you may question whether Cocoa Krispies does taste good and I will allow you that. I’m more of a Cap’n Crunch man myself anyway. But most of the children in America… would place a vote of confidence in the tastiness of Cocoa Krispies.

For the past few years, I only eat cereal that looks and tastes like sticks or bark. Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll get cancer or that my intestines will bind up. So, I’ve eaten none of that sugary breakfast goodness I enjoyed in my younger years.

But even as our country gets healthier, the food industry keeps peddling crap and tries to convince us that it’s healthy crap.

We should all stand up to these corporate idiots like Dennis Herrera did and demand a change. Lets join together and tell them, “We’re not eating your crap until it tastes like crap.”

~~~~~~~~~

Though, of course, the reason for the opening of Nourish restaurant in Scottsdale in March is to help the good food taste good and not like crap.  So, if you want good food that TASTE good to you… be sure to visit us.  And, if you’re not sure what “good for you” food is anymore, we’re happy to do a “food makeover” for you and teach you exactly what you should be eating.  We will even create a Nourish personal meal plan for you.

Owner Kirstin Carey shows off the new vinyl sign located on the Nourish restaurant window.

Nourish...coming soon!

The first real sign that Nourish will be opening soon in Optima Camelview Village is now displayed on one of the west side windows of the restaurant.

Stay tuned to see what happens next!

COMING TO OPTIMA CAMELVIEW VILLAGE
MARCH 2010!

Nourish brings you more than just a place to sit and eat.  You get:

• Casual style restaurant serving delicious comfort food with a healthy twist
• Nourish Express – prepackaged meals to-go including beer and wine options
• Delivery to residents of Optima Camelview Village
• Catering for local parties and events
• Full service bar in restaurant serving wine, beer, and cocktails
• An internet bar complete with easy access electrical outlets and free wi-fi
• Two full-sized outdoor patios
• Private dining room with its own private patio
• Nourish Personal Meals – Created based on your goals, needs, and lifestyle – available for pick-up or delivered right to your door.

See a .pdf version of the menu…

Optima Camelview Village: Home of Nourish

Milk does NOT do a body good.

Milk…it does NOT do a body good!

If you have challenges with gas, bloating, cramps, or other stomach ailments, lactose may be the cause.  Just check out this USA Today article published August 30, 2009 on how many people around the world cannot digest milk.

Chances are, you are one of them….

Click here to go to USA Today article…

Flatout Flatbread

I’ve discovered a fabulous new product that I encourage you (unless you have a wheat or gluten allergy) to try.   It’s called “Flatout Flatbread.

Though there are only 100 calories per wrap, it’s incredibly high in fiber (8 grams!), a good source of protein, low in carbs and low in sugar.  They’re extremely versatile, and taste great.

Reading labels is good for your body, mind, and soul!

Below is the recipe for a healthy dish (easily made vegetarian) I whipped together the other night for dinner using this product and a bunch of leftovers in the fridge.  I call it: Toasted Grilled Steak and Veggie Confetti Wrap.

Obviously, you can exchange the steak for your favorite protein or replace any of the veggies with your favorites. 

Have fun.

Toasted Grilled Steak and Veggie Confetti Wrap

INGREDIENTS:

• grilled steak, chopped into small pieces (or whatever protein you prefer)
• yellow onion, finely chopped
• garlic, finely chopped
• carrots, shredded
• zucchini, shredded
• eggplant, chopped,
• red bell pepper, chopped
• fresh spinach, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper
• Flat Out Flatbread

DIRECTIONS:

Saute the onion and garlic with all the veggies in a little bit of olive oil and some salt and pepper for about 3-5 minutes.

Spoon sauteed veggies and some shredded chicken onto the center of a Flat Out Flatbread.   Roll the short side of the flatbread over about 2 inches (like a burrito) and roll the flatbread once lengthwise.  Fold the other side in and roll lengthwise again.

Place rolled stuffed flatbread, flap side down, onto silverfoil lined baking sheet and place under broiler for 1-4 minutes until top is toasted and browned.  Cut in half and serve.