12-24-09

That Perfect Holiday Dress

Holiday parties are here and it’s time to dress… thankfully there are lots of options to choose from this festive season. Let’s start with dresses. The reason Rose loves dresses is because once you put one on, regardless of the occasion, you instantly feel festive and great about yourself.

There are several types of dresses that just feel right this holiday season…

Look back to the 20’s
20’s inspired dresses are in. Whether you choose a dress in champagne colour or a stylish black dress with a V neck and a tasteful feather hem at the bottom.

Off the shoulder glam
Off the shoulder tops and dresses instantly make you more glamorous
This season most celebrities are sporting the off the shoulder fashions. Why not try a stylish black or vibrant red full length off the shoulder gown.

Throwback to the 50’s
For a holiday party, try a checkered dress with a tailored waist with the hem that is at your knee level. Be careful with the colour. White and black checkers are a safe bet.

The royal colour of gold
Yes, I know that the royal colours are usually purple, but not everyone can pull off a purple dress. Try a dress with gold circles on a lean, skinny-strap sheath with the slightly raised waist that would make your legs look longer.

12-23-09

Getting The Skinny On Fat

Heading into 2010, and no doubt many have committed to finally dropping those extra pounds, or at very least, modifying eating habits for the better over the long term. Fat… the good, the bad (and even the ugly!) plays a big role (no pun intended) in healthy eating. Yet, getting it all straight can be confusing, so here’s the skinny on fat…

First off, fat’s definitely gotten a bad wrap amid a decade or more of diet trend philosophy. The fact is, fat is one of many nutrients that’s essential for healthy weight maintenance. At a very primitive level, fat provides a taste and texture element, and innate physiological effect regarding the way we enjoy food. But even more importantly, it’s a vital energy source, which carries fat-soluble vitamins essential for growth.

Still, too much fat leads to obesity and related negative effects, such as heart and vascular disease and diabetes. The Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation cautions that a lot of the fat in our diet is not seen – it’s already in the foods we have purchased. However, added fats like oils used in stir-fries, dressings on our salads and spreads on bread, can contribute even more fat to our diets. The Food Guide suggests limiting these types of visible fats and using mostly unsaturated varieties.

Nutritionists widely agree that Canadians should consume 30 percent or less of their total daily calories from fat, with 10 percent or less of those calories from saturated fat. Remember, the 30 percent refers to your total fat intake over time, not single foods or meals. The nutritional panel on food packaging is helpful to determine how much fat is in a particular product, and how much of that product therefore relates to your optimal, daily dietary intake.

Always be on guard for saturated fats (those that are solid at room temperature, such as animal fats and hydrogenated margarine) and steer instead to really good fats and oils that come from UNREFINED vegetable sources like olive oil or oily fish. Remember, foods high in fat can be part of a healthy diet – it’s all about balance with other lower-fat food choices.

The bottom line is regardless whether saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (most fats we eat are a combination of each of these) all types of fats contain 9 calories per gram.

For even more information about fat, nutrition and health, check out the The Hearth & Stroke Foundation.

12-23-09

A Decadent Black & White Dessert Duo To Ring In 2010…

Miniature Chocolate Mudpies & Coconut Layer Cake With Italian Meringue Icing

Go ahead and indulge with two of Rose’s dessert classics—your guests will never know they’re both easy on the fat and calories…

Miniature Chocolate Mudpies

When you deal in miniature, you’re working with the perfect way to maintain the presence of all

your favourite desserts in any diet. Don’t deny yourself – just make it mini!

1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 tbsp water 2 tbsp all purpose flour 2 tsp vegetable oil 2 1/2 oz light cream cheese 2 tbsp chocolate chips

2 large eggs 2 tbsp hot water 1/4 cup low fat sour cream 1 tsp instant coffee 3 tbsp corn syrup 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla Garnish with icing sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with vegetable oil.

In small bowl combine wafer crumbs, water and oil until mixed.  Divide and pat into bottom of muffin tins. In small bowl combine chocolate chips, water and coffee.  Microwave for 40 seconds or just until chocolate begins to melt.  Stir until smooth.

In bowl of food processor add sugar, cocoa, flour, cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, corn syrup and vanilla.  Puree until smooth.  Add chocolate mixture and puree until smooth.  Divide among muffin cups and bake for 12 minutes or just until centre is still slightly loose.

Cool and chill before serving.  Remove from tin with a knife. Garnish with icing sugar.

Coconut Layer Cake with Italian Meringue Icing

Rose used to avoid coconut desserts entirely but now that light coconut milk is available, she always looks for ways to use it. To toast the coconut, brown it in a skillet over high heat for approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 2 egg whites 3/4 cup light coconut milk 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 3 large egg whites 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup water 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 tsp salt 3 Tbsp coconut, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking oil.

For the cake, beat 1 cup of the sugar, the coconut milk, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and coconut in another bowl, mixing well. Stir the dry ingredients into the coconut milk mixture by hand, mixing just until combined.

Beat the 2 egg whites with the cream of tartar in a clean bowl until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the cake batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Divide the mixture between the prepared pans.

Bake in the center of the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a rack.

For the icing, combine the 3 egg whites, sugar, water and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (or use a heatproof glass or metal bowl over a saucepan). Beat the mixture with an electric mixer for 6 to 8 minutes or until it thickens and soft peaks form. Remove it from the heat. Beat for 1 minute or until stiff peaks form. Stir in 2 Tbsp of the toasted coconut.

When the cakes are completely cooled, spread one-quarter of the icing over 1 cake layer. Place the second layer on top of the first and ice the top and sides with the remainder. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp toasted coconut.

12-14-09

12 Tips & Tricks To Curtail The Calories This Holiday Season!

At Rose Reisman Personal Gourmet, even decadence is in balance. All year long our personalized programs work so well for so many who need and want to shed extra pounds, and who ultimately are able to maintain a healthy weight without uttering that dirty word, diet. “It’s all about lifestyle,” says Rose Reisman. “Eating well should come as naturally to you as brushing your teeth, even during the holidays.”

Still, this is the time of year that that tempts us at every turn – so much so, that the average adult gains 5 to 7 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day! “A healthy holiday table doesn’t have be about deprivation or starvation,” Rose reassures, whose following tips and tricks let you savour and sip but will help curtail the calories throughout the holidays…

Holiday Cooking

• Traditional favourites tend to be loaded with fat. Start with substituting good for bad, such as olive oil instead of butter or chicken fat in the stuffing; multigrain instead of white bread will also add fibre, or better, try substituting some of the bread with cooked, protein-rich quinoa grain or wild rice

• In place of cream in soups try swirling in evaporated milk or even pureed sweet potatoes, which will add a creamy texture, but not the fat

• Skip the butter or fatty sauces with vegetables – but no need to steam or boil, instead roast vegetables with a drizzle of maple syrup and olive oil, and dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg for an aromatic punch of flavour

• Make gravies ahead of time, then refrigerate – the fat will rise to the top and congeal, and can be easily skimmed off with a spoon; simply reheat and serve

• For dips and spreads, substitute lower fat or no fat versions of sour cream and mayonnaise, or even try plain yogurt

• Try skipping the cured meats like ham, which are loaded with nitrates and salt, which is one of thes leading causes of hypertension

• For festive desserts, switch out oil in the mix for butter and use real, dark chocolate chips for a more potent, and healthier chocolate hit in cakes and cookies; for cake batters, try substituting one-third to half of the oil with pureed bananas, applesauce or crushed pineapple

Surviving The Party Circuit

• Be mindful of hidden calories in beverages – alcohol is high in calories, and even the driest of wines can easily pack 200-400 calories per glass; try cutting a glass of white wine with sparkling water, and substitute the cream in eggnog with low fat milk and even butter milk

• Before heading off to a cocktail or dinner party, have a light, healthy snack – a piece of fruit, low fat cottage cheese or yogurt – to curb your appetite and more easily survey your host’s food and drink and make better decisions

• At the buffet table, consciously serve yourself smaller portions – a trick alone which saves lots of calories; it’s also best not to think about post-holiday dieting, which may trigger anxious thoughts of ‘deprivation’ and lead to needless over-indulging

• Be sure to be active every day throughout the holidays – there’s nothing like an invigorating winter walk an hour before a festive dinner or between dinner and dessert

• Most of all, be sure to enjoy your good friends and family, and be mindful about what you’re eating and drinking, but don’t sweat it if you over indulge once or twice – just return to a healthy

12-01-09

A Passion for Healthy Living

In this video Rose explains her passion for healthy living and the philosophy behind her menu while taking you on a tour of the Rose Reisman kitchen.