Is the Way to a Man’s Heart Really Through his Stomach?: A Woman’s Perspective on a Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner

Written by Janet Sebastiano on 13 February 2012. Posted in Foodie

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and heads are swimming with thoughts of romance (ok, that might just be the women out there!). Lines at the florist are insanely long and the card isle at the local CVS looks like a tornado blew through it as people rush out to buy last minute flowers and cards. And cliché or not, some are even preparing to propose to their significant others.

I’m really not a fan of holidays. Any holiday. But especially Valentine’s Day. I never understood why you had to wait until February 14th to tell the people in your life that you love them. But it’s Valentine’s Day, and social convention dictates that I get caught up in the moment. The problem is, I just don’t think I’m the romantic type. I don’t get all doe-eyed over expressions of love and romance. Actually, I usually react with a loudyuckand long, dramatic eye roll. But, it’s almost February 14th and I love my boyfriend. So, I did the obligatory purchasing of a card and gift. But, even though the card I picked out was funny and meaningful, it still felt fake and forced. And I really wanted to do something nice for my boyfriend. What to do…? I racked my brain for a week. I’m good at baking, and he loves just about anything I bake. And, much to my chagrin, I’ve recently discovered that I can cook well. So, I decided the best thing I could do was to make an attempt at a homemade romantic dinner. I mean, the effort had to count for something, right?

Diary of a Really Bad Eater - Low Carb Life

Written by Janet Sebastiano on 03 February 2012. Posted in Foodie

Ok, since this is our third article together, I feel like we know each other. So, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’m actually not a picky eater at all. In fact, I’m just the opposite – my natural tendency is to eat anything, and everything, in sight. This series of articles should be more appropriate titled “Diary of a Reformed Fat Girl.” You see, I used to be fat. Very fat. I’d like to blame my Italian grandmother, but that wouldn’t be completely fair. It’s true…every five minutes my grandmother would say “Mangia!” and shove food in my face. And when I’d say, “Nonni, I’m not hungry,” well, it was as if I’d stabbed her through the heart. But I can’t totally blame her. I love food! So I ate. And ate. And ate some more.

I was a fat girl for most of my life (ironic, considering I was born a “preemie”). It wasn’t until after college that I finally said “Basta (Enough)!,” and started the Atkins diet. At first, a low-carb lifestyle wasn’t easy to adopt (especially the two-week induction phase that prohibits wine)! But once I got into the swing of things, Atkins transformed my life. It sounds cliché, I know. But it’s true. I lost over 100 pounds on the Atkins diet. And I’ve kept it off. Mostly because I’m what people call a “picky eater.”

The truth is, though, I’m not picky. I just don’t eat a lot of food. Anymore. I don’t eat beef or fish (by choice), or foods high in carbs, like pasta and rice. So, that doesn’t leave me a lot of options besides chicken and salad (or turkey and pork, which I do eat). I’ve lived a low-carb lifestyle for almost nine years now, and I’ve retrained my brain on how to eat. I’m sure a lot of you are thinking, “Yuck! Who can live without bread and potatoes?!” It’s not always easy. Especially as an Italian. And as an avid baker.

Diary of a really bad eater - Salad is more than just lettuce

Written by Janet Sebastiano on 20 January 2012. Posted in Foodie

So, for those of you who read my first article on chicken, you know I’m a pretty picky eater. And yes, thanks to my boyfriend, I now have a much more varied diet. But there was a long period of time in my life when I pretty much only ate chicken or salad. In fact, there were days when I would eat salad for both lunch and dinner! Over the years, I’ve taken a lot of abuse from friends and family about my terrible eating habits and pathetically stocked kitchen of just chicken, salad fixings, condiments, and water. While it is safe to say that I am a former chicken addict, I am also a recovering salad-oholic.

Salads are great, though. They’re healthy and filling, which keeps you from pigging out after dinner (I don’t know if that’s a problem for you, but it sure was a huge problem for me)! The only bad thing about eating salad for dinner every night is that you get really bored, really easily. Even me! So, I had to come up with a bunch of creative salads to stave off the boredom.

Now, I’m sure some of you think that only women on first dates eat salad for dinner. Well, while that is sometimes true, salads aren’t just for single women. Even my boyfriend, a true carnivore (much to my chagrin), will eat just a salad for dinner. For you skeptics out there, I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite non-traditional salad recipes with you. They’re simple to make, and they’re healthy and delicious, too! Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE = LOVE

Written by Janet Sebastiano on 25 January 2012. Posted in Foodie

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! It’s pretty impossible to go into a store right now and not be inundated with boxes and bags of chocolate. Look up and down the aisles and you’ll see everything from white to dark to crispy chocolate, to chocolate covered fruit and nuts and chocolate filled with marshmallow or peanut butter. Apparently, nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate! Maybe it’s a “girl thing,” but there’s just something about chocolate (or maybe it’s the chemical compounds in chocolate that makes people react so strongly). But Valentine’s Day and chocolate go hand-in-hand.

Cooking the perfect pork tenderloin

Written by Dan Lussier on 14 January 2012. Posted in Foodie

Apparently, cooking the perfect pork tenderloin is incredibly difficult for many people. In fact, "How long to cook pork tenderloin" is one of the top searched questions on both this website and Google.

So, just what is it that makes pork tenderloin so difficult to cook? Based on both my personal experience, and the results of a recent questionnaire, most people just have no idea when pork is done! For most people, when they cut into the pork to check the color and see pink, they automatically assume the pork isn't done and put it back into the oven to cook longer. I mean, after all, weren't we always told that food isn't cooked until the meat is no longer pink? Well, when it comes to pork, that's actually not true! In reality, the pork can still have a hint of pink in it and still be completely cooked and safe to eat.

Now, when I say pink, I don't mean so pink that the pork loin is still "oinking." I'm talking about a hint of pink color in the center of the pork. When you cook pork loin, it's generally best to let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing. The pork will actually continue cooking while it rests. But it won't dry out like it would if you left it in the oven to "cook" longer. The best way to truly know when a pork loin is completely cooked is when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin registers 145°F.

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