This weekend I went to an Indian restaurant called the India Cook House with my parents and one of my sisters to check out their lunch buffet. it was fairly cheap at about $8.95 per person, and we liked it. They had a wide variety of curries like chicken tikka masala along with some whose names I've already forgotten, tandoori chicken, fried foods like samosas, and dessert. On Tuesday I went back for an end of the year dinner with the UCI anthropology club and checked out the regular menu. The prices were fairly reasonable with none of the entrees (or at least the ones I looked at) exceeding around the $13 range and there are also some great reviews on yelp. We ordered a couple of appetizers, samosas, various other fried foods and naan, the delectable Indian flat bread that is served plain or with garlic and is sometimes used to scoop up curry, one of the main differences between the buffet and the regular hours were that the naan had to be ordered during regular hours while it was just given during the buffet.
After it was my turn to order, and I ordered the Chicken vindaloo. they give you a choice of how spicy it can be: hot, medium, or not spicy, I ordered hot because I like it hot. Then after eating appetizers and engaging in a conversation on North Eastern African cuisines and going more in depth with Ethiopian food places in Anaheim, and LA (we're all anthropology/social science majors after all) the food was ready. The vindaloo was good, it had a nice red color, and was spicy just the way I like it. I also ordered a mango lassi to help reduce the effect of the intense spice, for those of yu that don't know mango lassi is a mango flavored, yogurt based smoothie. Afterwards some people ordered desserts. he 2 desserts ordered were mango kulfi which is an Indian mango ice cream which had the consistency of a frozen bannana or in this case a whole frozen mango, the other dessert was gulab jaman which is an Indian milk cheese ballwhich I didn't try because by that thime I was too full. Then we took some group picture, paid our bills, and were on our way. I really enjoyed the restaurant and I hope to make another trip there in the future. If you want to check it out then below is the address as well as their website:
14130 Culver Dr # M
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 857-4858
Next up today…
The 2011 Saveur Best Food Blog Awards
What makes a top-notch food blog? Check out Saveur's top picks for 2011.
Sauveur magazine, a culinary and culinary-travel magazine, announced its second-annual food blog award winners earlier this month after receiving 40,000 entries from devoted food blog readers touting their favorite online sites and recipes. Listed below are some of the winners. To see Saveur's full list, including finalists, go to Saveur.com BEST ORIGINAL BAKING AND DESSERTS RECIPE
Cafe Fernando: Brownies with Hazelnut Butter and Chocolate Lace
About Cafe Fernando: "Hello! My name is Cenk (Jenk). I am a food blogger, novice photographer, seasoned home baker and a shameless chocoholic from İstanbul, Turkey. In 2006, I started this blog to share my kitchen adventures with friends and it got bigger than I’ve ever imagined. I made some wonderful friends along the way and look forward to many more."
BEST BAKING AND DESSERTS BLOG
Joy the Baker
About Joy the Baker: "I’m Joy. I’m a baker. Had you guessed as much? I’m currently hurtling towards my thirties, trying to show the world, and my kitchen, what’s what. I’m a self taught/ family taught/ taste buds taught baker. I grew up in the kitchen in between my father, who makes a mean Sweet Potato Pie, and my mother, who makes a really weird purple hot dog casserole… don’t ask. Between my kitchen loving parents, the clinking cake pans, and the flying flour, it became clear that baking is in my blood."
BEST COOKING BLOG
Smitten Kitchen
About Smitten Kitchen: "Deb is the kind of person you might innocently ask what the difference is between summer and winter squash and she’ll go on for about twenty minutes before coming up for air to a cleared room and you soundly snoring. It’s taken some time, but she’s finally realized that there are people out there that might forgive her for such food, cooking and ingredient-obsessed blathering and possibly, even come back for more."
BEST ORIGINAL SAVORY RECIPE
101 Cookbooks: Quinoa Skillet Bread
About 101 Cookbooks: "The premise this site was built on is best summed up in two sentences: When you own over 100 cookbooks, it is time to stop buying, and start cooking. This site chronicles a cookbook collection, one recipe at a time."
BEST FOOD PHOTO
What Katie Ate: Double Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
About What Katie Ate: "What Katie ate is a resource of info. relating to all things food and drink. Based in Sydney, Australia it includes recipes and photography by Katie herself ~ a professional photographer - specialising in food, lifestyle and interiors. It also documents local, national and international culinary offerings; restaurant reviews; gourmet shops; artisan producers and general foodie related items."
BEST CULINARY TRAVEL BLOG
David Lebovitz
About David Lebovitz: "Having been a professional cook and baker most of my life, I launched my website in 1999 to coincide with the release of my first book, Room for Dessert. The site was intended as a place to share recipes and stories and in 2004, to coincide with my move to Paris, software which allowed me to post more frequently became available and I turned the site into an official blog."
BEST VIDEO CONTENT
FoodWishes
About Food Wishes: "Chef John officially started his culinary career by enrolling at Paul Smith’s College, New York, in 1981. Two years later he graduated with an AAS Degree, with Honors, in Culinary Arts/Chef Training and was also awarded “Outstanding Chef Training Student.” Over the next 20 plus years, Chef John held just about every position possible in the food industry. After having seen and done it all in the food industry, Chef John went on to teach at the California Culinary Academy. After almost five years of teaching, John eventually decided to leave the school and follow his dream of teaching a larger audience how to cook, and share his passion for fine food."
BEST REGIONAL CUISINE BLOG
Homesick Texan
About Homesick Texan: "I have always enjoyed cooking and photography and this blog has been a wonderful outlet for these two passions. I started Homesick Texan in September 2005, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2006 that I became more regular in my posting. At first, it was just a place to share recipes with friends and family but eventually some other fine people started visiting as well—both homesick and non-homesick Texans alike!"
BEST KITCHEN TOOLS AND HARDWARE COVERAGE
The Kitchn
About The Kitchn: " This is a site for people who like to get their hands dirty while they cook. It is for those who care about the quality of their food, and how it affects the health of themselves and the planet. It is also for those who want to cook more, but are shy in the kitchen. It’s a place to dive in deep, and embrace the joy of one of our basic needs: food."
BEST CULINARY ESSAY
Bon Appetempt: "In the Kitchen With Grandma"
About Bon Appetempt: "Hi. My name is Amelia. I live in Los Angeles. I started this blog after a major culinary collapse."
BEST COOK-THROUGH BLOG
The Bitten Word
About The Bitten Word: "We started the blog as part of new years resolution after being inspired by this post on Serious Eats. We resolved to start putting our food magazines to work, cooking at least one recipe from each magazine. Our current stable of magazines includes Bon Appétit, Cook's Country, Cook's Illustrated, Everyday Food, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, Food Network Magazine, Martha Stewart Living and Saveur. On occassion, recipes from other magazines sneak in, too."
BEST SPECIAL INTEREST BLOG
Tartelette
About Tartelette: "I'm Helene, a French expatriate living in Charleston, SC since 1998. I started this blog in 2006, after I left a position as Pastry Chef of a French restaurant, unsure of what to do next. I just knew it would evolve around food. And not only sweets!"
BEST RESTAURANT/DINING COVERAGE
The Girl Who Ate Everything
About The Girl Who Ate Everything: "I learned to cook while majoring in food studies at New York University (graduated in May 2007), so training has occurred. Minimal training, that is. I currently have the best job in the world at Serious Eats. I'm quite sure that cooking in any professional manner is nowhere in the horizon."
Moving on next up we are going to be…
In Defense of the Daily Doughnut
By Kiera Aaron, Men's Health
Tue, May 24, 2011
Tue, May 24, 2011
Have you decided to cut out your favorite food—say, pizza? It sounded like a great diet strategy—that is, until you caved and ate an entire pie in one sitting.
And, if you’re like some guys, you felt super-guilty about eating the forbidden food—scolding yourself for your lack of control, and vowing to start your diet again tomorrow.
It’s no surprise that this cycle of diet, pig out, feel like crap about yourself, diet again, isn’t good for your psyche or your waistline. But how can you stop—and still have some control over what you eat?
When is Restriction Bad?
“Denying yourself a full food group or even one specific food will make it more desirable,” says Sondra Kronberg, M.S., R.D., NEDA spokesperson, and director of the Eating Disorder Treatment Collaborative. “You’ll want it even more because it’s forbidden—and your body will physically crave it if you’re depriving yourself of a given nutrient.”
Some dieters (not all) tend to have an “all or nothing” mindset. One slip-up can make you think you’ve blown it for the day, pushing you to the other extreme: “You’re more likely to eat even more forbidden food, knowing that you’ll cut yourself off tomorrow,” says Kronberg. “Then, you’ll restrict to make up for it, trapping you in this cycle.”
In one study, Canadian researchers told one group of female students that they would begin a strict diet for a full week. Following the lecture about their diets, these students ate more cookies than the non-dieting control group, suggesting that they were stocking up in anticipation of their diet. But not just that—those who were already on diets ate the most.
Why Do Some People Feel Guilty?
They’re called Catholics. Kidding—it’s all about denying yourself what you like. The more you limit yourself, the guiltier you’ll feel when you give into a craving. A German study found that “restrained eaters”—people who were highly preoccupied with weight loss—were more likely to feel guilty after eating chocolate compared to controls.
The problem with feeling guilty is that it creates an unhealthy relationship with food. “We have this mentality that we need to cancel out bad food through exercise,” says Kronberg. “But this ‘trade-off’ mentality is the foundation of exercise bulimia.”
Sure, working out is important. But it’s also important to see both exercise and eating as two healthy parts of your life—not as one canceling out the other.
“We don’t just eat for nourishment,” says Kronberg. “We also eat for pleasure, socializing, and mood stabilization.” We need to satisfy these other needs without feeling bad about them, she says.
Keep the Diet, Cut Out the Guilt
First, make sure you’re getting enough calories and meeting your nutritional needs—that “oh my gosh I’m starving” feeling will only lead to a binge, advises Kronberg.
Then, pick a favorite food that you’ve told yourself you can’t have. Ask yourself how many times a week you would, realistically, want to eat this “forbidden food.”
Of course, the process is gradual. If you have an all-or-nothing relationship with doughnuts, you shouldn’t start by buying a full dozen. Order one doughnut a few times a week to normalize the food. Then, you’re less likely to binge at the next breakfast buffet.
“If you give yourself permission to eat something, it’s less forbidden and you’ll want it less,” says Kronberg. “Some of my patients don’t even want a specific food after they’ve allowed themselves to have it.”
Other nutritionists agree. “Once all of the other nutritional needs have been met, 10 to 15 percent of your caloric intake can come from treats,” says Alan Aragon, M.S., and Men’s Health nutrition expert. (Just enough for a Boston crème doughnut!)
For more no-diet weight-loss advice, pick up a copy of the Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet! book today.
And, if you’re like some guys, you felt super-guilty about eating the forbidden food—scolding yourself for your lack of control, and vowing to start your diet again tomorrow.
It’s no surprise that this cycle of diet, pig out, feel like crap about yourself, diet again, isn’t good for your psyche or your waistline. But how can you stop—and still have some control over what you eat?
When is Restriction Bad?
“Denying yourself a full food group or even one specific food will make it more desirable,” says Sondra Kronberg, M.S., R.D., NEDA spokesperson, and director of the Eating Disorder Treatment Collaborative. “You’ll want it even more because it’s forbidden—and your body will physically crave it if you’re depriving yourself of a given nutrient.”
Some dieters (not all) tend to have an “all or nothing” mindset. One slip-up can make you think you’ve blown it for the day, pushing you to the other extreme: “You’re more likely to eat even more forbidden food, knowing that you’ll cut yourself off tomorrow,” says Kronberg. “Then, you’ll restrict to make up for it, trapping you in this cycle.”
In one study, Canadian researchers told one group of female students that they would begin a strict diet for a full week. Following the lecture about their diets, these students ate more cookies than the non-dieting control group, suggesting that they were stocking up in anticipation of their diet. But not just that—those who were already on diets ate the most.
Why Do Some People Feel Guilty?
They’re called Catholics. Kidding—it’s all about denying yourself what you like. The more you limit yourself, the guiltier you’ll feel when you give into a craving. A German study found that “restrained eaters”—people who were highly preoccupied with weight loss—were more likely to feel guilty after eating chocolate compared to controls.
The problem with feeling guilty is that it creates an unhealthy relationship with food. “We have this mentality that we need to cancel out bad food through exercise,” says Kronberg. “But this ‘trade-off’ mentality is the foundation of exercise bulimia.”
Sure, working out is important. But it’s also important to see both exercise and eating as two healthy parts of your life—not as one canceling out the other.
“We don’t just eat for nourishment,” says Kronberg. “We also eat for pleasure, socializing, and mood stabilization.” We need to satisfy these other needs without feeling bad about them, she says.
Keep the Diet, Cut Out the Guilt
First, make sure you’re getting enough calories and meeting your nutritional needs—that “oh my gosh I’m starving” feeling will only lead to a binge, advises Kronberg.
Then, pick a favorite food that you’ve told yourself you can’t have. Ask yourself how many times a week you would, realistically, want to eat this “forbidden food.”
Of course, the process is gradual. If you have an all-or-nothing relationship with doughnuts, you shouldn’t start by buying a full dozen. Order one doughnut a few times a week to normalize the food. Then, you’re less likely to binge at the next breakfast buffet.
“If you give yourself permission to eat something, it’s less forbidden and you’ll want it less,” says Kronberg. “Some of my patients don’t even want a specific food after they’ve allowed themselves to have it.”
Other nutritionists agree. “Once all of the other nutritional needs have been met, 10 to 15 percent of your caloric intake can come from treats,” says Alan Aragon, M.S., and Men’s Health nutrition expert. (Just enough for a Boston crème doughnut!)
For more no-diet weight-loss advice, pick up a copy of the Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet! book today.
last of all we have
Prison food vs. school lunches: any difference?
School lunch is a lot like prison food, only worse. An infographic created by Good Magazine comparing the average detention grub with the average elementary school fare shows a very similar tray breakdown.
Both offer a calorie count of around 1400, and both cost little more than $2.60 per person per day. The big difference, according to their research, sourced from national statistics, is that prisoners get a little more bang for the buck.
The average prison meal and the average elementary school lunch both consist of one bread item, one starch item and one beverage. But kids get an ounce less meat and they're usually skimped on either veggies or fruits. Overall prisoners have more options and a little more heft to their meal.
It's not the first time school and prison food have gone head to head. Institutional food, be it prisons or schools, often share the same mass distributers. (Aramark is one of the biggest food service providers for both prisons and schools.) They've also shared the same grub. Last month, the Massachusetts Department of Education donated thousands of cases of expired school lunches to prisons, from fruit and cheese to chicken. Much of it was rejected by prisons since it had passed the expiration date. But the only reason it was being offered to prisoners in the first place was because schools were under fire for feeding students the same past-due food.
Thanks to several national campaigns school food programs are under pressure to expand their healthy options for kids, but some initiatives take a correctional approach to curbing obesity. In San Antonio, school cafeterias are installing surveillance cameras that will snap photos of the contents of each student's tray to increase awareness about what kids are eating. Here's an idea: skip the cameras and just watch a marathon of "Locked-Up". With the cash saved, go buy students some veggies.
Both offer a calorie count of around 1400, and both cost little more than $2.60 per person per day. The big difference, according to their research, sourced from national statistics, is that prisoners get a little more bang for the buck.
The average prison meal and the average elementary school lunch both consist of one bread item, one starch item and one beverage. But kids get an ounce less meat and they're usually skimped on either veggies or fruits. Overall prisoners have more options and a little more heft to their meal.
It's not the first time school and prison food have gone head to head. Institutional food, be it prisons or schools, often share the same mass distributers. (Aramark is one of the biggest food service providers for both prisons and schools.) They've also shared the same grub. Last month, the Massachusetts Department of Education donated thousands of cases of expired school lunches to prisons, from fruit and cheese to chicken. Much of it was rejected by prisons since it had passed the expiration date. But the only reason it was being offered to prisoners in the first place was because schools were under fire for feeding students the same past-due food.
Thanks to several national campaigns school food programs are under pressure to expand their healthy options for kids, but some initiatives take a correctional approach to curbing obesity. In San Antonio, school cafeterias are installing surveillance cameras that will snap photos of the contents of each student's tray to increase awareness about what kids are eating. Here's an idea: skip the cameras and just watch a marathon of "Locked-Up". With the cash saved, go buy students some veggies.
