Confessions Of A Fruity Salad Guy

INTRO: Hello, my name is The Orracle and I eat salads that are fruity.

RESPONSE: Welcome, Orracle.

I feel like I need to join FSA….Fruity Salads Anonymous…..or is that sal-anon?  I know that The Rube may have a heyday with the 'Fruity Salad Guy' title.  I had no choice but to go with it!

I have always liked salads. I like them with lots of toppings but those toppings were always manly toppings like onions, peppers and most importantly, blue cheese dressing. We’re not talking low fat blue cheese. We’re talking home-made or really bad for you dressing like Maries. My first changes after Hilton Head Health were to move to the Dip and Spear methodology. That has allowed me to maintain the heavier dressings but just use very little of it. Two containers at a restaurant was barely enough before where now I can get by with ¼ of a single container/cup.

One day, I did not have any ‘good’ dressing. Ashlie had some raspberry vinaigrette. I decided to try it and why not throw some strawberries on it. I was instantly hooked. Then we found a better raspberry dressing from Panera that Target carries. It looks like raspberry jam it is so red! This dressing is 20 calories per 2 TBSP. Pouring this one on is safer and easier since it is a little bit thin to dip and spear. There is a Kraft version of this dressing that is an OK runner-up if you cannot find the Panera version.

The salad pictured below is the current favorite recipe.

• Salad greens of your choice
• Cut up strawberries
• Fresh blueberries
• Fresh blackberries
• Grape tomatoes
• Crushed, unsalted pecans (approx 10 pecans)
• Small amount of reduced fat crumbled feta cheese
• Panera Bread Raspberry Vinaigrette

I still love blue cheese but this is right up there and in this concoction, very healthy and as low in fat and calories as you can get!

Little of This, Little of That...

As I get to know more people in our Florida office, the more I like it down here.  The people in our office are SO warm and friendly.  I want to welcome a couple of ladies from the Florida office to the Orracle pages!  I am excited to share ideas and maybe start some walking groups down in that office. 

A word on WHACK.... It looks to be spreading again!  It is like Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution except just WHACK!  HA!  I love it when someone tries it and they say how much they love it.  Better yet is when they say how good they felt that day and how they were not hungry.  That is the beauty of Breakfast Whack.  I literally don't leave home without it.
One thing that I was thinking about this week was how we are truly products of our environment and while we cannot control every aspect of our environment, we can avoid putting ourselves in situations that may become higher risk depending on who you are and what your vices are.  If you take the steps necessary to control the situations you are in, you stand a much better chance of succeeding and meeting any goals you are trying to reach. 

I also wanted to put a link to a great post by Bob Wright on the H3 blog related to the newest fad diet, the HCG diet.  In South Florida, I have seen ads on TV for this and even had a conversation with a server at Red Lobster about it.  At the risk of restating Bob's thoughts - I'll give you my perspective....

When I first heard of this, my first thoughts were related to the calorie restrictions.  First of all, are you losing weight rapidly because of the drug or because of the calorie restrictions?  Secondly, if this diet is so amazing, why do you have to restrict your intake so much?  Lastly, what is their suggested plan for when you finish the 500 calorie regiment?  My hunch is that you will go back to what you were doing before. 

Now, even eating healthy, I could restrict myself to 500 calories.  The truth is, I am not on a diet.  I am living this way.  There will be a day when I stop losing weight but continue to eat this way.  It does seem simple when I think about it but before my eye-opening, life changing experience at H3, I like so many others just did not see this simple solution.  We are blinded by the thousands of diets, books and TV shows with every other concoction for weight loss success when in reality they are just short term fixes and usually very restrictive.

Have a great weekend everyone!  Keep thinking wellness and keep living well!

A New Favorite Restaurant!

I remembered Bob Wright from Hilton Head Health talking about a great place to eat where everything on the menu was low calorie and made from real, healthy ingredients.  I realized that place was Seasons 52 and they are all over South Florida where I have been spending much of my time.  I was alone for dinner tonight and headed that way. 

I liked the short but diverse menu.  Every item is under 475 calories.  I asked about the appetizers also and they also are all under 475 calories.  Not wanting to eat 2 items at 475, I asked for specifics.  Not only were specifics available, but they had the numbers for calories, fat and cholesterol!  WOW!  I knew I wanted the Snapper Piperade which is mentioned in this article.  I was curious about the Chipotle Glazed Shrimp or the Buffalo Chili for an appetizer.  The shrimp was 270 calories and the chili was 210 or 260 depending on the size ordered.  I went for the chili which was possibly the most amazing thing I have tasted in ages!  WOW!  The waiter told me that the secret ingredient was Guinness. 

The Snapper Piperade was 380 calories and served over a stack of marinated jicama, black beans, thin and crispy green beans and shredded red and yellow bell peppers. 

If more people could taste this food, I think they would realize how GOOD this food can taste without blowing your budget on calories.  Why do the Cheesecake Factory?  Why do that to yourself when such amazing flavors and combinations await somewhere else?

Bob was (W)right again!  This place is the real deal!  I cannot wait to go back.

Who Hates Chain Restaurants?

I am in Miramar, FL this week again. As some co-workers and I talked about my success in losing weight and the terrific plan I have in place thanks to my best friends at Hilton Head Health, I mentioned that I tend to eat mostly at chain restaurants. This co-worker reminded me about a past blog post that I could not find but definitely remember. She reminded me about how I used to rant about hotels referring me to 'great' places to eat only to find out it is a chain restaurant.

She is right. I used to go on and on about how stupid it was to eat at chain restaurants when you were in a new city. Certainly there are better places to eat than a chain! Think of the great BBQ I have had in Richmond or Memphis or numerous places in Texas. Think of the Southern Cooking I had the the Loveless in Nashville. Think about the special wings and fried tacos from Michael's on Main in Omaha. Yes, the mom & pop places certainly are tasty. That might have been part of the problem that brought me to H3 in the first place!

Before I shove the local joints completely under the bus, let's assume I could get away with ordering better food there. Still, it would be somewhat of a mystery if I actually could succeed and therefore avoid them. Now, I know if a place offers steak and fish that I can find something in the safe zone.

I have found the value in chain restaurants. Many now have nutrition information available on the menu or minimally on websites such as calorieking.com. Good luck finding out the number of calories in the buscuits and gravy or the catfish nuggets at The Loveless Cafe.

Yes, my position has changed. We have to change from time to time. We learn and grow with our maturity and knowledge. Even The Rube might suggest I have made some other funamental changes in the way I think about certain things.

With my travel schedule, I am now a junkie and a disciple of Applebee's and Ruby Tuesday or even Red Lobster. After being bashed in the 'worst places to eat out', The Cheesecake Factory has cried Uncle and announced their new Skinnylicious menu debuting in August and September chain wide. With 2 of 3 people in the USA being classified as obese, I think that this is a good thing. These places need to make this information known. The Rube may disagree with this but I am in full support of the new law requiring restaurants to have calorie information on all menus. People just have NO idea how bad the food they are eating really is. I do now and that makes my change of mind justified.

Caddyshack....The New Nutritional Guideline!

Who knew that Caddyshack had a line in the movie that would prove to be a healthy option?

When Spaulding Smails says, “I want a hamburger. No, cheeseburger. I want a hot dog. I want a milkshake. I want potato chips…..” and Judge Smails interrupts with, “You’ll have nothing, and like it!”

Judge & Spaulding Smails

This weekend, I found myself in another very high risk situation. Surrounded by family that is very supportive yet in an environment filled with buffets, pizza and other foods that helped me get to the unhealthy, old version of The Orracle of the past. Dinner in a restaurant is fairly simple. You can usually get a grilled chicken breast or small sirloin/filet, salad and plain baked potatoes (with lemon of course!). Breakfast is a whole different situation. While eggs are not horrible for you and omelets can be made with veggies galore, there is not a grilling option that you can assure yourself will be light on the oil. At 120 calories per tablespoon and 70 calories per egg, this can get out of control quickly. Then, figure it will come with a meat and/or toast which even dry is very high in calories.

Mrs. Orracle and I decided to pack a cooler with all of the ingredients to Breakfast Whack. We ate that before meeting our family for breakfast. I thought about testing the waters at breakfast and once I did, I was very happy that I had already eaten my Whack. I tried to get a poached egg or two. They did not do that but I could get them basted (WARNING!). An egg white omelet was not available either. You had your choice of grease, calories or fat with a side of grease.

I had nothing.....and liked it!

My sister commented how hard that must have been. I would not say it was hard. I felt fine. I was feeling full from my Whack. Was it difficult to sit and have coffee with American fries, omelets, biscuits and gravy and French toast filling every olfactory nook and cranny in my body? Sure. Let’s say for a minute I had the breakfast instead of Whack. Whack was roughly 300 calories. An omelet would have been at least 350-400 plus any extras such as toast at 100 calories a slice if eaten dry (and why would you do that?). Let’s assume I could have survived the breakfast at 550 calories (which might be pushing it). Is the difference of 250 calories that much of a deal breaker for me? Probably not. Could it bring back the taste of some old habits. You bet. Could it have been that it would not have satiated me like the well rounded Whack did? Absolutely.

The point I am trying to make is that we cannot look at the net calories alone. We have to look at where we’ll be after that meal. If that meal will leave you hanging and wanting more food sooner, it probably is not the best choice even if the net difference in calories is small. The food contents and plate design (¼ protein, ¼ starch, ½ fruits and/or vegetables) can make the difference down the road that day!

We can make significant progress in our battles to lose weight and be more healthy by making small adjustments. Just imagine what a difference a big adjustment or two like this can do for you!

Breakfast Whack Spreading Like Wildfire!

Like a bad rumor, the concoction now known as Breakfast Whack is catching on. From its roots to person unknown at Hilton Head Health, it had a following. The following was somewhat limited to H3 guests and past guests however.

In a recent post, I illustrated the way it obtained the catchy name, Breakfast Whack. Since then, my wife's coworkers have started eating it and loving it. Rumor has it that their families have even started on it. Could Breakfast Whack be the next Facebook, multiplying like friend requests to old girlfriends? Just maybe.

Today at lunch, I had something that was not as pretty as Breakfast Whack but it sure was tasty. It just might be the incarnation of Lunch Whack....but Jess will be the judge of that!

The Orracle Goes Viral!

Disclaimer: I understand that a title like that from me would usually mean that I am sick or have some kind of actual virus. That is not the case today...


Since my friends at Hilton Head Health posted a link to my last blog entry on their facebook page, potentially HUNDREDS of people have found my blog. That means it is time to turn up the intensity and get some more posts out here!

Besides getting a haircut today which along with my glowing Hilton Head Island tan makes me look like a movie star, I have really nothing else to say today! So, I found a little viral video, food related of course for your viewing pleasure. I think this dog just might need a short stay at H3 to control these food driven emotions! ENJOY!

GPS Making Us Dumber...Or Was It The Food?

I arrived in Nashville today for a 3 night gig. For dinner I thought I would try a Food Network and B0bby Flay favorite which is normally against my rules. I generally prefer the place that the LOCALS eat at vs. the tourists and especially not chains. This was not a chain but it certainly WAS touristy.

I at at The Loveless Cafe. The main check-in area is adorned with quite possibly the most eclectic set of 8x10 celebrity pics. Some are truly celebs. Some, well - maybe not. While most are country singers with Nashville in close proximity, I found Wink Martindale's very unusual with a tic-dac-dough board in his signature.

I ordered a sampler....biscuits (their specialty) with preserves, a chicken breast, pulled pork and catfish. Add on two sides and two more biscuits with the main course and I was in a position I am not used to being in. I was at a point where I did not know if I could finish my dinner. Clean plate club member all of my life and this Southern Gem was kicking my Orracleass. I still managed to order dessert to go - could not pass up the cobbler and am hoping I can actually fathom eating when I wake up tomorrow.

Ah - the GPS thing. I realized tonight when someone in the hottub asked me how to get to The Loveless Cafe. I could not tell them. I take serious pride in being able to get ANYWHERE I have been before and if I was there recently, I could give them road by road, turn by turn directions. I know for certain that I could find Al's place right now. I might not be able to give street names but I bet I could take the correct exit on visuals and find his place very easily and I have only been there one time and it was a few years ago.

The GPS is making us stupid! I just wait for her to tell me what to do without stress of messing up because she will accomodate no matter how badly I miss the mark. Come to think of it, why wasn't there a GPS on the NWA flight that overshot MSP by 150 miles? You'd think the constant voice saying "RECALCULATING" would have prompted them to turn around...but I digress.

I guess more testing will have to be done to see if the GPS simplifying travel in strange towns is actually making my memory less effective or if it was just the fantastic, overstuffing of food that I took on tonight.