FitSugar

Do You Bring Your Own Food When You Fly?

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:00:00 PST

Airplane meals were notoriously bad, so I must admit I don't really miss them. Airport food is really only one step up in my book. It can be very difficult to find something decent and healthy to eat when flying, so I usually pack my own food. Plus little treats are so helpful when you need to calm down a panic stricken 2-year-old.

So what about you...

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Link Time: Buffalo Chicken Wing Cupcakes

Susannah Chen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:57:06 PST

Buffalo chicken wing cupcakes? Buffalo chicken wing cupcakes - Geekosystem
Taste testing whole wheat sandwich bread - HuffPost Kitchen Daily
What?! You didn't bring your own grocery bags? - Eater
Host a Downtown Abbey dinner party - Epicurious
Trendspotting: foie gras hot dogs - The Daily Meal
Lard for your lips, not your hips - Grub Street NY
On the importance of great tortillas - Food Republic
Must make: rosemary and balsamic roasted grapes and olives - Vegetarian Times
Can you guess America's favorite Girl Scout cookie? - The Stir

Truffle Mac and Cheese

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:55:45 PST

Winter's prime time for comfort foods, and what could be more reassuring on a bleak day than truffle mac and cheese? Cooking in Pajamas expounds.

You could go to a restaurant and pay $15 for a bowl of this decadent pasta, or simply make it at home for a fraction of the price. That's right. You can make this at home for a surprisingly reasonable price. The secret is truffle oil.

The use of truffle oil has become controversial in culinary circles. Ask any chef what they think of truffle oil, and they will most likely turn up their noses and declare it to be an unacceptable substitute to the real thing. One of the biggest reasons for this is that many truffle oils on the market do not contain any actual truffles. They use a synthetic ingredient to duplicate the aroma of the truffle, but their are a few brands that contain natural truffle to infuse the oil.

Keep reading for her truffle macaroni and cheese secrets.

5 Entertaining and Romantic Movie Dates

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:50:00 PST

In honor of this year's Sundance Film Festival that just began yesterday, it's time to explore different movie date night options for you and your honey to warm up to this Winter. Beyond your average movie complex, there is a whole world of independent theaters and festivals to explore and attend to have a romantic and memorable date experience. Here are a few ideas to reinvigorate the ol' movie night standard.

Technicolor features: Films in technicolor have intensely vivid and dreamy hues. Usually independent and historical theaters will screen special technicolor features, and it's a unique and rare opportunity to see such amazing colors and classic films like Gone With the Wind on the big screen. Even if the film you see isn't a classic, it's still nice to curl up close and enjoy the romantic, sleepy quality of technicolor.
Historical theaters: Check to see if your town has at least one historical theater with a classic, blinking marquee and intricate interior architecture. Research the history behind the building before you go so you and your date can appreciate the theater's story and architectural details upon your visit.
Cult midnight movies: There is an entire culture that follows midnight screenings of B-rated films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The especially diehard will dress up, act out scenes, and sing along. Attending a midnight movie like Rocky can be a ridiculous yet fun way to bond and break any inhibitions.
Film festivals: Independent, horror, documentary, shorts, underground, and international are just a few of the dozens of film festivals that take place in North America. It's cold and dark during the Winter, so you might as well use the time to expand your film repertoire and have a dozen new stories and concepts to discuss with your date afterward.
Drive-ins: If you live in an area with a milder climate, you could drive out of town to go to a drive-in theater. The tickets are cheaper, you're in the comfort of your car, and you can bring your own food. Most importantly, depending on your parking spot, you might have enough privacy to engage in some high-school-esque backseat action.

How to Prevent a Bad Running Day

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:56:02 PST

Some days I slip on my sports bra and sneaks and I feel so light and strong - like I could keep going and going. Other days it seems like my legs are trudging through mud. What gives? We can't prevent bad running days entirely, but here are a few things you can do in order to have more good days than bad.

Get enough sleep the night before. Hit the hay early enough so you get seven to nine hours of shut-eye.
Make sure you're hydrated. Not drinking the appropriate amount of water before and during your workout can lead to dizziness, headaches, decreased energy and performance, dry mouth, and cramps. A few hours before running, drink about 15 to 20 ounces. Drink another eight to 10 ounces 10 to 15 minutes before heading out.
Eat before your run. Remember that food is fuel. If you're not working out for five or so hours, enjoy a meal that contains protein, fat, and carbs. Several hours before a run, eat a meal that's under 500 calories. Thirty to 90 minutes before you head out, enjoy a carb-loaded low-fat snack. If you're working out first thing in the a.m., fuel up with easily digestible carbs that are low in fiber. Getting too much fiber can cause major cramps during your run.
Hit the ladies room. There's no need to carry unnecessary weight with you, so if you can relieve yourself before your run, you'll feel much lighter and will be less likely to experience belly aches.

See more tips after the break!

Office Etiquette: Bringing Your Lunch to Work

SavvySugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:51:14 PST

Taking your lunch to work is a healthy, cost-friendly habit, but if you decide to eat in the office, you should keep your co-workers in mind and practice proper manners. Here are four things to consider if you like to dine at your desk.

Not everyone shares the same taste. Some of the most delicious foods can have less-than-appealing smells, so be conscientious and save the strong-scented dishes for dinnertime. You'll avoid upsetting your co-workers and keep your breath conversation-ready.
Use your usual manners. It's important that your midday meals don't distract your office-mates, so stick to the table etiquette you learned as a child. Don't slurp, don't chew with your mouth open, and keep things neat to avoid spilling on your work or keyboard.
Bring your own silverware. Even if your office keeps a stash of plastic silverware in the kitchen, bring your own to avoid unnecessary waste. Stay eco-friendly by packing washable silverware with your lunch.
Eat and move on. Try not to linger with your lunch. You don't need to rush your meal, but it shouldn't be an all-afternoon affair, either. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of time to eat, then clear your desk and get back to work.
Respect the refrigerator real estate. You're one of several employees, so there's no need to take up an entire shelf with your favorite foods. Remember to clean up after yourself and regularly remove your leftovers from the office fridge. Follow the standard waste processes, too, and recycle when appropriate.

Turkey Pot Pie

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:19:10 PST

Turkey pot pie is a necessary indulgence in the world of dieting and salads we all seem to be living in. Yoo Eatz gives us a straightforward, weeknight-friendly recipe for a comforting pot pie.

This holiday season came and went like the whirlwind it always is, and I sit here in the aftermath realizing that I have plenty of recipes to catch up on. So let's take a mini jaunt down memory lane to Thanksgiving, shall we?

Being the lucky recipient of my family's turkey carcass, I ended up with about 6 quarts of homemade stock, most of which sits in the freezer waiting for a chilly night when turkey noodle soup is a quick solution to the question "What's for dinner?" Unfortunately for the stock but quite happily for the rest of us San Franciscans, warm weather has taken up temporary residence in these parts, so soup has been on the back burner, so to speak. But back in late November when temps were still brisk in the low 50s (here, my East Coast friends may shout whatever expletives come to mind), comfort foods were definitely on the brain.

Purists will say that a pot pie must be just that: a pie complete with buttery, flaky crust on the top and the bottom. I get it (admission: I love Marie Calendar's frozen chicken pot pies dumped on a pile of hot white rice), but (1) who has time to whip up pie dough on a weeknight?, and (2) it's hardly a light meal. So I substituted store-bought puff pastry for the crust and focused on a rich, hearty filling for my turkey pot pie. For the recipe, read on.

Lose Weight and Get Fit With Your Phone

Health — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:14:36 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

A sleeker, stronger body could be just a tweet or a Facebook post away
By Jamie Beckman

One of the best tools for peeling off pounds is already in your bag: It's your smartphone or iPad. In fact, all that texting, tweeting, and posting - the average woman spends more than 80 minutes a day on her phone, according to a recent report from the mobile apps analytics firm Flurry - can tip the scales in your favor.

And one in three of us are already using social sites like Facebook to get slender, reports research from the University of Arizona. So go ahead and steal these suggestions from women who took their shape-up viral.

Tweet Your Way Thin
Nancy Tessier, 50, lost 28 pounds by posting all her meals and snacks to Tweet What You Eat (@twye), an online food journal that lets others eyeball your noshes. "Sometimes it was a lot easier to decide not to eat something than to have to tweet it for the world to see," she says.

Posting your weight-loss numbers can help, too. The University of Arizona research suggests that women who reveal shape-up victories on a weekly basis trim down faster than those who update less frequently. If you're feeling shy, think up a Twitter handle and upload a cartoon character as your avatar so you can share the skinny without feeling self-conscious.

Health.com: Diet Tricks the Pros Tell Their Friends

Gain a Following
Get some virtual support pronto by following Twitter hash tags like #fitblog. Carla Shorts, 27, started chiming in on #fitblog's weekly live chats - and dropped from a size 12 to a size 6 in just a year. "When my weight loss reached a plateau, having women point out that my 30-minute elliptical routine wasn't going to cut it anymore was key," she says. "I started running and began to lose again."

You can also start your own hashtag, like Sherry Pagoto, 38, from Massachusetts, did with #plankaday, a challenge to spend at least a minute in plank pose each day.

Find more ways your phone can help you lose weight after the break.

Grillades and Grits: Get Your Brunch on!

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:00:06 PST

Grillades and grits are a trademark dish in New Orleans. If you can't make the trip to Nola, Food Orleans shows you how to recreate the experience in your own home.

If you've never had or heard of grillades and grits, then I apologize for not mentioning them earlier. They're one of the two most wonderful things to eat for brunch in New Orleans (shrimp and grits being the other). I've never been to anyplace in town for brunch that didn't offer one or both of these goodies. Grillades (gree'-awds) are made of beef, veal, or pork; I haven't encountered a rabbit version yet, but I won't be surprised when I do. The beef is a thin, flat cut of top round or chuck - something that can withstand a long, slow cooking. It simmers in a pot with the trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), garlic, and a little jalapeno - not traditional, but I really like it - until the rich broth thickens and intensifies, so what you get is a powerfully flavored beef "stew" that is perfect over creamy cheese grits. This is a great Louisiana recipe to try if you're hankering for some thick, rich goodness but you don't feel up to stirring a roux, because you don't have to. The small amount of flour used in the browning of the beef will produce all the roux you need.

Read ahead for the grillades and grits recipe.

Tori Spelling Shares Liam's New Year's Resolution

Tori Spelling — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:02:33 PST

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares her son Liam's new year's resolution.

Liam’s New Year’s "resolution" is a classic example of kid logic! Recently he asked me this:

"When you say New Year’s means a new, different year, does that mean I can eat more sugar now cause I haven't had any since last year?"

Hmmm…does that mean Mama can eat more sugar and still get her post-pregger bod back into fighting form? New Year’s cake pop party anyone?

How do you keep your kids’ sugar intake in check during the holidays?

More great articles from Tori Spelling
How to decorate a room over time
Create your own pull-string pinata
Sleep on it
What are your New Year's resolutions?
Tori and Dean's sTORIbook Weddings special recap