The Wowee Zowee Menu Blog

More Temp. Images

2011-04-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

Temp Image Post

2011-04-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Images from Buenos Aires

2011-04-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

Several pics from our recent business trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina:

Grass Fed Steak and Organic Greens

Grilled Prawn Salad w/ Arugula & Cucumber

Grilled Octopus w/ Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

Seared Salmon w/ Asparagus & Roasted Pumpkin and Tomatoes

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 68

2010-10-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

7:10 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

More to come?

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 67

2010-10-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

7:25 AM - a cup of organic coffee w/ a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 (organic) coconut flax muffins, a slice of (organic) homemade spicy egg bake + my morning supplements

10:15 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

4:00 PM - a few (organic) Roma tomatoes topped w/ organic sour cream; natural prosciutto and salami; ricotta cheese with Italian herbs + my mid-day supplements

6:15 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

8:00 PM - a can of Steaz Energy Zero Calorie ... blood sugar before drinking 76 mg/dL ... after drinking 80 mg/dL

10:30 PM - a few bites of Whole Foods' chicken tandori; Brussels sprouts w/ gorgonzola cheese, pancetta and shallots (a new recipe I'm experimenting with) + my nighttime supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 66

2010-10-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Thursday Night Dinner

9:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

5:10 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:45 PM - (starters) red chili edamame and salmon sashimi; (main course) fillet steak and sauteed garlic spinach + the majority of my daily supplements

9:20 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ...

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 65

2010-10-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

Turkey Burger in a Bowl - The Counter

7:50 AM - a cup of organic coffee w/ a splash of almond milk, two flax coconut muffins + my morning supplements

12:25 PM - a turkey burger in-a-bowl w/ avocado, olives, organic roasted peppers, tomatoes topped w/ roasted garlic aioli and Swiss cheese; a glass of unsweetened iced tea + my mid-day supplements

3:40 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

5:55 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:45 PM - (starters) guacamole and ceviche (scallops); (main course) shrimp and steak w/ sauteed spinach and mushrooms + my evening supplements

9:40 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come?

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 64

2010-10-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

Breakfast for Lunch

8:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:00 PM - organic green salad w/ tomatoes, an avocado & Jack omelet w/ a side of applewood bacon and a sausage patty + the majority of my daily supplements

5:50 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

8:35 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come?

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 63

2010-10-26T09:12:00.001-07:00

8:35 AM - a cup of double strained Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (no-sugar added) peach preserves and a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

10:40 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:15 PM - a leftover In-N-Out 3x3 w/ sliced tomatoes & pickles and 1 1/2 coconut flax muffins + my mid-day supplements

4:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:20 PM - homemade tuna salad w/ 2 organic Roma tomatoes sliced and topped w/ organic ricotta cheese & Italian spices; a serving of Almond Cocoa Butter for dessert + my evening supplements

More to come ... if all goes as planned.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 62

2010-10-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

A brief update. I'm happy to report that my weight remained stable this past week: 170 lbs and 18.2% body fat.

9:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:15 PM - (a new recipe) low-carb almond cocoa butter, two homemade (organic) coconut flax muffins + most of my daily supplements

2:05 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

4:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

9:00 PM - a large cup of slightly salted water (used NutraSalt)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 62

2010-10-24T09:08:00.001-07:00

8:45 AM - a cup of organic coffee w/ a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk + my morning supplements

12:30 PM - a Swiss cheese & fresh herb omelet w/ three (natural) pork sausages and unsweetened iced tea

2:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:30 PM - two organic coconut flax muffins + my mid-day supplements

5:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

6:45 PM - a bun-less In-N-Out 3x3 cheeseburger w/ jalapeno peppers, grilled onions & pickles and no spread; two small Roma tomatoes (organic) topped w/ a dollop of ricotta cheese, dried Italian herbs and NutraSalt + my evening supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 61

2010-10-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

9:50 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:12 PM - (starter) a few blueberries (maybe 6) and a strawberry w/ several blanched Marcona almonds and a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese; (main course) hanger steak, two poached eggs and sauteed spinach w/ grilled onions + the majority of my daily supplements

1:55 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

4:40 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 60

2010-10-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

9:10 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

10:45 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) raspberry fruit preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

1:20 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:50 PM - meal replacement shake (2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 8 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 scoops of "chocolate greens", a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my morning supplements

6:25 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:15 PM - Korean style short ribs (Whole Foods - not sweet), 2 small (organic) Roma tomatoes sliced & topped w/ organic sour cream & (organic) goat feta crumble and roasted (organic) broccoli + my evening supplements

More to come ... I suppose.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 59

2010-10-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

Not much interest in food at the moment. Good thing it's an ADF day.

8:45 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:10 PM - leftover carnitas w/ grilled onions, peppers and sour cream; traditional chicharrones w/ organic salsa (low carb) + the majority of my daily supplements

More to come ... if it's meant to be.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 58

2010-10-20T10:43:00.001-07:00

Lots of leftovers to get to in the fridge. I'm up to the challenge.

Feeling down this evening. Sometimes you pretend it's not there. Sometimes you don't.

7:55 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of no-sugar added (Nature's Hollow) strawberry preserves and a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

10:19 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:45 PM - ground sausage & spice stuffed mushroom tops, pot roast, sauteed broccolini + my mid-day supplements

4:05 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

6:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

8:00 PM - several tablespoons of organic (unsweetened) peanut butter, a few teaspoons of Nature's Hollow (no-sugar added) raspberry fruit preserves, a few sips of unsweetened vanilla almond milk + my evening supplements w/ additional fish oil

More to come? I'm hoping so ...

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 57

2010-10-19T08:20:00.001-07:00

I nearly forgot, I just posted my new Coconut Flax Muffin recipe on HF. Please check it out if you think you might be remotely interested. I think it's a real winner.

7:55 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

10:30 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:20 PM - a fillet of slow roasted wild salmon; green beans topped w/ extra virgin olive oil & chopped Marcona almonds + the majority of my daily supplements

4:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 56

2010-10-18T08:55:00.001-07:00

Roasted Veal w/ Fennel & Heirloom Tomatoes

I've officially reached my goal weight. Now it's maintenance time. In other news, I'll post a new recipe tomorrow on HF that may be of interest to some of you. It's a low-carb muffin that's rich in fiber, healthy fat and protein. As an experiment, I ate three of my new coconut flax muffins and measured my blood sugar about half an hour afterward. The results? My blood sugar hardly budged. My post-meal blood sugar was 74 mg/dL.

8:20 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

9:45 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, a tsp of Nature's Hollow (no-sugar added) apricot preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans; a homemade almond-coconut-flax muffin + my morning supplements

10:45 AM - Weight Update: 170 lbs Body Fat: 18.1%

12:50 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:00 PM - three homemade coconut flax muffins + my mid-day supplements

5:05 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:30 PM - shared starters: ahi tuna crudo; roasted veal w/fennel and heirloom tomatoes; main course: a rib eye steak w/ sauteed black Tuscan kale + my evening supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 55

2010-10-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

Low Carb Brunch w/ Mom

Today I had my one meal earlier on in the day. We had Mom over for a low carb brunch. I'm very happy to report that Mom has been low carbing for the past several months and doing very well with it. Eggsellent.

10:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:00 PM - broccoli-cheesy (omega-3 organic) eggs, organic bacon, organic avocado; a homemade (low-carb) almond-coconut-flax muffin + the majority of my daily supplements

2:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

5:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

Plenty of warm-to-hot water in the remaining hours. I find it soothing and an excellent hunger-tamer.

More to come ... if it's meant to be.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 54

2010-10-16T08:05:00.001-07:00

7:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

8:00 AM - meal replacement shake (2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 8 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 scoops of "chocolate greens", a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my morning supplements

11:30 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:45 PM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of no-sugar added Nature's Hollow apricot preserves and a few ounces of raw walnuts; a few (homemade) almond-coconut-flax muffins + my mid-day supplements

8:00 PM - leftover bonanza (mushroom tops stuffed w/ sausage and spices via Whole Foods; homemade (organic) guacamole; natural salami and spicy prosciutto slices)

More to come ... I do believe.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 53

2010-10-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Another fasting day. My mother-in-law is in town so I'll probably save today's meal for dinner. It really doesn't matter much when I eat on ADF days. This is part of the built-in flexibility factor I knew I'd need in order to maintain this dietary strategy over the long term.

9:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

4:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

6:45 PM - at home dinner feast (small leftover salmon fillet, 5 shrimp; 2 small organic Roma tomatoes sliced & topped w/ soft goat cheese & natural salami; 4 white button mushroom tops stuffed w/ ground pork & spices) + the majority of my daily supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 52

2010-10-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

9:15 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt + a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (no sugar added) apricot preserves + a handful of raw (organic) walnuts + my morning supplements

12:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:45 PM - meal replacement shake (2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 8 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 scoops of "chocolate greens", a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my mid-day supplements

3:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:20 PM - starter: natural salami and queso fresco; main course: pot roast (Whole Foods), roasted broccoli topped w/ goat feta cheese + my evening supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 51

2010-10-13T10:11:00.001-07:00

I posted another LC-friendly recipe on HF yesterday. In case any of you are interested, here it is: Cilantro-Pepita Pesto. I love using it as a dip for my beloved Domingo's Traditional Chicarrones. Mmmm.

9:45 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/ a tsp of organic inulin

3:30 PM - "surf and turf" - small herb-crusted wild salmon fillet, leftover beef brisket and roasted (organic) broccoli + the majority of my daily supplements

6:05 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:15 PM - 7:40 PM - meditation practice

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 50

2010-10-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

My 50 day ADF mark. I think that's the titanium anniversary, if I'm not mistaken. My weight is down again - probably due to the ADF. I'm pretty much at my new goal weight. But my body fat is up - probably due to my inability to find time for my work outs.

8:45 AM - 9:05 AM - meditation practice

9:10 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

9:35 AM - Weight Update: 170.6 lbs Body Fat: 19.5%.

10:30 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, 1 Tbs of (no sugar added) Nature's Hollow apricot preserves, a few ounces of raw organic walnuts + my morning supplements

1:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:45 PM - meal replacement shake (2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 8 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of organic inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my mid-day supplements

4:55 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/ a tsp of organic inulin

7:45 PM - (dinner out) starter(s): heirloom baby tomatoes w/ micro greens, burrata cheese and basil vinaigrette; tai snapper crudo – cucumber, tomatillo, espelette pepper, pork crackling & 3 raw oysters; main course: Moroccan lamb burger w/sheep’s milk cheese, tzatziki and "green fries" (steamed asparagus) + my evening supplements

11:00 PM - 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 scoops of "chocolate greens", a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of cocoa stevia liquid

More to come ... if history is any indicator.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 49

2010-10-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

Salmon Rillette from Bouchon (Sunday Lunch)

9:05 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

4:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

6:15 PM - spicy sauteed shrimp w/ roasted cauliflower + most of my daily supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 48

2010-10-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

9:35 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese w/ a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (no-sugar added) apricot preserves and a few ounces of raw (organic) walnuts + my morning supplements

11:15 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

1:15 PM - (lunch date w/ Mad) starter: salmon rillette; main course: NY steak w/a sunny side up egg and a warm heirloom tomato salad

5:00 PM - a large, iced Americano coffee

7:30 PM - beef brisket (Whole Foods) topped w/ homemade (organic) cilantro-pepita pesto; homemade (organic) guacamole w/ natural chicharrones + my evening supplements

10:45 PM - a glass of low-carb chocolate milk (6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", a few drops of cocoa stevia extract and a dash of NutraSalt)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 47

2010-10-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

A fast day. I'll weigh-in again on Monday. My newest goal is to reach and establish a weight of 170 lbs. I think that would be even better than 175. It'll further reduce my BMI and may confer some additional health benefits. This will officially make me lighter than I'll been since I was in my teens. If I accomplish this objective, the next mission will be to maintain my weight while continuing forward with my alternate day fasting - which I plan to adopt as a long term eating plan ... albeit with a bit more flexibility.

10:25 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

1:00 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

2:35 PM - leftover carnitas w/ grilled onions, peppers, shredded Jack cheese and sour cream; an organic Roma tomato sliced and topped w/ queso fresco; 3/4 of a small organic avocado w/ natural prosciutto + most of my daily supplements

4:35 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

7:00 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 46

2010-10-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

We had a power outage that lasted almost all of yesterday. The electricity and gas came back on around midnight ... as we were falling asleep. Needless to say, I couldn't post my menus for Friday, until now.

8:45 AM - a cup of black coffee (organic)

10:30 AM - meal replacement shake (1 scoop of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of organic inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my morning supplements

4:15 PM - a handful of organic, raw walnuts + my mid-day supplements

7:00 PM - a large rib eye steak w/ sides of sauteed spinach, steamed broccoli and grilled onions + my evening supplements

No more to come for today, now that it's yesterday!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 45

2010-10-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

My latest fasting day. Here's the link I promised yesterday: An Interview with Dr. Loren Cordain (Part One) of The Paleo Diet. I'll post part two later this afternoon. I hope you enjoy it. Dr. Loren Cordain Interview (Part Two).

9:00 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:00 PM - a large serving of homemade (roasted) spicy cauliflower w/ shallots; homemade chicken salad; an organic Roma tomato sliced & topped with soft goat cheese; a few slices of organic salami + the majority of my daily supplements

7:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 44

2010-10-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

Later today, I'll post part one of my interview with Dr. Loren Cordain of The Paleo Diet fame. I'll link to it as soon as the column's up at HF.

Another tough day so far. Every now and then I have a transient thought about binging/eating to comfort myself. But I must admit that fighting that impulse also feels rather rewarding - in a much more constructive way. I can't control what life provides. But I do have some control about how I respond to any given circumstance. Maybe instead of the famous "one day at a time" adage, I should adopt the "one decision at a time" philosophy.

10:20 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/ a tsp of organic inulin

1:15 PM - a cup of double-strained Fage Greek yogurt, 1 Tbs of Nature's Hollow apricot preserves, a few ounces of raw (organic) walnuts + my "morning" supplements

3:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/ a tsp of organic inulin

4:30 PM - meal replacement shake (1 scoop of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of organic inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my mid-day supplements

7:00 PM - a Mexican-style feast (chicharrones w/cilantro-pepita pesto & guacamole; carnitas w/ diced tomatoes, grilled peppers & onions, shredded jack cheese and sour cream) + my evening supplements

8:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

11:00 PM - a cup of organic chai tea w/ stevia and unsweetened (vanilla) almond milk

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 43

2010-10-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

This might be of interest: Hazelnuts - A Low Carb Way to Improve Heart Health

10:15 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:00 PM - an iced Americano from Coffee Bean

3:45 PM - ADF Meal Replacement Pudding/Shake: 8 oz of unsweetened, vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops (natural + sugar-free) vanilla whey protein, 2 Tbs organic (sugar-free) peanut butter, 3 scoops chocolate "greens" powder, 2 scoops organic sprouted flax meal, 1 scoop organic inulin and a dash of NutraSalt + the majority of my daily supplements

6:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ...

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 42

2010-10-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

10:15 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow apricot fruit preserves, a few ounces of raw (organic) walnuts + my morning supplements

11:15 AM - Blood Pressure: 107/69 Blood Sugar: 86

12:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:00 PM - meal replacement shake (1 1/2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my mid-day supplements

7:30 PM - a poblano pepper stuffed with roasted chicken and feta & Monterey Jack cheeses; natural chicharrones w/ a cilantro-pepita pesto; an organic Roma tomato topped w/ soft goat milk cheese + my evening supplements

8:50 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ... I hope.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 41

2010-10-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday. A fast and work day for me. Mad's working too. On the agenda? Checking in on my blood pressure and blood sugar readings and prepping for my upcoming interviews with several diet and weight loss experts. I hope you all are having an excellent weekend. We're thankful that our recent (and unusual) heat wave appears to be over.

9:10 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

9:45 AM - Blood Pressure: 105/62. Blood Sugar: 79.

11:00 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:15 PM - a spicy catfish fillet (Whole Foods), 3 low-carb "mushroom poppers", an organic avocado sliced and wrapped with natural prosciutto, a Roma tomato sliced and topped with soft goat cheese, a few slices of natural salami + the majority of my daily supplements

3:50 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

10:25 PM - a cup of organic chai tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 40

2010-10-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

Weight Update: 176.4 lbs Body Fat % 17.8%

I'm down about 9 lbs and 6% body fat since starting my ADF journey. Let's see what happens next. Once I get down to 175, I'll need to re-evaluate. At that point, the goal will be maintenance.

10:00 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow apricot preserves and a few ounces of raw organic walnuts + my morning supplements

11:45 AM - a cup of organic black coffee w/ a teaspoon of organic inulin

2:00 PM - a slice of leftover (organic) New Mexican egg bake, an organic avocado, 3 slices of organic bacon, 4 homemade "mushroom poppers" *, low-carb chocolate milk (unsweetened vanilla almond milk + "chocolate greens" + a pinch of NutraSalt) and my mid-day supplements

* Recipe to be posted on HF on Tuesday.

3:30 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

6:10 PM - 3 oven-roasted poblano peppers stuffed w/ goat's milk feta cheese, baked chicken and Monterey Jack cheese + my evening supplements

8:15 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

10:30 PM - a cup of organic chai tea w/ a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk + pure stevia powder (1/8 tsp maybe)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 39

2010-10-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Lots going on in the natural health world. I'm tap dancing as fast as I can. Today will be an ADF day. The menu portion of this blog will surely give that away. :)

Update: Please take a look at the new column I wrote today about the current dietary guidelines that *may* shape the nutritional direction the US takes in the coming days, years and beyond. We can all play a part in improving/shaping them. The present recommendations seem destined to impact many lives and health care spending in a very negative way indeed. Here's how and why I hope you'll get involved: Food Pyramid Follies

10:15 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:45 PM - "clean-up hitter lunch" (an organic avocado sliced wrapped w/ natural prosciutto and salami; an organic Roma tomato sliced topped w/ soft goat cheese; 2 slices of toasted Purity Bread; a small piece of smoked prime rib (Whole Foods) + the majority of my daily supplements

6:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

8:00 PM - a glass of all-natural, unsweetened strawberry mineral water

10:00 PM - a cup of organic chai tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 38

2010-09-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Off and running once again. Working on a column that I'll discuss here tomorrow about the new Food Pyramid. We can and, I think, should do our part to improve it. More on that on Friday.

9:05 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) apricot preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

10:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:30 PM - meal replacement shake (1 1/2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my mid-day supplements

5:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

6:30 PM - an In-N-Out 3x3 (3 burger patties & 3 slices of natural American cheese) with grilled onions, jalapenos, pickles, tomato slices on a Purity Bread "bun" and homemade nori chips + my evening supplements

8:35 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 37

2010-09-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Busy busy. Aren't we all? The latest fast day.

9:45 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:10 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

3:00 PM - 2 pieces of Purity Bread toast, 2 small (organic) Roma tomatoes sliced & topped with soft goat cheese, a small piece of smoked prime rib (Whole Foods) + the majority of my supplements

4:40 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

10:00 PM - an organic cup of organic chamomile tea

More to come?

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 36

2010-09-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Woke up and decided to have breakfast right away, rather than my usual cup of coffee. Lots of work to do this Tuesday. Just lined up two interviews that I'm rather excited about. Now I just need to figure out how to make them noteworthy.

9:05 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, a Tbs of sugar-free apricot preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

10:30 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:30 PM - an organic Roma tomato topped w/ soft goat cheese; an organic avocado sliced and wrapped with natural prosciutto and salami; a piece of New Mexican eggbake; a handful of Nori Chips + the majority of my daily supplements

4:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

6:30 PM - (dinner out) an assortment of exotic cheeses, naturally cured meats and marinated olives; wood roasted broccoli & cauliflower w/ garlic, chili & vinegar; seared Niman Ranch skirt steak w/ sauteed rapini leaves & smoked tomato butter; a half-glass of red wine + my evening supplements

10:00 PM - a cup of organic chai tea w/ unsweetened vanilla almond milk and stevia

More to come?

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 35

2010-09-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened on the way to the car dealership. Not funny ha ha. Just a relevant observation, I think. I'm feeling down today because of an event that transpired last night. As if often the case, negative events reverberate throughout subsequent days. While trying to fall asleep last night I had a few thoughts about binging today - which is supposed to be a fast day. Or, if not binging, at least eating normally instead of calling upon the discipline needed to fast. The morning is now here. Things feel just as bad as last night - if not worse. But instead of relying on food to get me through it, I have new resolve to stick with my prescribed program. Sleeping on things is sometimes enough to get you back on track. I mention this as a note to myself rather than advice to anyone else. I don't know for certain if it'll work the same for everyone. But maybe it's a worthwhile reminder.

9:40 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

~~10:30 AM - meditation practice~~

11:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:30 PM - an organic Roma tomato topped w/ organic sour cream and natural prosciutto; an organic avocado sliced and wrapped with natural salami; and 2 slices of Purity Bread w/ melted sharp cheddar cheese + the majority of my daily supplements

3:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More info. ... if it's meant to be.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 34

2010-09-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Started the day off cooking. We've got a New Mexican egg bake in the oven at the moment. This will be a non-fast day.

9:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

11:35 AM - a few slices of (organic) New Mexican egg bake, 2 spicy chicken sausages and organic avocado slices + morning supplements

1:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:10 PM - meditation practice

3:45 PM - meal replacement shake (1 1/2 scoops of natural sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract) + my mid-day supplements

5:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:45 PM - (dinner out) a rib eye steak, sauteed spinach, steamed asparagus and one shrimp + evening supplements

10:30 PM - a cup of organic chai tea w/ unsweetened vanilla almond milk + stevia

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 33

2010-09-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

A busy day ahead. It's a gonna be a fast day and a non-exercise day. It started off with ...

8:45 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:30 PM - (lunch out - baby shower) grilled onions & peppers, guacamole, chicken, fish and steak + the majority of my daily supplements

2:00 PM - an iced coffee (black)

5:00 PM - an iced Americano (black)

8:00 PM - a cup of coffee (black)

8:55 PM - meditation practice

10:30 PM - a cup of organic chai tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 32

2010-09-24T10:34:00.001-07:00

Just the facts ...

9:55 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/a scoop of FOS/inulin (a prebiotic)

11:15 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, homemade (organic, stevia-sweetened) cran-strawberry preserves, raw pecans + my morning supplements

2:00 PM - meditation practice

2:30 PM - a cup of black (organic) coffee

2:45 PM - workout

4:30 PM - post-exercise, recovery shake (1 1/2 scoops of natural (sugar-free) vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract)

7:00 PM - (dinner out) 2 raw oysters, a rib eye steak, sauteed spinach, a few asparagus spears and a few pieces of garlic broccolini + nighttime supplements

8:45 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

10:30 PM - a cup of organic chai w/stevia and unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a ramekin of buttermilk "honey" custard

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 31

2010-09-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

Feeling fine and ready for another ADF day.

9:25 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

12:45 PM - meditation practice

1:15 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

2:05 PM - homemade (organic) guacamole w/ natural chicharrones; an organic Roma tomato sliced and topped w/ burrata cheese & natural salami + the majority of my daily supplements

4:45 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

8:30 PM - a cup of organic chai tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 30

2010-09-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

My 30-day anniversary. Where's the marching band?

9:10 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/a scoop of FOS/inulin (a prebiotic)

10:00 AM - an organic sliced Roma tomato topped with burrata cheese and natural salami slices; a few slices of natural prosciutto topped with artichoke & spinach spread + my morning supplements

11:30 AM - meditation practice

12:10 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee w/a scoop of FOS/inulin (a prebiotic)

2:00 PM - two slices of Purity Bread (one topped w/ homemade tuna salad, the other w/ artichoke & spinach spread); one ramekin of buttermilk-"honey" custard + my mid-day supplements

3:40 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

4:15 PM - work out

6:00 PM - post-exercise, recovery shake (1 1/2 scoops of natural (sugar-free) vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a dash of NutraSalt, a few drops of organic peppermint extract)

8:45 PM - 3 slices of Purity Bread w/ melted (organic) sharp cheddar cheese; roasted (organic) cauliflower w/roasted garlic; one ramekin of buttermilk-"honey" custard + evening supplements

11:00 PM - a cup of organic chai tea

More to come ... if it's meant to be.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 29

2010-09-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Recovering from yesterday. A tough one. Just putting one step in front of the other and seeing how it goes. Staying on track re: diet. Hope to exercise later today.

9:45 AM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

1:30 PM - pulled pork (Whole Foods), homemade (organic) guacamole, a small serving of (low carb) buttermilk-honey custard + the majority of my daily supplements

4:00 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

7:30 PM - a cup of organic (black) coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 28

2010-09-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough day. Lots to contemplate. But not much to say.

9:15 AM - meditation practice

9:40 AM - a cup of black (organic) coffee w/ a scoop of FOS/inulin

10:30 AM - Weekly Weigh-In: 179.6 lbs (down 1 lb from last week and 6 total) 19.9% body fat (down from 23.3%)

10:40 AM - Blood Pressure: 111/66. Blood Sugar: 72.

10:50 AM - a cup of double-strained Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow sugar-free strawberry preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

12:05 PM - Blood Sugar: 83.

12:45 PM - a cup of black (organic) coffee w/ a scoop of FOS/inulin

2:30 PM - the final piece of organic basil-goat cheese egg bake, an organic Roma tomato sliced and topped w/ burrata cheese & natural salami + my mid-day supplements

6:45 PM - organic roasted cauliflower w/ roasted garlic, 2 slices of Purity Bread topped w/ aged cheddar cheese + my evening supplements

More to come?

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 27

2010-09-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

Something may be amiss with my blood sugar concentrations. I'm going to need to do some intensive monitoring over the next couple of days to be certain. The outcome may lead me to discontinue using my beloved Purity Bread. Oh the horror!

9:25 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

2:15 PM - natural salami w/artichoke & spinach dip, homemade spicy tuna salad on top of two slices of Purity Bread + the majority of my supplements

4:30 PM - Blood Pressure: 100/62. Blood Sugar: 96!

4:45 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

8:00 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

12:10 AM - Blood Sugar: 70.

More to come ... if it's meant to be.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 26

2010-09-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

Just the facts again ...

9:00 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black) w/a scoop of FOS/inulin

10:10 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt w/a Tbs of Nature's Hollow strawberry preserves and a few ounces of raw pecans + my morning supplements

10:40 AM - meditation practice

1:45 PM - a cup of iced American coffee

5:20 PM - (late-lunch out, everything shared) Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Mousse, Cured Meats Selection, Cornichons, Pickled Onions, Cheese Selection From Home & Abroad (5 different cheeses) + mid-day supplements

7:45 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black) w/a scoop of FOS/inulin

8:45 PM - an In-N-Out 3x3 topped with American cheese, pickles and sliced tomato on a Purity Bread "bun"; chicharrones w/ artichoke & spinach dip + my nighttime supplements

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 25

2010-09-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Just the facts for now. I'm hoping to fit in a work out later this afternoon. We shall see ...

9:00 AM - meditation practice

9:30 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

12:30 PM - a slice of homemade (organic) basil-goat cheese egg bake, an organic Roma tomato sliced and topped with artichoke & spinach dip, natural salami + the majority of my daily supplements

1:45 PM - Blood Pressure: 121/68. Blood Sugar: 87.

2:35 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

3:00 PM - exercise/work out

4:30 PM - a post-exercise, recovery shake (6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 1/2 scoops of natural vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a few drops of organic peppermint extract + a dash of NutraSalt)

7:15 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 24

2010-09-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had dinner plans. It was also an ADF day for me. Not a problem. I was able to have a successful work out earlier in the day and manage my appetite for a few hours longer than usual. Our dinner outing also provided an opportunity to share my ADF experience with a couple of friends. All-in-all, a great time and quite manageable for all involved.

8:15 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

8:30 - 8:55 AM - meditation practice

9:00 AM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (no-sugar added) strawberry preserves, a few ounces of organic (raw) walnuts + my morning supplements

1:00 PM - a piece of homemade basil-goat cheese egg bake, two (thin) slices of Purity Bread topped with smoked salmon cream cheese spread + my mid-day supplements

2:30 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

4:25 PM - Blood Pressure: 126/70. Blood Sugar: 92. <--- on the high side. Could it be the Purity Bread?

6:00 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

7:15 PM - a piece of homemade basil-goat cheese egg bake, two (thin) slices of Purity Bread topped with smoked salmon cream cheese spread, a few Tbs of homemade tuna salad + my evening supplements

10:00 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 23

2010-09-15T09:01:00.001-07:00

Another fast day. Another work out day ... with a twist. The tentative plan is to meet some friends for dinner. So I'll save my one fast meal for that occasion. But what about the work out? My plan is to add post-exercise recovery shake to my fasting days that involve exercise. I think this makes the most sense. In case you're wondering why I'm exercising on my fast days this week ... two reasons: 1) I wanted to spend my free time with Maddy this past Sunday. 2) I wanted to see how I would react to working out in a semi-fasting state.

When all is said and done, I think I'll maintain a 3-day-a-week workout routine - lasting about 1 1/2 hours each session. If possible, I'll select weekdays for my workouts so that the weekends will be free but active in other ways.

8:20 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

8:30 - 8:55 AM - meditation practice

9:00 AM - Blood Pressure: 115/66. Blood Sugar: 73.

10:15 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

1:45 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

2:00 - 3:20 PM - work out

3:45 PM - a post-exercise, recovery shake (6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 1/2 scoops of natural vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a few drops of organic peppermint extract + a dash of NutraSalt)

7:00 PM - dinner out (two raw mussels, a bun-less burger topped with avocado slices, bleu cheese, bacon, a fried egg and a few bites of crab leg meat)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 22

2010-09-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

A quick note about my weight. It didn't budge this past week. Why? Possibly because of my wine consumption. Not sure. I'll experiment with avoiding alcohol this next week and see what happens. I'm still at 180. Five pounds below my pre-ADF weight and five to go to reach my ADF-goal weight.

9:30 AM - ADF Meal Replacement Pudding/Shake: (8 oz of unsweetened, vanilla almond milk, 1 scoop (natural + sugar-free) vanilla whey protein, 3 Tbs organic (sugar-free) peanut butter, 2 scoops chocolate "greens" powder, 1 scoop organic sprouted flax meal, 1 scoop of FOS/inulin and a dash of NutraSalt); a few (homemade, sugar-free) almond-coconut cookies + my morning supplements

10:30 AM - Blood Pressure: 111/62. Blood Sugar: 75.

11:45-12:15 - meditation practice

12:45 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

2:00 PM - lunch mish-mash (a sliced organic Roma tomato topped with wild salmon & caper cream cheese; a feta & spinach chicken sausage; a few bites of carnitas) + my mid-day supplements

3:45 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

6:40 PM - branzino fillet w/citrus-cauliflower aioli, roasted (organic) cauliflower + nighttime supplements

8:45 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 21

2010-09-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Officially beginning week 3 of my ADF experiment. It's going well. Some new information to share re: weight and such. Will post later today or tomorrow. Until then ...

9:00 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

9:15 AM - Blood Pressure: 109/64. Blood Sugar: 65.

10:30 AM - a strong cup of organic white tea

12:30 PM - a smoked beef rib (Whole Foods), homemade (organic) guacamole + most of my daily supplements

2:45 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

3:15 - 4:30 PM - work out

4:45 PM - a post-exercise, recovery shake (6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 1/2 scoops of natural vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a few drops of organic peppermint extract + a dash of NutraSalt)

6:30 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

8:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea

10:45 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

11:00 PM - meditation practice

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 20

2010-09-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

We're making breakfast and getting ready to watch some football! It's a beautiful, overcast day. Later I plan to exercise and meditate. And, of course, enjoy this feed day to it's fullest. We may even work on an HF recipe. The ingredients are in the 'fridge and ready to go! Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

(Probable) Change of plans: I'll exercise tomorrow instead of today. It'll be interesting to see what it's like to work out on an ADF day. I'll also modify my eating pattern slightly to adjust for the exercise by adding a recovery (protein) shake to the mix.

Blood Pressure: 112/73. Blood Sugar: 67. Note: taken at 1:45 PM.

9:45 AM - a cup of coffee (black) w/ a scoop of FOS/inulin

10:45 AM - a small piece of organic spinach feta egg bake, a medium (organic) Roma tomato, 5 slices of organic bacon + my morning supplements

1:30 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea

2:20 PM - leftover bonanza (smoked salmon & caper cream cheese spread, natural prosciutto, an organic Roma tomato and feta-stuffed peppers), organic red wine (Malbec) + mid-day supplements

4:00 PM - a cup of coffee (black)

5:00 PM - meditation practice

7:00 PM - 2 small branzino (European sea bass) fillets w/ a citrus-garlic aioli, roasted cauliflower w/ shallots, a glass of organic red wine + nighttime supplements *

9:15 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea

10:45 PM - meditation practice

11:15 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

* Recipe to be posted on HF on Tuesday.

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 19

2010-09-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

The good news: I'm not feeling very sore at all this morning ... even though I had my most intense work out in years yesterday. I also slept quite well last night. A big help.

Blood Pressure: 115/69. Blood Sugar: 67. (Taken after drinking coffee at about 11:10 AM).

10:45 AM - a cup of black coffee

1:10 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea

2:15 PM - a leftover In-n-Out 3x3 (three burger patties, 3 slices of American cheese, grilled onions, pickles and tomato slices), homemade organic guacamole, a glass of organic red wine (Malbec) + most of my daily supplements

4:00 PM - meditation practice

4:30 PM - a cup of black coffee

7:45 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea

10:30 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 18

2010-09-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

The hunger is most noticeable when lying in bed at night trying to fall asleep. If sleep comes quickly, no problem. If it takes awhile, the stomach grumbles are more obvious. Drinking warm tea throughout the day helps. But you can't drink too much right before bed for obvious reasons.

Health Goals for Today - meditation and a work out.

10:15 AM - Blood Pressure: 107/66. Blood Sugar: 68 mg/dL.

10:45 AM - a cup of organic coffee w/ a scoop of FOS/inulin and unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a slice of homemade (organic) spinach feta egg bake, a spicy chicken sausage + my morning supplements

12:45 PM - a strong glass of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

2:10 PM - a cup of black coffee

2:15 - 3:30 PM - work out

3:45 PM - a post-exercise, recovery shake (6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a few drops of organic peppermint extract)

4:40 - 5:00 PM - meditation practice

5:10 PM - a bowl of organic cottage cheese w/ a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) strawberry preserves, a few ounces of raw (organic) walnuts + my mid-day supplements

6:45 PM - a cup of black coffee

9:00 PM - feta-stuffed peppers (2 small), carnitas (pulled pork) w/ grilled pepper, onions, Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream, a glass of organic red wine (Tempranillo) + my evening supplements

12:30 AM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 17

2010-09-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here's my mathematical equation of the day: add new exercise to your work out routine = new aches and pains. But then there's this: persistence + time = increased stamina, strength and wellness. You can't have one without the other.

9:15 AM - Blood Pressure: 114/73. Blood Sugar: 71 mg/dL.

9:30 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

1:00 PM - a large slice of homemade (organic) spinach-feta eggbake, a spicy chicken sausage, a half-glass of organic red wine (Tempranillo) + the majority of my daily supplements

2:30 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

4:30 PM - a cup of organic white tea (2 tea bags)

6:45 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

8:30 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

10:45 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

11:15 PM - meditation practice

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 16

2010-09-08T11:27:00.001-07:00

Today is a normal feed day and an exercise day. I'm planning on adding a few new weight machine exercises to my routine. Even though my muscles feel sore and tired, I feel compelled to finalize my work out routine by making a few alterations - 1) doing "interval training" while on the treadmill; 2) rounding out my resistance exercises by adding two new machines to the mix.

10:15 AM - Blood Pressure: 112/70. Blood Sugar: 68 mg/dL

10:20 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black), a large piece of homemade (organic) spinach egg bake

12:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

12:30 AM - meditation practice (20 minutes)

2:00 PM - 3 thin slices of tri-tip steak topped w/ homemade organic guacamole, a glass of organic red wine (Tempranillo) + my mid-day supplements

3:20 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

3:30 PM - work out (60 minutes)

4:45 PM - a post-exercise, recovery shake (6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 scoop of natural vanilla whey protein, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of FOS/inulin, a few drops of organic peppermint extract)

6:00 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

7:00 PM - an In-n-Out 3x3 (3 hamburger patties topped w/ American cheese, tomato slices, pickles and grilled onions), a glass of organic red wine (Tempranillo) + my evening supplements

8:30 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 15

2010-09-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Feeling sore due to yesterday's work out. It's not slowing me down but I do feel it. An extra challenge.

Morning Blood Pressure: 98/71. Morning Blood Sugar: 69 mg/dL.

9:10 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

10:00 AM - meditation practice (20 minutes)

12:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

2:00 PM - a cup of "double-strained" Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) strawberry preserves, a few ounces of raw organic walnuts and the majority of my supplements

4:00 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

6:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

8:30 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

11:00 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 14

2010-09-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

On board for today - a normal feed day and working out. Meditation too.

Morning Blood Pressure: 99/70. Morning Blood Sugar: 73 mg/dL.

9:05 AM - a cup of organic coffee, a spoonful of FOS/inulin and a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

10:15 AM - a cup of Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) apricot preserves, a few ounces of organic (raw) walnuts

12:00 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

3:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

4:00 PM - ADF Meal Replacement Pudding/Shake: 8 oz of unsweetened, vanilla almond milk, 1 scoop (natural + sugar-free) vanilla whey protein, 3 Tbs organic (sugar-free) peanut butter, 2 scoops chocolate "greens" powder, 1 scoop organic sprouted flax meal, 1 scoop of FOS/inulin and a dash of NutraSalt + my mid-day supplements

5:30 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - warm up, 30 minutes of intense treadmill time + weight machines (3 sets each of abdominal crunches, bicep curls + upright presses), cool down

7:15 PM - post-exercise recovery shake (1 scoop of sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens" and a few drops of organic peppermint extract)

9:00 PM - artichoke hearts with natural salami and homemade guacamole with natural chicharrones

11:15 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea (3 tea bags)

Nighttime Blood Pressure: 103/66. Nighttime Blood Sugar: 76 mg/dL.

11:40 PM - 20 minute meditation session.

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 13

2010-09-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the specifics about my new exercise regimen:

Warm Up and Cool Down - Walking to and from the gym.

Work Out - 30 minutes of intense treadmill time. 3 sets of weight machine exercises: abdominal crunches, curls (biceps) and an upright press (chest, shoulders & triceps).

10:20 AM - Blood Pressure: 104/66. Blood Sugar: 68 mg/dL.

10:40 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

12:30 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

1:45 PM - a cup of organic cottage cheese, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow strawberry preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans + most of my daily supplements

4:15 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

7:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

10:15 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

Morning Blood Pressure: 102/67. Morning Blood Sugar: 67 mg/dL.

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 12

2010-09-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling quite well this morning. No headache last night. My numbers are quite good - listed below. All told, this little ADF experiment is going reasonably well so far, IMO. Today I'm adding a new wrinkle to the program - exercise. More on that after I actually get it done. :-)

9:20 AM - Blood Pressure: 109/68. Blood Sugar: 68 mg/dL.

9:30 AM - a cup of organic coffee, a spoonful of FOS/inulin and a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

10:30 AM - omega-3 (organic) "cheesy" eggs, a spicy Italian chicken sausage, 3/4 of an organic avocado and my morning supplements

3:30 PM - sliced jicama topped with homemade chicken liver pate and balsamic shallots, a glass of organic red wine + my mid-day supplements

5:00 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - treadmill workout and weight machines

7:15 PM - recovery protein shake (1 scoop of sugar-free vanilla whey protein, 6 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops of "chocolate greens", 1 scoop of organic sprouted flax meal and a few drops of organic peppermint extract)

9:00 PM - grilled organic broccoli with a creamy (organic) red pepper dip + nighttime supplements

11:45 PM - Blood Pressure: 111/69. Blood Sugar: 72 mg/dL.

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 11

2010-09-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Fast day #5. I decided to take my blood pressure and blood sugar prior to having my morning coffee. Here's what I found today:

Morning Blood Pressure: 116/64. Morning Blood Sugar: 63 md/dL.

Current Weight: 180.6 lbs. Starting Weight: 185.6 lbs.

Current Body Fat: 23.3%. Starting Body Fat: 23.5%.

The blood sugar reading is quite low but not really in hypoglycemia territory. Hypoglycemic symptoms usually don't present themselves unless blood sugar reaches the low-to-mid 50's.

My meal for today will revolve around a recipe I'm working on for Tuesday's edition of HF. Hopefully it'll turn out well because that's all I'm eating for the day!

9:15 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

11:45 AM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

2:45 PM - homemade (organic) chicken pâté topped with organic (balsamic) grilled shallots and served on fresh jicama slices, a glass of organic red wine (Malbec) + the majority of my daily supplements

4:35 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

6:30 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

9:15 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea (3 tea bags)

10:30 PM - Blood Pressure: 100/65. Blood Sugar: 67 md/dL.

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 10

2010-09-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

I had a hard time falling asleep last night. An odd type of headache was lingering just below the surface as I was trying to fall asleep. It almost felt like the pain was generalized - in my head and mouth. Well, it stuck around and prevented me from sleeping deeply for the first 3 or 4 hours of the night. Finally at about 4:30 I gave in and took a few Advil and eventually fell asleep. This morning when I took my blood sugar and pressure, I noted that they were unusually low. Could this have been the cause of last night's uncharacteristic headache? Perhaps. I'm going to start monitoring my blood pressure and blood sugar in the morning and evening from this point forth.

Wake Up Time: 8:45 AM Fell Asleep: 1:15 ish AM

9:00 AM - a cup of organic coffee w/ a spoonful of inulin/FOS and a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

9:30 AM - Blood Pressure: 97/66. Blood Sugar: 61 mg/dL

9:45 AM - a cup of "double-strained" Fage Greek yogurt, a Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) strawberry preserves, a few ounces of raw pecans and my morning supplements

12:45 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea w/ mint (3 bags)

1:30 PM - a homemade lamb burger, homemade organic guacamole and a half glass of organic red wine (Malbec) + my mid-day supplements

3:30 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

6:30 PM - natural prosciutto and salami (no nitrates), organic ricotta cheese with fresh (organic) basil, artichoke hearts and a glass of organic red wine + my nighttime supplements

8:45 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 bags)

11:30 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea (3 tea bags)

11:45 PM - Blood Pressure: 118/71. Blood Sugar: 75 mg/dL

Tomorrow morning I'll weight myself. Goodnight y'all!

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 9

2010-09-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Fast day number 5. Here's how it begins ... continues ... and ends for the day.

Wake Up Time: 8:45 AM. Fell Asleep: 1:45ish AM

9:10 AM - a cup of organic black coffee

9:40 AM - Blood Pressure: 118/67. Blood Sugar: 69 mg/dL

11:15 AM - a strong cup of organic white tea (1 bag white tea + 2 bags white tea & mint)

2:45 PM - a homemade lamb burger topped w/ roasted yogurt sauce, an organic tomato (sliced), grilled broccoli and a half glass of organic red wine (Malbec) + most of my supplements

4:30 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea w/ mint (3 bags)

6:30 PM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

8:15 PM: a strong cup of Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (3 tea bags)

10:45 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea (3 tea bags)

More to come, I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 8

2010-08-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

Today will be a "normal feed day". There's lots of food in the refrigerator that needs attention. Time to get to it. Breakfast awaits.

Wake Up Time: 8:10 AM. Fell Asleep: 1:30 AM.

8:25 AM: a cup of organic coffee with a scoop of FOS/Inulin and a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

9:20 AM: Blood Pressure: 107/64. Blood Sugar: 71 mg/dL

9:40 AM: a few slices of tri-tip steak (from Whole Foods) with Parmesan Brussels sprouts + my morning supplements

11:15 AM: a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

2:15 PM: leftover pot roast, sauteed spinach and a glass of organic red wine (Malbec)

4:20 PM: a cup of organic coffee (black)

6:30 PM: a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

7:30 PM: a large piece of homemade (organic) Basil Italian Egg Bake and a bowl of homemade (organic) guacamole

10:00 PM: a strong cup of Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (3 tea bags)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 7

2010-08-30T10:38:00.001-07:00

It's Monday and my fourth ADF day. I'm looking forward to it. Odd, eh? I need to prepare a recipe for HF so I'll skip my usual meal replacement and simply have an actual meal instead - lamb burgers with sliced tomatoes.

Wake Up Time: 10:00 AM. Fell Asleep: 2:00 AM.

10:20 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)

10:45 AM - Blood Pressure: 106/62. Blood Sugar: 71 mg/dL

11:45 AM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)

3:00 PM - a homemade LC lamb burger with a garlic yogurt sauce, sliced tomatoes and grilled broccoli, a 1/2 glass of organic red wine (Syrah) + the majority of my daily supplements

6:00 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

8:00 PM - a strong cup of Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (2 tea bags)

10:15 PM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea (3 tea bags)

Note: I'll post the recipe and more information about the lamb burger and yogurt sauce tomorrow on HF. We think it turned out great. Can't wait to try it again!

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 6

2010-08-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Grilled Mazatlan Blue Shrimp ... on Jicama "Chips"

Queso Fundido w/ Homemade Chorizo & Roasted Poblano Chile

Tinga Poblana - Braised Gleason Ranch Pork Shoulder & Belly

Rib Eye Carne Asada w/Grilled Globe Onions *

* We didn't eat the tamales. We asked them not to bring them at all and instead replace it with sauteed spinach. The spinach eventually came but wasn't very photo-worthy.

This will be a typical feed day - 3 meals but probably no snacking in between. Tonight we plan to belatedly celebrate our 11th anniversary at a new restaurant (Red O) we've been anxious to visit. More details on that to come later.

All-in-all, feeling good. My energy levels are much improved due to the increased sleep allotment. No trouble sticking with the program. The herbal teas seem to help manage my hunger and keep things interesting. Much more so than plain water. The added health benefits are a swell bonus also.

Wake Up Time: 10:45 AM. Fell Asleep: 2:45ish AM.

11:00 AM - a cup of organic coffee w/a scoop of fructo-oligosaccharides (prebiotics) + a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
11:25 AM - Blood Pressure: 123/73. Blood Sugar: 66 mg/dL
11:35 AM - a large slice of homemade Basil Italian Egg Bake, a spicy Italian chicken sausage + my morning nutritional supplements
1:30 PM - a cup of black coffee
3:00 PM - homemade organic guacamole, natural chicarrones, a glass of organic Syrah (red wine) + my mid-day supplements
5:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags)
7:00 PM - Had dinner out. Shared everything: Starter: grilled mazatlan blue shrimp roasted garlic mojo, avocado with jicama chips (raw, not fried) Starter #2: queso fundido w/ homemade chorizo sausage and roasted poblano chiles Main Course #1: Tinga Poblana - braised gleason ranch pork shoulder & belly, homemade chorizo, roasted tomatoes, smoked chipotle, avocado, queso fresco Main Course #2: Carne Asada Brava green chile-marinated creekstone natural ribeye, cooked over the coals, roasted salsa huevona, grilled knob onions To Drink: a glass of Argentinian Malbec
9:00 PM - a cup of organic coffee with a scoop of inulin and a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk + evening supplements
11:15 PM - a strong cup of Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox Tea (2 tea bags)

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 5

2010-08-28T10:47:00.001-07:00

One of the more interesting shifts that's already occurring is that I'm selecting foods, on my "normal" feed days, that needs to eaten.

Example: I had guacamole on both of my prior, non-ADF dinner meals because there were avocados in the refrigerator that needed to be used. I'll have some more guacamole tomorrow because there's still one more left! This alteration in my eating pattern is resulting in significant changes in how I'll select and shop for food in the coming time.

So far, this isn't a problem. Firstly, I love guacamole! Secondly, I can make it in slightly different ways each time. It could be extra garlicy one day. Intensely spicy another. Etc. And also, repetition doesn't seem like much of an issue these days for me. I actually feel more appreciative of my meals when I get to eat them - on my regular feed days. I think that's a positive trend with respect to how I view food. I'm grateful to have delicious and nutritious food to eat. Many people are not so blessed - unfortunately. In other words, I'm focusing more on what I do have and can have rather than what I chose not to have.

After all, when did food become something we depend on for entertainment? Sure it's enjoyable and it can certainly afford sensory stimulation. But simply having access to it should be more important than thinking about other types of food we'd rather be eating. It seems the mindset of many, including myself, has gone way off the tracks.

My initial impressions are that: a) I should buy much smaller quantities of the foods I like, especially the perishable variety - duh!; b) try to increase the variety of foods we stock - to make my full dining days more interesting and nutritionally diverse.

Fast Day #3 - Fell Asleep: 1:30 Am - Wake Up Time: 10:00 AM - Slept in. Whee Hooo!
10:30 AM - an organic cup of black coffee
12:00 PM - Blood Pressure: 124/71. Blood Sugar: 68 mg/dL
12:45 PM - A "triple shot" of organic white tea (3 tea bags)
3:00 PM - ADF Meal Replacement Pudding/Shake: 8 oz of unsweetened, vanilla almond milk, 1 scoop (natural + sugar-free) chocolate egg white protein, 3 Tbs organic (sugar-free) peanut butter, 2 scoops chocolate "greens" powder, 1 scoop organic sprouted flax meal, 1 scoop of FOS/inulin and a dash of NutraSalt + the majority of my daily nutritional supplements
5:00 PM - an organic cup of black coffee
7:15 PM - a strong cup of Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (2 tea bags)
9:00 PM to 12:00 AM - lots of ice water (out with friends at a club)
1:00 AM - a strong cup of organic chamomile tea (2 tea bags)

Update: We're going out tonight. But it'll be a late-night get together so I decided to keep my daily ADF in the mid-day range as usual. I'll probably just have some coffee or mineral water at tonight's event.

More to come, I hope.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 4

2010-08-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

Note: The hunger on ADF days is most apparent when I'm lying in bed drifting off to sleep. Probably due to fewer distractions than during the daytime. It's not major but more noticeable than in the sunlight hours. It also doesn't last very long as I've been falling asleep rather quickly lately.

Note #2: One of the most striking changes so far is how full the refrigerator remains now. It makes sense but it's also rather dramatic to see for yourself. I did make a store at a health food store to pick up some groceries today but the big was significantly smaller than usual.

Note #3: I wanted to briefly mention this while I remembered it. Some of you may know that a long time ago I struggled with an eating disorder known as anorexia nervosa. A long, long time ago. One of the psychological underpinnings of eating disorders is a desperate need for control in one's life. During my adolescence, I felt as though I had very little control over my destiny. But it occurs to me now that taking control over my eating patterns needn't be destructive - if it's done consciously and judiciously. I believe that's part of what I'm doing now. I'm managing my food intake in such a way as to improve my health and to help me feel more confident and in control of my life. This is all the more important now that my/our life seems a bit less certain in general.

Wake up time: 7:00 AM. Fell asleep around 1:00 AM.
7:30 AM - a cup of organic coffee with a scoop of inulin powder (a prebiotic) and a splash of unsweetened, vanilla almond milk
8:45 AM - Blood Pressure: 124/74. Blood Sugar: 68 mg/dL.
9:00 AM - 1 cup of Fage Greek yogurt *, 1 Tbs of Nature's Hollow (sugar-free) strawberry preserves and a few ounces of organic raw pecans + morning supplements
11:00 AM - a cup of organic coffee (black)
1:00 PM - a strong cup of organic white tea with mint (3 tea bags)
2:15 PM - a large slice of homemade Italian Basil Egg Bake and lightly roasted broccoli + mid-day supplements
6:30 PM - a large bowl of homemade (organic) guacamole and chicharrones, a small serving of traditional pot roast and a glass or organic red wine (Syrah) + evening supplements
10:30 - a strong cup of Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (2 tea bags)

* You've probably noticed that some separation occurs when you store opened yogurt in the refrigerator - the semi-solid (yogurt) and the liquid. Pouring out the liquid further reduces the carb count. In the case of Greek yogurt, this in effect causes it to be "doubly strained".

More to come ... I hope!

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 3

2010-08-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

Update: This is a photo of an Italian Basil Egg Bake I made this afternoon. I have no problem cooking and serving Mad food while fasting. I figure that's part of the deal. This is my choice. And that choice requires living a normal life minus the frequency in meals - every other day. It's really not that difficult to do, especially when you know you can eat as you please the following day.

I guess I should have entitled this project, "My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment". I suppose I could go back and change the two previous titles. Done. If only all of life's necessary changes were that easy. Not done.

Fast Day #2 - Woke up at 7:00 AM.
Had a cup of organic black coffee at 7:30 AM.
9:00 AM - Blood Pressure: 109/69. Blood Sugar: 79 mg/dL.
9:15 AM - Current Weight: 185.6 lbs - 23.5% body fat
10:00 AM - Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (2 bags)
1:00 PM - organic black coffee
2:15 PM - Meal Replacement Pudding/Shake - 1 scoop of Natural Chocolate Egg White Protein, 8 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 Tbs of organic peanut butter (unsweetened), 2 scoops of chocolate "greens" formula, 1 scoop organic sprouted flax meal and a dash of NutraSalt
4:15 PM - strong cup (3 tea bags) of organic white tea w/ organic mint
6:00 PM - organic black coffee
10:30 PM - Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea (2 bags)

The plan is to have my (solitary) meal replacement somewhere in the mid-day range. I'm flexible with the timing. And frankly, I'm looking forward to not having to slow down much to eat, prepare and clean up after myself in the kitchen. One less thing to do.

Notes: I'm not getting enough sleep. Maybe 6 hours if I'm lucky. I'm feeling pretty tired but it's unlikely to be due to the ADF. We've been working late into the night and waking up rather early. The ADF doesn't seem to negatively impact sleep quality. Can't say that it's helping in that respect either - as of yet.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 2

2010-08-25T08:38:00.001-07:00

Just getting something down to start the day. Will refine the information later, I hope.

Woke up at 6:45 AM. Had a cup of organic coffee with a splash of unsweetened, vanilla almond milk at about 7:00 AM. Took my blood pressure and sugar at 8:15 AM:

Blood Sugar: 75 mg/dL
Blood Pressure: 121/64

8:45 AM - About to have breakfast: a cup of Greek yogurt (Fage), a Tbs of Nature's Hollow sugar-free strawberry preserves and a few ounces of raw organic pecans + my morning supplements.

1:00 PM - a cup of organic black coffee

2:15 PM - a large piece of LC Eggplant Parmesan and a glass of red wine (organic Syrah) + my mid-day supplements

4:45 PM - an LC Tropical Berry Popsicle

8:15 PM - pulled pork (from Whole Foods), homemade guacamole (organic avocado, organic lemon juice, organic shallot, red pepper flakes, NutraSalt and organic black pepper) and Domingo's Traditional Chicharrones

10:30 PM - Traditional Medicinals' Every Day Detox tea - two teabags

Notes: I felt a few hunger pangs while falling asleep last night. I noticed them but wasn't consumed by them. It's possible that I was too tired to care? Even this morning, I detected some hunger in the background of my consciousness but it doesn't interfere with what needs to get done.

My Low Carb Alternate Day Fasting Experiment - Day 1

2010-08-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

And so the journey begins. I'm still hashing out the details but I have a few ideas about what I'd like to accomplish. A partial list:

1. The satisfaction of knowing that I can manage my appetite and eating patterns like countless generations have in the past.

2. I'm hoping to see some benefits with respect to my blood chemistry. A hike in my HDL cholesterol would be one obvious area where improvement is possible.

3. I think I'm currently at a fairly respectable weight - about 185 give or take. However, I still fall slightly outside of the recommended BMI - depending on minor fluctuations in my weight and the fact that I fall in between 5' 11" and 6' height-wise. Losing 5 to 10 additional pounds would settle the issue once and for all. 175 has a good ring to it.

4. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this eating pattern will simplify my life. Mad and I are juggling quite a lot and I sometimes feel overwhelmed. Doing a modified fast every other day might help. Reduced cooking, cleaning, dining, spending, etc.

In order to be considerate of my wife and others, I've decided to allow for some degree of flexibility in how I practice my ADF days. On days when my schedule is up to me, I'll have my solitary ADF meal mid-day. However, if I need/want to attend an event or meal away from home I'll simply modify my food intake based on what's needed.

Example: Mad and I might go on a date or to a dinner party on an ADF day. In that case, I'll fast in the morning and afternoon and eat regularly at the nighttime meal. The idea is to remove as many worldly hurdles that will surely come up from time-to-time.

8/24/10 - Wake up time: 8:00 AM

8:15 AM a cup of black, organic coffee
11:15 AM a strong cup (2 tea bags) of Every Day Detox tea (Traditional Medicinals)
12:30 PM a cup of black, organic coffee
2:00 PM - my ADF meal replacement shake - 25 grams of natural whey protein, 3 Tbs of almond butter, 2 scoops of a sugar-free chocolate "greens" formula, 1 scoop of sprouted flax seed meal and 8 oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
5:30 PM a strong cup (3 tea bags) of organic white tea with organic mint
7:30 PM a cup of black, organic coffee
9:30 PM a strong cup (2 tea bags) of Every Day Detox tea (Traditional Medicinals)

Notes: My hunger sensation was easily managed on this first day. I didn't perceive the process as being particularly taxing - physically or psychologically. This may have something to do with our hectic schedule and numerous preoccupations. It's funny how little food matters when you don't have the energy or time to devote to it. A lesson relearned.

I should also mention that I took the majority of daily supplements with my mid-day meal replacement. I'm not taking very high dosages of most of the supplements in question. Therefore, I feel as though I can take them all at once - instead of taking them with breakfast and dinner - without any resulting problems.

That's all for now. More to come tomorrow or as time permits. I'm keeping written records in case I can't post here daily.

LC Recipe - Tropical Berry Popsicles

2010-08-24T13:23:00.001-07:00

Recipe Link: Low Carb, Tropical Berry Popsicles

Alternate Day Fasting Experiment

2010-08-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

I'm considering a trial run of ADF. It *seems* as though life may be slowing down enough for me to actually manage it. By that, I mean less travel and no major visits from family or friends in the foreseeable future. For those of you who aren't familiar with alternate day fasting, here's my version of a primer:

Link: ADF Interview Part 1

Link: ADF Interview Part 2

I'm still in the planning stages. But if I go through with it, I'll document my journey here and on HF.

Update: I think this is going to happen. I've already started coming up with a game plan - recipes for my ADF days. That means I'm excited/passionate about the idea on some level. A good sign. More to come soon.

A little music before I depart. I used listen to a band called Cracker back in the 90's. Last year they came out with a new album. I just discovered it a couple of weeks ago. A few of the tunes I've heard are pretty catchy. It's interesting to watch rock stars age.

Cracker - Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey

Cracker - Turn On, Tune In and Drop Out Me

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

2010-08-16T18:37:00.001-07:00

... will be posted tomorrow. Just finished making it and trying it out. Delicious with a capital D. The health info, nutritional content and recipe will be up soon on HF. I'll link back to it once it's up.

Recipe Link: Flourless Eggplant Parmesan

Tip o' the week - Not all Greek yogurts have similar nutritional content. The best I've found so far on the LC tip is the Fage brand. The highest protein and the lowest carb count out there.

Making Coffee Healthier and Lower in Carbs

2010-08-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note. I posted a column on Wednesday that explains what I add to my daily coffee to make it healthier and lower in carbs. There's also some additional information about the interaction between antioxidants in coffee and milk protein, etc. It is a natural health blog after all!

The stevia I mention in the piece is called Stevia Balance by Now Foods. The almond milk is the refrigerated version of Blue Diamond's unsweetened vanilla almond milk. The tetra pack version (shelf stable) doesn't mix or taste nearly as well, IMO.

A New LC Recipe

2010-08-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Pistachio Crusted Wild Salmon

Hello my fellow foodies, friends and low carbers. I thought some of you might enjoy this new LC recipe I just posted on Healthy Fellow. It adds an unexpected twist to your typical fillet o' salmon meal. As always, good nutrition is at the forefront as well. I truly hope you enjoy it if you give it a try.

Here's a link to the cooking directions, nutritional content and recipe: Click Me, Por Favor

24 Hours of LCing

2010-08-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've posted a full day's menu. So I thought I'd post one in case it's of interest and/or value to anyone out there. As a frame of reference, my weight is remaining stable - at about the 185 lbs mark. My original goal weight represents an 80 - 85 lbs total weight loss from my highest weight.

Friday, August 6th 2010

Breakfast: 1 cup of organic cottage cheese, 1 Tbs of Nature's Hollow (Sugar-Free) Strawberry Fruit Preserves and 1/3 cup of organic, raw walnuts

Lunch: Braised Brussels sprouts, naturally cured prosciutto & salami and a few spoonfuls of organic sour cream - I like to put a small dollop of sour cream on thinly sliced cured meat and eat it like a roll up.

Dinner: Roasted artichoke hearts with a creamy herb dip, a rib eye steak, sauteed Parmesan spinach and a glass of red wine (Syrah). Also, a bite of Mad's crab cake - with little to no bread crumbs.

Late Night Snack: 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 1 Tbs of NH Apricot Fruit Preserves and 1/3 cup of organic, raw walnuts

I also had several cups of organic coffee throughout the day. Some of it was "black" and some of it included some added organic cinnamon powder and unsweetened, vanilla almond milk (Blue Diamond).

I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend. Ours started out well by seeing "Inception" in IMAX and going out for an LC dinner last night. Good times. :-)

PS - I just documented our recent trip to Martha's Vineyard here: LC Trippin'. I discussed a few strategies we used to stick with our preferred diet plan and examples of what we ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner while away.

Avocado Frozen Yogurt Heads Up

2010-08-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

"Custardy" & "Lemony" LC Avocado Frozen Yogurt

A new (and admittedly strange sounding) new low carb recipe: Avocado Frozen Yogurt. That said, we think it tastes great. The nutrition rocks as well. I'll post the details on the Tuesday edition of Healthy Fellow and will provide a link here. Until then ... an image will have to do. :-)

Link to Recipe: Low Carb Avocado Frozen Yogurt

Martha's Vineyard 2010

2010-07-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to share a few photos from our recent work trip to Martha's Vineyard. It was a very busy time. But it was sprinkled with quite a lot of beauty and joy along the way. We'll remember it fondly, I suspect.

PS - I almost forgot the most important part ... we both lost a few pounds on the trip! We ate plenty of LC-friendly food (homemade and at restaurants) and enjoyed it immensely. Lots of fresh veggies, great seafood, the occasional glass of organic red wine and a fair share of running around ... literally.

Heads Up - Ceviche Recipe to Come

2010-07-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Healthy Fellow Summer Ceviche

Ladies and Gents,

We just made a delicious, LC-compatible ceviche recipe last night. I'll post the details tomorrow after I put up the full column on Healthy Fellow. Just wanted to get the word out about it. Mad isn't a ceviche fan in the least. But she loved this version. I did too. I hope you will as well if you try it out.

I hope you're all doing well and enjoying your summer so far. We're staying very busy but are otherwise well. Fingers crossed but things may slow down a bit starting next week. That would be a welcome change.

Update: Here's a link to my Summer Ceviche recipe.

Quick Breakfast Post

2010-07-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

My current favorite breakfast: organic cottage cheese + all-natural (sugar-free) fruit preserves * and raw, organic walnut halves. Couldn't be easier to throw together. Super nutritious and relatively low-carb. Love the taste and texture. The walnuts give it a granola-type crunch without the empty calories.

* We use the Nature's Hollow brand of xylitol-sweetened fruit preserves. All the flavors rock, IMO.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

2010-07-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

I whipped up a new recipe on Saturday. I was inspired to do so after walking down the isles of a local health food store and market earlier in the week. That got me thinking about what I used to eat and that lead me down the "create a better monster" culinary route. And since Mad's out of town at the moment, I had some extra time to go crazy in the kitchen.

Correction: Come to think of it, the true genesis of this recipe probably had more to do with a blog I read recently by a fellow low-carber, October. She mentioned feeling bored with some of her everyday food selections. That + my fond memories of eating blueberry muffins in my younger years = this new recipe.

The actual recipe and directions will be posted tomorrow on the Healthy Fellow site. Did the muffins turn out well? Let me put it this way ... they're all gone. It took all of three days to polish off 10 muffins. No guilt though. The nutritional profile is pretty solid. Plus, I was on a bachelors diet - I ate whatever was left in the house.

Edit: Here's a direct link to the recipe: Low Carb Lemon Blueberry Muffins

I'm going to keep this post short because I'm not certain if anyone's actually reading this. And typing to oneself can't possibly be a very healthy endeavor. After all, it's not quite like keeping a diary.

One last thing though. Starting next Wednesday, I'll post a series of questions and answers featuring Dr. Richard Feinman of the Nutrition and Metabolism Society. He's such a fantastic advocate and resource for anyone interested in low carbohydrate nutrition. I highly recommend following the NMS Twitter feed.

Saturday Dinner Party

2010-06-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

Low Carb Coconut Flan

Freshly Baked LC Pecan Cookies

We're having some friends over for dinner tonight. It's going to be a low carb feast - artichoke hearts, an assortment of exotic cheeses, olives, salad, creamed spinach, steak, red wine, LC cheesecake, LC pecan cookies and coffee. I'm probably leaving a few things out but that gives a pretty good idea of what we're planning.

Much of the fare is homemade. I just baked the cookies yesterday evening and the creamed spinach just passed it's final taste inspection. Thumbs up on both counts. If I manage to pull off the steaks without a hitch all will be well in Wowee Zoweeville. Fingers crossed.

Speaking of the steaks ... I'm firing up our mini-barbecue tonight. A sure sign that Summer is indeed upon us. Great weather for such an occasion - mid 70's and mostly clear skies. We're usually on the receiving end of the sweet scent of neighboring barbecues. But tonight we're fighting back!

Apart from that I've been running some errands today and prepping a new LC recipe that I'm planning for my Tuesday Healthy Fellow column. In their own way, weekends are often as busy at weekdays. But I'm thankful for it all. As difficult and hectic as life can be sometimes, there's always so much more to be grateful about. I'm typing that as reminder for myself as much as anything else.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and week ahead. Here's hoping for a healthy and joyful Summer for us all.

Egg Bake Madness

2010-06-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

We've made egg bakes every Sunday morning for the past several weeks. Mad and I have it for breakfast/brunch and enjoy the leftovers during the week days. Each "pie" makes 8 slices and travels well. It tastes great and you can add anything to the party you'd like. We've experimented with different cheeses, fresh herbs and salsas. This morning I also included some chopped bacon for variety. Very tasty!

Recipe: New Mexican Egg Bake

I hope you're all having a great weekend. Best wishes for the upcoming week and beyond.

I'm off to make some LC cookies now!

Graduation Lunch

2010-06-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

Rib Eye Steak w/ Steamed Broccoli and Creamed Spinach

Yesterday we attended a graduation lunch at Spago in Beverly Hills. Unfortunately, it wasn't the right occasion to snap any food photos.* The menu wasn't 100% LC friendly but we chose carefully and asked for one minor change to make the entree "on plan".

Starter: Caesar Salad w/ Anchovies and Roasted Peppers

It was an elegantly presented salad that came with a piece of toasted, artisan bread topped with a butter spread and roasted peppers. We enjoyed the salad and scooped the peppers off of the toast. Easy peasy and delicious.

Entree: Roasted Chicken w/ an Assortment of Mushrooms and Veggies

This originally came with potato puree as well. We asked them to hold the puree and double up on the mushrooms/veggies. The chicken was outstanding and was accompanied by a rich reduction sauce. So good. Perhaps the best chicken I've ever had! The white meat was so flavorful and juicy! There must have been a magician working in the kitchen!

Dessert: Just a cup of black coffee for me. Mad had a cappuccino. No need for anything else. We were both satisfied but not stuffed. A good feeling.

Tonight we're going to another graduation party. It'll be a much more casual affair - pizza and salad, chips and soda, etc. We'll most likely eat prior to going and see if we find something that works for us while we're there.

It's great to be able to go to such events, respect our health goals and still enjoy the celebration. In fact, I think we enjoy these gathering even more nowadays. Why? Because we're not feeling ashamed/bad about harming ourselves re: overeating and we're focusing more so on the reason for the celebration in the first place - our family and friends ... not self-medicating ourselves with food. As an added bonus, we also set a better example for those around us. Always a good feeling.

* This is an old photo I don't think I've posted before. It's an image from my birthday dinner earlier this year. Mad and I shared the steak and a glass of organic red wine on this occasion. A near perfect meal with my perfect mate!

Friday Night Dinner Photos

2010-05-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a brief break from the madness on Friday night - a romantic dinner at a restaurant called Fraiche in Santa Monica, California. Very tasty and LC friendly. Here are a few of the highlights.

Braised Short Ribs w/Swiss Chard

Korobuta Pork Chop w/ Broccolini and a Port Wine Reduction

I hope you all enjoyed the holiday weekend. If only all weekends could last three days.

Prejudice

2010-05-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

It's tough to admit it but we all make certain prejudgments. This lesson was most recently illustrated to me while browsing at Whole Foods. I noticed a bag of chicharrones (traditional pork rinds) while strolling down the temptation-laden snack aisle. My first instinct was to turn away. Whole Foods or not, these couldn't possibly be healthy. Thankfully, I stopped and reconsidered.

The brand of pork rinds in question contained only two ingredients: pork rinds and sea salt. The label boasts that it's "Made With: Natural Ingredients, No Preservatives, No Artificial Flavoring, No Artificial Coloring, No Hydrogenated Oils, No Trans Fats". By scanning over the packaging I also learned that Domingo's Traditional Chicharrones have been made in pretty much the same way for over 70 years. It's a family owned operation that uses a special, two-stage cooking process which results in a lighter, milder flavor - I think they're delicious. Also, they claim that their pork rinds are from pigs that are antibiotic-free and humanely raised.

The nutritional content is pretty spot on for low carbers - only 80 calories per serving with 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat. The sodium content is also reasonable at 200 mg per serving. Best of all, it's entirely carb free.

I realize this isn't exactly a revelation to many in the LC community. But I must admit that I thought of pork rinds as just being LC junk food. This is apparently not so.

Magnesium Trial

2010-04-26T21:58:00.001-07:00

Dear Ladies and Gents,

I recently announced a special experiment that I'm running through my HealthyFellow site. Unfortunately, one of my test volunteers had to drop out. That means I now have an unexpected opening. If any of you would like to take part in the mini-trial, please let me know.

This gives a basic description of what's involved: Topical Magnesium Study

My best to you all!

Mad's B-Day Dinner (Main Course + "Dessert")

2010-04-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Moroccan Scallops and Eggplant

Banana Leaf Braised Pork Should and Wilted Spinach

Three Spanish Cheeses

To drink, Mad had a martini with olives and I enjoyed a glass of Argentinian Syrah. With dessert, we both enjoyed a cup French pressed coffee.

Mad's B-Day Dinner (Starters)

2010-04-20T12:58:00.001-07:00

Spanish Stuffed Olives - Five Ways

Basque Lamb Chops

Mussels w/ Chorizo & Aji Amarillo-Pisco Broth

This past Sunday we celebrated the most special day of the year, Mad's birthday. We visited an incredibly delicious restaurant in downtown LA called Rivera.

Main course coming up ...

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

2010-04-07T20:47:00.001-07:00

9:10 AM - a cup of instant, organic coffee

10:30 AM - a bowl of Greek style (plain) yogurt

12:00 PM - smoked small and an iced coffee (black)

4:00 PM - low carb hot cocoa with added coconut fiber/flour

5:30 PM - a cup of instant, organic coffee

8:00 PM - low carb pizza (triple-toasted Purity bread, roasted tomatoes, red pepper flakes and asiago cheese)

10:00 PM - a few low carb almond + hazelnut pancakes topped with Nature's Hollow strawberry preserves

More to come ... I hope!

Tuesday - April 6, 2010

2010-04-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

9:15 AM - a cup of organic, instant coffee

11:00 AM - homemade broccoli soup (organic broccoli, water, organic basil, a bay leaf and thyme) and a dash of olive oil

1:00 PM - Choconut Diet Saver Shake - hot water + 2 heaping tablespoons of pure cocoa + 3 tablespoons of coconut fiber/flour + 1 scoop of Jarrow Formulas unflavored whey protein + stevia

4:00 PM - a cup of organic, instant coffee

7:30 PM - a large piece of chuck roast, organic avocado slices and a can of Zevia (natural diet) ginger ale

More to come ... I hope!

Monday - April 5, 2010

2010-04-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

9:15 AM - a cup of organic, instant coffee

10:30 AM - recipe trial: "Tropical Pre-Meal Appetite Tamer" a combination of strawberry whey protein, coconut fiber/flour, cold water and stevia.

12:15 PM - a homemade carnitas bowl: pulled pork with organic chipotle salsa and organic sour cream

2:00 PM - a cup of organic, instant coffee

6:00 PM - homemade broccoli soup (organic broccoli, water, organic basil, a bay leaf and thyme) and a dash of olive oil

I felt like some soup. In an experimental mood. The recipe is based entirely on my imagination (or lack thereof) and what was on hand. Wanted something healthy and lite. Even left out the salt.

Update: The soup was just fine. Nothing I'd have just for the taste of it. But it was nutritious and soothing. Mission accomplished.

9:00 PM - low carb pepperoni pizza (Purity Bread, sugar-free "pink sauce", nitrate-free pepperoni and asiago cheese) + a bottle of Virgil's all-natural, diet Black Cherry Cream Soda

More to come ... I hope!

Buona Pasqua

2010-04-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to drop by to wish you all a joyful Easter day (in Italian). I hope you'll all have some down time and the chance to spend it with your loved ones. I'm going solo for most of the day. Mad's been on a business trip in New York. I'm picking her up from the airport later tonight.

I plan to make some substantial changes around here. Rather than typing about them, I'll just show you what they are in the coming days. Hopefully they'll be of some value and use to all involved.

What better day than Easter to try to bring about a positive change, eh?

PS - I was just on the Whole Foods Market website and I discovered a minor feature that might save me (and you) a dollar or two on occasion. They have a coupon page online. (Link: Whole Foods Coupon Page). It'll save me a few dollars (literally) when I visit "Whole Paycheck" this afternoon. Every little bit helps.

PPS - Just had an earthquake over here. Scary!

9:00 AM - a cup of organic, instant coffee

11:00 AM - recipe trial: "Pre-Meal Appetite Tamer" a combination of pure cocoa powder, whey protein, coconut fiber/flour and stevia.

1:30 PM - 2 thin slices of Purity Bread toast topped with organic cream cheese and Nature's Hollow strawberry jam (all-natural and sweetened only with xylitol)

3:00 PM - a cup of organic, instant coffee

6:00 PM - homemade almond and hazelnut pancakes and Nature's Hollow sugar free maple syrup + a cup of organic, instant coffee

I needed to make a fresh batch of pancakes so I figured I'd just have some for dinner while I was at it.

10:30 PM - a few ounces of raw Raclette cheese and a few thin slices of domestic prosciutto + sopressata

More to come ... I hope!

The ABCs of Monday

2010-03-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry it took so long to post the pics, folks!

Anne "Carb Tripper" - Paid us a visit on Monday and brightened our day. As lovely a soul as we both imagined.

Burgers - We all decided on burgers for lunch. No buns of course.

Cheesecake - That's right. We shared a slice of cheesecake. After all, we did eat at The Cheesecake Factory. LC cheesecake with Splenda sweetened whipped cream. Pic to come.

The bonus pic is of some natural (no nitrates) mini pepperoni-pizzas I recently cooked up. I made them using Julian Bakery's Purity Bread. Very tasty and oh so easy to prepare.

Natural Products Expo West

2010-03-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

Mad's Seafood Dinner

My Lamb Entree

Hanging with Dr. Michael Murray

No Artificial Sweeteners at the Show!

This is was an action packed weekend in the Wowee Zowee/Healthy Fellow household. We attended the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim - along with about 56,000 other people! We also celebrated our Dad's 76th b-day on Saturday night. It was pretty fantastic! All of it! Above you'll find a visual tour that captures some of the magic.

BTW, I'll post some information about a cool LC giveaway later tonight on HealthyFellow.com . If you're interested in trying Jay Robb's new brown rice protein powder, let me know and I'll send some of to you - as long as our supplies last!

Bouchon

2010-03-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

Mad and I celebrated a late Valentine's Day on Friday night at a special spot, Bouchon. It was one of our favorite meals ever! So delicious and the staff were all very attentive and kind. We even spotted a celebrity of sorts, Alex Guarnaschelli of the Food Network (Alex's Day Off, Chopped, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, etc.).

We snapped a few photos along the way - much to the displeasure of some of the other diners. :-0

Marinated Olives

Escargot w/ Pastry Tops Taken Off

Braised Pork Belly w/ Spring Pole Beans & Mustard Vinaigrette

Sauteed Garlic Spinach

Pan-Seared Prime Flatiron

Mad didn't eat the pastry tops that came on the escargot hors-d'oeuvres pan and I didn't eat the garbanzo beans that accompanied the pork belly. Needless to say, I left the French frites on the plate as well.

As a main course, Mad enjoyed pan-roasted trout with haricots verts & beurre noisette. She was thrilled with it. I tried a bite and completely understood why - it was ultra-rich, flavorful and velvety smooth.

All-in-all, a very memorable and romantic night. They even gave us an extra special table due to the occasion and being as though it was our first time eating there. What a treat!

PS - I recently reported on a study that examined the relative merits of a low carb Mediterranean diet vs. a traditional Mediterranean diet and a diet advocated by the American Diabetic Association. Here's what the researchers discovered: Low Carb Med Diet Link

Mad's Latest Adventure

2010-02-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

Mad traveled to New York this past week due to a death in the family. Upon her arrival, one of the worst snow storms in recent history came to town.

The good news? Maddy was able to traverse the treacherous landscape safely and remain true to her LC lifestyle even while going through a stressful and emotionally devastating time.

In other news, I recently posted an LC recipe that we've both been enjoying very much: Almond Pancakes. There are a couple of other LC creations and finds that we're currently working on as well. More on those as we work out all the kinks.

As for myself, I continue to stay on my own LC path - maintaining my weight and enjoying a rather diverse and nutritious diet. No significant stumbles to speak of ...

One final note: Maddy and I have been meditating lately - two sessions of about 15 minutes each per day, one in the morning and one at night. It's really helping us to feel more serene and in control - regardless of the circumstances.

B-Day/Valentine's Dinner

2010-02-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

Grilled Octopus with Olive and Tomatoes

Veal with Tuna & Caper Sauce (and Watercress)

Rosemary-Infused Scallops

Spicy Broccolini

Barolo Braised Short Rib

It was a lovely and memorable night indeed. We ate at an Italian restaurant called Cecconi's. The meal was outrageous! Seriously some of the most delicious octopus and short rib we've ever eaten. The scallops were right up there too. Mad had a spicy Bloody Mary to drink and I had a glass of Syrah. It doesn't get much better than this ...