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the underwear diet

sultry sabayon

September 20, 2011
sweet thang, the underwear diet
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It’s the kind of dessert that you want to feed to someone, or have someone feed you. Sabayon is an egg-yolk base that serves as the foundation for emulsified sauces, such as hollandaise or bearnaise. When the yolks are whipped with a sweet element and alcohol, you get something that looks like this:

Place a stainless steel bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. In the bowl, whisk together 3 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of white wine, or any alcohol you have on hand. Once the eggs double in volume and become thick and frothy, you’re done. Yup, that’s it. If you end up with scrambled eggs, well, you’ve screwed it up.

If you’re watching your figure, sabayon is a relatively safe dessert choice when compared to, let’s say, ice cream or whipped cream. And let’s face it–no one wants to take off their pants after gorging on a bowl of either.

I recently made this for my mom, so it was a tame night; we spooned the sabayon over berries and ate it in pajama pants, not underwear. Next time, I’ll make it a romantic occasion–underwear and all. Maybe even candles. Maybe that’s pushing it.

all we are saying, is give peas a chance

September 19, 2011
appeteaser, somethin' on the side, the underwear diet
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There is something about peas that really bothers me. Perhaps it’s that they’re not all that great. Seldom do I eat something with peas as the centerpiece and think, Damn—these peas just make me wanna take my pants off. For this reason I question my motivation to torture myself with a pea and mint crostini.

Heat frozen peas in boiling water or in the microwave until fully defrosted (they don’t have to be warm, just thawed). Combine with chopped fresh mint, minced garlic, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly squeezed lemon juice, S & P. Mash gently with a fork. Don’t puree to oblivion; we want to know we’re dealing with crappy old peas. Spread on toasted baguette and garnish with a bit more shaved or grated Pecorino.

After trying this crostini, I turned into a pea fanatic! No, that’s a lie. But I did quite enjoy the brightness of the peas, the fresh mint flavor, and the contrast of the mash to the crunch of the baguette. I’ve become less offended by the little guys, and perhaps more inclined to use them in the future.

For now, however, the pants are staying put.

marinated zucchini

September 14, 2011
somethin' on the side, the underwear diet
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Diets suck. The key is to eat less, cook more, and include plenty of fruits and veggies. That’s the concentrated advice. Trust me, I’m a dietitian. Whether or not you want to diet, I assure you you need to make this recipe for marinated zucchini before summer disappears. (Adapted from a lunch at al di la.)

Finely dice zucchini and summer squash (alternately, thinly slice lengthwise). Marinate in freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, chopped fresh mint, red pepper flakes and salt. Say what? Yes, that’s it.

This raw salad is so healthy and guilt-free, you’ll feel so good about the way you look, you’ll want to do more than just eat in your underwear.

show us your huevos

September 13, 2011
the underwear diet
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One of my favorite weekend activities includes lazing around all day in my underwear, watching movies, putting off responsibilities, drinking too much coffee till late in the afternoon (particularly in bed), googling stupidity, and making a hearty lunfast (not quite as catchy as brunch, I suppose). A perfect meal for this type of day? Huevos rancheros:

Microwave frozen brown rice according to the directions, or use boil-in-a-bag brown rice. (Feel free to make your own brown rice. I rarely do.) Mix with rinsed canned beans and chopped fresh cilantro. Top the rice with salsa, sliced avocado and a fried egg. Season with S & P.