Wine just got healthier (for real)

It may come as a shock but I’m not a major wine drinker. My desert island cocktail would involve spirits (specifically Mezcal in case you care). I am, however, obsessed with the whole healthier happy hour concept. If we’re going to drink (you can make your own decision but I am going to), what’s the best way to improve the quality, decrease the side effects and just feel better about it?

Enter üllo, üllo is basically a Brita for your wine. It’s an easy-to-use filter that sits on top of your wine glass. As you pour the wine, the sulfites are removed. Sulfites are preservatives used in most wine production. They can cause allergic reactions and also headaches. It’s estimated 1 in 10 people have a sulfite sensitivity. Even if you’re not the one, sulfites decrease nutrient availability in food. Specifically, sulfites gobble up B vitamins- how rude!

I tested out my Üllo recently for a holiday dinner. Whether it’s bad parenting or not, I had my 12-year-old set it up for me. It was Rosh Hashanah so the wine was sweet which usually leaves me  miserable. While I only had one, small glass (Jam Jar, yum), I didn’t have my usual “red” headache. Cheers and TGIF!
Do you react to sulfites? Seek out wines that are sulfite free? Have you heard of üllo?

Drink your way to success?

Yesterday, a link to this story was sent my way.  The premise of the article is that in order for women to succeed in business they need to drink up. The piece was sent my way with the commentary “so sad that women feel they need to do this.” It is. It’s not as sad as people sleeping their way to the top but I’ve written before about bossy bosses. And so whether it’s “pizza for the team”, a golf outing (maybe drinks trump this option) or whisky this frat-style hazing is alive and “unwell” in corporate America. 

I first heard about this mandatory serious drinking from a client based in Asia. When I’d ask how many drinks we could plan on when she was out for work she’d say “a lot”.  When I’d clarify, “so four, five?” “She’d say “much more.” In many situations it’s not just that you must participate but that you have to participate with gusto. As the article said, “a couple Chardonnays over a three hour period isn’t going to cut it” or so it seems. I don't know what's worse the expectation that you have to overindulge or employees taking apparent pride in their ability to do so.

Peer pressure aside, I find it interesting that what you choose to drink makes a statement. “Drink things typically associated with having a penis. Goodbye Skinny Girl margarita, hello Don Julio.  As long as we’re being crass, I am a fan of these so-called “penis” drinks. I love a scotch or mezcal on the rocks but it does elicit comments. As long as we’re being crass, since when does having a vagina obligate you to order a Cosmo? If you've read LBT you know that these "dude drinks" are the way to go, of course I suggest one a night. It's a good thing I own my own business.

Maybe I’m biased but I don’t think you need to down a pizza, a dozen shots or sink a hole in 1 in order to succeed. But you may need to take a piece of pizza, order a stiff drink and go to the golf outing. I’m all for doing the best job you can but that has its limits.

What do you think of the expectation that you have to go “shot for shot” in order to succeed? Have you felt pressured, as an adult, to eat or drink something at work or socially? How do you handle it?

Summer Weekends: Don't Let Apps Make You Fat

Dark photo but had to include Rosa Mexicana guac for an army from Taste of Upper West Side

Nothing says “hello summer” like a golf umbrella (or in my case yesterday a broken umbrella mid-typhoon) but weather aside Memorial Day weekend, for many, is the unofficial start to summer. Nutritionally each season has its liabilities. Summertime means cocktail calories and barbeques possibly mitigated by the presence fantastic produce and outside time.  This week, I’ve been prepping clients for summer snags. In a session earlier in the week a client said “I’m pretty good with my meals it’s just the appetizers and pre-dinner munching that trips me up.” She’s not alone; a cheese plate has derailed many healthy weekends.  Here are my tips for managing an app-attack.

Be mono-appous- despite what you’ve heard happy hour is not the time to play the field at least when calories are at stake. Is it going to be shrimp cocktail, crudité or cheese? Whenever possible, commit to one item and be faithful. This is similar to the presnacktual agreement I mentioned before. The more items you taste the more total food you’ll consume.

If food-loyalty is a virtue you’re still working on, I’ve got you covered. For pupu platter eaters sticking to one food takes work and can initially feel like dietary Alcatraz. In that case, just plate it. Take a bread and butter plate or if plateless a cocktail napkin will suffice and serve yourself a few items. The nice thing about plating is that you see what you’re consuming. This comes in handy if you’re keeping a food journal or just when donning a swimsuit for the first time in months. And it's just one plate, no refills.

It’s easy to overdo it on hors d’oeuvres (a word I can never spell correctly), especially after a glass of wine. When you’re tempted to blow it…wait, wait, compensate. If you polished off the better part of a basket of chips- skip carbs at dinner. If you couldn’t resist mini meatballs or sliders, veg it up during mealtime.  Apps add up and the truth is if you went to town (it has happened to the best of us) you technically don’t need much after that. If that sounds a little Where the Wild Things Are I’m sorry but we’re all a lot older than Max and dinner skipping (after basically having dinner) isn’t the end of the world.

If you’re hosting, some favorite app ideas are

• Olives- in NYC Citarella and Fresh Direct sell gigantic Cerignola olives that I adore.
• Veggies and Interesting Dip- try Sweet Potato Hummus or a knock off on Canyon Ranches Peanut Butter Delight (1/4 cup any nut butter,  1 cup Greek Yogurt spice it up with cayenne or keep it sweet with cinnamon/vanilla or maple).
• Nothing is better than guacamole but I serve it with shrimp instead of chips.
• If you’re a regular reader you know my fondness for freshly popped popcorn and truffle salt (preferably together).
• And if you’re feeling “cheesy” pair cubes of cheese with organic Hellfire Pepper Jelly- it’s spicy enough that it really satisfies you and spice helps with your metabolism.

What’s your appetizer strategy? Any of these tips sound worth trying? What are your favorite appetizers to eat or make?
Have a great weekend.