Restaurant Week @ Dos Caminos NYC!

Dos Caminos is  a hip Mexican restaurant with locations in Las Vegas, Florida, and New York.  This ultra stylish and modern restaurant has a full brunch, lunch, and dinner menu (also a special menu for restaurant week). 

Advantages: Every table gets unlimited tortilla chips, guacamole, and 3 types of dipping sauces.
Disadvantages: Brunch ends at 4, so if you want the lunch menu you have to wait :(

Best Bang for your Buck
-Dos Enchiladas $18
~Featured in the picture above. Get anything on the menu and its bound to taste heavenly and most dishes come with a side order of rice (amazingly good).

Author's cocktail: Frozen  Traditional Marguirita

Food for thought* Go for brunch and receive one free cold beverage (including alcohol) and one free hot beverage.  Most places that offer free alcoholic beverages water down the drinks but not Dos Caminos!

Guacamole Recipe (Courtesy of Dos Caminos)
This recipe may be doubled as many times as you like.

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño or Serrano chilies, seeds and membranes removed, if desired
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2  large ripe avocados, preferably California Haas, peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons cored, seeded, and finely chopped plum tomatoes (1 small tomato)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

In a medium size bowl, use the back of a spoon to mash 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion, 1 teaspoon of minced chile, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together against the bottom of the bowl.

Add the avocados and gently mash them with a fork until chunky-smooth. Fold the remaining cilantro, onion, and chile into the mixture. Stir in tomatoes and lime juice,  taste to adjust the seasonings, and serve with a basket of warm corn tortilla chips.

Add some “add-ons”

SIDEBAR: DRESSING UP YOUR GUACAMOLE

Lobster Guacamole
1lb  whole lobster or 4 oz lobster meat
(steam, cool and pick meat from lobster and rough chop)
Japanese pickled ginger works well for a garnish.


Chipotle-goat cheese guacamole
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies

Mango Guacamole
1 large ripe mango peeled seeded and diced
(any fruit will work, fresh berries, seedless grapes, papaya for example)

Artichoke guacamole with toasted pinenuts
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Accomplish your New Years Resolution

Time is ticking and it's that time of the year to start shedding the pounds, no more procrastination, start achieving small goals to reach your final resolution!
Here's a sample diet (that wont even feel like a diet, its wallet friendly as well:)
Day 1
Breakfast: 1 waffle, 1 cup of orange juice, 1/2 cup of strawberries and whipped cream
Lunch: 2 slices of wheat bread, 1 chicken patty, lettuce, tomato, salad, and 1 cup of water.
Snack: 1/4 cup of almond nut clusters and m&m's (or your fav. trail mix) and 1 cup of chocolate milk/water.
Dinner: 1 fish, 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of peas, 1/2 cup of asparagus, salad, and 1 cup of cranberry juice.


Some other great substitutes include:
Breakfast:
1 cup of cereal and milk or 1 scrambeled egg, 2 slices of bacon, and 1 slice of wheat bread.
*Be sure to always include fruits- 3 cups a day.
Lunch:
2 slices of turkey, 2 slices of cheese, 2 slices of wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, avocado or 1 pork chop, 1/2 cup rice, and veggies (green).
*Be sure to always include a salad.
Snack:
5 crackers and cheese, yogurt, or hummus and 5 pita chips, sunflower seeds 1/4 cup, or pretzals, reduced fat potatoe chips.
*Great time to include your daily serving of dairy or protein into your diet.
Dinner:
4 meatballs and 1/2 cup of wheat spaghetti or 1/2 cup of fettucini alfredo.
*Make sure to include a salad with every dinner.


To plan your own menu click on the link below:
http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/planner/index.aspx


Food for thought* This easy diet (portioning) will give you the results you want almost instantly, if done along side exercise.

Natural Beauty Products: Creative use of food

Tired of going to the store and buying products that aren't even good for your skin, body, hair, etc.?  Trust me if it says that it contains anything flammable it may not be the best item to put on your face.  Treat your body like a temple and use these all natural remedies to solve your everyday beauty needs.

*Puffy, baggy eyes?  Yes, you can use cucumbers but anything cold and hydrating will do the trick i.e. (eggplant, halved grapes, and ).  You can also dip cotton balls in very cold cucumber juice, pineapple juice, and even water/rosewater to get rid of wrinkles and under eye baggage. 
-Tea bags also do the trick (steep the bags and let them cool off until they are comfortably warm then place them on your eyelids).

*The MASK
-Egg yolks (careful don't let it get in your eyes, set for 10 minutes)
-Mashed strawberries (set for 15 minutes)
-Avocado (set for 15-20 minutes)
-Oatmeal, yogurt, and honey (let it set for 30 minutes)

*Stretch Marks
-Yogurt, 1tbs of turmeric (mix and rub, let set for 30 minutes)
-1/2 cup virgin olive oil., 1/4 cup aloe Vera gel., liquid from 6 capsules of Vitamin E., liquid from 4 capsules of Vitamin A. Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. After that pour the mixture into a jar and store it in the fridge. Apply the oil externally all over the places where the stretch marks commonly appear ( abdomen, hips, thighs and breasts ). If you do this consistently every day, you may prevent stretch marks. <Taken from http://www.homemademedicine.com/home-remedies-stretch-marks.html > 

*Moisturize your skin
-Pour some whole milk in your bath
-Oatmeal and honey
-1tbs of sugar, drops of lemon juice (olive oil is optional)-use mixture as a scrub
-Avocado and yogurt (set for 10 minutes)
-Grapes and flour

*Hair
-Avocado (make it shine :)
-Apple cider vinegar
-Mayonnaise
-Olive oil

Food for thought*
-Remember H20 is the way to go!

                  

Upscale Japanese

Aozora is an upscale Japanese/European fusion restaurant in Montclair, NJ.  Upon receiving your food it will feel as if you have just received art on a plate. 
If you dont trust me, see for your self click below:
http://www.zagat.com/Verticals/PropertyDetails.aspx?VID=8&R=96587

Advantages:  The food is delicious mmmmmm!
Disadvantages:  The prices are ridiculous, however I dont regret a buck I spent because the food was amazing-1/3 of the party that I went with disagreed.
2/3 vote yay , 1/3 vote nay (taste for your self)

Best Bang for your BUCK
~Surf and Turf $35
Ok so its a bit much but this dish is delectable! Worth every penny I spent :)
*Try their sushi rolls as well*

Author's cocktail pick: BYOB

Food for thought* Make a reservation for the upstairs party room, bring a bunch of friends, laugh, enjoy, and sing some karaoke!

Japanese

Sushi Hana is a small, comfortable, and often missed Japanese restaurant in Montclair, NJ.  The menu ranges from chicken teriyaki, salmon, ramen, to a full sushi bar.

Advantages: The food is great and the options are endless.
Disadvantages: The restaurant is closed from 2:30-4:30 (Friday-Sun) and 2:30-5:00 (Monday-Thursday).

Author's pick ;)
-Rock shrimp tempura
-Kiss me surprise roll
-Lava roll
-X men roll

Best Bang for your Buck!
Order out during lunch hours (lunch specials)
~Special rolls luncheon (choose 2, salad, and a soup) ONLY $9.95

Food for thought* Something for everyone, not all rolls are raw. When you order confirm which rolls are raw or cooked and enjoy!

Classic American

TGIF!  Who doesn't love classic American family friendly restaurants?  Fridays is a chain restaurant with good tasting food to satisfy meat eaters, weight watchers, kids, men, women, etc. 
Advantages: Great taste, great price.
Disadvantage: Selections are very few for vegetarians.
Best of Fridays
-Sizzling chicken and shrimp
-Jack Daniels chicken and shrimp
-Bruschetta chicken pasta
-Brownie obsession :)

Biggest Bang for your BUCK!
3 courses for $12.99 (limited time only)
- Fried Mozzarella
-Bruschetta chicken pasta
-Brownie obsession

Author's cocktail: ULTIMATE MANGO MAI TAI

*Food for thought* Sign up for Fridays "GIVE ME MORE STRIPES" card to receive deals and coupons.