Who's Hungry?

An Appetite For Tasty Cuisine 

Deborah Polchek

Managing Editor

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

5 SUPERFOOD RECIPES THAT HEAL AND ARE EASY TO MAKE

GINGERED CRANBERRY OATMEAL

Prep time: 15-25 minutes Per serving 329 cal, 2g pro, 60g carb, 3g fiber, 11g fat, 4g sat. fat, 15mg chol, 45mg sodium

2 cups apples, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 cup candied ginger, chopped

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup quick oats

1/3 cup pecans, chopped

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3 Tbsp butter or margarine cut into small pieces

Boil quick oats over low-medium heat until firm. Melt butter or margarine in a 1 1/2 quart pot; add apples, cranberries, and pecans sauté over low heat for 2 minutes. Spoon oats and ingredients into a bowl add pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar to taste.

With so many restaurants, cafes, pubs, sidewalk food vendors, and food trucks to choose from it's no wonder far fewer people eat at home nowadays. I am a natural-born foodie, I have eaten everything from escargot steeped in a nice broth (that is snails by the way) in France to fried alligator on a bed of dirty rice in New Orleans, and still, I'm always looking for the next delicious meal. Even drinks have gotten the better of me, I can sip on a dirty martini, or down shots of tequila with a lemon chaser. So, I offer my take on foods and delicious recipes to help you lose weight and gain more energy or is it gain weight and lose more energy, LOL and way. Bon Appetite! 

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PLUM DELICIOUS VENISON CHOPS

Prep Time: 25-30 minutes Per Serving 257 cal, 25g pro, 27g carb, 2g fiber, 6g fat, 1g sat. fat, 78mg chol., 71mg sodium

1/2 cup pitted prunes, cut in half

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp orange zest

4 venison chops (lean) about 3/4 in thick, trimmed

salt and pepper

1 tsp vegetable oil

Mix prunes, water, brown sugar, and zest in a small saucepan. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until prunes are tender. Keep warm. Season chops with salt and pepper. Heat skillet until hot or on a grill, brush with oil. Pan sear or grill chops for about 5 minutes on one side. Turn and cook 3 to 5 minutes longer in the pan, if not using a grill then place in a preheated oven to 325 F degrees for 1 hour to slow cook without drying out. Spoon prune sauce over venison chops.

WATERCRESS SALAD

Prep Time: 5 minutes Per Serving (before dressing) 78 cal, 5g pro., 7g carb., 1g fiber, 4g fat, 3g sat. fat, 9mg chol., 79mg sodium

4 bunches of watercress, trimmed and roughly chopped

2 cups ruby red grapefruit segments

1 cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Arrange watercress, grapefruit, and cheese on a plate. Toss gently with a dressing of your choice (low fat) and season with salt and pepper to taste.    

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MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA

Prep Time: 12-15 minutes Per Serving (2 slices): 292 cal, 1.4g pro., 42g carb, 3g fiber, 8g fat, 3g sat fat. 6mg chol., 729mg sodium

5 oz low-fat soft goat cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried 

Freshly ground black pepper

1 12-inch (10 oz) prebaked pizza crust

6 oz jarred, roasted sweet red peppers, drained and cut lengthwise into strips

6 oz jarred or canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Preheat oven to 450 F. In a small bowl, stir together cheese, garlic, and oregano, and add black pepper to taste. Dapple crust with crumbled cheese mixture, leaving a 1-inch rim around the edge. Scatter pepper strips and artichoke hearts on top of the cheese. Slide pizza directly onto the oven rack and back 12 minutes, or until crust crisps and cheese melts. Remove pizza from the oven, cut it into eighths with a pizza cutter, and serve hot.

DRINKS ARE ON THE HOUSE

Whether you are at a nightclub, hosting a party, indulging in a “liquid lunch” with friends, or out on a romantic date having the right drinks can definitely set it off on your pallet, and make for some interesting moments. Let me be clear, I am by no means a lush (although, there was that time in Vegas, oops, almost broke girl code), but I do like drinks that can loosen me up after a hard workday not to mention tickle my tonsils and wake me up. Drinks have their own unique story to tell, martinis have that sexy spy adventure thing happening, mister 007 James Bond 007 has his “shaken and not stirred" to margaritas that are inserted in every plotline and twist in some romantic comedy or break-up movie. Either way, drinks are more than just flavorful alcohol; drinks can affect our moods and behaviors; you may find yourself being disorderly, overly humorous, relaxed, sad, uninhibited when celebrating, sexually amorous, or my favorite thinking you are the best singer when doing karaoke. No matter what type of category drinker you are, please always remember to drink responsibly, respect those around you, and do not drive! So, raise your drinks in the air, cheers!

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My top 5 all-time favorite classic drinks:

1. Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

2. Mojito

3. White wine spritzer

4. Mimosas

5. Sex on the Beach

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Restaurant Review

O. C. B- Oscar’s BrewING COMPANY

I have but two favorite things that I like to do as part of my job and they are traveling and eating, and I have a career that affords me the opportunity to do both. I needed to get out of the office for a bit, so I decided to drive to the beautiful city of Temecula for my latest food review. Let me tell you, this city is just the darling of places, there are beautiful wineries, plenty of shopping, and wonderful activities. But, outside of all its quaint splendor are the restaurants, and let me tell you there are plenty of places to eat. I decided to dine away from my temptation the Promanade, I am a sucker for a shopping trip, and there are plenty of shops and a mall just beckoning me to shop till I drop. I was told by Nicole G., resident, Editor-in-Chief, and my bestie to check out O. C. B. which stands for Oscar’s Brewing Company, so I drove on over. Perched on a small hilltop overlooking a beautiful duck pond, this restaurant seemed to blend in nicely with the scenery, once you enter you are greeted with huge wooden barrels, a spacious interior, and plenty of seating. The hostesses were very friendly and immediately greeted me upon my arrival. I was asked where I would like to sit, I eagerly said outside at a table with a view of the duck pond. Once I was seated I took in the view as well as my surroundings, the circular design played host to half-moon booths, bar seating, and tables. The decor was very art deco with a hint of old western charm, and on the ceiling of the covered patio were sting lights and hanging petite potted plants.

O. C. B.- Oscar’s Brewing Co. | Photographer: Deborah Polchek

Temecula Duck Pond | Photographer: Deborah Polchek

My server was very friendly, she provided me with paper menus, and checked on me frequently to make sure I had what I needed before taking my order. Once I settled in, I took a look at the menu, I like that two menus are provided for lunch, they have what’s called The Locals Lunch menu, and the Main Menu, the locals lunch menu has smaller portions compared to the main menu which portions run a bit larger. Since I was having dinner with the hubby later on I decided to order from the locals lunch menu. I decided to have a salad, main entree, a side plate, and of course, my meal would not be complete without a drink. I was told by my waitress that all of the food prepared is made from scratch, there is no GMO-produce, and they support local farms, and that really put a smile on my face, now I was ready to taste what they had to offer.

Canjun French Fries | Photographer: Deborah Polchek

I am a french fry fanatic, I would eat french fries with every meal if I could, ok, ok, that’s a bit overly dramatic, but I do enjoy french fries. The menu offers hand-cut fries with sea salt, Truffle fries with white truffle oil parmesan, chives, or Cajun fries. Being from the South by way of my mother, I had to go with the Cajun fries. What can I say, these fries did not disappoint, from the first bite I tasted the freshness of the potatoes, these fries were not at all greasy and were very soft. They were light, crispy, and golden brown, but the seasoning is what made them pop. The seasoning was perfectly blended and it added just the right amount of flavor that didn’t overpower the potato, and I like that I didn’t have to reach for my water to stop myself from choking on the seasoning. I have to say I was very impressed with the overall taste of these Cajun fries.

OCB Greek Salad | Photographer: Deborah Polchek

I do love a good salad, I usually eat salads when I am on a lunch date with colleagues, or when I am at home curled up on my chaise lounge chair reading a good book. I make salads at home for the hubby and our daughter, but rarely do I have a salad for my dinner. So, today I decided to order the OBC Greek salad as my starter. Right off I looked for wilted lettuce and found none, I can always tell if my salad is going to taste good just by the crunch of the lettuce, and when I stuck my fork in I could hear the crisp of the romaine lettuce. I could taste the freshness of the onions, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper. The feta cheese had the right aroma that complemented the Greek dressing. I have smelled feta cheese on some Greek salads that made me turn my nose up. Ick! This salad was every bit delicious, crisp, and natural tasting.

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Now, I couldn’t very well finish my meal without a flavorful drink to wet my whistle. I ordered a very tropical drink with a dry name Desert Rose, but this drink was anything but dry. This drink was a paradise of deliciousness, pineapple infused with vodka, guava nectar, house-made sour, and rose water topped with a tropical flower. My taste buds were on a rollercoaster ride of tasty, and with all of the delicious food and this amazing drink. I have to say that this restaurant has made my list of great places to eat.

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Maitake Mushroom Flat Bread Pizza & Desert Rose Drink | Photographer: Deborah Polchek

My favorite food, if I had to choose one, is hands down Italian. I have been to Italy many times, and I always have to have a pizza, don’t get me wrong I love pasta too, but pizza is my go-to when I have the munchies. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I went into labor at California Pizza Kitchen in Hollywood. So, I am a true pizza fan, next to fries. I ordered the Maitake Mushroom pizza, due to my order from the locals menu it came as a flatbread pizza, so it wasn’t a full-on traditional size pizza. I was visually floored by the look of this pizza. The crust was golden brown, the edges were bubbly and raised, and had just the right amount of density to each slice. the fresh tomato sauce is the backdrop that lets the toppings shine, and the baby arugula unifies the flavors of shaved parmesan and aged mozzarella. As a final delicious touch, truffle oil is added to this colorful delight.

Now that my belly is full, my thirst quenched, it’s back home I go, but before took off I noticed this lovely lyric on the side of the O. C. B.’s building. Written by Burt Bachrach and Hal David, What The World Needs Now Is Love, and I have to say that with everything going on in the world right now, it’s important to know that love is truly for everyone. Until we dine again lovelies, take care of yourself, each other.

O. B. C.- Oscar’s Brewing Co. | Photographer: Deborah Polchek

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