Lots of fun for New Year's Eve

I'm not big on New Year's Eve parties. I really enjoy being with close friends at one of our houses and by 10:30 I'm ready for bed!!! But that doesn't mean I can't have a great time and enjoy the night. This New Year's Eve I am making my famous duck recipe. It cooks overnight in the oven at 225 and then the next day we hang it to let all the fat drip out of it and then before it's served I brown in a hot oven for a few minutes. There is NO fat left in the duck when it is served. The sauce is all Cherries- frozen cherries processed in food processor with cherry juice and some Cherry liquor, it simmers for several hours and tastes like dessert!!! It's a great contrast with the duck. I will be making fresh spring rolls too. I got the recipe from Cindy, who does my nails and is from Viet Nam. I had her fresh rolls at a party and they were the best I've tasted. I will post the recipe on my website if they come out great. I hope everyone has a great New Year's! If anyone wants my recipe for the duck please contact me at gloria@mybnl.com
Please check out the new pictures on my website: www.chefgloriab.com These were taken by Joe Pulseo from Marblehead. Radiance Hair salon in Marblehead and Salem hired him to take pictures for their website and they had me model my hair!

Smoked Turkey - The Best way to Make Turkey

The most time consuming recipe in my cookbook Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy, is the Smoked Turkey with Apple and Onion. It is marinaded a day or two before Thanksgiving and then put on the grill to smoke. It is so moist, flavorful, and delicious you will never have another turkey quite like it. One year we tried brining the turkey because everyone said it was the best, this is far superior! It starts out with lots of garlic (full head) and dry vermouth or dry white wine. The garlic cloves get chopped into small pieces (can use food processor) and put under the skin and into the cavity of the turkey. I also use lots of fresh chopped rosemary underneath the skin and in the cavity. Then using a turkey needle (a large plunging needle) fill with wine and inject into the bird all over shots of wine. I use almost a 1/2 bottle of Dry Vermouth for a large turkey. Then season the bird with sea salt, pepper, Herbamare (Sea salt that has seeped with 12 different organic herbs for a year, available at health food stores). Cover the bird with slices of onion from two onions and stuff the inside of the bird with 1/2 apple and 1/2 onion for added flavor while cooking. Refrigerate until ready to smoke. If you are interested in how to smoke the turkey please email me at Gloria@Mybnl.com or visit my website at www.Mybnl.com

Saving Yourself at Thanksgiving! Some Tips!

Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday of the year. What's not to love, lots of delicious food, family and close friends! However, many people go into food overload and get food hangovers from eating too much! It's difficult not to overeat when there is so much food on the table. I have a few suggestions to have a great holiday and not get sick!

1. When making stuffing, be sure and do it outside of the bird. When the turkey stuffing is put inside the turkey all the fat drippings of the turkey end up in the stuffing. That is pure saturated fat and will create stomach pains!
2. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast. Starvation creates more hunger and you will end up eating more than your stomach can physically handle. Eating small meals a few hours apart will be much more satisfying and healthful. Start your morning with an egg and steel cut oats with some almonds to keep satisfied for hours or have some low fat cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with fruit and a few almonds.
3. Drink plenty of water. Be sure and keep hydrated, especially if consuming alcoholic beverages.
   
4. Take small tastes of everything that you desire. If Aunt Sarah's sweet potato pie isn't one of your favorites, move on to the things you really enjoy. Ask for a doggie bag if you can't finish everything you desire.
5. Be sure to walk or get some exercise the morning of the holiday.
6. Focus on socializing with the ones you love. Give thanks to be together and enjoy this wonderful holiday.
7. For great holiday recipes that taste delicious and are healthy see my website at www.Mybnl.com or get my book Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy.
8. If you need help with the holidays email me at Gloria@Mybnl.com
   

Looking for a Great Party Idea in the Greater Boston Area?

On Saturday night I did a Surprise Birthday Cooking Class for the birthday boy(man) and 15 of his closest friends. It was a blast! We prepared five different dishes and everyone had enough food for a complete meal. The birthday man's wife and I spent an hour a couple of weeks before the party going over the foods he likes and what they would like to learn how to make. She wanted to surprise him! We planned everything out and I shopped for all the ingredients and brought everything to the party including a special birthday chef's hat and apron I created and gave him as a gift. Everyone got involved in someway, either cutting, serving, cooking or just observing. The cooking party took three hours and after I left they were still having a good time. What a fun way to spend your birthday: with people you love, eating delicious food, drinking good wine, and learning a few new recipes and techniques. To find out how to have a cooking class party in your home call Gloria - 781-598-9313 or visit my website at http://www.chefgloriab.com or email me at Gloria@mybnl.com

White Fish, Scallops and Vegetables

My newest recipe uses vegetables that are still in season, fresh herbs, and a combination of fish that makes it very delicious and fresh tasting. It is not difficult to prepare and the colors are beautiful. Go to www.chefgloriab.com to try this great recipe.
If you don't want to prepare it and still want to enjoy it allow me to cook it for you. If you want to learn how to prepare it we can have a fun cooking class. Just give a call gloria@mybnl.com

Benefits of Grocery Tour and Cooking Class

What is a grocery tour I'm asked? The grocery tours I give are very detail oriented, they are 90 minutes. I spend at least 45 minutes in the produce section. Many people do not realize all the vegetables and fruits they are overlooking due to FEAR of the Unknown! Understanding when a fruit is ripe, how a vegetable looks that has been sitting around for a week in the store or on the truck, and what to do with the produce is part of the educational process, but that isn't all. Knowing how long to cook your produce, when it should be cooked after purchasing? Are you able to distinguish the ripeness of a fruit? Do you know how to pick an avocado, when to use it, how to store it so it won't turn black? The rest of the 45 minutes are in the other parts of the store. learning how to read those food labels, how to tell if fish is fresh, which cuts of meat are the leanest, which are tough? Understanding all the different herbs and which are appropriate for different dishes? Mastery of the different kinds of oils and fats that are offered, which are healthy and which are not. Gain new knowledge about how to shop and save money. Which stores have the best deals. These are some of the benefits of a grocery tour. It will leave you with confidence in shopping, you will shop much more expediently and save money in the process.


Combining a grocery tour with a three hour cooking class will you give the best of both worlds. You will be able to pick out the finest fruits, vegetables, fish and meats and return home and prepare at least 4 complete meals that will leave you read for the week. We can be spontaneous in picking out our selection based upon what looks the freshest, what you want to try, and price. The cooking classes come complete with recipes, tips, and lots of cooking techniques.

The combination is wonderful for those who are newly married or those who want to do something fun together, or with another couple. It is very productive for those with newly diagnosed conditions that need special dietary considerations such as Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, celiac, or other food sensitivity.
Please visit http://chefgloriab.com for more information on how to get started today. Mention this blog and receive $25.00 off the combination of grocery tour and cooking class.

GMA this morning - Processed Meats NO!

Much to my pleasure, Good Morning America provided more documentation on the ills of eating processed meats: ham, turkey, salami, baloney, and roast beef. They said that it has been proven that eating more than 1 ounce a week for women and children, and 3 ounces for men can cause heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and some cancers. They are especially concerned about children taking it for school lunches. Unfortunately for some they suggested that the best lunch for children is peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread. That would leave the many children with peanut allergies with a BIG problem. I also understand that many school cafeterias are nut free! Some alternatives to the school lunch dilemma are: yogurt with fresh fruit, tomato, cucumber chicken on whole grain bread, tofu with salad, hard boiled eggs with fruit and hummus, cottage cheese and chopped vegetables. If your looking for more help with school or work lunches visit my website www.chefgloriab.com or call for a consultation. We can help.

Grocery Tours

Find out where the healthy, fast foods have been hiding all this time.

Gloria will take you on a personal guided tour of the grocery store. During your customized guided tour,
Gloria will help you discover:

• Selecting the best produce & learning about unfamiliar produce
• Quick and easy recipes for all kinds of produce
• Easy recipes for healthy meals
• Understanding all the spices and their use
• Tasting of unfamiliar products
• Learning about dairy substitutes
• Low fat dairy products
• Snacks and desserts that taste good and are healthy
• Whole grain foods
• How to choose lean meat, and how to pick fresh fish
• How to read food labels and make product comparisons

Cooking Classes & Dinner Parties

Cooking Parties are a great way to get together with friends and cook together while learning more about cooking healthy, delicious meals. Here are photos from a recent cooking party.

Cooking Party Pricing: Three hour cooking class: $300.00 up to 15 people plus the cost of food.

Private cooking classes to fulfill any special dietary need. Learn how you can eat delicious food that is quick and easy to prepare for any special dietary needs or healthy lifestyle.

• Reduce the need for medication
• Lose weight
• Increase energy
• Eliminate cravings
• Control blood sugar

Include 3 hours of cooking instruction with tips to help make meal preparation simple and easy especially for those with busy lifestyles. You will finish with enough food for 5 days

Nutritional Consulting Services

Make small changes that will make a big impact on your health. At Balanced Nutritional Lifestyles we offer 1 hour consulting sessions with guaranteed satisfaction. We can help those who:

• Are overweight
• Are obese
• Are underweight
• Are Type 2 diabetics
• Have high cholesterol
• Have high blood pressure
• Have had liposuction or tummy tucks
• Want more energy and a healthier lifestyle

We work towards supporting your health goals. We craft lifestyle plans that suit your individual preferences and schedule.

Learn more at www.chefgloriab.com