Good Intentions

Like clockwork, the food and beverage excesses of the holiday season- and the caloric consequences- prompts the desire to live healthier in the new year. We join gyms (I did), swear off sweets or decide to eat less red meat, and make an inner promise to actually attend (vs just thinking about) a yoga/aerobics/zumba/spin/jazzercise classes.
Most of us stick with these take care of ourselves intentions until we lose interest and motivation. But this week I came across two great and easy ways to do right by the body that could have more staying power. And both involve eating-how perfect is that!

To help diners keep on track with their weight loss and nutrition goals Shawn Cline, corporate chef for Hospitality Restaurants, has added some new good-for-you options at the company’s multiple venues around greater Cleveland: Rosewood Grill (Hudson); Blue Point Grille (Warehouse District, downtown); Delmonico’s (Independence); The Cabin Club (Westlake); and Salmon Dave’s (Rocky River). With his "Resolution" menus you can enjoy a great meal while cutting back on calories and fat and increasing consumption of vegetables and complex carbs.
Main Dining Room, Rosewood Grill

Look for butternut squash soup with yogurt and sage; housemade veggie burgers topped with low fat Mozzarella on an eight grain ciabatta roll; spinach and lemon quinoa salad paired with grilled shrimp; whole grain penne pasta paired with chargrilled chicken and lobster in a light wine and basil pan sauce; and roasted steelhead trout with barley risotto. Not all these dishes are offered at every location (call ahead or check menus on the web) but you can always request what they call Simply Prepared- your favorite seafood item, either grilled or pan-roasted, served with whole grain Jasmine Rice Pilaf, vegetables, and Sauce Vierge (olive oil, lemon juice, herbs). Management is also making a popular lunch trio-soup, salad, sandwich -available in larger portions for dinner and prepared with extra healthy ingredients.

On the home front, a clever new piece of tableware can help control not what you eat but how much. The Measure Up Bowl is made of white porcelain with pre-measured portions etched into the interior. Available in a few different sizes, this is a simple way to become more conscious of quantity and so less likely to over indulge. They look nice, are reasonably priced and available online. Of course- if you insist on filling it with Ben & Jerry's, the manufacturer is not responsible for any failure to perform. It does
come highly recomended by a nutrionist and product tester I know. Bon Apetit.