An Inside Look intoElissa Gabrielle’s Spirit,Soul and Body JourneyBy Torrian Ferguson on January 2, 2015On any given day, it’s hard not to become immersed in all that isElissa Gabrielle. She is love, compassion, disruption, challenge,redemption and healing on fire. She is a national best-selling authorand publisher, poet and visionary. She makes the dreams of others
come true on a daily basis, and though she never set her sights oninspiring others, that’s just what she does daily, weekly, monthly onsocial media just by her presence. If you’re blessed enough to be inher good graces, and have a personal connection with ElissaGabrielle, then you know whether it’s four o’clock in the morning orthree o’clock in the afternoon, she is always there with a listening ear,a shoulder to cry on; a soldier who will fight with you and for you.If you have been paying attention, there’s no denying that the ray ofsunshine has a more lean appearance and she’s finally opening upfirst to Modern Flavor Magazine with an exclusive interview and one-on-one conversation about her life’s transformation.I sat down with Elissa Gabrielle and we had a very real and honestconversation about life, health, weight, womanhood, motherhood andhow she juggles all of her multiple responsibilities and still finds timeto focus on a healthy lifestyle.“I have always been plus-size. I cannot remember a day in my lifewhere I wasn’t,” Elissa Gabrielle revealed as we sat in my NorthCarolina home, sipping tea, laughing, talking and joking about all thepleasantries and pains of life. “And I cannot remember a time wheresomeone didn’t try to make me feel less than zero because of it.” Iwent on to ask her a series of questions and Elissa Gabrielle’sanswers will amaze and inspire you all at once.Any heartache involved with being overweight? Can you recallany specific incidents?Heartache, of course. Ask any person who has carried more thantheir fair share of pounds and they’ll share with you many storiesabout how cruel people are. I’ve had to deal with seasons of in laws,former coworkers and fair-weathered friends who belittled mebecause of my size. Albeit, the amount of people aforementionedwere small, however, the affects of their cruelty packed a powerfulpunch. I became a caricature of sorts and was no longer a humanmade of flesh and blood to some. I was the joke. The elephant in theroom. I was the topic of roundtable discussions. It was quitedisgusting. I think that part made it easier for people to say what theywanted, when they wanted and how they wanted. One of my life’squotes and mottos is “I treat people with respect, love, kindness andgrace not because of who they are, but because of who I am.” It’s
true. I treat people the way I want to be treated. Having said that, Inever retaliated because I referred to another one of my life’s quotesand mottos which is “I can sum up the character of a person by whatthey choose to see in me.” They had already told on themselves andshowed me who they were…I believed them. I understood theircharacter so I was way ahead of the game. It was once said that Ilooked like a man and that blew my mind since I pride myself onbeing ultra-feminine. But those things in life, if used properly, arebricks that are thrown at us to help us to lay and build a strongfoundation for our life and life’s calling. The pain leads us to ourpurpose. They make us stronger, wiser and better. God speaksthrough trials and I’ve learned to listen when He speaks.When did the journey begin to losing weight?I cannot pinpoint a time but I’m more than sure it was a few years agowhen I decided to embark on a spirit, soul and body transformation.But, it wasn’t about weight loss. It was about a spiritual journey Ineeded to take to help me to get through life’s issues. With suddendeaths and so much heartache around me combined with having toomany toxic people in my immediate atmosphere, I knew I needed achange. I knew that I needed to be the change I wanted to see. So,day by day, I made it my mission to rid my life of toxic people, places,things, thoughts and actions. I knew I had to learn to see myself theway God sees me. Once I did that, the way I saw things changed.The very moment I began to find myself, was the very moment Ibegan to lose others. Very liberating experience. That’s where thejourney began.
How did you drop 75 pounds? Copyright Elissa Gabrielle 2014I silenced the inner critic and I began to walk. I’ve always wanted tobe an athlete. They are the few people on the planet I actuallyadmire. Their dedication astonishes me. The discipline it takes to stayon top is admirable. So, I began to walk the dog or walk through themountains. Everyday. I would walk 1 to 2 miles a day. I felt great. Iam a jazz enthusiast so I would have John Coltrane and Miles Davisin my ear, the fresh mountain air in my lungs and the journey eachday became therapeutic; it was meditation to me. I threw in the TotalBody Sculpt with Gilad DVD series weekly also. In addition towalking, I changed the way I ate. I started to read labels and learnedso much about food and how it affected my body. I did searches onthe health benefits of fruits and vegetables and researched thedamaging effects of processed foods. Oftentimes, we’re raised to eatand live a certain way, so the journey to unlearning everything that Iknew and relearning everything new when it came to food wasoverwhelming and eye-opening. On good weeks where I ate really
clean and drank a gallon of water a day, I would shed pounds. That’swhen I began to understand the formula for long lasting weight loss.The 75 pounds I dropped has not returned because I did not go on adiet, I researched and through trial and error, I learned what workedfor my body. It’s an ongoing process as I still have 40 pounds I’d liketo shed. After that 40 pounds is shed, I’ll see how I look and feel.Any health concerns?Ironically, when I was over 300 pounds and wearing a size 26/28, myblood pressure was 120/80. It wasn’t until my mother was diagnosedwith cancer and I had to care for her that my blood pressure spiked.The trauma of watching my mother die a slow and painful death whileI did everything in my power to save her life drastically affected myhealth. The trauma to my body was evident. Prior to that, my glucoseand blood pressure were all normal and my cholesterol was almostperfect. That’s a testament to God’s grace and mercy. Copyright Elissa Gabrielle 2014How do you juggle so much and still find time to focus on yourhealth?
I’m a woman, a mother, a wife, a sister, daughter, best friend,publisher, business woman and so much more. I had to put myself onthe list. I became my client. I became my own advocate. I became apart of my daily to-do list.You mentioned that you admire athletes. Do you plan to becomeone at some point?Not sure I would ever become one, but I rewarded my 75 poundweight loss to date with going to the gym weekly and also byinvesting in a personal trainer. I was so curious about how much Icould endure when it came to next level exercising and I wanted totest my physicality on so many levels. Being in the gym is refreshingeven when I’m simply on the arc trainer doing a mile or two. Mytrainer is excellent, has learned my body, understands my goals,wants and needs and trains me accordingly. I’m doing thingsphysically I never imagined I’d be able to do. On any given week, I’mon the TRX with squats, rows, lunges, using a medicine ball for corework, bodyweight exercises, interval training on the Arc trainer,attending boot camp when time permits, planks, various stretchingand circuit training. Never in my life did I ever believe I’d be doing thistype of training, but it’s something I’ve always dreamed of doing.Would you recommend to others to hire a personal trainer?I recommend becoming active. Remember, I shed 75 pounds on myown by a lifestyle change, walking through the mountains andoccasionally doing the Total Body Sculpt with Gilad DVD series. Doresearch on the health benefits of exercise. It’s remarkable what asimple 10-minute walk a day can do for your body. If you hire apersonal trainer, make sure they are certified and have years ofexperience. You have to really research to find the right one. I injuredmy shoulder doing some weight lifting on my own, so if you’re lookingto sculpt your body, definitely seek out the help of a professional.Thank goodness my trainer understands me and designs myworkouts accordingly. Her knowledge and experience benefited megreatly because it’s been a gradual process. Gradual is always better.I have always maintained a slow and steady wins the race philosophyso it was pretty dope to find a trainer who also believes the same.You want a personal trainer that you can develop a real relationship
with so they will be forced to understand you as a person and yourgoals regarding health and wellness.What do you recommend to someone who needs to changetheir life and lose weight?Patience. This is a journey; a marathon, not a sprint. It’s going to taketime to figure things out. I am still figuring things out. Surroundyourself with the right people who will support you on your journeyand not ridicule you for trying to improve your life. Remove people inyour life who constantly remind you that you’re overweight becausehonestly, you’re the one person who knows more than anyone thatyou are overweight. Remove the naysayers and replace them withencouragers. Remove fear and replace it with faith. Understand thatwhat you put into your body will outweigh any amount of exerciseyou’ll ever do so healthy, sound nutrition is paramount. Know that youare absolutely worth it regardless of how you feel about yourself orhow anyone else feels about you. Seek assistance and support if youneed it. Each and every day try to become better than you were theday before.What are your thoughts on the gimmicks in the industry?My approach and advice is this: If it’s not something that you will dofor the rest of your life, do not indulge. Will you take a weight loss pillforever? No. But, you can improve your nutrition and remain active forthe rest of your life. Will you never eat another carb ever in life? Noand that’s not healthy to begin with. There are good carbs that ourbody needs. If the product suggests short term results with minimalefforts, run the other way because it will not change your life.Temporary fixes will not sustain lifetime results. A lifetimecommitment of constantly improving your nutrition and consistentlyremaining active is the only way to achieve overall good health.Let’s say a obese person walked up to you today and wantedyou to help them with their journey, what’s the first thing youwould do/advise?First, see your doctor and get your numbers. Cholesterol, bloodpressure, blood work, glucose. Make sure you’re not a ticking timebomb. Then ask your doctor if there are any restrictions before
starting anything. If you’re in the clear, I would recommend thefollowing:1 If you get absolutely no exercise, walk for 15 minutes per day and gradually increase the pace and distance/time. You’ll be surprised how walking can dramatically improve your health in as little as 30 days.2 Cut the sugar, gradually. If you drink 10 sodas per day, replace 5 with water. Each day try to do better, until you’re drinking water all the time.3 Replace white carbohydrates with brown. If you have white potatoes, white pasta, and white rice with dinner, change it to sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta and brown rice. White carbohydrates process in the body as sugar so you’ll need to avoid it.4 More lean protein and veggies. Keeps your fuller, longer.5 Breakfast. You must eat breakfast daily.6 Increase your fiber intake.7 Research the way food affects the body.8 Keep yourself on the list because you matter.9 If you stumble and fall, get back up again, dust your shoulders off and continue to press forward because you’re worth it.10 Silence the noise, hush the inner critic and remember distraction takes down the distracted.If you make these changes and improve daily, you’ll notice adifference in how you feel and how you look. Do this for 3 monthsstraight, then return to the doctor and have those tests done againand there should be some glorious changes on the horizon just withthe baby steps referenced above.Tell us about a typical day in the life of Elissa Gabrielle?
Copyright Elissa Gabrielle 2014Let’s try a Monday. I’m up at 5 in the morning handling mother andwife business. By 7am I would have check emails and voicemails andwrite my to-do list for the day. By 7:15am I’m eating egg whites andoatmeal or peanut butter to give me the fuel I need to sustain theworkout that I’ll have from 8am to 9am. From 10am until about 10 pmI’m working for Peace In The Storm Publishing, writing, ElissaGabrielle Entertainment, Real Life, Real Faith with Cheryl LaceyDonovan and any other projects I have on deck.I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly inspired to positive change.
You suck as a parent !By Angry Chef on January 2, 2015 photo credit:drugfreehomes.orgYep, I said it. Do I wish to take it back? Nope. Too many times,I’ve seen parents or chaperones that help with sports teams leavethe kids running wild in a hotel while they sit and get plastered inthe hotel’s bar. When the bar closes, they act like they’re beingkicked out of their home when asked to leave. Yes, you are payingfor a room at the hotel. Can you take your money and teamsomewhere else? Sure, you can. Will the loss of your few dollarshurt the entire hotel company? Probably not.The hotel has signs saying no outside food allowed; yet you bringit in. The bar’s hours of operation are posted; yet you pay them noattention. You’re not supposed to drink any outside alcohol in apublic area of the hotel (INCLUDING the bar); yet you get pissedoff when the bartender tells you that you and your other drunkenparents can’t get hammered drinking alcohol from an outsidesource. Meanwhile, little Jimmy and cute little Sara are pulling firealarms, running up and down the stairs, bouncing basketballs,kicking soccer balls, and being just like . . . YOU!
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. The hotel’s staff is notyour kids’ personal babysitters. Control your kids and yourselfwhen you go to a hotel. I know most people feel like ‘I’m payingfor the room, so therefore, I can do what I want and talk to youhow I choose.’ Ummm, no, you can’t. I know because you are a“Diamond Member” or “Preferred Guest” you feel like the entirecompany owes you their first-born. Again . . . NO.Hotels love to make sure their guests have the best experiencepossible. Hotels love going the extra mile for their guest. But,when you’re an ass because you booked your room on Expedia orPriceline and got a huge discount, don’t come in acting like youjust stepped off of a private jet flown by John Travolta.Your kids are bad because you’re a bad parent. They see how youtreat people and think it’s cool to do the same. When the hotel’ssecurity asks them to stop running on the stairs, they often saysomething smart and keep doing it. Then the moment they trip andtheir head hits every step going down two floors then the drunkparent wants to sue the hotel. Really???? Get off your drunken assand control your little monster.I overheard a hotel manager tell a group of soccer parents that thebar was closed, and they had to leave. The parents threw thebiggest fit I’d ever seen. They threatened to go on tripadvisor.comand bash the hotel. They threatened to call the hotel’s corporateoffice. They verbally abused the manager all because the bar wasclosing, and they weren’t ready to go back to their room. Theydidn’t have to go to their room, but they had to leave the bar, andno more drinks were being served. Then they wonder why theirkids act a fool in school or kick them in the ass when they tell themno.Parents, control yourself and your kids. Hotel staff can care lesshow you raise them and have no desire to raise them for you. All
they ask is that you take responsibility for them when you’resitting around drunk and making a fool of yourself in the hotel’sbar.
Certified Group ExerciseInstructor TamaraJacksonBy Elissa Gabrielle on January 2, 2015Tamara Jackson is a weight release and fitness motivation expertwho is determined to change the alarming statistic that four out of fiveAfrican American women are overweight or obese. Once weighing inat 265 pounds, she is all too familiar with the emotional,psychological, and physical challenges associated with developing ahealthy lifestyle and seeks to inspire women across the globe to takethe steps necessary to reclaim their health and their lives.
Tamara is a Certified Group Exercise Instructor through the AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine and has authored the book ‘265Point’ toprovide “on point” practical guidance to those that are ready to ditchdieting and get fit for good. A recovering junk food addict and couchpotato, she believes it is possible for anyone to change with the righttools, systems, and support.Tamara appeared on the demonstration floor of The Dr. Oz televisionshow with fitness guru and Insanity® creator Shaun T. in February2012 and her weight loss success story is currently being showcasedin the top-selling Hip Hop Abs® infomercial.Recognized as “The Professional’s Coach”, Tamara understands thedilemma of fitting fitness into an already busy lifestyle. The year ofher transformation, she juggled a 55 hour work week, a full time MBAcourse load, and community and family commitments.A banking professional of 16 years, Tamara holds a Bachelor’sDegree in Finance from Virginia Tech and a Master’s Degree from theUniversity of Florida.Tamara’s journey is fascinating…When did you realize you needed to lose weight?I wish I could say that I realized that I needed to make a change allon my own, but the reality is I needed a little help. My wakeup callcame when I went to the doctor in December 2007 for what I thought
would be a routine physical. The physical turned out to be anythingbut routine and that day my life changed forever.Was there a concern for your health?Yes and that was my catalyst for change. During the physical mydoctor warned me that my blood pressure was up (again) anddeprioritizing my health could have grave consequences. I wasclassified as obese, worked 50-60 hours a week and had the nerve tobe taking on a 20-hour a week grad school course load the nextmonth. He made it clear that blood pressure medication or worse wasin my future if I didn’t change. It was painful to hear but I knew he wasright and in January of 2008 I began my transformation.What has been the most challenging part of the journey?The hardest part of the journey for me has been resisting thetemptation to follow my feelings! I am not super human; I have gooddays and bad days like everyone else. I don’t always feel like workingout or making healthy food choices. I had to learn how to pushthrough and do what I needed to do in spite of my feelings.How did you use food to aid in your weight loss?I learned about the importance of good nutrition the hard way. I tookmy doctor’s advice and began exercising. After working out hard for 4weeks, I stepped on the scale and was horrified to see that I lost zeropounds! The “see I told you this wouldn’t work” voice kicked in and Iconsidered quitting, but then my mind flashed back to that day in thedoctor’s office. I had to figure out a way to make this work, my futurewas at risk. I decided to go back to the drawing board to figure outwhat that was missing.I did some research and learned that I didn’t lose any weight becauseI was still eating poorly. I decided to eat 5 small meals a day,increase my fruit and vegetable intake, and drink 64 oz. of water perday and that’s when I started to see results.
With so many gimmicks and other methods, like surgery to loseweight, what made you decide to lose it the traditional way?This was not my first rodeo. I had “magic pill syndrome” with all of myprevious attempts. I wanted to believe that the solution to all of myproblems was external – certain diet, supplement, cleanse, orexercise routine – and when I found it, magically all of my problemswould be solved! The tricky thing with these gimmicks is sometimesyou do get results – in the short term. The problem was that theeventual outcome was always the same. There are few things moredemoralizing than losing weight, getting compliments from everyoneyou know on how great you look, and then slowly but surely seeingthe weight return…and then some. I had been there and done that somany times and didn’t want to go there again. I knew if I really wantedto make a change – this time for good – I knew I’d have to use adifferent approach.What’s the most rewarding part of the journey?I have lost a total of 110 lbs. and over 10 inches in my waist. I nowwear a size 6/8. I’ve appeared on Dr. Oz with my fitness coach Shaun
T. and my success is currently being featured in a top-sellinginfomercial. As proud as I am of those accomplishments, I’m mostproud of the person I’ve become.I’ve learned to love myself. I am teaching myself to strive forexcellence rather than perfection. I’ve learned how to enjoy lifewithout going overboard. I’ve gained a passion for fitness andpushing my limits. I’ve developed an appreciation and love for healthyfoods. I’ve taught myself that it is okay to be consistently imperfect. Inow live life without limits. There is nothing like the fit life and Iwouldn’t trade it for anything!It’s also very rewarding to share my story and mentor others tosuccess. For me, knowing that someone has found healing whilereading my book, attending a live event, or working with me one-on-one is a reward in and of itself. I love inspiring positive change in thelives of others and am thankful for the platform God has given me.How do you use food differently?The biggest difference between me then and now is how I don’t usefood. In the past, food was a coping mechanism. It was my way ofnumbing myself to the pain and disappointment I was I was feeling.When things didn’t come together at work, relationships went south,or I had a bad day, I could always depend on comfort food to lift meup. It provided a temporary escape from my problems. Now I see anduse food very differently. It’s still a tool but I use it to nourish my bodyand keep it strong. I focus on eating lean proteins and a variety offruits and vegetables because I know that’s what my body needs tosurvive and thrive. Transforming from an emotional eater to a mindfuleater was huge for me. I am so thankful for the growth in that area.Best tips and advice for those who wish to follow in yourfootsteps.Take it one day at a time. Change takes time. Don’t burn yourself outby demanding too much too soon. Show yourself love and be patient.Realize this journey will have ups and downs. Get back up quicklywhen you fall. Remember that God is concerned with everything thatconcerns you. Inviting Him into this journey will make all thedifference. Lastly, get the right tools, resources and support.Purchase a heart rate monitor or activity tracker to see how many
calories you’re really burning in that work out. Use an app likeMyFitnessPal or Lose It! to track your food intake. Find people – inperson or online – that share your interest in health& fitness and willbe there to support you and hold you accountable. Develop a positiveperspective on your ability to succeed by feeing yourself with tips andinspiration daily. Following me on Twitter @FitnessTamara or liking‘Tamara Jackson Fitness Expert’ on Facebook is one place to start.The 5 P’s – Patience, Persistence, Perspective, People and Prayer –are the keys to success.How does your family feel about the lifestyle change?My family congratulated me on my accomplishment and encouragedme to stay the course.My mom responded particularly well, so much so that she wasinspired to start her own journey. She was in her 50’s and realizedthat life was only getting more not less complicated. She knew sheneeded to make some changes if she wanted to be healthy and shedid it! To date, she’s lost almost 100 pounds and has gone from asize 24 to a size 10. Her knees don’t hurt any more. She can go upmultiple flights of steps without grasping for air. Her blood pressuremedication was cut in half and now she can walk 4-5 miles with nopain. Hearing her say that having me as a coach is one of the bestgifts a daughter could ever hope to receive. It’s been amazing towatch her transformation and I’m excited to have been a part of it.Do you have a plan?Looking back, one of the biggest mistakes I made with previousweight loss attempts was not having a plan. I winged it way too muchwith food and exercise and as a result consistently made poorchoices.When I decided to begin again, I knew I had to do things differently.First, I knew I wouldn’t be consistent if I tried to create a plan in whichI would be deprived of all of my favorite treats or made going to socialevents awkward. I decided that I would make room for higher caloriefoods in my diet on occasion so I that I didn’t have to order a saladwith grilled chicken and skip dessert every time. I live by an 80/20system (80% focus, 20% freedom) and I’ve maintained my weight forsix years using that approach. In terms of exercise, I look at my
work, volunteer, and social commitments for the coming week onSundays and plan my workout days and times. That almost alwaysmeans early morning workouts, but on occasion an evening workoutis my only option. The key is taking the time to sit down and create arealistic plan. I’ve come to realize if you fail to plan, you consciouslyor subconsciously plan to fail.How long did your transformation take?I love it when I am asked this question because it allows me to sharea reality of life: You don’t always get it right the first time. I weighed inat 265 pounds in 2006 after trying unsuccessfully to lose weight for 6years. I lost 40 pounds in 2006 but gained 10 lbs. of it back. I decidedthat a size 18/20 was the smallest I could ever hope to be until thatfateful day in the doctor’s office. After losing nothing in my first month,I lost 70 pounds in 10 months and have kept it off since.The key for me was getting clear on my why. In the past, mymotivation to lose weight was superficial – I wanted to look good for awedding or fit back into a certain size. This time it was aboutpreserving my quality of life. My mom and her siblings were on blood
pressure medication and my grandfather (RIP) had a pacemaker. Ididn’t want that to be my story and every time I thought about quitting,that is what snapped me out of it. Now I tell my clients that one of themajor keys to success is defining a compelling and emotionallycharged why. My mantra: “if it isn’t strong enough to make you cry,you haven’t gone deep enough.”
Buffets are simplyNASTYBy Torrian Ferguson on January 2, 2015People all over the world love a good buffet. All the fantastic foodyou can eat for one price. What can be better? Buffets are also verynasty and can really get you sick. I’m not talking about the foodtemperatures or the improper food storage and handling that canoccur. I’m talking about the other people in the restaurant enjoyingthe food just like you.How many times have you seen a person walk into a buffetrestaurant and, before they go to the buffet to get their food, grabsome hand sanitizer or go to the restroom and wash their hands?More often than not most people do neither. Most people sit theirbelongings down at their table and head directly for the food. Youdon’t know if that person just picked their nose or scratched theirbutt and now is in line touching the same utensils you are about totouch.Working in the food industry for half of my life, I’ve seen peopledo things at a buffet that will turn your stomach. I’ve seen people
go under the sneeze guard reaching for food and their hair dragsalong the top of the other food. I’ve seen kids taste something,don’t like it, take it out of their mouth, and put it back with the restof the food. Below is a list of things that I’ve seen over the years.I’m not trying to get you to stop going to buffets, but be a littlemore conscious about what’s going on around you while you’rethere.* Drop the utensil on the floor, pick it up, and put it back in thefood.* Grabbing food out of the serving container with bare hands.* Reusing dirty plates.* Letting your kids go up to the buffet without supervision, andthey touch and sneeze all over the food.* Don’t read the food label and ask what an obvious dish is (You’dbe surprised how many times we get asked, “is that chicken?” andpeople are looking at a chicken wing.)* Ask for food that is not on the buffet. (The items of the buffet arepork and chicken and you ask, “Do you have any beef?” Myanswer is, “Do you see any beef?”)* Put food on your plate and decide you don’t want it then put itback. (You may see nothing wrong with this, but would you eatfood that was on my plate that I decided I didn’t want?)* Stick the tip of your finger in the salad dressing to see whatflavor it is. (I don’t know where your hands have been, and youdecide to stick your nasty finger in the Thousand Island Dressing.)
* Put your gum on the outside edge of the plate while getting yourfood. (No one wants to see your chewed, spit-filled gum on aplate.)* Sneeze in your hands or blow your nose into a napkin and don’twash your hands before touching the utensils. (This is just nasty!Wash your hands before you touch anything that others have totouch.)
A Visionary Makes aDream a Reality with115 Pound Weight Loss.Meet Morgan RobertsonBy Modern Flavor Staff on January 2, 2015Morgan Robertson found the courage to do a profound introspectionon her life and made the necessary changes to drastically improveher life and overall health. She is now an inspiration to many and herstrength has strengthened others.
She gave Modern Flavor Magazine insight into her life with her ownwords.My journey is a little different from others as to my initial methodinto beginning my weight loss journey. I am actually a post gastricbypasspatient. My journey started in 2004 when I had reached at the timewhat I thought was my highest weight of 257 pounds.I joined a gym and that attempt at fitness failed because I really hadno guidance as far as my diet nor did I feel encouraged when I wentto the gym. Most of the other members were in shape. They workedout regularly, they had muscle memory, they had muscle strength,which were things that I lacked or lacked the knowledge about. Ididn’t have a full understanding about nutritional values and having agood nutritional core. So I was faithful for two days a week for a totalof eight months before my membership had gone to waste.My problem was discipline.Without discipline I was unable to maintain a regular workout regimenor agood nutritional core in order for my weight loss to be successful. In2005 I began researching more about Gastric Bypass surgery.I knew that I needed a way to force myself to have the discipline inorder to reach my goal. My mind simply was not there to focus onlosing the weight. Some may say that I took a shortcut or the easyway out but, the fact is for myself and for others who are all weremorbidly obese, this was a way for me to put me to get my life on theright track and have a good mindset for becoming the healthy personI am today.I will never apologize for that. It was one of the best decisions I’veever made.By far having Gastric Bypass surgery is not the easy way out. Youhave to have at least six months to one year of an attempt at trying tolose weight. That is just one of the guidelines. The physician and thenutritionist and other staff involved in the beginning of this journeyassessed to determine whether or not you’re ready to take thisjourney, it has to be a serious commitment. I had to be willing to letgo of the things that I had partaken in that have caused me to get tothis point. I had to show the surgeon and the nutritional staff that Iwas already making changes in my daily eating habits in order to
assist in my weight-loss journey a success.When I was doing my research and I was debating on how I wouldlose theweight it was because I knew I had to. I was on high blood pressuremedication and I was 24 years old at the time. I suffered frommigraine headaches, from constant sudden and debilitating musclespasms in my back and legs. I was tired all of the time. I wasdepressed, miserable, I didn’t like myself, I didn’t like my situation,and I didn’t likemy job. It was all because I was overweight and I couldn’t get where Iwant it to be. So I researched and prayed. I decided that I was goingto have thesurgery. I was going to change my life, my nutritional value,s and mydresssize.My first project was not finding a surgeon but it was actually finding atrainer. This trainer would help me once I had the surgery to maintainthe nutritional values that were given to me by the nutritionist and giveme an exercise program and routine that I could not only do with himbut also away from him. I found Chris Miller of Maximum Fitness inColumbia MD. Chris gave me a nutritional plan that would carry mebeyond the six weeks that I was given to go from a purely clear liquiddiet to solid food. I worked out with Chris 2 to 3 times a week for oneyear. In that year I lost 70 pounds I lost the majority of it during thefirst six months but what I gained was more important. As mostpeople know even without exercise, the first six months of yourweight-loss journey rapid weight-loss will happen without an effortoutside of sticking to the basics of what you can and cannot eat postsurgery. Where I differ from the majority of post gastric bypasssurgery patients is that I regained the muscle mass that I had lostover the past eight years prior.The key to healthy weight loss is having good nutritional values. As Ilostthe weight, I also gained the confidence that I never knew that I had. Igained the attention of men but also some women noticed and in turnasked me what I was doing. I would let them know that I was postsurgery. Ido not hide it however my nutrition values have changed. I began to
juice. I learned more about additional vitamins but because I wasn’t intaking the same amount of food I had to take extra vitamins andsupplements to add to my meals in order for meats and that we havea healthy weight loss but also to have a healthy system.I am still on my weight-loss journey. I still have 40 pounds to go,howeverI have maintained my 115 pound loss successfully since July 2007. IfI could go back as a 33-year-old and talk to the 24-year-old version ofme I would have said to her, that you should keep going keep tryingto get a trainer, change your nutrition system, do some research,organize your exercise and eating habits and keep praying. Whenpeople come to me about what I’m doing, how I’m maintaining myhealth, what I’m eating, how often I eat, what I take to supplement mydiet, I tell them that it all began with a decision to change my life forme.I get a good laugh when it comes to family gatherings and holidaytime in other things like that because my family sees mean juicingblending in all those things in the think I’ve become a vegetarian. Ionly go vegan a fewtimes a year and it’s part of the day go fast it’s a spiritual journey forme as well as a detox for my own health.The first thing I say to someone when they want to lose weight ishave they taken an assessment of their eating habits? What have
they tried, what are they doing now? I’m a visual person so I showpeople how I plan out my meals. I show them how I break downeverything from my meats to my snacks and portion sizes. I measureeverything. So instead of buying the family size bag of barbecuechips I’ll buy a small bag and I’ll break it up into halves.As far as my lifestyle change, my family is now very accepting of thechanges that I’ve made because of seeing how it benefits me. Theyalso have made changes because of me.What’s next for me is losing the remainder of the weight and gettingdownto a healthy size while also building muscle. I would like to tone upandbecome more fit than I am now. I enjoy lifting weights more so thencardioalthough cardio can be fun and it is essential. For me lifting weights ismore about inner strength. I actually work out 5 to 6 days a week foran hour and a half. I eat 6 to 7 times a day I have three small mealsand then I have snacks. I drink at least 65% of my weight in water Itake a multivitamin plus vitamin C,vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E. Ialso juice and blend my fruits and vegetables with the VisalusNutritional System or shakes and I eat their Vi-Crunch cereal with fruit& nuts with almond or coconut milk. I became a promoter of thesystem because I saw results and others were passionate like me.I’ve help even more people in becoming passionate about health. Ieat organically, I don’t eat processed food. I eat gluten free, and I loveit. I always post and share my meals because I am proud of thelifestyle I’m living. I learn something new and nutritional every day. Ilearn something new about myself every day and that’s what’simportant for each individual in their weight-loss journey. I started thisjourney because I wanted to be healthy to run around with my son,now I out run him and he tells me at 17 I inspire him to take his healthto another level. No matter how you go about it, it’s not about ashake, it’s not about a pills, it’s not about me but it’s about what youdo with the process.
Is there a such thing asbeing to nice in akitchen?By Torrian Ferguson on January 2, 2015 photo credit:gopixpic.comOftentimes, when people think of an Executive Chef, they think of aguy that’s walking around in a shiny white jacket with a tall hat onscreaming and calling everyone an idiot. In some restaurants thatmay totally be the case, but I assure you that’s not the case in allkitchens. A lot of Executive Chefs were once sous chefs where theynow are the exec. Which means, the team already knows you andknows what to expect of you. They also know what they can get awaywith as well.If the previous chef was a jerk, then the next chef is surely going totry to gain the trust of the staff by doing everything different than hispredecessor. Oftentimes, this backfires and leaves the new chefscratching his head, wondering where all of his friends, that he once
stood on the back dock and smoked a cigarette, went. You’vesuddenly become “management” and cannot be trusted. Things youonce turned a blind eye towards, you now have to address or, evenworse, take disciplinary action.The staff that once loved you and invited you out for drinks now looksat you like you’re the company snitch. Why? Simply, because you aredoing your job. The problem is, you were not doing your job in the firstplace as the sous.So, to answer the original question at the head of this article, YESthere is a such thing as being too nice. It’s easier to start off like a jerkand back off later. It’s almost impossible to start off nice and try to bea jerk later because things have gotten out of control. Can it be done?Yes, but you’re going to have to clean house and start almostcompletely over for changes to take place.Below is a list of the types of people that you’ll run across in mostkitchens. Are you one of these people?Loyal and successful . . . in spite of youThe people that always supported you will continue to do so. Most ofthe time, these are the individuals that, no matter who’s in charge, didtheir job anyway. These are the people that will have your back, butwhen it’s time to go, they are like a fart in the wind––out and gonequickly. All of their work will be done, and you almost never have togo behind them. These are people you can count on. They know theirjob, and do it very well. They like you but could care less if you stayedor left because they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do,not for the chef but because it’s in them to just do a great job and gohome.I like you . . . for the momentThen you have the team members that like you only when it’s in theirfavor. If given the chance, they’d stick the biggest, longest chef knifethey could find in your back. They do an okay job. They are never lateand very reliable. However, they are watching you more than you’rewatching them. They are the ones that watch the schedule to seehow many hours everyone is getting. They are the ones that watch tosee how everyone is disciplined or not disciplined. They have yourback only if they know there isn’t a chance under the sun anything is
going to come their way. They are loyal to your face but destroyingyour name behind your back.I know what I’m suppose to doThis is a very dangerous employee to have in your kitchen. Thisindividual knows more than you give him credit for. This is theindividual that will leave food sitting out in the temperature dangerzone and when you say something to them about it, they say, “Well,you didn’t tell me I had to put it up.” This is the individual that won’t dothe right thing on purpose. They know all the rules, and they evenknow the classically correct way to do things, but simply wontbecause nobody is holding them accountable.Dumb and don’t know they’re dumbThis individual, who has been with the company for a long time, hasbeen doing things backwards. Since they’ve never been corrected it’sbecome the way to do things. The new guy walks in and questionshim, and it’s suddenly world war three. This individual doesn’t listen toreason or an explanation. He doesn’t hear anything rational becausethey are irrational. “Who are you to come in and tell me I’m doing thiswrong, and I’ve been doing it for ten plus years!” To me, that meansyou’ve been doing it wrong for ten plus years. You have to eithertransform this individual quickly to do things your way or get rid ofthem quickly. This person will spread lies and cause confusionrelentlessly. He doesn’t understand when enough is enough or thatthey are taking things over the edge. All this individual knows isyou’re changing things, and they don’t like it. They will do anythingthey can to get rid of you.
Jessica A. Robinson’sDramatic Weight LossBy Elissa Gabrielle on January 2, 2015When I was overweight, I was depressed , sluggish, irritableunmotivated and not focused at all. It’s something about neglectingyour body that makes you neglect everything and every other area inyour life. Losing weight has been more than just a number on thescale. It served as a symbol of me taking my life back. Its served as apersonal promise to myself to always love and put myself first. Since Ilost weight my entire outlook when life has changed. I’m motivated,driven, energetic, and ready to take on the world with a new foundconfidence that didn’t exist before.I feel it’s my personal responsibility to reach out for those who were in
the same spot as I was. Sometimes we tend to place the world on ourshoulders and we somehow place us last on the priority list. I hadbeen so consumed with situations and people around me that I forgotto take care of the person who is the most important in the equationme. I have compassion for that person and I feel it is my duty toinspire others to strive to be the most healthy person they can be aswell.”What inspired you to change your life?I was inspired to lose weight after I had gotten into a real bad caraccident Thanksgiving weekend 2011. I injured both knees and as aresult of the accident my doctor informed me that weight loss wouldaid in reducing the amount of knee pain I was dealing with.Was your health in jeopardy?I would definitely say my health was a concern for me due to highblood pressure, insomnia, and chronic pain.What has been the most challenging part?The most challenging part of weight loss journey is the will to keepgoing. Sometimes I love working out and eating right and other timesI hate it. It’s so easy to get discouraged fast especially if you don’tsee results the way you feel you should see them.How has proper nutrition helped?Food has helped me to slim down tremendously. By eating clean andadhering to a low carb diet I have been able to lose over 50 pounds.Did you succumb to weight loss tricks and gimmicks?With so many gimmicks and quick fixes out there I decided to go thetraditional route because I like setting goals for myself and actuallyreaching them. That feeling alone is true motivation within itself.What has been the most rewarding part of your journey?
The most rewarding part of this journey so far is being able to notonly be inspired by others journeys but to inspire other people toreach toward their own fitness and health goals.How do you view food differently?Now I use food sustain my life and give me energy. I no longer usefood as a comfort. I eat food with self-control.Your advice to others who want to change their life?My best tips for anyone wanting to lose weight and get in shape is tochange your mindset first. Whenever you want to start a journey likethis one, it starts in your mind first. Your mind and attitude mustchange. Then everything else will follow. Make sure you surroundyourself with people that will hold you accountable. And another thingthat helps is schedule workouts like it’s a part of your regularschedule just as if you were going to work. It will help you stayfocused and committed.
Happy New Year fromQuentin ColesBy Quinten Coles on January 2, 2015As the New Year begin an as the gyms began to swell, theexcitement of another year brings the opportunity of change and thechance to do something different from the previous. As a ritual aroundthese times, most people take the notion to change a habit, becomemore active, and to reach financial goals. In this month’s edition ofthe mixology report we will look at ways to cut calories while drinkingan some good alternatives to everyday liquors that are not only justas good ,but better cost efficient in priced ,that could put some extramoney back into your pocket. If you’re like me when you drinking youlike to mix your liquor with a chaser, being it be pineapple, cranberry,
orange juice, soda, etc…These chaser contains carbs and calorieswhich contributes to weight gain, which in turn brings the extra bulgein your belly. Here’s a few tips you could try to cut back on the carbsand still get the desired effects off every consumption:Try ordering your drinks on the rocksAdd water to dilute the harsh aftertasteGet creative & use a sugar-free mixer instead of juice with these tipsyou are sure to fight the belly bulge and reduce you calorie intakewhile drinking. While noticing a new trend amongst the youngergeneration I stumbled upon a new brand that is taking themarketplace by storm in smoothness and in price. New Amsterdam,which is what New York was referred to when it was originally built byEuropean travelers, is setting presidents and creating its own lane.Starting at 12$ this carefully sculpted bottle with a picture of NewYork City is something to see. It is exactly half the price on what youwould spend for the same amount of liquor for a big name companysuch as Cîroc, and it’s locally made in the U.S. It is slowly gainingrecognition and targeting younger crowds to steam way to do it!!!With this superior quality of liquor for an inferior amount of money youare sure to save yourself boat loads of cash when leaving the liquorstores. In turn you can start to make way and using you money toinvest in yourself and save!!! I ran across a recipe that I think youshould try that had an awesome kick – it was called the “PackersPunch” it consist of:4oz Sprite zero And until next time, thank youagain for joining me for another wonderful edition, I am Quinten Colesand this is the mixology report.This crisp clean drink will set the tone for any occasion a have yousaying it packs a punch!!!Splash of sweet and sour mix1oz Orange New Amsterdam vodka
Peanut Butter CookiesBy Summer Heath on January 2, 2015I cannot think of peanut butter cookies without thinking of my sisterMai. She has a real relationship with any form of peanut butter, butthings can get downright crazy when someone decides to bakepeanut butter cookies! I totally understand the desire to have a flaky,buttery cookie like these. They have a moist, salty-sweet flavor thatjust makes sense, and if you already have a love for peanut butter,you are really hooked at first bite.One year, I decided I would bake my sister a huge batch of cookies––not just any cookie, her very favorite. I stumbled across the Land O’Lakes recipe and thought I would give it a try. I have to be honest; thehuge batch my sister should have received grew smaller and smalleras the day went by. Eventually, I made a second batch and took themto her fresh out of the oven, to avoid any chance of eating herdessert.Sharing this recipe may be a good or bad thing. Good because thecookies really are delicious and chances are you have all theseingredients in your pantry already. Bad because, well, the cookiesreally are DELICIOUS, and you cannot just eat one! My sister alwaysmanages to get her vote in for a yummy peanut butter cookie whenwe have our “quarterly dinners” (something all of us siblings decidedto do because life is so hectic, and we want to keep our bond close),
and the cookie is always a hit! I hope it will be in your home, too!Peanut Butter CookieSource: Land O’ LakesIngredients1 cup firmly packed brown sugar1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened1/2 cup peanut butter1 Land O Lakes® egg1 teaspoon vanilla1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon sugarDirections:Heat oven to 375°F.Combine brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in bowl. Beat onmedium speed until well mixed. Add egg and vanilla; continue beatinguntil well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Beat at low speed until well mixed.Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart ontoungreased cookie sheets; flatten balls in crisscross pattern with forkdipped in sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightlybrowned.
My Big and Sexy hadbecome Big and Deadly.Meet Julia PressSimmonsBy Modern Flavor Staff on January 2, 2015In July of 2012 I published my first nonfiction book, “Fuck it, I’m Fat.”For years I wanted to write about my food addiction and the effect itwas having on my health, spirit, and body, but I didn’t have thecourage. I was afraid that I would be judged harshly if I publicized my
demons, and that fear was enough to shelf the project. I was going tobe big and sexy, and ignore the problem, but then my father becamesick. He was losing his battle with diabetes and cancer, and watchinghim deteriorate caused me to look at my health differently. I wanted tochange, and I was no longer afraid. “Fuck it, I’m Fat: My Weight LossJourney,” was the first step. Since publishing the book, I have lost 63lbs, drastically changed the way I view food, and started a freesupport group on facebook. I was overjoyed when Modern Flavorreached out to me to talk about my weight loss journey. I believe thatthere is a prevalent culture of overeating and inactivity in ourcommunity, and I relish every opportunity to have an open dialogueabout obesity and weight loss.When did you realize you needed to lose weight?I have always been a big girl, and I’ve struggled with my weight forover twenty years. I didn’t become serious about losing weight until2012. As I stated earlier my father was losing his battle with diabetesand cancer, and I started to view my health problems differently. Ididn’t want to be the cause of my death.Was there a concern for your health?I was diagnosed with type II Diabetes in 2005, and starting to haveadverse effects, and complications with my nerves because of thedisease. In 2011 my doctor told me that I could reverse theneuropathy if I lose some weight. That was my first motivator.What has been the most challenging part of the journey?Food!!!!! lol I am an emotional eater, so I find it extremely hard not toturn to food when I am upset or stressed. Exercising was equally hardin the beginning of my journey, but once I became consistent in myroutines, I began to crave exercise and I usually go for a walk orworkout to avoid stress eating.How did you use food to aid in your weight loss?It may sound cliche, but I had to make the mental switch from living toeat, to eating to live. I looked at food as a recreation, and rewardinstead of nourishment and fuel. It was not an easy process, but Itake it one day at a time just like Narcotics Anonymous.
With so many gimmicks and other methods, like surgery to loseweight, what made you decide to lose it the traditional way?I chose to lose weight naturally, because I tried almost all thegimmicks, and all the gimmicks failed me. I was looking for a quick fixto a problem that took over twenty years to develop. I couldn’t havesurgery, because diabetes made me slow to heal. I had to roll up mysleeves and do the hard work of changing my thinking. I learned to bedisciplined, and the weight started to melt away.What’s the most rewarding part of the journey?The most rewarding part is inspiring other people. I have foundinspiration to be cyclical. When someone tells me that I inspire them,I become inspired, and I gain strength to keep going.How do you use food differently?I joined myfitnesspal.com and I track my calories, carbs, and sugarintake. I don’t see food as a good time anymore. I try to only consumewhat I know my body needs.
Best tips and advice for those who wish to follow in yourfootsteps.My very best advice is to simply be kind to yourself. Whatever pathyou chose to take on your weight loss journey always remember to benice to you. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat some fast food, or havean extra cookie. It’s okay, just do better the next day.For tips, awesome support and advice, you can join my free weightloss group on facebook Julia Press Simmons Weight Loss TeamJulia Press Simmons is the CEO of Queen Midas Books/BraveGirlPublishing and the author of eight novels, a memior, a thriller, andtwo children books. She is an award winning Spoken Word Artist, andPlaywright. She has recently been nominated for poet of the year byAAMBC. Her play “Down There” was selected by the Shades of BlackFestival Emerging Playwright’s Series in Nashville, Tenn. “DownThere” also received a staged reading by the African AmericanPlaywriting Exchange in New York City. She lives in Pennsylvaniawith her family. Julia is currently working on her next novel, SM4: AHustler’s Heart.Contact infoEmail [email protected] facebook.com/JPSBOOKSIG: jpsimmons1Twitter: jpsimmonsWebsite www.jpsimmons.com
Russian Imperial StoutBy Chris Miller on January 2, 2015 photo credit: beerstreetjournal.comIt’s time to get deeper into winter, and that means rich, strong ale.What better place to start than Russian Imperial Stout?Its name is a red herring, so to speak. Russian Imperial Stout comesfrom history of England, much like most darker beers. The Britishexported strong beer, and just as with India Pale Ale, there’s a link towhere it’s exported greatest. The British Porter was heavily in style inthe 1700s (and in the American colonies, as well). The term “stout”was still a descriptor and not yet a separate style, though you canargue fairly heavily on marketing versus style names in modern days.The name Stout and Russian Imperial Stout were not yet in thevernacular, but it would quickly get its name (again, from marketing).The style was first pushed to Russia after emperor Peter III visitiedEngland in 1698. Catherine the Great, longest and most renownedfemale Russian emperor, oversaw Russia’s golden age, but sheloved her beer strong and dark. Citing Anchor Brewery’s information
from “History and Antiquities of the Parish of St. Saviour”, it’s statedthat “The Empress of All Russia is indeed so partial to Porter that shehas ordered repeatedly very large quantities for her own drinking andthat of her court.”Porter gets its dark and roast characteristics from roasted malt. Notunlike coffee beans, it’s roasted for flavor and aroma. Unlike standardpale malt, it doesn’t provide any sugar to turn to alcohol; it’s just therefor flavor, aroma, and color (though, initially, I imagine color was abyproduct). Russian Imperial Stout, to be heavier and stronger,simply used more malt per batch. The roast and other malts gotincreases as well; not unlike IPA, Russian Imperial Stout received agreater amount of hops for preservation. That first shipment from1698? It went bad along the trip. So, Russian Imperials becameheavily hopped. This created, essentially, the same beer that’saround today––strong, roast, and bitter/fragrant.In practice, because of the Imperial roots (or at least the marketing),eventually “imperial” when talking beer style had become a statementof strength (at least 8% in most cases). So, whenever you see anImperial IPA, Imperial Pilsner, and so on, it’s Russian Imperial Stoutto thank for the moniker.BrewingSince we’ve dug into the guts of how it’s made while talking about itshistory, let’s get directly to the ideal of brewing/how it’s made.*For all-grain, you want enough pale malt (or Maris Otter for a moredry, British version) to get at least 8% alcohol. On average, that’s 3.5pounds per gallon of output (i.e., roughly 18 pounds for 5 gallons). Ifyou’re using extract, that’s 2 pounds/gallon. With extract you cancheat in dark/extra dark DME for some color, or use an amber extractto bypass some of the below specialty grain.* The rest will be for body, character, flavor: 2 pounds roast barley, ½pound each of chocolate malt, Caramunich, Special B, and Crystal120L. That mix will provide the dark, roast, and sweet complexity,along with a variety within the dark malts.* Hopping can be either a (more harsh, in my opinion) upfront of 3-4ounces of a very high acidity hop like Challenger for the full boil, with2 ounces of something more light on the back end (Kent Goldings, forinstance) split between 10 minutes and 5 minutes (the shorter time
it’s in the boil, the less bitterness but greater flavor and aroma), or gowith 2 ounces at the beginning and double what you put in at the end(at 15, 10, 5, and 0 minutes). The second approach, called latehopping, makes it a bit less bitter, but also subjectively better in myopinion.In practice, this beer needs time to mellow, so if bottling, don’t touch itfor a bit. It’s a great beer to make in spring, as you can sample a fewthat are still young, and then find enough patience to not mess withany through the summer.Tasting NotesYou’re going to get a rich, complex beer. The above mix of grain ismy own suggestion, but there are variations in commercial andhomebrew examples. The coffee, dark chocolate flavors should beheavy in the style in both aroma and flavor. You will get a hint of itsstrength in the nose, in both a heavy malt aroma and roast, alongwith just sheer alcohol in some examples. The style feels heavy andfull-bodied, and should have a luscious texture. By design, this isgoing to provide an immediate warmth on your tongue.In flavor, you’re going to get a fairly high bitterness throughout, andthen find your subtle flavors behind the malt (cocoa, coffee, roast,caramel, molasses, maybe dark fruit). American versions willnaturally be bigger, bolder than English.You’ll notice while in the glass, a dark brown to black, opaque beerwith a tan to dark brown head, with minimal ‘lacing’ left behind. Inevery step of the experience, you’ll know this is a strong offering.PairingsThis requires bold flavors. Candied bacon is my favorite, barbecue,duck, and short ribs. Pairs well with cream sauces, cheese courses(aged cheddar or gouda, blue cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola, orthe smoked Moody Blue by Roth Kase). The style also works with adessert course heavy on chocolate and/or coffee, anywhere frombrownies or lava cake to caramel cheesecake or tiramisu.Commercial ExamplesThough it’s a British style in history and for Russia in practice of thathistory, most of the best Russian Imperial Stout examples come from
right here in the old USA. As stated above, these will be big beers –8+% and there are examples that eclipse 15%. Many of these arestaple beers, but some breweries consider these to be winterseasonals.Of those domestics, here are a few of my favorites: The goldstandard for the style is North Coast’s Old Rasputin. Looking forstrong but sweet? Avery Brewing’s The Czar is for you. FoundersBrewing’s version is fantastic. My favorite domestic is from OskarBlues––their Ten Fidy is a 10.5% oak-aged Russian Imperial in acan. Stone Brewing’s version and Bell’s Expedition Stout are true tostyle as well.There are, of course, variations. Great Divide Brewing’s Yeti, at 10%,can be found in versions that include Barrel Aged, 3x Barrel Aged,Oatmeal, Chocolate Oak, and Espresso Oak. Brooklyn Brewery’sBlack Chocolate Stout is sneakily strong and remarkably drinkable(enough to have gotten me in trouble once with my dear wife Tonyawhen this beer knocked me on my butt). Foothills Brewing ofWinston-Salem, North Carolina makes one of the better-rated beersin the world with their Sexual Chocolate. Also, from my home state isPisgah Brewing’s slightly smoky Vortex II.In conclusion, don’t overbuy. You’ll notice many of these don’t comein a six-pack for a reason––they will sneak up on you. This will keepyou warm through a winter night, and make you wonder where youare the next morning. It’s a hefty but enjoyable style. Happy winter!
The Worx RestaurantGreensboro, NCBy Modern Flavor Staff on December 2, 2014On Friday night downtown Greensboro, NC is a pretty cool place.There are a ton of great little restaurants that use to be oldbusinesses. I’m constantly looking for a new place to dine anddecided to visit the Worx Bistro. The décor was fantastic. It wasobvious that the restaurant was a warehouse of some sort in it’sformer life. The owners did a fantastic job of turning it into a beautifuldining location. We were instantly greeted buy the hostess andseated within a few seconds of our arrival. Our table was in a darkcorner across from the stage where a local jazz band was playing.Our server was Johnny on the spot. He took our drink order and hadthem back on the table within a few minutes. I had the Endless RiverBeer that I really enjoyed. I’m not normally a fan of Amber Ale Beersbut this one was actually pretty good. I ordered the Angus HangerSteak with Tasso Collards and my wife ordered the Salmon Cakes.For an appetizer we ordered Chicken Wings (at a bistro…yeah Iknow). The wings came out in about ten minuets. They were a greatsize and for the price they gave the right amount and the size of thewings were phenomenal. A really great deal. I guess we ate thewings to fast because for the next 40 minutes we waited on our food.If you’ve read any of my reviews in the past you know I’m not a hugefan of waiting an exceptionally long time for my food. Our food finallyarrived and I was excited to see the great plate presentation but that’swhere the excitement ended. The moment my knife cut into my steak
I knew it was under cooked. I always order my steak medium and thissteak was rare at best. I had to use the flashlight on my phone toreally see the steak because of the dark and poorly lit room. I sent thesteak back for it to be properly cooked. Within five minutes, my serverwas bringing the steak back to the table. I took another cut and thesteak was still under cooked. The Steak was poorly seasoned andbland. At that point I gave up and tried the Tasso Collards. I’ve hadCollards cooked 10 different ways but the greasy, spicy collards werean embarrassment. My wife’s Salmon Cakes were dry and overcooked. The Salmon used looked as if it was canned Salmon, which Idon’t have a problem with but don’t charge me like you are usingfresh caught Salmon. The Worx is obviously a bad experiment. I don’tknow who the chef is but the food was terrible. Maybe it was a badnight. Maybe the Chef and the Sous Chef were out sick. Maybe thegrill cook was new and this was his first real cooking job. I don’t knowhow many excuses I can make for the poor food that we received thatevening. The restaurant is beautiful on the inside and is in a greatlocation but the food does not match at all. It’s like having AnthonyBourdain work in your kitchen and you have him making housesalads all night. It didn’t make sense at all for it to be that bad. Theservers were excellent and the beer and wings were great but that’swhere the compliments stop.
A little bite of heavenBy Linda Ericksson on January 2, 2015New year – New Resolutions!On New Year’s Eve, we have a tradition in my family to make a NewYear’s resolution. Many times my resolution is weight related. It tendsto be the time to grab the weight back after all the good Christmasfood and sweets. Between the many diets out there that I have tried,I’ve chosen the LCHF diet. It works very well. This means eatingminimal carbohydrates. This has taken away my sweet tooth, andkeeps my weight in order. Therefore, I want to share with you a fastand good recipe for a juicy burger without carbohydrates.
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