G! Eats (May 2010)

By Ellen Egan

Drinks and apps: been there, done that. But how often are we truly satisfied with our actual drinks and appetizers?

Such an event often takes place mid week – a time when you’re not quite willing to fork over an arm and a leg just to do some social bonding. But, you do want quality.

Oh, half-price appetizers. How they always seem too good to be true. And most times, yet admittedly not always, they under deliver. So, why make the sacrifice?

The next time a friend invites you out for the usual “half price app,” you will be armed with an even better idea: Mavor’s.

Tucked away on the first floor of the Confederation Centre, Mavor’s Bistro and Bar often flies under the radar as one of Charlottetown’s “hotspots.” Rest assured you will not be disappointed. For an evening such as this, go with a few delicious appetizers and a selection or two from their extensive martini list. It’s the perfect place to relax mid-week without splurging weekend-style.

First timers beware: it can be busy on show nights. Check ahead to see if there’s a show going on at the Centre that night. If so, you may run into some traffic around dinner time. This decision is two-fold, however. Late night, you may just be lucky enough to run into a performer after the show. It’s all about timing.

Grab your date, your best friend, or even your business associate and slip into a plush round booth or saddle up at Mavor’s swanky bar. Once you’re equipped with a tasty martini or wine selection, you’re ready to talk about the real star of the show, appetizers.

You’ve got quite a few to choose from. Although they range from pub to entrée style, Mavor’s up-and-coming chefs will not steer you wrong. For seafood lovers, the mussels are to die for. For land-lovers, the sweet potato fries are a must. The portion, huge. The taste, delightful.

Is your mouth watering yet?

Once you’ve filled your belly and spirit, you may be looking to take this night a step further. Insert: The Gahan House.

With live musical acts every Wednesday night, and no cover charge in sight, Gahan is the next stop on your mid-week night out. Did I mention everyone gets treated like one of their own with staff prices? You heard me. So hop, skip, or simply walk, whatever, down the street and around the corner for some foot-stomping good times.

Expected at work in the morning? Gahan has got you covered by closing at 1a.m. so you won’t over exude yourself midweek (you’ll be thankful in the morning).

Happy Eating!

When she’s not serving food/drinks, snapping photos, exploring the canvas, or searching for fashion finds, Ellen spends her days as a Communications Officer and writing columns for G!  Write, create, play – all day.  That’s Ellen.

By Ellen Egan Drinks and apps: been there, done that. But how often are we truly satisfied with our actual drinks and appetizers? Such an event often takes place mid week – a time when you’re not quite willing to fork over an arm and a leg just to do some social bonding. But, you [...]

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The Myth and The Madness (May 2010)

Sound too good to be true?  Then it probably is – but man, we hope not!  Personal trainer and fitness tester Ryan Cairns dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good.

Myth:  Sit-ups and crunches = six-pack abs.

So you want six-pack abs, eh? Well, you already have them.  Everyone does, they’re just hidden. Where, exactly? Right under that beer gut.

Six-pack abs (or Rectus Abdominus) are a set of 8 muscles located in front of the body. They cause forward flexion (making you bend over or sit up). They’re relatively weak muscles in comparison to the Obliques (side muscles) or the Transversus Abdominus (muscles under Rectus Abdominus).

Typical ways of working out abs are crunches and sit-ups, however these are not the fastest route to “six-pack abs”. You already have them – you just need to burn the fat covering them. You could do countless sit-ups till your abs burn like hell, but that won’t burn many calories. Neither does hooking yourself up to electrodes and shocking your abs (thanks for nothing, Abtronic).

The only way to burn lots of calories is to MOVE. There are no quick fixes. Doing full-body activities burn the most calories by using more muscles.

Try a full-body circuit of 8 to 12 exercises in a row without break. Do 12-15 reps of each activity then rest 60 seconds after the circuit is completed. Repeat 2 more times.
Interval training is another way to blast fat. Interval training is doing activity hard, taking a rest and repeating. An example would be to pedal as hard as you can on a stationary bike for 30 seconds, pedal slow for 60 seconds and repeat. Try doing this for 15 to 20 minutes instead of the usual 45 to 60 minutes you’d spend in the gym. Build up to 30 seconds hard activity with 30 seconds rest and then move up to 30 seconds hard and 15 seconds rest. Once the fat’s been burned off, you can really focus on building bigger, stronger abs by doing better “core” exercises.

Everyone has a different anatomical make-up to their abdominals, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t look exactly like the hard bodies at the gym.

Now go burn some calories and find your six-pack!

To find out Ryan’s latest fitness advice and to learn more about Ryan, visit Ryan’s blog at http://cairnsryan.wordpress.com/

Sound too good to be true?  Then it probably is – but man, we hope not!  Personal trainer and fitness tester Ryan Cairns dispels the myths of fitness and sets us straight on the path to looking (and feeling) good. Myth:  Sit-ups and crunches = six-pack abs. So you want six-pack abs, eh? Well, you [...]

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G! Gets Zesty (May 2010)

Pimped Out Party Foods:  Quick & Easy Dishes for Your Next Party

By Cory Gallant (aka Zesty Cook)

Tired of the same old party food week in and week out?  Don’t get me wrong – I love to eat it too, but standard party fare like chips and dip make for a pretty tedious menu.  It doesn’t take expensive, restaurant quality dishes to impress your guests. Here are a few ideas to kick up the menu for your next party.

Sizzling Sweet Potato Skins

As you know, sweet potatoes are all the rage as of late. Instead of deep frying them and making them the traditional way, how about a sweet potato skin?  Yes, you read it right – a sweet potato skin topped with bacon and sour cream.  This one will be tough to beat.

Parsnip Chips…Seriously!

I’m totally off the rocker with this one, but I promise this dish will not disappoint.  Instead of potato chips, use parsnips as a fun finger food that will keep the room a buzz.  It’s totally simple and takes all of 5 ingredients.  These chips are crispy, sweet and vibrant – a true crowd pleaser!

Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Melt

Now the name may sound fancy, but again, this is a 5 ingredient dish comprised of crusty bread, prosciutto ham, goat cheese, fresh thyme and olive oil that will really ‘wow’ your guests.  It’s simple to create and most of it can be prepared ahead of time.  Just let it bake while your guests are arriving.  These melts offer a smooth and salty treat with a nice crunch from the bread.

Servin’ Up Slush

Do you think anyone would turn down a kicked up spiked slush?  I think not!  Wait until you get a taste of this bad boy in action.  Don’t be fooled by the color – this drink is far from girlie and can sure pack a punch! It tastes wonderful and is sure to please any guest.

Party Preparation Tips

Get a head start on the party and choose foods that you can prepare portions of the dish ahead of time.  You can even go as far as set the table, putting out the dishes, glassware and utensils and be sure everything is clean and ready to go. This will reduce your stress so you can spend more time entertaining your guests.

Parsnip Chips

Ingredients

* 1 Large Parsnip
* 1 Tbsp. Honey
* 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
* 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
* Ground pepper

Method
1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees ?F and peel the parsnip
2.    Using your slicer, slice the parsnip into discs.
3.    In a large bowl toss the parsnips slices with olive oil, pepper, cinnamon and honey
4.    Arrange on a pre lined baking sheet and bake for about 25-30 minutes
5.    Turn parsnips after 15 minutes and continue cooking
6.    Remove when golden brown
7.    ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Be careful not to burn the chips.  Because of the high sugar content they will burn if left unattended.  I like to move them to the top rack after the first 15 minutes and turn once.  This will allow them to dry out and crisp up without burning.

So there you have it.  A quick rundown of some different options for finger foods and drinks you can whip up at your next party.  For more information including the recipes for the appetizers you see here, be sure to come over and check out www.zestycook.com.

Pimped Out Party Foods:  Quick & Easy Dishes for Your Next Party By Cory Gallant (aka Zesty Cook) Tired of the same old party food week in and week out?  Don’t get me wrong – I love to eat it too, but standard party fare like chips and dip make for a pretty tedious menu.  [...]

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