Quarterback A “Wellness” Super Bowl Party

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Delicious Ideas to Stay Healthy and Have Fun

By Lina Salazar, Health Educator & Coach, Founder, LiveWell

Tom Brady is famous for his rigid diet plan which he feels is an critical part of his longevity as one of the top quarterbacks in the game. So whether you are an Eagles or Pats fan, you can “party like Brady” and host a fun Super Bowl party knowing that eating healthy and enjoying good food are not mutually exclusive. Healthy doesn’t mean eating chunks of lean chicken breast and a fun Super Bowl isn't necessarily about overeating junk food.

This year it’s my turn to host the Super Bowl and I’m excited to show my friends that the words “healthy”, “delicious” and “Super Bowl” can be used in the same sentence. 

We can all relate to the feeling of eating too much or overindulging on foods that we don’t normally eat and ending up feeling slow and heavy the next day. Overeating does have an impact our body, especially if it’s processed food, generally high in sodium and added sugars. When our bodies are overloaded with a combo of sugar, carbs, fat, and calories, we transform excess glucose into fat, our insulin levels spike, and inflammation is triggered, which is one of the reasons we end up feeling so bad, physically and mentally.

The solution is not to avoid temptation. Being healthy is not about deprivation or discipline. The key is to create healthier options with a few simple tweaks.

Here is how I’m transforming traditionally unhealthy Super Bowl dishes into more nourishing alternatives:

  • Bake your chicken wings: You still have delicious chicken wings; the difference is that baked chicken wings have less sodium and fat, which is what activates the reward system in your brain to want more of the unhealthy foods.
  •  Switch from cheesy nachos to crunchy tortillas and salsa: This is a great way to “have your cake and eat it too”. I will be offering a big bowl of tortilla chips and chunky salsa. The key here is to avoid highly processed products, and to go for ones with fewer ingredients. Garden of Eatin’s organic blue corn tortillas or Siete’s grain free tortilla chips, are great alternatives. Pair them with Whole Food’s 365 delicious red chipotle salsa. I also love making this edamame guac that will make everyone lick their fingers.
  •  Low sugar booze: stay away from sugary cocktails and high-alcohol craft beers! Vermouth, Champagne, white and red wine or straight liquors (the less sweet ones) are better alternatives. If you feel you’ll miss a cocktail, try a fruit mojito. Simply replace the sugar with agave or fresh fruit!

Remember it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  You can enjoy the Super Bowl and be healthy with some advanced planning and a few simple tweaks.

For more practical tips on how to be healthy without feeling deprived, sign up for Lina’s newsletter at: www.livewellway.com or follow her on Instagram @live.well.way 

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Lina is a health educator & coach. She left a career in international development to found LiveWell, a platform to support women who want to make peace with food and their bodies. She's also an advocate for fair food systems, and is a member of the board of Community Foodworks. 

Host a “Buy Local” Super Bowl Party from Dawson's

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Dawson's kitchen team is ready for you. From left, Natalie Walker, Executive Chef Rich Stafford, and Marina Gagikyan. 

Dawson's kitchen team is ready for you. From left, Natalie Walker, Executive Chef Rich Stafford, and Marina Gagikyan. 

Park & Party Prep in 30 Minutes at Dawson’s Market in Rockville

A gem of a grocer, Dawson’s Market is a local foods purveyor that is well worth an excursion if you love shopping at a store whose mission is “Celebrating Community through Local and Organic Food.” In every aisle, whether it is produce, dairy, wine, meat or their prepared foods, you’ll see local products front and center. 

We gave store manager, Bart Yablonsky, this challenge:  Can a busy person park, shop, pay and be on their way with Super Bowl party food and drinks in 30 minutes and under—all while eating natural and local food?

He took the challenge. And the answer is yes.

Park in the ample free parking in front of their Rockville Town Center store. Walk through the doors, and make your first stop at the prepared foods counter. Hors d’oeuvres will be available from Dawson’s service case, but save even more time by pre-ordering party platters 48 hours in advance of pickup. Bart’s suggestions include Dawson’s Buffalo Wings using Bell & Evans all-natural chicken, house made MD blue crab cakes, spiced shrimp platters and Thai chicken meatballs, a great twist to regular cocktail meatballs, these spicy balls are a top seller. And, if you aren't as concerned about local, but really want your party's focus on a "regional" theme, there are also Philly Cheesesteak Platters and New England Lobster Roll platters to be had. Dawson's also has a cold salad bar and a hot bar, if you want some other choices.

Dozens of local beers are available in cans, growlers or to try on tap at Dawson's. 

Dozens of local beers are available in cans, growlers or to try on tap at Dawson's. 

Conveniently enough, the beer and wine section is right behind you. Dawson’s has dozens of local beers on tap, in growlers or cans, including 7 Locks brewery (just 10 minutes from the market) and Brawling Bear Bare Knuckle IPA from Gaithersburg.

The Dawson's wine section has many local MD and VA wineries represented should your crowd prefer a white or a red. House made snacks and bread, lots of organic chips and salsas round things out, with a stop for some area cheeses and pickles to finish out the snack zone. Fisher's Popcorn from Ocean City is stacked high in buckets, grab one and know that you will be a hero for passing around their caramel corn. 

And now to the checkout. Because you’re ready for your party and on your way. 

Dawson's makes their commitment to local and organic front and center. 

Dawson's makes their commitment to local and organic front and center. 

Dawson's Market, 225 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD 20850

Open daily 8 AM – 9 PM. For catering orders, email catering@dawsonsmarket.com or call 240.428.1386. Dawson's Market is the northern sister store of Ellwood Thompson's Local Market in Richmond, Virginia.

A Calming Tonic for a Busy New Year

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Words by Susan Able and photographs by Hannah Hudson.

When Rano Singh welcomes you into Pansaari, her recently opened Indian spice store and grocery, you know you have arrived someplace special.

The walls are covered with intricate Indian tiles, with long shelves of the freshest spices. Behind an inlaid marble bar, amazingly fragrant chai tea, South Indian coffee and her own kombuchas are served, as well as Indian food. A committed locavore, Singh buys her lemongrass and mint from a local farm, and the honey is from a beekeeper in Washington, D.C.

Pansaari feels more like the living room of a friend with very comfortable Indian furniture. It’s a place to linger in conversation and soak in the smell of fresh spice.

Singh explains that in India a “pansaari” is the spice grocery. The first consult for ailments is to the pansaari for spice-based remedies. Tonics, such as fennel water, are commonly used. On a cold winter night, Singh offered up a glass of 100 Jor Bagh, a calming tonic with a recipe unique to her family in Jaipur, India. Based in Ayurvedic nutrition, Singh considers this a balancing drink for digestion—all the various ingredients, which are steeped into a tea, have healthy and unique medicinal properties.

Rano Singh in Pansaari. 

Rano Singh in Pansaari. 

“I just feel better after I drink it,” explained Singh, who has a glass after her daily yoga. “It balances me.”

100 Jor Bagh

Makes 2 gallons.

This calming tonic is as tasty as it is soothing. It is important to add the ingredients in the proper sequence to preserve the essential elements. It makes 2 gallons, which will last up to a month if refrigerated.

2 gallons spring water

2 cups fennel seeds (if you have a choice, choose the largest ones)

12 stalks lemon grass, washed and chopped—root, leaves and all

½ cup cardamom pods, crushed

2 sticks cinnamon

6 bunches mint

1 cup honey

4–6 lemons

Take a large pot, add the 2 gallons of spring water and bring it to just under a boil. Add the fennel seeds and chopped lemon grass. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes and turn off the heat. Add the crushed cardamom and cinnamon and let it steep for an hour. Bring the pot to a boil and add the mint bunches; cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 6–8 hours.  

Strain the solids out. To the liquid, add the honey and stir it well until it dissolves. Add the juice of 4-6 lemons, to your taste. Drink chilled from the refrigerator or slightly warmed as a tea, but no ice. It dilutes the mixture and is frowned upon in Ayurvedic tradition.

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This story first appeared in the January 2015 issue of Edible DC. 

Woof. It's the Year of the Dog.

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Japanese New Year's traditional celebrations center on family and food

a Nengajo, or traditional new year's greeting card.

a Nengajo, or traditional new year's greeting card.

Thomas Martin, special to Edible DC

According to the Chinese zodiac, we've said goodbye to the Year of the Rooster and are saying hello to the Year of the Dog. Japan, along with many countries in Asia, uses the Chinese zodiac system, which rotates through 12 animal signs for each year in a twelve year cycle. Celebrations in Japan have already welcomed the transition, and the Year of the Dog in 2018 is expected to bring prosperity, particularly to those who, like the dog, are proactive, work hard and communicate well. Other astrologists predict that those who show generosity to others will reap the greatest benefits throughout the year.

We talked to the staff at the Japanese Information and Cultural Center (JICC) to learn more about Japanese traditions for what is their most important national holiday. 

EdibleDC: Tell us about New Year's in Japan. How to you celebrate, and what are the most important New Year’s traditions?

JICC:  Oshogatsu (New Year’s, January 1-3) is the most important holiday season in Japan. It is a time to be together with family, friends, and relatives, and many return to their hometowns to spend Omisoka (New Year’s Eve) and Ganjitsu (New Year’s Day). There are many traditions associated with the season, although some have fallen out of practice in modern times. Originally, Japan followed the Chinese lunar calendar, but since 1873 Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar and has since marked January 1 as the start of the New Year.We have several things that are important to do at the New Year.

  • Nengajo: New Year’s greeting cards. Much like Christmas greetings in the U.S. it is an important custom to exchange greeting cards and they should arrive on January 1.  (The JICC will display the submissions and winners of their own local annual Nengajo contest through the month of January 2018.)
  • Joya no kane: On New Year’s Eve, Buddhist temples around Japan will ring the temple bell 108 times, one for each bonno (earthly desire), in order to drive these desires/attachments away and purify. Each strike of the bell must be allowed to fully reverberate before the next strike is made.
  • Hatsu-mode: Literally “first shrine visit.” People will visit a shrine early on New Year’s Day (often before sunrise) to pray for good fortune in the coming year, buy omikuji (fortune lottery) and omamori (charms). Some people will wear kimonos for their hatsu-mode.
Mochi, a rice cake, is a key ingredient in zōni which is eaten on new year's day.

Mochi, a rice cake, is a key ingredient in zōni which is eaten on new year's day.

EDC: What are considered classic New Year’s dishes for Japan? Do they have any special connotations, such as providing luck, good fortune, etc?

JICC: We have many special dishes at this time of year. Here are some:

  • Osechi-ryori: A variety of dishes that celebrate the change of the season. This is a tradition that is over 1,000 years old. The dishes are often served in stacking lacquer boxes and items vary from region to region but typically include boiled beans, boiled fish, and su-no-mono (sliced vegetables in vinegar). They are prepared in large quantities before New Year’s so that there is no need to cook or prepare during Oshogatsu.
  • Mochi: Pounded rice cakes. Consumed at other times of the year as well, mochi is an essential ingredient in zoni. There will often be a mochi-tsuki (literally: “mocha pounding”) event towards the end of December to make it in preparation for New Year’s. (The JACL DC Chapter holds an annual Mochi-Tsuki event in the area).
  • Zoni: A soup eaten during the season. The ingredients vary from region to region but usually has seafood and vegetables as well as mochi. Usually, it is eaten on New Year’s Day.
  • Toshi-koshi soba (noodles): Literally “year-crossing” soba (noodles). It is supposed to be eaten around midnight, during the crossing over into the New Year. One reason is that eating the long noodles is done in the hope that one’s life will also be as long.

EDC: How do Japanese citizens celebrate New Year’s? Do traditional celebrations differ in the country and city?

JICC: Celebrations are typically practiced in a similar way in both the city and country. There are some region-specific celebrations that are well-known, such as the Yamayaki (literally, “mountain burning”) that takes place in Nara. Other variations will typically be small variations in the ingredients of the dishes or the kinds of New Year’s decorations. Every new year in the north of Japan, “demons” known as namahage, go around visiting homes holding cooking knives to bless families with good health, a large catch and a rich crop in the New Year.

EDC: What public New Year’s festivities occur in Japan?

JICC: The joya no kane (described above) is one public activity and some temple bell ringings are broadcast on radio and television. There is one long-running television program that has become a part of the New Year’s experience in the later 20th century, namely, the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red-and-White Song Festival). The show features two teams (red and white) of singers, usually the most popular artists in that year, who compete against each other on New Year’s Eve. It has been running annually since the 1950s.

EDC: What sort of goals/resolutions do people in Japan make for New Year’s?

JICC: Typically, people will pray, or wish, for good fortune in the coming year. Since the school year ends in March, January is the time when students will take exams for entering high school or university. This makes praying for good luck one of the most common “goals” (or rather, “wishes”) for students.

EDC: What gifts, if any, are typically given at New Year’s in Japan?)

DX: Otoshidama. During the New Year’s holidays, children receive special presents of spending money, known as otoshidama, from parents and relatives.

EDC: What else makes New Year's unique in your country?

DX:  Our New Year’s Decorations. Kado-matsu is the most common and popular New Year’s decoration. It uses bamboo and pine and are placed at the entrances of homes or shrines.

Bonenkai and Shinnenkai celebrations are also unique. While the time round around New Year’s is usually reserved for time with family, the days and weeks just before and after are usually filled with parties and banquets held with various social groups such as co-workers, neighborhood associations, and friends. The parties prior to New Years are called bonenkai (literally, “year-forgetting party”) while the parties held after New Year’s are called shinnenkai (“new year party”). These parties are an essential part of social life around this time and people will often find their schedules packed with bonenkai and shinnenkai.

We hope you enjoyed this roundup. If you want to celebrate Japanese-style, try one of our local Japanese restaurants; a great list from Zagat: /www.zagat.com/l/best-japanese-restaurants-in-washington-d.c

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Thomas Martin is a sophomore at Yale University studying English. He is a staff writer for Yale's The Politic and writes about food, politics, and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shop Made in DC: All DC, All the Time

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Words and photo by Vina Sananikone

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Shop Made in DC, located in Dupont Circle, is a playground for DC devotees, the creative community and those who love to shop local. This modern café and boutique is a just-launched collaboration between Neighborhood Restaurant Group (The Partisan, Birch & Barley and others) and Made in DC, a program of the DC Department of Small & Local Business Development dedicated to supporting and promoting businesses that make, design and produce in the District.

Led by Stacey Price, founder of consulting firm People Make Place, whose warm smile and energetic spirit are enough to warrant a trip, Shop Made in DC is a vibrant space with wooden tables, industrial fixtures, repurposed medicine cabinets and red brick walls, an artfully curated space filled with DC-made art, stationery, home goods, food and clothing.

The boutique will feature around 24 different artisans at a time, with a current lineup including pop art posters of the District’s neighborhoods by Anthony Dihle, baby swag onesies and bibs by Yinibini Baby sporting the DC flag and all-natural soy candle and beauty goods by Handmade Habitat. Chocolate lovers and coffee aficionados will love the Hot Commodity bar (think dark milk chocolate meets coffee beans) by chocolatiers Harper Macaw.

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Start your day in the café with Small Planes Coffee and Bullfrog Bagels, have a nomadic Tibetan lunch of Dorjee Momo chicken dumpling soup or vegan sunflower buns and Sichuan eggplant salad, and come back for Bluejacket’s Turning Road IPA at happy hour. Pick up a jar of Gordy’s Bloody Mary mix for the weekend and start (and finish!) your holiday gift shopping with unique goods by DC makers.

Shop Made in DC is not just another new addition to busy Dupont Circle or a great place to get your morning coffee on your way to the office. It’s more than that. It’s intended to be a place that showcases the DC makers community, a must-visit place for tourists who want a unique keepsake, a place where locals can support homegrown small businesses, a place where makers meet and network with each other and say hello to the customers who take their wares home.

Shop Made in DC, 1330 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; shopmadeindc.com. Open Monday–Friday 7am–8pm, Saturday–Sunday 11am–6 pm.

Flying While Vegetarian: 5 Savory Spots To Hit At Reagan National

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Words and photos provided by the concessions program at Reagan National Airport

Planning for travel can be difficult when you’re vegetarian and/or vegan — whether you’re flying all day without many (let alone delicious) options, or unexpectedly stuck in an airport during a delay. Luckily, more and more airports are stepping up to the plate and offering amazing, nutritious options — Reagan National, in particular, has some stand-out eateries. Check out our favorite tasty vegetarian dishes at Reagan National below! 

1)     Matsutake Sushi – National Hall: This full-service Japanese restaurant is conveniently located pre-security — so whether you arrive with some time to kill or are getting a meal to go, it’s a great, quick option. With tons of noodle options — we love the Kitsune Udon Noodle Bowl (thick noodle soup topped with fried tofu and veggies) and the Tofu Teriyaki, especially — you’ll fill up on a savory meal before your flight.

2)     Good Stuff Eatery – Terminal B: While Spike Mendelsohn’s Capitol Hill eatery is known for its juicy, delectable burgers, his vegetarian options do not disappoint — and pack a seriously savory punch. Meet Good Stuff Eatery’s Fried Green Tomato Sandwich: With fresh ruby red tomatoes, sliced avocado, creamy goat cheese and peppery arugula, this thick, juicy sandwich is beyond satisfying.

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Plus, if you’re flying before 10 a.m., The Goodstart breakfast sandwich is not to be missed — featuring a farm-fresh fried egg, American cheese, avocado and a ruby red tomato. Make it a combo, and you’ll also get a cup of hot coffee, and Sunny’s Homefry & Onions!

3)     Kapnos Taverna – Terminal C: Local chef Mike Isabella rolled out yet another hit with this Mediterranean concept! The Garden Mezze menu is a smorgasbord of vegetarian delights: Spanokopita with flaky phyllo and creamy feta, Fried Greek Potatoes with orange and Greek Island Sauce, Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with golden raisin and fresno chili, oh my! Plus, don’t miss the famous Crispy Brussels Sprouts with burnt coriander honey and spiced almonds. Who needs meat?

Mark your calendar and save the date, @kapnostaverna #CollegePark opens its doors on Monday, September 25 at 5pm.

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4)     Ben’s Chili Bowl – National Hall: While Ben’s Chili Bowl got famous for its chili and half-smokes, Ben’s vegetarian options don’t disappoint! Found in 1958 in D.C.’s U Street Corridor, Ben’s Chili Bowl is one of D.C.’s core eatery institutions — come soak up all the delicious vegetarian options, with a Veggie Burger, Veggie Chili Cheese Fries or Ben’s Salad Bowl. You can even sub a veggie burger on any breakfast sandwich!

5)     &pizza – Terminal C : This revolutionary new make-your-own pizza place has tons of vegetarian — and even vegan — options to choose from! The menu makes it simple to see which ingredients are right for certain food restrictions, including gluten-free options. With amazing options like Vegan Cheese and Vegan Beef, even the most specific needs can be deliciously accommodated here!

THE OG // the hit pie that started it all

348 Likes, 8 Comments - &pizza (@andpizza) on Instagram: "THE OG // the hit pie that started it all"

Don’t sacrifice quality while traveling — plan to swing by these high-quality eateries for a tasty vegetarian meal that will fill you up for take-off!

This content is sponsored by the concessions of Reagan National Airport.