While trying to locate an Indian restaurant in the center of San Jose (California), I accidentally stumbled upon one of the most delicious Soul food joints: Agenda Restaurant.

I arrived in San Jose on Friday morning with one of my favorite coworkers Carolyn who you might have seen in a few recent posts. We were scheduled to work Saturday through Monday, then fly back home on a red eye (note to self, no more red eyes… purely exhausting!)

After our first day of work  we decided to head to highly reviewed Indian restaurant that I found online. Using both GPS and guidance from locals, we still ended up lost and clueless to where this Indian place would be. We agreed to give up and opt for Plan B.  Plan B is always roam and hope to stumble upon something enticing. Plan B worked like a charm!

Carolyn and I ended up on First Street where we noticed a few restaurants and night clubs. An outdoor sign that read “Southern Cuisine” quickly attracted my eyes. I love me some Soul Food, but I wasn’t really in the mood to indulge in calorie-loaded and fried food. As we started to walk away, a cute chubby African American man popped his head out of the door and started his pitch.

He introduced himself as Chef Gator, the chef and owner of the restaurant. He emphasized that everything on the menu was healthy, and perfectly portioned. His healthy menu was inspired by an almost death experience. Chef gator used to weigh around 400 lbs and decided undergo gastric bypass in order to save his life. He altered his diet and lifestyle and down 200 lbs.

Wow! What a great story! I looked at Carolyn and we both had that look in our eyes that we wanted to stick around and taste some of Chef Gator’s food. As he continued to talk, he guided us to the bar where only a few people sat. It was only 4 pm, so the dinner crowd hadn’t arrived yet.

We were intrigued by his story and kept asking a million questions. In short, the Chef loved southern food so much but didn’t want others to end up like him, so he revamped every recipe to make it as healthy as possible.  No frying allowed. His fried chicken was lightly battered and “baked”. Salt shakers on tables are banned. Why? “Because I perfectly season it myself” he explained. “When it comes to portions, I give you just enough and nothing more. You only get one piece of chicken, not two”

Chef Gator reached out to grab us two menus but I refused them. I explained that I wanted him to surprise us with a few of his favorites. The only thing I asked was that he consider that Carolyn was vegetarian with options of seafood and I leaned more towards lean proteins and low carb options.

Let the feeding of the soul begin!

Surprise #1: lightly battered Mississippi Catfish Sliders

The waiter brought out a long dish that had three little cute whole grain rolls stuffed with a mini breaded catfish fillet and a cajun tarter sauce. On the side was a multi-colored pickled sweet pepper salad.

Delish!

Surprise #2 Southern Green Beans & Chipotle Shrimp

As you can see from the picture, we were so excited about this one that we forgot to take a picture before starting. In this dish, we got 4 perfectly warm spiced jumbo shrimp on a bed of cold, crisp green beans and diced tomatoes and onions. So healthy and refreshing!

Surprise # 3

SPECIAL OF THE DAY: STEAMED CHICKEN DUMPLINGS

If you like gumbo, you’ll love this! Made with 100% whole grain wheat, Chef gator created these puffy seasoned steamed dumpling that sat on a thick bed of tender chicken gumbo. The chicken tasted like it was stewed for hours!

Surprise # 4

SPECIAL OF THE DAY:  BROILED HALIBUT ON LOBSTER RISOTTO!

Bring it on!

This spiced fillet of broiled Halibut was topped on somewhat creamy lobster and shrimp risotto. Oh wait! On top of all that yummy madness is a fluffy, battered chunk of crab. 

A few bites of this and that and my belly was reaching full capacity!

“Make room for dessert”

Oh boy…. what is that!!!!!!

FINAL SURPRISE: CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM SANDWICH

Chef gator showcased a plate of chocolate madness as he went into detail about the preparation. The sandwich part are made up of two “healthy” cookies that are filled with oats, dates, agave nectar and other ingredients that I didn’t pay attention to because I was so consumed with his masterpiece. In the sandwich is a pefect portion of homemade chocolate ice cream. Mmmmm…. “why does it taste so creamy yet light?”  (me asking)

“I don’t use cream. I use egg whites”

Ah….. makes sense! Whenever I try to make a fluffier, creamier smoothie, egg whites always do the trick.

As we sat there to digest, a fun crowd started filling the bar. The crowd ranged in ages and personalities. Overall, everyone was so friendly and eager to socialize. Aww… what a fun place!!! I wanna live here forever!!!! 

Chef gator came back to check on us and see how we enjoyed everything, and of course we had nothing but positive things to say. We stayed a little bit longer and he told us more exciting stories about his business ventures and goal of landing a TV Cooking show.

After that food experience, Chef gator can count me as his first TV show fan! I don’t have TIVO yet, but for that show, I will totally have to install it (someone will have to train me on it though)

If you’re in San Jose, please, please, try Agenda’s Restaurant! Tell him I sent you in and you want the special Smallworld Beauty treatment.

If you want to read more on Chef Gator click here

If you want to drool all over his menu, click here

Thank you Chef Gator and staff!

Love,

Ghada

On a scorching hot day like today when the temperature is above 90 degrees, and the mugginess is unbearable, I can’t help but want an ice cold beverage or treat.

Since 7 Eleven was on my way home, I decided to run in and treat myself to a diet drink of some sort. I like to stick to water most of the week, but once in a while, diet root beer is just so tasty!

OK… so as I approached the double doors, a girl walked out sipping on a giant slurpee. Ooooo Slurpee… if only they had a guilt-free, sugar free one?

Wait! They do have one!!! The spinning slurpee machine offered “SUGAR-FREE BANANA STRAWBERRY CRYSTAL LIGHT”

Sold!!!

I grabbed a cup and started filling to the top! Of course I was all smiles as I skipped to the register with my treat. I paid the nice 7 Eleven guy and sipped my way out of there.

Two sips in and my mind started churning with thoughts… hmmmm… the crystal light packets that I dump in my water bottle contain zero calories, zero sugar and zero carbs. If this is a crystal light slurpee, then it should be somewhat close to the nutrition facts right? No more sips! Stop sipping until you know what’s going in your mouth Ghada!

Out came my Google phone and I voice commanded a search “7 Eleven crystal light slurpee calories”

Here’s what I found… (not calorie free)

As you can see, for a 16 oz cup, a slurpee comes in at 80 calories.

This is still a great low cal treat, but I just wanted you to be aware that it’s not calorie free.

Enjoy it, but just factor it in to your day

Love,

Ghada

I’m sure you noticed that Coconut is one of my favorite ingredients in the world!

I’m sure you also noticed that my first protein bar concoction is made of coconut, dark coco, bits of almond and more coco bits!

If you had a chance to taste Coconut Coco Cream bars, then you know what I mean.

Coconut Coco Cream is like my cookie and treat, minus the sugar, excess carbs and hydrogenated oils.  This “cookie” is delicious, but I just found another way to make it even yummier!!!!

Move over  milk, Coconut Milk is moving in to my fridge!

I recently tasted this “SO DELICIOUS Unsweetened Coconut Milk” and fell in love.  This thicker milk-like drink is so good but I have to warn you that there is very little flavor to it, so I suggest you add a packet or two of zero calorie sweetener to maximize your coconut experience.

Mmmm … This Coconut Milk contains ZERO sugar and only 1 g of carbs. Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Enjoy and let me know what you think! xoxo

I was laying in bed the other night and started clicking through the channels to find something boring to help put me to sleep. Just my luck, I stumbled on to a health talk on the PBS channel that had me up until 2 am

The speaker was Dr. Daniel Amen, a physician and author of a new book called “CHANGE YOUR BRAIN. CHANGE YOUR BODY”.

I’m a true believer that the power of our minds can help us achieve almost anything from losing weight to reaching any goal we set for ourselves.

Click on the videos below to hear about his 6 tips on how to control food cravings. I have listed the summary below the video so you can write them down and take notes.

Ways to control Cravings:

1. Keep blood sugar balanced
2. Get rid of artificial sweeteners
3. Manage stress
4. Outsmart food triggers
5. Deal with hidden food allergies
6. Proper supplements

Watch Part II:

Oh the taste of a summer peach!

One of my favorite things to do in the summer, is peach picking at a local orchards.

Personally, I love a fuzzy soft-ball sized, ripened sweet peach that is jam packed with juice. Not only are these little guys perfect to eat as is, but they’re also delicious when baked in the oven.

This next recipe is one of my favorite guilt-free weekend treats. Stuffed Peaches are the perfect flavor combinations of sweet, spicy and crunchy!

Ingredients:

• 1 peach
• 1 cup fat free or low fat ricotta cheese
• 1 table spoon of honey or 1 packets of sweetener
• 1/2 tsp on pumpkin spice
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 10 almonds

Preparation:

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees
• cut your peach in half and remove core and lay on baking sheet
• In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg whites, honey or sweetener, and spices
• divide in half and place mixture in peach halves
• chop almonds in a blender and lightly toast them in a pan (use oil spray to reduce calories)
• top peaches with chopped almonds
• bake for 20 minutes
• serve warm or chilled

This summer peach dessert is packed with nutrients, fiber and protein. If you’re watching your sugar intake, eliminate half the honey or all, and use a zero calorie sweetener instead.

Enjoy!

If you’re a skin care junky, then you’ll love a peak at what’s on my beauty dresser. I have collected so many beauty products in the last few years while attending Esthetic conferences and trade shows. If you’re looking for a tingly, feel good cleanser, then I got it! How about a refreshing toner? Want to try the closest thing to botox moisturizer? Oooo, how about a vegetabl e-based exfoliating scrub! Got acne? I have just the stuff to make that inflamed pimple disappear by the time you wake up!

Yes, I have it all except one thing…. sunscreen.

I am constantly being yelled out by fellow skin care professionals for not owning and/or applying sun screen regularly. Before you jump to judging me, let me plead my case

Sun damage is one of the key factors to premature aging and may increase the risk for skin cancer. Note… I said sun “damage”.

I am a big believer of moderate daily sun exposure to boost my Vitamin D and enhance my mood. I am however against frequent visits to the tanning beds and laying hours on the beach under a cloudless sky. I’m not saying that you’ll never find me relaxing on the beach, but it’s only a few times a year. In addition to my moderate sun exposure, I always apply mineral makeup which naturally contains an SPF 15 or higher depending on the powder.

According to a new study, the number of skin cancer incidents continue to increase even though sun screen use remains popular. The study revealed that people who apply sun screen, tend to sun bathe much longer than individuals who don’t.

Another study conducted by a British Biochemist also revealed that ingredients in sun screen may actually be causing more damage than protecting your skin. The study showed that some ingredients found in sun care products were reacting on the skin and causing free radical damage that could lead to cancer.

Soon after the release of this information, the Health Education Authority jumped to the accusation that the study was spreading confusing messages and stood by the importance of sunscreen.

So what’s the answer?

Health Experts are still advocating that individuals cover up, use sunscreen and avoid excess sun exposure.

What’s my answer….. be moderate, cover up, and get spray tanned! Make sure it’s a good spray tan though, because an orange, Jersey shore skin tone is not that cute..

If you’ve been following my facebook and tweets, you may have gotten a sneak peak of my Vegas trip this past weekend. The main reason of flying to Vegas was to attend a medical aesthetic conference for work, but you know I had to sneak in some fun time as well!

I’ve been to Vegas a few times already, but I have to admit that this last visit was my most enjoyable and memorable. The weather was beautiful, my hotel room was gorgeous and my time was relaxing and drama free

What I’ve learned from traveling, is that regardless of the final destination, it’s all about the people you’re with. Fortunately, I am lucky to have a great team of coworkers every time. They’re always sweet, hardworking and up for a good time!

For this trip, I was teamed up with one of my favorite girls Carolyn D, who I’ve known for a few years now. She’s a beautiful woman inside and out, inspirational new mommy of little Dominic, music fanatic and ruthless on the dance floor!  Her personality is so bubbly and genuine that I wouldn’t mind her in my space 24/7, 365. Like most of my network of girls, Carolyn also has a passion for experiencing different foods!

When it comes to dining, Las Vegas is known for it’s extravagant buffets and celebrity owned restaurants. Even though most people would race to make reservations at these popular spots, I find myself hunting for the more hidden and exotic eateries instead.

After arriving and checking into our hotel at Ceaser’s Palace, Carolyn and I met up with her sister Diane who also flew in to meet us, and we decided to scope the hotel for fun and food. As we strolled in the casino we noticed the Pussy Cat Doll’s area where a dance stage was set up and merchandise was available for purchase. Right across from the stripper poles, my eyes were immediately attracted to a graphitti-decorated wall that read “MUNCH: munchbar to go”. The art resembled something my older bro Mo would design, so I couldn’t help but fall in love with it.

As we got closer to the hostess stand, we noticed flat screens bordered the walls as they aired live baseball and hockey games. Don’t ask me who was playing, all I know is that the one team had a cute blue and white uniform.

The MUNCH BAR/Sports bar was esthetically simple, yet so attractive. The decor was a mixture of funky colorful art, light colored wood, and modern style furniture.

As our “all smiles” waitress led us to the table, I asked if we could seat ourselves at the bar instead. Whenever I go out to eat, I always find myself sitting on a high chair at the bar because I find that regular tables can be so boring. Eating at the bar can be so interactive and eventful!  You’ll be surprised at how many interesting people you can meet doing that.

As we climbed and got comfortable on the bar stools, we were greeted by another smiley waitress as she handed over the funky looking menus. Within seconds, we noticed that MUNCH BAR offered “special brews”. If you’re a beer snob, I guarantee you’ll be pleased with their selections on tap. The girls and I decided to order three different ones and have our own little tasting/ beer festival.

As I opened the paper menu to browse the options, all I could think was…. I wish I had an overactive thyroid gland that allowed me to eat whatever, whenever! Everything sounded so scrumptious from the appetizers (munchies), entrees (big munchies), soups n salads, burgers and wraps, to the sweet desserts.

When eating out with me, expect that you’ll be ordering a few items to share

WARNING… the foods that will be showcased below are extremely addicting and delicious!

TINY GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES w/ Tomato Dipping Sauce

How can someone hate grilled cheese? This was one of my favorite childhood sandwiches that I would eat with my brothers while watching an episode of Arabic Sesame Street (I’m sure you can watch snippets on youtube for kicks).

The MUNCH grilled cheeses were perfectly buttered thick slices of challah-like bread, stuffed with a sharp cheese, and complimented by a creamy tomato dip. The cheese and tomato combo gave these little guys a pizza-like taste. Since I’m watching my calories, I went for a smaller slice. This is why I love sharing, because I can enjoy anything in moderation without binging and feeling deprived.

This small munchie provides a good amount of protein from dairy but be careful of the high fat content if you’re not sure of the type of cheese used.

ORGANIC MIXED GREEN SALAD w/ Crumbled Greek Feta

You can never go wrong with ordering a Salad! This mixed green salad was perfectly tossed in a light house dressing and topped with big chunks of feta crumbles.

This is a great low carb option that’s packed with fibrous greens and protein!

SHRIMP SATAY w/ Pineapple Salsa

These shrimp skewers were delicious! The little guys were lightly charred and grilled, then topped with a light crushed pineapple salsa.

This munchie is perfect for low calorie, low carb dieters. Scrape the salsa off to reduce more sugar and carbs.

SWEET POTATO FRIES w/ Garlic mayo

OMG… If calories didn’t exist, I would eat these everyday! Unfortunately, calories are here forever so only a few slices satisfied my taste buds and cravings.

These bright orange, perfectly crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside fries were definitely freshly cut and fried!

Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta carotene and considered a complex carb. Since they’re fried, avoid too many bites. If it’s your cheat meal, then enjoy a few more!

SEARED AHI TUNA w/ Mixed Green Salad

Don’t let my photography skills fool you because this salad plate was amazing!!! So amazing, that I ordered it every time I went in to eat.

The thick slices of raw tuna were seared just right on the outside, leaving the inside texture moist and flavorful. The mixed green salad was tossed in a sweet honey mustard-like dressing with toasted chickpeas and peanuts. Low Carb & Protein lovers eat up!

LAGUNITAS IPA INDIA PALE ALE

If you’re watching your calories and carbs, Pale Ales are a better option than darker stoudts. This IPA was one of the many brews that were offered on tap. It had a robust and hoppy flavor that was extremlely addicting!

12 ounces of this flavorful brew is only 180 calories and 13 grams of carbs. Share this with a friend, and bring it down even more!

In the 5 days that I was in Las Vegas, I probably ate at the MUNCH BAR four times

On the last day of my trip, I had to sneak in one last food experience. As I was stuffing my face with my last seared tuna bites, one of the owners (Shawn) made his way to our table. He had noticed our frequent stop-ins and wanted to thank us for our business so he brought over two complimentary IPAs.

Yay! Thanks Shawn!

If you’re in Las Vegas, I highly recommend this yummy joint!

The food was outstanding, the staff was friendly and eye-pleasing, service was prompt and always on point, and the overall aesthetics and decor was crazy sick! (translation: very good)

If you’ve dined here before, please leave your comments and what your favorite munchie is!

To view more of the munchbar’s menu, click on the image below.

As the plane approached the runway, my phone reception began to pick up service and my mailbox flashed to warn me that I had a message.

It was an email from one of my favorite girl duo, Jennifer and Erin from Fit Bottomed Girls.com

Hi Ghada,

Congrats! You were awarded a 2010 Noshie by the Fit Bottomed Girls!

The Fitties are the FBGs’ fave eats from the past year, and by “fave,” I mean can’t live-without, want-to-marry, kiss-the-creators’-feet good. So they really, really like the stuff and think it deserves some extra attention. Here’s the ink: http://fitbottomedgirls.com/2010/05/introducing-the-noshies/.

Coconut Coco Cream won the award in the “DESSERTS” category as the

Best Mounds Bar Replacement: When you’re not feeling like a nut, these are always tasty.

I am truly touched and honored to receive this award from Fit Bottomed Girls, a website that continues to motivate and inspire me to continue my health journey and produce delicious guilt-free snacks that make weight loss sweet and simple.

I also want to thank all the Coconut Coco Cream lovers for your continued support and business. Due to the unexpected high demand, I am completely SOLD OUT but I have more on the way soon!

New & Improved Coconut Coco Cream bars will be available in a few weeks. I am also launching a new delicious flavor that is guaranteed to make you drool! Vanilla Apple Fudge is a blend of natural apple flavors and cinnamon dipped in a white vanilla chocolate!

If you would like to pre-order your box (12 bars per box), please email sales@smallworldbeauty.com

Cutting carbs is a great way to slim down before summer arrives. Carbs are the body’s main energy source, but excess carbs can easily be stored as fat.

This next low carb dish has been one of my favorite easy-to-make dishes these last few weeks. It’s simple, delicious, flavorful and very addicting.

These yummy grilled buffalo chicken bites only require a few ingredients and a few minutes of my time.

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken breast(s)
• low sodium hot wing sauce (or mild)
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt n peppa
• 4 tbsp fat free blue cheese dressing
• 1 oz crumbled blue cheese

Preparation:

• Season chicken with salt n peppa
• heat olive oil in a pan
• grill chicken 3-4 minutes on each side
• remove chicken and let it cool
• chop up chicken into cubes
• heat your pan again and pour your worces. sauce, wing sauce and blue cheese dressing
• toss your chicken bites and stir around until fully coated
• pour concoction into a bowl and sprinkle the remaining crumbled cheese on top.

I love to eat these chicken bites straight, on a bed of romaine or even stuffed in a low carb tortilla wrap.

So Yummy!

Go ahead!

Pick a restaurant, any restaurant! I double dare you that I can find something figure friendly and delicious to eat.

In today’s post, I’m going to list a few types of commonly eaten cuisines, some of the not so figure friendly choices that are popular, then give you a few healthier options to order instead.

On a cheat day, the less healthier items sure are delicioso, but eating like this everyday will surely pack on the pounds.

Ready to chow down with me?

Let’s do Mexican!

NOT SO FIGURE FRIENDLY FOOD ITEMS: When dining Mexican, most people might order a Quesadilla with lots of cheese, fried chamichangas, overly stuffed burritos with guac and chips, or even a side of refried beans. Oh, and let’s not forget a bottle of Mexican DOS EQUIS XX.

FIGURE FRIENDLY ITEMS: When dining mexican, I love ordering healthier items like a refreshing seafood ceviche dressed in lime with low fat crackers (see image), chicken tortilla soup minus the fried tortilla strips and sour cream, a side of black beans and rice, fresh tomato salsa to mix with a little guac since avocados are calorie dense, and some grilled chicken, fish or shrimp fajitas with corn tortillas (less fat than flour tortillas).

Let’s do Chinese!

NOT SO FIGURE FRIENDLY FOOD ITEMS: Before I learned about “calories”, my favorite item was …. yup…. General Tso’s Chicken! OMG… did you know that one serving of that stuff is over 1000 calories! Other calorie loaded items include fried egg rolls, fried rice, and sweet & sour chicken.

FIGURE FRIENDLY ITEMS: Believe it or not, I get Chinese take out all the time. I always order steamed chicken and vegetables with garlic sauce on the side. Other figure friendly items include steamed dumplings, wonton soup (see image), vegetable soup, steamed rice and even some chicken on a stick.

Let’s do Italian!

NOT SO FIGURE FRIENDLY FOOD ITEMS: Some of the most popular ordered items are fried calamari, linguine with creamy alfredo, fried chicken parmesan with carb-loaded pasta, garlic bread and even a decadent ricotta-filled canolli.

FIGURE FRIENDLY ITEMS. I love Italian! You’ll always find something healthy on my plate when I’m dining Italian. Instead of fried, I ask for grilled calamari sauteed in some olive oil and garlic with a side of broccoli rabe or steamed mussels in light white wine sauce (see image). If I’m craving pasta, then I’ll order a light pasta primavera (tomatoes and veggies). Chicken or veal marsala with mushrooms are always great light choices, and for dessert, I love me some cappuccino with skim milk and zero calorie sweetener.

Let’s do late night Diners!

NOT SO FIGURE FRIENDLY FOOD ITEMS: After a long fun night at a concert or club, you and your friends decide to head to a diner to keep the party going. Diners are known to serve huge portions and lots of grease if you order the wrong item. Popular late night choices range from breakfast foods like scrambled eggs, greasy sausage, homefries and buttered toast, to fast and easy fried foods like chicken wings, cheese burgers and loaded fries, and let’s not forget that thick milkshake…….

FIGURE FRIENDLY ITEMS: Diners offer hundreds of items on their giant 10 page menu. When I find myself sitting at a diner at 2 am, I usually order  a veggie omelette minus the homefries and meat. I also ask my waiter to use very little or no oil (dry). Other healthy options include grilled chicken salads, cottage cheese and fruits, oatmeal and raisins, or even a turkey burger minus half the bun. Soups are also great if they’re broth-based like chicken soup or hearty vegetable.

Regardless of where you dine, I promise there are more than a few healthy and delicious items to choose from.

If you’re still stumped on what to order at your regular eating spots, then email me and I’ll try to help you out!

Click here for more great tips on making better dining choices.