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You are here: Home / Lifestyle / Trip Of A Lifetime

November 8, 2008

Trip Of A Lifetime

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This really has been the most amazing experience. I am so lucky to have been invited. A huge thank you to Quaker and the PR team for all of the great information and the wonderful trip to Chicago!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My heart literally feels healthier for the great experience 🙂

Not long after lunch I started to get really hungry (I guess my oatmeal finally wore off but my body didn’t realize it had veggies + protein at lunch!) I was missing my usual yogurt and bread at lunch. So I cracked open one of the new Banana Coconut True Delight bars. SO GOOD!!! I bet it would be great crumbled over oats

:mrgreen: this !
It was very similar in texture to the Kashi Honey Almond Flax but in my opinion had better flavors – banana + coconut!

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This afternoon we got to hear a talk by David, Grotto, RD, and author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Here’s some of what we learned –

Nutrition Myths from Dave Grotto, RD

  1. Wine is less fattening than beer. Fact: It’s all about serving size and calories.
  2. Sugar does not cause diabetes. Fact: Eating too much does.
  3. All fat are bad. Fact: Definitely not! Canola oil, olive oil, avocado, nuts = yum!
  4. Brown eggs are healthier than white. Fact: The color of the egg is only a reflected of the color of the chicken.
  5. Nuts are fattening. Fact: While they’re more calorie dense, the satiety you get from them means you’ll probably eat less throughout the rest of the day.
  6. Skipping meals helps you lose weight. Fact: Not true. You’re more likely to overeat in compensation.
  7. Eat for two when you are pregnant. Fact: (I just took a test on this!) Caloric needs barely go up in the first half of pregnancy.
  8. Dairy consumption is linked to cancer. Fact: Dairy isn’t linked to cancer, but high saturated fat diets MAY be linked to cancer.
  9. The 5 second rule. Fact: Dave says not to eat it (BUT I heard that Mythbusters disproved this!)
  10. You crave what your body needs. Fact: You are probably just craving food/hydration in general, not really the specific food, which just sounds appealing because you are hungry. (You don’t have cravings when you’re stuffed!)

Enjoy your oats and toppings: “Women who ate a big breakfast (610 kcal, high carb, high protein) lost more weight than those who ate 1/3 of the calories.”

Check out MizFit and Jenna’s posts for some more good advice from Dave!

Great tips Dave!!! Can’t wait to read his book, which was in our goodie bags!

Oat Chef

After talking nutrition, we were treated to a cooking demo by Top Chef’s Stephanie Izard! She made banana oatmeal pancakes (sound familiar!?) with a yummy pomegranate reduction.

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I got a signed canister of more oats 🙂 I sure am rolling in oats these days!

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Wind-seeing

I relaxed in the hotel for a while and then Jenna and I headed out for a little Chicago sightseeing. It sure is WINDY out there!! I ate a few trail mix nuts before I left (sorry, no photo – was in a hurry!) and got a Cinnamon Dolce non-fat latte out on the streets for a snack. Yum!

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I cannot believe how dark it gets here so early. We were planning to be out in the afternoon and it was pitch back by 5:00!! J and I walked for over an hour window shopping and making a few stops in stores to drool over clothes and kitchenware 🙂

Dinner

Our group reconvened for dinner at MK, The Restaurant. We could not have asked for a more perfect setting and menu.

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I started with a glass of the Jayson 2006 Charonnday. SO GOOD and oaked – just how I like ’em.

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We started with passed hors d’oeuvres – mushroom, eggplant and white bean crostinis and crab cakes with asparagus parmesan tartlets –

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I ordered the Endive Salad with blue cheese, pecans, watercress and apple. I forgot to say “dressing on the side” but it was still good. I ate most of my plate, plus a piece of a flax-y bread.

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Second pour –

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For dinner I debated between the chicken and the “Kath’s Perfect Ravioli.” I think I made the best choice 🙂

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Cinnamon Roasted Root Veggies, Parmesan and Sage. These were the best ravioli I have EVER. HAD. The filling was so perfectly creamy!! I shared one with Jenna…and she gave me a bite of her delicious rare and perfectly seasoned salmon (I swore I took a photo but it’s missing…)

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Some Pinot with dinner. We had impeccable service!

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I also had a few bites of this chicken leg that Caitlin shared with me. Mmm!

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And then came the grande finale – Apple Crisp made with a Ginger-y Quaker Oatmeal Topping!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG this was the best topping ever. It was really hard and very crunchy. (Very buttery too!) I could have easily eaten mine and my neighbors, but I stuck with about 3/4 of mine (the topping shell was a little hollow so it wasn’t quite as big as it looks)

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Plus some decaf coffee with a splash of cream –

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It was an outstanding meal. I’m so sad this weekend is over! I am going to be in bed by 11 so I’ll have the energy to brave the below-freezing temps to get up and be out the door running at 8am!! I am meeting (hopefully!) at least 2 readers and maybe a few bloggers. But I am determined to see the Great Lakes while I am here!! I have YET to see the lake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After my run we’re headed to Panera to meet more blog readers. So exciting!

Off to bathe, then bed!

 

….

Filed Under: Lifestyle

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Comments

  1. Katie says

    November 8, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    That trip sounds incredible, and the food looks amazing. I’m glad you’re all having such a good time, and sharing it with us as well!

    Reply
  2. Justy2003 says

    November 8, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    I loved Stephanie on Top Chef! So cool you got to meet her!

    Can’t believe your fun weekend is almost over! But you’ve still got one more day of fun! 😀 Enjoy your run in the windy city!

    Reply
  3. emmy says

    November 8, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    Amazing! It sounds like a pretty perfect weekend.

    Reply
  4. Madison (FollowMyWeigh) says

    November 8, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    the pancake and ravioli look AMAZING!
    maybe i’m blind but i can’t tell what it says before your name on the oatmeal canister! chees?

    Reply
  5. sharon says

    November 8, 2008 at 11:47 pm

    Hey Kath!

    So glad to hear you are having such a great time in Chicago. I live here and wish I could have met you:-(
    Sorry the weather has been so ugly. It is miserably gray & cold. The city is absolutely gorgeous on a sunny (and warm) day! Enjoy the rest of your trip! I’ve really enjoyed reading about all your adventures!

    Reply
  6. Madison (FollowMyWeigh) says

    November 8, 2008 at 11:49 pm

    oh okay, “cheers” lol =D

    Reply
  7. molls says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:07 am

    all i have to say is YUM! wish I could of been there

    Reply
  8. jess says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:09 am

    Heck, I’M so thankful you got to go on this trip- I feel like I’m learning a lot. I think most of the myth v. fact was relatively known amongst your readers because you’re so informative about health in your daily blog anyway; however, I totally assumed that brown eggs were somehow ‘better for us’ than white- I guess it’s all the “stay away from white things” hype.

    Have a great early morning!!

    Reply
  9. jess says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:14 am

    p.s. it’s TOO cute that you referred to Jenna as “J”

    You guys both have such warm personalities- even over the computer- that I bet you really hit it off!

    Reply
  10. Julia says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:18 am

    Wow, beautiful dinner photos! Make me drool, why don’t you? haha
    Hope you get to see the lake, and have a fun rest of the trip 🙂

    Reply
  11. ashley (sweet & natural) says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:18 am

    What an awesome day! All your MK food looks AMAZING. That salad is my perfect salad. 🙂 Enjoy Panera tomorrow!

    Reply
  12. Melissa S. says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:20 am

    your trip sounds amazing and you’re learning so much…and teaching us so much at the same time!!! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Oh She Glows says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:32 am

    Kath, what is the 5 second rule? 🙂

    Reply
  14. JOY says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:34 am

    This sounds like the perfect trip! I’m sooooo jealous. I’m from Chicago and miss it like crazy. Those pancakes look amazing! Quaker really is an awesome company. Gotta love the oats!!!!

    Have fun on Sunday!
    Joy
    fitandhealthygal.blogspot.com

    Reply
  15. Amber says

    November 9, 2008 at 1:43 am

    Eating out of the pantry/freezer doesn’t feel so cool when I see what you are munching on LoL. Have a great weekend, look amazing!

    Reply
  16. Maggie says

    November 9, 2008 at 2:11 am

    Amazing dinner. Thank you for the myths and facts! Very interesting 🙂

    Reply
  17. Moran says

    November 9, 2008 at 3:38 am

    Wow! SO glad you are having an incredible time!
    By the way, can we get a Husband post? I am interested in learning what he has done with the potatoes!

    Reply
  18. Amanda in Pittsburgh says

    November 9, 2008 at 7:40 am

    Your wine photos always make me drool – and I cannot WAIT to try the true delight bars!

    It’s also good to know that I high kcal breakfast isn’t ruining the day, but making it better! Hooray! :o) Thanks, Kath!!

    Reply
  19. seelee live (for the love of peanut butter) says

    November 9, 2008 at 7:47 am

    oh! butternut squash ravioli<3. Kath, this weekend looks full of great food, fun and friends! I wish you guys were going to Philly instead..selfish me! But oh well, I am really happy for you…what an excellent way to open up to the holiday season! Have a great last day and safe trip home.

    Reply
  20. Megan says

    November 9, 2008 at 8:08 am

    It sounds like the best trip ever, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous! Those ravioli look amazing!

    Reply
  21. Kath says

    November 9, 2008 at 8:10 am

    Oh She Glows,
    Food dropped on the floor is still save to eat if it is only there for less than 5 seconds. Dave said this was NOT true but Mythbusters said time and bacteria attraction were correlated. Obviously it’s your call depending on the surface and your food type!

    Amber ,
    Haha – I’m sure it is. I’ll be joining you again starting tonight 🙂

    Moran ,
    Not sure what he’s been up to but he’ll be in trouble if he broke the rules! ALthough he didn’t eat out last week, so if he went out with a friend (which he may have done on Friday?) then he’s OK. He got some groceries but didn’t get them all. He did not do a good job meal planning!

    seelee live (for the love of peanut butter) ,
    If BlogHer is in Philly and I get to go, then maybe I’ll be coming next summer. It could also be in Portland or Denver.

    Kath

    Reply
  22. VeggieGirl says

    November 9, 2008 at 8:15 am

    BEYOND. FREAKING. AMAZING. TRIP.

    Reply
  23. Melanie says

    November 9, 2008 at 8:27 am

    I’ve had David’s book for a while now, and it’s amazing. I really love that book and there is some great recipes in there also. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

    Thanks for sharing his great tips! I’m glad you had a great weekend.

    Reply
  24. HangryPants says

    November 9, 2008 at 8:50 am

    Wow those ravioli look amazing! Glad you had so much fun! Someone else said this, but I feel like I was there with the posts from you, MizFit and Jenna! Sadly, I wasn’t… 😀

    Reply
  25. Teddy says

    November 9, 2008 at 9:00 am

    What a fantastically informative and delish weekend. Thanks for posting those myths! those are great for the world to see 🙂

    Teddy

    Reply
  26. Oh She Glows says

    November 9, 2008 at 9:15 am

    lol….ohhh right that 5 second rule….silly me!
    I love me some Mythbusters. I haven’t seen that episode though!

    Reply
  27. Christina says

    November 9, 2008 at 9:40 am

    Looks like great food and fun times- and you’re enjoying it all! Good for you!

    Reply
  28. Shelby says

    November 9, 2008 at 9:54 am

    That banana pancake looks phenomenal!

    Reply
  29. Maureen says

    November 9, 2008 at 10:08 am

    Wow 610 calories?? I would never dream of eating that much. I do believe though that breakfast skippers over-indulge over the day, since I’ve seen it with my own eyes in co-workers and friends!

    Reply
  30. Biz319 says

    November 9, 2008 at 10:22 am

    Yeah for meeting Stephanie! My sisters niece used to be her pastry chef at her old restaurant.

    Hope you were able to see the lake this morning!

    Looking forward to meeting Roni at water tower later today!

    Reply
  31. Amanda says

    November 9, 2008 at 10:35 am

    It is windy in Chicago, but that’s actually not why it’s called the “windy city”. It is so nick-named because of our long history of “long-winded” politicians!

    Just a little fun Chicago trivia from this Chi-town girl…

    Reply
  32. Kailz says

    November 9, 2008 at 10:45 am

    Such beautiful pictures for an equally beautiful weekend, I’m sure. Looks like it’s been fantastic!

    Reply
  33. Laurel says

    November 9, 2008 at 11:30 am

    Sounds like a great trip, and the food looks amazing!

    Just wanted to thank you for sharing in your recent post about the winter clothes. Sometimes I read your blog and feel discouraged because I’m not as “perfect”; it’s nice to see that we’re all human and can learn from each other. (I hope this doesn’t come across as offensive at all, I really mean it positively and as a compliment.

    Reply
  34. Josie says

    November 9, 2008 at 11:40 am

    That’s a gorgeous meal! I’ve never heard of butternut squash ravioli before.

    Reply
  35. Halie says

    November 9, 2008 at 11:50 am

    Thank you for sharing your experience! It would have been amazing to be there, but hearing your experience is really great in itself!

    I want to try eating 610 calories for breakfast and see what happens!

    Reply
  36. Kate says

    November 9, 2008 at 11:52 am

    I’m jealous, MK is one of my favorite restaurants and though I live in Chicago I don’t get there very often. I hope you were able to enjoy your run. It can get amazingly windy along the lakeshore.

    Reply
  37. Lisa says

    November 9, 2008 at 11:55 am

    How were the cinnamon-roasted veggies? Were they Indian-food-ish?

    Reply
  38. Bev says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    So jealous ! Have a safe trip home

    Reply
  39. Kath says

    November 9, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    Lisa ,
    No, there wasn’t any savory spices – just butter and cinnamon flavors. Delightful!

    Kath

    Reply
  40. Mara says

    November 9, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    I heart MK!

    Reply
  41. Grounded Fitness says

    November 9, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    Aw dang! I thought number 10 was true…

    Glad you had a great time! There’s no way they could have had an oatmeal weekend without you!

    Kelly Turner
    www.groundedfitness.com

    Reply
  42. Nick says

    November 9, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    Those are some great myths disproved. The 5-second rule, as proved by mythbusters, was actually about a 45-second rule for “wet” items like an apple slice and over 2 minutes for something dry like a skittle. You are the oats queen!

    Reply
  43. thepinkpeppercorn says

    November 9, 2008 at 2:32 pm

    WOW! What an extensive post 🙂 Love it. I’ll admit that I haven’t been trying (AT ALL), but have lost 5 pounds since I started eating oatmeal for breakfast, instead of an apple or two. It’s been 2 months.

    Reply
  44. Gliding Calm says

    November 9, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    So neat! I’ve loved hearing about this weekend!! Wishing you safe travels home!

    Reply
  45. Oh She Glows says

    November 9, 2008 at 4:02 pm

    Can’t wait to see the video footage! weeee

    Reply
  46. Erin says

    November 9, 2008 at 4:04 pm

    I love seeing you guys in all the pics! On a side note, you and Jenna have such great skin, haha!

    Glad you had a great time!

    Reply
  47. mbbored says

    November 9, 2008 at 5:09 pm

    This is totally off topic, but today in the grocery store, I saw on the bread aisle a “tic-tac-toe toast maker.” Basically a bread-sized tic-tac-toe shaped cookie cutter. I thought of you and wished I had thought to take a picture. You’ve started a trend!

    Reply
  48. Kinder says

    November 9, 2008 at 5:16 pm

    What a fantastic time it looks like you have had!

    Reply
  49. runjess says

    November 9, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    Looks so fun and interesting!

    I’m so a fan of the 5 second rule. Still alive, too. 🙂

    Reply
  50. Michelle says

    November 9, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Thanks for all the great info! Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend!

    Reply
  51. musicfan says

    November 9, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    I had a similar ravioli last night but mine was filled with yummy marscapone! So good!

    Reply
  52. Kath says

    November 9, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    mbbored ,
    Cool!! My mom used to have a smiley face one 🙂

    K

    Reply
  53. Elina (Healthy and Sane) says

    November 10, 2008 at 8:17 am

    Looks like you’re having an awesome time. Last time I was in Chicago we made reservations at the same place but ended up being too lazy and cancelled them last moment.

    Btw, I saw the MythBusters episode about the 5 second rule and you definitely should NOT eat the food. It was gross!!! The second food touched the floor, it was just covered in bacteria. I was definitely changed after seeing that! EWW!!!!

    Reply
  54. MizFit says

    November 10, 2008 at 10:16 am

    SO GREAT TO MEET YOU and the whole thing was way too short.

    this post kicks my notevenwritten post’s ass.

    the photos
    the words
    the whole nine.

    Im linking 🙂

    Reply

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