This Mama Cooks! Reviews

In my next house...

There are a lot of firms who remodel kitchens. However, I believe if you're doing a kitchen update or remodel, you should hire a specialist, i.e., kitchen designers. One such firm in Michigan is EW Kitchens.

They've been around since 1947. In 2002, they launched Extraordinary Works (or EW) their luxury kitchen division. They have showrooms in Wixom, Troy and Clinton Township.

Now even if you're not in Michigan, it's good to look around their site and get some ideas of what you should be looking for in kitchen designers. For example, here are some of the services they offer:

• Discussions to understand your needs and personal style
• Consultations and showroom visits to determine your preferences and needs
• Design and drawing reviews
• Product and material selections
• Ordering, receiving and inspection of cabinetry
• Installation and quality control

They can work with your builder and architect and help you establish your dream kitchen. And once you do that, I hope you invite me over for a meal! I promise not to be too jealous...really.

5 tips for eating out when you're trying to lose weight

It's amazing how many of the chain restaurants have their menus online. And you'd be surprised that restaurants that you thought only served fried and fatty foods (Bloomin' Onions anyone?) actually have some terrific healthy menu choices.

Outback Steakhouse is a terrific example of this. You can order gift cards or email  friends to join you at the restaurant with an online invitation at their website. However, as someone who is trying to watch their weight and eat healthfully, you should pay attention to their online menu for your local restaurant (the menu may vary depending on your location).

Once you've downloaded your local menu, print out the PDF, and circle all the recommended Healthy Weight Loss dishes recommended on the Outback website. You can also find Gluten-Free, Heart Healthy, Diabetic, and High Protein/Low Carbohydrate Diet menus.

As part of their 20th "Bloomin' Birthday" celebration, Outback has created some enticing specials to choose from. The Sirloin, Shrimp and Scallops Mixed Grill where a "juicy USDA 'Choice' sirloin meets succulent grilled shrimp and scallops in a mouth-watering combination" looks like a healthy choice. Ask if you can get the dish without the sauce and with extra spinach instead of the whole grain wild rice. Since the spinach is sauteed, ask if you can get it steamed or cooked with a minimal of oil or butter.

As they like to say on their website, when you're Outback, there's No Worries. And with a little planning, eating out should leave you with no worries, just sticking with your diet and weight loss plan.

Horizon DHA Omega-3 milk: a review

So when I got home, I contacted our local home delivery supplier, Longmont Dairy, and got a sample of theirs to try against store organic brands (for example Aurora Organic, whose dairy cows are a few miles away in Platteville) and Horizon Organic's milk.

We ended up going with Longmont Dairy because we liked the taste. Also, I wanted to support a local "mom and pop" business. Yes, the milk isn't organic, but the cows aren't given hormones. So, I figured local + taste + convenient delivery + no hormones = the best fit for us. (Horizon's milk is our backup when we run out.)

However, I'm going to have to rethink things now that I've tried Horizon's new DHA Omega-3 milk. (The folks at Horizon Organics sent me a sample half gallon.)

Besides the great taste - very creamy with no weird watery or metallic taste - I like that they're including a source of DHA Omega-3 fatty acids in their milk. I take fish oil capsules every day, but forget trying to get the kids or my husband to take them.

We're big fans of Horizon's, especially their yogurt. In fact, my husband won't eat any other brand and swears their low-fat yogurts are the closest to the ones we ate while we were in Europe. (Picky, picky, I know.)

But maybe it's time to go completely organic with Horizon - want to join me? If so, click here to get some coupons. (You'll have to sign up and download their coupon printer software.) Currently, Horizon is offering 55 cents off two yogurts (or $1 if your supermarket doubles coupons!) and $1 off the DHA half gallon.

Horizon Organic DHA Omega-3 milk. It DOES do a body good.

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