A weekly Column by Chef Daniel Orr.

Daniel Orr is Executive Chef at Kitchen Stadium, Santorini Restaurant, Famiglia and the Tapas Lounge and Rum Bar at CuisinArt Resort & Spa and is working on “A Chef’s Diet” Cookbook and Cooking in Paradise.

PARTYING

Chef Daniel Orr

Being on a healthy regime, especially if we’re known as “bon vivants,” is difficult. Good food and drink are difficult to resist for anyone - just think how hard it is if you spend your life in a kitchen and dining room!

Chefs, as many other folks, spend their life catering (literally) to the wishes and desires of others. After a day of that, all we want to do is party a bit and bathe ourselves in the same decadent riches we’ve been pouring over others. We feel we deserve it.

Going to a party should not give you liberty to eat everything under the sun. Practicing restraint must be seen as an exercise in self-love, not as punishment for not liking the way you look. We all hate the fact that we must practice restraint. We work hard all week long and want to let our hair down and loosen our belts and have a bit of fun.

If you plan properly you can do this and eat wonderful foods and even have a drink or two. Just because it is on your plate doesn’t mean you have to eat it all. How many times have you thought - not - felt, “Wow, I should have stopped at the twentieth BBQed rib!” It is not a reflection on your host’s culinary skills to turn down seconds. Know when to say no. What is truly unappealing is gorging yourself because of an abundance of food or shoveling it in just for the sake of making others happy or filling a lonely place you have deep inside.

When you start planning a healthy lifestyle, start partying with your family and friends under your own roof. That way you have the control. Fix some of the wonderful dishes I’ve taught you over the past months. Don’t even tell your guests that you are fixing healthful food. If you’ve learned the techniques I’ve laid out for you they won’t even know you’ve done them the favor! At CuisinArt I’ve created a healthy celebration I call Regime Cuisine. You can party your way through the day eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, with dessert, as well as juices and snacks throughout the day and still have only consumed 1500 calories. That is what I call partying!

In New York, I often started partying well after midnight when I finished up at the restaurant. I learned that if I paced myself I could have just as good a time as anyone else. Have several glasses of water before you go out so you won’t be drinking out of thirst, but out of communal spirit. Also, drink a glass of water between more fattening drinks. If you are going to a dinner party have a good lunch so you don’t stuff yourself with cocktail snacks or find yourself with your face six inches deep in the bread basket.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say that they have been “starving themselves all day” in expectation of some social eating event.

That is definitely the wrong thing to do. Before you go to a dinner party eat some whole grain snacks or some celery sticks to fill yourself with some roughage. You won’t overeat at the party that way.

Remember that it often takes 20 to 30 minutes for your head to tell your stomach that it is full, so eat slowly and take your time chewing. It’s the best way to get all the nutrients from the food and you will digest the dishin a more relaxing manner.

When you do splurge, realize what you are doing and make up for it in some way. Plan in advance. If you know you are going out on the weekend make sure you are extra healthy during the week. If something has come up at the last minute make sure you plan to exercise and eat properly the following fewdays. Your new lifestyle won’t happen overnight.

Don’t beat yourself upover it. Stop, think and change your behavior. They say a craving lasts for only five minutes and then is gone. Ride it out. A new behavior is said to take 30 days to train. Focus and make it a priority. It ain’t easy; there may be many failed attempts, but each time you try you are increasing your chance for lasting change.

As I’ve told you, five small meals a day means three balanced meals and two snacks. Small portions to limit calories and keep the surge of insulin in the body low are the reasons for grazing rather than gorging. When partying make sure you stick with enjoying a little bit rather than a bunch. That way, if you want to have dessert at the end of a dinner party you’ll not only have room, but feel better in the long run.

Pineapple and Raisin Salad with Rum

Next time you’re invited, offer to bring dessert yourself so you’ll be in control. This one is
perfect for such an occasion. It is festive and fun and will add to the joy of any event. If
you have to have chocolate, serve some chocolate truffles on a plate and put the rest in
the freezer and out of harm’s way. Before bed, lay out your workout gear and set the
alarm clock half an hour early. Sweet dreams! Reality returns in the morning.

Remember - recipes are guidelines, so adapt - you can vary the fruits and fruit juices
in this one. Have fun - and don’t be afraid of flavor!

1 super-ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups raisins soaked in warm water with a touch of rum to plump them up and
make them tender
1 cup Pyrat Rum (or other rum)
1/2 cup pineapple juice
lemon juice to taste
small pinch of salt and a pinch of cracked black pepper
fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped to add at the last minute

Optional: angel food cake (a wonderful, fat-free option if you’re
splurging)

Combine pineapple, raisins, rum, pineapple and lemon juices, salt and pepper, and
marinate for several hours or overnight. Add mint just before serving. Serve well chilled
in nice glass bowls. If it is an extra-special party you can offer a bit of angel food cake
on the side.

Note: Save the core of the pineapple to chew on between meals; it’s full of fiber, which
will stave off hunger, and if the pineapple is ripe, it’s tasty as well!

I’d love to hear from you. I am collecting recipes and stories for future articles and books
and would love to include your favorite family recipes and food memories from the kitchen,
the garden or the sea. You can reach me at dorr@cuisinart.aior stop me on the road if
you see the CuisinArt Chef Mobile.

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