Killer Discovery: SkinnyTaste.com & Chicken Rollatini

With Quinn leaving for Santa Barbara in a few short weeks, I have been scouring cookbooks and food blogs for light and healthy meals. While I still have friends and family available to taste my culinary conquests, I will be cooking solo more often. In my research I came across a food  blog that may soon become a recipe mecca: SkinnyTaste.com

After saving many of SkinnyTaste's recipes for a later date, I set my sights upon "Chicken Rollatini with Spinach all Parmigiana". SkinnyTaste notes not only the calories per serving, but also Weight Watchers points (if you're into that), but also grams of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. This is definitely something I would like to attempt with my recipes -- slashing unnecessary calories without forfeiting quality and taste.

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Macho Sloppy Joes

If you're looking to wow a hungry man with a messy, delicious meal, look no further than these Sloppy Joes. Packed with beef, slathered in BBQ sauce, and sandwiched between two fluffy onion brioche buns, this recipe is not to be missed.

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Date Night: Twin Dragon

 Crispy Egg Rolls

Since 1962, Twin Dragon has offered quality Chinese food prepared fresh by chefs trained in China, Hong Kong and Taiwann. Nestled on W. Pico Blvd in the heart of West Los Angeles, the family-run business prides itself on its innovative, healthy cuisine. Quinn and his family have been going there for years, and we've stopped by on several occasions to feast! Each entree runs around $7-9, but can feed 2 people to the point of immobility, as well as provide a hefty sum of leftovers. This spot is great for a family event or quiet night out.

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Sushi Kiyono Date

 

Before a holiday weekend filled with long-lost San Francisco friends, the Fairfax flea market and 70's roller disco, Quinn took me out to a mellow sushi date at Beverly Hills' Sushi Kiyono. Smack dab in the middle of Beverly Drive, the restaurant serves sashimi, nigiri, and Los Angeles themed sushi with names like the Show Me The Money or The Godfather.

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Healthy Eats: Fettucini Alfredo with Spinach & Mushroom

 

At dinner the other night, my precocious little brother Louis asked me, "Why does it take adults so long to order?" I thought about that for a moment. When I was his age, the three main meals I accepted without a fuss were mac&cheese, spaghetti with meatballs and chicken tenders. I was not adventurous with my palette, nor did I find any reason to listen to my parents when they told me that I would like something new. I told him that as you get older, your tastes expand and so more items on the menu seem appealing. For example, I am currently addicted to mushrooms of any sort, so I took several minutes debating over my usual pick of pasta (carbonara, bolognese, amatriciana) or grilled veggies. (I ended up with the latter... summer is approaching!)

There is still the little kid in me that craves those rich, fattening meals I adored as a skinny-minnie string bean. (No, really. My family nickname was "Noodle".) Unfortunately, I can't scarf down high-calorie pasta the way I used to. Last night Quinn requested Fettuccini Alfredo for dinner, and I set out to make a lighter version -- while still retaining that abundantly creamy flavor.

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Kate Mantilini, Industry Staple

In the few short weeks I’ve been working the “biz”, my stepfather’s restaurant has popped up in conversation several times. The actors I work with often ask me about myself and my background. Inevitably we pass through my public school teacher mother, lawyer father, and reach the point where I admit, “Well, my stepfather’s a chef." "Where?"  "Kate Mantilini!”

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Tuk Tuk Thai - A Place to Celebrate!

On Friday afternoon, I got the miraculous news that I will be able to leave my job as office slave. Well, to clarify, I’ll still be working in an office, and I’ll probably end up doing some similar duties. I will, however, be in charge of scripts and auditions for the voice over talent at a prestigious talent agency in Santa Monica; better pay, better hours, and a lovely little spot to watch the palm trees on the third floor. I apparently will also be given some free time to write while I cater to the wants and needs of my clientele – hopefully that means more blog posts!

In order to celebrate the news, Quinn and I took a stop at Tuk Tuk, a first date mecca. On one of our very first trysts together in Santa Barbara, Quinn drove me down to LA to this cutesy Thai joint on Pico Blvd. Dimmed, bordello-red lighting, intimate tables and hot sake all make for a very specific first date mood – and it worked like a charm! Apparently one of his friends brought all his dates there, sometimes even a new one every night. I’ve sent friends of mine there to keep the pressure of planning such an occasion to a minimum, so whether you’re a ladies’ man or Romeo, this is a place to check out.

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