Christine and I attended the 2008 HPBA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia!
We must have been completely crazy coming back from our five-day Mexican cruise last Thursday to go straight to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue (HPBA) Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. But that's what Christine and I did on Friday and Saturday walking for miles upon miles looking at fireplaces, grills, BBQ accessories, and more! It was a lot of fun and we captured some of our favorite moments on camera for our latest YouTube video.
In Episode 28 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," I took my tried and trusted FLIP camera out and filmed Christine as we went from booth to booth at the HPBA Expo. Yes, it was a lot of walking after a tiring week of cruising, but I made some good contacts there with companies that may be willing to donate some really amazing prizes for my upcoming 3rd blogiversary giveaway contest in April. More to come about that!
See for yourself what the HPBA Expo is all about in today's video:
We were very fortunate to catch up with Michael Wales, the inventor of the Grill Daddy grill cleaner which I featured in Episode 27. He was gracious enough to offer a FREE Grill Daddy Pro to one lucky winner who leaves a comment at YouTube about this video. If your grill stays dirty and gunky, then this would be a cool prize to win. Special THANKS to Michael for his generous prize donation. :)
We also hooked up with Steven Raichlen who will be coming back to television in May 2008 with a brand new series about--what else?--BBQ, baby! Steven was leaving as we passed by the booth, so we didn't get him on camera, but you will notice he has a full line of amazing BBQ accessories for anything you will do with your grill. Amazing products!
There was so much to look at and see at the 2008 HPBA Expo that we will probably plan on going back again next year to Reno, Nevada for another great show! Have you ever seen so many grills and stuff in your life all in one place? Talk about what you thought about the video and don't forget to leave your comment for a chance to win a FREE Grill Daddy Pro. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!
Catch up on all the latest in our YouTube video series and subscribe to our videos to always see the new ones. We have well over 300 subscribers now and over 9,000 people have viewed our videos. THANK YOU for your support! As always, e-mail your show suggestions and comments to us anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. We LOVE hearing from our viewers!
I REALLY wanted to take some video footage while we were on our cruise and attempted to do so once. But the batteries died right in the middle of the filming and I just put it away for the rest of the trip. Oh well, maybe next year! It's a good thing, too, because there's no video of me cracking my head open after singing karaoke. I don't know which was funnier-watching me rap a Run DMC song or seeing me walking smack dab into a TV stand? LOL! At least I've got a memory of my 2008 cruise. :P
We're headed to Southeast Texas on Friday, February 22, 2008
This Friday, I'm so excited to be leaving my home state of South Carolina and hop on a plane down in Atlanta, Georgia to my final destination of Galveston, Texas. Christine and I as well as a whole bunch of friends from my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Discussion" forum will be getting together on a cruise that sets sail out of Galveston on Saturday afternoon and will return on Thursday morning. This is the first cruise we have been on since our honeymoon back in 1995, so we are stoked beyond belief!
We're getting in a day early to make sure nothing prevents us from getting on that ship, so we've got a little down time on Friday, February 22, 2008. So, I wanted to invite any of you who live near Galveston to meet up with us for dinner at The Rainforest Cafe next door to the San Luis Hotel on the Galveston Seawall. The address is 5310 Seawall Boulevard and a group of 20 or so of us will be dining there at 7:00pm.
I'd love to meet you in person and have a chance to spend a few minutes saying hey. I've never been to Texas before except for when I had a connecting flight in Houston. But that doesn't count. This will be a wonderful experience and I am thrilled to be headed to the Lone Star state. I've got a lot of readers from there, especially in the Houston area, so I hope to see a few of your smiling faces on Friday night!
And, in case you are wondering, I will NOT be blogging while I am on vacation this time. I paid good money to go on this cruise, so as much as I love you guys I hope you don't mind that I'm gonna take a break--imagine that, Jimmy Moore is gonna take a REAL vacation! I'll leave you with a good blog post before I leave on Friday that will keep you occupied plenty while I'm away for over a week. THANK YOU for your continued support and I hope to meet all of you sooner or later! :)
July 4th means grilling and spending time with family and friends
We have a uniquely American experience happen on an annual basis in the United States as we celebrate our freedom. I don't know how it got started or why people enjoy doing it so much on July 4th, but it most certainly is a deep-rooted tradition.
I'm referring to firing up that BBQ of yours and GRILLING OUT as you celebrate our nation's independence with tasty foods cooked up on the barbie.
Not surprisingly, this is the #1 most popular day for cooking on the grill with a full 71 percent of grill owners choosing to cook this way on July 4th, according to statistics from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA).
The pleasure of preparing a meal with no pots and pans to clean-up, coupled with the enjoyment of the outdoors, are among the top reasons consumers grill especially on Independence Day. Whether you are going to a barbecue or hosting one at your house, the HPBA recommends brushing up on your barbecue etiquette and grilling tips to ensure a happy holiday for yourself, friends and family.
If you are the host of the grilling party...
- Have all grilled food ready at relatively the same time. - Offer grilled vegetarian options for non-low-carbers. - Think of different types of foods to grill, including fruit. - Keep uncooked food at 40°F using an insulated cooler.
If you are the guest of the grilling party...
- Feel free to bring your own BBQ sauce. - Expect the meat to be provided by the host. - Bring plenty of sides and beverages. - Don't touch the grill! Leave that to the host.
Anyone who is handling food should remember...
- Thaw frozen food and marinate in the refrigerator. - Sanitize cutting boards and counter tops with chlorine bleach. - Boil any marinade before using it to baste the meats. - Refrigerate leftovers immediately and consume within two days.
Anyone who is actually manning the grill should...
- Trim visible fat from meat to prevent grill flare-ups. - Turn food often with tongs to prevent charring. - Use medium heat to avoid overcooking or charring meat. - Utilize a meat thermometer to check doneness.
Grill owners should follow these recommended cooking temps...
- Poultry--165 degrees F - Ground beef--160 degrees F - Pork (chops, ground, tenderloin)--160 degrees F - Large cut pork roasts--150 degrees F - Beef roasts, steaks, seafood and lamb--145 degrees F
You can get LOTS more grilling tips, recipes and info from HPBA.org.
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 41 [13:15m]: Play in Popup | Download
When I went to Reno for the HPBA Expo, I had no idea Steven Raichlen was going to be there. But when they said he would be willing to sit down with me for an interview, I was ecstatic! Christine and I absolutely LOVE his show on PBS and I urge you to give it a look for yourself (check your local PBS listings).
In Episode 41, I discuss with him the various ways to cookout on the grill, which grill is best, what the strangest thing he's ever cooked on a grill, and if there is anything that you can't cook on a grill (he even says he managed to cook ICE CREAM! No kidding!).
Steven didn't look enthused, but it had been a long day at the HPBA Expo
What did you think about the great Steven Raichlen? Do you watch his show BBQ U or have you read any of his books? Why do you enjoy his perspective on grilling? Share your comments and let us know what you think!
Raichlen has sold millions upon millions of BBQ books
CLICK HERE to see all of Steven Raichlen's bestselling books.
We'll be returning to regular podcasts again on "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" starting on Thursday, so come back to hear another encouraging, educating and inspiring show! THANKS for your support!
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 39 [21:50m]: Play in Popup | Download
What a delight it was to sit down for a few minutes with Wheeler to discuss the BBQ industry from the perspective of an advocacy group like the HPBA in Episode 39. She was quite informative about why grilling has become such an American phenomenon and why more and more people are cranking up the BBQ all year round.
Access "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by:
Do you like to grill? Why or why not? Let me know what you think about my interview with Wheeler about the BBQ industry by leaving a comment at the show's site. Incidentally, I was fortunate enough to win a free starter grill while attending this conference. WOO HOO!
Tune in on Thursday as I share my interview with one of the two BBQ Queens named Karen Adler as she discusses her company called Pig Out Publications (I LOVE that name!). Don't miss it!
Life is just so full of curve balls. Such is life.
Today, my wife Christine and I had every intention of heading back on a plane (oh boy, yet another high-carb snack to enjoy--NOT!) to our hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina. But, as luck would have it, we were one of the fortuitous folks who got overbooked and subsequently "bumped" from our flight.
Bummer.
I suppose this is bound to happen more often than not when they decide to purposefully overbook the plane by 10 people (yep, the Continental Airlines rep confirmed to me that they do it all the time! ARGH!), but this is TWICE it has happened to us in the past three flights we have taken. Oh well, so whaddya do about it, right? Grin and bear it, then move on. It's all good.
They did put us up in a hotel today and tomorrow at no charge, gave us free meal vouchers so we can eat in the one and only restaurant in the building (I sure hope they've got SOMETHING low-carb!), provided $600 worth of future Continential flights (SWEET!), and a limo ride to the airport in Sacramento, California tomorrow night.
Our flight leaves out of there around midnight on Monday morning and we'll get back home by Monday afternoon going through Houston and Atlanta along the way. The only thing I requested from them was to put us in first class for our trouble--AND THEY DID! Sweetness since my big ole long legs on my 6'3" body have been scrunched up like sardines on these multiple flights.
Well, if you are a regular reader of my blog (and why wouldn't you be since everyone else already is? *grin*), then you know me and the Mrs. have been in Reno, Nevada since Wednesday as part of the HPBA Expo looking at and experiencing grills, grills, and more grills. You gotta love it and you LITERALLY will when you find out about your opportunity to win one of the top-of-the-line grills available in 2007. More details will be forthcoming so keep reading (see, I told you it's worth your time to read my blog all the time).
It has been an exhausting trip, but so much fun and informative about the BBQ industry. We even won a FREE BBQ grill in a drawing the other day, so Christine is VERY happy about that. And so am I since a grill can be a low-carber's best friend. Just about ANY food tastes better cooked on a BBQ grill. Mmm mmm, I can't wait to strike up the barbie, baby!
You will get to hear three different interviews from people in the BBQ industry in upcoming podcast shows: Leslie Wheeler from the HPBA discussing the skyrocketing popularity of grilling, author Karen Adler who is one of the two self-proclaimed "BBQ Queens," and finally (drumroll please...here's the "famous" BBQ expert so many of you were trying to guess the indentity of) I have bestselling author and the host of the popular PBS television show "BBQ U" Steven Raichlen. Each of these interviews will give you a glimpse of what's happening now in the wonderful world of BBQ.
That's what you have to look forward to when I can get back to Spartanburg.
For now, I have FREE WiFi Internet access in the hotel I am staying at until Sunday night. Don't you know I'll be blogging away the best I know how to try to get back into my normal routine again. THANKS as always for your faithful readership to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog.
When you see what I have for you in the month of April to celebrate my two years of blogging, then hopefully you will continue to keep coming back here and sharing with others the work I am doing to educate and encourage those who are desiring not just weight loss, but a happier and healthier life. You guys are AWESOME!
Cheerio...gotta go check out that restaurant in the lobby now! :)
Right now at this very moment I am incredibly frustrated with having to write this post. Why? Well, for the past two hours I have been working on a fabulously detailed account of my experience here in Reno, Nevada at the 2007 Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Expo on Thursday. I had the entire blog post written and ready to publish when my new laptop decides to go into "thinking" mode and stayed there for 20 minutes. UGH!
So, the long and short of it is this: I don't have time to rewrite the entire post (and it was a good one!), so I'll have to give you the Cliff's Notes version since I have an appointment for an interview very soon.
Let me start with the interviews: Yep, by popular demand from my podcast show listeners, I am attempting to do more interviews with interesting people in the wonderful world of livin' la vida low-carb. And I've met a few that fit that criteria during my stay in Reno this week, so I can't wait to share them with you.
In fact, I'm gonna tease you with one of the interviews--he's probably the most famous television BBQ expert you've ever heard of and he was gracious enough to spend 10 minutes with me recording an interview on Thursday. Who is it? Put on your thinking caps, folks, because you'll definitely recognize his voice when you hear my interview very soon. He's very well known within grilling circles, though. No more hints, but feel free to guess who you think it is in the comments section below.
Speaking of grilling, man there's a whole lotta grills at this convention. Sheez, I had no idea there were THIS many different models available. But there they are in booth after booth showing all the latest gadgets and gizmos to make that food you cook sizzle! I almost hated to bring my wife Christine on the floor with me because she's been begging for a grill for about two years. It was borderline torture for her, but I promised her we'd get one.
Little did I know that time would come two hours later when we actually WON a grill in a drawing. WOW, how cool is that? I asked my wife if she had been praying for one and she said YES. LOL! II told her to start praying for a million bucks now. Hee hee! Just kidding. Make it TWO million!
Oh, and you'll be pleased to know that I have also received a very generous donation of a deluxe grill from one of the members of the HPBA who I will tell you all about very soon. But this grill is not for me, but for one of YOU who are reading my blog. That's right, you will have the opportunity to win a FREE GRILL from "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." WHOA!
There will be other great low-carb prizes like books, resources, and delicious food in the giveaway contest I'll be conducting in April, so be sure to keep reading my blog for more details about how to enter. It's gonna be HUGE!
I hate to have to hurry on this post, but I totally lost everything I had written before and I'm just skimming you the highlights. We were able to go out to dinner last night at a very fancy schmancy restaurant in downtown Reno where I got the most tender and succulent filet mignon steak I've ever put in my mouth. Oh...my...goodness! I could eat that all the time along with the mixed veggies, spinach salad, and almond-encrusted brie. What a meal!
Who says livin' la vida low-carb has to be drab and boring, eh? NOT!
I've got at least two more interviews to conduct today and possibly a third, so my Friday is jam-packed full of activities. Then we'll be flying back home on Saturday afternoon and won't get back to nearly midnight East Coast time Sunday morning. I can't wait to get back to blogging normally on Sunday afternoon (if I'm not too pooped from the trip!) and sharing these amazing interviews and pictures with you in the coming weeks.
THANK YOU so much for your continued devoted readership here at my blog and I encourage you to always and forever stay committed to your low-carb life no matter what you are going through. A lifetime dedication to a plan that you already knows works will keep you fit and trim for the rest of your life. That's what livin' la vida low-carb is all about. SEE YA!
You're NEVER gonna guess where I am typing this note right now. Before I tell you WHERE I am, I'm also excited to be typing this from my new-to-me iBook laptop computer that I picked up this week. YEAH! I've been wanting one of these for the longest time to use when I travel around the country. So, where exactly am I right now?
Hmmm, well, I'm not in my hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina, but I'll give you a hint. I lying on a queen-sized bed looking outside my window at a picturesque view of the most gorgeous mountains you have ever seen (well, maybe not what YOU have ever seen, but they're absolutely beautiful to me). In fact, I'm clear across the country in what they call "the biggest little city in the world"--that's right, I'm in Reno, Nevada!
I'm in town through Saturday as part of the Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Expo taking place this week as the largest such event in the world. It's gonna be so cool and I can't wait to check out all the sights and sounds of this amazing event. And, in case you were wondering, YES there will be LOTS of BBQ to chow down on while I'm here. WOO HOO! Did I die and go to low-carb heaven? :)
My wife Christine is also here with me and I'm so glad she got to come with me since she doesn't get to do these kind of trips very often. She deserves getting as much attention as I do for putting up with me when I was morbidly obese and then lovingly being there for me since 2004 as I worked out my diet losing over 180 pounds to take back control of my life. She's as much a part of my weight loss success as me!
Anyways, I wanted to blog about some interesting stories that happened today during my flight to Houston and then to Reno.
On the trip from Spartanburg to Houston, our plane took off around 6:30am our time so the flight attendant went around shortly after departure asking the passengers if they wanted an apple spice muffin. "Do you want a muffin, do you want a muffin?" she said to everyone as she pranced down the aisle with these high-carb morsels of pure unadulterated RAT POISON!
So she gets to us and asks her now infamous question, "Do you want a muffin?" Already knowing what my answer would be, I assumed my wife would tell the lady she'd like one but her husband will pass. But that's not what happened. Do you know what Mrs. Livin' La Vida Low-Carb did instead? She leaned over and asked me with a straight face, "Do you want a muffin?"
If you could have seen the look I gave her when she asked that ridiculous question, I'm sure you would have laughed your head off! LOL! I responded, "Say what?! You're joking, right? You know I can't have a muffin." Christine said she got nervous and just forgot I was livin' la vida low-carb. Forgot? Oh my, how in the world did that happen? :-~
With that answer the stewardess moved on to the next victim...er, I mean, passenger to offer them one of these carb-y breakfast items to begin their sugar-loading for the day. ARGH!
When they came back around a few minutes later offering drink service, she asked what we would like to drink and I responded that I would like a Diet Coke. But when she went to pour my drink she picked up a regular Coke instead. She saw me gazing at her with a look of concern on my face and she immediately responded, "Oh my gosh, you said diet didn't you?" I smiled and said, "Yes I did. I haven't had sugar in over three years, so I probably shouldn't start back now."
Her eyes grew really big when I said this and she retorted, "No sugar at all for three years? WOW, you must be adding years to your life." I grinned back at her and exclaimed, "Yes ma'am I am."
Isn't it funny how so many people universally accept the idea that consuming sugar and high fructose corn syrup in drinks like regular soda is bad for your health and yet they keep on guzzling those products down along with stuffing their faces with high-carb junk foods like muffins? Where is the disconnect here? We know it's bad for us, but do we not care about our health enough to make better choices? Apparently not.
There were a group of college students flying together on our trip from Houston to Reno and you couldn't help but hear every word they were saying. We've all been that young and acted foolishly in public, so their apparent disrespect for everyone around them was not all that surprising. One of them screamed out, "Did you bring the cookies?" even before we got off the ground for our four-hour flight. Someone answered, "No, but I've got some sour gummi worms." The young man quickly shot back, "Oh, but I wanted the cookies."
Sigh. So young and so incredibly ignorant about what those "cookies" and "sour gummi worms" are doing not just to their weight, but also their health. One of these days it's gonna catch up to 'em and they'll wish they had learned better nutritional habits earlier in life. How can we get this message across loud and clear to a generation that thinks they are invincible?
Finally, the most disturbing observation from my flight today was when I saw what they were serving as breakfast on the flight from Houston to Reno. Are you ready for this menu because it shocked the boo-boo out of me:
Whole Grain Cheerios - 15g carbs 2% Reduced Fat Milk - 12g carbs Apple Spice Muffin - 25g carbs Banana - 30g carbs Glass of Orange Juice - 25g carbs
GRAND TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES: 100+ (EEEEEEK!!!)
I can't remember the last time I've had that many carbs in one DAY, much less one MEAL! What's most upsetting is the fact that so many people who ate this breakfast thought they were eating "healthy" because of the whole grains, low-fat milk, fruit, and fruit juice. What a disturbing sham on the American people who have no idea they are consuming gobs and gobs of sugar that is literally destroying their health.
Will we ever wake up to this reality? Can we convince people of our message?
That's why I created the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and will keep sharing the truth every opportunity I can get. I'll check in as much as I can while I'm here in Reno, NV and look forward to recording several interviews for my podcast show in the next couple of days. It's costing me $10 a day for Internet access, but worth every minute of it to be able to answer your e-mails and blog about livin' la vida low-carb because that's my commitment to you.
I'm already getting sleepy now since I got up at 4:00am EST and it's now 9:00pm in my body although the clock show 6:00pm here on the West Coast. I'm gonna sleep good tonight because I'm really, really, really tire...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...(shhhhh, Jimmy will be back tomorrow with more updates. Nighty night!).
Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest days for grilling out
If you are livin' la vida low-carb, then you probably are among the tens of millions of Americans who proudly own a grill and is firing it up this Sunday just in time for the big game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. Are you ready for some football and food?! Yeah, baby!
Although fans down in Miami at Dolphin Stadium won't be allowed to use a grill for tailgating this year since it's been outlawed (go figure on that one!), that won't stop some 62 percent of grill owners from putting some snacks and appetizers on the barbie, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association's (HPBA) State of the Barbecue Industry Report released this week.
"With millions of Americans cooking on the grill, this popular Sunday is the perfect occasion to cook up delicious grilled food," HPBA Communications Director Leslie Wheeler said. "We are seeing year-round grilling as a major trend among Americans. In 2006 alone, grill shipments reached an industry record high, supporting the fact that more than 60 percent of grillers are grilling year-round."
With a record-breaking 17 million grills sold in 2006 alone, representing a greater than 15 percent increase over 2005, it seems people are rediscovering the joy that comes from cooking sizzling steaks, vivacious veggies, and just about any other food to throw on the barbecue! I suppose you can partially credit the sustained popularity of the low-carb lifestyle for showing people meat is very healthy for you to eat and a grill makes that meat taste so much better than a skillet ever will.
The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association knows grilling
The Arlington, VA-based HPBA is an organization of 2,700 members who are tirelessly dedicated to providing information, education, and advocacy for anything and everything dealing with grilling and barbecue. They have certainly taken note that Super Bowl Sunday is hands down the most popular day for grilling during the winter months and one of the Top 10 days for grilling all year!
Another reason grilling on Super Bowl Sunday has become more popular in recent years is convenience, the HPBA has found. It's a fast way to get a delicious and nutritious meal for your entire family or for a house full of hungry football fans. Now, grilling is one of the most preferred methods for making dinner in the United States all year long.
"When you factor in the 70 percent of Americans who cite easy clean-up as a huge perk, grilling for the big game at home is a convenient, no-mess way to pull together a feast big enough for a football team or a pack of die-hard fans," Wheeler added.
The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association has these six tips and suggestions for making your grilling experience on Sunday afternoon a pleasurable one:
1. PRE-GAME PREPARATION
Plan ahead to ensure that you'll be watching the game instead of still preparing the food. Prepare the food ahead of time by marinating meats on Saturday. On game day simply remove from the refrigerator and throw on the grill.
2. EQUIPMENT CHECK
Eliminate a last minute run to the local store for charcoal or propane by checking levels on Saturday.
3. TRY SOMETHING NEW TO GRILL
Burgers, steaks, and chicken are the most popular foods for the grill, but try some other appetizing ideas to feed your friends like grilled pizza, grilled veggies and even grilled fruit (can you say honeydew and cantaloupe?!). Click here and here to find some amazing tailgate and grilling recipes from the HPBA.
4. GRILLING RECI-TIPS
- Using skewers? Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent veggies from sticking.
- Before grilling, trim the excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.
- Place vegetables and fruits at the outer edge of the grill to prevent burning.
- When grilling, use tongs or spatulas to move or turn meats instead of a fork to minimize the loss of juices.
5. FIRE UP THAT GRILL WISELY
Before lighting up the grill, apply non-stick spray on the grates. The protective spray cuts down the clean-up time afterwards.
6. CLEAN-UP IS A SNAP
For charcoal grills, line the bowl with aluminum foil. After grilling, and once the grill and coals are cool (as a rule of thumb, always allow coals to burn out completely and let ashes cool at least 48 hours before disposing), simply discard the foil with the coals and ash, then wash and reline with foil for the next time.
FIRE HAZARD NOTE: If you must dispose of coals and ashes before they are completely cooled, then place them in heavy duty aluminum foil and soak with water completely before disposing in a non-combustible container.
Get even more tips, recipes, and other advice for grilling out on Super Bowl Sunday and every other day you decide to cook out on the barbecue for your family and friends by visiting HPBA.org.
to see all of Steven Raichlen's bestselling books.
