The Culturistas Macy's Giftcard Giveaway!

The Culturistas are giving away a 25$ Macy's Gift Card in honor of Macy's GO RED FOR WOMEN campaign in celebration of National Wear Red Day on February 5th.

  Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power of women to band together and wipe out heart disease, the #1 killer of American women and men. The color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives. 

To participate in Macy's fundraiser you can purchase the ($69) INC Go Red for Women Dress where 100% of the sale price goes to the American Heart Association.

OR participate in their WEAR RED sale (February 3rd-7th):  20% off sale, clearance & select regular-priced purchases online & in-store  10% OFF SELECT DEPARTMENTS promo code: WEARRED

Find out more about the info about the campaign: Here

To enter the contest: please leave a comment on this post letting us know which celebrity you would love to see a style profile for!

Make sure to post a valid email address in the body of the post and include theculturistas@gmail.com in your address book so we can contact you if you're the winner. Comments must be posted by 5 pm PST on Friday February 5th to be eligible to win. The winner will be announced on February 6th. One lucky winner will be chosen at random. Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!!

Please note: this contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Crystal!

Recipe of the Week: Spinach Sweet Pea Soup with Mint Cream

During cold seasons, we tend to have altered palates and enjoy heartier and warmer foods. Many soups and stews tend to be somewhat heavy and do not make the cut for the menu transition from winter to spring. The pureed spinach and sweet pea soup with mint cream is a delicious and HEALTHY option that will make the seasonal cut! While it is filling, it is not too heavy and can opt as a cold soup during the summer. In addition to being super nutritious, it is relatively quick and easy to prepare.



INGREDIENTS

Soup:
2 big yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves fresh garlic coarsely chopped
2(10-ounce) bag (or the equivalent) fresh spinach, rinsed
2 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup light cream
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Mint Cream (recipe follows)

Fresh Mint Cream:
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Saute onions in the butter in a large soup pot over high heat, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften for 10 minutes. Add garlic, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and saute until wilted for 5 minutes more. Add peas and the stock to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove soup from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Using a food processor puree soup in small batches (use a second bowl to pour puree in). Place puree back into pot, add cream and bring to simmer over low heat. In a bowl, using a whisk, combine all ingredients until smooth.



To serve, pour the soup into 4 bowls and top with about 3 tablespoons of the fresh mint cream. Feel free to add a garnish for decorative effects!

BON APPETIT!

Look of the Week: Lea Michele

Lea Michele attended the SAG Awards this weekend in Los Angeles.  She wore a stunning green Catherine Malandrino gown.  The ruffles on the shoulder and the ruching at the waist is so flattering.  She kept the accessories simple with bangles and her look is perfection. Keep up the award show glamour Lea!

Dine LA Restaurant Week: Jan/Feb 2010

 DineLA Restaurant week is back! From January 24th-29th and then the 31st- February 5th.  For those of you that don't know: restaurant week is one of our favorite weeks in LA where we can have a set three course meal at our favorite restaurants for a fraction of the price.  Each restaurant has either one, two or three dollar signs.  The price list is below:

		Lunch	Dinner
$	Deluxe Dining:	$16	$26
$$	Premier Dining:	$22	$34
$$$	Fine Dining:	$28	$44

Some of the great restaurants on the list are: Asia de Cuba ($$$), Campanile ($$), Ciudad ($$), Ford's Filling Station ($$), Luna Park ($), Jiraffe ($$$),  Joe's ($$), Susan Fenigar's Street ($$), and The Bazaar ($$$).  Check out the rest of the list and more information about Restaurant Week: Here

Style Profile: Ke$ha

The new Pop Star on the scene, Ke$ha (real name Kesha Sebert), has been rocking some edgy rock and roll looks!  She has a no-holds-bared, fearless attitude about clothes. “My favorite stuff that I’ve ever found has been from trash cans,” says the artist to WWD. “And I bought this incredible vest off a homeless guy recently.”

If you haven't heard any of her catchy tunes yet you might be living under a rock. Her song Tik-Tok is  number 1 on the Billboard chart, while her songs Love Drug and Blah Blah Blah are also in the top 100.

The Culturistas recommend downloading: Take It Off

Afternoon Tea at Cha-An

Going to tea at Cha-An was a unique experience which was surprisingly similar to the traditionally English meal. Cha-An is a cozy and intimate restaurant specializing in Japnese-style tea and deserts. The restaurant is located in the Japanese enclave of NYC's East Village which I had yet to experience. It truly felt like I was a tourist in Japan for the afternoon. We ordered the afternoon tea set which came with tea smoked salmon sandwiches, scones, red bean pound cake, green tea macaroon, and a pot of tea. To sample some savory flavors, we also ordered the mushroom and scallion quiche, seafood gratin, and curry soup. With bite size portions at Cha-An, you can try a variety of different dishes without feeling overwhelmingly full. Keep this in mind and do not go ravenously hungry expecting a satiating meal. The selection of tea was enormous with a wide variety of green teas and herb teas. The Culturistas recommend the Honey Phoenix Oolong tea and a trip to the high tech Japanese style toilet. The remote-controlled bathroom visit is as much of a must as the tea.


This was an awesome experience and the next time you are contemplating a trip to Japan we suggest going to Cha-An first. Just remember to bring cash! Arigato!



CHA-AN TEA HOUSE
230 E. 9th Street
New York, NY

Resolution Friendly Meal! Tuna Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

It's the beginning of January, and like most we want to eat healthier this year!  If you cook your food at home instead of going out to eat you are guaranteed a healthier meal.  So try these delicious recipes that will satisfy you AND keep you guilt free!

Tuna Burgers with Carrot Ginger Sauce

From Tyler Florence on Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Burgers:
1 pound sushi-grade tuna
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup spicy sprouts, for garnish
4 whole-grain hamburger buns
1/2 avocado, sliced

Directions:
Prepare the sauce: Pulse the carrot and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar and process until smooth. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons water and combine; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the burgers: Chop the tuna into chunks. Wipe out the food processor and add the tuna; pulse a few times to break up the pieces. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, the soy sauce, lime juice, cilantro and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Pour over the tuna and process until well blended. Form into 4 patties; brush each lightly with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Preheat a grill or grill pan. Once hot, add the burgers and cook for 2 minutes on each side for rare, or to desired doneness.
Toss the sprouts in the carrot-ginger sauce. Place the burgers on buns and top with avocado and sprouts.
Per serving: Calories 435; Fat 22 g (Sat. 3.8 g; Mono. 11 g; Poly. 6 g); Cholesterol 43 mg; Sodium 662 mg; Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 32 g

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes --> you will burn a lot of calories chopping these guys!
2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon parsley
fresh ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat and then add rest of the ingredients. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Per serving: Calories 147; Fat 5 g; Fiber 4 g