Gourmet Fusion Spring Shopping Party at Leaping Lotus

Mark your calendars for the first party of 2009 at Leaping Lotus in the Cedros Design District, Solana Beach. On March 19th from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., Gourmet Fusion at Leaping Lotus, together with many other vendors on Cedros, will be celebrating Spring with the first shopping event of the year.

Leaping Lotus will have live music, refreshments, raffle drawings and a BBQ to get everyone in the party mood. Appetizers and wine will be served throughout the store, and Gourmet Fusion will be giving samples of our wonderful, organic chocolate Art Bars.

Leaping Lotus is a great place to find those special, hard to find gifts, and this year won the Ranch and Coast Magazine "Readers Choice, Best of ..." award in two categories for 2009 - Best Accessories store, and Best Home Accessories store - so why not spend the evening with Leaping Lotus and the Gourmet Fusion store, and have some fun while you shop?

Gourmet Fusion has many sale items, including teapots, travel tumblers, salt and pepper mills, and Cattitude. We have also expanded our range of beautiful cast iron teapots to include the new Namaste range.

If you have not visited Leaping Lotus before, now is a great time to do so. Leaping Lotus is located in the heart of the Cedros Design District, in Solana Beach, California. 21,000 square feet, with over 100 merchants and literally millions of unique items and gifts to choose from. Come see us at 240 South Cedros Ave - Solana Beach,CA 92075 858.720.8283.

Healthy Chicken Curry with Squash

Many people don't like to try curry because they think it will be too hot and fiery, but this curry is gently seasoned with turmeric, which has been noted recently by medical experts as a powerful anti-flammatory which they believe may alleviate such illnesses as arthritis. This curry also has just 306 calories per serving, so if you are watching your weight, it is a tasty meal to add to your calorie controlled diet.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 hot chiles with seeds, minced
• 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Rice and lemon wedges to serve

Method

1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chiles and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
   
2. Stir in the curry powder and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth and coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cauliflower and squash, cover partially and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender (approx 15 minutes).
5. Add the chicken to the casserole, season with salt and pepper and cook just until white throughout, about 5 minutes.
6. Serve over rice, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Nutrition information for 1 serving: 306 calories; 12 gm fat; 3.9 gm sat fat; 23 gm carb; 4.6 gm fiber.

This recipe and many other healthy meals can be found in the March issue of Food and Wine magazine.

Ghostini

If you've been feeling like you need a quick pick-me-up trip to Las Vegas, but the economy has led you to reconsider, why not create the atmosphere at home with this fun colored Ghostini cocktail? The Ghostini, the signature drink of the Ghost Bar at the Palms Casino Resort, is a shimmering pastel yellow melon flavored cocktail, as glamorous as the people who frequent the Ghost Bar.

Sitting on the fifty-fifth floor of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, the Ghost Bar offers one of the best views to be found in Las Vegas. This futuristic silver, white and green bar is patronized by rock icons and movie stars, and if you get tired of celebrity spotting, take a break on the ghost deck, where the see-through floor looks down on to the Skin Pool Lounge below.

Ghostini - Ingredients

• 1 1/2 shots Absolut Vodka
• 1/2 shot Midori melon Liqueur
• 1 splash of sour mix
  

Method

1. Shake the ingredients over ice
2. Strain over a martini glass
3. Garnish with a cherry