Eating Atlanta

"Taste of..." events are popular all over the country and they are some of my favorites. The Taste of Atlanta did not disappoint. Today was a beautiful fall day, warm for Atlanta and sunny. Event planners closed several streets in midtown Atlanta, erected dozens of booths and provided endless opportunities for overeating!

For a $30 entree fee, attendees were treated to choices of over 80 restaurants using 15 provided tickets. Most tastings cost 2 or 3 tickets, with some just 1 and additional tickets were for sale at $1 each. At half way through, I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish. I can't imagine having purchased anymore or eating anything else! Here's the rundown of my foray through significant gastronomic pleasure (not necessarily in this order):

• Butternut Squash Soup with Muhammara and Yogurt with Ground Pecans by Empire State South - light and not-too-sweet
• Beer Cheese Soup by 57th Fighter Group Restaurant - rich and cheesy
• Wildfire Chopped Salad by Wildfire - perfectly dressed and chocked-full of corn, tortilla chips, chicken, and romaine lettuce
• Zucca, Figo's Signature Butternut Squash Ravioli in Radicchio Cream Sauce - one of my favorite foods, hands down!
• Porchini Mushroom Ravioli in Champagne Truffle Cream Sauce by Il Mulino - delicious and tender pasta with earthy mushrooms in rich cream sauce...mmmm...

• Smoked Chicken with Brussel Kim Chi by Top Flr - spicy and smokey
• Chilled Shrimp Dip with Plantain Chips & Sweet Chili Sauce by Graveyard Tavern - a perfect little bite
• Organic Pumpkin Ice Cream by 5 Seasons - rich and sweet, very pumpkin-y and served from a pumpkin
• Tiramisu by Figo - always a favorite, creamy and sweet
• Brioche Doughnut with Caramel Sauce and Walnuts by JCT Kitchen - decadent and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Needless to say, tonight's dinner will be bread and water. Not really, but it will definitely be simple and light. It was wonderful to taste all of the delicious dishes that these eateries had to offer. However, it's definitely something that needs to remain a treat!

As I put my foodie hat aside and put on my dietitian hat, here's a little analysis to ponder...It was interesting to compare some vendors "tasting" portions to those of others. A tasting should be just a few tablespoons - enough to taste the food. It's not meant to be a full serving, but some vendors did just that! My tastings varied in size from one or two bites to a full appetizer sized portion. The calories, fat, and sodium in today's tastings were much higher than what I'd normally eat. So, what to do? Plan! I knew this morning that I was going to be indulging a bit, so I had a light breakfast. Dinner will be the same. A few important things to remember:

1. It's okay to indulge, as long as it's done mindfully and rarely.

2. A healthy diet isn't dependent on one meal (or one outing like this).

3. Watch the liquid calories. I had one beer, but more than that can quickly result in calories that are impossible to offset.

4. Tomorrow's another day! A day to make good choices that help offset today's treats.

Speaking of good choices, there was also a farmer's market display! A local farmer from an organically certified farm in Commerce, GA was selling produce including beautiful okra, purple bell peppers, heirloom tomatoes, green beans, and more. Yum...fresh produce? A great way to offset some of the richness from today. Want to learn more? Check out The Veggie Patch at Bouchard Farms. You can also visit them Tuesdays at the Farmer's Market at Emory.But if you're interested in a little indulgence too...there's one more day of Taste of Atlanta tomorrow. Enjoy!