From: Idea Group/Melissa Balmer – Public Relations for author Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D. Tel. (562) 612-0197 email: Cell (562) 221-9672 balmer64@yahoo.com                                                                     

Date: Sunday January 24, 2010 – Santa Monica California

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Santa Monica CA – If living a healthier life is on the top of your New Year’s Resolution List for 2010 than the Perfect Protein Power Breakfast is for you! Quick and easy to prepare, this breakfast was created by top West Coast nutritionist Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D. to meet her own specific nutritional needs – including a genetic predisposition to be insulin resistant. With one in three Americans now insulin resistant or diabetic it’s time we re-think our approach to nutrition!

Why Choosing The Right Breakfast is Important

Notes Susan, “Beginning your day with a strong breakfast is important to maintaining a healthy metabolism. A protein-based breakfast not only jump-starts your metabolism for the day but also stabilizes blood sugars and appetite throughout the day.”

Many Americans choose a high carbohydrate breakfast such as cereal or oatmeal. These breakfast options can sharply increase insulin levels causing your blood sugars to crash within one and a half to two hours after eating leading to increased sweet cravings and hunger levels by mid-morning. Consuming a meal that is balanced with protein, healthy fat, and moderate amounts of carbohydrates results in a balanced blood sugar and moderate appetite levels.

For example, if you consume high carbohydrate meals on a regular basis that are not balanced with respect to protein and good fat, you may continually crave carbohydrates. Often you know what you are “supposed” to be eating, but the body continues to give you the signal to eat more carbohydrates.  This signal keeps perpetuating.  The more carbohydrates you consume, the more your energy levels fluctuate levels between high and low throughout the day. Consequently, you never truly feel like you are running on real energy.

Why This Breakfast Works (see below for complete nutritional breakdown)

Eating breakfast is a challenge for many, facing something sweet that doesn’t need to be cooked is often quicker to manage and more palatable. The following recipe hits the mark for healthy sweetness and contains approximately four ounces of protein.

Perfect Protein Power Breakfast

1/2 cup of 2% low fat organic cottage cheese

1/2 cup of low fat plain organic yogurt

3 tablespoons of part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds  

1 tablespoon of raw cashews or walnuts

1/2 cup of mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)

1/3 medium banana (on the greener side)

Sprinkling of Cinnamon

Beverage: Organic breakfast tea (black or green) with 2-3 tablespoons of organic 1% milk.

Nutritional Breakdown

400 calories

31 grams of protein

36 grams of carbohydrate

7.5 grams fiber

15 grams of fat

450 mg.of calcium

Besides an excellent serving of protein, the above recipe contains a moderate amount of healthy carbohydrates from the fruit, nuts and dairy products, and monounsaturated and omega 3 fats from the ground flax seeds and nuts. In addition one-third of the recommended needs for calcium are provided. Both the berries and the black tea contain powerful antioxidants known as flavonoids, which are known to lower inflammation in the body and help prevent cancer and heart disease. The recommended “less ripe” banana contains resistance starch which is now thought to play an important role in intestinal health. Lastly, but certainly not least, this recipe contains one-third of the recommended amount of daily fiber, also important for proper digestion and gut health. 

The Perfect Power Breakfast recipe is an original recipe and the intellectual property of Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D., please don’t copy and distribute this recipe without giving full credit including a link to Susan’s website www.susandopart.com. Susan B. Dopart is the author of the first smart, easy to understand, and complete nutrition roadmap, “A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian.” Find more healthy ideas and delicious recipes and to buy the book please visit Susan’s website: www.susandopart.com.

About Susan B. Dopart

Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., is a nutrition and fitness with more than fifteen years experience as a private practice consultant. Her new book, A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian, focuses on the latest research regarding how positively, powerfully and effectively the right way to eat affects your energy levels, insulin resistance, diabetes, cancer and other medical issues.

Susan, who is a much-sought expert on diabetes prevention and care, wrote the book after years of searching for the perfect guide to share with her patients and just couldn’t find one. Susan received her B.S. in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics from UC Berkeley and her M.S. in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine from California State University, Hayward.

Susan has consulted for UCLA Medical Center and Extension, Sebastian International, and Procter & Gamble.  Her writing, recipes, and expertise have been shared in

publications and productions, including Best Life, Men’s Health, Diabetes Forecast, The SvelteGourmand.com, Doctor Radio and featured guest blogger at thekathleenshow.com.

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For more information please go to www.susandopart.com. PDF’s of the book are available now for media inquiries. To request an interview or to have the PDF of the book sent to you, please contact Melissa Balmer at Idea Group at Tel. (562) 612-0197 or via email at balmer64@yahoo.com. Book ISBN:  978-0-615-30873-9.

From: Idea Group – Public Relations for photographer Linnea Lenkus Tel. (562) 612-0197 Cell (562) 221-9672 email: balmer64@yahoo.com                                                                     

Date: Saturday Jan 23, 2010 – Long Beach CA 

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Long Beach California – One of Long Beach’s most popular portrait photographers is hosting a fun way to create beautiful memories and help our local spay/neuter and humane education organization Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA). On Saturday, February 6, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Linnea Lenkus will host the “Rest in Show” dog portrait day and pet food fund-raiser at her local Signal Hill studio at 2699 E. 28^th Street in Signal Hill CA 90877 (right off the 405 freeway).

Sittings are free with the donation of $25.00 plus one 30+ lb. bag of pet food, which will go directly to FOLBA. You will also receive a free 5-by-7-inch portrait of your precious pooch! Portrait sessions are by appointment only and can be of your dog by itself or a charming portrait of the two of you together. Please make sure to call (562) 981-8900 in advance to reserve your place. The studio has ample parking for your convenience.

As a Long Beach resident, Lenkus is passionate about getting involved and giving back locally. She is also an avid pet lover, and decided to hold these fundraising events after reading that people are abandoning their pets because they simply can’t afford to feed them. She chose to donate the sittings and collect food for FOLBA because of the organization’s excellent reputation and philanthropic work within the community.

“I love photographing dogs, and it breaks my heart to hear about people abandoning their pets in this challenging economic climate.” Lenkus says.

To see examples of Linnea’s captivating dog portrait work please visit www.linnealenkus.com/blog/. To learn more about FOBLA please visit www.friendsoflongbeachanimals.org.

About Linnea Lenkus

Fine art photographer Linnea Lenkus began her career in front of the camera as a fashion model in Europe, modeling for magazines such as Elle, Freundin and Vogue, but she quickly realized her passion was for the work behind the camera and the creativity and artistry of the photographic process.

In 1998, Linnea decided to transition from a successful career in commercial photography and focus instead on her personal passion for portraits. Her skills as a master of lighting technique and sophisticated composition have kept her work in demand, and a favorite of popular celebrities such as Dancing with the Stars champion Brooke Burke.

Linnea and her husband of seventeen years are the proud parents of three children, Dexter, Maxwell and Ava. Her work has been featured in ABC News, The Associated Press, Pregnancy & Newborn, Damsel Magazine, Forbes.com, Los Angeles Magazine, Long Beach Magazine, The Orange Country Register, The Press Telegram, The Grunion Gazette, The Signal Hill Tribune, The Pasadena Star and more. For more details, visit www.linnealenkus.com.

About Friends of Long Beach Animals

Long Beach-based FOLBA was incorporated as a nonprofit benefit corporation on January 12, 1990. Since that time, they have raised funds and awareness to serve the dire needs of unwanted and uncared-for pets of all kinds through a spaying and neutering service (SNIP), humane education, pet adoption, paying special-needs medical bills for shelter animals, and shelter assistance to help with the care and needs of animals. FOLBA raises money and awareness through a variety of community events and fund-raisers. For more information on their mission and services, please go to www.friendsoflongbeachanimals.org.

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Print-quality images are available for the press upon request. To arrange an interview with Linnea or for further press inquires, please contact Melissa Balmer at (562) 612-0197 or via email at balmer64@yahoo.com.

From: Idea Group – Public Relations for author Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D.

Tel. (562) 612-0197 Cell (562) 221-9672 email: balmer64@yahoo.com                                                                      

Date: Monday January 11, 2010 – Santa Monica California

Re: How to Save Your Life in 2010 – Step One – Cut Out Fake Sweeteners! Try This Delectable Real Chocolate Berry Mousse by Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D.!   

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Photo by Jefrrey M. Batchelor

Santa Monica CA – Is living a healthier life on the top of your New Year’s Resolution List? If so, top Nutrition and Fitness Expert Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., has the simple but powerful life saving answers for you in her new book, “A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian” available now on her website www.susandopart.com. With both diabetes and obesity reaching epidemic proportions in the United States it’s time we choose a new direction in the way we think about our health!

Over the next two months we’ll be sharing Susan’s top five steps to literally help save your life in 2010. To kick things off to a delicious start see below for Susan’s own easy “Chocolate Berry Mousse” recipe with only 270 calories, and total carbohydrates at only 30 grams. Creating an absolutely doable healthy lifestyle does not happen overnight: it evolves over time.  For the best results Susan recommends slowly adding one new healthy behavior at a time until you reach the goals you desire. Here is Susan’s step number one:

1. Cut Out the Fake Food including Sweeteners!

If a food has more than five ingredients you can usually put it in the fake food category.   The more ingredients a product has the more processed it is, especially if the ingredients are hard to pronounce!

Fake sweeteners are too good to be true and here’s why:

Drinking Diet Sodas Loaded with Fake Sweeteners Can Lead to Weight Gain!

Sharon Fowler, MPH, and her colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, collected data for eight years that was reported at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting in San Diego in 2005.  What they discovered? People who drank diet soda did not lose weight, but gained weight. 

Noted Fowler, “What didn’t surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity. What was surprising was that when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher.  There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day.”

Using Fake Sweeteners May Cause You to Actually Eat More

Researcher are theorizing that taking in large amounts of non-nutritive sweeteners over time conditions the body not to associate sweetness with calories, which can then disrupt the body’s ability to assess caloric intake accurately and lead to overeating.

A study done in February 2008 at Purdue University (published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience) fed rats both with yogurt sweetened with regular sugar and yogurt sweetened with saccharin. The rats that ate the saccharin-sweetened yogurt took in 20 percent more calories than the rats consuming yogurt sweetened with sugar, and gained body fat.

Fake Sweeteners Program Your Taste Buds to Crave Sweeter and Sweeter Tastes!

Fake sweeteners range is sweetness from half as sweet as sugar to 8,000 times sweeter, with the average being 200-300 times sweeter!

The new guidelines of the American Heart Association suggest limiting sugar intake to no more than 100 calories per day for woman and 150 calories for men. This translates to no more than 5-8 teaspoons of sugar per day.  On a label 1 teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams of sugar so the label limit is 20-32 grams of sugar per day.

Try Small Amounts of What You Really Want!

Enjoying a small dessert with real ingredients (sweetened with cane sugar or honey – not high fructose corn syrup) can be part of a healthy balanced eating plan. Susan recommends 1/2 cup of ice-cream with all natural ingredients like Häagen-Dazs five™ and McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream of Santa Barbara which is deliciously satisfying in small amounts.

Also, dark or semi-sweet chocolate contains a substance known as flavonoids which have multiple health benefits.  Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants which can lower inflammation in the body which can lower disease risk!

Following is an easy dessert which contains dark chocolate and satisfies the chocolate/sweet cravings without breaking your health bank.

“Quick Chocolate Berry Mousse”

Ingredients:

1 cup good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon 100% can sugar

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

3 egg whites (large to jumbo)

1/4 cup real whipping cream

4 tablespoons raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries as garnish

Servings: 4            Prep time: 10 minutes + refrigeration

Preparation:

Put chocolate chips in blender or small food processor. Bring water, sugar, and espresso powder to a simmer on the stove. Pour over chocolate chips and blend for 15 seconds. Pour in egg whites* and blend on medium to high speed for one minute.

*Heating the water ensures the eggs are safe to eat.

Pour into four ramekins and let chill for at least two hours in the refrigerator.

Whip cream and one 1 tablespoon on each ramekin, top each with 1 tablespoon of berries.

Nutrition Facts                          Per Serving

Calories                                      270

Protein                                       5 grams

Total Carbohydrates                    30 grams

Total Fat                                    17 grams

Fiber                                         3 grams

Sodium                                     53 mg.

The Quick Chocolate Berry Mousse recipe is an original recipe and the intellectual property of Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D., please don’t copy and distribute this recipe without giving full credit including a link to Susan’s website www.susandopart.com. Find more healthy and delicious recipes and ideas at www.susandopart.com. Both low-resolution and high-resolution photos of the Chocolate Berry Mousse are available for the press to use.

About Susan B. Dopart

Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., is a nutrition and fitness with more than fifteen years experience as a private practice consultant. Her new book, A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian, focuses on the latest research regarding how positively, powerfully and effectively the right way to eat affects your energy levels, insulin resistance, diabetes, cancer and other medical issues.

Susan, who is a much-sought expert on diabetes prevention and care, wrote the book after years of searching for the perfect guide to share with her patients and just couldn’t find one. Susan received her B.S. in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics from UC Berkeley and her M.S. in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine from California State University, Hayward.

Susan has consulted for UCLA Medical Center and Extension, Sebastian International, and Procter & Gamble.  Her writing, recipes, and expertise have been shared in

publications and productions, including Best Life, Men’s Health, and Diabetes Forecast, The SvelteGourmand.com, and Doctor Radio.

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For more information please go to www.susandopart.com. PDF’s of the book are available now for media inquiries. To request an interview or to have the PDF of the book sent to you, please contact Melissa Balmer at Idea Group at Tel. (562) 612-0197 or via email at balmer64@yahoo.com. Book ISBN:  978-0-615-30873-9.

From: Idea Group – Public Relations for author Susan Dopart M.S., R.D.

Tel. (562) 612-0197 email: balmer64@yahoo.com                                                                     

Re: The Delicious Low Fat/High Protein Pumpkin Dessert Choice for Thanksgiving & the Holidays – Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D.’s Perfect Pumpkin Custard Recipe!

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Santa Monica CA – Top West Coast nutrition expert and critically acclaimed author Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D., has created “Perfect Pumpkin Custard” a delicious healthy alternative to pumpkin pie for those who want to reduce their calorie intact and need to avoid fat, carbohydrates, and sodium this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. Perfect Pumpkin Custard is just one of the many fantastic recipes Susan Dopart and her husband and writing partner Jeffrey M. Batchelor created for her new book “A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian.” Here is the calorie/fat/protein/sodium comparison chart for pumpkin custard vs. pumpkin pie:

Perfect Pumpkin Custard                             Homemade Pumpkin Pie

103 calories                                                    320 calories                                                          

3 grams of fat                                                 14 grams of fat

5 grams of protein                                           7 grams of protein

14 grams of carbohydrate                                41 grams of carbohydrate

2.7 grams of fiber                                           4 grams of fiber

40 mg. of sodium                                           350 mg. of sodium

Perfect Pumpkin Custard has one-third of the calories of pumpkin pie, less than one-third of the fat, and is equal to only one slice of bread worth of carbohydrate versus three slices of bread for the pie.  With much less sodium content (40 versus 350 mg.) Perfect Pumpkin Custard is the ideal dessert for someone with diabetes, heart disease, in need of sodium restriction, calorie restriction or who just wants to incorporate healthier eating habits this Holiday Season.  Please see the end of the release for the recipe.

About Susan Dopart and “A Recipe for Life by The Doctor’s Dietitian”

With “A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian” Susan Dopart and Jeffrey Batchelor have created the first smart, easy to understand, concrete nutrition road map partnered with simple, delicious recipes designed to improve one’s health. The book is available now at www.susandopart.com for just $34.95.

A cutting edge nutrition guide, “A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian,” focuses on the latest research regarding how positively, powerfully and effectively the right way to eat affects your energy levels, insulin resistance, diabetes, cancer and other medical issues.

Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., is a nutrition and fitness consultant in private practice for more than 15 years. She specializes in medical nutrition-related issues, including diabetes and endocrinology, heart disease, weight management, pregnancy, infertility, PCOS, and exercise nutrition. She received her B.S. in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics from UC Berkeley and her M.S. in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine from California State University, Hayward. Susan has consulted for UCLA Medical Center and Extension, Sebastian International, and Procter & Gamble.  She has written for and contributed to multiple publications, including Best Life, Men’s Health, and Diabetes Forecast.

Perfect Pumpkin Custard Recipe courtesy of “A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian”

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

2 large eggs separated

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together canned pumpkin, yogurt and ricotta cheese until blended. Stir in honey and spices. Separate egg yolks from whites and stir egg yolks into pumpkin mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into mixture. Pour into six ramekins and bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes until puffed and rounded. Serve immediately. Variation: May put a dollop of real whipped cream on each ramekin.

The Perfect Pumpkin Custard recipe is an original recipe and the intellectual property of Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D., please don’t copy and distribute this recipe without giving full credit. Find more healthy and delicious recipes and ideas at www.susandopart.com. Both low-resolution and high-resolution photos of the Perfect Pumpkin Custard are available for the press to use.

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Press inquiries for Susan Dopart should be sent to Melissa Balmer at Idea Group at Tel. (562) 612-0197 or via email at balmer64@yahoo.com. Book ISBN:  978-0-615-30873-9.

For Immediate Release

From: Melissa Balmer – Public Relations for Choura Venue Services
Tel. (562) 612-0197 email: balmer64@yahoo.com                       
Date: Friday September 18th, 2009 – Long Beach CA

Re: Choura Venue Services Names Ryan McIntyre of Kitchen Outfitters as Executive Chef as Part of their 2009 40-Year Anniversary Reimagining Campaign!
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Long Beach CA – Ryan McIntyre has been named Executive Chef for the Long Beach based Choura Venue Services, a full service event company with eight separate event divisions including The Grand Long Beach Event Center, Choura Event Catering, and Anza Event Rentals.

The new Executive Chef and new menus are all part of Choura’s expansive “re-imagining campaign” that has been in the works during 2009 to celebrate the company’s 40 years of service in the hospitality industry. In May of this year CEO Ryan Choura admitted he was tired of serving the same old chicken dinners in an “Imagine Long Beach” column in the Long Beach Business Journal and wanted to raise the caliber of our local event expectation. He feels that having McIntyre onboard focusing Choura’s cuisine is a huge step in the right direction:

“While everyone else has been cutting back this year we’ve been pushing the envelope creatively, developing every way possible for people to have great event experiences with us. We want to be the event leaders in Long Beach, we want to be the trend-setters, and to do that we needed top-notch menu choices. McIntyre’s talent is a key piece to our game changing strategy.”

Choura Venue Services Senior Vice President Steven McMahon shares his enthusiasm over McIntyre in this new position as well:

“I have never heard anyone talk about food the way Ryan McIntyre does. You can literally taste it through his descriptions, and then what he actually serves tops that. Choura has always led with great service and quality product, but now we’re adding truly fine cuisine to our repertoire.”

McIntyre has already begun the process of bringing sophisticated and new flavor profiles to the menu selections at both The Grand and Choura Event Catering. The brand new Choura Event Catering website debuts on Wednesday September 23, 2009.

For his part McIntyre is “excited to be getting back in the kitchen” and honored Choura has asked him lead their chefs and kitchens and take Choura to the next level. He also recommends that “Food is not rocket science, Keep it clean, simple, seasonal, and delicious.”

About Executive Chef Ryan McIntyre
McIntyre is well known locally as the owner of Kitchen Outfitters in Naples, and comes with a stellar resume as a chef. He completed the Culinary Arts program at Long Beach City College and then graduated from the prestigious California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. In 1999 he was part of the team that opened the W in San Francisco, and had a very successful tenure with the company including positions as Executive Banquet Chef and Executive Chef for the W in Los Angeles.

After several years in the restaurant and event industry McIntyre moved into the realm private catering in L.A., focusing on the entertainment industry where he created cuisine for such notables as Dustin Hoffman and Ben Stiller.

About Choura Venue Services
Choura Venue Services is one of the fastest growing full service event companies serving Southern California with event venues, event rentals, event planning and off-site catering divisions. In 2009 they have put into play a very progressive marketing, advertising and public relations campaign. To learn more please go to www.choura.us and our blog at http://blog.choura.us.

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For media queries on all parties above please contact Melissa Balmer at (562) 612-0197 or via email at balmer64@yahoo.com.