Here’s a site that sells “Obama got Osama” tee shirts for only $4.99 to help you celebrate America’s end of our ten-year search for the Number One Fugitive in the world!

TJ Roasted Veggie Lasagna, TJ Herb Salad w/Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Onion & Balsamic/Olive Oil dressing, and Aidelle's Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs

The adage: “out with the old, in with the new” is a great way to  ring in a new year but it doesn’t work when the new is the extra 9 pounds that have taken up residence on my hips, waist and thighs, which I wish would have gone the way of 2010.

Food Portion Awareness

I am now on a wicked 195 Carbs per day meal plan as recommended by my dietitian, and have decided to spend no more that $15 on dinner  meals for the remainder of January.  Here’s how my daily carb intake looks on paper:

• 50 Carbs – Breakfast
• 15 Carbs – Snack
• 50 Carbs – Lunch
• 15 Carbs – Snack
• 50 Carbs – Dinner
• 15 Carbs – Snack (before 8 pm)

Groceries vs. eating out:

Eating out is a wonderful experience and if you try real hard at it you can find great deals around town.  However,  for the purpose of managing my carbs I have chosen to purchase grocery items from local grocery stores: Trader Joe’s, Safeway, Costco and Whole Foods, etc to meet this double challenge.  My $15 meal began with tonight’s dinner:

• Trader Joe’s Roasted Vegetables Whole Grain Vegetables
• Trader Joe’s Herb Salad Mix
• Costco Teriyaki Meatballs (3)
• Freshly juiced Kiwi, cherry, orange, cucumber and pear drink

In the meantime, get a load of these incredible cookies that were made by the 25 contestants. Lucky me, as I was able to get a sample of each one, which all are safe and sound in my freezer. I will defrosted them a day or two before Christmas Eve then share ‘em with family and friends.

Click http://bit.ly/hAsQSe for tips on hosting your own Cookie Exchange party, as they are sweet and Fru-Fabu!

The second biggest shopping day that promises to bring you fabulous one-day online shopping deals is here again. It is also the biggest day for scam artists so be SAFE while you shop online. I visited the Better Business Bureau site to offer you their online safety tips:

1. Protect your computer – A computer should always have the most recent updates installed for spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a secure firewall.

2. Shop on trustworthy websites – Shoppers should start with BBB to check on the seller’s reputation and record for customer satisfaction. Always look for the BBB seal and other widely-recognized “trustmarks” on retailer websites and click on the seals to confirm that they are valid.

3. Protect your personal information – BBB recommends taking the time to read the site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn’t one posted, it should be taken as a red flag that personal information may be sold to others without permission.

4. Beware of deals that sound too good to be true – Offers on websites and in unsolicited e-mails can often sound too good to be true, especially extremely low prices on hard-to-get items. Consumers should always go with their instincts and not be afraid to pass up a “deal” that might cost them dearly in the end.

5. Beware of phishing – Legitimate businesses do not send e-mails claiming problems with an order or an account to lure the “buyer” into revealing financial information. If a consumer receives such an e-mail, BBB recommends picking up the phone and calling the contact number on the website where the purchase was made to confirm that there really is a problem with the transaction.

6. Confirm your online purchase is secure – Shoppers should always look in the address box for the “s” in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. If there are any doubts about a site, BBB recommends right-clicking anywhere on the page and select “Properties.” This will let you see the real URL (website address) and the dialog box will reveal if the site is not encrypted.

7. Pay with a credit card – It’s best to use a credit card, because under federal law, the shopper can dispute the charges if he or she doesn’t receive the item. Shoppers also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on their credit card, and many card issuers have “zero liability” policies under which the card holder pays nothing if someone steals the credit card number and uses it. If you are going to shop on classifieds web sites like Craigslist, never wire money and only buy locally.

8. Keep documentation of your order – After completing the online order process, there may be a final confirmation page or the shopper might receive confirmation by e-mail – BBB recommends saving a copy of the Web page and any e-mails for future reference and as a record of the purchase.

9. Check your credit card statements often – Don’t wait for paper statements; BBB recommends consumers check their credit card statements for suspicious activity by either calling credit card companies or by checking statements online regularly.

10. Know your rights – Federal law requires that orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, the shopper can cancel and demand a refund. There is no general three-day cancellation right, but consumers do have the right to reject merchandise if it’s defective or was misrepresented. Otherwise, it’s the company’s policies that determine if the shopper can cancel the purchase and receive a refund or credit.

Happy & Safe Cyber Monday Shopping from Fru-Fabu!

We typically treat ourselves to “off the beaten path,” neighborhoodsy-type eateries as we can nosh on great food without breaking the bank.  On this particular saturday we walked about three-quarters a mile to Sally’s Restaurant & Deli on the corner of DeHaro and 16th streets, and to our delight, they offered a Weekend Special item: “Waffles with Fried Bananas, Nutella & Powdered Sugar – $9.50.”

We’ve dined at Sally on numerous occasions, and each time have never swayed away from our anthem dish: eggs scrambled with salmon and cream cheese with fruit (a substitute for potato and bread), as I typically don’t begin my mornings loading up on carbs and sugar.  However, I couldn’t redirect my eyes away from the signage nor reason against consuming such a unique marriage of favorite food items, tastes and textures, so I simply placed my order, for one, to share with my hubby.

The hubby also ordered one for himself to my great surprise, as he was also smitten by the sheer lure of this inexpensive epicurean pleasure.  Game over. My only choice was to enjoy every morsel; and, enjoy, I did—when finally the meal arrived to our table, as it was the most popular item on the menu.  We patrons endured the 15-20 minute wait for the treasured dish, and boy was it worth every second:

The single Belgium waffle was soft and spongy. It was placed on top a powder sugar-dusted white plate, crowned with organically-shaped golden-fried bananas chunks that were drizzled with Nutella syrup.   My first bite of this fried banana catapulted my memory to a beachside cafe in Nigril, Jamaica, where fried plantains were generously offered with everything.  However, Sally’s served an authentic banana—its fruit so sweet it offered an exquisite contrast to the crunchy batter and spongy waffle.  Each one flavor and texture was discernible yet all merged into one fantastic, palatable experience upon the first bite.  Maple syrup would have over powered the delicate balance of the slightly salted crunchy pastry batter and the sweet, silky-smooth, piping-hot banana fruit.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven, even tapped my shoulders in assurance that wings had not sprouted.

Fru-Fabu Rating:

Food: 5 Fabu’s – I thoroughly enjoyed this meal, as did my husband and other diners lucky enough to order this offering before Sally’s ran out of the precious ingredients.

Price: 5 Fru-Fabu’s – $9.50 per plate is a deal by any measure.  But, when you add quality in prep, presentation and taste, it’s a Steal.  This is so Fru-Fabu!

Service: 2 Fabu’s – Normally I’d give them a 3-1/2 to 4 Fabu’s but they just didn’t anticipate the popularity of their Weekend Special.  Extra waffle irons would have made the difference between a  2 and 4 rating, in my opinion.

Ambiance: 2 Fabu’s – If you are looking for chic, exotic, fabulous decor, white table cloths and a branded chef with model-like waiters at hand, this is not the place for you.  Sally’s has a very Mom & Pops, down-home feel to it—a place where the staff knows you by name.  You order your food at the register and await hearing your name bellowed out when your food is ready to be picked up.  It is clean, family friendly, and a hidden treasure—a place where we always bump into folks from bordering neighborhoods: SOMA, Mission Bay, South Beach. It is located in Potrero Hill’s Furniture District.

We live in SOMA (South of Market) which, 15-years ago, was a blighted area of town that has since been transformed into a Mecca of mix-use residential real estate that can now boast of attracting a global demographic of young, sophisticated and wealthy professionals that rent or purchase their residences.  AT&T Park (home of the 2010 World Series Champions- SF Giants) and the University of San Francisco at Mission Bay Campus (UCSF), are two main anchors that have aided in making SOMA the newest international residential and commercial Destination for many city newcomers and natives (me) alike, who enjoy a truly urban experience.  We own our SOMA loft.