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Add Garbanzo beans to your salad for added fiber!

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Photo: savorysweetlife.com

The Holiday season is over and it is surely hard for our stomachs to adjust to normal and even healthier eating habits.

For those who are not ready for a straight salad just yet, try adding kidney beans or chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) to your next salad. A quarter cup adds an additional 5 grams of dietary fiber!

Fiber keeps you fuller for longer. Go for it!

 

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Bigg’s BBQ Restaurant and Bar continues to impress!

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Suga had a great start to the New year with lunch at Bigg’s BBQ Restaurant and Bar last Friday on New Year’s Day at 4pm on the Hip Strip, Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay.

The host was extremely polite and attentive and so was our waitress.

The menu was full of succulent Bbq and Jerk eats. I had the 1/2 lb of Pulled Pork ($16.99US incl. 2 small sides) with fries and added mixed grilled chef vegetables to slowly reintroduce healthy items to the diet since vacay was soon coming to a close.

My friends had the Biggs Burger (15.99UD with 1 side) with baked mac and cheese and and the Jerked Pork ($16.99US incl. 2 small sides) with baked mac and cheese and mixed grilled chef vegetables. The Jerked Pork was lacking the actual Jerked flavour and tasted more like BBQ Pork, but was good nonetheless. There were no complaints about the popular, delicious, Biggs Burger made with a blend of minced Beef and Bratwurst with your choice of cheese on an onion bun.

The Blended Fruit punch, Frozen Lemonade and Blended Hummingbird beverages were delightful.

A bit pricey in tourist town but filling and worth it!

 

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Suga visits the Red Red Wine Bar in Maryland

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A. Braised Lamb Shank                                     B. The Gus Pizza                         C. (L-R) Friend, Lisa Samough and Gabby from Suga Lifestyle

 

Two words to describe it – nice and quaint.

What did I have? No I did not have Red wine, can you believe it? Suga is a Chardonnay and Riesling kinda girl.

I had a 2014 Crnko-Riesling + Sauvignon Blanc Blend from Slovenia ($11USD/glass) that was lovely.

They have a wide selection of items, not only on their wine menu but food menu as well. Note that an alcohol charge (~3%) is added to your bill. Salads and Soups, Paninis, Pizzas (Crispy Wheat/Roasted Flat breads), Salmon, Catch of the Day, Crab cakes, Sea Bass and more are offered.

I had a tasty, tender Braised Lamb Shank ($24US) over chopped eggplant, green olives, golden raisins, shaved almonds with mint yogurt.

My friends enjoyed The Gus ($10) Pizza with pepperoni, sausage, ham and housemade marinara as well as the Bistro Filet ($23US) 8oz beef with red red wine reduction.

Our waiter was awesome too and will be coming to Jamaica next year!

Red Red Wine Bar

*No Reservations

*Menu online at

www.redredwinebar.com

189B Main Street, Annapolis

MD 21401

Ph: 410-990-1144

Be safe and have fun ringing in the New Year!

 

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Watch Concussion with Will Smith in a luxury iPic Theater near you!

Without giving away too much about the movie, Suga will tell you why Concussion just may be the movie to watch this Holiday Season and where to watch it.

Suga went to iPic Theaters in Maryland last Monday night and it was like a hotel! Persons have compared it to the AMC Theater in Long Island, NY. Not only can you purchase tickets beforehand, which is normal, but you can reserve regular seats in the theater and you do not need to join any lines when you reach. You just simply head to the Express ticketing machine and print your tickets. During the holiday season with no line, it must be an efficient system.

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The counter to buy tickets looks like you are checking in at a hotel, not to mention the fabulous art work displayed on the walls on the way to the different theaters and then there are the bathrooms! If you get into a fight with your date you can hide in luxury all night in there.

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Then there is comfortable seating that is too comfortable for some people, putting them to sleep with a blanket, pillow and reclined chair with a raised footrest.

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Gabby from Suga Lifestyle relaxes and gets ready to watch Concussion last Monday night at iPic Theatres, Maryland

Note that chairs are paired together in 2s and 4s, so a bit difficult for sensitive 3rd wheels and single people, at least for the theater I was seated in.

Your personal waiter introduces himself to you as you sit down, takes your order and you can order throughout the movie too with just the press of a button.

What’s on the menu besides the standard Popcorn, Soda, Hot dogs and Chips? A wide Wine selection, Beers by draft or the bottle, Cocktails, Pizzas, Dips and Spreads, Desserts, Burgers, Tacos, Sandwiches, Skewers, Lobster rolls and more.

So my Suga Readers, find an iPic Theater near you!

Now on to the movie based on a true story, Concussion with Will Smith, also featuring Alec Baldwin.

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Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org

How would Suga describe it? It was like Pursuit of Happiness 2 and you know sequels have less impact than the originals. There was depth but not to the degree of tear jerkers in Pursuit of Happiness. Will Smith was quite good though.

Will played Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian Forensic Pathologist that came to America and made a correlation between the damage to some American Football players suffering Concussions and Chronic Traumatic Envephalopathy (CTE).

He came to America and spoke to and for the dead. He perfomed an autopsy that changed his life and the NFL on Mike Webster, former Pittsburgh Steelers center in 2002.

The sudden and unexpected deaths and suicides of other NFL players such as Terry Long in 2005 after Webster, built his case further.

According to the movie, many NFL players have been diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer’s disease but with more deaths and positive results for CTE, could the NFL deny science?

Did the NFL publicly acknowledge the link between Concussions sustained by players and CTE and of so, when?

Did players do or say anything?

Was the NFL brought to court?

How many other deaths were there from ‘CTE’?

Did the movie have an effect on Players?

Find and Watch Concussion at a theatre near you, preferably an iPic Theatre, remember the News and then Google.

However, the game plays on. Many lives have been changed, saved and opportunities created for young men across America because of American Football.

Superbowl 50! February 7, 2016!

 

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Super Bowl 50 Standings!

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Image: nbcbayarea.com

Last night the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals gave viewers an entertaining close to Monday night football. After a 17-17 tie and an opportunity for the Broncos to win, their kick went way off the left side of the post forcing overtime (OT).

The Broncos then recovered a loose ball in OT and clinched their Playoff Berth.

I know Americans have been watching closely but my Jamaicans, if your team looks like they have no chance of making the Playoffs or you just haven’t been paying attention, now is the time to choose your team. Playoffs start January 9!

Only 6 teams will play for each Conference.

Here are the standings for the AFC:

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Taken from ESPN Scorecenter

Here are the standings for the NFC:

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Taken from ESPN Scorecenter

With New Years around the corner, so is that Super Bowl Party. Not to mention, it will be Super Bowl 50. The Halftime show and Ads should be spectacular!

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Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Peppa Swims!

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Have you heard about Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Jabba’s Peppa Swims?! Gear up for next year, because if you are in the corporate area, especially New Kingston, some delicious, affordable food can be delivered to you at work or home, free of cost. Pick up options are also available. Sounds great right? Another option to add to our very limited lunch selection.

Lunch from Jabba’s Smoked Grill is available on Saturdays. Lunch costs $600JMD inclusive of delivery in the corporate area. You have a choice of either Jerked or Barbecue chicken along with sides of sweet potato, rice and peas and/or roast breadfruit.

Jabba’s Peppa Swims are mild or spicy packages of shrimps available on Tuesdays and Fridays at a cost of $280JMD each. But don’t worry, the spicy one will not leave you choking. It is tastefully done with the right level of spice so you enjoy it but you are comfortable at the same time. As deliveries are done mainly in New Kingston, they are currently a big hit with corporate offices such as JMMB, Sagicor, Barita and more. So you don’t need to travel to St. Elizabeth for ‘swims’, you can get them delivered to you or pick up at 31-33 Trafalgar Road (BNS with no sign), opposite the NCB atrium, anytime between 8am and 5pm.

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Filling serving!

For both Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Jabba’s Peppa Swims, it is best to order the night before or on the day before 12 noon, by calling 876-296-7304.

Ok so now you know what is offered and the cost, but who does the cooking? Jabba!

Who or what is Jabba?

Jabba is young, Jonathan Simpson, who just has a love for cooking and was thus inspired to start this endeavour. I have actually tasted Jabba’s chicken from as far back as 2008 at a friend’s baby shower. Yes! Jabba does catering too and used to even have a small restaurant back in the day that offered Jamaican lunches such as Curried Goat, Oxtail, Cow foot, Jerked Chicken and more.

Where has Jabba been all these years?

A few years ago, the restaurant business alone was not enough for Jabba and he felt that a ‘9-5’ would be better for the finances so started working with Scotiabank. But when something is just a part of you, it always finds its way back. So recently, he found a way to still work with the bank but to branch out into what he loves to do even more as well, cook.

Who taught him how to cook?

Well the Chicken and other things came naturally to him for the most part but a young lady who he used to buy shrimp from taught him how to prepare the shrimps aka ‘swims’ when he developed an interest to do it himself.

How did the rave about Jabba’s Swims begin?

About 4 or 5 years ago, Jabba prepared his shrimps for a fundraiser at the office and the people wanted more. The interest and liking for it spread by word of mouth to different offices within the area.

What makes Jabba’s Chicken and Shrimps different?

It’s all about the freshness, the sauce and the general taste of the food.

Freshness is important folks, so it is unlikely that the Peppa Swims ‘goi run u belly!’. Pepper shrimps are a local favourite but a lot of the shrimps sold on the street side are not fresh. Jabba’s shrimps are usually prepared on the morning of or the night before they are sold. They are a hot commodity so they sell off in one day. If you are brave, I have been told that you can refrigerate and have the shrimp up to 5 days after purchase or a day after if you do not refrigerate.

With regards to the sauce, I remember licking the sauce off my fingers from that Chicken from 2008! Yes, literally ‘finger-lickin’ good’.

Then of course, the taste is unique as a result of the preparation with freshness, seasoning and the added sauce or peppers.

Where is the Chicken and Shrimp sourced from?

Chicken is sourced from Best Dressed Chicken and the Shrimps from Rainforest Seafoods.

What has Jabba done catering for before?

His ‘Eat All You Want Buffet Seafood’ years ago and most recently, Weddings and parties such as Haunted and Afloat Soca Cruse. BBQ Pigstail, BBQ Chicken, Pasta and Garlic bread were a hit at Haunted!

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Can you order this week?

Sorry Suga bears, Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Peppa Swims is currently closed for the holidays and will reopen for business by Saturday, January 9, 2016.

The near future of Jabba’s Peppa Swims?

By the 2nd week in January, Jabba’s popular Peppa Swims will be at Bickles in Sovereign Centre Food Court on Wednesdays and Saturdays for $300JMD per bag.

So as we think about food of all kinds for the festive season and wonder how we will afford lunch in January, look out for Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Peppa Swims next year!