Look who's in my Runner's World Magazine !

I adore Mario Batali - I love his food - I love his Dad - I love his goofy orange shoes... Mario is NOT in my runners magazine.  I think the Joe Bastianich is pretty snazzy too... He's only 40 and he's a brilliant wine maker and owns 18 Italian restaurants... with Mario...  

Sooooo.... 40 year old snazzy Joe is in my Runner's World Magazine !  Crazy !  Why ???   Apparently,  Joe has lost over 45 pounds,  even while owning and eating at these great places !  AND he ran in the 2008 New York City Marathon in 3 hours and 46 minutes.  NICE WORK !

I have two favs in Vegas that they own - Enoteca San Marco in the Venetian (pic above),  and CarneVino in The Palazzo.  We'll be visiting both in December!

Joe has a recipe in this month's Runner's World

Check it out:

Asparagus and Mushroom Rigatoni

Bastianich loves simple, healthy pasta dishes made with just a bit of olive oil and plenty of vegetables. "You get all the carbs without the cream or butter," he says. 

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 
1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch spears 
1 pound rigatoni pasta 
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 
2 tablespoons lemon zest 
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated 
Salt and pepper to taste 


In a large pot, boil six quarts salted water. 

Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic. When it turns gold, add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms until darkened, about five minutes. Add asparagus and toss gently to coat, sauteing a few minutes more. 

Add pasta to boiling water and cook 10 minutes. 

Turn heat under the saucepan to high and add a cup of pasta water. Cook until water reduces by half, about thirty seconds. Lift pasta from water with slotted spoon and add it to the skillet. Toss over high heat for one minute. 

Turn off heat and toss with parsley, lemon zest, and cheese. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Serves six. 


Calories Per Serving: 440 
Carbs: 65 g 
Protein: 12 g 
Fat: 14 g 


Good food and wine are abundant when you own 18 Italian restaurants, which explains why two years ago, JOE BASTIANICH, 40, had hit 245 pounds. "I was on doctor's orders to lose weight," he says. He changed his diet, started running, and finished last fall's New York City Marathon in 3:46—and 45 pounds lighter. For more, go to bastianich.com.