Holiday Corn Casserole

Holiday Corn Casserole

Whenever the new year rolls around, I (like most of the world) am hasty to make a multitude of resolutions. Honestly- I always have the best of intentions but the majority of the time, my lofty resolutions (which usually have to do with exercise and eating healthier...big surprise!) end up being cast aside with that first giant bite of double chocolate cheesecake (gosh darn it!). Anyhow, I still like the idea of starting anew each year and this year in particular I'm ready for 2012 to wrap itself up. December has been a particularly rough month and I can't wait to dispose of it and start fresh. I've been feeling emotionally drained and conflicted for weeks on end and my stress eating has become reflected in some holiday pudge. I did get a tiny respite this weekend, when Mr.S. and I took a spontaneous weekend trip to SF. His kidlets were out of town and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have a romantic weekend getaway and just de-com-press!

 
We stayed at an adorable boutique hotel just steps from Union Square called The Orchard Hotel (super cute room and friendly staff), indulged in a delicious seafood dinner at Anchor & Hope with Mr.S.'s brother and did some fun touristy things like eating clam chowder at Pier 39 (I hadn't been in years), shopping in Japantown and taking a moonlit stroll to Union Square to see the ice skaters and holiday lights. It was a lovely trip and just what I needed.

Anyhow, my heart and soul haven't been into cooking for weeks but I was able to somehow muster myself into the cooking spirit for the big Christmas Day dinner. I made some spicy chorizo-lentil empanadas for appetizers and also a scrumptious corn casserole as my side dish. My friend Minzi had suggested a recipe by Paula Deen which gave me the idea to do a corn casserole. I liked the basics of Deen's recipe so I used that as my starting point and built from there. The dish turned out to be a big hit and almost all of it was eaten; considering how much food was out on the table, I was pretty impressed. Even the pickier eaters gave me compliments!

The recipe is listed below, give it a try in the new year and let me know what you think.

Holiday Corn Casserole

Ingredients

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (*do not substitute frozen corn, use canned)

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (8-ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

4 ounce can diced mild green chiles, drained

1 egg

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

5 slices bacon

salt and pepper


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

2. In a skillet, fry up your bacon. Place cooked bacon slices on a plate lined with a papertowel. Allow to cool. Then dice bacon slices. Next, in the same pan- fry up your diced onion. Then set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine: corn kernels, creamed corn, Jiffy corn muffin mix, onion, diced green chiles, 1 egg, sour cream, melted butter and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix throughly.

4. Take a greased 8x8 glass casserole dish and pour corn mixture from bowl into dish. Spread so it's even.

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Then remove from oven. Sprinkle bacon pieces and 2 tablespoons of cheddar across the top. Place dish back in oven and cook for another 10-15.

6. Serve warm.

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Wishes

Holiday Wishes

Dear Readers,

Well, the world didn't end this Friday as the Mayans predicted, so I'll just assume you're all out there fighting your way through insane traffic and frenzied crowds at the shopping mall or (if you're smart) curled up next to the fireplace with a hot cup of Bailey's and coffee watching "Love Actually." I apologize that I haven't posted much in the past few weeks but I've been extremely busy, not "busy in the kitchen" busy but more like "life busy." My mom was recently diagnosed with an incredibly serious illness and I had to fly out to Kansas City at the drop of a hat. I'm home now but it's been nerve wrecking and we're holding our breaths and waiting day to day to see what develops and if I need to fly back out in the immediate future. So with all this going on, my cooking has been been pushed to the wayside.

I did get a small break from all the stress and worry the other night when Mr.S. insisted on taking me out to dinner. Afterwards, we drove over to Dovewood Court in Orangevale to see their holiday lights and decorations. It was crowded but fun. There was the Grinch, Spongebob and all kinds of other assorted characters from popular culture and Christmas tales. There was even an Xmas Margaritaville! It was nice to get away for a few minutes.

So in case, I don't get back on here before the new year, I'd like to thank you for reading A Girl and Her Fork this year and I wish you and your families a happy holiday!

Lots of love from my kitchen to yours,

Ally
A Girl and Her Fork


PS Here's a few photos I snapped while we were at Dovewood Court.

Sabah Snake Grass Soup

Sabah Snake Grass Soup

Sabah snake grass is used to treat cancer. It is easily grown in the backyard. The leaves can be cooked as vegetables. It can be fried or boiled with seafood, meat or eggs.

Ingredients:
1 bowl sabah snake grass

1 egg
1 tbsp dried anchovy
1 tsp salt
1 bowl water

Method:
1. Boil a bowl of water with dried anchovy.When it boils, add in one beaten egg. Stir slightly,

2, Add in the vegetables.Season with some salt.

3. Serve hot with rice.

Crab-Stuffed Baked Avocado

Crab-Stuffed Baked Avocado

Eric Ripert. That silver-haired French fox is turning up everywhere these days. He's popped up on "Top Chef," "Treme" and "No Reservations." Not to mention, he's good buddies with Bourdain, hosts his own PBS TV series “Avec Eric," and his restaurant Le Bernardin has garnered three Michelin stars and has upheld a four-star review from The New York Times for over two decades. Holy cow! Is there anything this culinary wizard can't do? Well in addition to making amazing seafood dishes, it turns out he knows his way around an avocado too. I recently came across this tweet of his and decided to give it a go.

There were no measurements listed so I played around with the ingredients in my kitchen. The resulting product- a decadent dish of fresh crab and warm, creamy avocado that only takes a few minutes and a few dollars to throw together. Deee-lish! 



Crab-Stuffed Avocado


Ingredients

6 oz. shredded fresh lump crabmeat

1 fresh avocado, halved and pitted

2 tablespoons Best Foods's mayo

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

fresh ground pepper

2.5 Tablespoons breadcrumbs

lime or lemon wedges (optional)


Instructions

1. Set oven for broil. Slice and pit avocado.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and place pitted avocado halves on sheet.

3. In a small bowl, combine crabmeat, mayo, mustard, Old Bay seasoning and lemon juice together. Mix well.

4. Divide the crabmeat mixture evenly into two servings. Using a spoon, fill each avocado cavity with a serving of the mixture. Top with some fresh ground pepper (to taste).

5. Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs.

 6. Place in oven and broil for about 10 minutes (keep an eye on it if your oven's temperamental like mine).

7. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Lime or lemon wedges (optional).

Fish Otak-Otak

Fish Otak-Otak

Ingredients:
200 g tenggiri fish (Spanish Mackerel)
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup coconut cream

Ingredients to be blended:
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic
4 candle nuts
1 stalk lemon grass
1 sm pieces dried shrimp paste (belacan)
10 fresh chillies
1 tsp turmeric powder

Method:
1. Cut the fish and debone them. Put all the meat in a blender or pound until fine, smooth and fluffy. Add some water, salt and cornflour in the mixture.

2. Blend all the blended ingredients in a blender.

3. Mix the blended ingredients, curry powder, coconut cream and 1 beaten egg  with the fish paste.

4. Put the mixture in  an aluminium foil and cover all the edges.

5. Steam or bake them for 15 - 20 minutes.

6. Serve hot with rice.

Negril Island BBQ

Negril Island BBQ

2502 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816. (916) 440-1088.

Mmmm, I love Caribbean food! The fiery heat of the Scotch bonnet peppers and the tang of the citrus in the jerk paste, all washed down with a ginger beer or a cold Jamaican Red Stripe. Pure bliss. So last week, I was pretty excited to meet up with a friend for a midweek lunch at the newly opened Negril Island BBQ on J Street. The weather had been a blustering mess and I was looking forward to eating some authentic Caribbean cooking. My tastebuds were looking forward to a cascade of spices that would excite my palate and transport me from the cold, wet streets of Sacramento to a warm beach in the South Atlantic. I was hoping Negril Island BBQ would knock it out of the park for me.

I arrived at the casual eatery during prime-time lunch hour to find only one other patron eating. (Not a good sign typically, but hey- it's a new place, maybe they're still getting established.) The trim dining room sported cute tropical-themed table wraps on each table and colorful island photographs adorning the walls, but the overall mood in the restaurant wasn't lively and warm like in other Caribbean restaurants I've been to. It was too quiet and slightly chilly in there. I stood at the counter a bit unsure what to do as there was no menu board to peruse. Luckily for me, a few moments later the owner ambled out of the kitchen. He was a friendly, upbeat gentleman and took my order quickly. I ordered the beef brisket with a side of potato salad and the beans and rice. When my dining companion showed up, she ordered a combination platter of the jerk chicken and the ribs along with a side of the potato salad. She had recently gone on a trip to the Caribbean and like myself had her heart (and teeth) set on some tasty, homey Caribbean fare. Service was quick. Our orders came out on disposable plates with plastic utensils. This would have been fine except my brisket was tough and dry and cutting it with a plastic picnic knife is akin to trying to saw a redwood with a butter knife. It's futile. The few pieces I was able to tear off had a slight smokey flavor but were extremely overcooked. The sides I ordered, however, were quite delicious. The potato salad tasted like it was made from scratch and the corn muffin was light and sweet. I enjoyed the red beans and rice, served with a dollop of the jerk sauce but my fried plantain slices resembled small, cold hockey pucks. My dining companion was kind enough to give me one of her ribs to taste. I thought the rib was well cooked and tender. I would have found it more appealing if there was some crispy char to it and if it had more of that sweet BBQ sauce but that just may be me...I like my ribs slathered in sauce. I didn't taste the jerk chicken but by the look on my dining companion's face and the largely uneaten portion left on her plate, I can guess it was a fail.

Overall, my visit to Negril Island BBQ was less satisfying than I hoped. I wish the proprietor well. It's a tough restaurant market these days and opening a new place is always a learning curve. I found the service at Negril Island BBQ to be welcoming and fast, but the food just lacks the deliciousness that I've had at other Caribbean restaurants. That incredible layering of flavor, that nice deep spicy, smoky taste that emerges from cooking in the fire pits or steel drum, the succulent barbecue...ahhhh! For me, the search will have to continue.

Meal Plan 56 - Mixin' It Up with Tex Mex

Meal Plan 56 - Mixin' It Up with Tex Mex

Click here to get a printable version of this week's meal plan and recipes

Grocery List:

The grocery list is color coordinated by meal so you can easily pick and choose which meals you would like to make. Either print and use the grocery list as is and make all the meals I have planned, or easily cross off the meals and corresponding ingredients you would rather not make.

Click here to get a printable version of this week's grocery list

Hey there meal planners!  It's been awhile since I've posted a new meal plan for you.  I wanted to share a meal plan with newly posted recipes and once I wrote them all down I realized it had a bit of a tex mex theme.  Must be what I've been craving lately ;)  In any case, I've also been smart and transformed leftovers this week.  This not only makes it cheaper, but also easier since last night's dinner gives you a head start on tonight's.

As always, I've only planned 5 nights of meals.  I do this so there's leeway for a night of eating out or at a friends place.  It also allows you to look at the ingredients leftover over and make dinner out of what you have left.  That's totally become my favorite night...I love being creative in the kitchen.  I got a great question on my facebook page recently about "throwing a meal together".  The easiest place to experiment with doing this (I think) is soup.  You can pretty much throw any veggies or leftover meat in a pot with some beef or chicken broth, and/or a can of tomatoes and let it simmer into a delicious dinner.  Add pasta, beans, lentils, or rice and some spices.  Super easy!  Just try to stick with flavors that you know "go together" and all will be well.

Happy eating this week!

Day 1: Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Tacos with Green Onion Slaw
Ahhh these are so good!  I'm totally craving them.  Don't skip the slaw or pickled jalapenos, they compliment the rich slow cooked beef perfectly.

Day 2: Southwestern Beef and Rice Soup and Mixed Greens with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing

No picture for this recipe.  It was something I whipped up with my leftover pulled beef.  Serve with a nice salad with your favorite dressing or a homemade creamy lime cilantro dressing.

Day 3: Kin's Kickass Chili with Cornbread Muffins
Cater this one to what you have time for: make and let simmer an hour before supper, so assemble and throw in the crock pot to simmer all day.

Day 4: Chili Cheese Mac with Broccoli

Use up the leftover chili and make a cheese macaroni chili.  The kids will love it.

Day 5:  Easy Roasted Vegetable and Sausage Bake

This is just as the title suggests; EASY!  Just toss everything into your roasting pan and let the hot oven do the work.

Bonus: No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Just for fun, why not make an easy dessert or treat this week?  I LOVE this combination of flavors.

For more meal plan ideas, check out my complete list of meal plans or check out Org Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Chicken and Mushrooms in Sherry Sauce

Chicken and Mushrooms in Sherry Sauce

Happy Monday!

Can you detect my sarcastic undertone? Blech! No matter how much older I get, I still abhor Mondays. You'd think the beginning of the week would illicit feelings of unicorns and rainbows. No? Well in the very least a fresh beginning...but unfortunately, Mondays always feel like a giant buzzkill to me. It takes all my willpower not to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed. Well, maybe this week I'll find some time to start a few holiday cooking projects. Anyhow, I hope while I've been MIA, you've been having some fun. Mr.S. and I had a great date night last week. We attended a performance at The Crest put on by Dennis Prager and Adam Carolla. It was a mix of discussion and debate covering everything from politics to parenting, followed up by a Q&A session.  I found the event interesting and had a good time even though my views on politics and religion differ quite a bit from the two speakers. Mr.S. loved it, he's a a huge fan of Carolla's podcast and tends be a bit more conservative than me in his beliefs. He must not be the only one in Sac because I'm pretty sure the show was sold out...it was really packed in there! Luckily we were in the second row so we had some breathing room.

I also got new wellies (in dark red!) and got to break them in this week. I was quite excited to finally get to wear them. They're quite comfortable as well as fashionable...because you know you need to look fashionable when wading through a rainstorm. ;)

And don't worry, I did a little tinkering around in the kitchen too. I would have done more but I just couldn't get myself to go out in the foul weather to the grocery store. It's not the rain that bothers me, it's the crazy drivers! Anyhow, I was craving something rich and hearty to warm me up, so I threw together some chicken and mushrooms with a flavorful sherry sauce. If you love the taste of garlic and shallots (we do!), then you're bound to like this delicious recipe.

Chicken and Mushrooms in Sherry Sauce

Ingredients

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breast- cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup fresh shimeiji mushrooms

1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

3 shallots, minced

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/2 cups no salt chicken broth

1/2 cup dry sherry

2 tablespoons cornstarch

salt and fresh ground back pepper


Instructions

1.  In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned (about 5 minutes).

2. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside in a bowl.

3. Add olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, saute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, stirring frequently until they soften.

4. Return chicken to skillet. Then add rosemary, thyme and white pepper. Cook for 1 more minute.

5. Add the chicken broth and sherry to the mixture.

6. Reduce heat the medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

7. Remove a 1/2 cup of sauce from skillet. Add cornstarch to the cup of sauce. Whisk, then return to skillet.

8. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.

9. Remove from heat and serve with with rice, pasta or by itself.

Mangia!

Mangia!

1800 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95811.  (916) 448-3898
http://www.mangiaoncapitol.com/

We all want to eat healthier but at some point you get sick and tired of making kale salads and farro casseroles in your kitchen. Or maybe you're getting carpal tunnel syndrome from all that online holiday shopping and need some respite and a bite to eat? Then head over to Mangia!. I recently visited this cute little eatery with my friend Gretchen and I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty sandwiches and salads they're churning out. They recently opened shop next to Paesano's on Capitol Avenue, where a Java City used to occupy. They're right on the corner, you can't miss it- just look for the outdoor seating and the big windows.

Mangia! is open from 7am M-F and 8am on Saturdays, perfect for grabbing a breakfast panini on your way to work or popping over to nosh on one of their delicious sandwiches during your lunch break. They have about 15 specialty sandwiches on their menu, ranging from $7 to $9. The breakfast items (loaded bagels and fresh paninis) run from $4 to $6. They also offer soups, salads and fancy coffee drinks. On my visit there, I ordered their Atomic Meatloaf sandwich. Not exactly a calorie conscious choice, but how could I not? It was described as, "Bacon wrapped meatloaf served warm with jack cheese, red onion jam, housemade pickles and hot Mangia! fire sauce on an Acme roll." I bet your mouth's watering now, eh? Well, let me tell you- it lived up to my expectations. Total foodgasm. The hearty slice of meatloaf tasted just like Mom's (well, maybe not my Mom's but someone's mom) and the fire sauce/onion jam combo was quite simply- kickass. My only complaint? It would have been nice to have some chips come with it but I would definitely go back and order this again. My lunch date, Gretchen, who's a complete sweetie, offered me a nibble of her Bombay Chicken Salad sandwich, which I enjoyed as well. There was a spicy undertone (a mixture of jalapenos and red onion) which offset the sweetness of the curried mango mayo and plump golden raisins. It was no slouch in the yummy sandwich department. Mangia! smartly offers the option of ordering all their sandwiches sans bread. Instead you can have the fixin's over a bowl of crisp lettuce. I could see doing that with the Bombay Chicken Salad- it'd make a wonderful salad. Gretchen also ordered a side dish called, "Super Foods," which she excitedly told me I had to try. I'm glad she talked me into taking a taste- it was terrific. The Super Foods was a medley of quinoa, butternut squash, beets, blueberries, almonds and kale tossed with a light acai vinaigrette. I detected that there was a touch of cinnamon mixed in there as well. Now, now...don't turn up your nose. The Super Foods salad had a clean, invigorating taste that was delightful. I think I might try making this one at home. I really liked it and could see myself eating this healthy side a few times a week without tiring of it.

Since my visit, I've talked to a few friends about Mangia! to see their take on this joint. They all raved about the Hail Mary (house cured hot pastrami and melted gooey Swiss topped with Russian dressing and chipotle slaw on an Acme roll). I'm pretty sure a few of them were salivating while they were describing it. Also, one of my buddies who is gluten-free informed me that Mangia! offers gluten-free bread if you ask for it. (Nice! I like it when businesses try to be sensitive to their customer's dietary needs or preferences.) I think I might need to scoot over there soon and test out this Hail Mary. I'll let you know if it's a touchdown or not. In the meantime, the prices at Mangia! are on par with other casual eateries in the Grid, the sandwiches are bueno and the service staff is really friendly (they had an employee circulating through the tables checking in on patrons to make sure everything was to their liking). If you're in the area- pop over there and give them a try yourself, I would love to hear about your experience there.

lingzhi coffee

lingzhi coffee

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This mushroom is known among Chinese medicine practitioners as the ‘King of Herbs’. The ganoderma fungus is naturally bestowed with medicative properties that protect the immune system, provide energy and vitality, minimize tiredness and enhance longevity.
And whereas regular coffee contains between 60 to 150mg of caffeine, Gano coffee has only 9mg of caffeine. That’s a whopping difference.
Even though coffee is so ubiquitous in our society, most people who happily down several cups a day don’t realize caffeine’s actually considered a psychoactive drug.
It’s classed that way because it elevates blood glucose, which stimulates the central nervous system, altering mood and behaviour. It gives the illusion of an energy surge but what’s really happening to the body is, in fact, deeply detrimental to health. And it goes without saying, that’s especially true if consumed with the regularity and strength that many people drink it.
No wonder a double short black espresso can have the head reeling and the heart thumping!
When you consider that some obvious side effects of drinking regular coffee include insomnia, tremors, nervousness, restlessness, irritability and headaches, it’s bad enough.
But let’s look at the complete list. What’s happening inside your body is truly scary.
Elevation of blood fatty acid levels; elevation of blood pressure and/or serum cholesterol levels; irregular heartbeats and palpitations, and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia and heart attack; increased gastric acid production & aggravation of peptic ulcers; increased heartburn ; increased symptoms of PMS; increased risk of bladder and rectal cancer; higher risk of the birth of a low-birth-weight child; and increased urinary calcium losses!
Why wouldn’t you want to do something about it? By switching to Gano coffee , you can still sip your coffee and enjoy that wonderful aroma and sublime taste, but now you know it’s doing you good! TRY GANODERMA COFFEE TODAY



 Common coffee will give you effects are as follows:
- dehydrates
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- raises blood pressure
- raises stress levels in the body (increased cortisol)
- coffee jitters and caffeine crash

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- natural detoxification
- increase immune system
- provides energy, oxygenates the body
- decaffeinated (no jitter or caffeine crash)
- with ganoderma extract (the king of herbs)
- will give you extra income while you drink.

DXN Lingzhi Coffee 3 in 1 is specially blended with finest quality coffee beans and 100% pure Lingzhi with no artificial colouring, flavoring and preservatives.

Lingzhi Black Coffee          

 

With a unique formula of Lingzhi Black Coffee finest quality instant coffee and Ganoderma extract, DXN Lingzhi Black Coffee does not contain any sugar additives thus consider a perfect beverage for the health-conscious consumers.

Lingzhi Black Coffee also brings you the satisfying taste of real coffee.

Lingzhi Coffee 2 in 1         








DXN Lingzhi Coffee 2 in 1 contains Ganoderma extract. The ingredients are easily dissolved and produce fine aromatic beverage. One cup of Lingzhi Coffee 2 in 1 helps restore your mood.

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Cuttlefish Salad (sotong kangkung}

Cuttlefish Salad (sotong kangkung}

Ingredients:
1 fresh cuttlefish
1 bunch kangkung
1 string tauhu pok
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp teecheo (sweet sauce)
1 tsp chili sauce


Method:
1. Blanch cuttlefish in hot boiling water until it curls up. Put aside to cool down.

2. Blanch kangkung and tauhu pok for a few minutes. Drain out the water.

3. Slice the cuttlefish thinly. Cut the kangkung into 3cm in length and the tauhu pok in quarters.

4. Place the kangkung in a plate, followed by cuttlefish and tauhu pok.

5. Pour some sweet sauce and chili on top of it. Sprinkle some sesame seeds.

6. Serve with rice.

Note: You can use rojak sauce to replace the sweet sauce.

Food Addiction

Food Addiction

This is a guest post written by Uttoran Sen.
Those of you, who eat a healthy and balanced diet, skip the cola and drink water, avoid the junk and cook at home, substitute sugar with natural sweeteners like honey – food addiction might be an alien concept for them.
However, unfortunately, most people aren’t that disciplined when it comes to eating. You eat as much as you want; you chase the taste instead of nutrition and very soon without you even realizing you fall into one of the food addiction traps that are so very hard to get out of.
Here, in this article, we are going to list some common signs and symptoms of food addiction.
1.  Lack of control – You know you have eaten more than the portion you have set aside for yourself and you still can’t stop eating. Lack of control over your diet is a serious sign of food addiction and should be taken very seriously. This is where it all begins and surely it can end here if you just put more self-control over your eating.
2.  Eating in private – You are ashamed of your food intake and you feel more comfortable to eat at some place private where people can’t see you eating.
3.  Food as a prize – How do you reward yourself for your achievement and success? Right, you eat more – you give yourself an awesome treat. While this is not bad in general, however if this is just an excuse for you to eat more, then it is time you give it a second thought.
4.  Are your clothes tight? – Your new dresses are just as tight as the old ones, and there is no way you can fit into any of those. Get some control over your eating or start wearing those large size clothes – take your pick.
5.  Prefer food over party – Why do we go to a party? Dance, drink, food, meet new people, make friends, eat more food, get some free time, release tension, even more food, Right?

If the sole reason for you to go to a party is to eat food then you should be going to a restaurant instead.

6.  Lifestyle changes – Are you changing yourself so that you can eat more food? You do exercise, join a gym, get loose clothes etc. just because you can’t get rid of the extra calories that your diet provides.
7.  You lie about your eating – Have you ever talked about your food intake with any one? Do you tell people that you just had some snacks when the reality is that the snacks you ate would be good enough for someone’s whole lunch?
8.  Eat with a full stomach – You feel like eating even if your stomach is full. You keep eating till the point when you can no longer eat any more and finally fall sick.
9.  Eating when sad – When you feel low, when you are sad – you start eating? You take comfort from food and use it to get rid of the sadness that is surrounding you.
10.  Speed eating – Do you eat quickly so that you can eat even more?
11.  I hunger – The feeling of being hungry – is it affecting your life? You cannot focus on your everyday work, can’t work in your office, can’t do your day-to-day activities, because that feeling – hunger – is taking control over yourself.
This happens with every addiction, it stops you from doing your regular work because there is only one thing in your mind – the thing you are addicted to. This is how substance abuse goes on; you can’t stay away from it.
12.  Over eating guilt – Yes, this is the worst of the feelings. You know you have done wrong, you know you are guilty of overeating – but there is nothing you can do to stop it. No matter how much you think about it today, how many failed promises you make – yet there will be tomorrow and you will over eat again.SEE THIS FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE:
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Where Have All The Jewish Delis Gone?

Where Have All The Jewish Delis Gone?

Did you know there are only 120 or so authentic Jewish delis left in the country, while at one time there were 2,000 in New York alone? Sad isn't it? It's getting harder and harder to find a good, solid deli sandwich in the US. And if you think Subway makes a good deli sandwich- fuggedaboutit!

I think one of life's great pleasures is to bite into a warm, salty pastrami sandwich slathered with spicy brown mustard or piled high with tangy sauerkraut. It doesn't get any better than that! If you're curious what's going on with all the Jewish delis disappearing, check out this great documentary , "Deli Man," by Erik Greenberg Anjou.

Be a good listener and the world is in your hand

Be a good listener and the world is in your hand

Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of your relationships with others.

• We listen to obtain information.

• We listen to understand.

• We listen for enjoyment.

• We listen to learn.

Real listening is an active process that has three basic steps. Hearing just means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying. For example, say you were listening to a report on zebras, and the speaker mentioned that no two are alike. If you can repeat the fact, then you have heard what has been said. The next part of listening happens when you take what you have heard and understand it in your own way. Let's go back to that report on zebras.

When you hear that no two are alike, think about what that might mean. You might think, "Maybe this means that the pattern of stripes is different for each zebra." After you are sure you understand what the speaker has said, think about whether it makes sense. Do you believe what you have heard? You might think, "How could the stripes be different for every zebra? But then again, the fingerprints are different for every person. I think this seems believable."

The average college student spends about 14 hours per week in class listening to lectures. Following some of the strategies below all this listening can be made more productive:

• Maintain eye contact with the instructor. Of course you will need to look at your notebook to write your notes, but eye contact keeps you focused on the job at hand and keeps you involved in the lecture.

• Focus on content, not delivery. Have you ever counted the number of times a teacher clears his/her throat in a fifteen minute period? If so, you weren't focusing on content.

• Avoid emotional involvement. When you are too emotionally involved in listening, you tend to hear what you want to hear--not what is actually being said. Try to remain objective and open-minded.

• Avoid distractions. Don't let your mind wander or be distracted by the person shuffling papers near you. If the classroom is too hot or too cold try to remedy that situation if you can. The solution may require that you dress more appropriately to the room temperature.

• Treat listening as a challenging mental task. Listening to an academic lecture is not a passive act--at least it shouldn't be. You need to concentrate on what is said so that you can process the information into your notes.

• Stay active by asking mental questions. Active listening keeps you on your toes. Here are some questions you can ask yourself as you listen. What key point is the professor making? How does this fit with what I know from previous lectures? How is this lecture organized?

• Use the gap between the rate of speech and your rate of thought. You can think faster than the lecturer can talk. That's one reason your mind may tend to wander. All the above suggestions will help you keep your mind occupied and focused on what being said. You can actually begin to anticipate what the professor is going to say as a way to keep your mind from straying. Your mind does have the capacity to listen, think, write and ponder at the same time, but it does take practice.

It takes a lot of concentration and determination to be an active listener. Old habits are hard to break, and if your listening habits are as bad as many people's are, then there's a lot of habit-breaking to do!

Be deliberate with your listening and remind yourself frequently that your goal is to truly hear what the other person is saying. Set aside all other thoughts and behaviors and concentrate on the message. Ask questions, reflect, and paraphrase to ensure you understand the message. If you don't, then you'll find that what someone says to you and what you hear can be amazingly different!

Start using active listening today to become a better communicator, improve your workplace productivity, and develop better relationships.

Fried Duck Vegetables With Egg

Fried Duck Vegetables With Egg

This is a vegetable that we seldom find in the market. It is a leafy vegetable with soft leaves. When cooked it has a dark green colour and tastes good. Some people call it duck vegetables because the leaves look like the duck's feet.

Ingredients:

8-10 leaves of duck vegetables
2 onions
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp anchovy stock
oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and cut the vegetables. Pound onions till fine.

2.  Heat up a wok and fry onions with 2 eggs. Stir-fry the eggs into small pieces. Add in the vegetables and stir fry for another few minutes.

3. Add salt and anchovy stock and mix well. Serve on a plate.

Pomegranate And Apple Juice

Pomegranate And Apple Juice

Some research have found that Pomegranate juice has about about three times more antioxidants than red wine or green tea. Many people drink this juice because of its rich taste and also an excellent agent for promoting blood flow to the heart. It has also been found to reduce plaque in the arteries. It is helpful in preventing heart attacks and stroke.

Apples too have many benefits. Some researchers have found that daily intake of this fruit provide anti-cancer benefits.

Ingredients:
1 fresh pomegranate
1 green apple

Method:
1. Wash and cut pomegranate and apple.

2. Put the fruits in a fruit juicer and extract the juice.

3. Drink it everyday for better health,

Super Stuffed Acorn Squash -- Perfect for Thanksgiving!

Super Stuffed Acorn Squash -- Perfect for Thanksgiving!

Hope you all had a great weekend and were able to stay dry. Something about dreary weather just makes me want to sloth out on the couch in comfy pajamas, with a big ol' mug of hot bourbon cider and a good book (I'm currently making my way through Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened, which is seriously pee-your-pants funny).

It was raining cats and dogs Friday, so I brought Pepper pup over to my cottage for some cuddling. He sure hates riding in the car to get here but loves napping on the couch! We had a lazy afternoon listening to the rain pelt against the roof until it was time to go meet up with Mr.S.

This weekend I also saw Ovation Stage's production of Kitchen Witches with my friend Michelle. Have you seen it? It was pretty good. The acting was smooth and they had quite the funny script. I absolutely loved Deborah Shalhoub's character, Dolly Biddle.

Photo Source: Ovation Stage

I also found a little time to dabble in the kitchen. I've recently turned Mr.S. onto squash so we've been taste testing several varieties to see which ones we like the best. So far we've made our way through delicata, sweet dumpling, kabocha and acorn. The last one I prepared was the acorn squash. It had a mild, sweet, nutty flavor that both of us liked. To fancy up the squash a bit, I made a batch of my winter quinoa which we stuffed the squash with and then topped with a sprinkling of goat cheese. Fantastic! It was so good that Mr.S. asked me to make more squash the next night. Isn't it awesome when you find something that tastes great and is nutritious? Can't go wrong there!

Super Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

2 medium sized acorn squash, each cut in half

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup quinoa ( I used Trader Joe's Organic Tri-Color Quinoa)

2 cups vegetable broth

8 oz. of your favorite breakfast sausage, chopped/crumbled  (I used Farmer John's Old-Fashioned Maple Sausage Links)

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped

1 small Fuji apple, cored and chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 bunch of chard, ribs removed and torn into bite sized pieces

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

3 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese (or 3-4 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan)

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cut each squash in half crosswise; scoop out and discard seeds. Coat squash with olive oil.

3. Place squash cut-side down on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet.

4. Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes.

5. While that's cooking, rinse your quinoa. Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with the broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for however long the product's instructions say, usually 15-30 minutes.

6. In a large skillet, cook your sausage. Drain and set aside on a paper-towel covered plate.

7. In the now empty skillet, heat up some olive oil over med-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add your chopped onions. Cook until semi-translucent.

8. Add garlic, apple and chard. Cook until the chard becomes wilted.

9. Check your quinoa. If it's done (you can tell when it's done cooking because there be a little white ring that curls around it, this is called the germ), add it to your skillet.

10. Toss in your teaspoon of thyme, cooked sausage and dried cranberries. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook the whole shebang for about 3 minutes and then set aside.

 

 

11. Now take your roasted acorn squash and flip them over. The flesh should be tender and the exposed side should be a bit caramelized. Fill the holes with several scoops of your quinoa mixture and sprinkle some lovely goat cheese (or Parmesan) on it.

12. Pop the stuffed squash back in the oven (same temp) for another 5-6 minutes.

13. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a spoon.

(Note: The flesh of the acorn squash will be nice and soft and quite yummy- almost like a warm veggie ice cream. The skin on this particular squash is edible too but a bit tougher than say the skin on a delicata. I'm not a big fan of it but if you like it, knock yourself out.)

DXN Cordyceps

DXN Cordyceps

 

DXN Cordyceps sinensis, one of the most valued Chinese medicinal herbs, is found naturally in the highlands of China, Tibet and Nepal. Cordyceps contains various nutrients and active ingredients, which include cordycepic acid, cordycepin, amino acids, glutamic acid, polysaccharides, vitamin B12 among others.

Cordyceps sinensis, also called Chinese caterpillar fungus, Cs-4, Dong Chong Xia Caoor, or semitake, is a fungus native to the Tibetan plateau in China. The fungus is parasitic, and grows in the moth caterpillar. Spores enter the host, germinate, and ultimately kill the larva. Although species of cordyceps are seen in Europe and the Americas, only the Chinese form has been used medically. Cordyceps has a long history of use in Chinese medicine. Its traditional roles have been restorative; improving the quality of life, and increasing energy and longevity. Traditional uses of the thousand year "rejuvenation" herb include the following:

-impotence treatment
-increase fertility
-stimulate immune system
-improve resistance to bacteria
-increase resistance to viruses
-relieve fatigue
-vitality tonic for mind and body, especially in aging men

Benefits of DXN Cordyceps Sinensis:
1. Restful Sleep
2. Natural Anti-Cancer Agent
3. Blood Pressure Regulation
4. Respiratory Help
5. Sexual Rejuvenator
6. Increased Fertility
7. Increased Energy
8. Anti-Aging Properties
9. Blood Sugar Regulation
10. Memory Improvement and Mood Enhancer
11. Increased Absorption Of Other Nutrients
12.Blood Builder and Purifier
13.Outstanding Kidney Rejuvenation
14.Improved Liver Function

Packaging size :

60 capsules

120 tablets

Buy  

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