Creola
Ron and I decided to try a new restaurant for us in San Carlos, Creola which actually has been around for some time. It is in the New Orleans style of foods. Some of the best meals we have had was when we visited New Orleans many years ago. Wow!
I had their prawns creola over rice, it was delicious and Ron had a lightly blackened white fish which was cooked perfectly. Of course we had to try their beignets for dessert, very good, but not as good as the famous Cafe in the French Quarter. I really liked the atmosphere, even though it was busy, we could have a conversation with no problem. I would definitely go back.
I will share my Jambalaya recipe next blog.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Healthy Tidbits
So far any single food has not been proven to be a miracle food. Interesting article...
Açaí: The Ponzi Berry
Offers for açaí juice and supplements have flooded the nation’s email boxes and airwaves. Don’t get hoodwinked by the claims and "free trials."
Açaí berries are a dietary staple in Brazil and have also been used medicinally by Amazonian tribes. Açaí juice was introduced in the U.S. in 2001, and there are now dozens of food and drink products containing açaí. As a juice, pulp, powder, or capsule, açaí is marketed as a magic path to weight loss, a wrinkle remover, a way to cleanse the body of "toxins," and indeed just a plain old miracle cure.
On the Internet you’ll find a bouquet of endorsements for açaí from such celebrities as Oprah and Rachael Ray (the TV chef), plus statements by these same celebrities denying any such endorsement. You will also find a war of words among makers of açaí products, each one claiming safety and effectiveness for its particular formulation, and warning of scams by others.
Since açaí came on the market there have been a few studies pointing to potential benefits. Like many other fruits, açaí berries are high in antioxidants and other interesting compounds. But these were lab studies, and the results may not apply to humans. There is no scientific basis for weight-loss claims or any other health claims for açaí.
Consumer protection groups and the Better Business Bureau have now come out against açaí marketers. "If Bernard Madoff were in the food business," said one nutritionist, "he’d be offering 'free' trials of açaí-based weight-loss products." Online ads regularly promise a free trial of açaí, saying that all you have to pay is shipping and handling. The catch is that you must supply your credit card number, and you’ll automatically be signed up for $50 monthly shipments that will prove hard to cancel.
We urge you not to give your credit card number to anybody selling açaí products. Hundreds of complaints have been registered, and you may never get your money back.
There is no magic berry for weight loss or good health. Açaí berries are no doubt a good food, like other berries, but why pay a fortune for them or supplements containing them?
(Berkeley Wellness Alert-January 2010)
I do have a favorite fruit juice blend that is less expensive than the "Monavie" and that is Costco's "Fruitavie" and is delicious and half the price. It does keep my morning routine on schedule. But I believe it is good to mix it up with all your foods. Find what you like, we are spoiled with all our choices here in California.
Açaí: The Ponzi Berry
Offers for açaí juice and supplements have flooded the nation’s email boxes and airwaves. Don’t get hoodwinked by the claims and "free trials."
Açaí berries are a dietary staple in Brazil and have also been used medicinally by Amazonian tribes. Açaí juice was introduced in the U.S. in 2001, and there are now dozens of food and drink products containing açaí. As a juice, pulp, powder, or capsule, açaí is marketed as a magic path to weight loss, a wrinkle remover, a way to cleanse the body of "toxins," and indeed just a plain old miracle cure.
On the Internet you’ll find a bouquet of endorsements for açaí from such celebrities as Oprah and Rachael Ray (the TV chef), plus statements by these same celebrities denying any such endorsement. You will also find a war of words among makers of açaí products, each one claiming safety and effectiveness for its particular formulation, and warning of scams by others.
Since açaí came on the market there have been a few studies pointing to potential benefits. Like many other fruits, açaí berries are high in antioxidants and other interesting compounds. But these were lab studies, and the results may not apply to humans. There is no scientific basis for weight-loss claims or any other health claims for açaí.
Consumer protection groups and the Better Business Bureau have now come out against açaí marketers. "If Bernard Madoff were in the food business," said one nutritionist, "he’d be offering 'free' trials of açaí-based weight-loss products." Online ads regularly promise a free trial of açaí, saying that all you have to pay is shipping and handling. The catch is that you must supply your credit card number, and you’ll automatically be signed up for $50 monthly shipments that will prove hard to cancel.
We urge you not to give your credit card number to anybody selling açaí products. Hundreds of complaints have been registered, and you may never get your money back.
There is no magic berry for weight loss or good health. Açaí berries are no doubt a good food, like other berries, but why pay a fortune for them or supplements containing them?
(Berkeley Wellness Alert-January 2010)
I do have a favorite fruit juice blend that is less expensive than the "Monavie" and that is Costco's "Fruitavie" and is delicious and half the price. It does keep my morning routine on schedule. But I believe it is good to mix it up with all your foods. Find what you like, we are spoiled with all our choices here in California.
Friday, February 5, 2010
SANDWICHES
Last night I decided to go for quick and easy for dinner. I made a salad with 3 beans, green, garbanzo, and kidney beans, lettuce, onion and a few brussel sprouts. I made a garlicy oil and vinegar dressing and sprinkled it with parmensan cheese.
But I wanted to share the following recipe, Croque Monsieur, it sounds fancy but is super easy and fast.
Croque Monsieur for Two
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp mayo or (fat free)
4 slices french bread
4 slices of your favorite ham
4 slices or shredded gruyere cheese
1 egg or egg subsitute
1/8-1/4 cup lowfat milk, I happened to use a splash of leftover 1/2 & 1/2
Combine mustard and mayo, spread on one side of bread.
Layer each slice with ham and cheese.
Combine egg and milk in a shallow dish. Dip both sides on each sandwich into egg mixture. (just like making french toast)
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat, spray with 'Pam' cooking spray. Add sandwiches to hot pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until light brown and the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!
Serve with a green salad.
But I wanted to share the following recipe, Croque Monsieur, it sounds fancy but is super easy and fast.
Croque Monsieur for Two
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp mayo or (fat free)
4 slices french bread
4 slices of your favorite ham
4 slices or shredded gruyere cheese
1 egg or egg subsitute
1/8-1/4 cup lowfat milk, I happened to use a splash of leftover 1/2 & 1/2
Combine mustard and mayo, spread on one side of bread.
Layer each slice with ham and cheese.
Combine egg and milk in a shallow dish. Dip both sides on each sandwich into egg mixture. (just like making french toast)
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat, spray with 'Pam' cooking spray. Add sandwiches to hot pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until light brown and the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!
Serve with a green salad.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Exercise
Here is a great article from Prevention Magazine about exercise. I have believed in it for a long time. I actually grew up swimming during the summers, snow skiing in the winters and hiking in between. My family was very active. So as an adult I have added Aerobics for a time and now enjoy Jazzercise and walking and summer hiking at Lake Tahoe. Invest in a treadmill. I love mine and can walk any time and in any weather and read a book or listen to the radio at the same time. Also it is very important to add strength training a few times a week. Exercise always makes me feel better!
The Fitness Formula
Our ultimate exercise plan to keep your heart healthy, your bones strong, your mind sharp, and your skin glowing and wrinkle free.
By Caroline Bollinger , Caroline Bollinger is Prevention's fitness editor.
There really is a fountain of youth:
It's called exercise. How? Let us count the ways: In study after study, regular workouts have been proven to insulate you from heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, stroke, and diabetes. Exercise lowers blood pressure, reduces body fat, raises "good" cholesterol, lowers "bad" cholesterol, improves blood flow, keeps intestines and the colon healthy, and regulates key hormones.
To ensure you reap all these benefits, we asked leading experts on aging and exercise to devise the ultimate anti-aging workout. All agreed that it should include the four cornerstones of age prevention: consistent cardio, intense intervals, yoga, and weight training. Start now and you can turn back the clock...for life.
1. DO: Consistent Cardio
The verdict is in: People who exercise almost daily really do keep ticking longer. When scientists pored over data from the famous Framingham Heart Study of more than 5,000 women and men, they discovered that active folks lived nearly 4 years longer than their inactive peers, largely because they sidestep heart disease--the nation's leading killer. Aerobic exercise such as walking, biking, jogging, and swimming protects your heart by lowering blood pressure, reducing "bad" cholesterol, and keeping arteries flexible to improve blood flow. Your Rx: 30 minutes, 5 days a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Work at a pace that allows you to talk freely; if you can sing, you're not exercising hard enough. To get started, choose an activity you enjoy and do 10 minutes, 5 days a week. Then increase by 5 minutes each week until you're doing 30 minutes at a time. Dividing your exercise into three 10-minute bouts throughout the day works, too.
2. DO: Intense Intervals
Exercise keeps your mind fit by bringing more blood and oxygen to the noggin, rejuvenating your brain in the process. "The hippocampus, the main area of the brain where memory resides, is particularly susceptible to damage from low blood flow or lack of oxygen--both of which become more likely as we age," says brain researcher Eric B. Larson, MD, of the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle. Doing bursts of higher intensity activity will increase blood flow and oxygen even more. Your Rx: 45 minutes, twice a week (moderate-paced cardio exercise interspersed with 1-minute speed bursts every 2 minutes). Based on a 1-to-10 scale, you should feel like you're working at an intensity of 7 or 8 (brisk enough that you can talk, but you'd rather not) during the speed bursts and an intensity of 5 or 6 (moderate enough that you can talk freely) the rest of the time. If you're just starting out, do 15-second intervals, slowly building up to 1 minute as your endurance increases. Because this is cardio exercise, you don't have to do these workouts on top of the steady-paced cardio session at left (though you can if you have the time, and you'll shape up even faster). Just extend two of those workouts and make them intervals.
3. DO: Weight Training
A healthy heart is key, but unless you have strong bones and muscles, getting up off the couch, climbing the stairs, and walking out the door to enjoy life won't be so easy. Lifting weights is one of the best ways to keep these body systems in tip-top shape, says Wendy Kohrt, PhD, a professor in the division of geriatric medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. And it can help you stand tall--a quick way to look younger. Your Rx: 20 minutes, twice a week. Pick up two sets of dumbbells (3 and 5 pounds for beginners; 5 and 10 or 10 and 20 if you need an even bigger challenge), available at most department stores or sporting goods stores. Then follow the strength-building workouts at prevention.com/firmbody.
4. DO: Yoga
The less tense you are, the fewer lines and wrinkles you'll develop. One of the best workouts to fight stress? Yoga. In a German study, 3 hours of practice a week lowered the anxiety levels of 16 women ages 26 to 51 by a whopping 30%. "As your mouth, jaw, and brows relax, you can literally see the creases soften," says Larry Payne, PhD, director of the Yoga Therapy Rx program at Loyola Marymount University. It may also protect against free radicals, compounds that break down skin's elasticity. Your Rx: 30 minutes, four times a week. To get started, go to prevention.com/youthfulyoga.
The Fitness Formula
Our ultimate exercise plan to keep your heart healthy, your bones strong, your mind sharp, and your skin glowing and wrinkle free.
By Caroline Bollinger , Caroline Bollinger is Prevention's fitness editor.
There really is a fountain of youth:
It's called exercise. How? Let us count the ways: In study after study, regular workouts have been proven to insulate you from heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, stroke, and diabetes. Exercise lowers blood pressure, reduces body fat, raises "good" cholesterol, lowers "bad" cholesterol, improves blood flow, keeps intestines and the colon healthy, and regulates key hormones.
To ensure you reap all these benefits, we asked leading experts on aging and exercise to devise the ultimate anti-aging workout. All agreed that it should include the four cornerstones of age prevention: consistent cardio, intense intervals, yoga, and weight training. Start now and you can turn back the clock...for life.
1. DO: Consistent Cardio
The verdict is in: People who exercise almost daily really do keep ticking longer. When scientists pored over data from the famous Framingham Heart Study of more than 5,000 women and men, they discovered that active folks lived nearly 4 years longer than their inactive peers, largely because they sidestep heart disease--the nation's leading killer. Aerobic exercise such as walking, biking, jogging, and swimming protects your heart by lowering blood pressure, reducing "bad" cholesterol, and keeping arteries flexible to improve blood flow. Your Rx: 30 minutes, 5 days a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Work at a pace that allows you to talk freely; if you can sing, you're not exercising hard enough. To get started, choose an activity you enjoy and do 10 minutes, 5 days a week. Then increase by 5 minutes each week until you're doing 30 minutes at a time. Dividing your exercise into three 10-minute bouts throughout the day works, too.
2. DO: Intense Intervals
Exercise keeps your mind fit by bringing more blood and oxygen to the noggin, rejuvenating your brain in the process. "The hippocampus, the main area of the brain where memory resides, is particularly susceptible to damage from low blood flow or lack of oxygen--both of which become more likely as we age," says brain researcher Eric B. Larson, MD, of the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle. Doing bursts of higher intensity activity will increase blood flow and oxygen even more. Your Rx: 45 minutes, twice a week (moderate-paced cardio exercise interspersed with 1-minute speed bursts every 2 minutes). Based on a 1-to-10 scale, you should feel like you're working at an intensity of 7 or 8 (brisk enough that you can talk, but you'd rather not) during the speed bursts and an intensity of 5 or 6 (moderate enough that you can talk freely) the rest of the time. If you're just starting out, do 15-second intervals, slowly building up to 1 minute as your endurance increases. Because this is cardio exercise, you don't have to do these workouts on top of the steady-paced cardio session at left (though you can if you have the time, and you'll shape up even faster). Just extend two of those workouts and make them intervals.
3. DO: Weight Training
A healthy heart is key, but unless you have strong bones and muscles, getting up off the couch, climbing the stairs, and walking out the door to enjoy life won't be so easy. Lifting weights is one of the best ways to keep these body systems in tip-top shape, says Wendy Kohrt, PhD, a professor in the division of geriatric medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. And it can help you stand tall--a quick way to look younger. Your Rx: 20 minutes, twice a week. Pick up two sets of dumbbells (3 and 5 pounds for beginners; 5 and 10 or 10 and 20 if you need an even bigger challenge), available at most department stores or sporting goods stores. Then follow the strength-building workouts at prevention.com/firmbody.
4. DO: Yoga
The less tense you are, the fewer lines and wrinkles you'll develop. One of the best workouts to fight stress? Yoga. In a German study, 3 hours of practice a week lowered the anxiety levels of 16 women ages 26 to 51 by a whopping 30%. "As your mouth, jaw, and brows relax, you can literally see the creases soften," says Larry Payne, PhD, director of the Yoga Therapy Rx program at Loyola Marymount University. It may also protect against free radicals, compounds that break down skin's elasticity. Your Rx: 30 minutes, four times a week. To get started, go to prevention.com/youthfulyoga.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Education
Another great mind stimulating class yesterday afternoon. How do I sum up a 3 hour class...our teacher opened with a prayer song which he played on his harmonica, it was very sweet. I think it may be easier to list a few interesting thoughts to think about.
1.Life is a miracle.
2.Science is inadequate to measure the power of 'prayer'.
3.Often scientific discoveries come through one's imagination.
4.We talked about the placebo effect which is a treatment used as a control in a clinical scientific experiment. If you expect to be helped by a medicine or treatment you probably will, which is the body-mind medicine. "The placebo effect is so huge-between 35 and 75 percent of patients benefit from taking dummy pills in studies of new drugs..."(The New York Times 1/9/2000)
Again our teacher talks about science and the connection with the 'spiritual'.
I ended my day with delicious cracked crab from Cooks fish market!
1.Life is a miracle.
2.Science is inadequate to measure the power of 'prayer'.
3.Often scientific discoveries come through one's imagination.
4.We talked about the placebo effect which is a treatment used as a control in a clinical scientific experiment. If you expect to be helped by a medicine or treatment you probably will, which is the body-mind medicine. "The placebo effect is so huge-between 35 and 75 percent of patients benefit from taking dummy pills in studies of new drugs..."(The New York Times 1/9/2000)
Again our teacher talks about science and the connection with the 'spiritual'.
I ended my day with delicious cracked crab from Cooks fish market!
Monday, February 1, 2010
ROASTED VEGETABLES
One of my favorite dishes I have made many times for the family is roasted vegetables. It is fast and easy, I love anything you can roast in the oven and forget about it, only if you use a timer!
Roasted Vegetables
For 4 people, use your best judgment
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray pam on sheet pan and/or line with foil
You can use any vegetable you like, but this is a starting point
2-4 potatoes, small red or yellow, or any other cut in half
1-2 onions cut in large chunks
1-2 peppers any color cut into chunks
1 eggplant sliced and cut into chunks
2-3 zucchini or other squash cut in thick chunks
2-3 carrots cut into chunks
Garlic , either whole cloves or sliced, as many as desired
Drizzle olive oil over all
Sprinkle with Italian herbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder or other favorite seasonings.
Mix well.
Bake in oven for about 45 min to 1 hour. Stir once half way thru.
You can use any of your favorite vegetables, root veg, sweet potatoes, and squashes. Also I sometimes add sausages, or chicken thighs or breasts. It then becomes a complete meal. Before serving add shredded cheese of choice or just Parmesan cheese.
Roasted Vegetables
For 4 people, use your best judgment
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray pam on sheet pan and/or line with foil
You can use any vegetable you like, but this is a starting point
2-4 potatoes, small red or yellow, or any other cut in half
1-2 onions cut in large chunks
1-2 peppers any color cut into chunks
1 eggplant sliced and cut into chunks
2-3 zucchini or other squash cut in thick chunks
2-3 carrots cut into chunks
Garlic , either whole cloves or sliced, as many as desired
Drizzle olive oil over all
Sprinkle with Italian herbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder or other favorite seasonings.
Mix well.
Bake in oven for about 45 min to 1 hour. Stir once half way thru.
You can use any of your favorite vegetables, root veg, sweet potatoes, and squashes. Also I sometimes add sausages, or chicken thighs or breasts. It then becomes a complete meal. Before serving add shredded cheese of choice or just Parmesan cheese.
New Favorite Finds
I always like to check out the Sunday Chronicle's food section and see what they have taste tested. I have 3 new favorites to share.
Siggi's non-fat yogurt, it is thick and creamy and nonfat, you would never know it is nonfat.
Udi's granola, yummy
Cowgirl Creamery's new cheese, Devils Gulch, actually all their cheeses are great.
I found all at Whole Foods in Redwood City.
One other favorite I love is Harney and Sons teas, I discovered their English Breakfast tea while vacationing in Maui. We were having the fabulous buffet breakfast there and I fell in love with their tea and have been drinking it ever since. I order it online where you can also request samples of their teas for $2. Great way to taste test.
Since I am talking about new 'finds' I went to the library and checked out Jim Lahey's new bread cookbook. I tried 2 bread recipes and the Ciabatta came out awesome, the trick is a hot oven and baking it in a covered heavy pot. I am going to try a couple of more recipes this week.
Siggi's non-fat yogurt, it is thick and creamy and nonfat, you would never know it is nonfat.
Udi's granola, yummy
Cowgirl Creamery's new cheese, Devils Gulch, actually all their cheeses are great.
I found all at Whole Foods in Redwood City.
One other favorite I love is Harney and Sons teas, I discovered their English Breakfast tea while vacationing in Maui. We were having the fabulous buffet breakfast there and I fell in love with their tea and have been drinking it ever since. I order it online where you can also request samples of their teas for $2. Great way to taste test.
Since I am talking about new 'finds' I went to the library and checked out Jim Lahey's new bread cookbook. I tried 2 bread recipes and the Ciabatta came out awesome, the trick is a hot oven and baking it in a covered heavy pot. I am going to try a couple of more recipes this week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
