Pick-Me Ups: Morning Foods

Posted by Emily on Apr 10, 2012 in Meal Tips | 0 comments

There are plenty of reasons out there as to why it is difficult to wake up. Maybe you did not get to bed until late the night before, you could be overcoming some illness, or maybe you have a bad hangover. Any of these can make waking up a very difficult thing to do. Here are some foods and such that can take a little bit of the sting out of the morning melancholy.

Ginger is a bitter root that is a very powerful antioxidant. You have probably had it with sushi or as a tea. When ingested in large quantities, it can be quite shocking to the senses. It is very good at helping your digestive system and keeps everything down there functioning properly. It helps you to minimize acid reflux or heart burn in your system. Make sure that when you have this, you are consuming it in either tea form or mixed with other foods because it is not as effective on an empty stomach.

Honey also contains many antioxidants that are good for you and help you to wake up and function properly. Some people in Poland use honey mixed with pickle juice as a hangover remedy. While it may sound a bit distasteful, they swear by it. If that is not quite up your alley, just a few spoonfuls of the golden nectar should be enough to give you a healing kick.

The prickly pear cactus has also been revered as a wake-up food. It reduces nausea, fixes dry mouth, and restores appetites. It is an extract that can be taken in supplement form or you can purchase the fruit in a local asian market and cook it up in some recipes or just drinking the extract.

Eggs are especially good for hangovers. They contain an amino acid called cysteine, which aids in the body’s detoxification after consuming alcohol. Specifically, cysteine targets acetaldehyde which is the product of the oxidation of ethanol which is a part of alcohol. Acetaldehyde is what causes you to have that headache and loss of appetite. Once you wake up and knock down a cup of ginger tea, scramble yourself an egg or two and you are well on your way to feeling better.

Pho is a type of Vietnamese noodle that is served in beef broth. Typically, the soup consists of beef, tripe, onions, and bean sprouts. It is a very warm dish and is just the thing to fill you up. It is a wonderful meal when you are feeling sick or out of sorts. If your stomach is a bit upset, this is also the perfect meal for you. You can add lime juice or some sweet Hoison sauce to make it fit your taste. This is better than a bowl of chicken noodle soup and is healthier and more filling as well.

If a meal does not quite sound like what you want, then go for a small can of tomato juice. There is some salt in there that makes it a bit bold, but it also has so many nutrients in it that you cannot help but feel better after drinking it.

You Are What You Eat

Posted by Emily on Mar 29, 2012 in Healthy Foods | 0 comments

I am certain that at some point in your life that you heard this saying. Maybe your mom said it to you as you started on your third cup of root beer and fourth piece of pizza, if not then that was an experience that must be unique to my family. But you know what I am trying to say here. I was always curious about the origin, because I was convinced that this was true when I was young and was terrified of actually turning into Cheerios and mac ‘n cheese. For those of you also wondering about the origin of this statement, here is some history.

The message behind this statement is that when you want to be healthy and fit, then you need to eat good foods and not those laden in sugars and fats. The phrase was used at various times before it made it to the United States. A french author, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, wrote a book that contained the phrase [translated into English]: “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” That is pretty darn close to the modern colloquialism. His book was published in the summer of 1826.

The next mention of something close to this is by Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach. He wrote an essay that was all about materialism and how it relates to religion and spiritualism. In the translated version of that essay, Feuerbach says that “man is what he eats”. That was around forty years after Brillat-Savarin wrote his book.

This phrase ended up catching fire in Britain and was monopolized on by Victor Lindlahr, who was a nutritionist in the late 1920s. He used the phrase “you are what you eat” in an article that he wrote for a local newspaper. The article receives so much attention that he ended up using it as the baseline for a book that he was writing about dieting and nutritional stuff.

The final phase of this phrase was during the hippy era in the ‘60s. During this era, whole foods and healthy eating become very popular. There was a belief among some people that eating unhealthily leads to cancer and other bodily issues.

Another origin for this phrase comes from the Catholic church, and their administration of the sacrament. The sacrament is bread and wine that symbolize the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ and by eating and drinking of it, they believe that you are partaking of the mercy of Christ and becoming more like him.

Whichever origin makes sense to you, then by all means go with that one. These are just a few options to pick from so that you can better understand what this phrase means and that there is a small amount of truth in it.

Surprising Uses for Lemon Peels

Posted by Emily on Mar 15, 2012 in Meal Tips | 0 comments

There are plenty of uses for common household items that you probably never knew about. Did you know that the best way to remove soap scum is to scrape it with an old credit card? The best way to make your entire bathroom shine is to use a mixture of vinegar and water? Also, did you know that lemon peels are incredibly useful around the house? Here are just a few obscure, but helpful uses for lemon peels in your everyday cleaning.

They clean up the grease like nothing else. If you have grease on your counters, then just spread a little bit of salt over it and take half of a juiced lemon and then rub it on that area. When you are done all you have to do is wipe it up with a paper or cloth towel and you are done. It also takes care of grease in the microwave. Put some lemon rinds in a bowl and fill it halfway with water. Leave it in there while you run the microwave on high for about five minutes. This causes the water to boil and then the steam and acid from the lemons takes care of the grease. When you are done, carefully remove the bowl (it is HOT), and then take a towel and wipe the microwave out.

Lemons are good for polishing various metals around the home. If you have some chrome, for example it would be on faucets or other such surfaces, then you just rub with half of a squeezed lemon. Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies where minerals deposit themselves. Then rinse it off and buff with a fabric towel or cloth. This same method works when you are polishing a stainless steel sink, it takes care of all those nasty spots on it as well.

Believe it or not, lemon works as a beauty product as well as just a helpful home cleaner. If you have age spots, then the lemon peel can help to diminish them. Simply place the peel on the spot and leave it on for an hour. When you are done, rinse off the spot and repeat as often as you like. Be careful because the lemon can cause your skin to dry out and flake. What causes the age spot to get lighter is the acid within the peel, it works as a sort of bleach. It also is a great skin tonic for your face, if you rub it on your face and then rinse off.

More uses for lemon peels can be found here.

Related articles

• Homemade Cleaning Solutions (wholefoodsmarket.com)
• 8 Other Green Cleaners Already in Your House (wisebread.com)

6 Ideas to Update Your Kitchen

Posted by Ben on Mar 2, 2012 in Kitchen Decoration | 0 comments

Your kitchen is likely one of the most utilized rooms in your home.   Families and friends often gather in the kitchen to enjoy cooking, eating, and spending time together.  Do you love your kitchen, or are you feeling like it’s time for a change?  Are you tired of the look and feel of your kitchen?  Would you like something new, but can’t spend a lot of money?

There are several ways to update the look and feel of your kitchen, ranging from low in price to high, and from a little effort to a lot.  Here are some suggestions to get you started in making your kitchen your favorite place to be!

Colors

A splash of color can make your kitchen feel like new.  Whether it’s a sleek grey, classic white or a bold blue, a change of color can do a lot to update the feel of a kitchen.  Painting the cabinets is a great way to create contrast and personality in the kitchen.  If you don’t want to paint your entire kitchen, you can add color in another way.  Consider adding a bright tile backsplash, or hanging some colorful designer plates on the wall.  Even just growing some colorful herbs in a window is a simple way to add a splash of color to your kitchen.

Appliances

Many times when we tire of our current kitchen, it’s really the outdated appliances that are holding back the look of the kitchen.  Updating appliances with a sleek new range and refrigerator can add style.  You can also consider adding extras such as a pizza oven or wine storage rack.  If buying new appliances isn’t in your budget right now, look into something smaller, such as a brightly colored mixer or sleek new toaster to add to the feel of the room.

Flooring

Kitchen floors are an integral part of the kitchen experience.  Not only are they one of the first things people notice in a room, but the type of floors you have play a big role in the ease of cleaning as well.  You have many choices when it comes to floors.  There are tile and wood options.  With the green movement, a popular choice is a sustainable wood, such as bamboo click flooring.  Bamboo is stronger and harder than many hardwoods.  Bamboo is also very visually appealing.

Lighting

New lights can change the mood and look of a kitchen.  There are many options to choose from, including the prism pendant, adjustable pendant, chandeliers, and hanging lights.  Depending on how much natural light you have from kitchen windows, you will want to consider placement and amount of lights.

Cabinets

Cabinets are a major part of the kitchen design.  Making an update to the cabinets can change the entire look and feel of your kitchen.  Something to consider with cabinets is your need for storage space.  Often with kitchen cabinets you can double your storage by extending them to the ceiling.  If storage isn’t an issue and you like a more open feel, upper cabinets can be replaced with shelves.

Accessories

Possibly the easiest way to bring some new life to a kitchen is to add some accessories.  Whether you choose a glass bowl, bright new dishcloths, or a designer coffee maker, you can add a few simple touches to revive the look and feel of your kitchen.

Making Your Kitchen Work for You

Posted by Esther on Feb 21, 2012 in Kitchen Decoration | 0 comments

Time in the kitchen is a chore to some, and a fulfilling moment for others. Why is that? The difference lies in a kitchen organized to keep everything you need in safe distance which makes food preparation, cooking and clean-up as effortless as possible, leaving you with more time to enjoy with the family.

It’s nice to be in a clean, clutter-free, well-designed kitchen with modern equipments and it’s always best to have all your kitchen needs considered during the kitchen construction or renovation. Perhaps you brushed up on your cooking skills and now want to try baking dishes, breads and pastries for your family – you’ll definitely need to rearrange your kitchen space to accommodate an oven, extra cabinets for your baking pans and new baking gadgets.

The kitchen can be compared to a workshop and hence it must be able to accommodate tools necessary to make that gourmet food right of your kitchen. Though it costs to create storage space, you’ll realize that investing in open shelves, pull out storage and cabinets may improve your efficiency in the kitchen. Racks are a must to keep your pots and pans dry and readily accessible. Consider the right height for the racks so reaching the pots and pans can be done with ease, especially if the family member likely to cook or use the pots and pans is not too tall.

The modern kitchen must have a dual work zones that can easily accommodate multiple cooks. For these purpose, the kitchen must have more than two sinks, a niche for chopping and a space for pastry making. The work space for every person who will be working in that kitchen need not be too large but must have sufficient elbow room.

The refrigerator should be placed on the outer edge of the room to make it accessible to family members, even to children. The materials for your kitchen construction or renovation should be chosen wisely. Always consider the durability of the material especially if you do not intend to do another round of renovation in the next five or ten years. Wood grain cabinets are generally the better choice compared with lacquer because it does not show fingerprints easily.

The layout should be customized to meet your unique needs. If you are likely to entertain people in the kitchen, you should have a table and some chairs where you can serve food and drinks. The items in the kitchen need not be expensive as long as it’s functional and efficient. The kitchen should also incorporate a coffee station and a wine cooler if possible.

You should not forget about kitchen backsplashes to keep cooking and sink area dry and attractive. The kitchen backsplash not only adds a touch of creativity and focal point in your kitchen, it also allows you use the color elements to in your kitchen for a unified look. Beyond the beauty of a kitchen backsplash, it allows you to clean up spills without having to worry about stains and damage to the wall near your cooking and sink area. 

Eating Foods in Season

Posted by Emily on Feb 15, 2012 in Healthy Foods | 0 comments

When you go to the grocery store, you might notice that some of the fruits and vegetables are more expensive at different times of the year. This is because they are in season only at certain times, and in season means that they are grown naturally without certain exceptions being made. People have said that it is better to eat fruits and vegetables when they are in season, you might be wondering what the logic is behind this. Here are a few reasons why in-season fruits and vegetables are the best.

They make it better for your wallet. Fruits grown out of season require more work and they are less abundant, therefore the suppliers charge more per fruit than they do otherwise. The farmer’s market is THE best place to buy produce. The fruit sold there is in season, fresh, and local. You really cannot do much better than that. Also, the herbs there are so much better. At the grocery store in the winter there is a nasty selection of limp sprigs and they do not have the nutritional quality that they do at other times of the year. So, moral of that story: buy local and buy fresh.

The taste of food when it is in season is so much better. Imagine the difference between a snap-pea right off the plant and a snap pea that came in a frozen bag, packaged in plastic. I hope that you could imagine the difference and know that the fresh pea pod tastes much better than the alternative. The sun is what is used for the summer plants and the other plants are not able to harness that full power. Also, the flavor tends to go out of fruits the longer they sit around and are not eaten. Fruits at farmer’s markets are right out of the field as opposed to fruits in grocery stores off season because they are transported there and have periods of waiting before they reach the shelves.

When you buy the same fruits and veggies all year, then you are not being exposed the the huge variety of produce that is out there. There are some veggies and fruits that are only available in the winter that are incredibly delicious. Things like turnips, kale, and various citrus fruits.

It is a little hard, though, to remember what is in season and what is not. If you are not a gardener, then there is little reason that you would know how plants grow and which ones are in season during the various times of the year. There is a website out there, link is here, that can help you know what is in season during the month and season you are in.

Try eating fresh fruits and vegetables because they are healthier for you overall and decrease the amount of money that you spend on produce.

Simple Home/Kitchen Decorating Tips For Busy People

Posted by Esther on Feb 9, 2012 in Kitchen Decoration | 0 comments

Whenever you spend a lot of time in one area, you prefer it to look decorated and personalized. Your kitchen is one place where you spend hours preparing meals and then often sit eating those meals with the family. It’s important that it is a place that you enjoy being in as well as a place where the organization flows well for you and your cooking style. Many people feel that they just don’t have the right touch to make their home look like it was professionally decorated, but it can be easier than you think to get it done correctly–even if you don’t have hours to spend running between the hardware and fabric stores. Implementing a few home décor tips will help you decorate your space quickly, effectively, and with stunning results.

Lighting

The intensity, amount, and placement of lighting in a room affects everything from the wall color to the texture of the furniture fabric. Professionals determine the amount and intensity of lighting with algorithmic equations designed to create the perfect balance of illumination. While you don’t need a specialized computer program, adhering to a few basic lighting principles helps you decorate the rest of the room.

• Create small “pools” of light by placing a 100-watt table lamp next to each piece of furniture.
• Soften the ambiance of a room by replacing the previous, translucent lampshade with one made from opaque material.
• Brighten your kitchen by placing a tall halogen lamp in each corner of the room. Never place the lamp near cloth drapes or flammable materials.

Furniture Placement

Your furniture pieces are like marking points that guide the eye around the room and along with lighting, will be the most important of tips on decorating your home. Rearranging the furniture lets you redistribute the space and create an entirely different feel, all within a weekend afternoon.

• Cluster furniture by size and style for visual continuity. Stocky, comfortable furniture belongs in a separate room from family heirlooms. Placing your grandmother’s antique end-table between two overstuffed arm chairs makes the room look visually disjointed.
• Position stationary, non-sitting furniture, such as side tables and dressers, in full view so they aren’t bumping into the window drapes or encroaching behind a slanted arm chair. Fully visible and functional furniture makes your room spatially well-proportioned instead of a cluttered mess.

Wall Decor

Your wall decor must spatially balance the relationship between the ceiling and your furniture. For example, a room with large, geometric furniture requires different wall-hangings than a room with with slender-legged tables and a sleek sofa.

• ?Limit wall-hangings to two or three large, framed images for darker rooms or you’ll lose the image details in the darkness.
• Frame 20-inch by 20-inch patches of colorful fabric to revive a neutrally-colored room.
• Energize a sparse by staggering your wall-hangings horizontally. For example, instead of placing three pictures in a row, place them equidistant apart but 2-inches higher or lower than the previous image.

Kitchen Organization

Using a few simple home decorating tips and techniques will significantly change the interior of your home. Your kitchen will be a place where you enjoy spending hours and you will be more efficient as the kitchen flows better for you.  Beginning with the tips on decorating your home listed above will help you develop a decor plan to ensure your decorative changes are thoughtfully coordinated.