Thursday, April 25, 2013

Healthy Water Recipes

The weather is getting warmer and, if you are like me, you are breaking out the cold beverages.  I thought I would share some great drinks that you can sip on all day and enjoy their health benefits as well. 




FAT FLUSH WATER 

You should drink at least three 8 oz glasses per day, they say the longer it sits, the better it tastes. You can eat them as well but they are intended as flavoring and still work, so that is a personal choice. The Vitamin C turns fat into fuel, the tangerine increases your sensitivity to insulin, and the cucumber makes you feel full. Try it for 10 days and see what you think!

Ingredients per 8 oz serving

Water
1 slice grapefruit
1 tangerine
½ cucumber, sliced
2 peppermint leaves
Ice – as much as you like

Directions
Wash grapefruit, tangerine cucumber and peppermint leaves. Slice cucumber, grapefruit and tangerine (or peel). Combine all ingredients (fruits, vegetables, 8 oz water, and ice) into a large pitcher.

Stir & Enjoy!


If you really want to cleanse then DRINK, DRINK, DRINK. Here are 8 home-made vitamin water recipes to help you keep the water flowing!

1) The classical : lemon/cucumber:
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + 1 cucumber and a lemon, thinly sliced + 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil leaf + 1/3 of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

2) The granite : Strawberry/Lime or Raspberry/Lime
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 6 strawberries / 0r Raspberries and one thinly sliced lime + 12 finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

3) The digestive : Fennel/citrus
First: infuse 1 to 3 grams of dried and crushed fennel in 150 ml of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + lemon juice (put the leftover lemon in the mix) + a small thinly sliced orange + 12 fresh chopped mint leaves + the infusion of fennel seeds. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.

4) The antiox : Blackberry/Sage
Note that a part from the berries, sage leafs is the herb that has the highest antioxidant content.
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed + 3-4 sage leaves. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.

5) Watermelon : watermelon/Rosemary
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of watermelon cut into cubes + 2 rosemary stems. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.

6) The exotic : Pineapple/Mint
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of pineapple cut into cubes + 12 fresh mint leaves finely chopped. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

7) The traditional : Apple/cinnamon
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of apple cut into cubes + 2 cinnamon sticks + 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

8.) The zingibir : Ginger/tea
In advance: heat 1 teaspoon of ginger in two cups of tea, let it cool down.

Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water with two cups of the ginger tea + 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger cut into cubes. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.




Sassy Water  
Ingredients:
2 lemons
1/2 cucumber
10-12 mint leaves
3 quarts water
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: Overnight or 8 hours
Yields: 10-12 glasses
Method:
1. Slice cucumber and lemons.  Place in the bottom of the pitcher.   Toss in mint leaves. Add water
2. Chill overnight or for at least 8 hours.  
And finally from Facebook:




Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Sate Ayam & Gado Gado

This is one of my favourite dishes.  It's from Indochef and so delicious that I just can't get enough.  




Sate Ayam 
Similar to kabobs, but so much better!! 

Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken

Marinade:
1 Onion
1 clove Garlic
1 ounce Dark Soya sauce
1 teaspoon Coriander powder
1 teaspoon Lemon Grass
1 teaspoon Hot Chili paste
1 glass Red Wine (optional)
1 ounce Water

Preparation:

  1. Dice the meat into 3/4 inch square cubes and put onto bamboo skewers (about 4 per stick).
  2. Combine all the marinade ingredients into a food processor and make into a smooth paste.  
  3. Pour this over the prepared sate's and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours.
  4. Cook the sate's on the barbeque or under the grill for 5-10 minutes until done and serve with hot Peanut Sauce.



Gado-Gado:
Indonesian vegetable salad.  The vegetables used are a suggestion, you can use nearly anything that is available to you.  Use at least 3 different vegetables.

Ingredients:
White cabbage, diced
Green Beans
Bean Sprouts
2 Eggs, hard boiled
Peanut Sauce
Tomatoes
Prawn Crackers

Preparation:
  1. Separately cook all the vegetables lightly.  They must still retain a nice crunch.
  2. Drain and arrange the vegetables in layers on a dish.
  3. Pour the peanut sauce over the vegetables.
  4. Decorate with the sliced egg and tomatoes.
  5. Just before serving, sprinkle the crackers over the sauce.
Best enjoyed when the salad is cooled down.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Spice Tips and Health Benefits


It’s important to periodically check your seasonings to make sure that they aren’t getting too old. Here is a guide, according to McCormick spices. 
• Extracts: 4 years (except for pure vanilla, which lasts indefinitely)
• Ground spices: 2-3 years
• Herbs: 1-3 years
• Seasoning blends: 1-2 years
• Whole spices (such as cinnamon sticks and peppercorns): 3-4 years

When you think of herbs and spices, you probably think of cooking and adding them to add some flavor to your cuisine. Instead of being stored in your kitchen cabinet, you might want to consider keeping them in your medicine cabinet. Herbs and spices have been used for centuries for teas, compresses and other medicinal purposes. 


Herbs and spices come from plants, so what’s the difference between them? 

• Herbs – the leafy, green part of a plant.
• Spices – the bark, berries, fruit, root, seeds or other parts of the plant.. 
Together, along with healthy food choices can help support your health and wellness. Use herbs and spices to replace regular table salt and artificial chemicals. 

While you think of using cinnamon in your baking or on your oatmeal, cinnamon has been shown to lower your glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. It can also help with menstrual cramps and acts as a blood thinner. If you have frequent UTIs, you might want to increase the cinnamon in your diet. Dill, peppermint and thyme are herbs that are loaded with antioxidants. Other alternative, holistic, disease-fighting and natural healing ingredients hiding in your kitchen includes: 


• Allspice - Digestion. If you experience flatulence and/or diarrhea, you might want to give allspice a try. It's also helpful in a compress for arthritis.

• Basil - Multi-use. Basil is loaded in vitamins A & C, as well as phosphorus and calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. It can have a positive impact with your eyesight, hair and your cardiovascular system. Use in a tea to help with digestive issues, headaches or fever.
• Cardamom - Indian spice. Great to use when you are experiences indigestion, gas and colic. Also has a warming effect on your body.
• Chili Powder - Anti-inflammatory. Capsicin, has anti-inflammatory benefits that can help relieve achy joints and arthritic swelling. 
• Coriander - Also known as cilantro. Frequently used in Mexican food and is a great source of iron, magnesium and manganese as well as phyto chemicals. It is also great to help remove toxins from the body. 
• Curry Powder - Protects your brain. Contains curcumin which may help fight Alzheimer's. 
• Feverfew - Migraines. If you suffer from migraines, make a tincture of feverfew to see about getting relief.
• Garlic - Helps your heart. Garlic consumption has the potential to lower your triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. It also increases your "good" cholesterol.
• Ginger - Anti-inflammatory. Create a compress and use on your chest for allergies, colds, and bronchitis, on your abdomen for cramps and on inflamed joints. Also great in a tea.
• Ginkgo Biloba. - Memory-boosting. Not only does Ginkgo biloba help boost your memory, but it is also a great anti-inflammatory and helps with asthma, tinnitus, fibromyalgia and helps you deal with altitude sickness.
• Oregano - Loaded with antioxidants. It may be good on Italian food, but it has antioxidant activity than any other herb. 
• Rosemary - Anti-inflammatory. Rosemary may help your circulation, your immune function as well as potentially reduce the severity of asthma attacks.
• Tumeric - from Indian medicine. This herb is a member of the ginger family and as been used for generations in Indian medicine. It has the potential to prevent Alzheimer's.
• Wasabi - Ulcer prevention - This Japanese horseradish is thought to be able to kill the bacteria that causes ulcers. In addition, it may fight tooth decay. 

Spices don't just spice up what you eat, but they can spice up your life and enhance your overall health and well being, both inside and out. 



Photo from Shelterness.com
I also keep my spices in drawers but I need to find these racks to hold them in place.