Since Arthritis runs in my family and my 86 year old Grandma will soon be getting a computer and the Internet, this is a quick post for her. This link provides a quick reference regarding foods to eat, foods to avoid and foods that may help prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Don’t these Chicken Thighs look good? They do (above), but did have an unattractive transition shortly before serving (below). They were cooked in a Crock Pot skin on, thus don’t come out with the preferred tan. And since they were in a Crock Pot all day long, they needed to be removed carefully to keep ’em from falling apart.
Before leaving for work, the Chicken Thighs were placed in a Crock Pot with Chicken Broth, Rice Wine Vinegar, Water and S & P. After arriving home several hours later, all was gently transferred to a baking dish and broiled in the oven. Once pretty and crisp, the Chicken Thighs were served with Lettuce Leaves and an attempt at Sticky Rice.
The meat just fell off the bone, the state always strived for when preparing boned Chicken. And it tasted great in the refreshing Lettuce Leaves. No Sauce was needed, but a little Sweet Chili Sauce was added to our third Taco. These delicious Lettuce Wraps didn’t require much effort. As for the Sticky Rice, it’s back to the drawing board. 🙂
A friend sent me this article a couple weeks ago and I found it very interesting. It kind of makes sense to a layman. I learned that it’s best to drink warm water after certain meals, instead of a cold beverage. After reading the article, you may want to opt for a cup of Green Tea with your French Fries in place of a Soda. Since there are many factors involved in a heart attack, we don’t purport that following this advice will avoid one, but don’t think it will hurt. The report includes several links to additional beneficial (healthful) information.
As an occasional Tastemaker for Foodbuzz, I opted to try a new brand of 100% Natural Breads. And although not much of a Bread person, especially Wheat Bread, I’m now sold on Nature’s Pride. I didn’t expect to like their 100% Whole Wheat and 12 Grain Bread as much as I do — I most often prefer Sourdough, but was happily impressed from the start with the double wrapping and freshness. The texture and color of the 12 Grain reminded me of the best Amish Friendship Bread I once had, a very good thing. And the taste of the 100% Whole Wheat won me over. Once it was finished, I started falling for the 12 Grain. It appears Nature’s Pride makes high quality, tasty Bread. Two thumbs up by each of our four Tastemakers who enjoyed the meals prepared above and below. Hover over each photo for a brief description. This opportunity was a pleasure.
Since we also report about cooking mishaps, keep an eye on your Toast. We burnt way too many slices. 🙁
One Red Bell Pepper makes a fair amount of Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. This Sauce is a variation of several recipes I reviewed online. And it turned out to be a simple and tasty combination. I halved and charred a Red Bell Pepper in the toaster oven until completely black, then with the oven off I kept it in there for another 15 minutes to steam/loosen the skin. And it peeled right off like nothing.
To make the Sauce, add the Roasted Red Pepper to a mini food processor with the perfect balance of Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice and S&P — It doesn’t take much of each. Puree all, then taste and add more of the above (if necessary) to dial in the flavor. This small batch was so good — I ate the extra Sauce as Gazpacho. Before that, I had it on some Lingcod I poached.
Related Link: /FoodBlog/2009/06/02/lingcod-fish-its-green-its-blue-its-white/
I love a Mango, but they are so darn hard to cut. It’s the seed. I can never tell where it is, and sometimes it’s thin and sometimes it’s wide. Does anyone know the secret? I haven’t researched it yet. This post simply mentions its benefits — It’s high in Vitamin C and Beta-Carotene, but I’ll leave that to the health experts. We’re just posting a couple helpful links to assist with healthy living through FOOD and more. I appreciated the information. And now it’s time for a Mango Smoothie, as recommended and linked below.
101 Healthy Smoothies For Your Health
101 Ways to Detox Your Mind, Body & Home
Best Foods for Weight Loss & To Feel Great
Post Title Inspiration — Sorry, there’s a 30 second commercial preceding it.
Radiography Schools report the 50 best foods to eat for weight loss, to feel great and stay healthy. All are terrific to eat, even if you don’t need to lose weight. Coincidentally I enjoyed (11) of them yesterday. The linked report includes some helpful information.
I always thought Lingcod Fish was a kind of Cod, but it’s not Cod at all. The related links will tell the rest of the story. I was also amazed to see that frozen the Fish is green (above), uncooked it’s blue (below), and cooked it’s white. It was fun seeing the colors change.
Although Lingcod can be blue, green or white, it always cooks up white. I received a few pieces from a couple local fishermen friends. I poached ’em in a wine-herb combination that’s really not worth mentioning. And ultimately Lingcod won’t be one of my favorites — It’s okay, but I’d rather they catch something else next time.
Related Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ling_cod
http://www.trawl.org/Species.html
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pr/wharf/critters/critters3.html#lingcod
It takes too many Pomegranates, ARILS (seeds), stained fingers and possibly stained clothes to create what Pom Wonderful provides. I grew up with a large Pomegranate Tree in the neighborhood. All the kids loved the seeds, but it was a lot of work and a mess to get at them. My Mom would tell us to open them up outside — Ever since that time, they’ve been a novelty in the supermarkets. I’ll buy one occasionally, but the same obstacles to enjoyment still exist.
Due to the effort involved in getting at the goods, I was happy to receive a case of Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice in the mail. I contemplated various recipes I could make with all of it. Above I made Dried Cherry Scones with a Pomegranate Glaze — The Glaze is a mixture of Powdered Sugar and Pomegranate Juice. And I’m calling them Pretty in Pink Scones. I’ll be drizzling the Glaze over the Scones I’m entering in the Culinary Arts Competition during this year’s Orange County Fair. In the long run this is the only recipe I made from the case, mostly because I couldn’t stop drinking them. The bottles are so cute too.
Aside from liking the taste, I’m glad to read it’s good for you and grown locally in the sunny San Joaquin Valley. And 100% Juice is always important to me. When I ate Pomegranates as a kid, I didn’t know they were good for cardiovascular health and a superior source of antioxidants. I didn’t care about that then, but I care about it now. It’s good to find something I like that’s really good for me — I wish I could say that about more things. Pom Wonderful appears to take pride in its products (literally) from tree to bottle. Learn more below. Knowing all these things, its value went up for me. I need more. 🙂
Pom Wonderful DIRECT:
http://www.pomwonderful.com/?cmpid=71021&KNC-gle&&gclid=CIag7K6Z55oCFR0Sagodqi7PBw
What’s a Pomegranate?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate
It’s our second visit for lunch at The Veggie Grill at The Irvine Spectrum. This time we tried the Sweet Potato Fries served with Chipotle Ranch and loved both. And the “Bali Bliss” which is Indonesian styled Tempeh that’s sauteed and grilled, then served on a Bun with Chipotle Ranch, a tasty Relish, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion — It’s best with a side of their yummy Pesto. And “Steamin’ Kale” with a Ginger Miso Dressing and Roasted Sesame Seeds. As previously reported on Nibbles of Tidbits, the service is friendly and the food is fresh. There’s a couple interesting Burgers we’d still like to try. Check back soon.
Last time we had the Baja Fiesta Salad and Bean Me Up Chili. See Review HERE: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=4617
The Veggie Grill: http://www.veggiegrill.com/
Introducing Quaker “True Delights” — They’re new Chewy Granola Bars distributed by The Quaker Oats Company. I was recently given the opportunity to try them before they hit the market in January 2009. I received two of each flavor. True Delights are made with real Fruit, whole Nuts, Dark Chocolate, and of course Quaker Oats and more.
The specific flavors are Honey Roasted Cashew Mixed Berry, Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut, and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond, respectfully pictured above from top to bottom. Quaker Oats did an excellent job selecting the various Fruit and Nut combinations.
My favorite is the Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut. I ate both before anyone else had the opportunity to try them. I’ll be purchasing a box in the future. And I took the rest to the office where two others fell in love with the Honey Roasted Cashew Mixed Berry. Overall, we were impressed with all three. Thanks Quaker and Foodbuzz for the fabulous preview. You both did good.
Related Links:
http://www.quakeroats.com/products.aspx
http://www.foodbuzz.com/search?feature=features&search_str=quaker+oats&commit.x=17&commit.y=11
I live near two “The Flame Broiler” restaurants and finally tried one (off Harbor/Wilson) for the first time. Here’s the Chicken Veggie Bowl with MAGIC Sauce (a Teriyaki-type variation). The Chicken flavor was excellent, but next time I’ll request all white meat. I heard a few others order it while I was eating. It’s about $1.25 extra. I like dark meat, but there were too many connectors included in the bowl — It’ll be easier to enjoy the white meat. The Vegetables were fresh and the Sauce had the perfect sweetness. I wanna go back and have another.
More Flame Broiler Food & INFO
Flame Broiler DIRECT: http://www.flamebroilerusa.com/
After my Christmas Party this year I ended up with leftovers from two generous Vegetable Platters. I love having washed pre-cut vegetables on hand. They’re a great snack, but you can only eat so many Celery and Carrot sticks with Ranch Dip. Since I had so many, I tried a few recipes. Before that I did eat the Red, Yellow and (most) Green Peppers, and there were no Cucumbers after the party — I made a few dishes with the remaining Cherry Tomatoes, Celery, Carrots, Broccoli, Bell Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas.
White Bean & Celery Soup – This may not look like much, but it’s good. The recipe (linked below) is a combination of Celery, Onion, Garlic, Cannellini Beans, Vegetable Stock and S & P. I substituted Chicken Stock and added some fresh squeezed Lemon Juice at the end, plus Scallions on top. It hit the spot after that. http://www.opensourcefood.com/people/netwalker/recipes/white-bean-and-celery-soup
Creamy Vegetable Soup – I roasted Broccoli, Carrots, Bell Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas in the oven. After all were a little charred, I removed the vegetables from the oven and added hot Chicken Stock. I mixed some Milk with a little Cornstarch and poured it in, then brought all to a quick boil, simmered a bit and served this Soup within a short time. It was easy and flavorful.
Baked C
herry Tomatoes – I stumbled across this recipe (linked below) which seemed easy and a little different. I had all ingredients, Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Chives, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and S & P. I followed the recipe exactly, but next time I might add less Lemon Juice, or add the Peel/Rind instead. I’ve found that the Rind imparts a Lemon flavor without making a dish too tart. Or Lemon Juice added at the end is sometimes best. http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0896/cherryto.html
Roasted Carrots – I roasted Carrots in the oven with a little Olive Oil and Salt. I ate several, then mashed the rest and incorporated them into an easy Carrot Souffle recipe. It didn’t turn out like I hoped, mostly because I didn’t have all ingredients. I tried to improvise, but the final was too dense, not fluffy and light how I want.
Cafeteria Carrot Souffle – 
Here’s the wannabe Souffle photo and recipe (linked below). I mickey-moused this one, but you might want to give it a try. It has potential. After making all the above, I’m down to a small bag of Cherry Tomatoes, Carrots and Broccoli. Any suggestions? http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cafeteria-Carrot-Souffle/Detail.aspx
Edamame are one of my favorite snacks. I prefer them warm with Salt — That’s what I just made HERE. Most Japanese Restaurants appear to serve them chilled. I’ve seen and like both offerings. When not eating out, I buy them frozen, cook for 10 minutes, drain, Salt and eat.
Related Links:
I’ve been making this basic recipe for years. I just switch it up between an all in, or some out combination of chopped Red and/or Green Cabbage, grated or chopped Carrots, finely chopped Celery or Celery Seed, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions.
I then add all to the above — Mayonnaise, White Wine Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, and freshly ground Pepper to taste. This is one of my favorite snacks to have on hand. It’s hard to rival that perfect combination of ingredients.
The Coleslaw above is made with Red Cabbage and Carrots, and the one below is made with Red Cabbage, finely grated Celery and Green Onions. The measurements of the remaining ingredients vary on the volume of vegetables. I’ll usually add a little at a time to dial in that perfect taste and coverage. I tend to have a lighter hand on the Mayo and heavier hand on the Vinegar, without overdoing it.
P.S. I confess that I also happen to like Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Coleslaw and Chic-Fil-A’s Coleslaw, although neither taste like mine, nor each other. Coleslaw has endless variations and it’s a better snack than many.
Post-Post Coleslaw: This one was made with shredded Green Cabbage, grated Carrots, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions, plus the standard mix-in, as detailed above.
Related Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleslaw
http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0406a.htm
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#home
http://www.scribd.com/doc/124752/American-Chain-Restaurant-Recipe-Book
Since today’s topic on my political blog ‘Politics is Not a Sport’ relates to food, I posted a link here. The picture is just for aesthetics and relates to a future post about homemade Cupcakes.
http://usacopywriter.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/youre-my-politician-not-my-parent/
A friend sent this to me in an E-Mail — I’m not sure where it originated, but I found it very interesting. I’ve always been amazed and thankful for the bountiful foods from the Earth. I like the photography and information here.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red — The heart is red and has four chambers. Research shows that Tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each Grape looks like a blood cell and research shows that Grapes are a profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
Sliced Carrots look much like an eye — The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye. And science shows that Carrots greatly enhance blood flow to the eyes.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut look like the neo-cortex. We now know that Walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and look much like human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look a lot like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don’t have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Grapefruits, Oranges and other citrus fruits look very much like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Eggplant, Avocados and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female – They look much like these organs. Research shows that when a woman eats 1 Avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And it takes exactly 9 months to grow an Avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods. Modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them.
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well as help to overcome male sterility.
Onions look like body cells. Research shows that Onions help clear waste materials from the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes, and they’re even shaped like tears.
Olives assist with the health and function of the ovaries.
NOTE: The above information has not been verified for accuracy. It has also been modified for grammatical accuracy and readability. I apologize that I wasn’t able to correct the font variation and some formatting.
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