Tips from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen

Perfect Your Picnic with These Foods

A day in the park with a group of friends or with wine and your honey (note to our wives -- we prefer the second option). What else could make it better? Really, not much. But your health will appreciate it if you do these things, too:

1. Cooked salsa -- The tomatoes in this condiment contain lycopene, a nutrient that may reduce your risk of heart disease. It’s found in tomatoes, but lycopene doesn’t really come out of tomatoes in full, healthy force until it’s cooked. Help your body absorb lycopene better by eating it with a little -- we repeat, a little -- healthy fat. How we love to get it: Mix some spicy salsa or pasta sauce (no sugar added varieties for either, please) into a mashed avocado, and add some chopped onions and garlic. This makes an easy guacamole dip for your celery to mate with.

2. Vinegar-based dressings -- Dress your potato salad with a tangy vinaigrette to blunt potatoes’ usual blood-sugar-spiking effect. Or if you want to be less tempted by dessert, splash some fresh greens with walnut or canola oil and vinegar; both components of this dressing will help you feel full longer.

3. Dark chocolate–dipped strawberries -- The perfect meal-ender, strawberries, may also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Their flavonoids are known to thwart lousy LDL cholesterol and quell inflammatory processes that might lead to heart disease. The chocolate? It’s not just good; it may also help reduce blood pressure and inflammation in your blood vessels and immune system. Snuggle up with your honey and savor everything.

Very Nice Lunch on Valentines Day!

These were the foods we have eaten today at lunch for our Valentines Day treat. We really enjoyed them because were cooked just right. As I mentioned with my entry on the top of this, Jacob loves the shrimp and we like the steak for it was tender, plus the price was very reasonable. We only spent $31 for the tree of us including tax!

All you can eat buffet with seafood and steak, dessert and drinks, that's a deal there! No restaurant can beat that for sure!

Brown Bag Gourmet Saves!

It may not seem luxurious to grab lunch from the caf when you’re at work, but the cost really adds up. In fact, by packing your lunch most days, you can easily save yourself $1,200 by year’s end. Brown bagging it doesn’t have to be hard or boring: Cook a little extra at night and, voila, there’s tomorrow’s lunch. Or prep something the night before and stow it in the fridge. In the morning, just throw it in your bag and head out the door. I usually make tuna salads, turkey wraps, or veggie burger sandwiches for my husband. They each take about 10 minutes to prepare and save him the hassle of waiting on long lunch lines trying to find healthy alternatives to fatty options. I usually throw in a snack like an apple, banana, or granola bar, too, to keep him from hitting up the vending machine at 4 p.m. Follow my lead and save money and calories - without scrimping on taste.

Sweet Treat On Valentines Day

While searching for a yummy dessert for Love Day, I've found this recipe. And since I love cream Cheese and Hubby loves chocolates and pear, I decided to try to make this recipe on Valentines Day. It looks yummy and easy to make.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE-FILLED PEARS

You can't go wrong with chocolate on Valentine's Day. The chocolate cream cheese will go great with almost anything, but they're paired here with heart-shaped pears.

INGREDIENTS

4-oz. of cream cheese, softened
¼ cup chocolate-flavored syrup
2 cans (15 ¼ oz. each) DEL MONTE Pear Halves, drained
1 Tablespoon miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stir together cream cheese and chocolate syrup in medium mixing bowl. Drizzle dessert plates with additional chocolate syrup, if desired.
2. Arrange pears on plates. Spoon cheese mixture into pear centers.

Sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

10 Foods That Help You Fall Asleep

If it takes you more than 15 minutes to fall asleep at night, quicken your trip to dreamland by changing what you eat in the evening. It can make the difference between staring at the ceiling and sleeping like a baby. Instead, think light but high-carbohydrate snacks. Carbs boost levels of the brain's sleep chemical serotonin without overloading your digestive system. If you like, wash them down with something warm and soothing, such as a cup of herbal tea (chamomile, lemon balm, or valerian) or warm milk. 10 Top Sleep BoostersNibble on one of these 10 high-carb calmers an hour before bedtime -- you'll be yawning in no time. Very interesting; I would like to try these foods and hope to fall asleep easily.

1. Half of a whole-wheat English muffin or raisin bagel drizzled with honey
2. Two cups of air-popped popcorn
3. A small slice of angel food cake topped with berries
4. A frozen whole-wheat waffle, toasted, with maple syrup
5. Half a cup of pretzels
6. Fresh strawberries dunked in a little fat-free chocolate syrup
7. Half a cup of pasta topped with marinara sauce
8. A 4-ounce baked potato topped with salsa
9. A handful of oyster crackers and a piece of fruit
10. Canned mandarin oranges sprinkled with crystallized ginger

The benefits of sleep go well beyond good moods and lots of energy. Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night can make your real age 3 years younger...according to the research.

Ginger-Orange Glazed Cornish Hens

When I crave for roast chicken but don't have time to roast a whole bird, I consider Cornish hens 'though they can be a little bit expensive than chicken.The split hens cook up—juicy and succulent—in less than 45 minutes. Here, orange marmalade, spiked with ginger, makes an easy and delicious glaze. Serve with wild rice, winter squash and sauteed greens.

Cornish hens are quick-cooking and make an effortlessly refined presentation. Here they're paired with a slice of layered potato torte and a simple walnut and fennel salad for a festive luncheon. The creamy, warm pudding is a comforting ending for dessert.
Preparation Plan: Prepare the pudding in the morning (reheat for 5 minutes before serving). 2 1/2 hours before serving, prepare the torte. 1 1/2 hours before serving, start the Cornish hens. 30-45 minutes before serving, prep the salad.

Hubby's Favorite Filipino Foods!

These Filipino foods are few of my husband's favorite to eat. He really has no problem eating Pinoy foods except the "Balut." I am sure in no time he would probably try it. Before he wouldn't eat shrimp paste, but now he likes it especially when I put it on Pinakbet!

The Sinigang ....

... and the Fried Marinated Milkfish. They are yummy! I am now hungry seeing these :-)

Breakfast for Dinner!

The other night, I can't think of something to make for dinner. So while hubby was attending a job fair at work, I decided to make "breakfast" for our dinner which by the way my son's favorite :-)

I made bacon, sunny side up eggs and french toasts
He didn't look happy here but he actually love the dinner!
Cheaper than going to IHOP or Denny's right?

What is for dinner tonight, Honey?

Sometimes for me when it comes to making meal particularly for dinner becomes harder. Imagine having to come up with something everyday that everyone in the family would eat. It is even harder especially when you have a picky eater at home, just like my son. Anyway, while in front of the computer this morning, hubby phoned me as always; after talking about his job and things that pertains to the company where he works for, he ask what is my plan for dinner tonight. I didn't really have any idea what to prepare. So he suggested spaghetti (his favorite food) and I agreed since all the ingredients to make spaghetti are available in the pantry. So that's it! Spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread and salad for dinner; oh boy, what a treat for my son and hubby tonight :-).

In the mood on cooking....

Sometime last week, I was in the moods of cooking. So I browse the internet looking for seafood or shirmp recipes and found this one. It was easy to cook and the ingredients are easy to find.

Basically, you just need to boil all the ingredients together and put old bay seasoning for seafoods. It was my first time to try it and it turned out to be very delicious.

This one here is a stirred-fried bean sprout with carrots, bacon, onion, garlic and green onions.

The 10 Most Expensive Foods in the World

One thousand dollars for an ice-cream sundae? Sixteen grand for a cocktail? Believe it or not, there really are foods and drinks that sell for this much--and there really are people who are willing to pay for them. Here, 10 of the world's most expensive indulgences. Are they are worth the hefty price tag? You be the judge.

1. Saffron. Grown worldwide, this spice is derived from the saffron crocus flower.
2. Almas caviar. The word "almas" is Russian for diamond, which is a fitting name for the world's most expensive caviar.
3. White truffle mushroom. These fancy fungi have their origins in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. .
4. Kobe-style beef. This meat from Wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its incredible taste, texture, and marbled appearance. .
5. Kopi Luwak coffee. The world's most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak is made from coffee berries that have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet, a catlike animal.
6. "Diamonds-Are-Forever" martini. This ain't your everyday cocktail. The olive has been replaced by a 1.6 carat diamond, partially accounting for the martini's $16,000 price tag.
7. Kona Nigari water. This seaweed mineral concentrate, which sells for $16.75 per ounce, must first be mixed with regular drinking water before consuming.
8. Chocopologie truffle. At $2,600 per pound, these handmade dark-chocolate treasures are available by pre-order only from Knipschildt Chocolatier in Norwalk, Connecticut.
9. Nino's Bellisima pizza. They say there's nothing like New York City pizza, and Upper East Side restaurateur Nino Selimaj proves it. .
10. Serendipity sundae. Prepared with five scoops of the richest Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with some of the world's most expensive chocolates, this $1,000 dessert created by Serendipity in New York City certainly lives up to its name: Grand Opulence sundae.

It is ridiculous, don't you think? The only one that I can afford here is saffron for I use it for cooking. Byt the rests of them, I don't know. If you want to know why; go to quality health.com.

Yummy Pumpkin Pie!

As I have mentioned before with my previous posts about pumpkin pie, my son loves it! He can eat half of the whole pie if I'd let him to. Anyway, if you haven't tried pumpkin pie yet, you are missing a lot. Aside from it is very yummy, it is load with tons of vitamins and very nutrious. Try one, I assure you, you will like it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
1 (3 ounce) package egg custard mix
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 2/3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, combine custard mix, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well, then add pumpkin, condensed milk, and egg. Whisk mixture until smooth, then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 1 minute.
Pour mixture into baked pastry shell and chill. Garnish with whipped topping before serving.

Warning in the Kitchen!

A friend of mine sent me this email and I was alarmed after reading it. I better make sure that I've checked my pancake mix before serving it with my family. Don't want the same thing happened with members of my family. I also think that expiration date will aslo be checked in all the boxed, canned, bottled and all sort of packages foods to ensure safety and health of our family.

Please read on:
A student at HBHS had pancakes this week and it almost became fatal. HisMom (registered nurse) made him pancakes, dropped him off at school and headed to play tennis. She never takes her cell phone on the court but did this time and her son called to say he was having trouble breathing. She told him to go to the nurse immediately and proceeded to call schooland alert the nurse. The nurse called the paramedics and they were therein 3 minutes and worked on the boy all the way to the hospital. He cameso close to dying. Evidently this is more common then I ever knew. Checkthe expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time develop spores.

WARNING ABOUT Pancake Mix (and other boxed mixes) (maybe you already know this, I DID NOT !!) Talk about frightening. ... Throw away ALL OUTDATED pancake mix you have in your home, PLEASE! Ifyou don't believe me, read this article and then follow the 'Link' below to SNOPES. Sorry to be the Grim Reaper of bad news, but I would rather have you ALIVE, besides a $2.00 box of pancake mix is NOT worth your life.

P. S. You might want to tell this to your children, grandchildren,nephews, nieces and anyone else who keeps pancake mix in the cupboard.

WARNING - READ ON. AND CHECK SNOPES TOO. http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp

Here's how to make fresh Pumkin Pie...

~The best pumkin for this is a pie pumpkin (called sugar pumpkins in some regions).
~The best way to cook it is to roast it, like you would a butternut squash.
~So cut it into halves or quarters (depending on its size), scoop out the seeds (save those for toast if you'd like), and put the pieces in a roasting pan with about half a cup of water, and roast it in a medium-hot oven till it's really tender.
~Scoop it out of the skin with a spoon once it's cool enough to handle, then puree it in a food processor or blender to make sure all the stringy bits are gone.
~One pumpkin should give you about two cups of puree, which you can then season and use for pie, ravioli, risotto, or simply as a side dish.

I just thought of sharing this if anyone of you wants to use fresh pumpkin for your pie. It is very easy and the pie would be very delicious; my son loves it fresh.

I Love Grilled Foods

My family loves to eat, and so I cook a lot, that is one of my passions. I especially love to eat a healthy food that is why I only served healthy foods for them esp. my hubby who is trying to lose weight. In the country where I was born, raised and came from we hardly eat foods that have quite a bit of oil; and I am used to eating foods that are barbequed, boil, baked and steamed. Barbeque is one I often do with meat and fish. A barbeque grills is very useful to me; it makes it easier to barbeque unlike when I was growing up, we only use the old fashioned way , like when you go camping. Anyway, here is one of my favorite recipes.

Greek Lamb Barbeque

1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons dried oregano
4 teaspoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch cubes
16 cherry tomatoes
1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch wedges

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, oregano, oil and garlic. Set aside 1/4 cup for basting; cover and refrigerate. Pour the remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the lamb. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
2. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain and discard marinade. On eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread lamb, tomatoes, green pepper and onion. Grill kabobs, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Baste with reserved marinade. Grill 8-10 minutes longer or until meat reaches desired doneness, turning and basting frequently.

If you love to grill and need barbeque grill and stuff associated with griling, ibuybarbeques.com is the best place for you to buy them. Go check them out!

I was so hungry that I cooked them all....

After a day at the playground on Saturday, We were all hungry; so I decided to cook all the the vegetables we bought at the asian market afraid that they will end up in the trash can again. These are the couple of Filipino Foods I made.

Chicken Caldereta, which is hubby's favorite and
Ginisang Pinakbet that I have been craving lately. I also cooked Ginisang Ampalaya and Chicken Tinola, didn't put the pictures so I can put it on my other blog :-) Yum!

Yummy Butter Pecan Cookies

I got this recipe from one of the bloggers and have tried it myself, oh boy! It is so good! So good that I have to hide it from my hubby and son for these guys love cookies so much. I have posted it here knowing you people who are cookie lovers might want to try it, plus you can give it to your neighbors and friends this Christmas. I am sure I will; it is one of the many traditions we do on Christmas.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted pecans
2 sticks or 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Procedure:
1. Roast the pecan nuts for 1 minute-high in microwave oven. Roughy chop and set aside.
2. Cream the butter using electric mixer. Add sugar, and cream together.
3. Add flour, salt and nutmeg. Mix well. Add the lightly beaten eggs and mix well.
4. Fold in pecans.
5. Using your bare hands, make a ball of your cookie dough. Arrange in cookie sheets 2 inches apart, and flatten using a fork. Shape the edges if necessary.
6. Bake in a 175C preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
7. Serve warm, fresh from the oven.

Red Snapper, my favorite seafood...

I love healthy foods, so I always cook fish and vegetables; this Red Snapper recipes is one of my favorites....just want to share it with you who are seafood lovers like me.

This fish dish--quick, delicious, and presented whole--makes an impact. It requires just 15 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking time. The ingredients are simple. Just prep the fish, place it in the oven, and--presto!--it actually makes its own colorful sauce, replete with Provencal flavors.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 (6-pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped ripe tomatoes (or use canned tomatoes if ripe are not available)
1 small lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 tablespoon coarsely cracked coriander seeds
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley; plus 2 tablespoons chopped, for garnish
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a roasting pan large enough to hold the whole fish. (If necessary, trim the fins with scissors to get a better fit.) Rinse the red snapper inside and out with cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. Slash 4 X's about 1/4 inch deep into the thickest parts on both sides of the fish to ensure even cooking. Season well with salt and pepper. Place the fish in the roasting pan, and scatter a few of the shallots and garlic in the cavity.

Strew the tomatoes, lemon, the remaining shallots and garlic, the coriander seeds, thyme and parsley sprigs over the fish, and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil.
Roast until the fish is cooked, 35 to 40 minutes. To test the fish for doneness, make a small incision near the head. It should be just opaque near the bone. Using 2 large metal spatulas, transfer the fish to a warmed serving platter. Spoon the vegetable garnish over the fish, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and present the whole fish at the table.

Coriander and Cummin Rubbed Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless pork loin chops or Ribs
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the salt, cumin, coriander, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to form a paste. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, and rub with the paste. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the pork chops about 5 minutes on each side, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

This also works really well on the BBQ, baked and grilling. I added a half of a dried chipotle pepper to this and ground all the spices and garlic in a mortar and pestle.
Tasted GREAT!!

Sotanghon Recipe

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, 2 pieces pork chop ( cut julienne style). Shrimp, chicken, beef or combination can be used, too. Chicken or beef stock , Salt, Calamansi juice (or lemon or lime juice), Onion - chopped, Garlic (sliced), Atsuete (annatto) powder dissolved in water (optional). Carrots - cut julienne style or crosswise, Greens beans or snow peas, Cabbage - shredded, Cauliflower or Broccoli. You can also add Mushrooms, Bamboo shoots and Water chestnut , Ground white pepper, Soy Sauce, Hard boiled eggs and Green onions

Preparatios:
Soak sotanghon noodle in chicken stock or a warm water to make it soft and easy to cut. Once the noodles are thoroughly soft, you need to cut them into manageable length. Use kitchen scissors which you really have to have in your kitchen.

Heat oil in a kawali (wok) and deep fry your garlic pieces until they are golden brown and crisp; for garnish.

Add sliced onion to the hot oil. Stir until the slices become transparent.

Add the meat, constantly stirring and mixing them until they become brown. Add soy sauce and let it simmer for a minute or so or untill the meat is tender. then add all the vegetables, constantly mixing /stirring them. You need to have a very hot wok - have your stove set on high.

Add a little bit of chicken stock . Adjust seasoning - pinch of salt, pinch of ground white pepper, a tablespoon of soy sauce. Add the atsuete coloring. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes.
Add the sotanghon noodles and mix until they absorb the liquid.
That's it. You can then dish the noodles out to a serving dish and garnish with crisp garlic, green onions, sliced hard boiled egg o , lemon slices or wedges and chopped parsley.
Serve hot!