Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Reset Your Taste Buds

"Reset your taste for sugar and salt by cutting them out for at least a week. Processed foods have so much sugar and salt that you’ll practically stop tasting them if you eat these foods often. Try this experiment: Check the salt content of your favorite cereal, and if it’s more than 200 mg sodium per serving, switch to a low-sodium brand for two weeks. Once you switch back, you’ll suddenly taste all the salt you were overlooking. Same goes for sugar."


Source: http://www.rd.com/health/sharpen-your-sense-of-smell-and-taste/


gratuitous cuteness.  couldn't find a not gross pic of a tongue.

I read this while looking up how to improve my poor sense of smell (so I won't die from a gas leak or rotten food...I love my me time.)  It is also good advice for starting to eat healthier food that could seem bland at first.  Clear your palate for real.  Palate detox.  Good for after the holiday.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Forbes List

Yearbook!
Friends of yours?

Steve Jobs was #110


Oprah only #420
JK Rowling only #1140

I keep telling the kids, all artists and entertainers are broke.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

"No Gas" Lentil Soup: Cheap and Healthy

First I used red lentils b/c they are easier to digest than the traditional brown (see my post on lentils.)
The key to gas free pulses like lentils (and beans) is soaking and rinsing.  Boiling.  And rinsing and soaking.  You want to remove as many of the undigestible proteins as possible.

Lentil Instructions
-Soak at least 24 hrs in the fridge (If you soak more because you don't get around to cooking them, change the water every day.)
-Rinse when you are ready to cook.  Strain and rinse again.  Put in a pot.  Add water about an inch over the lentils.  Bring to a slow boil on low.  Strain.  Put back in pot with new water.  Repeat twice.  Keep water an inch over the lentils.
-Make a big batch so the effort is worth it.

Soup
-When lentils begin to soften add cut carrots and onion.
-Add a bouillon
-Chili and/or taco seasoning or chile peppers to taste
-also added dried sage and thyme
-2 tbs garlic paste (any garlic)
-keep on low 'til most of the water cooks out (or cook in slow cooker)
-When cooked add fresh herbs.  I added cilantro.
-serve with baby spinach

Put Your Nuts on Ice

Nuts spoil and get rancid.  But you can't always tell by the taste.  Ewwww.  Keep them in the fridge not out on the table or in the cabinet!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Seasonal Fruit: Persimmon


Looks like a tomato.  Tastes like a dream.

October/November is persimmon season.  Gone by December!

 I just noticed that they sell them at the fruit stands in my neighborhood for cheap!  The ones they sell are the fuyu variety (squat like a pumpkin).  There is also a longer, acorn shaped variety called the hachiya.  Both yum.

Tips:
1.  Only eat ripe.  It should be a little soft.  It is SUGARY SWEET and delicious :)
2.  You may or may not like the thick skin.  I don't.  I spoon the meat out of the skin.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

True Life: I'm a Recovering (Virgo) Perfectionist

The bad kind of pride can be fear.  For me it's in the form of shyness.

Pride:  "It's okay for YOU to have problems but you can't know that I have problems.  I'm great!"

Luckily, all of my friends are super aggressive about friendship and roll out the red carpet for me.  Opposites attract.  While it's wonderful to be courted, it's relatively rare and I don't want to depend on that forever.  It's not about dumping on others (glad I don't have that problem,) it's about being open.  Pride becomes a problem for me when it keeps me from moving forward.  From communing with and receiving/learning from others.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Top #5 Cowards That Don't Deserve Respect

5.  Jay-Z.  Selling Occupy Wall Street t-shirts with no intention to share profits with protesters.  And he stole my friend's man Jay Shells' design.  No love for other Jays?!  You're known for bum contracts.  Not a good look.  Time to pay up buddy.  Love the music.

4.  Frank Miller (Genius Batman comic-strip guy and writer of Sin City and 300.)  Slams Occupy Wall Street.  "Occupy is nothing but a pack of louts, thieves, and rapists, an unruly mob, fed by Woodstock-era nostalgia and putrid false righteousness."  Crazy pants!  Thought you were a do-gooder?!

3.  Joe Paterno and dem.  You lost me at "at risk youth."

2.  Herman Cain.  I knew he had an amazing sense of humor (especially for a conservative) but damn.  A hoax?



1.  Bloomberg.  Tried to shut down protesters.  Now talking about building more private colleges with research programs to stimulate the NYC economy and create jobs.  What about public schools?  One word.  Whatadick.  Speaking of...

Clearly not the top 5 at all b/c I'm missing the more obvious players like Dick Cheney owner of Halliburton.


Addendum 11/16/11 I was wrong.  Bloomberg you really are #1!  12th Richest man.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Seasonal Fruit: Buy a bag of Clementines!

Or a box.


"So cheap and JUIcy!" - Regina Spektor


Top #5 Things Black People Always Liked (That Are Now Mainstream)


5.  Fashion.  Before Europe introduced America to disposable fashion via H&M and Zara and OK! Magazine and the like, black people were dressing their asses off (even the Panthers.)
4.   Professional manicures.  Same vein.  Long before the gel nails.
3.  Red velvet cake.  Southern.
2.  Public school (by default.)  With the economy in shambles nobody is trying to pay for private school and it's hard to get in.
1.  Dancing.  Well before Dancing with the Stars.

Quick Honey Mustard Dressing


1 tsp honey (if you don't use honey use brown rice syrup, agave, or real maple syrup.
3 tsp dijon
1 tsp grapeseed oil (milder than Evoo)
1 drop hot chili oil or put in a little bit of chili pepper, a piece of a dried whole pepper, flakes, or fresh chili pepper.

I put it on a salad of spinach, a clementine, and several raisin.  Mix!  Quick and easy small meal or side.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Keep Herbs Fresh in the Fridge

I haven't completely discovered the joys of cooking.  But I like it sometimes.  Especially when I trick myself into it.  Like instead of looking at it as a means to feed myself economically and healthily.  I think of it as an excuse to use delicious and flavorful fresh herbs.  But as my friend was telling me yesterday, her herbs always wilt or dry out within a couple of days.

Keep parsley/cilantro and leafy herbs in a cup of water in the fridge and they should last longer than a week.  They will imbibe the water and stay perky and you can stay perky about cooking.  Maybe.  Change the water every couple of days if you're paranoid like me.


Bonus tip:  Keep limes in the house.  You can squeeze them on anything from a main course to popcorn for a fun zesty taste.