HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013

happy new year  2013

FUN, FOODies
quote

“in three words, i can sum up everything about life.. it goes on.”

– Robert Frost (poet)\
my wish to all who came by to visit:

bright and cheerful days  always for you in 2013 

for me, it will be:
more collagen this YEAr

more simple cooking
more  simpler  cooking     more no  cooking      more  one  dish  meal

vegetarian once a week
more ice cream and chocolates

mORE GREEN TEA AND Nuts 

IN TRANSIT 2013

 in transit 2013

water on the blue planet

 water is life

 keep our water sources clean

 no comments for this post- thank you

 enjoy your last day of 2012

IN TRANSIT TO 2013

in transit to 2013
no comments for this post in transit- happy viewing

extravant-garde kebaya
heritage

           The kebaya has evolved into haute couture so grand, so lavish, that it's basic function has given way to its forms:luxurious and not conventional.

Photographer Darius Manihuruk

Credit to Aquila style

        HERITAGE

        pilgrimage of the mystic

..HOW can you ever hope to know the beloved, without becoming in every cell the lover - 

Jalaluddin Rumi, Persian poet (1207-1273)

 Photographer Panji Indra

NO COMMENTS FOR THIS POST IN TRANSIT- HAPPY VIEWING         Credit to Aquila  style
My great blogger friend Jan Oliver (1-2punch) commented on the above 

"Thank you for sharing bits of who you are, also I wanted my daughter to see 
your blog today, and she knew one of the models, 
the one still, by Panji Indra,,small world eh? "

my  reply   

                         Hi Jan , my best regards to your daughter in US, who is a friend of this model  in  Jakarta

 and me in KL- -discovered by you :)  that's a real transit ,as in this post title

and a nostalgic coincidence for end 2012

Italian Pumpkin Soup Is Not Only Easy But Also Healthy

When I first wrote about Acorn Squash Soup, pumpkin and acorn were about the same price. I like the flavor of roasted acorn squash so I could buy a couple of small ones and make one into soup and the other eat roasted. Well in the past year, one market has dropped the price of pumpkin down as low as fifty cents a pound and started selling one pound pieces. So naturally I decided to try pumpkin soup using my Acorn Squash Soup recipe.

Actually, Italian Pumpkin Soup is richer and bolder than Acorn Squash Soup and just as versatile. I made a vegan version with coined carrots where you have to blanch the carrots until tender and add them back after the pumpkin soup is pureed. The version pictured above is with chicken and when I cooked it on the stove top, I included carrots, dumplings and chicken. When rereading the acorn squash recipe, I see that I no longer add Pasta to soup. If you choose to do this in your coffeepot, you have to cook the pasta for twice as long as called for and avoid leftovers as the pasta has a tendency to turn mushy. So in effect, this really is an entirely different soup and deserves it's own recipe.

Italian Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 can vegetable broth or Chicken Broth
• ¾ to I pound pumpkin
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small onion diced
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• Optional – Piece of chicken with or without the bone
• Optional – Coined Carrots, precooked
• Optional -Tablespoon grated Parmesan sprinkled on top

Method:

1. Peal and cube the pumpkin and get rid of the skin and seeds.
2. Add cubed pumpkin and garlic to the pot and cook with broth for 2 hours
3. Puree in blender or remove pumpkin from broth and mash by hand.
4. Add onion and chicken or cooked carrots if desired. Cook additional 2 hours.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

WRAP UP 2012, COLLAGEN IS VITAL.

wrap up 2012 and unwind

FUN, FASHION, FOOD, flowers- NO WORK, NO SERIOUS COOKING

A food and beverage blog like mine, is a site centered around foods and drinks… health benefits if any, will be a priority bonus.

A wrap up recipe  for year end 2012 would be almost perfect…. .. But for me, end of year means  a time to relax and  stay cool… no hassle, no cooking, just eat out, socialize  and keep up with friends- until next year end …

I also spend some time looking at women mags and fashion…  like those designer clothes and accessories… and the humor that spice them all… some fun and stress free moments will be a real treat, like anti oxidant is to the body cells.

The way is, to strife for quality life –

hence the need for excellent health, mental alertness and slowing of the aging process. 

My way is, i must ensure my collagen intake is sufficient- 

and go for the five color fruits. 

Collagen cannot be produced without vitamin C. Over 90% of the collagen in the body, however, is of type one = ie:  skin, tendon, vascular ligature, organs, bone (main component of the organic part of bone)

Collagen nourishes the skin from the inside, strengthen skin tissues, prevents drying and reduce wrinkles. Also for cartilage, bases of cell basement membrane (eye lens, kidney) and cell surfaces ( hair and placenta) – to name a few of the 28 types of collagen.

The ratio of veggies (may include fruits) to other foods is 4:1

NO WORK NOW,,,,

FASHION as i saw in the mag 

best dressed of the year- critics choice.

1.Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann – 2.Emmy Rossum in Monique Lhuillier - 3.Sonam Kapoor in Salvatore Ferragamo –

best dressed of the year- readers choice

1. Diane Kruger in Vivienne Westwood –2. Coco Rocha in Zac Posen –3. Blake Lively in Zuhair Murad Couture – ‘Savages’ LA Premiere- 4. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in Jenny Packham –

2012  - 

To us, watching gala fashion shows on runway is part of an expensive entertainment,

to the models it is a fun  serious career.. 

They look like killer shoes- ankle twist or fracture is not impossible> my comment

I feel like a candy

each of us went through 
flip flops in our career..

looking back.... gardenia first love , a beautiful white

NO-BAKE COOKIES RECIPE. NO BAKE FRUIT PIE

no-bake cookies recipe

nO BAKE FRUIT PIE RECIPE

MERRY CHRISTMAS 
AND  HAPPY holidays

cookies recipe
ingredients

1 cup cocoa powder

1 cup milk 

 2 cups 'quick cook' oatmeal or crushed graham crackers

3/4 cup white sugar

 1/2 pound butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins - chop or minced

method

Melt butter in a saucepan.

Mix the cocoa powder, milk, sugar and butter. 

Stir until mixture is of even consistency. Pour into the pan.

Add in the oatmeal and stir until they are evenly spread and distributed.

Let the mixture cool for five to ten minutes.

Spoon the mixture into balls on a cookie sheet, leaving enough space between them for their spreading out.

Let stand on counter for at least 20 minutes to stiffen, or you may refrigerate for quicker stiffening of the cookies.

tips and variations

May use peanut butter to give the no-bake cookies an extra flavor.

FRUIT PIE

Do a pie instead of cookies.

Make a pie crust using graham crackers.

6 1/2 oz graham crackers (12 crackers), finely ground (=1½ cups) = makes one “9-inch pie crust”.

Pour the hot mixture into the crust of Graham crackers.

Once cooled, top with whipped cream and fruit or other toppings. Voila ! done!

Technically, crackers are not really graham crackers unless they are made with graham flour, which is a hard (high protein) wheat flour in which the constituent bran, germ, and endosperm have been ground separately, the first two coarsely and the third finely… graham pie crust and crackers below>

Do You Know Why Foie Gras Is So Famous In French Cuisine

Foie gras is one of the most popular and well-known delicacies in French cuisine and its flavour is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of a regular duck or goose liver. It can be sold whole, or prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté (the lowest quality), and is typically served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as toast or steak.

This fattened liver is produced by using a traditional technique known as Gavage, this is the force feeding of ducks and geese to fatten their livers to produce 'foie-gras-de-canard' or 'foie-gras-d'oie'.

The technique of gavage dates as far back as 2500 BC, when the ancient Egyptians began keeping birds for food and deliberately fattened the birds through force-feeding. Today, France is by far the largest producer and consumer of this famous french food.

Traditionally, in the South-West of France where this is mainly produced, it is womens work and they are called gaveuses. There are special markets to display this produce and it is truly a respected industry, women of all ages take pride in exchanging stories on how their 'Foie-Gras' fairs in the colour, texture and taste counters.

 

This Famous Food is expensive, this fattened liver is worth at least 10 times more than the rest of the bird, called the paletot which doesn't go to waste. The breasts are vacuum packed and sold as magret while the rest is sold to make confits.

'Foie-Gras-d'Oie' is about twice the size of the 'Foie-Gras-de-Canard'. They are usually preserved by canning or by barely cooking ie mi-cuit or semi cuit, then vacuum packed. This means they will last for up to one month.

It is an extremely delicate piece of meat and can be totally destroyed if overcooked. If all the fat runs out it will just melt away so take care in it's preparation!!

CULINARY NUTS- NUTRITION AND HEALTH BENEFITS. NUTTY VEGETABLE STEW.

culinary  nuts
Nutty vegetable stew  

Just an ounce of mixeD nuts per day can help maintain good health and wellbeing.

I have always been in love with nuts. So I did what any red-blooded, internet-obsessed sucker for nuts/ health freak / nutty woman would have done.  Well, i googled on my nuts for their health benefits…. Spent three days reading in great details and came up with this very concise post.

You can read more via the links here. Oh yes, what I read and discovered makes me smile and glad I did. Nuts don’t have cholesterol and that is the best point. 

more  nuts- it’s good for your body and mind.link here

Natural Health News — Research showed that eating a handful of nuts every day can help curb hunger  and reduce fat deposits in the abdomen.
Eating a small amount of  30g, or 1 ounce, of nuts daily (of mixed raw unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts)  for 12 weeks, showed improved body levels of serotonin. 
Serotonin is a substance that helps transmit nerve signals and decreases feelings of hunger, feel happier and improves heart health. Thus a way to lose weight.

walnuts

   link here     Source- Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, West Virginia -Abstract-

Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols. The study showed that it can slow cancer growth and reduce breast cancer risks.

almonds

The cholesterol-lowering effects of almonds. Read more  here

peanuts 

Peanuts contain about 25% protein (a higher proportion than in any true nut). They are a good source of niacin for brain health and blood flow.

the pistachio principle-

Dr. James Painter, a behavioral eating expert  from  Eastern Illinois University described ‘ The Pistachio Principle’ as a  method  of "fooling" one's body into eating less. Example: the slow act of shelling of pistachios, slows down eating, allowing one to feel full faster.

The fats in pistachios are not completely absorbed by the body. This is good in weight loss-wikipedia.

General benefits

 Nuts also provide Arginine, a substance that may help make artery walls more flexible and less prone to blockage from blood clot.

Many nuts are good sources of vitamins E and B₂, protein, folate, fiber, and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium.

Nuts are most healthy in their raw form. Up to 15% of the natural healthy oils in nuts are lost during the roasting process. Raw or unroasted walnuts were found to have twice as many antioxidants from other nuts.

Hazelnut butter is being promoted as a more nutritious spread than its peanut butter counterpart, though it has a higher fat content.

A Nutcracker

Nuts acts as a Replacement for Carbohydrates in the Diabetic Diet -link here

Findings: Two ounces of nuts daily as a replacement for carbohydrate foods improved both glycemic control (fullness factor) and serum lipids in type 2 diabetes.

Another Nutcracker but with wings

Weird nuts can give problems
Weird problems can go nuts
Eating Pine nuts can cause taste disturbances, developing 1-3 days later and lasting between a few days to a few weeks after. The Pinus armandi species, is the cause of this bitter, metallic taste and this problem is known as "pine nut syndrome" or as "pine mouth". This armandi species are smaller and more rounded than the typical pine nuts. Cases are self-limited and resolved without treatment. 

I guess if squirrels eat these.. they have really gone nuts.

nutty vegetable stew 
I got this recipe from Dr Kenneth Goldman of spectrum wellness- Huntingdon valley pain relief center, read more at link   here

I wish to thank Dr Ken for his kindness in letting me to" feel free to use" his superior health recipe using nuts and veggies, which I find it very interesting. I think this is so good to eat. Especially when the body is unwell and has no appetite for eating food.

You can try this- 

Process  half cup sunflower seeds/ flax seed  AND  half cup peanuts/ walnuts in food processor until you have a crunchy butter. Set aside.

Fry brown in 2 large onions and garlic with 2 tbsp vegetable oil (olive, sesame, sunflower, etc.) and set aside

Boil water and add in the fried onions above with VegeBase , seed and nut butter. Turn to low fire. Finally add all (remaining ingredients below) to pot and simmer on a low heat for an hour.

Remaining ingredients

4 large cloves of garlic (minced)

4 large carrots (grated)

1 C broccoli (chopped)/ spinach

3 (15 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes with liquid (low salt variety)

8 cups of water

2 T VegeBase

1/2 C sunflower seeds/ flaxseeds

1/2 C peanuts/ walnuts

2/3 C uncooked brown rice

1/3 C uncooked pearled barley

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

Tips For Cooking Shrimps

Shrimp is definitely one of the favorite fish in the USA and all over the world. It can be cooked in numerous approaches including boiled, steamed, fried as well as grilled. Some tested recipes require shrimp to be pre-cooked and others completely uncooked. If you add to most of this the fact that shrimp comes in several sizes and the few different types of shrimp the cooking connected with this delicious crustacean may seem overwhelming many. However, should you follow just a couple of easy tips your shrimp can be as delicious as they possibly be.

The most common error that a lot of people carry out is overcooking shrimp. When you overcook the item it becomes rubbery and it will lose the vast majority of its moisture. If you are boiling shrimp you can say to that it is ready gets hotter turns pink along with starts floating. Usually small shrimp need about three to four minutes whilst medium shrimp requires 2-3 extra minutes and jumbo shrimp 3-4 extra minutes. It is important to remove the shrimp from the cooking fluid when they are ready and not let them cool from it, because the cooking will continue and your shrimp will be overcooked.

If you utilize frozen shrimp, the defrosting method is equally important. The correct way is to defrost them in the fridge or in cold mineral water. Defrosting them at room temperature, in the microwave or perhaps warm water is not recommended.

A common question that a lot of men and women ask is whether marketing and advertising to cook them with the layer or without it. Basically there is no right or wrong means by my opinion. I have read people saying that if you cook them with the shell they tastes better and in plenty of cases I agree. Even so, if you remove the shell you make a very nice broth by cooking food the shells with spices or herbs and vegetables which you can use in the same recipe or for other dishes.

Finnaly, if you are using large shrimp you should devein them first. You will find specialized kitchen items that are used for this you can also just use a sharp modest knife. By deveining these you remove the dark "vein" that you can see in the back of the shrimp. Even if you can eat it may taste a bit "dirty". Many big shrimp require deveining nevertheless medium and especially little jumping salad in most cases do not. It really is mostly a matter of looks and judgement.

ORIGINAL MUFFINS RECIPE. MOLASSES MUFFINS. ALMOND TOASTED MUFFINS RECIPE.

ORIGINAL MUFFINS recipe

VARIATIONS:  

MUFFINS WITH MOLASSES  recipe or

MUFFINS WITH TOASTED CINNAMON recipe

I have been regularly consuming Kellogg’s cereal for breakfast and only lately realized that their cereal can be also be used to make muffins.

Try this simple, delicious hot muffins fresh from the oven….

ORIGINAL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups Kellogg's® All-Bran® Original cereal

or 1 1/2 cups Kellogg's® All-Bran® Bran Buds® cereal

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/3 cup shortening- i use vegetable shortening

DIRECTIONS

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal and milk. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg and shortening. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion evenly into twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400°F about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Link here  yields 12 pieces

Crisco –vegetable shortening sticks and veg shortening with butter flavor, a popular brand.

Shortening is a semisolid fat used especially in baked foods. It inhibits the formation of long gluten strands in wheat-based doughs, giving them a "short" texture.

VARIATIONS-

                                 backstrap molasses

MOLASSES:  Decrease milk to 1/2 cup.

 Add 1/2 cup molasses to KELLOGG'S 
ALL-BRAN cereal with milk. 

Omit sugar. Follow same directions as above.

Molasses is a viscous by-product of the beating of sugarcane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. 

TOASTED CINNAMON: Split cooled muffins in half crosswise. Spread cut surface liberally with butter. 

Sprinkle with mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoon cinnamon. 

Place buttered sides up on broiler rack. 

Toast under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly and browned.