Stay Healthy & Fit This Summer

Summer is almost here, you can now feel the heat of the sun in your skin. It would be really fun to go to the beaches and spend some time swimming, though aside from having some recreational activities and taking some rest, you should also be aware on some lifestyle tips that you can do during summer in able to keep yourself healthy and fit.

1. Drinking enough Water
This is the main thing that everyone should do specially this summer season, in able to able for you to avoid from being dehydrated. Even if your not thirsty, it would be good that you often drink a lot of water. With the high humidity levels, more water will be release from your body.

2. Avoid Drinks High in Sugar,Alcoholic Beverages,Caffeinated Beverages
Drinking too much of it will let you to loss more fluids through your urine, they are naturally acidic that's why you might as well lessen drinking it.

3. Drinking a Very Chilled Liquids
Due to hot weather, most of us would like to drink a very chilled drinks in able to make our body cool down though its not really help us. There is a bad effect in our body specifically in the blood vessels in the skin that might decrease heat loss.

4. Intake of Heaty Vegetables & Fruits
This is not advisable during summer, you should be able to prevent eating it, these are spinach, radish, hot peppers, onions, garlic,pineapple,and ripe mangoes.

5. Maintain Good Hygiene
This is very important, you should make it a habit to take a bath everyday and able to change your clothes when needed, don't let your sweat to be dry out in your shirt.

February 25 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Great Things About Summer

It was only February though you can now experience the summer fever. Early in the morning you wake up with the gleam of sunlight through your window and you feel how hot your face was, summer is really here. Oh, how great to go to the beach or go to hot springs to refresh and relax. To be able to wade in the water and feel the cold water in your body. And of course eating summer foods would be great too such as halo-halo, ice cream and some summer fruits like watermelon, melon, berries, mangoes. Really refreshing and satisfying indeed I just hope that I can be able to have a long vacation and do things like this.

February 23 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Enjoy Cooking With Your Kids

Cooking is really great and a good past time for everyone, specially when your doing it with someone you've enjoy being with. Though how about when your kids like to join and you can't resist and say No. Most mom don't allow their child to go to the kitchen and make their kids help them preparing the foods, worrying that they might just ruin it. But you don't have to worry much because there's a lot of easy recipe out there that your child and you would be glad to make. This will also serve as your bonding moments and you've also teaching your child to learn new things. Here's the recipe that you and child would enjoy making - the Tortilla Dessert Wraps!

Ingredients:
* Almond paste
* Tortilla wraps
* Mini-marshmallows
* Milk chocolate chips
* Coconut flakes
* Whipped cream, for topping
* Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Cooking Method:
Let your child spread the almond paste, just a thin layer on each tortilla. It should be spread right up to the edges, then let him sprinkle the marshmallows, chocolate chips and coconut flakes in the tortilla. Let your child firmly roll the tortilla into a circular log shape.

Then you must be the one to wrap it in a foil and seal it tightly. Grill over low heat until heated through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Then you must remove the foil and place it on a plate. Let your child garnish it with fresh sweetened whipped cream or prepared whipped topping. You can also serve it with vanilla ice cream on the side.

February 22 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Easy Doughnuts Recipe

This time I'll share you a homemade doughnut recipe that is very easy and enjoyable to make. It came from my grandma's cookbook, in which she collected when was just young. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
* sugar
* milk
* egg
* melted butter
* flour
* baking powder
* salt
* nutmeg

Here's how to do it:
Combine the sugar, milk, egg, melted butter and nutmeg. Have ready flour, baking powder and salt. Then add to the wet ingredients. Stir in lightly. When oil is already hot in electric fry pan, drop by teaspoonfuls into hot fat. Fry about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar.

February 19 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Types of Doughnuts You'll Loved

There are many types of doughnuts,let me share to you some of the famous doughnuts.

Glazed Doughnuts
This is a typical ring doughnut that is dipped with sugar or cinnamon based glaze. This is perfect for coffee or in chocolate drinks.

Donut Holes
This is not really came from the central portion of the cake, but by dropping a ring of dough into a hot oil. Though as the ring doughnuts became popular, they used to market the "Donut Holes" as if there were really part of it.

Coconut Doughnut
Through its name you can actually tell what's the difference of it with others. This dougnuts is topped or covered with shredded coconuts, it is usually boiled or toasted.

Jelly Doughnut
This doughnut is filled with different jelly or fruit jam such as cherry, strawberry, or rasberry and many more. It is also topped ith powdered sugar.

Boston Creme
This is a doughnut with a filling inside, a creamy vanilla or a custard filling, that is topped with chocolate frosting.

All this list were perfect in meryienda and even in any occasions like a group party or a dessert for your wedding.

February 18 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Mystery of Doughnuts

Its already 3 in the afternoon, time for meryienda and to relax in a short while. Time to eat my snacks, and what I have here is my favorite meryienda,....doughnut. Doughnut is a dessert-like sweet made from deep fried dough.

I eat a lot of it, I even eat it at breakfast or as a midnight snack. Its really yummy and really satisfied my taste bud. Anyway have you guys ever become curious why does a doughnut have a hole in the middle? Well, when I was young I used to asked my mom about it, though never answered me. So I search it myself,..

Some said that it is needed to conserve the dough, it was cut out in the middle to reused for making more doughnuts. They also said that this is made for us for easy holding. But I think the best answer I've heard(the right one as well, I guess) is to cook it more evenly. It was said that this is the real purpose of making a hole in the middle. Because without the hole it will end up with either a ball that is raw in the middle or overcooked on the outside.

Though whatever the reason is it doesn't matter really, doughnut will still be my favorite...harhar ^^,

February 17 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Delicious Delicacies from Camiguin City

It was summer last year when we had our vacation in Camiguin City - one of the popular tourist spot and destination for vacationers. It was a great experience to be able to go there and stay even in just a short time. I really had fun and enjoy those days specially their foods that were really yummy and mouth watering.

I tasted some of their popular delicacies and one of that is their pastel, it is a bun with a yema inside, there are also other filing such as pineapple, strawberry, cheese and ube. The Vjandep in Camiguin is popular with it, a famous bakery in their town.

Another is the Piniato, is just the same as what we know peanut brittle though the difference is is that they uses a whole peanuts and glaze with honey that is molded into sticks! Good to have as desserts or snacks while doing something.


Lastly is the Maestrado Tablea, a chocolate drink that is made from pure cocoa that you can enjoy in your breakfast or even in your merienda. Its a cocoa tablet that you will dissolve in a warm water.


Hope you can also try and taste these delicacies, and enjoy it as well.

February 16 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Live a Healthy Life - Foods for Diabetic

I love to eat sweet foods, candies, cakes, ice cream and of course chocolates., it makes me feel calm and relax whenever I feel upset and down. Its actually a weird feeling though that's exactly how I feel whenever I used to eat sweets.

But how about the people whose suffering from diabetes? Are they able to enjoy and can eat the same foods as we were eating? Below are the list of foods that a diabetes should avoid and foods to eat.

Food To Avoid
* Foods High with Sugar
Foods such sugar, artificial sweeteners, including honey were obviously needed to avoid. Though you don't need to worry that you cannot enjoy the foods you are usually eat and drink such as coffee, there is one sweetener that is allowed with them, the stevia commonly known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf.
> Chocolates including the so called- sugar free types. But if you really can't take it to eat, it is recommended to eat the Continental dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa solids.

* Starchy Vegetables
All vegetables that is high in starch such as beans, carrots, peas, specially the parsnips and potatoes, it is better that you go easy with this foods. Also with starchy carbohydrate foods like bread and chapatti rice.

* Fruits
Not all fruits are bad for diabetic people there were only some such as banana, grapes, strawberries, and mangoes.



Foods to Eat
* Foods High in Fiber
This includes cereal, nuts, fruits, seeds and certain vegetables. Foods high in fiber is good because its reduces cholesterol and glucose level in our body. It also means more chromium, which is very helpful in the treatment of diabetes.

* Sea Foods
All types of sea foods can were safe whether it could be boiled, steamed, baked or grilled, fried is not recommended.

February 15 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Love, Love, Love!!!

2 more days to prepare for your romantic dream date, 2 days to rehearse for your sweetest words for your love one, 2 more days to put everything in order on that very special day. Whoo..such a very stressful day for many lovers out there, I suddenly remember my father.

He's not really the usual romantic guy that girls would love to, saying alluring words that you wanted to hear, not so expressive of what he really feel. Though that thinking change when I saw him prepare a breakfast for my mom last valentines day. He's not really into cooking though he manage to create a pancake, I know its a simple meal though the effort of making it, is what make it extra special. He make a heart shape pancakes and added a scoop of ice cream on top. I'll share this simple recipe that I hope that you can able to make one for your love one.

Ingredients:
* self-raising flour (flour with baking powder, sugar & salt)
* milk
* eggs

How to Make:
Place all the ingredients into bowl and mix it well. Then grease the pan with butter, use two spoons in placing the mixture in a pan to create a heart shaped pancake. There is also a ready heart shape pan available that you can use to make it more easy for you to prepare it. When bubbles burst on the surface and the edges start to dry, turn and cook the other side until golden brown. You can serve it with any sweet syrup and you can also put a scoop of ice cream on top.

Just a simple recipe for you to cheer up the day and express your love.

February 12 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Wine to Spark your Date

Instead of going out on a romantic date this coming valentines day don't you think that having an adventurous date would be a much nicer idea, exploring the beauty of nature while having a memorable bonding with your love one. Having bungee jumping, doing hiking, mountain climbing, and a lot more. And after that heavy activities is a simple dinner with a simple menu. And to make the night spectacular and colorful you should be able to prepare a perfect wine for that night.

Deciding and choosing for the right wine is the most important thing you should do, whether it could be red, white, or any type of wine. Though to make sure that the wine you'll going to serve suit your taste how about make a homemade wine that will make your girl be impress. I'll share you a wine recipe that is easy to follow and to prepare:

Ingredients:
* white grape juice
* filtered water
* sugar
* yeast

How to make:
Pour the grape juice in container then bring the water and sugar to boil until it was melted. Let it cool and pour it in the same container. Add a 1pkg yeast and close it with airlock stopper. Allow it to ferment for 3 weeks in a sanitized 5 gallon container then after that place it in a bottle and left for another one week.

February 11 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Easy Valentines Cake for You

Cakes will definitely be a good treat on valentines day, cakes is a wonderful foods to share with. So let me give you a cake recipe that will suite for this valentines day and for any occasion such as wedding or any celebration. This is a simple valentine cake recipe that's so easy to follow:

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup - Crisco
* 1 1/2 cups - Sugar
* 2 - Eggs
* 2 cups - Flour
* 1 tb sp - Cocoa
* 1 teaspoon - Salt
* 1 teaspoon - Baking Soda
* 1 tb sp - Vinegar

Put the cream crisco and sugar together in a bowl, then add the eggs and beat it, until it is mix well. Strain the flour, cocoa and salt together thrice. Fold in baking soda and dissolved in vinegar swiftly. Then grease and flour the 2.9" layer pans, bake at 350 degrees for almost half an hour.

February 09 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Crave for More - Romantic Foods this Valentines Day

As Valentines Day is coming giving lovable gifts is what we do with our love ones. Though it will be hard for us to decide what special thing we can give for them. Well, aside from spending a lot of money just to show your affection and bringing them to high class places, it will be also great to surprise them with this simple but fabulous food ideas that they will surely love.

Chocolates
Dozen of chocolates, this will be a nice idea though a very common one but, let's face it, girls really love to receive this. It is also proved that eating of chocolates let the brain to release endorphins which make people feel loved and happy.

Coffee
With the aroma of the coffee itself can bring out a nice atmosphere for both of you. Serve it with your special someone in a special coffee cup and it will make a special love buzz...

Ice Cream
It will be so sweet to share an ice cream with your love one, feeding each other while letting the ice cream melt in your mouth. Such a simple gesture though will brought something extra ordinary feeling in both of you. Vanilla is a common flavor you can use or any flavor will do.

Nuts
Nuts is a symbol of fertility and also a romantic food ideas that you and your partner can share.

Cake
It will be wonderful if the cake is a shape hearted and or a round cake top with decorations of chocolatey biscuit base, scattered with milk and dark chocolates, so lovely to look at!

Make your love ones feel this special occasion and let them experience the your love.

February 08 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Just Feel Good

Not feeling well today, just upset of what happened, though don't want to ruin the rest of the day. Whenever I felt sad or dismay I used to keep myself busy in the kitchen, its a sort of relaxation and recovering from the bad mood I have. I used to bake cookies and biscuit, its really fun that's why I able to forget anything. I'll share you one recipe that will make your mood better specially when you'll able to make a perfect one - a Chocolate Cookies.

Ingredients

* 350 g dark chocolate
* 350g unsalted Butter (small chunks)
* 3 Eggs
* 500g self-raising flour
* 1 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
* 5 tbsp freshly made espresso coffee
* icing sugar
* 450g light muscovado sugar

Melt the butter and chocolate together and set over a pan of boiling water. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a food processor or in a mixer for 3-4 minutes until pale and thick. Sift the flour and baking soda into a bowl. Tip the egg and sugar mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the warm chocolate mix and the espresso. Carefully fold in the sifted flour and baking soda, using a large metal spoon. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge, overnight or for at least a couple of hours. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Divide the mixture into walnut-sized balls, then roll them in sifted icing sugar. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow it to cool on a rack and its ready to eat. Easy step for you to enjoy preparing it, happy baking!

February 05 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Foods That Fight Your Depression

February, time to celebrate love and affection between two people whose in love. But how about for those who are broken hearted and in sorrow, or in the middle of depression? How can they be able to cope with it? Well aside from traveling and going out of town, and spend too much just to manage what are your going through, I'll share you some healthy food ideas that will surely help to fight your depression.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil contain omega-3 fatty acids that based on research depressed people often lack with. It has been experimented and proved that a gram of fish oil each day will have a 50 percent decrease in symptoms such as anxiety, unexplained feelings of sadness and suicidal thoughts. Salmon and mackerel are a great sample for this.

Vitamin B
People experiencing depression should also increase the intake of vitamin B. Brown rice contain vitamins B1,B3 and folic acid which prevent sugar lows and mood swings. The whole-grain oats also contain folic acid that helps to avoid blood sugar to be damage or collapse.

Folate/Folic Acid
Its been said that shortage of folate might lead to easily feel depression. Dark green vegetables like spinach, peas, asparagus, fresh beans are good source of folate and other certain fruits such as(orange juice, canned pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, etc.)

This will help you to prevent or minimize depression, though if you still feel it for some time, its still better to consult a doctor.

February 04 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Sweet Thought

Valentines is not just for lovers, we can also enjoy this day even without a partner or going to an enchanting places. Giving something special for the one we love like our parents or friends, will be appreciated a lot. Giving sweet foods like chocolates and candies is the usual thing we do, but how about making it personally. Yes, making it personally will give the impression that you really value someone, you might also enjoy doing it. I'll share you one sweet recipe of a "Chocolate Raspberry Kiss" that anyone would surely love...

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee
* 3 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 4 ounces Chambord raspberry liquor
* 2 ounces godiva liqueur

For Garnish:

* whipped cream
* cocoa powder
* red-tinted sugar

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the coffee and chocolate over med-low heat; whisk until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and pour into 2 mugs. Add 2 ounces Chambord and 1 ounce Godiva liqueur to each mug; stir to combine. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle with cocoa powder and red sugar then serve.

February 03 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Love is in the Air!

Do you know the saying "a way to a man's heart is through his stomach"! but do you think that this can be also imply to women? Have you ever thought that girls also love to eat, and would be very impress if they knew that you have cooked for them? Especially this month, which is a love month, this is a very perfect opportunity for you.

Instead of bringing your love ones to a classy, elegant and romantic places yet expensive why don't you invite your girl to a private dinner date and cook personally, is it more fantastic and more idealistic?

Preparing this kind of date, you might first want to assess your relationship. Through this, you've been giving the chance to decide what kind of meal to do. Early in a relationship, it may be nice to stick with simple dishes though something still special.

It will be good also to know what your girlfriend likes to eat. This need some advance preparation - you should able to remember some things that she had mentioned before about the foods that she used to love though not able or dont know how to make it.

After knowing what to prepare it would be easy for you to have a recipe of it. Search in any cookbook or just google it in the net. It will definitely give you a thousands of variations to choose from. Just follow the instructions and the ingredients needed and you'll surely be able to make a perfect meal.

Prepare anything a head of time. You need enough time to make this all, you should pay attention to your recipe. Estimate the time you will spend in cooking.

Setting up the ambiance where you will set the meal is very important, you need to be creative by this. Making the lights dim and hiring a violinist is an example, putting candles and flowers would definitely be a nice idea.

And of course, in serving the meal, make sure the food is ready and serve it hot. Let your girlfriend enjoy the enchanting night with you and your delicious dishes.

February 02 ,2010

88DB Philippines

Dream High Grow Tall

Since I was a kid, I always dream of being tall. I used to buy big shoes and big slippers before coz I thought that when I grow up I can really reach the height of 5'6. And my foot was a bit bigger than the normal one in my same age, and my mom told me that maybe because I'll be going to grow taller than the others. But unfortunately I'm not, I only reach a height of 5'1 :(, and I feel a bit small by that.

I knew that most people really wanted to grow tall but only few can achieve it. Some said that being tall is hereditary though eating the right food is also a factor.

Foods rich in protein, mineral and vitamin helps you to become taller. Protein is made of amino acids that stimulates growth and effective working of human body. Whole eggs, fish and legumes are protein rich. These foods also includes carbohydrates and fats.

Meat foods, this contain of lipids and saturated fats that slow down our growth or worst stop the development of your growth. Also avoid sweets, pastries, sodas and crispies or anything that is high in fat.

Calcium is necessary for having a healthy bones that is needed for your growth. Milk and other dairy products like yogurt and cheese is a good sample of foods that is rich in calcium. Leafy vegetables are another source of calcium. Avoid salty, sugary and caffeine foods because it will damage your calcium intake.

Aside from eating the right foods, having enough sleep and exercise will help you to attain a full growth mentally and physically.

February 01 ,2010

88DB Philippines