Recipe: Broiled Eggplant Sandwich
Eggplant done right is delicious. High temps and Asian-inspired sauce turn a blah vegetable into savory food. Extra points for grill marks.
- Coconut Oil:
Metabolizes food instead of storing it as fat. Using coconut oil instead of regular oil in cooking helps. Also, applying oil directly to problem areas on skin (acne, eczema, skin infections) won’t clog your pores, but will leave your skin feeling fresh and clean.- Salmon:
Fish oils, such as salmon, can help to lower triglycerides in the blood and, therefore, reduce the amount of stored fat on your body. Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in pill form as well, help keep skin supple and soft.- Coffee:
Revs your metabolism and helps you burn calories for up to three hours after consumption. Just don’t drink with cream or sugar, because that negates the burning effect. Also helps prevent diabetes, some forms of cancer, and depression. Warm coffee grounds can be combined with a bit of olive oil to form a paste to keep cellulite at bay. Rub paste in circular motion over problem areas, keeping it on for 10 minutes afterwards, two times a week, helps prevent cellulite from forming.- Avocados:
This food is a natural diuretic that flushes out excess sodium and “water weight”. Say goodbye to bloating! It’s packed with vitamin B, which is a natural remedy for PMS. These babies also prevent wrinkling, by increasing the amount of collagen in your skin with glutathione. Use mashed avocado on your face, leave on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse off.- Grapefruit:
In one study, 100 volunteers who ate half a grapefruit before each meal for 12 weeks lost an average of 3.6 pounds without dieting. It blocks enzymes involved in fat and carbohydrate storage. It rejuvenates skin as well, by boosting cell renewal. Mix juice with sugar to make a paste and use on damp skin in the shower.- Blueberries:
Are good for anti-inflammation, including bloating. There have also been some studies done on rats that may indicate that blueberries and weight loss have a more direct link. These studies showed that blueberries could reduce belly fat, improve blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels. The antioxidants in blueberries protect you from premature aging, as well.- Macadamia Nuts:
Keep your body young by protecting you from skin damage from aging and UV rays. It also increases metabolism by 10%, so eating this as a snack or using the oil for cooking helps you lose weight. The oil also doubles as a hair moisturizer of sorts. The consistency is much like the oils naturally produced in our hairs, so greasiness is not an issue. Massaging into scalp makes hair look soft and shiny.- Spinach:
Spinach offers twice as much fiber as other greens, so eating this food helps you feel fuller longer. Fiber slows down digestion, which can prevent you from feeling hunger for longer if you had gone for, say, iceburg lettuce, instead of baby spinach in your salad. Cooked spinach still contains great nutrients, but overcooking can take those away. Spinach is loaded with lutein, which keeps your eyes healthy and sparkling.
Easy Fruit & Herb Flavored Water
Ingredients
- fruit — 2 cups berries, citrus, melons, pineapple…most fruits will work (see recommended amounts in directions)
- herbs — a sprig of mint, basil, sage, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, or lavender
- water (tap or filtered)
- ice
DirectionsSupplies needed: 2 quart pitcher or jar with lid; muddler or wooden spoon
General formula for whatever fruit/herb combo you desire.
1. If using herbs, add a sprig of fresh herbs to jar/pitcher; press and twist with muddler or handle of wooden spoon to bruise leaves and release flavor; don’t pulverize the herbs into bits.
2. Add approx. 2 cups of fruit to jar/pitcher; press and twist with muddler or handle of wooden spoon, just enough to release some of the juices
3. Fill jar/pitcher with ice cubes.
4. Add water to top of jar/pitcher.
5. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Suggested flavor combinations:
ALL CITRUS (no herbs) — Slice 1 orange, 1 lime, 1 lemon into rounds, then cut the rounds in half. Add to jar and proceed with muddling, add ice & water.
RASPBERRY LIME (no herbs) — Quarter 2 limes; with your hands, squeeze the juice into the jar, then throw in the squeezed lime quarters. Add 2 cups raspberries. Muddle, add ice & water.
PINEAPPLE MINT — Add a sprig of mint to the jar (you can throw in the whole sprig; or, remove the leaves from the sprig, if you prefer to have the mint swimming around and distributing in the jar). Muddle the mint. Add 2 cups pineapple pieces, muddle, add ice & water.
BLACKBERRY SAGE — Add sage sprig to jar and muddle. Add 2 cups blackberries; muddle, add ice & water.
WATERMELON ROSEMARY — Add rosemary sprig to jar & muddle. Add 2 cups watermelon cubes; muddle, add ice and water.
I came home from work and Al had made mac and cheese for dinner and when I put my plate down, the sunlight was streaming through to the kitchen and I was really happy I was going to get to eat that.
So, here’s the recipe, so you can eat it, too:
Ingredients:
• 1 (8 ounce) package
elbowcavatappi macaroni
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 (12 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
2. In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden.
It’s from here! The other mac and cheese he makes a lot is this one. That one’s a little bit more involved, because there’s a step with a roux first. We eat the one above more, but they’re both really good!
oooo I have to try this one!
OMG, I need this now.
Got bored today so I decided to paint a flower pot with a crackle finish and it turned out pretty good! The process was pretty simple too only took about 30 minutes to do the whole thing. I just painted on a base layer of grey, then once that dried I painted on a coat of glue and while the glue was still tacky I painted on a white coat. As the glue dried it gave the white layer a crackled vintage look.
