Tuesday, September 29, 2009

 
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new beginnings , careful and caring ways to eat

A NEW START…..BEGIN WITH A SANE AND SENSIBLE APPROACH.

It is always time to start with a new way. Do not waste time. You have the freedom to make choices. Make them Sane and Sensible ones.

I believe that educated people can alter foolish ways of living, bad eating habits and create time for physical fitness and weight balance..

Start with the refrigerator and the kitchen area. Eliminate everything that is not healthy, synthetic, plastic and filled with oils. Look at the foods and condiments you consume………skip the fancy preserved junk. Use simple choices, products that are digested easier.

Drink clean water and natural juices. Fruit nectars look great, but are loaded with sugars and preservatives. They could not have shelf life if they were not that way. Do not buy the picture, buy what you will swallow and hopefully benefit from. I like to choose a juice and water instead of drinks, coffees and café concoctions.
Milk is great and as a night drink. I love it with warm water, cinnamon and honey, a quick treat and great night cap.
Soya milk, Rice Milk, Carob powder and agave are choices that work for your health.

Eat a mixture of vegetables and fruits. Go for a raw salad with a simple dressing. Olive oil, honey, herbs and lemon juice. Have steamed vegetables once a day with herbs and grated cheeses. Use whole-wheat rice and couscous, barley, soya garbanzo beans, lentils good pastas for quick and easy meals. Do not make a habit of using ready soups. Just create the stock you need at home {look at the blog of Preparing for winter] and make soup in twenty minutes. Home made soups are fresh, healthy, free of complicated additives and are comfortably digested. Ideal for older people, little kids and anyone who needs a warm, quick meal.

Breads should be chosen well. Look at the sugar and salt content. If you do not feel good when you eat wheat, choose spelt and rye bread. Remember crackers are useful and easy…but check the preservatives and salt and oil content.

Cereals should be simple. Granolas are better without added salt and oil. You can cook a quick oats and porridge within five minutes. Add cinnamon and honey and it is the best.
plate of good food.

Find the best milk and do not use fancy yogurts. Buy good cheeses and not over processed and treated against fats, cholesterol, low fat and a host of disguises. Cheese should be cheese, not a rubbery glue with promises of being free of everything.

Clear the fridge and kitchen of tins and preservatives. Replace with herbs and spices, lemons, olive oil, honey agave syrup, natural pomegranate, grape and cranberry juices. Vegetable juices are a natural boost post operative and for vegetarians and kids. They are loaded with minerals and vitamins.
Speak to your Doctor and check which vitamins you need, do not go for trends and fads, or special offers

EAT AND DRINK FRESH AND TRASH THE REST.
MY PROGRAMME SANE AND SENSIBLE IS NOW FIFTY YEARS OLD AND I BELIEVE IT MAKES ME WHAT I AM…. FULL OF ENERGY AND ENJOYING WHAT I SELECT, COOK, EAT AND ENJOY.

LOVE AND LIGHT FOR A FRESH START, RONA

Monday, September 21, 2009

 
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HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THINKING AHEAD TO COLDER WEATHER

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THINKING AHEAD TO COLDER DAYS.

I wish you a good year, time to dream and time to enjoy each day. We have all had a week end of eating and drinking, enjoying cakes ,cookies and candies. Now back to the regular routine.
We suddenly have the weather change and feel the need for a good soup, perhaps a warm bowl of food, a casserole and hot meals .

Here are a few ideas to create winter ideas, for colder evenings.
Firstly reorganize your grocery cupboard. Prepare grains and soup ingredients. Do not rely on packaged soups, Do your own.
There are brown and orange lentils, whole-wheat rice, wild rice, barley, all kinds of beans, wheat, oats, soya products, dried green peas, dried mushrooms, garbanzo, chickpeas pastas and noodles.

You do not have to invest in large quantities. Better to buy for two to three weeks at a time. I take the dry goods and place them in air tight containers. I wash them well , when I use them and many need to be soaked overnight or for a few hours.

Create a collection of containers that are suitable for freezing. Not every kind of plastic is good for the freezer. Go into a reliable store and find medium size containers for cooked soups, beans and vegetarian dishes.

I buy small quantities of herbs and spices. Try to use as many fesh products as you can. Use frozen products when you haven’t enough time to create meals with fresh ingredients. I like to have peas and beans in the freezer.

BASIC VEGETABLE SOUPS.

You need a large pot and a variety of vegetables. Go for yellow, greens and sweet potatoes, white potatoes and grains and beans. If you want to use lentils, beans, wheat and barley, wash and soak for a little while. Use fresh parsley, carrots, pumpkin, onions, garlic, dill and good greens like zucchinis, celery and cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Simply wash well and cut up, place in the pot of water, add vegetable salt and pepper. You can add a dash of curry, sweet paprika and a few herbs. Cook on a medium flame and let it boil for a few minutes, lower flame and let if cook until the vegetables are soft. Do not store until the soup is cool.
Freeze soups in medium size containers and thaw before warming up. There is an added advantage when reheating soups, just re energize them by cutting up a carrot, onion and a few grated carrots . Jus drop these into the pot. Looks great and tastes good. This is also when you can add a cup of peas or cut up beans from the freezer.


  1. Serve soup in bowls, with cooked rice, a whole-wheat bread or slices of toast. Enjoy Love and light Rona
 
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Saturday, September 5, 2009

 
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sweet candies and accompaniments for coffee

SWEET ENDINGS …..THE LITTLE CANDIES FOR YOUR COFFEE.

At the end of the evening, when all the food has been consumed and guests have enjoyed conversation and a good time together, we serve the sweet ending. Please believe me, there is always space for the sweets things at the end of a meal. Even the people on a careful eating routine, will have something to taste and enjoy.

I use a large tray or glass plate. Doilies or individual cookie cups look good with the sweets in them
The best way is to set them out in rows,or in circles.

Use the following. Dates, good chocolates, nougat, almonds, halvah and marzipan, dried mango, small fruits like cherries or grapes. The grapes should be firm, red and white. I use nuts and dried raisins too. Baklava is a welcome sweet with a good coffee, and in season watermelon, Bulgarian cheese and arrack, is great.
Good toffees and candies always fit in anywhere………………

Strawberries, and small fruits in season, are a welcome addition to any candy plate


Dates. Wash and slit the dates and fill with pieces of marzipan that has been rolled in coconut.

Apricot and raisin clusters.
113g plain chocolate, 2 large tablespoons honey, 55grams chopped dried. apricots and 55 grams of seedless raisins.
Break chocolate into pieces and put into a bowl with the honey. Stand bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Stir the mixture. Add chopped apricots and raisins. Drop teaspoons of the mixture into small paper cups. Decorate with a small cherry or nut.


Chocolate Fingers.
See the recipes of 25th July 2009–


Chocolate truffles.
These are features in the column of 25th August 2008.

Date Balls
A favorite candy. Easy to make and you can freeze these and remove as needed.
Look at the article of 18th August 2008

Nougat.
I use slices of nougat and dip the ends in melted chocolate.

Halvah.
These can be served in squares in a paper cup.

Apricot and almond candies.
I soak twelve dried apricots in a little liquor overnight. Just enough to cover the apricots. Then I cut them tiny and mix with four tablespoons of crushed almonds and a little ginger. Roll into balls and coat with coconut.

Enjoy you sweet platter of delights with a good coffee or a well chilled glass of Recanatti dessert wine.

Have a sweet year. Love and Light Rona
 
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