Pinoy Canteen

Quick Breakfast Taco

2009-10-31T02:21:00.000-07:00

A smaller cousin of the breakfast burrito, the breakfast taco made with reduced-fat Cheddar and egg substitute is a satisfying and healthy breakfast option.

1 serving
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon salsa
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters

Preparation
Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.
Meanwhile coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add egg substitute and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos.
Nutrition
Per serving: 153 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 0 g fiber; 453 mg sodium; 207 mg potassium.
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 very lean meat

Breakfast Parfait

2009-10-29T02:23:00.000-07:00

A little low fat dairy and some vitamin-rich fruit and you've just started your day right, nutritionally speaking.

1 serving
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese, or low-fat plain yogurt
1 cup pineapple chunks, papaya chunks or cling peaches
2 teaspoons toasted wheat germ

Preparation
Place cottage cheese (or yogurt) in a small bowl. Top with fruit and sprinkle with wheat germ.
Nutrition
Per serving (with cottage cheese, pineapple): 248 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 3 g fiber; 24 mg sodium; 414 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Selenium (20% dv), Calcium (15% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 fruit, 3 very lean meat
Nutrition Note: Per serving (with yogurt, papaya): 185 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 15 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 3 g fiber; 132 mg sodium; 404 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (150% daily value), Vitamin A (40% dv), Calcium (35%

Banana-Bran Muffins

2009-10-26T02:24:00.000-07:00

By the end of the week, any bananas left in the fruit bowl are past their prime—just right for these moist bran muffins. Add a handful of dark chocolate chips to entice children to enjoy a fiber-rich treat.

1 dozen muffins
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, (2 medium)
1 cup buttermilk, (see Ingredient notes)
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran, (see Ingredient notes)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips, (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in bananas, buttermilk, wheat bran, oil and vanilla.
Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, if using. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.
Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Tips & Notes
Ingredient Notes: You can use buttermilk powder in place of fresh buttermilk. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
Unprocessed wheat bran is the outer layer of the wheat kernel, removed during milling. Also known as miller's bran, it can be found in the baking section. Do not substitute bran cereal in this recipe.
Nutrition
Per serving: 196 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 36 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 182 mg sodium; 167 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (17% daily value).
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat

‘Saluyot pancit canton’, crab baked in salt

2009-10-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

By Reggie Aspiras

Philippine Daily Inquirer

’TIS THE season to be jolly! Here are some of the funkiest holiday entertaining ideas I’ve stumbled upon, plus other treats that will surely make the holidays even more special.

Isabelle Dee turned 18 in Winter Wonderland.

Her mom Nellia, perhaps, feeling even more like a debutante than her daughter, worked wonders with the venue which she surrounded with ice sculptures.

The lighting was fantastic, a nice ice blue, lending a touch of softness to the white drapes that hung from everywhere.

The bar was filled with white day beds where the young ones and young once, all dressed in white, comfortably lounged.

Dancing heads

Have you ever had yourself videotaped grinding to the tune of “I Will Survive,” “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Lady Marmalade”?

If not, it’s time to call Confetti Effects and have them set up their dancing booth heads for the Christmas party.

See yourself garbed in leather or skimpy skirt and sexy top, with a 20-inch waistline to match.

If you’re a man, chances are, you’ve never seen yourself dressed as a cowboy, so rugged, so buffed.

All you must do is pick a song, sit on a stool, put on a green cape, while the booth operators synchronize your head movements with a video of a dancing body.

Then, voila! You have your own comical MTV disc to take home as souvenir. Freddie Martelino (tel. 0920-9005601) also has mini video stalls for those interested to put up a dancing head booth in the malls.

Club Fishbone was present to provide the music, cocktails and shooters – another attractive destination, I observed, for the teeners, who in their minds are now legally able to do as they please. Club Fishbone (Call Val Magallanes at 0917-8829011) makes hosting parties a whole lot easier.

Egg flan

For the debut, Representative Lorna Silverio brought egg flans she ordered from Eya Cabanos all the way from Ilocos Norte. They are real eggs drained off their content, filled with flan mixture and steamed. A novelty!

Cabanos also makes saluyot pancit canton noodles and the famous Ilocos garlic longganisa.

She sends them fresh from San Nicolas as you order (tel. 0918-5299085). The eggs make perfect Christmas tokens.

One of the most divine palatal experiences I have come across are Sokak (soft-shell crabs) Baked in Salt which I order from Tao Yuan Restaurant (tel. 0917-5308988, 5227010).

It is so delicious. The crab fat oozes from the inside. It is everything you want in a crab and more. Truly worth the trip.

I suggest you call to reserve. Though they have it every day, the demand for these export-quality crustaceans i high and the restaurant is always packed.

If they don’t have Sokak, go for their Hainanese Chicken Rice. For me, it is simply the best in the country. Try their fried lapu-lapu with mango, delectable, too.

My son loves the Yangchow fried rice at Super Bowl. However, it is not always practical to go to the restaurant whenever he craves for this delicious rice concoction. Can you provide me a recipe that would somehow taste near the Super Bowl version?

Gloria Say

Hello Gloria! I have asked chef Henry Cheung of the famed Good Earth Restaurant, and now of the newly opened Henry’s Place at the Forbes Town Center (tel. 3935915) to help you out.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

50 g chicken breast

50 g shrimp

10 g Chinese sausage

2 tbsp oil

1 pc egg

1½ c cooked, day old rice

2 tbsp chicken broth

2 tsp light soy sauce

White pepper, to taste

2 tsp spring onions, chopped

Mince the first three ingredients.

Scramble the eggs and set aside.

Saute the chicken, shrimp and sausage in oil.

Add eggs and scramble.

Add cold rice and mix well.

Add broth, soy, pepper, seasoning to taste.

Add spring onions.

Twisted halloween cocktails

2009-10-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

by Ed Biado

I’ll admit that my taste in cocktails is quite vanilla. Just give me glass after glass of Bacardi Coke and I’m all set for the night. But there are thousands of concoctions out there and one of the biggest party excuses, Halloween, gets its fair share. Given the spooky theme, the names of these—shall I call them—poisons are just as interestingly creepy. But don’t worry, they taste divine. Screw Bloody Mary (hah!); here are 10 “disgusting” mixes you can suck dry:

1. Voodoo Caesar

Rim a tall glass with lime juice and seasoning salt. Fill it with ice, add the following ingredients and stir.

6 oz. tomato juice

2 tsp. lime juice

1/8 tsp. Tabasco hot sauce

1 oz. vodka

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2. Bayou Slime

Muddle 6 fresh mint leaves and 2 oz. spiced syrup together. Place that, together with the following ingredients into a shaker.

4 oz. dark rum

1 egg white

Shake until well-chilled and frothy. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with additional crushed mint leaves.

3. Coffee of the Damned

Add all the following ingredients in a large mug.

1/2 oz. tequila

1 oz. brandy

1 oz. scotch

1 tbsp. sugar syrup

Then, stir in a cup of coffee and float some lemon zest on top. Add a topping of whip.

4. Halloween Cocktail

Mix the following ingredients in a shaker with ice.

2 oz. bourbon

3 oz. orange juice

juice of half a lemon

Then, pour into a tall glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish with olives.

5. White Witch

Mix all ingredients in a blender at low speed for 10 seconds. Serve in a chilled sherbet or wine glass.

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. white crème de cacao

6. Black Witch

Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1 1/2 oz. gold rum

1 tsp. apricot brandy

1 tsp. dark rum

7. Blood-red Lime Rickey

Muddle the following ingredients in a shaker until juicy and fragrant.

6 fresh cherries, pitted

1/2 lime, cut into 3 wedges

2 teaspoons sugar

Add 3 oz. gin and crushed ice. Cover with a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. Serve in a whiskey glass.

8. Blood & Sand

Mix all ingredients with cracked ice in a shaker or blender. Pour into a chilled old fashioned glass.

3/4 oz. cherry brandy

3/4 oz. orange juice

3/4 oz. scotch

3/4 oz. sweet vermouth

9. Brain

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all the ingredients. Stir until well chilled and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a fresh lychee fruit.

1/2 oz. sake chilled

1 1/2 oz. lychee nectar

1 1/2 oz. gin

10. Devil’s Tail

Mix all ingredients with ice in a blender. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist lime peel over drink and drop into glass.

1/2 oz. apricot liqueur

1/2 tsp. grenadine

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. vodka

1 1/2 oz. gold rum

Drinking Your Way to Health? Perhaps Not

2009-10-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

By Dennis Thompson

Just about every month -- if not every week -- a new study emerges touting the health benefits to be gained from a daily glass of wine or a pint of dark beer.

The benefits related to cardiovascular health have become well-known. A study released in mid-July, for instance, found that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in women by increasing the amount of "good" cholesterol in the bloodstream and reducing blood sugar levels.
But other studies have linked a daily drink, most often wine, to reduced risk of dementia, bone loss and physical disabilities related to old age. Wine also has been found to increase life expectancy and provide potential protection against some forms of cancer, including esophageal cancer and lymphoma.
But don't invest in that case of Pinot noir just yet.
Experts with the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association say that though these studies do show some benefits to moderate drinking, the health risks from alcohol consumption far outweigh the potential rewards.
Drinking any alcohol at all is known to increase your risk for contracting a number of types of cancer, said Susan Gapstur, vice president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society. These include cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon/rectum and breast.
"At the end of the day, if you are at very high risk for cancer, you might want to limit your alcohol consumption even further," Gapstur said. "It's a lifestyle modification you can make, and we don't have as many lifestyle modifications for preventing cancer as we do for coronary heart disease."
There also are other health risks from moderate drinking, including liver damage and accidents caused by impaired reflexes, said Dr. Jennifer Mieres, director of nuclear cardiology at the New York University School of Medicine and an American Heart Association spokeswoman.
The health benefits from drinking generally are related to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatories found in red wines and dark beers, Mieres said, but those substances can be found in a number of different fruits and vegetables.
"When it comes to disease prevention, you're better off changing your diet to include fruits and vegetables and get your antioxidants and anti-inflammatories from natural sources," she said.
For example, people can get resveratrol -- the antioxidant found in red wine that's believed to provide most of the drink's health benefits -- from drinking grape juice just as well as from drinking wine, Mieres said.
"For people that don't drink, not drinking is important," Mieres said. "You can get the same benefits of drinking from leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. To me, it's not worth the risk to start drinking. But for people who enjoy a glass of red wine or enjoy drinking, the key is to stick to the definition of moderation," she said.
Moderate drinking is defined as one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. What counts as one drink are:

12 ounces of regular beer or wine cooler
8 ounces of malt liquor
5 ounces of wine
1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor

Drinking anything more than that on a daily basis is known to lead to a host of health problems that can reduce your life expectancy, Mieres and Gapstur said.

"I think the take-home message is, if you don't drink, don't start to help protect yourself from coronary heart disease because there are so many other things you can do," Gapstur said. "If you already drink, you might want to limit your consumption."
Though the studies touting the positive health effects of alcohol are scientifically accurate, they also appear to play into people's desires for quick fixes to complex problems, Mieres said.

"To prevent heart disease, 50 percent of the work has to come from you," she said. "Prevention is a big piece, and you have to be accountable. You have to make lifestyle changes, and that's very tough to do. People look for easy ways to get heart-healthy benefits, and drinking is an easy way to do that. It's a known human tendency: Let's find an easy way out that doesn't involve a lot of thought or work."

'Liquid candy': Unhealthy

2009-10-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Philip S. Chua

The following findings of the Harvard research, which we are quoting in full, are a most convincing confirmation and re-affirmation of the other clinical studies in the past:

Risk rises with soda consumption

Harvard Medical School researcher Ravi Dhingra, MD, and study colleagues looked at nearly 6,000 middle-aged men and women who had exams every four years. At the outset, all were free of heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Four years later, in comparison to people who drank less than one soft drink a day, researchers found that those who consumed one or more sodas a day experienced: A 25% increased risk of impaired (or higher than normal) fasting glucose and high triglyceride levels. A 31% greater likelihood of becoming obese. A 32% higher chance of lower HDL levels. A 44% increased risk of metabolic syndrome. These results were published in the July 31, 2007, issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Study results were a surprise

Dr. Dhingra and his colleagues were surprised that regular and diet soft drinks posed similar risks for metabolic syndrome--which remained the case even when the study was adjusted for dietary factors such as saturated and trans fats, calorie and fiber consumption and levels of physical activity. There are several theories as to why this might be--perhaps the extreme sweetness of soft drinks makes people more apt to eat sweet foods, or the caramel content may promote insulin resistance and inflammation. But these are theories, and no one knows for sure. To others though it is now obvious that high acidic levels will help cause these symptoms.

Adverse health effects

Drinking soft drinks of any kind has been linked to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, lowered calcium and potassium level, heart disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, dental cavities and nutritional depletion. There is also a claim that it may have an adverse effect on conception. These liquid candies also contain caffeine which could disrupt sleep and lead to anxiety and DNA damage and hyperactivity, especially among children.The prevalence of obesity among Americans doubled between 1977 to 2001 and this trend was paralleled by a doubling of the consumption of soft drinks. An increase in the body mass index (BMI) of 0.24 kg/meter square was found among children for each (ONE!) soft drink they consumed. Studies on adults (50,000 female nurses on one study) revealed that drinkers of even one can of soft drink led to weight gain, and increased blood sugar among diabetics.One study reported this interesting finding: “One four-week experiment compared a 450 calorie/day supplement of sugar-sweetened soft drinks to a 450 calorie/day supplement of jelly beans. The jelly bean supplement did not lead to weight gain, but the soft drink supplement did. The likely reason for the difference in weight gain is that people who consumed the jelly beans lowered their caloric intake at subsequent meals while people who consumed soft drinks did not. Thus, the low levels of satiety provided by sugar-sweetened soft drinks may explain their association with obesity. That is, people may who consume calories in sugar-sweetened beverages may fail to adequately reduce their intake of calories from other sources. Indeed, people consume more total calories in meals and on days when they are given sugar-sweetened beverages than when they are given artificially-sweetened beverage or water.”One alarming report: “In 2003, the Delhi non-profit Centre for Science and Environment published a disputed report finding pesticide levels in Coke and Pepsi soft drinks sold in India at levels 30 times that considered safe by the European Economic Commission.” Another study showed that those subjects who consumed soft drinks had lower bone mineral density, placing them at increased risk of suffering, not only osteoporosis but bone fractures. More scary is the increased risk for the development of metabolic syndrome (a group of conditions that include type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, high blood fat, low level of good cholesterol).It is our government’s role and responsibility to protect our children by not allowing our schools, public or private, to have vending machines that sell soft drinks and other unhealthy products, much like outlawing the vending machines that used to sell cigarettes.The Departments of Health and Education and other agencies concerned must also ensure the public that all schools require a course in nutrition for all students and offer only healthy menus in their cafeteria. After all, a healthy citizenry translates into a healthy nation.

Caffeine can ease muscle pain

2009-10-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

A STUDY of 10,000 women in Australia found that those who are generally positive, optimistic and expect good things to happen are less likely to die from heart disease than pessimistic, negative women.

This supports the notion that women, in general, are “feeling” human beings, who use the power of emotion as a normal way of being themselves. You know the saying “Men think, women feel.”

So ladies, guard your hearts by nourishing them with uplifting and joyful feelings. Today, throw out the bad memories that may haunt you and drag you down. You will live longer with a smile on your face and fewer wrinkles.

Pain reliever

According to the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, the caffeine in coffee may lessen muscle pain by blocking the activity of a chemical called adenosine. This is released as part of the anti-inflammatory response to muscle injury which then activates pain receptors in body cells.

Researches had several men pedal on a stationary bike for a high-intensity workout. They were given 2-3 cups of coffee an hour before the workout.

Less thigh muscle pain was experienced by the men who had coffee than the group who were given placebo. Coffee may not be an urgent need before every workout, but if you are trying a new sport or exercise routine, a cup or two might just do the trick to prevent or ease muscle pain.

Exercise personality

Experts say you need to choose an exercise based on your personality. Which one are you? There are five basic personalities.

Square – People who enjoy exercise but repeat the same routine thus their development reaches a plateau.
Suggestion: Vary regimen.

Rectangle – Those who love to exercise in a group, enroll in a fitness class or adventure group of hikers, climbers.

Circle – These are talkers who literally talk their way through an exercise routine. To maximize time, get a personal trainer to keep you disciplined and focused.

Squiggles – These are the pleasure seekers who exercise to feel good, forgetting routines and preferring variety. Therefore, match exercise to your personality and watch your energy and health levels improve, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Prostate health

Quercetin, the apple antioxidant, ensures prostate health. In a double blind, a placebo-controlled study group of men with chronic prostatitis showed that a supplement with quercetin, papain and bromelain improved symptoms in 82 percent of the group in a month’s trial. Inflammation and swelling of the prostate gland producing pelvic pain lowered libido and painful urination in men. The dosage of 500-mg quercetin twice daily was used in the study.

So gentlemen, eat an apple a day and include the following foods containing this powerful antioxidant: green tea, red grapes, red onions, cherries, broccoli, raspberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes. Organic has 79 percent more quercetin than regularly grown ones.
Source: Techniques in Urology, Well-Being Magazine

Now that you know how emotions can affect your body as well as your health choices, isn’t it time to reassess your lifestyle? Let’s start with a positive thought.

Affirm: “Good things coming to me beginning today.”

Beauty scrub

Get one tbsp of salt, mix with 1 tbsp of any unused oil at home. Use it to scrub any dry, rough parts of your body.

Love and light!

By Cory Quirino

Anti-aging remedies for young and old

2009-10-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

As we age, our skin’s demand vary. There are a lot of changes and measures we can actually take to keep our skin young. It is important to remember that there is a right procedure for the right age. Most of the time, getting treatments too early may also lead to immature—and irreversible—aging.

I asked reputable dermatologist Dr. Aivee Aguilar-Teo for tips on age-appropriate treatments, procedures and simple ways to care for our skin. Her answers:

Individuals in their 20s, generally, have resilient skin elasticity, higher metabolism, faster skin cell growth and regeneration. Thus, your 20s is the best time to adopt preventive methods and a strict skin care regimen to delay the signs of aging.

Dermatologists recommend liberal usage of moisturizers and sunscreen, and, of course, minimizing sun exposure. Starting a regular fitness routine is also recommended at this point, since the body’s fat-burning abilities already start decreasing in the mid-20s.

Treatments. Here are some popular non-surgical procedures for people in their 20s dealing with common cosmetic problems like acne, premature wrinkles, unwanted facial and body hair and cellulite:

* Skin Care and Skin Rejuvenation
* IPL Photofacial
* Blue Light Therapy for acne
* Microdermabrasion/Diamond peel
* Chemical Peels
* Laser Hair Removal
* Body Contouring and Cellulite Treatments
* Mesotherapy
* Radio Frequency

These are some other popular cosmetic treatments for people in their 20s:

* Breast Augmentation
* Rhinoplasty/nose surgery
* Liposuction
* Lip Augmentation

Skin care in your 30s-40s

People in their 30s still have healthy skin, but elastic collagen fibers begin breaking down and cell production starts to lag. Facial wrinkles are more prevalent than they were in the 20s, as are fine lines and age spots.

Slower metabolism in the 30s and 40s can also mean the development of stubborn stores of fat that are hard to remove, even with regular exercise.

Good habits for older skin

Regular exercise, a healthy balanced diet and daily vitamin supplements become important to keep your skin and body healthy as you continue to age. Drinking lots of water to keep tissues hydrated and consuming plenty of antioxidant-rich foods are also advisable for preserving the skin’s vitality.

In your 30s and 40s, aside from daily sunscreen application and frequent moisturizing, topical anti-aging/antioxidants such as retinoic acid, alpha hydroxy acid and topical vitamin C should be incorporated into the regimen.

Treatments. Here are some of the most popular non-surgical skin rejuvenation treatments for 30 and 40-somethings today:

* Skin rejuvenation and skin tightening treatments
* Chemical peels
* Microdermabrasion
* IPL Photofacial
* Fractional/Erbium Laser Resurfacing
* Botolinium toxin injection for wrinkles and fine lines
* Dermal filler injection for deep lines and folds
* Radiofrequency (Thermage/Refirme) for skin tightening

Body contouring treatments:
* Mesotherapy
* Carboxytherapy
* Radiofrequency
* Ultrasound assisted lipolysis
* Hair regrowth treatments
* Mesohair
* Laser Regrowth
* Surgical body contouring
* Breast Augmentation or Breast Lift
* Liposuction
* Abdominoplasty/Tummy Tuck

Skin care for those over 50

When people hit the 50s, 60s and 70s, the signs of aging have usually begun attacking in full force. Collagen levels are at an all-time low, skin elasticity is minimal and age begins to show prominently on the face.

The effects of exposure to the sun and elements over the years manifest themselves. The most common problems are deep wrinkles, drooping skin (particularly around the eyes and jowls), loss of volume (cheeks and nasolabial area), prevalent age spots and pigmentations (melasma) and other skin imperfections such as varicose veins and spider veins.

Treatments. Non-surgical skin tightening methods are popular for patients of all ages. However, they might not yield the same level of results in more extreme cases of loose or sagging skin at this age. Hence, surgical procedures might be a more effective treatment in some cases.

Skin rejuvenation/tightening

* Deep chemical peel
* Radiofrequency
* Fractional/CO2/Erbium laser resurfacing
* Botolinium toxin injections
* Dermal filler injections
* Surgical Skin Tightening
* Blepharoplasty eyelid surgery
* Facelift
* Neck Lift
* Brow Lift

Many patients in their 50s and 60s also choose to combine a facelift or surgical skin tightening procedure with rejuvenation treatments like chemical peels, IPL Photofacials, microdermabrasion, or fractional laser resurfacing for maximum effect.

Liposuction and tummy tucks are popular choices for taking care of loose skin and excess fat deposits around the torso.

Finally, no matter which age bracket you are, be sure to discuss all treatment options with a trusted and qualified board-certified dermatologist or plastic aesthetic surgeon. Not only will you be able to learn more about the risks and benefits of various procedures, you will get an informed opinion about which procedure will work best for you.

by Ria Francisco-Prieto

Are you a controlled or clean-plate club eater?

2009-10-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

Do you find yourself eating less while at work then ending your day by eating a day’s worth of calories like ice cream, bag of chips or chocolate bars? This has been a common problem of busy employees, housewives and students.

Here are tips that can help you prevent eating at night, which sabotages one’s weight loss progress.

Consider timing of your dinner and sleep.

After three to four hours, you can hear your stomach growling, which signals hunger. During the time you are awake, you continuously burn more calories as compared to when you’re asleep because the body system requires more calories.

If you sleep at around 10 p.m., have dinner at 7 p.m. However, if you are a late-night sleeper, delay dinner to 9 or 10 p.m. to prevent eating unhealthy snacks.

Eat every three to four hours, depending on your schedule and hunger pangs. If you follow an 8 a.m.-5 p.m. work schedule, have breakfast at 7:30 a.m. then eat lunch at 12 noon. You can have a 100-150 calories worth of mid-morning snack if you get hungry or if you are physically active. At 3 or 4 p.m., have a calorie-controlled snack to avoid overeating at night. Have dinner at 7 or 8 p.m. if you sleep at 10 or 11 p.m.

Sleep on time. This will break your late-night eating habit.

Set a moderate calorie-allowance for dinner.

I always advise my clients not to eat more than 500-600 calories at breakfast, lunch or dinner to avoid extra calories, feel empowered while trying to lose weight and practice self-control.

A 500-calorie meal is equivalent to a half cup of rice (100 calories); palm size of grilled chicken or fish without the skin (approximately 100-150 calories depending on add-ons); cup of fresh green salad with 1 tbsp low-fat dressing (approximately 100-150 calories); and fist-size fruit (approximately 50 to 80 calories). Calories will increase by 100-150 more calories if oil is used or pork and beef will replace seafood or poultry.

Have late-night snack only if you can control your eating portion.

Controlled eaters

According to Heather Bauer and Kathy Mathews, authors of the book “The Wall Street Diet,” only dieters who are classified as controlled eaters can eat occasional evening snacks worth 80 calories like a medium apple, sugar-free Jell-O, 2 slices of turkey, light yogurt or low-calorie popsicle. They stop eating when full, are satisfied with a handful of chips and have similar eating patterns on weekends and weekdays.

The other type is the clean plate-club eater. If you are classified in this category, you eat fast, always finish your plate, often tempted by sugar and carbohydrates, find it difficult to control eating at night and drink less water.

Have a fruit after dinner and drink lots of water instead of flavored drinks or sodas.

Plan your night.

Make drinking water available at your room.

Don’t keep snacks inside your house.

If you have the tendency to crave for food, ask support from your husband/wife after dinner to remind you of your goals.

Distract yourself from thinking about food by watching television shows not related to food, reading your favorite book or preparing your things and clothes for the next day.

By Mitch Felipe-Mendoza E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com

DO-IT-YOURSELF Homemade bath bomb

2009-10-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

ENJOY a relaxing, soothing, sensory bathing experience with scented bath bombs that you yourself can make. This easy activity can be enjoyed by you and your family. Have fun trying on fragrances. Peppermint is soothing and invigorating. Lavender is relaxing, while the sweet aroma of rose stimulates circulation. Choose your favored scented oil.

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp citric acid

½ c baking soda

3 tbsp oil

¼ tsp essential oil of your choice

5 drops of food coloring (optional, to add color to your bath bomb)

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add oils and food coloring, a little at a time until the right consistency –like a workable dough – is achieved.

If the mixture is too wet, add more baking soda. Use wax paper as a surface on which to mold the mixture into balls.

Allow the mixture to dry for about 5-6 hours.

If the balls you form are a bit delicate, set them using a wrap made of light fabric or a baking mold.

Use 1-2 balls in your bath.

by Anton Barreto/Marissa Lopa

8 Fat fighting foods

2009-10-10T01:36:00.000-07:00

Want to lose weight as you chow down? Your wish is granted! Your supermarket is filled with foods that studies show have lipid-melting powers to help melt fat and keep you slim. Stock up on these fat-fighting super bites, and you'll be trimmer even as you indulge. Read on to discover the eight foods that deserve a permanent spot in your fridge—and in your diet!

Almonds These yummy nuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can accelerate your metabolism of fats. In fact, dieters who ate 3 ounces of almonds daily slashed their weight and body-mass index by 18 percent, while those who skipped the nuts reduced both numbers less— just 11 percent—a study in theInternational Journal of Obesity revealed. Chomp almonds à la carte (limit yourself to 12 per serving to keep calories in check). I get a pack at Starbucks and nibble throughout my day. Go nuts!

Berries "These are nature's candy!" Turns out they're also your body's best friends. Strawberries, raspberries and other vitamin C–spiked fruit can supercharge your workout, helping you burn up to 30 percent more fat, research from Arizona State University at Mesa has found. If they're not in season, buy the little gems frozen in a bulk-sized bag so you'll always have them on hand to whip up a Berry Bliss Smoothie or Strawberry-Sunflower Pops, regardless of whether berries are in season.

Cinnamon Adding 1/4 teaspoon to your plate may prevent an insulin spike—an uptick that tells your body to store fat. Sprinkle it on your morning cereal or coffee or on your yogurt in the A.M.

Mustard It's heaven on a soft pretzel, but mustard may also be a weight loss wonder. Turmeric, the spice that gives mustard its color, may slow the growth of fat tissues, a study in the journal Endocrinology finds. Use it on sandwiches instead of mayo, or sprinkle turmeric on cauliflower pre-roasting to give it a kick. Try it on tuna salad.

Oranges This citrus fruit, which contains fat-blasting compounds known as flavones, deserves to be your main squeeze. Women who ate the most flavones had a much lower increase in body fat over a 14-year period, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes. Eat oranges sliced or swig fresh OJ (including pulp!) to get the best benefit from the fruit.

Soybeans Reason to toss a half cup on your salad? Soybeans are rich in choline, a compound that blocks the absorption of fat and breaks down fatty deposits. Oh, and they're addictively delish! But if breast cancer runs in your family, experts suggest you should talk to your doc before adding soy to your diet.

Sweet potatoes The colorful spuds' high-fiber content means they keep your insulin steadier than their white sisters, which means less fat packed on your hips, research finds. Top a small baked tater with lowfat cottage cheese for a tempting side dish, or whip up Miso Soup With Sweet Potato Dumplings.

Swiss cheese Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown, and Swiss has more calcium than many of its cheesy peers. Choose the reduced-fat variety, such as Sargento. Slip it into your sandwich, put it on top of high-fiber crackers or use it for a healthier grilled cheese. Yum!

For other tricks to eating your way to your healthy, happy weight, load up on these 20 slimming superfoods atSelf.com.

By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief

Caring for your kidneys to avoid stone formation

2009-10-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Do you have frequent severe cramps in the lower back? Are you always in pain when urinating? Is your urine cloudy or bloody? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might have a kidney disorder.

Kidney disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the Philippines, according to recent studies. Every year about 120 Filipinos in every 1 million develop kidney failure due to stone formation.

One of the most painful kidney disorders is kidney stone—when hard pebble-like lumps develop from crystals that separate from the urine within the urinary tract. Calcium combined with oxalate or phosphate is the most common kidney stone. Another type of stone is struvite, which is caused by urinary tract infection.

Furthermore, stones occur more frequently in men than in women. However, people with a family history of kidney stones are also likely to develop stones. Kidney stones can also be associated with external factors like diet and lifestyle. Foods high in protein, fats, phosphorus, and sodium usually disrupt the kidneys’ natural process of filtration.

Plenty of water, healthy diet

To prevent formation of kidney stones, have a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. Also, avoid salty and spicy food additives or flavor enhancers.

Kidney stones can now be easily treated with modern advancements in healthcare. The most common kidney stone removal procedure is through extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). It uses shock waves to break kidney stones into small specks to make them easily move through the urinary tract and out from the body.

Instead of undergoing surgery, a noninvasive treatment is recommended by doctors like taking oral medications that can break down the formation of calcium and uric acid stones and lead to faster recovery.

You can consult a doctor about such preventive medicine.

If you have more than one kidney stone, especially if you have a family history of stones, you are more likely to have kidney stones again. But you can take steps to help prevent them:
Drink more fluids. Try to drink enough water to keep your urine clear, about 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. Slowly increase how much you drink, perhaps adding one more glass of water a day until you are drinking 8 to 10 glasses a day. This slow increase will give your body time to adjust to the extra fluids. You are drinking enough water when your urine is clear or light yellow. If it is dark yellow, you are not drinking enough fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have fluid restrictions, talk with your doctor before increasing how much you drink.
Change your diet. This may be helpful, but it depends on what is causing your kidney stones. Your doctor may do more tests before deciding whether changing your diet will help reduce your risk for developing another stone. The results of these tests may suggest that it could be helpful to do one or more of the following:
Increase how much fiber you eat. Fiber includes oat bran, beans, whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, cabbage, and carrots.
Eat less beef, pork, and poultry.
Eat a moderate or high amount of calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products. Getting your recommended amounts of calcium, combined with a diet low in sodium and protein, may decrease your risk of kidney stones.
Try not to drink grapefruit juice. Drinking grapefruit juice may increase your risk for developing kidney stones.
Avoid foods that are high in oxalate, such as dark green vegetables, nuts, and chocolate.
Try not to add salt when you cook or eat. Try removing the salt shaker from your table.

After Charice, Arnel Pineda invades 'Oprah'

2009-10-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

ABS-CBN News

After Charice, it was Arnel Pineda’s turn to impress Oprah Winfrey, one of the world’s most powerful women today.

Pineda and the rest of the members of the American rock band "Journey” recently guested on Oprah to promote the group’s latest album, “Revelation.”

During the show, Journey's Filipino front man could not believe that he was being interviewed by no less than Winfrey herself.

"I'm facing you (Winfrey) right now. You are [one of the] biggest [names] in show business and I'm facing you. It's like… I'm not allowed to be here but I'm here. And I thank God for that," he said.

The show featured Pineda’s journey “from total obscurity to recapturing the voice of one of the greatest bands of our time."

Pineda’s rags-to-riches story has inspired many people around the world. His life story will be made into a film titled "Don't Stop Believing: Every Man's Journey." The biopic will hit the big screen next year.

The Filipino singer was discovered on YouTube by Journey’s guitarist Neal Schon. Jonathan Cain (keyboard), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Ross Valory (bass) were equally impressed when they first watched him on YouTube performing Journey’s “Faithfully.”

Cain said: "Neal contacted us. I checked the YouTube video just like he said. And there he was singing. And I said, 'The guy got great pipes, does he speak English?’ And, ‘How are we going to get him to the stage to check him out?'" Cain said.

Valory said he had “goosebumps surplus” when he first heard Pineda sing.

Castronovo was also blown away by Pineda’s voice. “It was frightening just to hear that voice come out from that little guy. We couldn't believe it. It’s just so strong. And the best part about it was just how humble the man was, how humble human being, beautiful heart."

For Pineda, being part of Journey still feels like a dream.

"I've seen enough pain and poverty in the Philippines. I've never been that big. All I wanted was to be able to get out of it -- the pain and the poverty - and live decently everyday," he said.

He said touring around the world with his band mates is “amazing, unbelievable and fantastic.” “All the superlative words that you can utter.”

He admitted that he felt the pressure when the band played in the Philippines early this year. “There was a big responsibility and thank God I pulled it off.”

And now that he is making lots of money, Pineda said he bought a home for his family and set up his own foundation to help poor Filipinos.

Journey's Manila concert is now available on DVD in the United States.

What to do when you get tired of gym workout

2009-10-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

By Mitch Felipe
Philippine Daily Inquirer

IT IS important to find purpose or meaning in the exercise you do to make it a lifelong habit.

Running, for example, is a type of purpose-driven exercise since you can go 5 kilometers, 10 km and up to 42 km or even more. Do cross-training activities because they will bring progress to your performance, fitness level, weight and health condition.

Relate the benefits you can get from cardio machines to your situation.

Can you imagine yourself using an elliptical trainer or recumbent bike for 20 to 40 minutes every other day for the rest of your life? Some people might get bored with these machines especially if they can’t understand the essence of the workout. But it’s a different story for an athlete advised to incorporate a 20 to 30-minute elliptical machine in his weekly program for cross-training purposes, which will improve his sports performance.

As a runner, I can last a 5 to 7-km run on a treadmill once or twice a week because I am aware how it will maintain or improve my marathon goals. Otherwise, I might always find an excuse to discontinue treadmill runs especially during rainy days.

Why one quits

One of the reasons health club members quit is because they just follow an exercise program designed by a trainer without knowing its purpose. If you want to finish a 30-minute recumbent bike, understand how applicable it is to your current situation. Its benefits include getting stronger thighs for outdoor cycling or improved endurance for an adventure vacation trip which involves a lot of walking, cycling and climbing.

Focus on improving your fitness level and performance when joining classes.

Many group exercisers believe that exercise classes are the solution to excess weight.

If you want to make group classes a part of your lifelong exercise commitment, balance them. Indoor cycling will improve and challenge endurance and lower-body strength. Martial arts-inspired classes which include punches and kicks will improve balance, core control, coordination, and whole-body strength. Mind-body classes like yoga or Pilates will improve breathing, awareness, core strength, balance and flexibility, which are all important for injury-prevention and sports performance.

Have the right expectations when getting a trainer.

What you need is someone to influence and inspire you to change for the better, aside from getting a great strength-training session.

A trainer can help you stick to your exercise habit only if you are aware of your present goals. Look for a trainer who will motivate you to make progress even without his services, who is passionate about your improvement and ready to help as you face anticipated difficulties along the way like boredom, lapses, and burnout.

E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com.

Workplace dont's

2009-10-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

By Ed Biado

Do your co-workers hate you and you don’t know why? Or maybe they don’t hate you, but they talk about something that you do—something that is so regular for you that they somehow find repulsive. Maybe you’re guilty of doing one of these things:

Being on Facebook all day. Sure, you may have some downtime and Farmville is just too fun to resist. But you can’t have multiple status updates, sent app invites, and game level-up bragging notifications all day without your co-workers thinking you’ve been slacking off. They are your Facebook friends, remember? They’ll know that all you’ve been doing since lunch is harvesting your crops.

Surfing porn or do anything porn-ish. Some offices have firewalls that restrict certain Web sites. Others have security measures in place to detect and even take a shot of your screen when you visit inappropriate pages. Don’t be called by your superior for being a pervert. Please, keep it clean. Also, distasteful jokes, remarks, and actions of any kind may be reason for termination.

Being such a baby (part one). That means, don’t whine about every little thing. Your job may be tedious and difficult at times, but it isn’t enough reason to complain about it all day every day. Doing so only demoralizes the people around you and also irritates them. If complaints are all you can talk about over lunch, no one will sit with you.

Being such a baby (part two). Or kid-like, for that matter. Pettiness is not exactly against office policies, but it’s a way to turn your co-workers off. Don’t make a big fuss if someone borrowed your stapler and forgot to return it. Be adult and professional about it. If they act like a big baby about it, it’s their problem. You can take pride in taking the high road.

Being a bully or a clown. It’s all too juvenile to play pranks on or pass mocking and/or insulting remarks to co-workers. The office is a professional setting where the primary objective is to get things done. If it’s April Fool’s Day and your office encourages a harmless joke, that’s fine. But don’t pull one at an important conference with prospective clients.

Having an annoying ringtone. If you must, keep it on the low (really low, please). Irritating ringtones include your boyfriend’s voice saying, “Baby, pick up the phone,” or any tween-oriented song that’s overplayed on the radio. You’re not gonna get much respect from your co-workers like that. Setting your phone on vibrate in the office is the most professional thing to do.

Sucking up to the Man. It’s okay to have a healthy rapport with your co-workers and superiors. But being a suck-up doesn’t really help as most bosses know how that game is played. It’s actually quite damaging as other people in the office are only gonna respond to it with raised eyebrows.

Treating the office like it’s your bedroom. Blankets and pillows are not supposed to be in the office. If you have back problems and require extra support for your chair, it’s fine to have a small pillow. But spreading a sleeping bag on the floor during your lunch hour isn’t exactly recommended; neither giving yourself a mani-pedi nor squeezing pimples. And another thing, don’t walk around barefoot. If you can’t bear to wear your five inches for the entire eight hours, have a sensible two-inch substitute.

Blasting the stereo. If music is gonna help you concentrate, go ahead and play something. But do wear headphones. Other people may not appreciate your music. Worse, it may distract them and prevent them from doing anything productive.

Being the stereo. That means, don’t sing out loud, don’t hum out loud, don’t read e-mails out loud, and don’t practice speeches out loud. The long and short is, don’t do anything out loud. Again, it’s irritating to other people minding their own business. Another thing you shouldn’t do is start non-work-related conversations all the time. A little chitchat is fine to take the edge off. But if that becomes the reason that work isn’t getting done, then, Houston, we have a problem!

Mushrooms help prevent allergies

2009-10-01T18:01:00.000-07:00

By Cory Quirino

Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE “BER” months have arrived and this means cooler temperatures and longer nights. During this time, your body begins to adjust to the changes. With every season, there’s a host of health challenges.

Allergies

Allergies come in many forms and symptoms and the causes are many such as MSG, food-coloring preservatives, eggs, chicken, seafood, peanuts, alcohol, chocolate, environmental chemicals, pollution, dust, mold and spores, pets and animal hairs. Not only people get allergies. Even animals do, would you believe? Your pet could be allergic to something if it keeps sneezing.

If you have an allergy, it is best to see your doctor. Ask about a blood test that will provide you with an accurate reading of your sensitivity to certain substances. The ImmunoCAP machine from Sweden can detect allergies and auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis within the day. It is available at Makati Medical Center, Asian Center, Medical Center and UP PGH. (For more info, call Trianon at 815-3239.)

A surefire preventive measure is to maintain a clean environment. Studies have shown that the greatest cause of allergies is unclean surroundings. Do you know that every day, your body is bombarded by fungus and microbes? Your best defense is to keep your immune system in good condition. Remove all the irritants inside your home.

One of the best ways to rid your residence of pests is the latest, state-of-the-art air and room cleaning system called Hyla NST, a portable heavy-duty cleaning machine. It is a 4-in-1 equipment – air purifier, vacuum cleaner, floor polisher and more importantly a bed, carpet, curtain and upholstery cleaner. It literally sucks out the dirt and dust mites. (Dust mites are one of the main causes of asthma, rhinitis and respiratory ailments.)

Air is drawn into the cleaner with a rotating separator that turns an amazing 25,000 rpm/second or 416 times a second. It successfully removes dust particles from the air and binds them to water inside the machine. The end result is pure cleanliness.

Annie Santos, a 54-year-old housewife, had been suffering from severe asthma for 10 years. Each time she’d have an attack, she would have to be rushed to the emergency room. Upon discovering the Hyla cleaning system, her bed has been cleansed of dust mites and she has since banned her pet dog from sleeping in her bedroom. Her trips to the emergency room have stopped. (Call Rotarian Gerry Gamez of Gammonco Trading Co. for a free demo, 092-28903367.)

According to Dr. Earth Mindell’s “Vitamin Bible for the 21st century,” a nutritional defense versus allergies includes vitamin B complex, 50 mg, twice a day; pantothenic acid, 500 mg, twice a day, Vitamin C, 1000 mg, once daily.

According to Japanese and Chinese traditions, reishi, shiitake, maitake, agaricus and cordyceps are also effective. This is surprisingly found in a 5-in-1 supplement called Multi Five. (Call World of Wellness, 332-3864/723-3878.)

Anti-allergy regimen

1. Wake up in the morning with happy thoughts and a smile on your face.

2. Drink one cup of lukewarm water with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp honey.

3. Drink 2 full glasses lukewarm water. Drink water every 1 1/2 hours until bedtime.

4. Increase hydration through juicing (fresh is best).

5. Eat healthy.

Affirm today: “I am healthy and happy.”

Love and light!

A must-stop in Palawan

2009-09-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

By Micky Fenix
Philippine Daily Inquirer

SOMEWHERE new always marks my trip to Palawan. Last month it was eating at Ditchay’s Bistro. To the lifestyle and travel circle, the name can belong only to Ditchay Roxas.

She was in the news in April when she protested the development of a luxury resort in an island of San Vicente town in Palawan. Ditchay has a lease on Boayan Island, where she ran not only a small resort but also had created a grassroots ecotourism enterprise.

She was asked to continue operating her resort, she told us, but decided to quit Boayan nonetheless and move to Puerto Princesa.

So that’s where we met Ditchay a second time. The first was when she cooked dinner for a select group in Manila. Her specialty then and now is French cooking with a touch of Asian, which is how she describes her cooking.

Ditchay and I communicated about places to go to while I was there. She gave me a list of her suppliers, organic farms run by NGOs who teach farmers the technique and the whys. She also directed me to her cheese supplier. And to another French bistro located near her place. And, of course, we set a date to dine in her new place.

The tricycle driver told us we had to pay extra because Ditchay’s place was far. My trips to the provinces have taught me that “far” in provinces is about 10-15 minutes away, the equivalent of a snap in Manila time.

Ditchay’s Bistro has four tables in the balcony of her house (the family lives on the second floor) and a table inside what looks like the sala, where the walls display framed art photographs of her husband, Philippe Girardeau.

A tall girl walks past and is introduced as her daughter, Amelie. She serves diners, does her bit at plating with directions from her mother who, because she’s petite, can’t look over her daughter’s shoulder.

Starters

So after visiting Ditchay in the kitchen, we sit down to taste her cooking. The starters, while filling, also whet our appetite. There are rilletes (cold shredded pork), paté de poisson fume (smoked fish paté), mozzarella pane (breaded mozzarella) and terrine de campagne (meat loaf).

Over at another table, two Japanese tourists go through their salad and main course in a relaxed but talkative mood.

On our table, the series of main dishes come: red snapper fillet with lemon caper sauce, Moroccan beef tenderloin served with pita and hummus, grilled prawns in herb butter sauce and crunchy delectable pork belly rolled and stuffed with herbs then roasted until the pork is crisp, a better lechon kawali.

All those have salad incorporated in the dish so it really isn’t necessary to order one, but salads are available for those who like only veggies.

Wines, of course, are always available and Ditchay brings in what they serve and provides wines for some of the restaurants and hotels in Palawan. We go through great kir, white and red and a sneak of martini in between all that.

Desserts included éclairs, lemon tart and frozen orange cream named after Amelie’s grandmother. At the end of all that, we wondered if we could fit into the tricycle we hired to wait for us.

Ditchay’s Bistro (Manalo Extension, Bancao Bancao; tel. 0487231530) is another addition to must-visits in Palawan. Those include Ka Lui with its fish and vegetable selections, crispy pata and sinigang dishes of Kinabuch and breakfast at Casa Linda. And our stay at Asturias Hotel made us discover the laing and kinulob na manok as well.

Best fruit diets

2009-09-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

By Harold Geronimo

I’m a self-proclaimed gym addict, but at the same time, I love eating fruits. While fruits supply the necessary nutrients for the body, a lot of my friends tell me that most fruits have high sugar content that is also considered unhealthy. So I consulted with Karen Fajardo, resident nutritionist and dietician of Fitness First SM Megamall, to know the real score about fruit diet and what are the fruits that may compliment our workout without having to worry about gaining some extra pounds when I consume them. She says it is important to consume three different kinds of fruits for 5 to 6 servings everyday to complete a daily balanced diet.

1. Apple

They say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While this holds true, do you also know that it is the safest fruit to eat before or after every workout? An apple contains one of the lowest sugar levels and Glycemic Index (GI) among all fruits. Studies show that apples reduce blood cholesterol levels and control one’s appetite to crave for more food. Low GI level diet, on the other hand, slowly trickles glucose into your blood stream to keep your energy levels balanced so you will feel fuller longer between meals. It is also a rich source of dietary fiber that aids digestion and promote weight loss. Apples are also rich sources of phytochemicals that act as antioxidants. They are found to play some roles in inhibiting age-related problem and preventing wrinkles, giving you that young-looking skin to compliment a lean, toned body. It is advisable to eat one to two regular-sized apples daily.

2. Pear

Just like apples, pears are ideal for weight management. They contain fiber and water that easily fills up an empty stomach, thus controlling one’s appetite to crave for more food. It also prolongs physical endurance due to its low GI carb level. Its high fiber content also helps in the slow release of sugars into the body, thereby helping maintain a steady blood sugar level. Pears also contain anti-oxidant nutrients that help boost the body’s immune system. They also contain high level of boron which helps the body retain calcium for stronger bones. Studies also reveal that pears help relieve pains due to various inflammation problems. Eat at least one pear a day before workout.

3. Pineapple

When it comes to fiber content, pineapples have one of the highest among all other fruits. Fiber-rich fruits allow healthy digestion and help people lose weight easily. It compliments every workout routine as it also provides the adequate energy for the body to burn. Pineapples are also rich in phytochemicals that shield the body from free radicals that cause cancer. They also contain Vitamin C that helps boost the body’s immune system for diprevention. But it is always recommended to eat one serving of fresh pineapple than canned slices. It is also better to eat it in fruit form than juice to maintain its beneficial high fiber content. One serving is equivalent to one slice of a regular-sized pineapple.

4. Banana

I often see my gym mates eating bananas after working out. So I got curious about the banana diet. I found out that bananas are known to be energy-boosters. They replenish the amount of energy that has been used up by the body during heavy workout. It is also rich in potassium that regulates blood pressure. It is advisable to consume one to two bananas within 30 minutes to one hour after your workout. Take note, however, that eating bananas before workout may not be advisable. Instead of consuming energy-rich bananas, it is recommended to take protein-rich foods and complex carbohydrates such as rice and bread in preparation for your workout.

5. Orange

Don’t squeeze the orange too much as most of this fruit’s fibers may be diminished. Just like any other fruits, it is always best to consume oranges in their whole form instead of juice. But if you want to take it in liquid form, you should always include the pulps and never add sugar to sweeten the taste. The more natural it is, the better, so you get all the vitamins and minerals needed for your healthy body. Oranges are naturally low in sugar compared to watermelons and grapes, so you don’t have to worry about shooting up your blood sugar levels. Orange pulps are rich in fiber that is essential in weight loss and food digestion, perfect for those who are on strict diet. Oranges also have the highest Vitamin C content, making it the best immune booster to combat any form of sickness.

Salsa verde carnitas

2009-09-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

Carnitas are the Mexican version of pulled pork. Braised first in a spicy sauce, pork shoulder is slow cooked until so tender the meat just shreds easily with a fork, then it's roasted at high heat to make crispy browned bits full of flavor. It's taco meat, burrito meat, or just stewy meat served with rice and beans. This version of carnitas is cooked first in a braise of tomatilla salsa verde, or green salsa. It's delicious served with fresh corn tortillas and topped with a shredded cabbage slaw, Cotija cheese, avocado, and Mexican sour cream.

3 1/2 pounds pork butt (pork shoulder)

2 cups salsa verde, bottled, canned, or homemade

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano (or 1 teas dried)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

12 to 16 corn tortillas, heated and softened

1/4 head of cabbage, very thinly sliced

1 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar (if you only have unseasoned, add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to it)

Salt and pepper

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/2 cup crumbled Cotija Mexican farmer's cheese, or some grated Monterey Jack cheese

Crema fresca, crema Mexican, or sour cream

Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

1 Trim the excess fat from the roast. Put the meat in a large casserole or Dutch oven with salsa verde, onion, stock, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove meat from liquid in pot and put the meat into a roasting pan. With 2 forks, tear meat into large shreds. Roast meat for 15 to 20 minutes until parts are brown and crispy.

3. While the meat is roasting, skim and discard fat from liquid in the casserole pan. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes.

4 Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt.

Serve with heated and softened corn tortillas (20 seconds each in the microwave spread out over a paper towel will heat and softened packaged tortillas sufficiently), diced avocado, crumbed Cotija or grated Monterey jack cheese, sour cream (or crema fresca), and seasoned cabbage slaw.

Seasoned Cabbage Slaw

Place thinly sliced cabbage in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle on olive oil, seasoned rice vinegar, salt and pepper. You can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar, if you do, sprinkle on some sugar to help balance the acidity of the vinegar. Toss. Adjust seasonings. Let sit for 10 minutes for the cabbage to absorb some of the dressing.

Serves 6.

SimplyRecipes.com

Typhoon hits the Philippines 9/26/2009

2009-09-27T01:19:00.000-07:00

Ikura, an extremely nutritious food

2009-09-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

Ikura is the roe (eggs) of the spawning Chum salmon. These large, red succulent eggs are pleasantly mild and perfectly firm in texture. Ikura is extremely nutritious food; in addition to being extremely high in vitamins A, D and E, it is also full of essential amino acids and Omega-3 fatty acids. It is processed and graded extensively with the aid of Japanese technical consultants, who are experts in assessing the quality of Ikura. The specific grade of the roe is dependant on a variety of variables including size, colour, and time of delivery of the fish themselves. The procurement of Ikura is directly based upon the Pacific Salmon fishery. The commercial salmon fishing fleet is strictly controlled on where, when and how they fish. It employs selective harvesting techniques which, in conjunction with close monitoring of run size and catches, allow for optimum escapement levels. This conservation-based fisheries management regime permits the controlled harvest of more abundant wild salmon stocks while protecting weaker ones as they rebuild. Additional scientific studies have provided other information on the benefits of Omega-3 oils for individuals with arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, lupus erythematosus, asthma, and certain cancers. Research studies have consistently shown that Omega-3 fatty acids delay tumor appearance and decrease the growth, size, and number of tumors.

Longganisa chorizo, favorite Filipino breakfast

2009-09-24T17:50:00.000-07:00

Longganisa is widely available in most supermarkets and wet markets. Even the skinless variety is not difficult to find. Longganisa is native sausage. The seasonings vary depending on the regional origin. Lucban and Vigan longganisa are garlicky, for instance. Then there is the sweet longganisacalled hamonado. Longganisa comes in various sizes as well. Some are made with beef or chicken instead of pork. Sweet or spicy, small or large, longganisa is a popular Filipino breakfast item. If there is a tapsilog for the combo of tapa(fried beef strips), sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (egg), there islongsilog for longganisa, sinangag and itlog.

To make longganisa, you will need:

1 kilo ground pork, 10% fat

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon rock salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt)

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon black peper, ground.

Instructions:

Blend all the above ingredients.

Roll a small amount of the pork mixture in a 4 1/2 inches x 3 inches wax paper

Store in the freezer for 3 hours or until ready to cook.

When ready to cook, heat oil in a wok or frying-pan.

Unwrap the sausages and fry in batches in hot oil until fully cooked.

Drain on paper towels.

Garnish with spring onion, if desired, and served with rice and tomatoes or Garlic-Vinegar Dip.

These sausages can also be frozen until needed.

Makes 18-20 sausages

Preparation time: 30 mins + 3 hours chilling

Cooking time: 30 mins

Fried tempura ice cream

2009-09-24T02:11:00.000-07:00

By Vangie Baga-Reyes/Philippine Daily Inquirer
Ever wondered how fried tempura ice cream is made?
Tempura is a Japanese specialty that means batter-dipped. For this recipe, instead of using typical pieces of seafood or vegetables dipped in soy sauce and wasabi, delightful scoops of ice cream are used, drizzled with chocolate syrup, cherries and slivers of almonds—quite a dessert to impress family and friends.
“Batter-dipped ice cream is usually deep-fried,” says Boyet Llamador, head chef of Tempura Japanese Grill (tel. 3747460) on Thompson Square, Tomas Morato St., Quezon City. “This recipe, however, requires timing and a good deep-fryer to fry the tempura ice cream. The warm crunchy tempura perfectly pairs with the cold creaminess of the underlying ice cream.”
If you heed some tips, this fried dessert, one of the bestsellers at Tempura in Quezon City, is not so hard to make at home. All its ingredients are in grocery stores. The batter is basic pancake batter with a pinch of salt.
Make sure to serve the tempura ice cream immediately after frying. It is best that, while the tempura ice cream is frozen, you pour the oil into a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-bottomed stockpot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
You can either use slices of loaf bread or taisan to bind the ice cream. And as optional toppings, wafer cookie, whipped cream, strawberry sauce, fresh fruit and powdered sugar are also ideal.
You can also try different flavors of ice cream.

Ingredients:
Slices of bread
Ice cream, any flavor
Cooking oil
Chocolate syrup
Cherry
Cornstarch for dusting

For batter mix:

150 g cake flour
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
8 oz cold water

1. IN A MIXING bowl, combine flour, egg and ice-cold water. Whisk well. Set aside.
2. REMOVE the outer layer of the bread. Place bread on a flat surface with aluminum foil. Press bread firmly using your fingers.
3. PLACE three scoops of ice cream in the middle of the bread.
4. ROLL bread tightly. Then place in freezer, and let sit until completely frozen.
5. REMOVE wrap and roll frozen tempura in cornstarch.
6. DIP TEMPURA into the batter mixture. Cover tempura with the batter evenly.
7. MEANWHILE, heat oil in deep-fryer to 375°F. If you do not have a deep-fryer, you can use a hot pot of oil. Carefully drop the battered ice cream into the hot oil by using kitchen tongs or a slotted spoon.
8. QUICKLY fry tempura for approximately 5 to 10 seconds, until the tempura batter has turned golden.
9. LET COOL for a few seconds. Cut into four pieces. Transfer in a platter. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Add cherry.
Enjoy!

What's your martini?

2009-09-23T02:36:00.000-07:00

by Ed Biado
The martini is one of the most widely-recognized cocktails in the world. In pop culture, it is a symbol of discriminating taste as many historical figures and fictional characters are known to prefer it to the point of making it their signature drink. And why wouldn’t one enjoy a martini? It’s crisp, clear, has an infusion of bright flavors and notes and it comes in over 40 variations (and counting). Here are the most popular kinds:
1. The classic standard martini is made with gin and dry vermouth in a four is to one ratio and is stirred with ice. After straining it in a chilled martini glass, it’s garnished with an olive or lemon peel. This produces a clear, colorless cocktail. The shaken version is slightly cloudy and the gin being “bruised,” producing a more bitter taste.
2. The vodka martini obviously substitutes gin for vodka. It is one of today’s most popular martini preparations and it’s almost assumed that when one orders a martini, it’s made with vodka.
3. The dirty martini puts the garnish to the forefront as it uses olive brine together with dry vermouth or omitting the latter altogether. The essence is further heightened by using three olives (instead of one) as garnish. A dusty martini, meanwhile, only adds a small amount of brine, simply to bring out a hint of the essence.
4. The Dirty Pickle substitutes olive brine in the dirty martini with pickle juice. This is garnished either with a mini gherkin or a dill spear.
5. The smoky martini is simply gin with a splash of Scotch, stirred and garnished with lemon peel. It is also called burnt martini.
6. The dry martini uses less dry vermouth than usual. Extra dry would mean even less. It’s virtually all gin with just a few drops of dry vermouth. The standard dry martini has different names, depending on the garnish—Okratini (pickled okra), Buckeye (black olive), Gibson (pickled onion), Gibsontini (onion-stuffed olive) and Spiceland (garlic-stuffed olive).
7. The Vesper is a James Bond invention. According to the pages of Casino Royale, it contains three measures of Gordon’s gin, one of vodka and half a measure of the French aperitif wine, Kina Lillet. It’s garnished with a slice of lemon peel and served in a champagne flute.
8. The Bronx is a fruity martini that was once ranked third in the world, in terms of popularity (after the standard martini and the Manhattan). This is a shaken cocktail that contains six parts gin, three parts sweet red vermouth, two parts dry vermouth and three parts orange juice.
9. The Kinopanorama martini is made with four parts London gin, two parts vodka and half a part each of Noilly Prat vermouth and Lillet Blanc. It’s shaken and garnished with a twist of lemon.
10. The Valencia martini uses Fino sherry instead of dry vermouth. Before pouring, orange peel is flamed in order for its oil to drop into and coat the martini glass. It’s garnished with an unburned orange peel. The vodka variant is called the Flame of Love martini.

Every second well spent

2009-09-22T04:56:00.000-07:00

It's my off today from work and I'm starting to get excited to spend the rest of the day with wife. I started with a hot steaming coffee and checked for some emails. I always wonder why when you're taking your day-off from work, time passes so quick when you're just at home. Makes me a little uncomfortable so I always spend the rest of every minute okay. I'm also sometimes discouraged in doing this blogging thing, but my wife inspires me to continue. She's truly a wonderful person. I have to move my body because I don't have much exercise these past days. It's time to move my body. Take a 15 minute warm-up and ready to hit the roads. It's also nice to bring my ipod with me to energize me with my kind of music. Feels so good after a long jog around the village. People are also very aware of their health today as I noticed a lot of joggers and also some taking a brisk walk. I felt the breeze a feeling of Christmas season coming just around the corner. So relieved as I got home when my wife surprised me with her special fruit medley kind of a salad she bought from the market this morning so fresh. Not to mention I'm gonna add some calories again, guilty pleasures actually. Fresh apples, kiwi, pineapple, sweet mango, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, sweet corn, gelatins, and milk for calories? delicious anyway. I love fruits. How I wish that today's never gonna end.

Sorbetes, the Filipino ice cream

2009-09-21T02:31:00.000-07:00

Sorbetes is a Filipino version of ice cream usually peddled from street carts in the Philippines. It is distinct from the similarly-named sorbet. It is usually served with small wafer or sugar cones and recently, bread buns.

Ice cream was introduced in the Philippines during the time of the American invasion when refrigerators and other cooling devices were introduced. While American ice cream was made with cow's milk, using the milk of the carabao, a kind of water buffalo, resulted in a cheaper product which became known as "sorbetes." Both kinds of milk are widely used today. Coconut milk and cassava flour are two other ingredients used that make sorbetes unique from ice cream made in other countries. Flavors also varied from the usual natural fruits such as mango, avocado, coconut to flavors imitating commercial ice cream such as chocolate, cookies and cream, cheese, mocha, etc.
The sorbetes industry competes with commercially available ice cream from giant companies operating in the Philippines such as Magnolia and Selecta, which also started peddling their product in the streets in more sanitized carts.

Sorbetes is peddled by sorbeteros using colorfully painted wooden carts which usually can accommodate three flavors, each in a large metal canister. Peddlers get their carts from makers scattered around the cities of the Philippines in the morning and walk the streets the whole day, calling consumers from their houses by ringing a small handheld bell.
The wooden cart has two large wooden wheels at the front part to easily push the cart though latest carts are already attached to bicycles.
The cart is stuffed with shaved ice sprinkled with salt to produce a lower temperature around the metal canisters and keep the sorbetes frozen longer.
The whole sorbetes cart is also available for private gatherings when negotiated with the sorbetero. It is usually cheaper that buying gallons of ice cream to be served to guests.

Peddlers of sorbetes provide several serving options. It may be served in a small plastic cup, a wafer cone, a sugar cone or a bread bun, at varying prices. A serving can include one flavor or, for no extra charge, a mixture of available flavors.
Sorbetes is usually consumed as a snack while travelling. It can also be served as dessert.

Wikipedia.org

Grilling, worldwide popular cooking method

2009-09-20T02:41:00.000-07:00

Grilling is one of the most popular cooking methods worldwide. The ease and speed in which grilled food is cooked and the unique flavor that is infused into the food as a result of grilling are the primary reasons for its popularity. The concept of grilling is based on cooking food with a heat source positioned below the food. Depending on the type of grill used, the heat source often reaches a cooking temperature of 650ºF or higher; however, any temperature above 300°F is considered suitable as a grilling temperature.
A wide variety of equipment is used for grilling, ranging from the simple to the elaborate. An outdoor grill may be as straightforward as a homemade device in which a grate is placed over an open fire or it may be as sophisticated as a commercially produced charcoal or gas unit, providing inventive methods for controlling heat and maintaining uniformity in cooking. Electric and gas models, designed specifically for indoor use, allow food to be grilled within the home when outdoor grilling is not possible.

Grills Designed for Outdoor Use

Open Fire Grills

Grills using an open fire as a fuel source have been used for centuries. An often used device for this type of grilling is a ring constructed of metal or heavy masonry that is used to contain a small fire, which is usually fueled with wood or charcoal. Commercially produced metal pots and kettles, designed specifically for wood burning, are also used. Of course, a true open fire of the campfire variety can be used for grilling if there is a means available for supporting the grilling grate above the fire.

When cooking food using an open fire grill, the fire is usually allowed to burn down somewhat so that the flames are smaller and the embers are glowing. This stage of the fire produces a more uniform, radiant heat. A roaring fire with leaping flames would quickly burn the outer portion of the food being grilled before the interior portion of the food has reached the proper doneness.
Once the fire has reached the correct stage, a metal grate is placed onto the fire ring or kettle, which supports the grate above the level of the fire. The food is cooked directly on the grate. As the food cooks, it can be transferred from one area of the grate to another where the temperature may be lower or higher depending on the level of heat required for proper cooking; however, it is often difficult to regulate the cooking temperature unless there is a method for raising and lowering the grate.

Charcoal grills

Grills that are designed for use with charcoal are available in a wide range of styles and sizes. Some charcoal grills are very basic, consisting of a small cast iron container with a grate placed on top. Charcoal is placed in the metal container, which may be round, square, or oblong, and the food is cooked on the grate above. This small type of charcoal grill is known as a hibachi; a traditional Japanese grill used throughout Asia, which is popular in the United States as well.
Other types of charcoal grills may be elaborately constructed and come with a variety of features. Among the more sophisticated designs, the most popular models are kettle grills with large, domed covers. There are vents on the top and the bottom for the regulation of oxygen intake in order to vary the cooking temperature. Some models have built-in ash containers, attached work surfaces, and storage units for utensils. Charcoal grills attached to rolling carts are quite common for ease in maneuverability.
One type of charcoal grill that is becoming very popular is the type that includes a small tank of gas, which is a smaller version of the propane tank used as the primary fuel source for a gas grill. On the charcoal grill, the small propane tank is used as a fuel source to ignite the charcoal. When the charcoal is lit, the gas supply is switched off. This system provides an easy, efficient means for igniting the charcoal.

Gas Grills

Grills fueled by propane gas are an extremely popular variety of outdoor grill. Like charcoal grills, they are available in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and price ranges. The convenience that gas grills provide is perhaps the primary reason for their popularity. They provide an excellent grilled flavor to food especially when used in conjunction with wood chips and wooden grilling planks that are designed to impart added flavor to the food during the grilling process.
It is often much easier to control the cooking temperature with a gas grill than other types of grills. Most models have multiple heat settings for the burners and many models feature built in temperature gauges to determine precisely the cooking temperature required for a particular type of food. Multiple burners, which are common feature on most gas grills, also allow the temperature to be controlled quite accurately. This is especially important when several foods are grilled simultaneously and each requires a different temperature setting for proper grilling.
Most types of gas grills feature automatic ignition for every burner. The similarity between the burners of an outdoor gas grill and an indoor gas range, allows the outdoor gas grill to be used in the same manner as a gas range when food is cooked on the grill with pots and pans rather than being placed directly onto the grate of the grilling unit. Depending on the manufacturer and the price of the unit, some gas grills may include warming trays, special smoker boxes to add a wood-smoked flavor to food, attached work surfaces that may be folded down when not in use, and electric rotisserie units for the terrific flavor provided by rotisserie grilling.

Grills Designed for Indoor Use

Indoor Fireplace Grills
Indoor grilling on a grate placed over the open fire of a wood burning fireplace has been a popular grilling method for hundreds of years. Because of the popularity of modern indoor grills, such as grills built into kitchen ranges and electric countertop grills, fireplace grills are seldom used today except by people who must use a fireplace as their primary source for cooking and heating and by folks who find traditional cooking methods to be a fun change of pace.
There are several types of grates that are manufactured specifically for fireplace grilling. One of the most popular is the Tuscan grill, which features a heavy metal grate and sturdy legs that allow the grill to be placed over the wood or charcoal in the fireplace. As the name implies, The Tuscan grill is Italian in origin and is still a popular item found in homes in Italy, especially in the Tuscany region.

Grills Built into Indoor Ranges

Many of the manufacturers of gas kitchen ranges offer models that include a built-in grill or feature a built-in grill as an option. They provide a more pronounced grilled flavor than most electric countertop grills. Most built-in grills are used in conjunction with some type of venting system to draw excess smoke and cooking fumes from the kitchen. Like indoor electric countertop grills, built-in grills are convenient to use and are a good substitute when grilling cannot be performed outdoors.

Electric Countertop Grills

Portable electric countertop grills are the most popular type of indoor grill. The grills are produced by numerous manufacturers and are available in a range of sizes and styles. Countertop grill units provide a grilled or broiled flavor to a variety of foods, although perhaps not as pronounced a flavor as an outdoor grill provides. They are designed to be "smokeless" in order to be safe for indoor use. Portable indoor electric grills are convenient to use and are easy to clean. Most models are inexpensively priced.
Some countertop grills feature a grill rack constructed with a heavy molded nonstick material. An electric heating unit is located directly beneath the grill rack. A drip well is positioned at the front of the unit to collect any melted fat or grease that escapes from food as it cooks. Some countertop grills (such as the model pictured) have a grilling lid that can be closed during cooking to provide two-sided grilling.
Simpler models of countertop grills feature a traditional style, lightweight metal grilling grate that is positioned several inches above an electric heating unit, similar to the distance between the grate and the heat source of an outdoor grill. This type of unit usually does not include a lid to cover the food during grilling and the drip pan, or well, is located below the grilling grate rather than at the front.
Source: grillingtips.com

Taking shots of Wheatgrass juice

2009-09-19T02:13:00.000-07:00

Wheatgrass refers to the young grass of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, that is freshly juiced or dried into powder for animal and human consumption. Both provide chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Claims about wheatgrass' health benefits range from providing supplemental nutrition to having unique curative properties. Some consumers grow and juice wheatgrass in their homes. It is often available in juice bars, alone or in mixed fruit and/or vegetable drinks. It is also available in many health food stores as fresh produce, tablets, frozen juice and powder.

History

The consumption of wheatgrass in the Western world began in the 1930s as a result of experiments by Charles F. Schnabel and his attempts to popularize the plant.
Schnabel, an agricultural chemist, conducted his first experiments with young grasses in 1930, when he used fresh cut grass in an attempt to nurse dying hens back to health. The hens not only recovered, but they produced eggs at a higher rate than healthy hens. Encouraged by his results, he began drying and powdering grass for his family and neighbors to supplement their diets. The following year, Schnabel reproduced his experiment and achieved the same results. Hens consuming rations supplemented with grass doubled their egg production. Schnabel started promoting his discovery to feed mills, chemists and the food industry. Two large corporations, Quaker Oats and American Dairies Inc., invested millions of dollars in further research, development and production of products for animals and humans. By 1940, cans of Schnabel's powdered grass were on sale in major drug stores throughout the United States and Canada.

Cultivation

Schnabel's research was conducted with wheatgrass grown outdoors in Kansas. His wheatgrass required 200 days of slow growth, through the winter and early spring, when it was harvested at the jointing or reproductive stage. It was at this stage that the plant reached its peak nutritional potential; after jointing, concentrations of chlorophyll, protein, and vitamin decline sharply. Harvested grass was dehydrated and made into powders and tablets for human and animal consumption. Wheatgrass grown indoors in trays for ten days contains similar nutritional content. Wheatgrass grown outdoors is harvested, dehydrated at a low temperature and sold in tablet and powdered forms. Wheat grass juice powder (fresh squeezed with the water removed) is also available either spray-dried or freeze-dried.

Usage

The average dosage taken by consumers of wheatgrass is 3.5 grams (powder or tablets). Some also have a fresh-squeezed 30 ml shot once daily or for more therapeutic benefits a higher dose up to 2–4 oz taken 1-3 times per day on an empty stomach and before meals. For detoxification, some users may increase their intake to 3–4 times per day. It should be noted that consumers with a poor diet may experience nausea on high dosages of wheatgrass. Outdoor wheatgrass is harvested for a few days each year from plants grown in the "bread basket" regions of the US and Canada. Winter wheat requires more than 200 days of slow growth in cold temperatures to reach the peak nutritional content. Even after that length of time, the plant is only 7 to 10 inches high.

Health claims

Proponents of wheatgrass make many claims for its health properties, ranging from promotion of general well-being to cancer prevention and heavy-metal detoxification. None of these claims has been substantiated in the scientific literature, though there is some evidence in support of the beneficial effects of chlorophyll in the human diet.

Wheatgrass vs. common vegetables

Wheatgrass proponent Schnabel claimed in the 1940s that "fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetables", a ratio of 1:23. Despite claims of vitamin and mineral content disproportional to other vegetables, the nutrient content of wheatgrass juice is roughly equivalent to that of fresh vegetables (see table 1).
Wheatgrass is thought to be superior to other vegetables is in its content of Vitamin B12, a vital nutrient, though the vitamin is not contained within wheatgrass but is a byproduct of the microorganisms living on it.

Detoxification

Another common claim for wheatgrass is that it promotes detoxification. The limited data in support of that claim applies to most green vegetables.

Chlorophyll

As the chlorophyll molecule is structurally similar to hemoglobin, it has been argued that wheatgrass helps blood flow, digestion and general detoxification of the body. These claims have not been substantiated. However, some research exists that relates diets high in chlorophyll, present in higher concentrations in green leafy vegetables, with lower rates of colon cancer.

Wheatgrass juice recipes:

Of course, there's still the problem of taste. For some people, it's an acquired one. For others, they never quite learn to like it. Still others can barely choke it down. If one of these last two is you, never fear. Wheatgrass juice can be blended into other juices in such a way as to leave even the most skeptical of drinkers licking his or her lips. Of course, experimentation is key, as you'll have to discover for yourself what tickles your personal palate, but here are a few ideas to get you started.
For each of the juices, all you need is the fresh, whole fruit or vegetable indicated, your wheatgrass crop (measured in inch rounds), and your juicer. For smoothies, you will also need a blender or food processor. Wheatgrass can also be added to any of your favorite smoothie recipes.

Green Juice
3 stalks celery
2 medium cucumbers
5 fresh spinach leaves
½ cup fresh parsley
3-inch round wheatgrass
water as needed
Cut up celery and cucumber into chunks small enough to fit through your juicer. Juice and dilute with water as necessary for texture and/or taste.

Veggie Delight
3 stalks celery
2 large carrots
1/2 red beet
5 fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1/2 cup parsley
3-inch round wheatgrass
water as needed
Cut up vegetables into chunks small enough to fit through your juicer. Juice and dilute with water as necessary for texture and/or taste.

Applegrass
3 medium apples
3-inch round wheatgrass
water as needed
Chop apples to fit through juicer. Juice and dilute as needed.

Orange-grass
2 oranges
2 large carrots
3-inch round wheatgrass
Chop carrots to fit through juicer. Juice and serve.

Wheatgrass Whirl
2 oranges
1 banana
½ cup fresh berries
2-inch round wheatgrass
1-2 cups ice cubes
Juice orange and wheatgrass, then add with all other ingredients to blender and process until smoothie texture.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatgrass

Recipe source: http://hubpages.com/hub/Wheatgrass

Do Filipino mothers still cook?

2009-09-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

COLETTE ROSSANT, author of “Apricots on the Nile” (Washington Square Press, 1999) wrote about her relationship with her mother this way: “We always pretended that we loved each other, but I had built myself a world of memories where my mother is nowhere to be found. I want it to stay that way.”

Those memories include staying with her paternal grandparents in Egypt during World War II when she was 5 years old and then being returned to Paris where Rossant stayed with her maternal grandmother. She met her mother again when she turned 20.

The funny thing is the first chapter in the book is about her mother, her last days before dying of cancer.

Ruth Reichel, author and editor of “Gourmet,” had the funniest stories about her mother. In her book “Tender at the Bone” (Random House Inc., 1999), the funniest story is how her mother put together a lethal leftover soup and how Ruth and her brother steered everyone of their favorite relatives away from it. In one of the Gourmet issues, she also wrote that her mother steals magazines in her doctor’s office, even a Gourmet.

Mimi Sheraton, former restaurant critic of The New York Times, also began her autobiography “Eating My Words” (HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2004) writing about her mother.

Sheraton described her as “an ambitious and gifted cook who had open contempt for any woman who was not.” But her mother also regarded the work of a critic as not such a nice job because every bad review she makes means a restaurateur loses his business.

I remembered all those because the day I write this is my mother’s birthday. My siblings and I celebrated for two days, a picnic at La Mesa Dam Ecopark and then eating Korean food after a visit to her grave.

Unlike Rossant, my world of memories always had my mother in it until the day she died. And unlike Reichel and Sheraton’s mother, mine wasn’t aware of my work having suffered a stroke even before I wrote about food.

3 generations

Do mothers still cook? That’s the question some food companies who invite me to talk about how it is like in the Filipino home these days want to know. I guess it’s for their advertising and sales strategy.

I tell them about three generations, from my grandmother, my mother and my own stint as mother.

My grandmother stayed home most of the time, cooking three times a day, gardening in the morning and after her afternoon siesta. I never saw her go to market but I do remember her slaughtering the chicken and turkey right outside her kitchen door. She was a great cook and my appreciation of good food began with her dishes. I remember how those tasted, a good trait to have if one is to become a food writer.

My mother, on the other hand, had a job. Even if she had her own time because she was an architect but didn’t work for a firm, she somehow was always working. When she locked herself in her room, my siblings and I knew she was doing her “plans,” design of houses or churches, whatever project she was into.

She visited work sites, staying there the whole day. What I remember was going with her sometimes, especially when she was doing my grandmother’s house, and I always ate the carpenters’ merienda of guinataan with monggo.

I was always reminded to eat only one bowl or the workers will run out of their afternoon sustenance. My mother didn’t cook but instructed our house cook on what to prepare for the day. It was the cook’s job to go to the wet market but my mother loved her supermarket days.

The rare times she did the cooking, my siblings and I to this day remember her specialties—adobo that had deep flavor, bread pudding made from sandwich scraps (bread crusts), Christmas fish au gratin and leche flan.

And now my turn. Like my grandmother, I stayed home but only when the children were in grade school and high school. Being home involves a lot of work and even if you had an army of help, you’d still feel that the day is too short.

I brought my children to and from school, planned their baon and menu of the day; even did my stint at baking cookies. But I always had a cook so I didn’t have to do the nitty gritty of kitchen work.

When the children were older, I took on contractual jobs so I was like my mother doing it in my own time. Yet today, since a year ago, I have taken on a regular job, which keeps me out of the house the whole day and out of town every month.

But that only means there is a lot more planning involved with house management, especially the food to be cooked. What makes today different from my grandmother’s and mother’s time is that there’s no need to start everything from scratch. There are so many convenience food (instant sinigang) and cooked food to go.

And for those times when the traffic is so bad or when I need to eat out or we get tired of the food cooked at home, there are so many restaurants to go to. For ingredients, there are wet markets, well-stocked supermarkets and weekend markets.

By Micky Fenix/Philippine Daily Inquirer

Japan goes bananas

2009-09-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Call it a banana boom. The Morning Banana Diet is the new diet craze that's been brewing up a storm in Japan. Driven by the Internet, TV show hype, countless positive testimonials, and affirmation from famous Japanese celebrities, the popularity of the Morning Banana Diet has truly reached epic proportions. It has even caused weekly banana sales to jump 80% and has prompted ceaseless banana shortages nationwide. And why not? With a simple, stress-free and healthy regimen, it's easy to see why this diet has become such a massive hit among the health-conscious crowd.

Introduced by Japanese pharmacist named Sumiko Watanabe on "mixi", a popular social networking site in Japan, the Morning Banana Diet became an overnight success and effortlessly earned a massive mainstream following. When a TV show featured well-loved opera singer Kumiko Mori who shed off 15 pounds through the Morning Banana Diet, it was evident that the health-giving fruit was about the diet were in demand with close to a million copies sold. Today, its popularity has started transcend geography, reaching other countries including the UK.

Combining affordability and simplicity, the Morning Banana Diet consists of an easy-to-follow regimen that makes it painless to lose unwanted pounds. To boot, you only need to take two pieces of bananas with room temperature water for breakfast. You may eat anything you wish for lunch and dinner provided you do not overeat. Make sure to dine before 8 p.m. and have adequate sleep. Another great thing about the diet is that you get to exercise only if you want to.

And now, you can be part of Japan's amazing healthy trend and start losing weight the easy and healthy way. Bananas offer health-giving goodness that can boost fat burning by 30% and burn an extra 200 to 300 calories a day when taken for breakfast. Its high fiber content helps in carrying away fat during digestion, and lets you feel full longer so you won't look for food more often. And as potassium-rich source, bananas help preserve muscle mass as you shed those pounds.

Kani wasabi salad

2009-09-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

This was delish! At first, I dreaded the thought of having to squeeze out the cucumber liquid. But, it was actually not hard to do and not time consuming at all. My friends that ate it, loved it and took some home with them.

Ingredients:

1/2 iceberg lettuce

4 sticks kani (boiled crab meat)

wakame (softened seaweed)

1 small carrots (julienned)

1 medium cucumber (julienned)

tuna flakes

ebiko (shrimp roe)

sesame seeds

Dressing:

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp wasabi (Japanese horseradish) paste

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Preparation:

Mix soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl. Add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sesame oil and wasabi paste and wisk well. Cool the dressing in the fridge until ready to serve. Adjust the amount of wasabi and sugar, depending on your preference.
This recipe's amount seasons four small salads. Enjoy!

Headache triggers

2009-09-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

It is common knowledge that headaches are mostly caused by stress, anxiety, glare, and noise. Less common triggers include sleep patterns, medications, hormones, and emotions. But did you know that diet is a factor, too? Many of the things we eat and drink are headache stimulants and we don’t even know it.

Coffee is known to alleviate headaches. But a recent study reported that people with excessive coffee consumption (or more than four cups a day) experienced non-migraine headaches 18-percent more times than those who consumed less.

Other caffeinated beverages like tea, hot chocolate, and carbonated drinks are headache triggers, too.

Alcoholic drinks contain tyramine and phenylethylamine, ingredients that prompt migraine attacks, especially in those who are prone to it. Alcohol is also associated with cluster headaches and that very familiar hangover, usually accompanied by a headache as well.

Cheese is a common headache culprit because of its tyramine content, a naturally-occurring compound in plants and animals. It is one of the most widely-recognized causes of headaches, known as “cheese syndrome” because this compound is found, in extremely high levels, in cheeses (particularly blue cheese, brie, cheddar, stilton, feta, gorgonzola, mozzarella, Muenster, parmesan, and Swiss).

Other foods with high tyramine levels can cause headaches, too. These include some kinds of beans (garbanzos, Lima, pinto), onions, olives, pickles, avocado, raisins, canned soups, and nuts.

Processed meats like hotdogs, hams, sausages, bacon, luncheon meats, pepperoni, and other meats that underwent curing contain tyramine, too. That and their sodium nitrite content make for a lethal chemical combination that triggers headaches and migraines.

It’s easy to deduce, then, that eating pizza with all those processed meats, cheeses, onions, and olives can give you a painfully mean throbbing in your head.

Foods high in monosodium glutamate are suggested to cause headaches. MSG is an additive and flavor enhancer most commonly found in Oriental dishes and seasonings (soy sauce) and many other packaged foods.

Citrus is a surprising headache trigger. Actually, it only is for people with enzyme deficiency. Fruits like oranges and lemons have amines that need to be neutralized and enzymes are required in doing so. People who lack them may experience headaches or migraines when consuming large amounts of citrus.

Cold foods, like ice cream, can also stimulate headaches among people who are overheated, due to exercise or warm weather. This is a simple brain freeze for some that can last for less than two minutes. But in others, it can be a full-blown headache, especially among those with migraine.

by Ed Biado

Manila Standard Today

Sweet, nutty green soybean

2009-09-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Many people are familiar with the soybean, but few have experienced the sweet, nutty taste of the “green soybean” known as edamame. This tasty bean is growing in popularity as a healthy and nutritious snack, particularly among the college crowd – and for good reason. When compared to other snacks, edamame leads the pack in terms of nutritional value. What are the health benefits of edamame?

Edamame refers to soybeans that are harvested and collected when the plant is still young and green. To prepare this tasty vegetable, they’re usually boiled in salt water while still in the pods and served as a snack or side dish. They can also be removed from the pods and added to soups and salads. When eaten as a snack, the pods are usually placed in the mouth and the beans gently squeezed onto the tongue. The pod is then discarded. You can find them served in some vegetarian restaurants on college campuses and in some Japanese restaurants. Unlike mature soybeans that are firm, these young, green soybeans are soft in texture and have more pleasing taste.

Edamame is an excellent source of low-calorie protein which makes it a popular snack among vegetarian athletes. A half-cup of these young beans has eleven grams of protein and is one of the few vegetarian protein sources that have all nine of the essential amino acids the body can’t make. The fat in edamame is the heart-healthy kind, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that help to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Plus, they’re a caloric bargain at only125 calories.

Each half-cup of edamame has four grams of heart-healthy fiber to help lower cholesterol levels and keep you satiated so you won’t reach for a candy bar later on. If you’re like most Americans, you can use the additional fiber boost.

The isoflavones found in edamame and other soy products can help to lower the risk of heart disease according to some studies and may also lower blood cholesterol levels. When edamame is used as a protein source in place of meat, the cardiovascular benefits are further enhanced. The issue of whether isoflavones lower the risk of breast cancer is still under debate, so soy products should be eaten in limited quantity in anyone with a history of breast cancer. Edamame is also a good source of folate and vitamin K which are important for heart health.

The isoflavones in edamame help to maintain bone density by exerting estrogen-like effects on bone tissue. It’s also a good source of calcium which is important for strong teeth and bones.

Edamame used to be sold almost exclusively through natural food markets and Oriental grocery stores, but can now be found in the frozen section of many mainstream grocery stores. Why not give them a try?

Delicious, easy pork roast that everyone raves about

2009-09-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

1 kg. pork

1 cup soy sauce

1 head garlic, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup of calamansi juice or lemon juice

1/2 cup of 7up, sprite or beer (optional)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar

1/2 cup of banana or tomato catsup

In a mixing bowl, marinate the cut pork with the soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped onions, calamansi juice, ground pepper, sugar, banana catsup and the soda or beer (this tenderizes and adds flavour to the pork)

Mix well and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (turning occasionally).

Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 2-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160-170 degrees. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Refrigerate or freeze remaining pork (may be frozen for up to 3 months).

Sweet and sour salmon and red snapper, never taste like this before

2009-09-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy morning and getting up out of bed is hard, you know the kind that it's lazy to get up in times like this. Still, I tried to get up and my wife gave me a hot coffee to wake my senses up. Good thing she really knows my kind of blend. We also had a nice talk and coming up to cooking this recipe of hers today. You might want to try this too.

All you need is:

500 g fleshy salmon and red snapper fillet

salt and pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch

3 c oil for deep frying

for the sweet and sour sauce:

1/2 c rice vinegar

dark brown sugar

dash of salt

1/2 tbsp fine strips of ginger

for the garnish:

1 onion, finely sliced (or 12 stalks of onion leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths)

1 small carrot, julienned

a thumb-sized piece of ginger, julienned

1 tbsp. of sesame seed oil

Make the sweet and sour sauce. Place the vinegar and sugar in a small pan and set over medium heat. Cook without stirring until the sugar dissolves. Swirl the pan and boil over medium heat for 15 to 25 minutes or until syrupy. Add the salt and ginger during the last five minutes of cooking.

While the sauce cooks, prepare the fish. Heat the cooking oil in a wok or frying pan. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season the fish with salt and pepper, rubbing on both sides. Dust with cornstarch.

When the oil is hot enough (it should start to emit some smoke), deep fry the fish over high heat until golden and a light crust forms on the outside. Flip the fish when the underside is done and fry the other side for even cooking and texture. Scoop out the fish and drain on paper towels. Transfer to a serving platter and scatter the prepared garnishes on top. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the fish and vegetables.

Heat the sesame seed oil in a small pan until smoking. Pour over the fish and vegetables. Serve at once.

Vegetarian broccoli salad

2009-09-11T02:29:00.000-07:00

A follow-up recipe for my post last September 3 to add a healthy menu on everyone's diet. I found this recipe at Recipezaar.com and also tried it, it's perfectly good! Thanks to Mommy chef 27.

Here are the ingredients:
1/2 cup Miracle Whip or vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar (use less if you prefer less sweet taste)
4 cups broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup craisins

Directions
1Combine miracle whip, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
2Mix broccoli, walnuts, and craisins.
3Pour dressing over broccoli mixture, mix to combine.
4Chill one hour or overnight.

From Mommy chef 27 @recipezaar.com

Congratulations to RP pastry chefs

2009-09-10T00:36:00.000-07:00

Philippine Daily InquirerFirst Posted 22:28:00 09/09/2009Filed Under: Lifestyle/Food

THE PINOYS did it again!

Members of The Pastry Alliance of the Philippines (PAP) brought home awards from the recent Asia’s 1st Culinary Cup held at Siam Paragon Exhibition Halls in Bangkok, Thailand.

Penk Ching (Pastry Bin) bagged the silver medal for her gorgeous “Vases of Luck” under the Freestyle showpiece category. The outer vase was deeply carved and cut through with a design of flowers and leaves, revealing another vase inside.

The inner vase, which can be rotated, had the Chinese characters symbolizing “Luck, Prosperity, Longevity and Happiness.” It was festooned with an intricate filigree of floral scrolls to provide texture to the flowers and petals.

Peachy Juban (Shortcrust Cake Shop) got the bronze medal for the Dress-The-Cake. Her “Pavo Mehndi” featured a hand-molded peacock on gold-stamped fondant. It was a well-researched piece reflecting Indian culture: The peacock being India’s national bird, the paisley a popular Hindu figure and Mehndi the art form of applying henna tattoos.

All these were executed within two hours in live competition. The only thing pre-baked was the bare cake. Icings had to be colored, molded, applied and piped on the spot. No golds and silvers were awarded for the event.

Pixie Sevilla-Santos (Forget-Me-Not Specialty Cakes) received a diploma for her “Hot Chocolate Chili Mousse and Mango Coconut Cheesecake” in the Live Individual Plated Desserts. It was an unparalleled effort to prepare and plate two desserts from scratch in only one-and-a-half hours.

Chocolate mousse with chili was a play on the senses. The coconut base was a perfect match to the creamy cheesecake.

The winning members were led by Buddy Trinidad, PAP president, and James Antolin, PAP vice president.

The competition was also participated in by representatives from Australia, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates and United States of America.

Fettucine with Longanisa Clam Sauce

2009-09-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

By Chef Nino Logarta

3 Bears Restaurant

Ingredients:

500 g uncooked fettucine noodles

1 c sliced Vigan longanisa

1/2 c olive oil

1 c diced onion

2 tbsp minced garlic

8 g pack secret sangkap

Pepper to taste

1 large bell pepper diced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 c beer

1 can diced tomatoes

500 g littleneck clams, scrubbed clean and picked over

3 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

Parmesan cheese

Set a large one-gallon pot of salted water with a pasta insert over high heat. Bring to a boil and add 2 tbsp salts.

Add the uncooked pasta to the water and cook for 7 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and reserve.

Begin making the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Set a large 14-inch saute pan over medium high heat.

Add the olive oil to the pan and longanisa, add the onions and saute until light caramelized and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 second.

Add the beer, stir to combine well and cook until the beer has been reduced to half.

Add the diced tomatoes and clams and season with Secret Sangkap and pepper then cover and simmer until the clams open.

Toss in the noodles. Top with chopped basil and parmesan cheese before serving.

Peach and tomato salad

2009-09-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

It looks like a tomato salad, but the peach is the surprise that everyone is sure to love. Use different colors of tomatoes to playfully confuse the eye because they are the same color as the peaches. Any combination will be delicious as long as the fruit is juicy ripe.

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, diced large

2 peaches, diced large

2 tbsp finely chopped sweet onion (red or scallion)

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

3 tbsp olive oil

salt

dash of freshly ground black pepper

Gently combine tomatoes and peaches in a serving bowl. Add onion and basil and toss lightly. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over tomato mixture and toss with care.

Serves 6-8

Peaches helps improve the health of the skin and adds color to the complexion.

Early warning for lung cancer in the works

2009-09-07T01:03:00.000-07:00

A simple blood test may identify the presence of the disease before outward symptoms become apparent. New research from The University of Nottingham has pinpointed a potential early warning system for lung cancer.

The study, published in the journal, Thorax, found that changes in the blood can be detected which signal the presence of lung cancer, and that these changes can be present years before outward symptoms become apparent. Early diagnosis means earlier treatment which is much more likely to be effective.

Worldwide, lung cancer kills around 900,000 people every year, and that can take 20 years or more to develop fully. But it is usually only picked up at an advanced stage, when the chances of successful treatment are slim.

As yet, there is no effective early warning system to detect the disease in its early treatable stages, and the dismal long-term prospects of patients with lung cancer have changed little in the past 30 years.

The research team at Nottingham, in collaboration with a team at Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany, analysed blood (plasma) samples from 50 healthy volunteers and 104 people with different types of lung cancer.

They tested for autoantibodies immune system proteins directed at the body's own tissues, in response to specific chemical signals in the body. They looked in particular for a panel of seven autoantibodies, which are associated with 'solid tumous,' such a lung, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers and triggered when cancerous changes are taking place.

They found the presence of all seven autoantibodies, and very high levels of at least 1 of the 7 autoantibodies in almost 8 out of 10 samples taken from patients with confirmed lung cancer.

And they were found in 8 out of the 9 patients whose cancer had not infiltrated the lymph nodes, the body's 'gate keepers'. This indicates that the disease had not yet spread elsewhere and offers an 80% chance of a cure.

Only one healthy volunteer had more than 1 of these autoantibodies in their blood.

Other research has indicated that these autoantibodies can be picked up as early as 5 years before clinical symptoms start to show.

This study is one of a number of studies looking at autoantibodies in cancer.

The authors argue that the lungs are especially sensitive to radiation, so repeated chest x-rays are not ideal for picking up lung cancer. A blood test, on the other hand, is cheap relative to imaging tests, with no side effects, and the panel can be optimised to identify more or different autoantibodies in lung and other cancers.

They suggest that the blood test could be used for people at increased risk of developing the disease, such as smokers and passive smokers. If the test was positive, they could then be referred for more detailed scans, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Other ways to get lung cancer

It's a strange fact: All smokers don't get lung cancer. And not all lung patients are smokers.

According to a news release from the American Cancer Society,..."Lung cancer does occur in people who have never smoked, even though cigarette smoking is by far the biggest risk factor for lung cancer in the US., causing an estimated 80% of lung cancers in women and 90% in men. Known risk factors that may affect never-smokers include exposure to second hand smoke and radon, as well as occupational exposure to asbestos and certain chemicals and metals. Genetic susceptibility is thought to play a greater role in people who develop lung cancer at an early age. Fewer than 3% of lung cancers occur in people under the age of 45."

Home cooked porkribs teriyaki

2009-09-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Teriyaki dishes are found in many different type of cuisine nowadays, even in Mexican and Western dishes. Then, what is teriyaki? It's a way of Japanese cooking. The word, teriyaki is a combination of two Japanese words "teri" and "yaki." Teri means luster, and yaki means grill or broil.

To make a teriyaki dish, ingredients are broiled, roasted, or grilled after being marinated in or basted by teriyaki sauce. It's the teriyaki sauce that brings the shiny look (teri) to the ingredients. This is the real teriyaki, although any dish cooked with teriyaki sauce seems to be called teriyaki nowadays, whether the ingredients are Japanese or not.

You can buy teriyaki sauce in a bottle at the grocery store, but authentic teriyaki sauce is very easy to make. To make teriyaki sauce, you need soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. (If you don't have mirin, you can substitute it with sake and sugar.) The key ingredient in teriyaki sauce is mirin (sweet rice wine). Mirin adds luster to ingredients. Teriyaki sauce can be used for glazing and marinating meats and vegetables.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup *mirin (sweet rice wine) (soy sauce : mirin = 1:1)
2 tbsp sugar

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir the mixture well. Put it on medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for a couple minutes. Stop the heat and cool the mixture. Store the sauce in a clean bottle in the fridge.

*You can substitute mirin with sake and sugar (sake:sugar = 3:1) ** Adjust the amount of sugar, depending on your preference.

Enjoy cooking!

Pepper and herb stir-fry

2009-09-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

Organic food stores often carry a colorful variety of peppers, many of them mild and sweet. If you like it hot, add some jalapeno for that extra kick.

Ingredients:

4 each of red, yellow, and light green peppers

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley

1 bunch of fresh basil

1 bunch of fresh chives

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp olive oil, or more to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

juice of lemon

Stem and seed peppers, cutting them into large 1- or 2-inch pieces. Make a rough chop of the parsley, basil, and chives. Mince garlic

Over high heat, add oil to a saute pan. Put in all the peppers at once and stir every minute or so as they cook for about 5 minutes. When they wilt slightly, add garlic, cooking 1 minute more. Toss in all herbs, salt and pepper to taste, and turn off heat. Let herbs cook from the pan heat and add the lemon juice to finish.

Serves 4-6

Did you know?

2009-09-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

Used to be that only women of child-bearing age took folic acid, to prevent fetal deformities. But a new study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands and Switzerland shows that folic acid supplements may boost brain power in the elderly and could possibly help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. British researchers have also shown that folic acid supplements decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering levels of the amino acid homo-cysteine, which is thought to damage the inner lining of arteries.

Broccoli: Man's new best friend

2009-09-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

Men may be able to halve their risk of aggressive prostate cancer by adding large amounts of broccoli and cauliflower to their menu.

In a study of nearly 30,000 men, Dr. Richard B. Hayes of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues found that men who ate broccoli more than once a week had a 45 per cent lower risk of advanced prostate cancer than those who ate the vegetables less than once a month, while eating cauliflower often cut risk by 52 per cent.

World's top chefs gather at gourmet festival in Bangkok

2009-09-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

The 10th Annual World Gourmet Festival, to be held Oct. 5-11 at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, will feature some of the world's best master chefs.

All award winners, with some heading Michelin-starred restaurants, the chefs will lead a week-long celebration of outstanding food and wines. They'll also share tips and information on how to create award-winning cuisine.

The lineup includes Christine Manfield of Universal Cafe, Sydney, Australia; David Kinch of the two-Michelin star Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos, California; David Thompson of Nahm Thai Restaurant (one Michelin star), London, UK; Francois Payard of Payard New York City; Fulvio Siccardi, Ristorante Conti Roero ( one Michelin star), Monticello d' Alba, Italy; Luke Dale-Roberts of La Colombe, Cape Town, South Africa; Mohammed Fedal of Dar Moha, Marrakesh, Morroco; Kazumi Sawada of Banrekiryukodo (one Michelin star), Tokyo, Japan; Michael Ginor of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, USA; Graham Elliot Bowles of Graham Elliot Restaurant, Chicago, USA; and Paola Carosella of Arturito, Sao Poalo, Brazil.

Each chef will host two evenings in one of Four Seasons' restaurant and a cooking demonstration for lunch or dinner. They'll also be present at the seven-course gala dinner Oct. 9.

Coordinating the event are Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok executive chef Nicolas Schneller, Shintaro Chef Satoshi Sawada and Biscotti Chef, Danilo Aiassa.

Breakfast: Don't leave home without it!

2009-08-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

Health experts have often cited breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Aside from helping stabilize blood sugar levels, eating first thing in the morning provides you much-needed energy for another busy day.

What's more, a filling breakfast regulates your appetite, making you far less likely to eat that unscheduled snack or overeat throughout the day!

So perk up your family's mornings and make your breakfast an even more filling and fulfilling experience. Here are some simple, economical, but certified mouth-watering breakfast ideas.

Breakfast torta

Ingredients:

2 tbsp cooking oil

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 chopped onion

4 pcs. potatoes, diced

210 g corned beef (e.g. Purefoods-Hormel)

2 tbsp tomato sauce

2 stalks spring onion, chopped

4 eggs, beaten

Cook all the ingredients one after the other except the eggs until the potatoes are fully cooked.

In another pan, over low heat, pour scrambled eggs over hot oil then pour in the corned beef mixture over the eggs.

Cook until top of the mixture is cooked. Makes 2-3 serving.

Potato cakes

Ingredients:

2 pcs. medium-sized potatoes, boiled and mashed

210 g corned beef

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c all purpose flour

1 c breadcrumbs

cooking oil for deep frying

In a bowl, mix together mashed potatoes, corned beef, salt and pepper.

Shape it into mini-cakes and dredge with flour, dip in beaten eggs then coat it with breadcrumbs.

Fry mini-cakes in hot oil and drain on paper towels then serve with barbecue sauce.

For the BBQ sauce:

2/3 c tomato catsup

1/4 c Cerveza Negra

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c cane vinegar

In a saucepan, combine together ingredients of BBQ sauce. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and set aside. Serves 4-5.

Healthy recipes from Green Tea

2009-08-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

How do you eat healthy without compromising the taste and appearance of your favorite dishes? The answer is Teavigo, a revolutionary natural product and food additive derived from green tea extract that has three times more anti-oxidant power than the average green tea extract. It's highly purified off-white powder form that can be mixed readily in other food without altering its taste, odor, and color.

Renowned executive chef Mikel Arruiz of the executive Club Punta Fuego says the possibility of including Teavigo in all dishes is endless.

"It's very easy to mix Teavigo in many dishes because it's in powder form," says Arruiz. "You can mix it in drinks, omelets, pastas, almost everything."

Teavigo, which has fat-burning and anti-oxidant properties, is clearly an answer to Filipinos' tendency to eat out sinfully.

"Filipinos love to order crispy pata, bulalo, lechon kawali, lechon de leche," affirms Arruiz, who hails from Spain and has worked in a three-Michelin star restaurant including a slew of kitchens in the world party capital, Ibiza. "Unfortunately, unlike most Europeans, Filipinos are not conscious of their health when eating out."

Arruiz shows us how to turn conventional drinks and dishes into healthful serving with these Teavigo-inspired culinary ideas.

Tiramisu with Green Tea

Ingredients:

Cream toppping

200 g mascarpone (or cream) cheese

200 g whipping cream

100 g white sugar

sponge

3 whole eggs

80 g flour

10 g cocoa

Green Tea mix

300 ml water

1 g Teavigo

Make a regular sponge by mixing the eggs, flour cocoa, and sugar. Combine the water and Teavigo in a small bowl and set aside. Wet the sponge with the tea mixture without drenching.

Put sponge in a glass bowl or baking pan very thinly. Bake in an oven around 130-degrees celsius for less than 20 minutes.

To make the cream topping, mix the cheese, cream and sugar in a large bowl and beat until very smooth.

Layer the cup with cheese cream then sponge then top with cream cheese. Dust lightly with cocoa. Cut in big round shapes and serve in a cup. This recipe makes at least 6 servings providing around 150 mg EGCG each serving.

Green Tea Tempura

Ingredients:

6 pieces medium tiger prawns

Tempura batter

50 g flour

50 g cornstarch

1 egg

2 g Teavigo

pinch of salt to taste

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients to form a batter. Roll the prawns in flour before coating with batter. Preheat the oil in frying pan to 130-degrees celsius. Deep fry the tempura until golden brown. Remember, a good tempura is one that's crunchy on the outside and moist inside. Chef Mikel also suggests using vegetables like carrots, eggplants, poatoes, and zucchini for tempura.

For dipping sauce, you can blend equal parts of olive oil and cow's milk with few garlic pieces ala Mediterranean's alioli. This will leave a mayonnaise-like mixture that's a true tribute to the roots of the Japanese's tempura which is Portugal on the Iberian Peninsula.

Chef Mikel says you can also make tasteful swirl accents on the side with blended basil with olive oil (green) and squid ink with olive oil (black).

Tastea Ensaimada

Ingredients for 35 pieces:

1 k bread flour

15 g salt

15 g yeast improver

300 g sugar

25 g yeast

160 g water

240 g milk

150 g butter

50 g shortening

6 eggs

5 g Teavigo

Mix the green tea extract with water and milk. Set aside while you mix the flour, yeast improver, sugar, shortening, the eggs and salt for the ensaimada.

Once done, put all of these ingredients together in a mixer for easier and faster mixing.

To be able to arrive at 35 pieces of ensaimada, divide the mix into 60 g per portion. Roll each portion into a 12-inch sausage shape. After which, roll each into the shape of an ensaimada.

Put everything on a tray and cover with a plastic bag for 30 minutes in order for each roll to expand.

After about 30 minutes, place the tray in the oven from about 30 to 40 minutes at 180 degrees.

Once baked, brush each ensaimada with butter and sprinkle with cheese. Each of these delicious ensaimada is equivalent to 5 to 6 cups of green tea.

These recipes demonstrate that it takes very little Teavigo to make our food healthier. More and more food products are made healthier by fortifying with Teavigo. These days, one need not to drink cup after cup of green tea to get teas fat burning and antioxidant properties. Look for Teavigo fortified products next time you shop.

What wine to serve with spicy food

2009-08-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

You don't have to forgo wine while eating a hot ethnic dish. The rules around wine and spicy food have relaxed. It used to be that people would drink anything but wine while eating a hot curry or a spicy chicken jerk. But now even connoisseurs of good taste like Food and Wine magazine are featuring stories on what to serve with which spicy dish. Below are several strategies for figuring out what wine to drink with spicy food and which types of wines should be avoided if you're having a spicy meal tonight.

Seek out low-alcohol, fruity white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or rose. These won't compete with your food and, instead, will act as a foil and a good backdrop.

Avoid high-alcoholic, tannic reds or high-powered whites like "oaky" Chardonnay. A big wine will battle with your hot food in a taste war and you won't be a winner in this fight. In addition, the spice in the food will make tannins in a strong red wine more pronounced and will make an okay oaky wine taste too oaky.

Try a slightly sweet wine to offset the spice in your food. Off-dry whites such as Rieslings and Chenin Blancs (as well many sweeter roses) will balance well with hot dishes.

Pair a spicy dish with a spicy wine. Some wine sommeliers recommend spicy red wines like Zinfandels or Rhones which can blend with the spice in your dish. This particularly true for red meat dishes.

Forget subtle wines which will be knocked out by the flavor in your hot food. If nothing else, a hot dish will numb your taste buds making it difficult to really take in the subtle flavor of a mellow wine.

When in doubt, head for bubbles. Champagne or other sparkling wines will contrast favorably with a hot dish. The acidity of the wine will balance the alkanity of the capsaicin in your dish.

Dinner party gifts

2009-08-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

By Ed Biado@Manila Standard Today
Dinner parties are among the best parties there are. They’re intimate and a great host will make sure everyone is properly fed and entertained. As a guest, you have to do your part and thank the host for the cordial invitation—not just by saying the words or writing a note—but by bringing them a gift. Flowers are good; bespoke coasters are, too; but premium food items are better because they blend in with the theme of the evening (which is feasting) and they signify a high level of taste and thoughtfulness. We’ve got some ideas for you.

1. Wine is the safest and most convenient item to bring to dinner parties. Red, white, champagne—it doesn’t really matter. The only thing to consider is the price of the wine. Is it a casual dinner with friends? Bottles that cost less than a thousand pesos will do. For more formal affairs, a Moet is always impressive.

2. Chocolates, especially minted ones for a nice after-dinner treat, are a great gift to the host/hostess. Truffles, Belgian and premium dark are also good choices. As long as they’re packaged beautifully, they will definitely be appreciated. It is best to bring enough for all the guests as your host may likely want to pass them around over coffee.

3. Gourmet cheese is a very versatile gift idea. You can opt to bring one big slab of Monterey Jack or a gift box containing different cheeses in any combination. Some of the more common cheeses to choose from include cheddar (but not the supermarket kind), Muenster, double Gloucester, feta and Gouda. And maybe throw in a jar of mustard, while you’re at it.

4. High-grade jam and fruit preserves make for a considerate and almost personalized token if you know your host’s favorite flavor. You can make them yourself, if you have the time. Otherwise, go to a good gourmet place and get a big jar or three small jars of premium old-fashioned jam.

5. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a great combo because almost everybody uses them. In fact, it’s one of the most recommended gift sets to give at any occasion. Again, gourmet shops are the best places to purchase them because that’s where you can find quality products that are not always available at your local grocery.

6. Herbs in a pot add a nice countryside feel to any kitchen. Gifting your host with one will almost guarantee you an invitation to their next dinner party and they’ll be excited to tell you that the basil in your dish came from the pot you gave them. Other herbs you can gift include rosemary, thyme, sage and mint.

7. Olives are quite an unusual gift idea in the Philippines, but they don’t have to be. Seasoned olives are a great appetizer and martinis wouldn’t be complete without gourmet olives. So, you actually have two kinds of olive preparations to choose from. But since they’re really inexpensive, buy them both. Or, you can pair a jar of martini olives with a jar of maraschino cherries if your host loves cocktail hour.

8. Pickled vegetables, by themselves, are great to nibble on. They’re even better as a side dish. Therefore, pickled veggies are a fantastic gift idea. Here, we have achara. But you can select from a variety of pickle preparations ranging from the familiar—cucumbers, gherkins and onions—to the exotic—cauliflower (a Romanian recipe), eggplant (Russia) and kimchi.

9. Dried fruit, like raisins, prunes and dates, are popular and can be enjoyed a variety of ways. There are many brands of mixed dried fruit that include those, and also apples, apricot, berries, peaches and mangoes. Although the local dried mangoes aren’t the ideal dinner party offering, a good brand of gourmet dried fruit is an excellent option.

10. Premium nuts are just like dried fruit. You can purchase a single nut kind like pistachio or walnut or a big package of snacking mix. Better yet, get the nuts and the dried fruit. Remember to bring a lot because your host may want to serve them as a trail mix for cocktails.

Festive luau

2009-08-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

by Michelle Simone

Beat the wet August blues with a luau party filled with tropical vibe.

Ingredients of a great party

PLAN The most important aspect of the party is that you, the hostess, have a good time. The most stress-free parties I've hosted are those that are well-planned. Think of everything that could possibly go wrong beforehand and have a solution prepared. Make an endless number of lists for your stuff, or the people who are helping you, to follow so that things go smoothly.

ACTIVITY At any party, there will always be people who don't know each other, so plan an activity or game that will break the ice. With games, you create the opportunity for people to be silly, be funny, and have something common to talk about with strangers. Your guests won't always remember the food you served, or what favors you gave away but they'll always remember how silly someone's drawing is in a game of Pictionary.

RECIPE Make sure you have one signature dish that everyone will swoon about and remember. Try out your recipes beforehand, like during your regular family dinners. Practice makes perfect, after all.

THEME Create a theme for your party to give yourself some direction and your guests something to remember. When you pick a theme, carry it out from the food and decorations to the costumes, games, and prizes!

YARDSTICK Measure your results. A simple way to measure is if your parties become legendary and your friends can't stop raving about it. keep a journal of your successes. Record your menus. Take pictures of your decorations, guests, and other important mementos.

PARTY CHECKLIST

2 Weeks before

Decide on your theme

Brainstorm

Research

1 Week before

Make a menu

Make a lists: guest list, to-buy list, to-make list

Send out your invitations

Make your budget!

3 Days before

Craft projects done!

Prepare tip envelopes

2 Days before

Begin cooking

Buy flowers and prepare your arrangements

Clean your house

1 Day before

Set your table

Set your decorations

Keep cooking

The day off

Run through tasks with your staff

Finish all your cooking in the morning

Set up your guest bathroom

Layout your games and favors

Do a last check on your decorations

Take a bubble bath

Get ready to party!

The joy of soy

2009-08-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Rich in protein, soy is packed with disease-fighting vitamins and nutrients, available in various food types and tastes good too! Incorporate more soy into your diet with these simple tips.

Tofu and go

Tofu picks up the flavor of whatever you cook it with- try it in your favorite stir-fry, grill it with a tasty marinade, or cube it and add it to soup.

Snack on soy

Pack a 1/2 cup of edamame to satisfy that afternoon snack craving. If crunch is what you desire, try roasted soy nuts. Both provide a low-cholesterol, high protein hunger fix.

Make a healthy addition

Add soymilk to your favorite smoothie recipes to get an extra protein boost or add to your coffee for cholesterol-free goodness.

Try this healthy soyamilk soup recipe:

White corn chowder

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter

1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, cleaned and diced

1 rib celery, finely diced

2 shallots, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups plain Silk soymilk

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels

2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

Freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped chives or fresh tarragon for garnish

Preparation:

Heat oil in heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek, celery, shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes. Add vegetable broth, soymilk, corn, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and salt. Bring to boil and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Transfer 1 cup vegetables and 1/2 cup broth to food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return to pot. Add bell pepper and simmer another 2 minutes. Season with pepper to taste and garnish with chopped chives.

Serves 6

Visit SilkSoymilk.com to learn more