Wednesday, August 18, 2010
7 Beauty Sins to Avoid. (reposted from Shine by Sarah Bernard, Host of The Thread, on Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:20am PDT)
We all want glowing skin, but the truth is our daily habits often take us further from our goal than we realize. In this episode, dermatologist Dr. Jeannette Graf, points out what we should NOT be doing, from booking time in tanning beds (we’re talking to you, Snooki!) to staying in sweaty gym clothes post-workout.
I consider myself relatively healthy and mindful of my beauty/skin regimen but the truth is, there are small-seeming things we can all do that will have a big effect. Check out Dr. Graf’s list and see which sins you are guilty of:
#1 No tanning beds. They age you and triple your risk for melanoma. Enough said.
#2 No lounging in sweaty gym clothes. Exercise is fantastic for the skin as it increases blood flow, but the toxins you just released are sitting on your clothes and clogging your pores. Ick.
#3 Not exercising. See above.
#5 Not using an anti-aging moisturizer till you’re older. Start in your 20s. The number one anti-ager is a cream with SPF, which should be used every day of the year.
#6 No going to bed with makeup on. Keep pre-moistened makeup remover cloths by your bed so being tired won’t work as an excuse.
#5 Not cleaning your face after flying. Airplanes are full of re-circulated air that’s drying to the skin. Again, the pre-moistened makeup remover cloths can come in handy here.
#7 No overindulging on the inside. Drink plenty of water, avoid cola and refined sugar, eat fruits and vegetables and your skin will look so much better as a result.
Do you have any other beauty sin you think we should all avoid? We want to hear it.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Weekly Vegetarian - A challenge!
Although I believe it virtuous to my body (and arteries) to be able to actually become a 100% vegetarian, the next best thing is to do it part of the time. So that is my challenge - to cook and serve my family an all vegetarian meal at least 2-3 times a week. Now, although there are lots of options these days for garden patties, tofubergers and soyburgers and dogs, I know that we despise tofuweiners (ewe) and do not like garden burgers. So this means I'll have to make the main entrees from scratch. Fine. One of the difficulties of being a sometimes vegetarian, ok well, more like a once or twice-a-week vegetarian, is living amongst a culture where each meal is expected to consist of at least one main entree with meat or fish or protein in it. At least for my family, how can I make a meal that is void of meat that feels fulling and hearty, that doesn't taste bad? Last night I think I accomplished just this...and gourmet at that!
All from World Market -
Torini "designer" Sombrero-shaped pasta from World Market (with beet and spinach, and all kinds of flavors and colors naturally in the pasta dough),
Dave's Gourmet Butternut Squash pasta sauce (spicy and yummo),
And a filling I made of steamed spinach, onions, ginger, carrots, cheese and sour cream, and garam masala seasoning.
After cooking the pasta, filling them with my carmelized filling, I set them in a coating of sauce, topped with the rest, and baked for 15 minutes at 350. Some red wine and, Voila!
After wondering if I'd used too much ginger and ruined it all, my hubbie after a long 10 hour day of work said, what a superb dinner, babe! No meat, no problem! Now this one I just made up, but I defintely need more vegetarian recipes, so I'm off to watch the Spice Gooddess on Cooking Channel.
All from World Market -
Torini "designer" Sombrero-shaped pasta from World Market (with beet and spinach, and all kinds of flavors and colors naturally in the pasta dough),
Dave's Gourmet Butternut Squash pasta sauce (spicy and yummo),
And a filling I made of steamed spinach, onions, ginger, carrots, cheese and sour cream, and garam masala seasoning.
After cooking the pasta, filling them with my carmelized filling, I set them in a coating of sauce, topped with the rest, and baked for 15 minutes at 350. Some red wine and, Voila!
After wondering if I'd used too much ginger and ruined it all, my hubbie after a long 10 hour day of work said, what a superb dinner, babe! No meat, no problem! Now this one I just made up, but I defintely need more vegetarian recipes, so I'm off to watch the Spice Gooddess on Cooking Channel.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Getting well
Slowly but surely the family is getting well after being sick for about 2 weeks. I haven't been to work but one day last week and a half-hour this week, to care for baby and get over my illness too. Darn viruses! Lukaia is more energetic and playful than ever, yet she needs her rest to get over the last bit of her cold. 
The nights are the worst and after she gets up from a nap. Today she and I had a nice nap (encouraged by me, since I was still tired at 6:30am!). Anywho, we're on our way back to normal here.
In the Left Corner, Lukaia!
In the left corner, weighing in at 25 lbs, is Lukaia Sophie the fastest hands in the West!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Chopped - we all can be subsistence cooks
Here's why I love Food Network's show Chopped. Today's Dessert Challenge: Pineapple, corn, hot dogs. What did the winner do? A pineapple Napolean with chocolate sauce, topped with fried hot dogs coated with powdered sugar- and it looked yummy!
Although this show only accepts professionals, specifically "Seeking dynamic, outgoing, experienced professional chefs. Men and women of any ethnicity and cooking specialty encouraged to apply", my entire culinary point of view was shaped by trying to create something yummy from what I had on hand. Starting with my Hispanic grandpa, who was the patriarch of "subsistence" cooking. Most of us Generation X-ers grew up with Depression-era grandparents (or at least those of us whose parents were in their 30s when they had kids). So it may not be unusual to receive a homemade banana split, after begging them to take you to Dairy Queen (Sonic or Culver's if you aren't from the South). Tex Mex Huevos Rancheros are good, but when he didn't have potatoes to add, he'd add some chicharrones to fry it all together- and then it became uniquely GOOD. I realize the cholesterol here - fried pig ears, refried into eggs, but nevertheless. Top that with some Homemade chili salsa from peppers and tomatoes in their garden, whoa, it always knocked your socks off! (And remembering now, that "salsa" was mostly peppers, maybe half a tomato).
Whether or not you are cooking with just what you have in the kitchen and pantry out of a Chopped challenge to win $10,000, or out of necessity, it takes creativity, skill, and a love of food, not to mention the foresight to envision what things will work to jazz up a dish, or make a meal for an entire family without someone saying "ewewewe"! Even following the directions for planned, coordinated meals isn't always a bullseye, for example: Thai Green Curry paste says to add brown sugar and fish sauce - absolutely not a hit in my household. Trial and error is how you do it...but spaghetti with crab and coconut green curry last night for instance. Its a winner! I have yet to go to the grocery store to fill the fridge and pantry with coordinated ingredients, but right now its not for the challenge, just because I'm tired and taking care of little sick one. But who needs meal planning - bring on the Chopped challenge!
Although this show only accepts professionals, specifically "Seeking dynamic, outgoing, experienced professional chefs. Men and women of any ethnicity and cooking specialty encouraged to apply", my entire culinary point of view was shaped by trying to create something yummy from what I had on hand. Starting with my Hispanic grandpa, who was the patriarch of "subsistence" cooking. Most of us Generation X-ers grew up with Depression-era grandparents (or at least those of us whose parents were in their 30s when they had kids). So it may not be unusual to receive a homemade banana split, after begging them to take you to Dairy Queen (Sonic or Culver's if you aren't from the South). Tex Mex Huevos Rancheros are good, but when he didn't have potatoes to add, he'd add some chicharrones to fry it all together- and then it became uniquely GOOD. I realize the cholesterol here - fried pig ears, refried into eggs, but nevertheless. Top that with some Homemade chili salsa from peppers and tomatoes in their garden, whoa, it always knocked your socks off! (And remembering now, that "salsa" was mostly peppers, maybe half a tomato).
Whether or not you are cooking with just what you have in the kitchen and pantry out of a Chopped challenge to win $10,000, or out of necessity, it takes creativity, skill, and a love of food, not to mention the foresight to envision what things will work to jazz up a dish, or make a meal for an entire family without someone saying "ewewewe"! Even following the directions for planned, coordinated meals isn't always a bullseye, for example: Thai Green Curry paste says to add brown sugar and fish sauce - absolutely not a hit in my household. Trial and error is how you do it...but spaghetti with crab and coconut green curry last night for instance. Its a winner! I have yet to go to the grocery store to fill the fridge and pantry with coordinated ingredients, but right now its not for the challenge, just because I'm tired and taking care of little sick one. But who needs meal planning - bring on the Chopped challenge!
Sick baby syndrome
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Day 5 of taking care of a sick baby. This is the pits! Poor baby, no appetite. At least now she is initiating the naps, rather than fighting them. I'm trying to help her fight this cold virus and croup cough that she no doubt picked up her first week of daycare. We actually made it to the first day of the second week, but of course paid for the whole time regardless of whether she's there. (Alas).
Calculation: $360 spent on 2wks of daycare, 5 1/2 days used.
$75 spent on 2 pediatrician appts and one urgent care visit.
$40 spent for baby meds and supplies.
3 days work missed so far, plus one day off used.
Thank goodness I have saved up comp time and sick leave, and have flexibility to leave for family emergencies when I need to. (Three cheers for being a government worker bee!)
While I'm not cleaning a snotty nose, comforting the cries and moans, or trying to avoid getting kicked from the crabby baby, I've been cleaning (which I hate) the house here and there while she's napping. I've even had time to get on the scale and see that I've finally reached my first step weight loss goal -10 lbs lighter. What has been the trick? Weight lifting at lunch and eating smaller portions and not snacking (because of forgetting to and being busy). And probably the fact that I'm tired and a little run down. At least I get something positive out of it! Woohoo!
Day 5 of taking care of a sick baby. This is the pits! Poor baby, no appetite. At least now she is initiating the naps, rather than fighting them. I'm trying to help her fight this cold virus and croup cough that she no doubt picked up her first week of daycare. We actually made it to the first day of the second week, but of course paid for the whole time regardless of whether she's there. (Alas).
Calculation: $360 spent on 2wks of daycare, 5 1/2 days used.
$75 spent on 2 pediatrician appts and one urgent care visit.
$40 spent for baby meds and supplies.
3 days work missed so far, plus one day off used.
Thank goodness I have saved up comp time and sick leave, and have flexibility to leave for family emergencies when I need to. (Three cheers for being a government worker bee!)
While I'm not cleaning a snotty nose, comforting the cries and moans, or trying to avoid getting kicked from the crabby baby, I've been cleaning (which I hate) the house here and there while she's napping. I've even had time to get on the scale and see that I've finally reached my first step weight loss goal -10 lbs lighter. What has been the trick? Weight lifting at lunch and eating smaller portions and not snacking (because of forgetting to and being busy). And probably the fact that I'm tired and a little run down. At least I get something positive out of it! Woohoo!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)