Archive for the ‘Dining’ Category

I recently purchased the ‘The Joy of Cooking‘ (affiliate link). I tried a few recipes, but my current favorite is ‘Sauteed Okra with Roasted Red Peppers’. Okra and bell peppers make such a sweet and colorful combo. It’s summer so, I think its a good idea to take advantage of the bountiful veggies.

• 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb small fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2 in. thick slices
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 tbsp.)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4 in. strips
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro or parsley

1. Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably seasoned cast iron) over medium heat until hot. Add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the onions.
2. Stir until tender but still crisp and translucent (about 4 mins.). Add the okra on top as a single layer and cook until it is bright green and crisp tender (about 3 - 5 mins.)
3. Stir in the garlic, bell pepper and salt. Cook until the okra is tender (about 2 mins. more).
4. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro or parsley.

Vegetables used in this recipe, like okra and peppers are great sources of vitamins and minerals and are specially preferred by people attempting weight loss. Eating a diet of mostly vegetables is still one of the slow and sure ways to lose weight. While certain drugs like adipex are taken for short duration to loose the body weight fast (cheap adipex), some others, like abs diet, are reputable for reliable and effective results.

The quaker guy in the oatmeal packaging can hardly be seen as sexy. But now, it seems that what’s good for your heart is good for your sex life. It seems to be the new mantra for getting your mojo going.

So what are foods that are good for the heart? According to an article in Forbes, foods rich in L-Arginine, such as granola, oatmeal, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, dairy, green vegetables, root vegetables, garlic, ginseng, soybeans and chickpeas (garbanzos). These improve circulation - and is therefore good for the heart and every body part below that.

Yes, that is why oatmeal is so sexy! One time, when I was watching Dr. Oz in Oprah, he said one way to ensure your overall health is eating basically the same healthful breakfast and lunch everyday. That hardly makes anyone excited - especially, a food lava like me. Probably, the healthiest breakfast one can have is oatmeal.

At home, we only have oatmeal or Muesli at most, every other day. So, I looked up some enticing ideas on how to enjoy our oats in a different way, hopefully everyday.

Nuts and raisins

Plum, Pear and Orange juice mixed in the Muesli

Raspberries, blueberries and peaches

These bowls of oats really look yummy, but try to enjoy your oatmeal with low-fat milk, skim milk or soy milk. Saturated fat from whole milk may accumulate overtime to clogging arteries and might prevent blood flow from reaching the genital region.

On the other hand, soy binds estrogen receptors, which helps the vaginal area remain lubricated and combats symptoms of menopause — particularly hot flashes. It is also beneficial to the prostate, a crucial male sex organ. However, women who have a history of breast cancer should not eat large amounts of soy, because the binding of estrogen receptors increases the risk of relapse.

However, you still need fat to produce hormones (testosterone and estrogen) needed for your sex drive. But be sure to get “good” kinds of fats — monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Olive oil, salmon and nuts are a great source of good fats. So until next time, enjoy and have a good one!

This dish would make a great hors d’ouveres with your cocktails.

• 1 kg medium squid
• 2 cups olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour

Clean squid. Remove the spine and head. Finely chop the heads and set aside for stuffing.

Stuffing:

• 1 head garlic, minced
• 1 cup onion, minced
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 50 g canned anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• squid heads
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnishing:

• 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped

1. Saute garlic and onions until soft but not brown. Add carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add anchovies and chopped squid heads and cook for a couple of minutes.
2. Remove from heat and mix in the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stuff squid cavities 3/4 full. Secure ends with toothpicks. Coat squid with flour, pat off excess.
4. Fry squid until crisp. Slice into rings and garnish with basil. Best served warm.