Healthy Eating Tips : Eat Your Greens! Drink Your Carrots!

Growing up, people used to always say to me: “Eat carrots! They're good for your eyes.” I believed what they said. Not dissing carrots, but they were and are not my favorite veggie. So, coming up with creative ways to enjoy them to receive the health benefits and to boost my health naturally was always a challenge.   What's the best way to respond to a food challenge?  COMPROMISE!  😋 

Now in my adulthood, come to find out that according to experts in diet and nutrition, zeaxanthin and lutein, which are the forms of beta-carotene that boost eye health, are found in high levels in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, and Swiss chard. That's fantastic! Because for me, greens are the best veggies!! Although, in defense of carrots, the juice mixes well with various other fruits and makes for a delicious, healthy drink!

RE:  Carrots - DID YOU KNOW?

• A carrot is not a vegetable. ...
• The root is not the only edible part of a carrot. ...
• Plant an actual carrot in the ground and it will make seeds. ...
• Carrots are one of the best plants for pollinators. ...
• Carrots were not originally orange.

Source:  Snake River Seed Cooperative

RE:  Green Leafy Vegetables - DID YOU KNOW?

• Packed With Vitamins &Amp; Minerals
• Good Source Of Fiber
• Keeps The Brain Young
• Low In Salt And Fat

Source:  All Women's Talk

Greens Glorious Greens!: More than 140 Ways to Prepare All Those Great-Tasting, Super-Healthy, Beautiful Leafy Greens

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7 Creative Carrot Juice Recipes

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 Carrot Juice Recipes | Juicing Carrots Carrot juice recipes are simply wonderful. If you've never had it before, you'll be surprised how sweet it is. It tastes NOTHING like you think it will taste. Its sweet, creamy and delicious. It has a milky texture and has no bitterness.

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• 7 Food items that can boost your kid's immune system
• Quick Note on Mustard Greens and Recipes

Foodie Nuggets: Strawberry Chocolate Cake

I watched this time travel Korean drama where an acupuncturist from the past (Joseon, 400 years ago) traveled to the future and met a lady doctor, a heart specialist. They fell in love and in one of the scenes, they were at a restaurant in Seoul. She told him to try the strawberry chocolate cake. She said it was one of the most popular desserts.  I have never had a strawberry chocolate cake, so that comment sent me searching for a recipe. Found one very easily published at one of my favorite food blogs. This looks like a dessert that should be made for a holiday or a special occasion.

Strawberry Chocolate Cake Recipe | two peas and their pod

Have you ever had strawberry chocolate cake?

Was it a holiday or special occasion? 

Were you dining out or dining in?

RELATED POST: Korean Drama TV Series: Live Up toYour Name (2017)

While you're here, check out some of my other food blurbs:

Japanese Fun Food

Zucchini Flowers

Who Invented Chicken Nuggets?

What Should Kids Drink?

WARNING: Delicacies Can Be Dangerous!

Five (5) healthy and holistic ways to get more energy

My Favorite Two (2) Fruit Teas: Cranberry and Black Cherry

According to available information, tea was discovered accidentally. It seems that some guy in China was preparing a meal and had a pot of water boiling. It was a windy day, and leaves were blown into the pot of hot water. To the cook’s surprise, the water turned into an amazing drink. That’s how brewing tea began. The versions of this story or legend vary, but it sounds believable to me. Weren’t many of the wonderful things we enjoy in life discovered accidentally?  Everybody knows tea is delicious and has great medicinal value. I want to talk about two of my favorite fruit-flavored teas: cranberry and black cherry.

AI_Generated Art Created With DreamUp, a free tool

Why cranberry tea?

A nurse once told me cranberry juice would restore the vitamins and minerals I had lost during childbirth. So I thought to myself: ‘If cranberry juice is good, cranberry tea is probably good too.’ Cranberry tea has lots of minerals and Vitamins C, K, and E. There are numerous health benefits, but what I mainly like about it is that it is good for weight loss. It helps burn fat and flushes toxins out of your body. It is considered a detox tea.

Why black cherry tea?

Black cherry juice and black cherry tea are in high demand. I discovered the health benefits accidentally. My late husband had a problem with his big toe. Turns out that it was gout, and eating black cherries helped. Cherry juice is kind of expensive. But the tea is reasonably priced. Cherry tea helps reduce inflammation, eases muscle pain, and decreases pain from gout, arthritis, and headaches. Maybe this is why a lot of medicine comes in cherry flavor. You think? Black cherry tea is also used for detoxification.

Thanks for reading.

Fruits and Veggies : Exotic Fruits Are Wonderful Natural Delights

Tropical fruit must have been abundant in the Garden of Eden. Don't you think? At least, that's how I imagine it anyway. Do you like exotic fruit? My first visit to The Bahamas opened up a whole new world for me. There were so many delicious fruits of paradise that I had never heard of or tasted.

That was more than 30 years ago. These days, the wonderful thing about grocery shopping in America is that you can find foods from almost anywhere in the world. These foods were not always available and so plentiful. It's not my imagination. Even Chef Jacques Pepin mentioned during one of his TV episodes that when he first arrived in the United States to begin his career as a chef, there were many ingredients that he could not readily find at the local grocery store. You had to go to a special market or a gourmet shop. Not so, these days. Thanks to the Internet, it's easy to research and learn more about tropical fruit or “exotic fruit” or “super fruit” or “wonder fruit”, and why they are so good for you. Uh huh. Right. As if people need to twist your arm to get you to eat them. :)

Check these out!

- Acerola, also known as the Barbados cherry, is native to the West Indies, and also to Southern Mexico, and Southern and Central America. They claim this fruit has numerous health benefits, but healthy or not, the taste of this tropical fruit is irresistible.

- Cherimoya tastes like bubblegum. People have even given this fruit nicknames like “ice cream fruit” or “custard apple”, so-called because it has a creamy, sherbet-like texture. But beware of the seeds, as they can be poisonous.

- Dead man’s fingers originated from China. They really do look like fingers and their color is bluish-black. The taste is similar to watermelon.

- Kiwano or the horned melon has many names. It is native to Africa and is called African cucumber. But it is also known as English tomato. (???) On the outside it is yellow and orange, but the flesh inside is lime green. It's been part of African cuisine since ancient times.

- Mangosteen grows in Southeast Asia and is considered a “wonder fruit”. One might think because of the name that it is similar to a mango, but actually it is more like a peach. Research indicates that the mangosteen contains more xanthones than any other fruit. They call it the "X-Factor".

These are just a sampling of fruits. The intent is to whet your appetite and peak your curiosity. There is also dragon fruit, starfruit, Buddha’s hand (citron), cloudberries, durian, moringa, abiu, and more! 

• Additional Information:
  15 Unusual Fruits to Try From Around the World
• Exotic Fruits From A to Z

***  Related articles

• Mangosteen
• African Baobab Tree
• Top 10 vegetables to grow in your garden | Mother Nature Network

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Image credit: Kiwano fruit (Public Domain)
© Photographer: Andreas Fischer | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Content previously published at Literacy Base on Aug 3, 2016.

Read.Cash (Spanish)

Exotic Fruit: Do You Heart Pomegranates?

Do you love pomegranates? I know I do! I would even like to start a movement with the goal of adding pomegranates to the traditional American Thanksgiving cornucopia. 

Pomegranates are so exotic and enjoy an exotic history!   Indeed, it is the food of myth and legends.

They are the wonder food of ancient civilizations like Persia and Israel.  

In fact, in ancient Greece, pomegranates were considered an aphrodisiac.  

A respected modern publication - The Globe and Mail, “Canada’s #1 national newspaper” claims that pomegranates are a “superfood” that can be proven.

Pomegranate: A ‘superfood’ that goes straight to your heart http://t.co/ALDCAjjmVN

— Globe Health (@Globe_Health) December 4, 2013

Shared the link via my post stream on Google Plus stream, but in case you didn't see it there, view it here. If you are on Pinterest, please visit my pinboard dedicated to POMEGRANATES? Started the board a couple of years ago, and to date, it has 100 pins: recipes (food and drinks), beauty and healthcare products, etc. 

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Related articles

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• Pomegranates in Art as Symbol and Metaphor.... Guest Blogger: Deborah Hickey-Tiernan(gailcreativestudies.wordpress.com)

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Blueberry Pomegranate

Green Pomegranate - Award Winning

© Photographer: Svetamart | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Exotic Fruit: Do You Heart Persimmons?

Fuyu Persimmon Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu'
~ Other Common Name(s): Fuyu Kaki

Fuyu persimmon is a fruit that ripens in the fall season and should be included in the American cornucopia or “horn of plenty”. It is sweet and has a beautiful color! It makes for a beautiful ornamental plant. It attracts birds, so you might want to put a cage around it.

There are two other varieties of the persimmon that I know of: Cinnamon Persimmons (also called Percinnamons); and Hachiya Persimmons. This fruits is native to China and Japan.  But there is also an American persimmon.

• "Putchamin is the Algonquin Indian word from which we get persimmon, and it appears from a report by Hernando de Soto in 1541 that Indians in the Mississippi region made it into “bread”. The variety of persimmon enjoyed by these intrepid explorers and early settlers is what we now call Diospyros virginiana." (Source: Pioneers and Persimmons | The Old Foodie)

• According to folklore, if you crack open a persimmon seed from a ripe fruit and the shape inside (called a cotyledon) looks like a fork, winter will be mild; if you see a spoon, there will be a lot of snow, and if there is a knife, winter will be bitingly cold and “cut like a knife.” (Source: Farmer's Almanac)

• In the Buddhist religion, persimmons are a symbol of transformation. In China, they are an auspicious gift to newlyweds to celebrate eternal love. (Source: Real Food Encyclopedia | Persimmons | FoodPrint)

You can make cookies, pies, breads, and jam with it. Slice or dice tme like apples and you can put them in salads, if you like fruit in your salad. Instead of apples with your roasted pork, substitute persimmons. You can dehydrate them and eat them like chips!

• FUN FOOD FACT: You can freeze persimmons whole. Then when ready to eat, take them out of the freezer, let stand for 20 minutes to soften up, cut off the the top, take a spoon and DIVE IN!

Here are some wonderful recipes collected by Yummy Mummy Kitchen and Martha Stewart.

20 Persimmon Recipes  

12 Persimmon Recipes Everyone Should Make This Fall ~ 

Original source

Oven-Baked Summer Squash Fries (Should Be in Your Winter Recipes)

Summer squash has a strong resemblance, in flavor and texture, to a zucchini. You can, in fact, substitute zucchini in this recipe, but it will probably bake a bit more quickly.

Not sure what the weather is like where you are.  In my city (Austin, TX USA), it's confusingly balmy and breezy, occasionally rainy, comfortably warm with no need for a sweater, and sometimes chilly.  It's climatically perfect! ☺ 

My friends elsewhere around the USA and the world are still complaining that Old Man Winter has overstayed his welcome and refuses to leave!  This recipe is fabulous no matter what the season of the year is or what kind of weather you're experiencing.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:


1 medium summer squash
2 eggs
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (try panko breadcrumbs for a crunchier texture)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Salt and pepper
Olive oil


How to Make It:


Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.


Cut your summer squash into wedges. Remove the seeds if they are quite large and set wedges aside.


Whisk the eggs in a dish and set aside.


In another dish, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, mustard powder and salt and pepper.


Start by dipping the wedges, one by one, into the egg mixture and then the breadcrumb mixture. Place each wedge on the greased baking sheet. Continue until all the wedges are done.


You can bake the wedges as is for about 30-40 (until soft inside and golden brown on the outside) as is, but if you want a more golden texture, drizzle or spray some olive oil on top of the wedges. Flip halfway through baking.


Serve with ranch or another favorite dip.

There are many versions of oven-fried squash recipes?  Find more.

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This post was highlighted at the My Foodie Luv newsletter.

Maria Nasir Shares Her Recipe for a Refreshing Summer Drink Made With Mango and Chia Seeds

Maria Nasir Shares Her Recipe for a Refreshing Summer Drink Made With Mango and Chia Seeds.  The mango fruit is surely a delight to anybody's taste buds.  If you have never tasted a mango, you are missing out, and there is no reason why you should.  If you can not find them at your local grocery store, they can be purchased online.  (See below.)

Mango and Chia Seed Drink, a Gold Mine of #Vitamins ~ https://t.co/eouclym1AL ~ Maria Nasir Shares Her #Recipe for a Refreshing #Summer #Drink Made With #Mango and #ChiaSeeds … #foodanddrink pic.twitter.com/AY599RngYs

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) April 21, 2019

Food Gifts : Mangos ~ Available at The Fruit Company
Grown in tropical regions, we bring in the most delicious mangos available. Hand-selected by our team, we only ship mangoes that have their well-known distinctive sweet taste and are ready to enjoy. Send a mango gift box rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and so delicious.

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Related or Similar Posts:

• Cmoneyspinner Shares Drink Recipes via Pinterest
• Do You Like Exotic Fruit?
• Pomegranates - Food of the Gods or Food From God?

• The new summer food trends - from edible flowers to the bunless BBQ(telegraph.co.uk)

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• 6 ways to cut 100 calories(foxnews.com)

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• New Zealand lays claim to the 'British classic' that is mince toast(mashable.com)

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Health : Control Your Appetite : It's All in Your Head

Another discovery has been made in the study of food, health, and science. Credit is being given to Professor Kazuyoshi Ukena of Hiroshima University for identifying NPGL, a protein in our brain which “apparently aims to maintain body mass at a constant, come feast or famine”.

The professor's finding eliminates the excuse of not being able to lose weight and stop yourself from overeating because you don't have any willpower, because the mechanisms for appetite control are literally ... all in your head. :)

• REF: "New Appetite Control Mechanism Found in Brain." ScienceBlog.com. N.p., 28 Apr. 2017. Web. 09 May 2017.

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More Interesting Links and Recommended Reading:

Frohlich, Thomas C. "25 Cities With the Healthiest Diets." 247wallst.com. AOL-HuffPost Money & Finance, 03 May 2017. Web. 09 May 2017.

Fox, Treathyl. "Do You Know What Gives You Energy?" EES Presents Food Ways. Blogspot.com, 15 Sep 2024. Web.

Kostyo, Mike. "Datassential: 15 Flavor Trends to Watch in 2017 and beyond." SmartBrief. N.p., 12 Dec. 2016. Web. 09 May 2017.

For general info purposes. Not to be substituted for medical advice.

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Do You Know What Gives You Energy?

When it comes to being health and fitness conscious, making quality of life choices, and developing healthy living habits, citizens of Austin, Texas, set the example for everyone else to follow; including the Californians. { IMHO ☺} Sharing a recap of key facts to peak your interest and some information links on health, wellness, and fitness, diet, nutrition, and exercise for further reading and research.

First Food and Drink Experiences: Chai Tea

I was binge-watching a Turkish television series, set in 19th century Istanbul, and in one of the scenes, the man offered a drink to the two ladies at the table with him. Neither lady trusted him but they didn't want to be rude, so they accepted the cup that he poured. He said that people should be willing to experiment and try new things and that he wanted to introduce them both to a new drink he discovered from India. Chai tea!

As I'm watching the program, I'm going: “Oh! Oh! Chai tea! I know what that is!!”

Photo by René Pollock on Unsplash

My husband is from The Bahamas, but he needed to stop drinking coffee for health reasons and started trying different types of teas. In the course of his experimentation, he discovered chai tea and introduced it to me.

I must say it does have an exotic flavor. I like it!

~ Any chai tea drinkers out there?

~ Are there different ways you choose to enjoy this delicious combination of herbs and spices in drink form?

I found a turmeric-chai-latte recipe.

Do you have you own chai tea recipe?  Recipe Sharing.

• 'Chai tea is delicious. Why not chai cake?'  

Turmeric Chai Latte https://t.co/S0i1MV3EMO via @savorysimple #tea #teadrinkers #tealovers #chaitea #exotic #foodanddrink @EverydaySpices

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) September 3, 2019

Do you like CHAI TEA? I only learned about this wonderful drink a few years ago. Come to find out ... it's only been around for an eternity! Do you have your own special #chai #tea #recipe? It turns out ... many people do! https://t.co/bFCo31akKe #teadrinkers #tealovers pic.twitter.com/wf6HP4pCKo

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) August 29, 2019

* More "First Food Experiences" *

First Food Experiences: Zucchini Muffins ~ https://t.co/Jfnd7fARW3 ~ Do you have an experience or memory of the first time you ate something? #Food #recipe #recipes #FoodAndDrink #Foodies #HealthyEating #eatyourveggies pic.twitter.com/VP64cId9sG

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) September 3, 2019

First Food Experiences: Baked Potato Topping ~ https://t.co/BUAjubXhCy ~ What's your favorite baked potato topping? #food #foodandrink #foodies #toppings @EverydaySpices pic.twitter.com/jx7wl9KJqY

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) September 3, 2019

First Food Experiences: Roasted Pig (Lechòn) ~ https://t.co/3K4fUx6owf ~ #Christmas #Christmasfood #HolidayFirsts #Food #foodanddrink #Cuba #Florida #memories #traditions #holidaytraditions @Medium @EverydaySpices pic.twitter.com/bUYZ0pMOdw

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) September 3, 2019

Foodie Nuggets: Indian Food for Diabetics

Do you like Indian food? I watch a lot of cooking shows and videos. One thing I noticed about Indian cooking is that they really know how to blend herbs and spices and do amazing things to enhance the flavor of vegetables. Whether the veggies are cooked or eaten raw in a salad, they are so tasty.

Methi Sprouts Salad Recipe - Delicious Diabetic Snack by Archana's Kitchen

FOLLOW THIS FOOD BLOG FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES:

Food and Drink History Lesson : English Tea (Guest Post)

Tea in England

Author: AnutaVasil

The English primarily drank coffee and wine as their staple drink, and tea was unknown in England till as late as 1662. In 1662 Charles II married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal, and it was his new bride who brought with her a preference of tea. She served tea instead of wine, ale and spirit. Tea soon acquired the status of royal drink and a social nicety for the rich.

However, tea's acceptance by British masses was quite slow. It was in late 1700 that tea's popularity picked up. As tea came from British colonies, it came to be viewed as a national drink, with patriotic sentiments attached to it. Another reason which contributed to its popularity was the ease of its preparation technique. While coffee grounds could be brewed only once, and reusing the same ground yielded a much inferior flavour, tea leaves could be brewed several times without any significant drop in the quality of liquor. As tea was a high class drink and hence expensive, the British masses bought second hand, brewed leaves and brewed them longer to compensate. Tea was thus gradually finding place in British everyday life.

Soon, tea began to be sold in London coffee houses. Tea was heavily advertised as a medicinal drink which helped maintain health and beauty. The coffee house owners charged heavily for a cup of tea, as much as 6-10 pounds per cup. The government soon imposed various taxes, regulations and restrictions on sale of tea, with a view to cash in on the growing tea trend. This even led to tea being smuggled into England. Finally the taxes were waived off to stop this illegal smuggling.

Tea, meanwhile, continued to grow in popularity. Around 1800, there developed an "Afternoon tea" culture, wherein rich ladies invited their friends for a cup of tea in the afternoon. They also served pastries, sandwiches or some snacks along with it. It was accompanied by social graces, refined conversation, sweet gossip and polished etiquette. Yet another popular tea trend was serving tea in tea gardens. Pleasure gardens like Vauxhall or Ranelagh Gardens provided lush lawns for public to stroll and enjoy a hot cup of tea. The working class, however, took a break from work in the evening, and relaxed with tea.

The most well-liked and sought-after teas were English breakfast tea and Earl Grey. English breakfast tea, as its name suggests, was consumed mostly in the morning, as its strong caffeine helped shake off sleepiness and start the morning energetically. It blended sumptuously with milk and sugar, and could be enjoyed any time of the day. The Earl Grey provided a classic blend of fine black tea with bergamot essence. It was considered a more sophisticated tea.

In 1875, Thomas Lipton aggressively advertised tea. He replaced the coffee gardens in Ceylon with tea plantations and opened his first tea shop. By the end of 1the 9th century, he had almost set up his Tea Empire and laid the foundations of the modern tea trade. The Indian and Ceylon blends, Brooke Bond and Lipton, found a firm place in British everyday life. Tea had finally "arrived" in England.

About the Content Provider
History of Tea and Tea Shops

Article made available for republication via: articlesbase.com

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BLOG PUBLISHER'S COMMENTS:   Hope you enjoyed this article.  Do you also enjoy tea?  Before you leave this, please click the link to visit.

TEA LOVER'S PARADISE

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