Food Fun

Food.

We all eat it.

We should enjoy it.

From DLM:

Was Mom Wrong? Maybe You Should Play with your Food

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 09:17 AM PDT

If your mom was anything like mine, there were always lots of rules when it came to meal times. One of the biggest no-nos in our house was ‘playing with your food’.

While I get where my mom was coming from in terms of waste, mess and that we should be respecting our food, now that I’m all grown up, I’ve realized there are times when playing with your food may actually be beneficial.

Food can be one of life’s great pleasure. But there can also be a lot of anxiety around healthy eating, not to mention the guilt that comes from over-indulging in crap. And given that we must eat every day, if we aren’t careful, it can become a chore. Another task that must be checked off.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. Maybe your mom was wrong? Here are 7 good reasons you should play with your food.

1. Play encourages mindful eating.
   If we play with our food, our attention will be in the moment giving us a chance to appreciate what we’re eating rather than mindlessly munching away. This mean we will be more likely to really enjoy and find pleasure in our food. How many times are do you find yourself with a bag of chips and in front of the TV? Handful after handful you devour these things simply because your attention is elsewhere.
   


2. Play makes mealtime fun.
   Taking a more light-hearted approach to food can make a real difference to how much fun you have at dinner. And it doesn’t mean you need to toy with your food on the plate.
   
   For example, try coming up with more creative names for dishes to bring a little sunshine and fun into meal times. In our house we have ‘mermaid pie’, rather than boring old fish pie. And this brings out the story of my friend’s grandma.
   
   When she was a child, she told her dad that the fishermen in her village had been filling her head with tales of mermaids. Her dad’s response was ‘Yes, they would see plenty of mermaids through the bottom of a whiskey glass’. This prompted her to head down to the sea shore with a glass in hand in search of illusive creatures. Too cute.


3. Play helps us connect with our loved ones.
   It can be difficult to reach out and nurture our closest relationships if we are stressed and uptight around the dinner table. Some shared laughter and a bit of silliness with broccoli or broad beans can really bring the family together.


4. Play encourages creativity and exploration.
   By making the decision to introduce some fun into meal times, we are opening ourselves up to more creativity and an exploration of the wonderful world of food.
   
   It can be easy to fall into a rut with our food. There’s nothing like eating the same old thing every week to give us food boredom. A little playfulness will encourage us to eat a wider variety of foods, which can only be a good thing both nutritionally and psychologically.


5. Play helps us relax.
   After a long day at the office, we can all benefit from a bit of play both preparing and enjoying our evening meal. No only does it give us a chance to unwind from the day, it prepares us for a well earned, rejuvenating sleep.


6. Play reduces over-eating.
   By playing with our food we become completely engaged with what we’re eating. This makes it much easier to recognize when we are full and stop eating when we should, rather than mindlessly gorging and ending up overstuffed again.


7. Playing with your food gives you an excuse to bake!
   Slurping on noodles can bring hours, OK minutes of joy. Letting the juice from a perfectly ripe watermelon run down your arms is fun even without the wonderful sweet taste. But baking in general, and making cookies in particular, is where playing with your food really comes into its own.
   
   Creaming butter and sugar, folding in flour, bashing chocolate into submission so you have the perfect chunks, forming your dough into cute cookie shapes. And all that before we even think of getting to the eating part.
   
   So when I’m finding myself in need of a little more play, I know its time to bake. These salted chocolate chip cookies are my current go-to treat. In fact, here is the recipe so you can get started! Be warned, they’re dangerously good fun.

At the risk of being kicked out of the dark chocolate lovers club, these cookies are actually better with a lower cocoa content chocolate. I used a bittersweet or 58% cocoa chocolate and they were just right.

The mixture will keep in the fridge or freezer, so no need to bake them all in one go.

• 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 250g (9oz) light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 225g (8oz) plain (all-purpose flour)
• 225-285g (8-10oz) dark chocolate
  

1. Whizz butter and sugar in a food processor or stand mixer until light and creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined.
2. Add 3/4 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon bicarb soda to the flour and mix to combine.
3. Fold butter mixture into the flour until only just combined.
4. Chop chocolate into chunks and add to the dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes but no longer than 72 hours.
5. When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 180C (350F). Line 2 baking sheets or trays with baking paper.
6. Scoop ⅓ cup balls of dough and place on the prepared trays. Allowing room for them to spread. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt flakes.
7. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until cookies are golden. The bottom tray may need a little longer. Cool on the tray.
   

Written on 7/29/2011 by Jules Clancy. Jules Clancy is a qualified Food Scientist and the creator of The Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School. She blogs about simple 5 ingredients recipes that can mostly be prepared in 10 minutes over at Stonesoup.

Photo Credit: valentin.d

Fast Food Fast

I know I should do this....

but.....

from the DLM Blog:

How To Kill Your Addictions to Junk Food and Soda Pop

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 05:22 PM PST

How can you kick junk food to the curb? Many of us have tried and failed, and tried and failed, and tried and ended up binging on Big Macs blended with ice cream, etc...

What we usually do is say, "After this bucket of KFC Chicken, I'm not eating this crap anymore!" Then we purge our house of all things sugary, we eat salads and whole wheat for about 3 days and then cave in the first time we drive past a Taco Bell. Where is the will power, the drive, the ambition you had a couple days ago?

That's because we try to stop eating junk food without thinking about it - without planning our escape. What we should do is worry about changing our habits. As Leo Babauta mentioned over at Zen Habits, forging new habits takes time and energy. If we want to kick our junk food habits we'll have to give both. That's why we're going to:

1. only change one habit at a time
   
2. give each change at least 2 weeks to become ingrained

After all, we've spent years building up these habits, we can't expect to take them down overnight. We'll do it smart, slow and consistent and we'll kick junk food to the curb.

I'm going to separate the tasks into kicking crap snacks, kicking fast food and kicking pop (soda to you philistines). Pick whichever will be easiest for you and do that first. A taste of success is incredibly motivating. Then do the one that will be hardest second while you're on an upswing.

Kick the Pop Habit

This one's probably the simplest. Not the easiest, but the simplest. You just keep downgrading every 2-4 weeks. Essentially switching terrible habits for bad and then switching bad for good.

• Regular -to- Diet: First switch from regular to diet pop and leave it at that for at least 2 weeks. I know that some people say diet is just as bad as regular but we don't want to be fighting our caffeine addiction at the same time we're fighting our sugar addiction. Remember we want to change habits in stages to have the highest chance of success.
  


• Diet -to- Caffeine Free Diet: If you do have a caffeine addiction this is where you'll find out. You're going to have about 3 days of feeling like a hangover mouth tastes while your body breaks the physical addiction. But stay on it for the full 2 weeks, we don't want to change too much too fast.
  


• Caffeine Free Diet -to- Flavored Water/Water: Now we're moving into healthy territory. If you can't stand drinking water I'm not going to lecture you. Just drink the flavored water with 0 calories they have now, it's just as good(if you don't mind paying for it). If you want you can use that as a jumping off point to regular water but either way you should be loosing weight and feeling better than when you were drinking pop.
  

Kick Fast Food

How do we beat crack for the single male? Yes, that's how hooked people are on this. How about this:

• Start by saving all your fast food receipts for one week
  
• Now, place a jar by your bed
• Each night, empty your pants, wallet, or purse of all the fast food receipts.
  

At the end of one week, you can add them all up and get a pretty good idea of how much you're spending on this crap. Round that up to the nearest $10 and cut it in half. That's how much you'll spend a week from now on.

Take that money and put it in a ziplock bag that you keep in your car. All your fast food will be paid for out of this fund, and when it dries up, that's it until next week. This will force you to ration and make choices.

Let it sink in for 2 weeks and don't forget to plan this out. Something has to replace all that fast food you're suddenly not eating. I suggest:

• Keep something in your car to eat on the way home from work, like an apple or some nuts - something filling and always ready.
  
• Have some frozen meals ready at home so you never wonder what you're going to eat tonight. If you can't make them yourself on the weekend, try those frozen skillets - something balanced and quick.
  

Then, when this new habit is a part of you, cut that dollar amount again, and again, and again until you're happy with how much (how little) fast food you're eating. I think under $10 a week is OK for most people.

Kick Crap Snacks

The first step to kicking crappy snack foods is doing a food inventory. What do you have in your kitchen? Cookies, chips, candy? And what are you eating them for? Which are your comfort food? Stress foods?

Then we're going to make a chart of all these snacks and for each one list a replacement snack. For example instead of potato chips you could eat tortilla chips with salsa. Now you can switch a crappy snack for it's healthier replacement. But no more than one every two weeks (pacing). Make yourself eat the new food daily so it becomes a part of your lifestyle and remember to snack before you get hungry.

It's a pretty straight forward process but here's a few tips to make it go smoother:

• If you have a craving for a crap snack that you absolutely have to give in to, buy an individual portion or eat just enough to satisfy your craving and throw out the rest. Keeping it around is crap-snack sabotage.
  
• If you have a sweet tooth, proportion something into bites and eat them after a healthy snack. For example cut a snickers bar into 8ths and keep each individually wrapped in the freezer, then eat one after you've filled up on popcorn. That gives you that sweet taste without having to fill up that sweet crap.

The three keys to kicking junk food are planning, pacing and sticking to it. Remember to take as long as you need to get these new habits ingrained, 2 weeks is a minimum. Better junk food free in 1 year than relapsing in 6 months.

-Garrett

Written on 5/20/2008 by Garrett Whelan who writes about cooking for men or anyone trying to kick the fast food habit at FatBastardEats.com. Republished 3/10/2011.

Food in the Fort (The Downtown Version)

A week ago, my wife Kathy and I decided to do a weekend staycation. We made a reservation at the new Courtyard in downtown Fort Wayne for Friday night and then it was time to pick a place for dinner.

I decided to ask for recommendations on Twitter and Facebook.

Looking for suggestions for dinner in Downtown #FortWayne Friday evening

Three minutes later the suggestions started pouring in. Here's a few of them:

We went to Bourbon Street (lower level of Columbia Street) a couple weeks ago, and it was great--unique and fun.

JK O'Donnells.

Paula's is my fav and Club Soda is awesome too!

Toscani's has an awesome chicken alfredo pizza and such YUMMY breadsticks. You can get wine and beer too! It's more casual than the others have mentioned, but my fav downtown anyway.

I say you can never go wrong with Powers! Maybe you're looking for something a little more fancy? lol

Scott- About 90% of the time I go out, it is downtown so here is my two cents worth:

Toscani - Pretty good pizza. Better than Pizza Hut or Papa Johns. Tables are close and there is little privacy - if that's your thing.

Club Soda - Always good. Food is fantastic, atmosphere is great, especially on weekends with live music. If you sit in the bar and they have live music going on it will be loud. If you sit in their four seasons room you can't hear the music. I always ask for upstairs to hear the music and have a good conversation.

Don Hall's Gashouse - Quickly becoming my favorite downtown. By far the best Hall's in the city. Its not your grandma's Hall's, that's for sure. Food is great, atmosphere is cozy. Definitely a strong choice.

Takaoka of Japan (Upstairs of the Gas House) - Food is good. If you have less than 8 people you will be dining with strangers - I love this part of the experience, but it turns a lot of people off. One BIG negative, especially if you are planning to go somewhere other than home after, is all of the grease from cooking the food in the air. You will smell like grease. Your clothes will smell like grease.

I live and love downtown. JKs is tops or Club Soda....Oyster Bar

My vote is for Club Soda. Oh wait...not a vote, a suggestion.

I love Calhoun Street Soup, Salads and Sandwiches or CS3 as it is called....they have so much more than their name implies and the Jack n Blue Hamburger is to die for!!! It is across from the Oyster Bar by the way.....They have dinner theater, live bands and more on a regular basis

We live in and love downtown too! Oyster Bar, Club Soda, Tosconi's, Paula's, Burbon St. JK's, Calhoun St. Dash In, Powers, Coney Island. But the best...The Counterman's! You need to call ahead for reservations (so I can get a carry out from one of the above mentioned!)

That last one is from an old high school classmate of mine, whom we will get together with in the very near future.

Twitter suggestions were similar with the additional suggestion of Henry's. There were also a few warnings against Champions, the sports bar and grill located in the hotel.

So, what did we do?

We checked in at 3pm, and both Kathy and I were impressed with the hotel. This is the newly built hotel that is part of the Harrison Square project that surrounds Parkview Field, home of our minor league baseball team, the Fort Wayne Tincaps.

Recently, Kathy and I stayed at a modern hotel in Holland Michigan, the City Flats, which is pretty cool. The Courtyard reminded us of that hotel which gives it high marks. The staff is excellent, the food is a different story.

We had a drink and appetizer in Champions. It was very, very warm, close to 80 degrees at the bar, so we moved over closer to the door, so we could get an occasional cool breeze. Portions were small, food was bland and expensive.

When I made my hotel reservations, I bought the breakfast package too, which was a good choice for my wallet. It was an extra $10, but Saturday morning when we got our breakfast, it would have cost us nearly $30 for what we ate, if we had to pay for it. Again, small servings, and nothing special about the food. There are too many other local choices for food within walking distance that I will recommend to out of town guests.

Now, on to the dinner suggestions and what we did....

Due to the walkways that were built, we were able to walk about three blocks inside before we had to brave the winter weather. Our first stop was JK O'Donnells, a place that we've been several time before but they were not able to accommodate our beverage request for a Long Island, so we left.

We walked to the Thirsty Camel, which was a pretty cool place in it's hay day, 20 years ago, but today, it's just a run down below average full service bar with "bar food", wings and burger stuff.

Then we walked back over to Wayne Street and Toscani's. My daughter Rachael was the first to recomend Toscani's to me a couple years ago, but I'd never been there.

It was fantastic. A couple of beers, salad, breadsticks and pizza for $30 including tip. It was so good that on Saturday, after our weekend escape was over, I went back to pick up another carry-out pizza for dinner.

What about the others? We'll be visiting them in the months to come:

Club Soda, CS3, Coney Island, JK, Gas House, I've been to for lunch several times.

Henry's we visit about 10 times a year.

The Deck, outside of the Gas House, we also visit about 10 times a year which is a lot since they are only open for about 4 or 5 months when it's warm.

Cindy's Diner is a good place for breakfast too with it's uniqueness.

For this evening out, we decided to limit ourselves to places we could walk to in winter weather from our hotel and not to bust the bank. (Powers, by the way, is off our list. Not really into sliders).

Thanks to everyone for their ideas!

What's 4 Lunch?

As I look at my week ahead, I have 3 lunch appointments, but the rest of the week...

How to Make Great Packed Lunches for Work

Posted: 13 Jan 2011 09:32 PM PST

A lot of us are in the habit of buying lunch out each day. I don’t mean we’re all enjoying three-course lunches with wine – for most people, it’s just a sandwich and maybe a bag of chips and a drink from the nearest store.

The problem is, when you’re sinking a few dollars on lunch five days a week, every week, the cost soon adds up. Buying a sandwich out is probably costing you around $3-$6 a pop; making that same sandwich as home would likely cost about a third of what it does in the store, around $1-$2.

So why don’t more of us brown-bag our lunch? In most cases, I think it’s simply habit. Of course, there’s always the excuse that we’re too rushed in the mornings – but that’s pretty easy to overcome.

Finding Time to Pack Your Lunch
Firstly, you’ll probably spend just as much time standing in line at the store as you will making a packed lunch at home. It only takes five minutes to put together a sandwich (I used to make my sandwiches whilst cooking my oatmeal for breakfast!)

Set your alarm clock ten minutes early, and you’ll have plenty of time to make yourself some lunch. If you find it really hard to get out of bed in the morning, you can make sandwiches ahead of time and freeze them (don’t include lettuce or other salad greens if you’re freezing sandwiches). Just grab one out of the freezer before you head out the door to work, and it’ll have defrosted by lunch time.

Storing Your Lunch
If you’ve got a fridge at work, keep your lunch in there. It might be a good idea to label your lunch bag with your name and the date (that way, no-one’s gonna accidentally scoff it, or chuck it out).

If you don’t have access to a fridge, just keep your lunch in an insulated lunch box that will stay cool. You can get these for a few bucks, and if you refrigerate them overnight, they’ll keep your food cool and fresh till lunchtime.

Avoiding Sandwich Boredom
As well as the perceived “hassle” of packing a lunch, many people feel that it’ll quickly get boring. Don’t fall into the “ham sandwiches again?” trap: vary your lunches to keep them interesting. Here’s some ideas.

• Sandwiches: There are loads of different types of bread to try. Pitas, tortilla wraps and bagels all transport well – and using different breads will encourage you to vary the fillings.


• Salads: Instead of a sandwich, why not make a big salad for lunch? Include some lean protein (like cold chicken, boiled egg, tuna or prawns) and some carbohydrate (pasta, rice or couscous work in many salads, or just take a few crackers to eat on the side).


• Leftovers: An incredibly simple way to make lunch with next to no effort is to cook a bit extra at your evening meal the night before and pop it in an air-tight box. I’m very partial to cold stir-fry; if you’ve got access to a microwave at work, you’ll have even more options. (If you're reheating rice, make sure it's been kept completely chilled until you reheat it.)


• Extras: Try to include a piece of fruit or a handful of veggie sticks with lunch – too many of us don’t eat any fruit or vegetables during the workday. You might also want to throw in a treat like a cookie or a small bag of chips. Look out for multibags of “treat sized” portions – far cheaper than buying candy bars and chips from the vending machine at work.

If you’re stuck for packed lunch ideas, have a search on Google – there are hundreds of sites packed with great suggestions. You can also buy books of packed lunch recipes, though these tend to be aimed at parents making lunches for their kids.

Do you buy lunch out? Is it really a convenience or treat – or just a habit? Could you save $2 or more a day (that’s $10 a week, almost $500 in a full working year) by taking a packed lunch to work?

Written on 9/17/2009 by Ali Luke. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing. Republished on 1/13/2011.

Photo Credit: shawn campbell

7 pounds of Fat?

I've heard various stories about weight gain during this time of year, including one that said the average party person gains 7 pounds.

Here's some tips on how to avoid this from the DLM Blog:

Healthy Eating During the Holidays: Yes, It Can Be Done!

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 09:16 AM PST

Did you have great plans to stick to a healthy diet – until the holidays came along?

As Christmas draws near, it's harder and harder to stick to sensible eating habits. Your boss brings in a box of donuts. Your friend invites you round for drinks and nibbles. Every store has boxes of cookies and chocolates on offer.

But if you don't want to end up with a belly to rival Santa's, read on...

1. Don't Try to Be Perfect
   First, ditch the idea that you need to be perfect in order to eat healthily or to lose weight. An occasional candy bar, glass of wine or piece of cheese won't ruin your whole diet – unless you use it as an excuse to give up.
   
   Instead of aiming to be perfect, focus on being good 80% of the time. That might mean, for instance, having a healthy breakfast and lunch, ordering a sensible entree for dinner, then enjoying an indulgent dessert.
   


2. Do Eat Plenty of Fruits and Veggies
   Wherever you are in the world, you can make the most of seasonal fruits and veggies. If you're in the southern hemisphere, that might mean big fresh salads and juicy summer fruits. If you're in the northern hemisphere, you might want hearty vegetable soups and cooked fruit.
   
   Almost all fruits and veggies are low calorie and packed with vitamins and minerals which you need in order to stay healthy. (Go easy on avocados, which are high in fat, and on potatoes and other starchy vegetables.)


3. Don't Stock Up Too Soon
   Sure, it's tempting to grab a pile of candy while it's cheap – but remember that the stores will have plenty of seasonal foods on sale right until Christmas. If you stock up too soon, you'll probably find that you've eaten lots of those goodies well before the big day.
   
   (I'm speaking from experience here – my husband and I have already managed to scoff some of the chocolates we supposedly bought for presents!)
   
   Keep indulgent treats out of the house and you're much less likely to be tempted.
   


4. Do Make Something Healthy for the Potluck
   Going to a potluck meal and taking a dish? Rather than making that fat-and-sugar-laden chocolate cream pie, how about something different this year? If you take along a salad or a bowl of roasted vegetables, you'll be doing yourself a favor – and other guests may well appreciate having a few healthier dishes on the table.
   
   For dessert, fruit salad or baked fruits are great options. If those aren't going to be popular with others, look for a lower-fat cake or muffin recipe.
   


5. Don't Go Partying on an Empty Stomach
   When you're heading out for an evening of drinks and food, have a healthy snack or a light meal beforehand – a wholewheat sandwich, for instance, or a baked potato. Turning up to a party hungry means getting drunk quickly, and diving into fatty, salty or sugary snacks.
   
   If you're going to be out and about running holiday errands, take a couple of pieces of fruit or a granola bar with you, so that you've got a quick snack to hand.

How's your diet looking at the moment? Got any extra holiday tips to share?

Written on 12/11/2010 by Ali Luke. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.

Photo Credit: gromgull

100 Ideas for a Stress Free Christmas

Christmas Eve, 2009: I'm cleaning out some emails and I discover this great bit of advice that I wish I read when it first arrived a couple weeks earlier.

So, I read it and discover it is timeless. So here we are 11 months later and just in time to follow some of these ideas from the DLM Blog:

100 Ways To A Stress Free Christmas

Posted: 08 Dec 2009 07:08 AM PST

Christmas is traditionally a time of year when we enjoy ourselves, we let our hair down and are a little more relaxed. At least that's the way it's meant to be. For a lot of people however, it's a stressful time of year. There's the shopping to do, there's the list of cards for all the family; god forbid we don't send Aunt Betty a card, there's the dinner to buy, there's work to do, there's family to contact, there's a hundred and one things to do.

Well here is a list of things you can do to relax and enjoy yourself a little more:

1. Set A budget
   It's easy to get carried away buying Christmas presents. Set a budget and stick to it.
   
   
2. Make A List
   Make a list of every single person you need to buy a present for. Keep it safe and tick off as you buy.
   
   
3. Write A little A Day
   From now until maybe the 14th December, write your cards out, maybe 5 per day. No need to stress about getting all of them done at the same time.
   
   
4. Address labels
   Get someone to put all your names and addresses from your address book into a spreadsheet and then print off your labels. You can pay your son, daughter, niece or nephew to do this for you.
   
   
5. Don't Send Out of Guilt
   If you are sending cards or presents out of guilt, don't. Don't just send because you feel obliged to, cut out this practice and send who you want to send to.
   
   
6. Wrap Presents The Same Night
   As you buy your presents make it a practice to wrap them the same night. This way you will not feel overwhelmed at having to wrap them all at the same time.
   
   
7. Enroll The Kids Into Wrapping
   Kids love Christmas so why not get them involved more into helping you do the tedious time consuming part of Christmas like wrapping the presents.
   
   
8. Fill Up Your Freezer Now
   There's always specials on this time of year but beware as the prices will probably go up again just before Christmas.
   
   
9. Get Into The Christmas Spirit
   It can be quite stressful but remembering that Christmas is a fun time for everyone, or should be, so get into the spirit and plays Christmas CDs, go to Panto's, or see the Christmas nativity.
   
   
10. Make Homemade Gifts
    Making homemade gifts can be a great way to personalize your presents and save you a bit of money. If you're at all arty or can cook why not make presents this year.
    
    
11. Shop Online
    This is a great way to take the stress out of shopping. If you can buy all the gifts from one online store so much the better.
    
    
12. Look At Comparison Sites Before Purchasing
    When you have decided on a present to buy for someone why not check out the comparison sites to see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere online.
    
    
13. Shop Early on in the Day
    There's nothing worse shopping when it is extremely crowded and shoppers are getting irate because it's too busy.
    
    
14. Don't lose your head With relatives
    Remember the Christmas holidays only last for a few days so don't risk falling out with the whole family because of 1 person you don't like.
    
    
15. Buy A Real Tree
    You can replant your Christmas tree in your garden or give it away when the holiday season is over.
    
    
16. Take Some Time Out
    You don't have to attend every single Christmas family event. Take a night off to spend alone or just with the family.
    
    
17. Take A deep Breath
    Remember what Christmas is all about and take a deep breath in times of stress and let it all out and wash over you.
    
    
18. Get More Sleep
    As you will be more busy than usual it's better to get as much sleep as possible so you will have the energy to do everything.
    
    
19. Allow Mess
    Christmas for kids is not a tidy affair it's all about letting go so don't worry too much about the mess. People visiting will expect mess if you have kids. Let kids be kids for the day.
    
    
20. Let them know You're stressed
    Don't take everything on board yourself. Let other members of the family know you are ready to blow a gasket and ask for help.
    
    
21. It's okay to Say No
    You don't need to say yes to every request made of you at Christmas time, or any other time for that matter. Learn to diplomatically say no; there's only so many nativities you can go to.
    
    
22. Remember the good times
    If Christmas is a sad time for you because loved ones are no longer with you, try and remember the good times and ask yourself how they would celebrate.
    
    
23. Hire a cook
    There are lots of places where you can order your Christmas dinner, fully prepared and you pick it up two days before Christmas. Why have all the stress of doing everything yourself.
    
    
24. Stay away from the big shopping malls
    You'll only come home in a bad mood ready to kill someone as you have been elbowed so many times by people rushing to buy presents. Shop when it's quieter or online.
    
    
25. Switch the TV off
    The TV can often be the source of entertainment for the Christmas holidays. Try something different like board games, karaoke, family Xbox or Playstation games.
    
    
26. Avoid too much alcohol
    Yes this is a time to let your hair down but overdoing it on the alcohol can lead you to do things you wouldn't normally do.
    
    
27. No Need to spend the same amount
    My mother always spend the exact same amount on each grandchild no matter how much presents there are. there's no need to do this. It doesn't mean you love one more than the other.
    
    
28. Don't overfill your food cupboards
    there's no need to stock up for the Christmas holidays, the shops are only closed for 1 day or two.
    
    
29. Let things go wrong
    Christmas doesn't have to be spot on perfect. things will go wrong, laugh about it and get on with it.
    
    
30. Make it magical
    Put the fun back into Christmas for the kids and for yourself. It's tradition in our house that the biggest present is always turned into a treasure hunt. Make games up, sing, be silly just let go and be yourself for a full day and enjoy it.
    
    
31. Use post it notes
    If you have a board in your kitchen write post it notes of things to do and you as you do them transfer them to another 'done' board.
    
    
32. Clean out the freezer
    Unless you have a frost free freezer it's a good idea to clean out the freezer to make as much room as possible for food.
    
    
33. Clear the cupboards
    It's also a good idea to clean out the cupboards of all food you have used including: tinned foods, packet foods, and sauces.
    
    
34. Give the house a good cleaning before Christmas
    This way there won't be so much work to do after all the festivities are over and you can relax more.
    
    
35. Clean sheets and duvets
    If you are having guests over make sure you have enough bed linen and make sure it all cleaned befoehand.
    
    
36. Buy in bulk
    If you buy for teachers, colleagues, group members etc buy in bulk to avoid having to shop around.
    
    
37. Ignore the ones who've done it all
    When you feel particularly stressed, don't tell the super-organized person as they will make you feel worse. These are the people who have all their presents, cards, food etc in at the end of August and you feel a smack in the mouth might wipe the smug grin off their face.
    
    
38. Sing loudly
    I love singing at the best of times but at Christmas it's a must to sing loudly and more annoying, there's nothing better than annoying the family with loud singing.
    
    
39. Be unique
    Buying gifts for loved ones is often a dull affair. Try and listen throughout the year for what he or she would really like and put some thought into present buying for your spouse.
    
    
40. Have a rest day
    Once you have everything prepared, presents bought and wrapped, cards written and sent, invitations written and sent etc have a complete day of rest, you deserve it.
    
    
41. Clear the air
    If you've had a disagreement with someone and they are coming round for Christmas, try and clear the air before they come round.
    
    
42. Let everyone be themselves
    Yes it's annoying to have Uncle Bert dribbling in the corner, drunk and half asleep. Let it be and don't stress yourself, it's only for the day.
    
    
43. Invite someone who is alone
    If you are having a big Christmas dinner with family members, why not invite someone you know will be on their own.
    
    
44. Make sure you have a camera
    It's important to capture every Christmas with photos or a camcorder. You may not think it is important just now but in years to come it will bring back so many happy memories for you to enjoy.
    
    
45. Be mindful of pets
    Your pet can get very confused with all the toing and froing of Christmas planning so be mindful to pay them some more attention than usual.
    
    
46. Stock up on medication
    If you have a health condition make sure you have enough medication to last you through the holidays as your doctor may be vacationing for a prolonged period.
    
    
47. Make sure you have a good online protection software
    With many people turning to the net for Christmas shopping, it's extremely important to have online protection software installed on your computer.
    
    
48. Wear sensible shoes
    When you're visiting people at Christmas and it's bad weather,♠ wear sensible shoes in order to minimize the risk of slipping or falling.
    
    
49. Mind your back
    Christmas shopping can be a nightmare for your back. Try and shop more online or make more trips so you are not carrying a mountain full of bags in one go.
    
    
50. Check the weather when hanging lights
    If you decorate your home outside check the weather forecast for the days to avoid any dangers.
    
    
51. Never mind the Jones'
    Christmas is all about joy, fun and happiness it's not about who has the best house lights, or the biggest garden tree or best garden decorations.
    
    
52. Keep receipts
    Always keep your Christmas receipts in a special box. This will mean you can take duplicate gifts back or faulty gifts back and get them exchanged.
    
    
53. Celebrate the real meaning
    Christmas is a time for giving and celebrating and being grateful. Why not visit a hostel with the family to give some of your time before Christmas day.
    
    
54. Encourage children to get involved
    When you explain the importance of Christmas through your actions the children will want to get involved as well. Always make it a fun time if you have kids.
    
    
55. Get your pets used to your decorations
    If you have a pet who has never celebrated Christmas with you, introduce the tree a week early to let them get used to it.
    
    
56. Leave your light hooks up
    If you know you will be decorating the outside of the house every year why not leave the light hooks up so you don't have to do it year after year in the freezing cold.
    
    
57. Find out the return policies
    A lot of gifts cannot be returned after a certain number of days; find this out before purchasing if you are afraid the person might not like it or it will not fit them.
    
    
58. Use coupon sites
    This is a growth area online and there are thousands of coupon sites offering printable coupons to get discounts off from your favorite stores.
    
    
59. Turn out the lights
    Remember to turn all your Christmas lights out at night before going to bed.
    
    
60. Shop on eBay
    There are some fantastic bargains to be had from eBay. If you are stuck for an idea, have a browse and see what there is.
    
    
61. Buy cards straight after Christmas
    If you want to save some money on cards, buy them straight after Christmas as the card shops are looking to get rid of their stock. You will often get great deals for next year.
    
    
62. Tire out the pets
    To stop your pet from getting overexcited, spend a little more time playing around with them and tiring them out so they can relax more.
    
    
63. Leave the kids at home
    If you are going shopping for presents there's nothing worse for a child than having to trail round the shops. Try and organize a baby sitter for a day to let you get your shopping done.
    
    
64. Free events before Christmas
    Lots of children are off on holiday and it can be a strain to keep them entertained. Take them to free events such as the turning on of Christmas lights, the events in the local square, get the kids to write a letter to Santa, go a walk in the local big park.
    
    
65. Place your order now
    If you know what you Christmas menu will be i.e. Turkey, go to your local butcher, or food shop and place your order just now and pick it up nearer the time.
    
    
66. Get plenty of batteries in
    A lot of presents need batteries and it's something we often forget. Make sure you have lots of batteries in stock.
    
    
67. Cash in your rewards
    If you get rewards from your various stores cash them in at Christmas and use them up. It may not be much but every little helps.
    
    
68. Buy your crackers after Christmas
    Buy luxury crackers after Christmas and get a really good price, then store them away for next year.
    
    
69. Make your own gift tags
    Old Christmas cards are a great way to do this. Get your pinking shears out and make your own tags.
    
    
70. Fill the tank up
    If you are going visiting at Christmas make sure you have enough fuel as a lot of gas stations will be closed.
    
    
71. Stocking fillers
    You can stock up on these throughout the year and they soon add up to a sizeable amount of gifts.
    
    
72. Remember overseas relatives
    Remember to get all your overseas parcels sent well before Christmas for them to get there in plenty of time.
    
    
73. Post overseas cards
    Post all your overseas cards in plenty of time for them to arrive by Christmas.
    
    
74. Tiring the kids out
    We have a tradition of going for a meal and then to see a movie on Christmas Eve. This keeps them occupied and tires them out so they get a good sleep and are not too excited on Christmas Eve.
    
    
75. Watch Christmas movies
    Have a Christmas movie day to get the whole family in the spirit of Christmas.
    
    
76. Remember the table decoration
    If you are having guests over remember to get in your Christmas table decorations well in advance.
    
    
77. Buy for the less fortunate
    All year round should a time for thinking about those less fortunate but at this time of year it seems to be more important. Buy a gift for those less fortunate.
    
    
78. Cue the DJ
    Make sure you have a stock of CDs and music for Christmas so you're not hunting around on the day for them.
    
    
79. Pay all your bills before Christmas
    If you can do this it will save you the stress of worrying about the money situation.
    
    
80. Prepare your thank you cards in advance
    Write out all your thank you cards before Christmas so there's no need to worry about them after Christmas and you can relax a little more.
    
    
81. Do some more walking
    Christmas is a time for overindulging in everything including food and drink. Get a little more exercise by going out for a long walk.
    
    
82. Pack the camera
    If you're going visiting remember to take the camera; it's often easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of getting packed.
    
    
83. Time the present opening
    Kids get so many presents at Christmas that they don't know who is buying for them. Don't let them rip all the paper off every single one, let them read the label first, open them, and give them time to enjoy them.
    
    
84. Give your guest a job
    If things get a little out of control and you are having trouble with a family member give them a job to do to get them out of the way.
    
    
85. Get some oxygen
    Even if it's freezing cold, get everyone out of the house for 5 or 10 minutes. A Christmas house can become overheated and overcrowded and getting everyone out for the house for 5 minutes in the cold will wake everybody up and re-ignite the party.
    
    
86. Emergency gifts
    Wrap up a few boxes of chocolates to give as gifts for unexpected visitors.
    
    
87. Declutter the house
    Decluttering helps to de-clutter the mind and if you do it a few weeks before Christmas you will feel a lot more relaxed.
    
    
88. If you are alone
    I've spent a few Christmases alone and it's not a good feeling. However, don't allow others to feel sorry for you. Create a Christmas atmosphere, watch movies all day, and relax and treat yourself to a few goodies.
    
    
89. Use smaller plates
    If you want to cut down on the amount you eat, trick the brain and use a smaller plate.
    
    
90. Use taller glasses
    This is another trick to help fool the brain into thinking you are drinking more than you are and it helps reduce the amount of alcohol your drink.
    
    
91. Don't wrap it, bag it
    Instead of spending hours wrapping all your Christmas gifts why not bag the from the great bags you get from the dollar store.
    
    
92. Pick a party theme
    If you have a Christmas party every year pick a theme and send out invitations in that theme.
    
    
93. Don't overload extension cords
    Think about safety at Christmas and don't overload your extension cords.
    
    
94. Clean out the cooker
    Make sure you cooker it cleaned before Christmas. It will be getting used a lot and cleaning it before hand will help with the cleaning afterwards.
    
    
95. Recycle the leftovers
    You can use the leftover turkey for making sandwiches for boxing day.
    
    
96. Buy rechargeable batteries
    Although they might cost a little more it will save you money in the long run.
    
    
97. Go green and ditch the plastic
    Everyone's going green these days. You can do your bit buy buying a bag for shopping and not use the stores plastic bags.
    
    
98. Keep your pets away from the noise
    If you can help it keep your pets away from the main party as the bangers, crackers and other noises can scare them.
    
    
99. Take a step back
    I might be a little sad but I always take a step back when I see everyone enjoying themselves and remind myself of how lucky I am, and get a little tearful (yes, I'm a man but real men cry too!)
    
    
100. Enjoy yourself
     It's what it's all about.

Written on 12/08/2009 by Steven Aitchison. Steven is the Author of Change Your Thoughts and works as an alcohol and drugs counselor. He has a BSc in Psychology and has a passion for studying belief formation, thought processes and values and principles. His blog focuses on personal development through changing your thoughts but covers the whole personal development field.

Photo Credit: Randy Son of Robert

For Josh and Mad...

Just in case....

My son tied the knot yesterday.

Today they are spending a few days in the wilderness on their honeymoon in a national forest.

Fortunately they are both vegetarians.

From the AOM Blog:

Surviving in the Wild: 19 Common Edible Plants

So you’re stranded in the wilderness. You consumed the last nub of your Clif Bar two days ago, and now you’re feeling famished. Civilization is still several days away, and you need to keep up your strength. The greenery all around you is looking more and more appetizing. But what to nibble on? Some plants will keep you alive and are chock full of essential vitamins and minerals, while some could make you violently ill….or even kill you.

Which of course makes proper identification absolutely critical.

Below we’ve given a primer on 19 common edible wild plants. Look them over and commit the plants to memory. If you’d like to discover even more edible wild plants, we suggest checking out the SAS Survival Handbook and the U.S. Army Survival Manual.

In the coming months, we’ll be publishing articles on edible wild roots, berries, and fungi. So stay tuned.

Plants to Avoid

If you can’t clearly identify a plant and you don’t know if it’s poisonous, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Steer clear from a plant if it has:

• Milky or discolored sap
• Spines, fine hairs, or thorns
• Beans, bulbs, or seeds inside pods
• Bitter or soapy taste
• Dill, carrot, parsnip, or parsley-like foliage
• “Almond” scent in the woody parts and leaves
• Grain heads with pink, purplish, or black spurs
• Three-leaved growth pattern

Many toxic plants will exhibit one or more of the above characteristics. Bear in mind that some of the plants we suggest below have some of these attributes, yet they’re still edible. The characteristics listed are just guidelines for when you’re not confident about what you’re dealing with. If you want to be completely sure that an unknown plant is edible, and you have a day or two to spare, you can always perform the Universal Edibility Test.

Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus and other species)

Native to the Americas but found on most continents, amaranth is an edible weed. You can eat all parts of the plant, but be on the look out for spines that appear on some of the leaves. While not poisonous, amaranth leaves do contain oxalic acid and may contain large amounts of nitrates if grown in nitrate-rich soil. It’s recommended that you boil the leaves to remove the oxalic acid and nitrates. Don’t drink the water after you boil the plant. With that said, you can eat the plant raw if worse comes to worst.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

The vegetable that makes your pee smell funny grows in the wild in most of Europe and parts of North Africa, West Asia, and North America. Wild asparagus has a much thinner stalk than the grocery-store variety. It’s a great source of source of vitamin C, thiamine, potassium and vitamin B6. Eat it raw or boil it like you would your asparagus at home.

Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Medium to large-sized plant with big leaves and purplish thistle-like flower heads. The plant is native to the temperate areas of the Eastern Hemisphere; however, it has been naturalized in parts of the Western Hemisphere as well. Burdock is actually a popular food in Japan. You can eat the leaves and the peeled stalks of the plant either raw or boiled. The leaves have a bitter taste, so boiling them twice before eating is recommended to remove the bitterness. The root of the plant can also be peeled, boiled, and eaten.

Cattail (Typha)

Known as cattails or punks in North America and bullrush and reedmace in England, the typha genus of plants is usually found near the edges of freshwater wetlands. Cattails were a staple in the diet of many Native American tribes. Most of a cattail is edible. You can boil or eat raw the rootstock, or rhizomes, of the plant. The rootstock is usually found underground. Make sure to wash off all the mud. The best part of the stem is near the bottom where the plant is mainly white. Either boil or eat the stem raw. Boil the leaves like you would spinach. The corn dog-looking female flower spike can be broken off and eaten like corn on the cob in the early summer when the plant is first developing. It actually has a corn-like taste to it.

Clovers (Trifolium)

Lucky you-clovers are actually edible. And they’re found just about everywhere there’s an open grassy area. You can spot them by their distinctive trefoil leaflets. You can eat clovers raw, but they taste better boiled.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

You’ll find chicory growing in Europe, North America, and Australia. It’s a bushy plant with small blue, lavender, and white flowers. You can eat the entire plant. Pluck off the young leaves and eat them raw or boil them. The chicory’s roots will become tasty after boiling. And you can pop the flowers in your mouth for a quick snack.

Chickweed (Stellaria media)

You’ll find this herb in temperate and arctic zones. The leaves are pretty hefty, and you’ll often find small white flowers on the plant. They usually appear between May and July. You can eat the leaves raw or boiled. They’re high in vitamins and minerals.

Curled Dock (Rumex crispus)

You can find curled dock in Europe, North America, South America, and Australia. It’s distinguished by a long, bright red stalk that can reach heights of three feet. You can eat the stalk raw or boiled. Just peel off the outer layers first. It’s recommend that you boil the leaves with several changes of water in order to remove its naturally bitter taste.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Sure, it’s an obnoxious weed on your perfectly mowed lawn, but when you’re out in the wild this little plant can save your life. The entire plant is edible- roots, leaves, and flower. Eat the leaves while they’re still young; mature leaves taste bitter. If you do decide to eat the mature leaves, boil them first to remove their bitter taste. Boil the roots before eating as well. You can drink the water you boiled the roots in as a tea and use the flower as a garnish for your dandelion salad.

Field Pennycress (Thalspi vulgaris)

Field Pennycress is a weed found in most parts of the world. Its growing season is early spring to late winter. You can eat the seeds and leaves of field pennycress raw or boiled. The only caveat with field pennycress is not to eat it if it’s growing in contaminated soil. Pennycress is a hyperaccumulator of minerals, meaning it sucks up any and all minerals around it. General rule is don’t eat pennycress if it’s growing by the side of the road or is near a Superfund site.

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)

This pretty little plant is found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. You can identify fireweed by its purple flower and the unique structure of the leaves’ veins; the veins are circular rather than terminating on the edges of the leaves. Several Native American tribes included fireweed in their diet. It’s best eaten young when the leaves are tender. Mature fireweed plants have tough and bitter tasting leaves. You can eat the stalk of the plant as well. The flowers and seeds have a peppery taste. Fireweed is a great source of vitamins A and C.

Green Seaweed (Ulva lactuca)

If you’re ever shipwrecked on a deserted island, fish the waters near the beach for some green seaweed. This stuff is found in oceans all over the world. After you pull green seaweed from the water, rinse with fresh water if available and let it dry. You can eat it raw or include it in a soup. Or if you’re particularly enterprising, catch a fish with your homemade spear and use the seaweed to make sushi rolls, sans rice.

Kelp (Alaria esculenta)

Kelp is another form of seaweed. You can find it in most parts of the world. Eat it raw or include it in a soup. Kelp is a great source of folate, vitamin K, and lignans.

Plantain (Plantago)

Found in all parts of the world, the plantain plant (not to be confused with the banana-like plantain) has been used for millennia by humans as a food and herbal remedy for all sorts of maladies. You can usually find plantains in wet areas like marshes and bogs, but they’ll also sprout up in alpine areas. The oval, ribbed, short-stemmed leaves tend to hug the ground. The leaves may grow up to about 6″ long and 4″ wide. It’s best to eat the leaves when they’re young. Like most plants, the leaves tend to get bitter tasting as they mature. Plantain is very high in vitamin A and calcium. It also provides a bit of vitamin C.

Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia)

Found in the deserts of North America, the prickly pear cactus is a very tasty and nutritional plant that can help you survive the next time you’re stranded in the desert. The fruit of the prickly pear cactus looks like a red or purplish pear. Hence the name. Before eating the plant, carefully remove the small spines on the outer skin or else it will feel like you’re swallowing a porcupine. You can also eat the young stem of the prickly pear cactus. It’s best to boil the stems before eating.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

While considered an obnoxious weed in the United States, purslane can provide much needed vitamins and minerals in a wilderness survival situation. Ghandi actually numbered purslane among his favorite foods. It’s a small plant with smooth fat leaves that have a refreshingly sour taste. Purslane grows from the beginning of summer to the start of fall. You can eat purslane raw or boiled. If you’d like to remove the sour taste, boil the leaves before eating.

Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)

Sheep sorrel is native to Europe and Asia but has been naturalized in North America. It’s a common weed in fields, grasslands, and woodlands. It flourishes in highly acidic soil. Sheep sorrel has a tall, reddish stem and can reach heights of 18 inches. Sheep sorrel contains oxalates and shouldn’t be eaten in large quantities. You can eat the leaves raw. They have a nice tart, almost lemony flavor.

White Mustard (Synapsis alba)

White mustard is found in the wild in many parts of the world. It blooms between February and March. You can eat all parts of the plant- seeds, flowers, and leaves.

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis)

You’ll find wood sorrel in all parts of the world; species diversity is particularly rich in South America. Humans have used wood sorrel for food and medicine for millennia. The Kiowa Indians chewed on wood sorrel to alleviate thirst, and the Cherokee ate the plant to cure mouth sores. The leaves are a great source of vitamin C. The roots of the wood sorrel can be boiled. They’re starchy and taste a bit like a potato.

AoM Man Up Challenge

Go take a hike or a walk in the woods and try to locate and identify three edible plants.

Friday Fast Facts

I'm not going to be doing this EVERY Friday....

But this week I am.


Via: Online Schools


Oh and let me be the last to wish you a Happy Friday the 13th, which isn't really scary, unless you are a pig.

You are What you Eat

Really.

From the DLM Blog:

Five Simple Diet Tips That Actually Work

Posted: 19 Jul 2010 09:55 AM PDT

A third of Americans are obese – and another third are overweight. The global picture isn't much rosier.

Many of us, even if we're not exactly "fat", know that we could do with using a few pounds. Whether it's for our health, to improve our confidence, or just because we want to get back into those jeans, we'd like to diet successfully. But so often, our diets end up starting on a Monday and ending before Tuesday.

There are all sorts of diet tips – some useful and some crazy – but these are five big ones which actually work and make a big difference to your chances of success. They're all very simple (which doesn't necessarily mean "easy"!)

1. Keep a Food Diary
Studies have shown that simply writing down what we eat helps us to cut back. Keeping a food diary – which simply involves noting down everything you eat each day – works because:

• You're more likely to resist that cookie if you know you'll have to record it in black and white


• You can easily identify patterns using your diary (e.g. maybe you always end up snacking mid-morning when you don't eat enough breakfast)


• You'll become more conscious about your eating: if you snack without even thinking (perhaps when friends are passing round chocolate or chips), then you'll start to become more aware of your habits.

Many people are put off keeping a food diary because it seems like a hassle, but the truth is, it only takes five or ten minutes each day. Isn't it worth that to radically boost your chances of success?

2. Don't Crash Diet
Crash dieting – drastically cutting what you eat in the hopes of losing lots of weight fast – is a big no-no. Your body needs enough food in order to function well: it's the fuel which keeps you going. Plus, if you're eating very little, you won't even be getting enough nutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc).

We live in a "have it now" culture where we've come to expect instant results. Unfortunately, dieting just doesn't work like that. For real success, it's best to lose weight slowly and steadily. Trying to rush weight loss will just play havoc with your metabolism, and can often lead to a rebound effect where as soon as you start eating "normally" again, you'll put all that weight back on, plus extra.

3. Exercise Regularly
Although exercise alone isn't an especially effective way to lose weight, it's a great addition to any diet plan. Exercise burns up calories – boosting your dieting efforts – but it also has a host of other benefits.

Exercising will help you tone up your body and build muscle (which, even at rest, burns more calories than fat). Being active gets you away from the temptations of the fridge – and it also provides a natural mood boost: much healthier than chocolate! Many dieters also find that exercise provides extra motivation to stick to a healthy eating plan – if you've just been jogging for an hour, you'll be reluctant to undo that hard work by eating junk.

4. Don't Ban Foods
Some people think that if you're on a diet, you "shouldn't" eat any chocolate, cookies, chips, cheese, or any other "bad" foods you enjoy. The truth is, in moderation, you can eat what you like. Of course your diet is going to be unsuccessful if you're scoffing dozens of cookies each day – but one cookie or one small candy bar isn't going to have much impact.

If you tell yourself that certain foods are banned, it tends to make you crave them more. Instead, just cut back on how often you have those foods. You may find that you appreciate them even more when they're an occasional event rather than a daily habit.

One good tip if you do find yourself eating too much chocolate (or whatever) – tell yourself "I won't have any chocolate today". It's much easier to focus on cutting out a bad habit for one day than trying to resist forever!

5. Try New Recipes
Finally, dieting is actually a great time to start eating some new foods. There are loads of super-healthy and super-tasty options that you might never have tried. Start experimenting! Vegetable-based dishes, or recipes from a low-fat cookbook, will give you loads of ideas. You may find some delicious and light alternatives to your usual repertoire.

If you're not very confident about cooking, how about simply trying some different fruits and veggies? It might be as simple as a different type of salad leaf, or a new variety of apple. Rather than seeing your diet as a time where you need to give things up, look at it as a great opportunity to try out some new things and potentially find some new favorites.

If you're on a diet, or have dieted successfully in the past, what are your tips? If you're not dieting but would like to, what's holding you back?

Written on 7/19/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.

Photo Credit: Brymo

Fort Wayne Site-of-the-Day

Click on Pic

Healthy Fast Food?

This is a perception survey.......

Top 20 Healthiest Fast-Food Eateries

1. Subway
2. McDonald's
3. KFC
4. Domino's/Burger King
5. Quiznos
6. Wendy's
7. Red Lobster
8. IHOP
9. Outback
10. Hardee's
11. Papa John's/Olive Garden
12. TGI Friday's/Ruby Tuesday's
13. Applebee's
14. Arby's
15. Godfather's/Taco Bell
16. Chili's
17. Little Caesar's
18. Roundtable
19. Chuck E. Cheese
20. Hooters
Source: Brand Keys

More than a Bunch of Bologna

Last month, a friend who is staying with us had a package of bologna in our frig, and I had a slice. It was like slipping back to fourth grade for a moment when a couple of slices of meat by-products, white bread and mustard, along with grapes and corn chips was a lunch.

Now that we're grown ups and working 9 to 5, and then some, what are you doing for lunch tomorrow? Here's a few ideas from the DLM Blog:

Five Ways to Turbo-Charge Your Lunch Hour

Posted: 18 Feb 2010 03:59 AM PST

How do you normally spend your lunch hour? Wait, let’s back up a bit: do you even take a lunch hour? A lot of us end up grabbing a sandwich at our desks, checking emails or maybe surfing the net a bit during our lunch break. Often, the best-case scenario sees us in a staff canteen or at a local sandwich shop with friends.

It’s easy to treat the lunch hour as dead time in your day – or as an opportunity to catch up with an overflowing inbox or to-do list. But treating your lunch hour well means setting yourself up for success in the rest of the day – and potentially your life.

Here’s how:

1. Make it a Full Hour
   When I was a teen, I had the occasional “free period” in school – an hour with no classes. I was always amazed at how much homework I could get through then, compared with at home. An hour is a great length of time to focus on something: long enough to get into it, not so long that your attention starts wandering.
   
   A great first step to making the most of your lunch hour is to actually take that full hour. This is easier in an office environment where others do too, but you can always start a new trend! If you really want people to respect your time and avoid interrupting you with work matters while you’re having your lunch break, then get as far from your desk as possible – head to the break room, the canteen or lobby, or right out of your building.


2. Think About Your Lunch
   Now, although you’re unlikely to spend a whole hour actually eating lunch, it’s called a “lunch” hour for a reason. The food you put into your body in the middle of the day is your fuel for the afternoon. If you find yourself feeling sleepy or lethargic mid-afternoon, there’s a good chance it’s to do with what you’re eating.
   
   You don’t need to be a nutritional expert to eat well at lunch. Focus on these key basics:
   
   • Eat a lighter lunch if you want to be more alert in the afternoon (and have a small snack two – three hours after lunch)
   
   
   • Avoid alcohol at lunch time – even a single beer or glass of wine is enough to make you less alert
   
   
   • Have some fiber and protein to keep you full for longer. Whole grains, fruit, veggies and lean meats are all great sources.
   
   
   • Avoid high-sugar foods which will give you a temporary energy boost, followed by a crash.
3. Get Some Exercise
   Sitting at a desk for eight hours straight isn’t good for anyone. Make a point of getting some exercise every lunch break – even if it’s just a fifteen minute brisk walk. If you’ve got a gym nearby, take advantage of it.
   
   I’m sure you’re well aware of the benefits of exercise, but so many of us struggle to fit it into our day. Getting some exercise at lunch time can:
   
   • Help you stay alert for the afternoon ahead
   
   
   • Be part of your exercise/weight-management program
   
   
   • Let you unwind and de-stress if you’ve had a hectic morning
   
   
   • Avoid back problems and other aches and pains from sitting at a desk all day
     
   You may even find that a colleague is willing to be a gym buddy or walking partner – meaning you can socialize at the same time as getting some healthy exercise in.


4. Learn Something New
   A lunch hour can be a great chance for a change of pace, and it’s a good opportunity to learn something new. This might not necessarily be something directly related to your job: for example, you could use your lunch hour to learn vocabulary for a foreign language.
   
   Lunch time is also a great chance for some reading. Many of us feel we don’t have time to read – even though books are one of the cheapest ways to learn about almost any topic. If pouring over a non-fiction book isn’t your idea of a fun lunch break, how about picking up a novel instead? (If you need some convincing that fiction is worthwhile, here’s eight reasons to read fiction.)


5. Pursue a New Career...?
   Finally, if your lunch hours are the one bright spot in a job that you don’t especially like, how about using them to plan your escape? This one needs approaching with a good bit of caution: be clear about your workplace’s rules on what you can and can’t do with company computers, for instance. If you get outside the office to a local coffee shop or park, and you have a laptop you can work on, you’ll probably be OK.
   
   I spent the lunch hours in one student summer job writing a novel. When I worked in my last day job, I sometimes wrote blog posts during my lunch breaks. If you’ve got a side project or even a small business, can you spend your lunch hours on it?
   
   That could mean:
   
   • Writing your business plan.
     
   • Looking up sources of funding and other information online.
     
   • Sending emails or making phone calls to clients or potential clients.
     
   • Doing freelance work (such as writing or designing).
     
   • Reading relevant books and blogs to learn about that career.
     
   • Spending time planning or brainstorming.
     
   Do be careful with this one, though – and make sure you’re not breaking any of the terms in your current employment contract.

Are your lunch hours helping you get to where you want to be in life? If not, what changes can you make?

Written on 2/18/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.

Photo Credit: Bernt Rostad