How to Cook A London Broil
January 27, 2012 | 
Author A London broil is a great way to cook steak. Note that I said a “way to cook.” In other words, it’s a method, not a specific cut of meat. This distinction has confused many a novice cook.
Adding to the confusion, some butchers will call a cut of meat “London broil.” Usually, though, the cut of beef used for a London broil is flank steak, although other cuts, notably top round steak, may be substituted.
Flank steak is naturally tough, so you need to tenderize it (by pounding with a mallet) or marinate it, or both, before cooking with it. To turn it into a proper London broil, you … broil it. Makes sense, right? But not so fast … you can also grill it and still call it a London broil.
Here are two recipes, one for broiled London broil, and the other for grilled London broil.
London Broil (Broiled)
Ingredients
<>1 beef flank steak (1 to 2 pounds)
<>1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
<>2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Directions
1. Combine salad dressing, wine or wine vinegar, garlic and cooking oil in a bowl to make a marinade.
2. Make several shallow cuts on both sides of the steak. Place the meat in a baking dish.
3. Brush the steak with the marinade; be sure to coat both sides. Cover pan with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 1 hour.
4. Remove from refrigerator. Pour off excess marinade.
5. Preheat oven broiler. Place pan with steak approximately 3 inches from top heat. Cook 5 to 8 minutes per side (to medium doneness).
6. Cut steak into slices and serve.
London Broil (Grilled)
Ingredients
3/4 cup cooking oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy or Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 flank steak (1 to 2 pounds)
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except the meat in a bowl to make your marinade.
2. Make several shallow cuts on both sides of the steak and place in a baking dish. Try for a cross-hatching effect with several overlapping, diagonal cuts.
3. Brush steak with marinade, making sure to coat both sides. Cover pan with plastic wrap, place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
4. Grill steak over hot charcoal or other high heat for 5 to 8 minutes per side, depending on the degree of doneness desired. Baste with leftover marinade if you wish.
5. Remove steak from grill, slice into thin strips, and serve.
Christmas Tree Lights Design Ideas
There is no better feeling at Christmas than being surrounded by decorations, either cute or spiritual, warm colours, beautiful lights on the Christmas tree and mantel, Christmassy pillows on the sofa and carols being played on the CD player. You can just smell the roast bird, eggnog, and cookies on a plate painted with reindeer. Red and green candles with the aroma of bayberry are on the tables. Holly rests on the door frames. Everyone’s eyes twinkle like the Christmas tree lights and smiles stretch across everyone’s faces.
The house looks like a picture this year and you wish some glossy magazine would make a spread of it. Instead of big red bows hung from the window frames this year, you hung beautiful silver angels. Along the porch rail you draped silver bunting twined with holly and suspended from huge red bows. You backlighted it with tiny white Christmas tree lights. It would look lovely against the snow. Instead of a wreath on the front door this year, you decided to construct a panorama of angels of different types and sizes. Your husband, of course, performed his yearly task of putting up the Christmas lights on the roof of the house.
There are those crafts types who can make tree decorations out of cookies they baked and decorated or they buy a plain wreath and use stuffed animals with a Christmas theme to decorate it. There are those who can knit or crochet or hook lap rugs who make their own Christmas tree decorations. Strings of cranberries and popcorn on the tree is still a beautiful decoration and involves the whole family in the fun. Making the star on top of the tree out of paper mache or tinfoil is still popular. Ah, but where to put lights after you’ve decorated the tree?
Some decorators build around a theme, like the nativity or a Winnie the Pooh Christmas and they use lots of pictures on the front door and in the windows. They place stuffed or ceramic figures on the mantel and coffee table and hang themed figures on the Christmas tree. Of course they line the doors and windows with lights the better to see their work. Other decorators work with what they have available and work toward a warm and fuzzy feeling with decorations and aromas like pine wreaths and bunting and lots of candles that smell of cinnamon backlit with Christmas tree lights. Yet others use little in the way of decoration but place the Christmas tree lights in strategic spots to create an atmosphere and allow the spell of the season to work its Christmas magic.
Christmas without Christmas tree lights would be dark indeed. They add a twinkle to the season and, properly placed, call attention to the artistry of the decorator. They add a warmth that can be seen as well as sensed when we are surrounded by snow. They reflect the light of the Christmas star for us on Christmas Day.
Mustard for Health – Speed Up Your Metabolism and Improve Digestion
Mustard is known to be very helpful for digestion, and can help to speed up your metabolism.
Mustard produces such a tiny seed yet it yields many health benefits. Mustard is one of the most popular spices in the entire world and is used in every country as a favorite spice. Part of the cabbage family, mustard can be used in its whole seed form, as a ground powder or combined with wine, vinegar or some other liquid to create a loose paste.
There are three varieties of mustard: black, brown and white. The mustard plant grows to be quite tall and has a bright yellow flower.
It was imported to US through Spanish missionaries and seen as a cure-all. Its sharp and bitter taste, especially mixes into paste with vinegars, gave off a medicinal fume long before its health benefits were discovered.
Better than a Vitamin
Mustard seeds are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, protein, selenium and zinc. Selenium is a nutrient that has been shown to help reduce asthma, arthritis and certain cancers. Magnesium also reduces asthma and lowers blood pressure. The effects of mustard are currently being studied for menopausal women and on migraine attacks.
Other Healthy Benefits
Just a few of mustard’s possible healthy benefits include:
Speeds up metabolism
Stimulates digestion, increasing saliva as much as eight times more than normal
Inhibits cancer cell growth and possibly prevents other types of cancer as well
Treatment of skin diseases through the application of sulfur found in mustard
Reduces in the severity of asthma
Decreases symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
Lowering of high blood pressure
Prevention of migraines
Facilitation of gastric juices which aids digestive problems and gives digestive aid
Soothing of sore throats, bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia
Disinfectant qualities it provides
Additionally it has four powerful qualities: it is antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and has anti-inflammatory properties.
How to Add Mustard to Your Diet
Mustard is for more than just hot dogs at the ballpark. Whether in ground powder form, seed form or out of the bottle, there are multiple ways to include mustard into your diet to reap its benefits. And since its pungent, tangy taste enhances food so uniquely, it can easily replace fattier condiment options such as mayonnaise, butters and sugary catsups.
Mustard is often used in Indian, French, German and Irish foods. But there are many more options as well.
Include powdered mustards in salad dressings, egg dishes, pickles, marinades and vinaigrettes.
Sprinkle whole mustard seeds on salads, over vegetables and rice and on roasting meats. Try roasting them first in a dry skillet for a nuttier taste.
Mustard paste is useful. Bottled mustard can be rubbed on meats before roasting. Try dipping cut vegetables in a mustard sauce for a unique, flavorful dip. Mustard paste can easily be added to mayonnaises, vinaigrettes, marinades and barbeque sauces.
Mustard is so versatile; you will find many exciting and new ways to use this old standby.
German Diet – Lose 15 Pounds Fast
German diet will help you to lose 15 pounds fast and easy. This diet was developed by German nutrition experts for overweight women to solve their health problems fast and safe. Using this German diet you will be able to lose 15 pounds in 13 days.
This diet is very simple but it won’t totally remove feeling of hunger, you will still feel easy feeling of hunger. If you agree to suffer from time to time from hunger to reach your goals, this diet is for you. On the other hand you will feel energy awakening in yourself, use it for physical activity or to do some physical exercises.
Here is the diet plan:
Monday
Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee or tea without sugar and 1 small toast made of black bread.
Lunch: 2 boiled eggs, 80 g of spinach mixed with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and 1 tomato.
Dinner: 100 g of boiled chicken breast without skin, 150 g of vegetable salad made of tomatoes and green onions mixed with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Tuesday
Breakfast: a cup of black coffee or tea without sugar and 1 small toast made of black bread.
Lunch: 200 g of salad made of tomatoes and white cabbage mixed with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 1 orange or 2 mandarins, 1 big apple or a few plums.
Dinner: 2 boiled eggs, 200 g of boiled chicken meat without skin, 80 g of green salad.
Wednesday
Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee or tea without sugar and 1 small toast made of black bread.
Lunch: 1 boiled egg, 200 g of boiled carrots mixed with one teaspoon of vegetable oil, 100 g of low-fat cheese.
Dinner: 250 g of salad made of apple, mandarin, banana, pear or any other fruit.
Thursday
Breakfast: 1 glass of natural apple juice.
Lunch: 250 g of fried (fry without oil) or boiled fish, 1 tomato, 1 apple.
Dinner: 150 g of vegetable salad made of any vegetables and mixed with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or lemon juice.
Friday
Breakfast: 1 glass of natural carrot juice.
Lunch: 200 g of roast chicken (without oil), 100 g of vegetable salad made of any vegetables.
Dinner: 2 boiled eggs, 100 g of carrot salad made of boiled carrots mixed with lemon juice.
Saturday
Breakfast: a cup of tea without sugar and 1 small toast made of black bread.
Lunch: 200 g of fried (without oil) beef, 150 g of salad made of white cabbage mixed with lemon juice.
Dinner: 100 g of carrots mixed with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 150 g of low-fat cheese.
Sunday
Breakfast: a cup tea without sugar and 1 small toast made of black bread.
Lunch: 200 g of boiled chicken without skin.
Dinner: 300 g of any fruits (apples, pears, plums, oranges, etc.).
For other 6 days repeat the diet plan beginning from day 2.
It is necessary to follow German diet as it is without changing sequence of dishes or menu. It is recommended to consume a big glass of water before each meal.
If you think that you will be able to follow this diet plan and it is very easy for you, try another German diet which will help you to lose pounds amazingly fast but it is still recommended to try 1 German diet plan which is above.
It is very simple but it’s a monotonous diet. Here it is:
Every day it is necessary to eat 4-5 apples, 1 orange, 80 g of low-fat chicken, 2 small toasts made of black bread or 2 small slices of black bread. Duration of this diet is 2 weeks.
The Top 10 Time Management Tips for Parents
We’re all busy. This world is busy. But I believe some of the busiest people of all are those who have children under two years of age. (I’m astounded that parents with infant twins or triplets manage to get dressed in the morning. That effort is legendary). Simply, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to finish everything that needs to be done.
What can be done to save time? Here are the top ten tips to help with time management.
1. Buy a weekly planner with a magnetic strip and attach it to your fridge. Use coloured highlighter pens to mark off your weekly commitments, for example green for work time, blue for tasks such as food shopping, visiting the post office, or library visits, pink for social or community events, and yellow for the jobs around the home. As much as possible, consolidate your activities. This is key. Plan your week so that, for example, all your major cleaning is done in one day or household-upkeep chores are completed on a Tuesday from 2pm until 5pm. A single car trip equals only one shuffle of children, one guzzle of petrol for a round trip and stops unnecessary kilometres racking up.
2. Blocking out one morning for cleaning chores (with bub in the ergo or under Grandma’s watchful eye) speeds up the process. Invest less than ten dollars in a portable cleaning bucket, fill it with sponges, brushes, a squeegee and your favourite natural cleaning products (mine is undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle) and carry it with you from room to room. Do one good vacuum and mop a week. Wash and dry the pile of clothes and refuse to do more until the following week.
3. Plan your meals. One evening, sift through a heap of recipe books, food magazines and blogs. Gather 31 of your favourite simple dinner recipes and put them in an accessible folder. Put them on rotation! On the day before you food shop, write a list of all the ingredients you will need for your next seven dinners. Add the stuff you’ll need for lunches and breakfasts to the list too. (Planning to have leftovers for lunch can save you even more time). Eat as simply as you can. Roast dinners are quick and nutritious, salads and steamed veggies take minutes to prepare (especially with the key ingredients pre-cut) and a curry can be whipped up from a gourmet curry paste in no time. Buy tools that help you. Rice cookers and bread makers are lifesavers but a Thermomix (look it up!) is the time-saving device of the century.
4. Shop online for even more time and money-saving. Have your fresh food delivered to you. No more aisle-wandering or magazine browsing time-wasting either!
5. Prep as much food as you can in one go. Take a tip from all good restaurants and slice and dice your vegetables in one go. Use good quality sharpened knives to help speed up the process. Go online to find guides on what fruits and veggies you should store with what to help extend their freshness. Organise, pre-label and note the date on your storage containers.
6. Organise your pantry. I LOVE my Tupperware modular mates as they offer clear, safe, hygienic storage that extends the shelf life of my purchases. They keep my food at my fingertips and look good too! But any clear container with an airtight seal will do the job. Be sure to add your new packets and ingredients into the jars first thing so you can see what you have at all times and reduce unnecessary wastage.
7. Put a magnetic shopping list on your fridge. When something runs out, jot it down on your list immediately.
8. Do everything you can to help children learn how to play independently. (Watching television or a DVD doesn’t count). Sit in amongst them, demonstrate how to use toys or objects in creative imaginative ways (such as using a rock or a shell to portray a turtle or a green cloth as a mountain or grass for their plastic dinosaur collection) and then sit back and watch them imitate you. Soon, they’ll be doing this fun stuff all by themselves! Yeah! More free time for you coming right up.
9. Provide a resting rhythm for your children. Give your small children a sleep (or rest quietly time) everyday, at about the same time on the clock. Use this time to firstly have a quiet cup of tea or coffee (or mineral water if you prefer). Use any extra minutes to continue on with your favourite artistic or learning project. When you are creatively satisfied for a short burst everyday, you will experience the phenomena of time that seems to stretch like magic.
10. Disconnect from Facebook. I haven’t yet managed it, but you might have better luck!
This busy time in life doesn’t last long (and when it is gone, you will probably miss it). Remember, you WILL have a little bit more time as each day passes and the children begin to grow up. Use this mantra to help you enjoy and savour the daily moments of both joy and difficulty. And in the meantime, practice joie de vivre!
Authentic Mexican Tamales Recipes – Authentic Mexican Beef Tamales
There is nothing more delicious than a fresh, hot tamale. If you take your time and make these tamales with loving care, you will receive lots of compliments.
4 pounds boneless chuck roast
4 cloves garlic
3 (8 oz.) pkgs. dried corn husks
4 dried ancho chiles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon salt
9 cups masa harina
Directions
Place the beef and garlic in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water boils, reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Let simmer for 3-1/2 hours, until the beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
After the beef is done, remove from pot, reserving 5 cups of cooking liquid. Discard the garlic. Allow meat to cool slilghtly. Shred into small pieces with 2 forks.
Meanwhile, place corn husks in a large container and cover with warm water. Allow husks to soak for 3 hours, until soft and pliable. You may need to weight them down with an inverted plate or heavy can.
Toast ancho chiles in a cast iron skillet, making sure not to burn them. Allow to cool and then remove the stems and seeds. Crumble and grind the chilies in a clean coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
In a large skillet, heat up the oil. Mix in the flour and allow it to brown slightly. Pour in 1 cup beef broth and stir until smooth.
Mix in the ground chilies, cumin seeds, ground cumin, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt. Stir in the shredded beef and cover. Let simmer for 45 minutes.
Place the lard and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Add in the masa harina and beat at low speed until well mixed. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid, a little at a time, until the mixture is the consistency of soft cookie dough.
Drain the water from the corn husks.
Flatten out each corn husk, one at a time, with the narrow end facing you. Spread 2 tablespoons of the masa harina mixture onto the top 2/3 of the husk.
Spread 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture down the middle of the masa harina.
Roll up the corn husk, starting at one of the long sides. Fold the narrow end of the husk down onto the rolled tamale and tie with a piece of butchers’ twine.
Place wrapped tamales into a steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for one hour, until the masa is firm and holds its shape. Make sure the steamer doesn’t run out of water.
Serve immediately, allowing each person to unwrap their own tamales.
Keep leftovers inside their husks and store them uncovered in the refrigerator.
=> Authentic Mexican Tamales Recipes: Mexican Tamale Relish
Delicious over your hot tamales or other meats like beef, pork and chicken. Try adding plums for an additional flavor boost.
8 large medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch chunks
2 cups firm apples, chopped
1-1/2 cups fresh peaches, chopped
1-1/2 cups fresh pears, peeled and chopped
1-1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
3 tablespoons whole pickling spices
2-1/2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pickling salt
1-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
Directions
Place the tomatoes, apples, peaches, pears, onion and celery into a heavy pot. Stir in the pickling spices, brown sugar, pickling salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil, while stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is thick; stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook about 45 minutes.
Pour the fruit relish into hot jars, leaving 1/-inch head space. Adjust caps. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Cool jars. Store relish in a cool, dry place.
17 Inch Laptop Charcoal Air Purifiers Temperature Calibration
HCG Weight Loss Diet Meal Plan
HCG Diet Overview
During the first two days of taking HCG drops, you should be eating very high calorie foods that contain high fat and sugar contents. There is no limit to the number of calories or the types of foods that are eaten. Sweets, cookies, ice cream, deep fried foods, etc are all acceptable foods. It is important that you “load” properly, this is a very critical part of the diet. Do not begin loading if you have not started taking the HCG Drops. It is common for people to gain 3-5 pounds in the first two days. Don’t worry, you will lose it all in the follow 48 hours. People that chose not to “load” properly have found that the rest of the unwanted weight does not drop as easily as those people who took the time to “load”.
So, start your diet with a party and eat as much as you can!
Sample Diet (after loading) Drink lots of water each day (at least 2 liters)
Breakfast: Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or Stevia may be used. Stevia is a much healthier choice.
Lunch:
100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed. The chicken breast must be removed from the bird. Boneless and skinless.
One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beetgreens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage.
One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast (Wasa Bread is also acceptable).
An apple, orange, or a handful of strawberries (6-9 depending on their size) or one-half grapefruit.
Dinner:
The same four choices as lunch (above.)No oil, butter or dressing.
Hint: Our clients have found that saving your fruit and/or melba toast for a snack between lunch and dinner has helped them to not feel as hungry as well as keep their metabolism burning more steadily throughout the day.
5 Sample Recipes
When you order a 21 or 40 day kit, the Diet Manual contains another 17 hCG Diet Recipes for main dishes, drinks, marinades and desserts in the manual when you order the 21 or 40 day kits.
Green Onion Soup
Green onions (allowed amount)
2 c vegetable broth
1-2 t liquid aminos
1 t parsley
1 t zsweet
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t salt
1/2 t dill
1/2 t thyme
1/8 t cayenne or red pepper flakes
1/8 t celery seed
Briefly steam the green onions until tender.
Preheat saucepan over MED heat.
Chop steamed green onions.
In a saucepan, saute the green onions in a bit of vegetable broth for a couple of minutes, then add the parsley, zsweet, paprika, salt, dill, thyme, celery seed, and cayenne. Saute 1-2 mins more.
Add remaining vegetable broth, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-30 mins.
Lemon Pepper Fish
100g whitefish
juice of half lemon
1-3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cumin powder
1/8 t turmeric
Place fish in small bowl. Add garlic, black pepper, salt, cumin, and turmeric. Ensure to coat both sides.
Cover & marinate at least 1 hour in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 400.
Place the fish in a non-stick baking dish, & cover with the marinade.
Bake 10-20 minutes depending on thickness, until fish easily flakes.
Squeeze with lemon juice.
Serve.
Crockpot Swiss Steak
100g steak
1 T shake ‘n bake
1 T liquid aminos
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 stalk celery – sliced
1 onion – sliced
1 tomato – diced
1/2-1 c beef broth
Preheat pan over MED-HI heat.
Sprinkle steak with liquid aminos.
Dip steak in shake ‘n bake, coating both sides.
Add steak to pan and brown on both sides.
Transfer steak to crockpot.
Cover with garlic, celery, onions, and diced tomato.
Top with beef broth. Don’t stir!
Cover and cook on low until reaches desired doneness.
When done, serve immediately, and cover with juices from crockpot.
NOTE: This dish includes 3 vegetables which are meant only for flavor. When finished cooking, you can discard veggies, or choose to eat just one of them (as we aren’t allowed to mix veggies on phase 2 per Dr S).
Asparagus Frittata
3 egg whites
1 whole egg
Asparagus (allowed amount)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 T dehydrated minced onion
1 T water
1 t parsley
Salt/pepper (to taste)
Tabasco (optional)
Preheat pan over MED heat.
Snap woody ends off asparagus and discard.
Snap each asparagus spear into 2-3 pieces. Add to pan with garlic & heat through until tender.
Preheat oven to 400.
In bowl, mix eggs & water. Add asparagus, minced onion, parsley, salt/pepper.
Pour egg mixture into non-stick baking dish (or dish lined with parchment paper).
Place in oven and cook 10-15 mins until done.
Top with tabasco (optional) and serve immediately.
Orange Ginger Chicken
100g chicken – cut into chunks
Black pepper
orange – cut in 1/4s
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 T fresh ginger root (about 1/2″-1″ long piece, peeled & minced)
1/2 t basil
Juice of half lemon
Preheat pan over MED heat.
Sprinkle chicken with pepper.
Add chicken to pan and stir fry until brown on all sides, about 5-10 mins.
Add garlic and cook for 1 min.
Squeeze juice of orange quarters over chicken.
Peel & separate orange into sections. Add orange sections, ginger, lemon juice, and basil. Stir well.
Cover and simmer for about 20-30 mins.
NOTE: This includes your meat and fruit portion for this meal.
Recommended Shopping List for Grocery Store
Meats
Shrimp, White Fish (Talapia, Halibut, Orange Ruffy, etc).
Turkey, chicken breast.
Lean Ground Beef, Steak or Roast
Vegetables
Asparagus
Cucumbers
Onions
Celery
Beet Greens
Lettuce
Green Onions
Spinach or Swiss Chard
Tomatoes
Radishes
Fruit
Lemons
Strawberries
Apples
Oranges
Grapefruits
Spices
Mrs Dash
Bragg Liquid Amino (Like Soy Sauce)
Garlic Cloves
Stevia- Both powder as well as liquid and flavors
Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
Other spices (be careful of ingredients, no sugars)
Other Items
Herbal Tea
Green Tea
Coffee
Water container with ounces for tracking
Apple Cider Vinegar
No Fat Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Fresh Salsa (no sugars or preservatives)
Melba Toast, Grissini Bread or Wasa Bread
Multi-Vitamin (make sure that there are no oils).
Miracle Noodles can be found online.
There is a great deal more detail and specifics in the manuscript itself, which you’ll get a free copy of when you order the 21 or 40 day kit. It is suggested that this summary be used as a quick reference only. As with any diet program, if you experience complications or if you have any health risks or concerns, consult your Doctor immediately before beginning this or any other diet program.
Easy Cupcake Recipes For Kids
As last week was National Cupcake Week (yes there really is such a thing!), and Friday brings Macmillan coffee mornings all over the country, we thought we’d share our favourite cupcake recipe with you. Perfect for parties or tea-time treats, these delicious buns are so quick and simple to make that children will also love to get involved in baking them.
To make 12, you will need:
125g softened butter
125g caster sugar
2 large eggs
125g self-raising flour
Teaspoon vanilla extract
Approximately 2 tablespoons milk
12 bun tray lined with cupcake cases
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees/180 degrees (fan oven)/gas mark 6.
Put all of the ingredients, except for the milk, into a large bowl and mix until smooth with an electric hand mixer (or if you don’t have an electric hand mixer, you can use a food processor). Add the milk slowly until the mixture is a soft dropping consistency.
Spoon the mixture into the 12 bun cases and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the cakes are golden on top and a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.
Although these cakes are delicious enough to eat plain, they look gorgeous when iced. To make a basic butter-cream icing, you will need:
75 g softened butter
150g icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large bowl, cream the butter until it is smooth, then gradually sift in the icing sugar, mixing as you go. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix again until you have a light and creamy icing. Spoon or pipe onto your cooled cupcakes and adorn with silver balls, sprinkles, sweets or sugar decorations.
Enjoy!
Teeth Whitening Ayurvedic and Home Remedy Methods
It is not wrong to say that the teeth are indicators of the beauty of the face. Even top actors and actresses undergo dental cosmetic surgeries and whitening procedures in order to increase their ‘face’ value. A person with yellow or brown teeth is looked down upon. Hence it is extremely necessary to take proper care of teeth.
The mouth is the seat of the kapha dosha. Hence, care must be taken not to vitiate the kapha dosha. Problems with the kapha dosha lead to several oral and dental problems, including the loss of whiteness of the teeth.
However, many methods are known to the Indian science of Ayurveda by which a person can get the whiteness of teeth back. There are also methods to maintain whiteness of teeth. Many of these advantageous methods are mentioned in this article, with some other tips and pointers.
(1) Useful Herbs for Whitening of Teeth
1. Babul (Acacia arabica)
The importance of babul in whitening of teeth cannot be expressed in words. It is so much important in Ayurveda for this purpose that the ancient Indians used nothing but the twigs of the babul (the other tree used for this is neem) as disposable toothbrushes. The tannin present in babul is effective in increasing the whiteness of teeth.
2. Banyan (Ficus religiosa)
The aerial roots of the banyan can also be used as disposable toothbrushes. The banyan roots have astringent properties, which not only make the teeth whiter, but also make the teeth and gums healthier.
3. Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)
The leaves of the holy basil are dried in the sun and powdered and used for brushing teeth. The leaves help in maintaining dental hygiene and make the teeth whiter. Apart from the whitening properties, holy basil is also used for protection from problems such as pyorrhea (i.e. bleeding of gums).
4. Margosa (Azadirachtha indica)
The neem tree, or the margosa, is a traditional remedy for having white healthy teeth. Neem twigs are used by several Indians even today as toothbrushes. Neem oils contain astringent and antiseptic properties to fight bad breath, kill microorganisms accumulated on the teeth and to combat dental caries and cavities.
(2) Dietary Methods for Whitening of Teeth
In order to keep the teeth clean and white, pungent, bitter and astringent foods must be included in the daily diet. These tastes have an astringent effect on the teeth which helps to maintain them clean. They also take care of the excess buildup of plaque on the teeth, which makes them lose their pearly white color.
Sugary foods in any form are bad for the teeth. Chocolates are also not good. If you do consume such foods, you must remember to wash your mouth thoroughly with strong gargles so as not to leave any sweet residue in the mouth.
Avoid excess tea and coffee. These beverages contain strong alkaloids which can stain the teeth. The same is applicable to smoking. Almost every person who smokes will lose the white coloration of the teeth. Chewing of the paan (betel leaf), as is done in several Indian regions, is also disastrous to the whiteness of the teeth. This habit can stain the teeth cream, yellow or even a dirty shade of rust brown.
(3) Ayurvedic Methods for Whitening of Teeth
Ayurveda provides many kinds of toothpaste and toothbrushes for maintaining white healthy teeth. One of them is toothpaste made by mixing a paste of holy basil leaves with mustard oil. The neem and babul twigs are used as toothbrushes. They are rubbed vigorously on the teeth (sometimes with charcoal also) in order to remove all the plaque accumulated on the teeth and to make them whiter.
(4) Home Remedies for Whitening of Teeth
1. For teeth that have lost their white color, prepare a mixture of charcoal of babul wood, roasted alum and some rock salt. Rub this on the teeth instead of using the conventional toothpaste. You will have white and long-lasting healthy teeth.
2. You can try using sodium bicarbonate regularly each morning as a toothpowder instead of toothpaste. Sodium bicarbonate replenishes the lost mineral content of the teeth, which helps them to regain their whiteness.
3. Strawberries, tomatoes and amalaki contain good vitamin C content. These can be directly applied on the teeth. Vitamin C helps in removing the plaque on the teeth and makes them whiter.
4. Rub an orange peel on the teeth every night before going to sleep. The vitamin C of the orange peel will combat with the microorganisms all through the night.
5. Take adequate measures of dental hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal, or at least in the morning and before going to bed. While brushing your teeth, take care to sweep out all the embedded food particles. This is the most natural way to keep your teeth white and healthy.
Foods That Will Make Your Underactive Thyroid Symptoms Worse
Are you suffering from underactive thyroid symptoms? If so, there are certain foods that you should do your best to avoid because they can actually make your condition worse. Here is a list of the top 10 foods to avoid if you have any underactive thyroid symptoms.
1. White breads – This food makes it hard for the body to regulate insulin and also disrupts hormonal balance within the body.
2. Caffeine – We all love caffeine, most of us have it on a daily basis in coffee or sodas. However, caffeine depresses thyroid function and will only make your underactive thyroid symptoms worse. Even though caffeine is a stimulant, it is no good for stimulating your thyroid.
3. Broccoli – We all assume that we should be eating our vegetables, but this is one you will want to stay away from. This is because broccoli is considered a goitrogenic food. That means that consuming too much broccoli can increase the likelihood that you’ll develop a goiter somewhere on your body.
This would be due to decreased thyroid hormone production. In addition, the entire family of goitrogenic foods can nullify the effects of some thyroid medicines, so keep this in mind.
4. Peaches – also considered a goitrogenic food, be sure to add this food to the list of ones that can possibly cause a goiter to form due to your thyroid’s hormone production being decreased.
5. Peanuts – yes, they are salty, crunchy and delicious, but they aren’t the best snack choice for someone with an underactive thyroid symptom, as they interfere with the production of thyroid hormones.
6. Fluoride – this is found in toothpaste and drinking water that comes from the tap. Fluoride essentially blocks iodine receptors in the thyroid gland which causes reduced iodine-containing hormone production.
7. Chlorine – not only for pools, it is found in pretty much everyone’s drinking water that comes directly from the tap. Chlorine and iodine are chemically related.
Like fluoride, chlorine also blocks iodine receptors in the thyroid gland, causing reduced iodine-containing hormone production. So, drink plenty of distilled or purified water for essential and proper bodily functions, just not from the tap.
8. Soy – soybeans are off limits, as they have an anti-nutrient that contains a chemical that reacts with iodine. Since iodine is critical to make the thyroid hormone, this food should be avoided if you have an underactive thyroid symptom. Soymilk, soy flour, and tofu are also foods to add to the do not eat list.
9. Garlic – it may keep people away and it’s great in spaghetti sauce. However, garlic also reduces iodine uptake in the body.
10. White flour – in the same family as white breads, this is a food that can, for some people, contribute to difficulties with insulin resistance and hormonal problems. White flour is a refined and over-processed food and has very little, if any, nutritional value at all.
Any underactive thyroid symptoms can be controlled by eating lightly, but regularly throughout the day. Eat about every four hours to keep the metabolism moving and your body’s functions working properly. Taking an herbal thyroid remedy can really help as well.