The  sweetest  sound....

...be  kind  to  them...

                                    rest  and recuperation....SILENT Sunday...

Chicken  with  Apricots

Ingredients 

1 1/4  cups dried orzo (8 oz.)
15 ounce can unpeeled apricot halves in light syrup
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2  teaspoons curry powder
2  tablespoons olive oil
6  green onions

Directions 

1. Cook orzo according to package; drain. Drain apricot halves, reserving 1/2 cup syrup.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook for 8 minutes or until no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once. Add apricots the last 2 minutes. Transfer to plates.

3. Cut green tops of 2 onions into diagonal slices; set aside; chop remaining onions. Add chopped onion and remaining curry powder to skillet; cook 1 minute. Stir in reserved syrup and orzo. Add to plates. Sprinkle onion tops. 

Sparkling  Pomegranate  Punch
 

INGREDIENTS

2 oranges, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

3/4 cup ice-cream soda

Ice cubes, for serving

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup diced fresh pineapple (1/2 inch)

1 cup pomegranate juice

DIRECTIONS

 In a punch bowl, dissolve the sugar in the pomegranate juice, stirring vigorously. Add the ice-cream soda, then add the orange slices, diced pineapple and pomegranate seeds. Serve the sparkling pomegranate punch over ice cubes.

Nando's  Spicy  Rice 

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked rice--make it like we normally make rice but add garlic ginger paste to it
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 bell pepper finely chopped
1/2 tsp pepper 
 2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion
1 tomato finely chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic
3 tsp peri peri sauce

Heat oil and fry onion for 2 minutes. Then add garlic, bell pepper and tomatoes and mix well and then add rice then add peri peri sauce.

Peri-peri  sauce
 
8 dried whole red chillies (the long ones)
1/4 cup red chilles (the round ones)
2 tbsp crushed pepper
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 small onion

Put the above ingredients in a blender and blend until all is incorporated.

Hot Peri Peri Chicken Stir Fry 

1 lb chicken breast cut into long strips
1 tablespoon (or to taste) Peri Peri Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bag of "stir fry" veggies, or if not just get baby carrots and cut lengthwise and get mushrooms and other frozen veggies
1/4 cup oil
3 cloves garlic (crush it)
1 inch ginger (crush it)

Heat oil and add the crushed garlic and ginger then add chicken fry the chicken until it is golden then add the peri peri sauce, soy sauce in it. Then add the veggies and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

...the  sweetest  sound...

Alas...rest...rest...rest...Rest and  Recuperation...It's  silent  Sunday...long weekends! 

...out  of  the  box  fruit  salad

Ingredients

1 handful blueberries
about 4 or 5 strawberries halved
1 nectarine
1/2 an apple
1 black plum
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon  masala

Method

Cut all the fruits except for blueberries and mix them in with sugar and  masala..yummy!!!

...be  skeptical, but  not  cynical...

p/s... A skeptic says "give me reason to believe".

         A cynic says, "there is no reason to believe." 

Well, we can't progress from a premise of "nothing is true and nothing worthwhile." ...but a skeptic can assume reality exists and operates according to certain principles (what better premises do we have?)...and even if we live in a world of temporary beliefs and "probable truth," we have the possibility of knowledge and creativity.

Walk... Walk...and  Walk...

The  Easiest  Way  To  Live  Longer

Did you know that every minute we walk can extend our life by 1.5 to 2 minutes? In addition, many studies show that people who walk regularly live longer, weigh less, have lower blood pressure, and enjoy better overall health than non-walkers.

Here’s a look at ten benefits of walking.

Walking Increases Your Lifespan

Walking more than an hour a day improves life expectancy significantly. Surprisingly, their lifetime medical costs did not increase—even though they lived longer.

“An increase in walking time at the population level would bring about a tremendous change in people’s health and medical cost,” the study authors wrote.

Walking Wards Off Diabetes

Just thirty minutes of walking a day can prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, a 2002 study looking at both overweight and average weight men and women in a population at high risk for the disease showed.

If you already have diabetes, walking is helpful for you, too. A mile or more daily cuts your risk of death from all causes in half, according to a 2007 study.

Walking Keeps Your Mind Sharp

Walking 72 blocks a week (around six to nine miles) helps increase grey matter, which in turn lowers the risk of suffering from cognitive impairment—or trouble with concentration, memory and thought, according to a study which looked at 299 seniors over a nine-year period.

Furthermore, walking five miles per week can provide some protection to the memory and learning areas of the brains of those already suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment, and lead to a slower decline in memory loss.

Common Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

Walking Helps Lower Blood Pressure

Walking just 30 minutes a day, three to five days a week—even when the 30 minutes are broken into three ten-minute increments—has been found to significantly lower blood pressure.

Walking is Great for Bone Health

Putting one foot in front of the other for about a mile a day led to improved bone density in post-menopausal women, and slowed the rate of bone loss from the legs, according to a 1994 study. “It takes walkers four to seven years longer to reach the point of very low bone density, study leader Dr. Krall told the New York Times.

Walking Cuts the Risk of Stroke

Walking about 12.5 miles a week or more cut the risk of stroke in half, according to a study looking at over 11,000 Harvard University alumni with an average age of 58.

Walking Improves Your Mood

If you’re feeling down in the dumps, walking is a quick and easy solution. Just thirty minutes on a treadmill reduces feelings of tension and depression, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. In fact, the study found that walking lifted moods more quickly than anti-depressants did (and with fewer side effects). And the more people walk, the better their mood and energy.

Walking Torches Calories

Just 20 minutes of walking a day will burn 7 pounds a year. The effects are even more dramatic when you add in some dietary changes as well.

23 Diet Plans Reviewed: Do They Work?

Walking Improves Insomnia

Having trouble sleeping at night? Try taking a brisk 45-minute walk in the morning five days a week, and your sleep may improve significantly, according to research from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, which looked at women from the age of 50-74. (Walking in the evening, however, sometimes has the opposite effect—so keep an eye on when you’re exercising and what your sleep patterns are.)

Walking is Good for the Heart

Women who took brisk walks for three or more hours per week reduced their risk of heart disease by 30-40 percent. A different study showed that walking can cut the risk of coronary heart disease in half for men between the ages of 71 and 93.

edited from an article from Health Care mag written by Lisa Collier 

p/s ...let's  start  to  make  walking  a  routine  exercise...and  let  the  car/ bike  rest!!!  ;-D   

... says  who...

  

L'amour vient de l'aveuglement, l'amitie de la connaissance... 

Tata...Bye-Bye Flu...

Do you come down with the flu like clockwork every year as soon as the sun starts to be prickly or the rain starts to pour intensely? Do you feel helpless against the illness? Well, don't despair. These are surefire ways to greatly reduce our chances of getting the flu this year and ahead. And the flu vaccine is not one of them. Though heavily hyped as the best way to prevent the illness, the flu vaccine is loaded with a mix of toxins and bacteria that eventually could harm us more than the flu ever will. It also suppresses our immune system and studies have shown it is not as effective as manufacturers say it is. If you really want to stay healthy follow these safe recommendations: 

Wash Your Hands 

Washing your hands decreases your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. If your immune system is strong, it should be able to fight off the virus if it does enter your body, but washing your hands provides extra protection.

Avoid antibacterial soaps as they are completely unnecessary, and can do more harm than good. Instead use a simple chemical-free soap. 

Avoid Sugar

Sugar decreases the function of your immune system, and a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness, including the flu. You should definitely avoid sugar if you are coming down with something. Keeping sugar out of your diet does wonders for your health and makes your body stronger, which makes it harder for the flu bug to get you. While avoiding sugar, be sure to load up on nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The enzymes in these foods also help fight off illness.

Eat Garlic Regularly

Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal and should be eater as often as possible. The best way to eat garlic is fresh because it contains more allicin.

Use Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemons also have antibacterial properties. A little fresh lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon) taken each day during flu season will give your immune system a boost. Try a little squeeze in your tea or water to make it taste great.

Get Plenty of Rest

It's harder for your body to fight the flu if it is tired and fatigued. Getting regular rest keeps you strong and gives your body the strength to fight off any potential invaders. A well-rested body is your best defense against harmful germs.

Don't Let Stress Get You Down

We all have stress, but if stress becomes overwhelming your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illnesses. It is believed that up to 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related. If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, do something about it. Stretch, take a soothing bath, listen to music, meditate or get a massage. Whatever it takes.

Exercise

When you exercise, circulation and blood flow increase throughout your body. Because the components of your immune system are also better circulated, your immune system has a better chance of fighting an illness before it can spread.

Take Probiotcs, when Necessary

Did you know the majority of your immune system is in your digestive tract? Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help promote better digestibility and increased absorption of vitamins and minerals, increase resistance to infection and eliminate toxins from the body and stimulate the immune system. By taking an occasional round of probiotics, you can rebuilt the bacteria in your gut and stay well. 

Edited from:  Orlando Woman Newspaper, SPCA Magazine and Epicurean

p/s...Taking care of our mind, body and soul, and pumping up our immune system, is the best way to fight any type of illness. Stay healthy year-round by following a few healthful guidelines and we won't be singing the flu blues ever again...InsyaAllah  ;-D

The  sweetest  sound...

SUNDAY ... R & R ... Rest and Recuperation... hurray!  ;-D